Written Answers of 5 May 1993

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prison Service
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost, including redundancy payments, incurred by his Department as a result of the abandonment of the prison service supply and transport market test.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. John McAllion, dated 4 May 1993:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your Question about the costs incurred as a result of the abandonment of the Prison Service supply and transport market test.

  In July 1992 approval was given for the award of a contract, subject to negotiation of satisfactory terms and consultation with the TUS, to Beck and Pollitzer for the operation of the warehousing and distribution function of the Prison Service Supply and Transport Branch. The operative date of the contract was to be 1 April 1993.

  At the time of this decision, it was anticipated that all staff working in the function would be made redundant, although some might be re-employed by Beck and Pollitzer. The estimated redundancy payments for all the staff were £875,000.

  As it was not possible to negotiate a satisfactory contract with Beck and Pollitzer, a 3-year service level agreement was awarded to the next best bid, the in-house bid. Staff, who had received redundancy notices in September 1992, were given the option of accepting redundancy or agreeing to the withdrawal of the redundancy notice. Redundancy payments to those who decided to accept redundancy were £620,000.

  The Prison Service did not incur any other costs as a result of the abandonment of the market test.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contract was awarded to Beck and Politzer following the abandonment of the prison service supply and transport market test; whether it was a result of a competitive tendering exercise; and whether an in-house bid was permitted.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. John McAllion, dated 4 May 1993:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the contract awarded to Beck and Politzer.

  Following the decision to award a 3-year service level agreement for the in-house management of the Prison Service Supply and Transport warehousing and distribution function, a 1-year consultancy contract was agreed with Beck and Politzer to provide the in-house management team with advice and assistance in achieving operational and administrative improvements to the function.
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  A great deal of preparatory work was carried out by Beck and Politzer in the seven months from the original decision to award them the contract for the management of the function up to the decision to retain the work in-house and this latter decision was made only 4 weeks before the operative date of 1 April 1993. There was therefore not time to arrange for competitive tendering, nor would it have been practical for either another contractor or an in-house team to act as consultants, as the new computer systems to be used after I April for stock control and distribution planning were based on the original Beck and Politzer proposal. They were therefore the only organisation capable of providing the necessary consultancy advice.

  The agreement reached with Beck and Politzer is an example of the private sector working closely with the public sector to enhance services quality and provide value for money.

  Prison Transport
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requirements are laid down on how meals are to be provided by Group 4 to prisoners being held in court and police cells while awaiting or during trial; and if these will be hot meals.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from I. Dunbar to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 May 1993:

  In the absence of Mr. Lewis, the Director General, the Home Secretary has asked me to write to you directly in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what requirements are laid down on how meals are to be provided by Group 4 to prisoners being held in court and police cells whilst awaiting or during trial; and if these will be hot meals.

  The contract with Group 4 Court Services Limited requires the contractor to feed all prisoners who are in its custody at any time between the hours of 1100 and 1400. The lunchtime meal need not be regarded as the main meal of the day, but should be such as to sustain the prisoner until he or she is escorted to the prison or otherwise dealt with. Fresh drinking water should be available to prisoners on request throughout the day. This is in line with guidance to Governors in respect of prisoners held at courts staffed by the Prison Service. Breakfast and tea meals will ordinarily be given either by the police or Prison Service as appropriate.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost currently paid by the prison service for each new cellular van to be constructed.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from I. Dunbar to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 May 1993:

  In the temporary absence of the Director General, Mr. Lewis, the Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your Question about the cost paid by the Prison Service for new cellular vans.

  The last cellular van purchased by the Prison Service was in July 1991, for a 14-cell van with air-conditioning, at a total cost of £50,667 exclusive of VAT. The last 12-cell van was purchased in September 1990 at a total cost of £47,275 exclusive of VAT. Air-conditioning was fitted to this van in July 1991 at an additional cost of £7,173 exclusive of VAT.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the location, date, list of injuries and cost of repairs incurred in road accidents in
  75
  1990, 1991 and 1992 involving (a) cellular vans and (b) other means of transporting prisoners (i) in England and Wales and (ii) in the east midlands and Humberside area.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from I. Dunbar to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 May 1993:

  In the absence of the Director General, Mr. Lewis, the Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the transport of prisoners.

  Only a relatively small number of prisoner movements are by cellular vehicle. In fact the use of cellular vehicles by the Prison Service only began in 1990 and so far only 26 are in use. Apart from those prisoners conveyed by Group 4 most prisoners are escorted to magistrates' courts and the Crown Court, and between establishments, by Prison Service staff but using contract hire taxis and coaches. Movements from magistrates' courts to prisons are undertaken by the police using their vehicles. (In some areas, eg in London, the police also convey prisoners to magistrates' courts, but are paid for this service by the Prison Service.) We do not therefore have the information with which to answer your question.

  We do however have information on the amount spent on repairs, and in settlement of third party claims, in respect of accidents involving Prison Service cellular vehicles. The only years for which the information is complete are 1990 (when these vehicles first began to be used by the Prison Service) and 1991. The information is as follows:

  All areas

  East Midlands and Humberside

  £

  £

  1990

  264

  nil

  1991

  2,354·50

  618

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoner custody officers are employed by Group 4 Court Escort Services Ltd.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from I. Dunbar to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 May 1993:

  In the absence of the Director General, Mr. Lewis, the Home Secretary has asked me to write to you directly in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the number of prisoner custody officers employed by Group 4 Court Escort Services Ltd.

  Group 4 currently have 288 staff employed to undertake prisoner custody officer duties as part of the court escort service in the East Midlands and Humberside.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the running costs incurred during 1992 for transporting prisoners in the east midlands and Humberside area; and if he will give a breakdown of the costs.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from I. Dunbar to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 May 1993:

  In the absence of Mr. Lewis, the Director General, the Home Secretary has asked me to write to you directly in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the running costs incurred during 1992 for transporting prisoners in the East Midlands and Humberside area.
  76
  Our estimate of the operational staff costs in 1993–94 prices is £9·0 million. This excludes overheads, vehicle costs, catering and medical support. Neither the Prison Service nor the police can readily identify these additional costs. By contrast the total cost under the contract is £8·1 million (excluding VAT, which is reclaimable). This sum contains the cost of administrative and management back-up, together with costs of catering, medical support, accommodation (headquarters, control centre and vehicle bases), vehicles and IT. Of the £9·0 million, £6·0 million is attributable to police costs, and £2·8 million to Prison Service costs.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoner transport movements were made in the east midlands and Humberside area during 1992.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from I. Dunbar to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 May 1993:

  In the temporary absence of Mr. Lewis, the Director General from the office, the Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the number of prisoner transport movements made in the East Midlands and Humberside area during 1992.

  Data on prisoner movements is not collected centrally. Survey work conducted last summer indicated an annual rate in the area of about 50,000 prisoner movements from police stations and prisons to courts. More detailed data for 1993 will become available in due course from the contractor's management information system.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the number and types of vehicles Group 4 has in its fleet for transporting prisoners under the private escort service in the east midlands and Humberside.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from I. Dunbar to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 May 1993:

  In the absence of the Director General, Mr. Lewis, the Home Secretary has asked me to write to you directly in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about Group 4's fleet of vehicles for the court escort service in the East Midlands and Humberside.

  Group 4 are using 70 vehicles, of which 57 are cellular vehicles, three are personnel carriers and 10 saloon cars.

  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the cost in(a) money and (b) man hours of retaking prisoners who escape while in the charge of Group 4 personnel.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from I. Dunbar to Mr. David Young, dated 4 May 1993:

  In the absence of the Director General, Mr. Lewis, the Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the cost and man hours involved in the re-taking of prisoners who have escaped from the custody of Group 4 personnel.

  The nature and circumstances of incidents of escapes differ widely from one case to the next and the Prison Service is not charged for costs incurred in recapturing prisoners. The information requested is not, therefore, available.
  77
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the contract with Group 4 to provide prisoner escort services contains penalty clauses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from I.Dunbar to Mr. David Young, dated 4 May 1993:

  In the absence of Mr. Lewis, the Director General, the Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about penalty clauses in the contract with Group 4 Court Services Ltd. for the provision of the court escort service in the East Midlands and Humberside.

  The contract with Group 4 contains mechanisms which allow adjustments to payments to be made in the event of circumstances occurring which fall outside the terms of the contract. Where a material failure is caused by circumstances within the contractor's control and is not corrected within 20 days of it being brought to his attention, the Prison Service may terminate the contract.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his policy to allow male and female prisoners to travel in the same vehicle while being escorted to court; and if he will call for an investigation into an incident on Tuesday 20 April when a female prisoner was put with male prisoners in a vehicle operated by Group 4 Court Escort Services Ltd. with no female custody officer present.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Mr. D. Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 5 May 1993:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply directly to your recent Parliamentary question about male and female prisoners being escorted in the same vehicle.

  The Prison Service has no objection in principle to escorting male and female prisoners to court together as long as the escort is properly staffed and supervised. The contract with Group 4 requires the separation of male and female prisoners, but the Prison Service is content that such separation be achieved by placing prisoners in separate compartments of a cellular vehicle. Where it is judged in the prisoner's interest to be escorted rather than to await the arrival of a female PCO, a female prisoner may be escorted by male PCOs. The contract with Group 4 states that the general presumption will be that a female officer will accompany a female prisoner, and that escorts of females by male Prisoner Custody Officers will be very much the exception.

  Prison Regime (Code of Standards)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he is making with the establishment of a code of standards for the prison regime; when he expects the code to be ready for issue; what account he has taken of previous recommendations on the subject; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  78
  Letter from I. Dunbar to Mr. Harry Green way, dated May 1993:

  In the temporary absence of the Director General, Mr. Lewis, the Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about progress on establishing a code of standards for the Prison Service.

  Following two public consultation seminars last year on the aims of a code of standards, drafting of the code is now well underway in the Prison Service. Standards are being drafted to reflect the Prison Service's responsibilities towards both the public and prisoners, and will take account of the views expressed in the Woolf Report, the Government White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice", and comments received during consultation.

  The code will be published in December 1993.

  Prison Education Service
  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many redundancies he expects as a result of the tendering out of the prison education service.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The staff who provide education services in prison establishments are not employed by the prison service. Decisions on redundancy are a matter for the employer and it is not yet possible to quantify whether and to what extent staff currently employed in delivering education services in prisons may be made redundant following competitive tendering.

  Fire Service, Wales
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are being taken to improve the efficiency and response times of each fire service in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government are concerned to ensure that all fire authorities in Wales conform to the minimum nationally recommended standards of fire cover, and that they do so as efficiently and economically as possible. The primary responsibility for providing an efficient fire service rests with the fire authority and the chief officer of the fire brigade. Each brigade in Wales is inspected annually by Her Majesty's inspectorate of fire services to ensure that fire authorities are operating as efficiently as possible and continuing to meet acceptable standards of fire cover.

  Neighbourhood Watch
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many neighbourhood watch schemes exist in each county in Wales for each year since 1987.

  Mr. Jack
  Information on the number of neighbourhood watch schemes is recorded at police force level and so it is not possible to attribute schemes to individual Welsh counties. The number of schemes recorded by the police at the end of each year in question is given in the following table:
  79

  Neighbourhood watch schemes in Wales

  Number of neighbourhood watch schemes

  Force

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Dyfed-Powys

  108

  514

  719

  807

  940

  1,102

  Gwent

  3

  10

  17

  22

  35

  113

  North Wales

  1,135

  1,572

  1,812

  1,787

  2,061

  2,615

  South Wales

  500

  510

  638

  546

  821

  1,141

  Total

  1,746

  2,606

  3,186

  3,162

  3,857

  4,971

  Victim Support
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the Government's policy for funding and supporting Victim Support.

  Mr. Jack
  The Government attach importance to the work of Victim Support in providing both practical help and advice and emotional support to victims of crime. There are currently about 380 branches and schemes with some 8,000 volunteer visitors covering 98 per cent. of the population of England and Wales. They handle about 800,000 cases a year.

  Home Office grant to the national charity Victim Support will amount to £8·4 million this year. This is an

  Force As at 31 March 1979

  Police strength

  Civilian strength

  Force population1

  Police authority/population ratio

  Avon and Somerset

  2,825

  686

  1,328,000

  1:378

  Bedfordshire

  902

  277

  490,000

  1:415

  Cambridgeshire

  1,064

  302

  564,000

  1:413

  Cheshire

  1,778

  397

  914,000

  1:420

  Cleveland

  1,334

  308

  569,000

  1:363

  Cumbria

  1,056

  250

  474,000

  1:363

  Derbyshire

  1,563

  636

  897,000

  1:408

  Devon and Cornwall

  2,660

  752

  1,361,000

  1:399

  Dorset

  1,128

  281

  583,000

  1:414

  Durham

  1,312

  505

  608,000

  1:335

  Essex

  2,461

  686

  1,357,000

  1:431

  Gloucestershire

  1,076

  231

  493,000

  1:377

  Greater Manchester

  6,419

  1,415

  2,675,000

  1:341

  Hampshire

  2,949

  698

  1,564,000

  1:429

  Hertfordshire

  1,462

  370

  799,000

  1:436

  Humberside

  1,849

  499

  845,000

  1:360

  Kent

  2,724

  887

  1,445,000

  1:400

  Lancashire

  3,097

  879

  1,368,000

  1:344

  Leicestershire

  1,701

  363

  833,000

  1:404

  Lincolnshire

  1,171

  314

  530,000

  1:357

  Merseyside

  4,472

  914

  1,562,000

  1:290

  Norfolk

  1,223

  248

  675,000

  1:459

  Northamptonshire

  905

  254

  514,000

  1:443

  Northumbria

  3,272

  768

  1,465,000

  1:362

  North Yorkshire

  1,342

  338

  654,000

  1:389

  Nottinghamshire

  2,117

  561

  974,000

  1:364

  South Yorkshire

  2,546

  599

  1,304,000

  1:414

  Staffordshire

  1,978

  571

  994,000

  1:390

  Suffolk

  1,064

  329

  588,000

  1:422

  Surrey

  1,440

  360

  726,000

  1:403

  Sussex

  2,758

  723

  1,278,000

  1:367

  Thames Valley

  2,639

  970

  1,723,000

  1:477

  Warwickshire

  841

  204

  467,000

  1:447

  West Mercia

  1,743

  493

  963,000

  1:431

  West Midlands

  5,981

  1,418

  2,730,000

  1:369

  West Yorkshire

  4,727

  1,186

  2,073,000

  1:351

  Wiltshire

  997

  251

  514,000

  1:412

  City of London

  829

  275

  6,000

  1:5

  Metropolitan

  22,214

  12,443

  7,445,000

  1:215

  1 Population figures provided by OPCS June 1977.

  80
  increase of 15 per cent. over last year's provision, which itself represented a 28 per cent. increase over the previous year's.

  Police Forces
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, for each police authority in England, for the most recent year for which figures are available,(a) the number of police officers, (b) the number of civilian staff, (c) the population in the area covered and (d) the ratio of officers and staff to population; and what were the comparable figures for 1978–79.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is as follows:
  81

  Force As at 31 December 1992

  Police strength

  Civilian strength

  Force population1

  Police authority/population ratio

  Avon and Somerset

  3,065

  1,120

  1,431,000

  1:342

  Bedfordshire

  1,119

  391

  534,000

  1:354

  Cambridgeshire

  1,265

  446

  670,000

  1:392

  Cheshire

  1,901

  543

  967,000

  1:396

  Cleveland

  1,492

  473

  558,000

  1:284

  Cumbria

  1,197

  414

  490,000

  1:304

  Derbyshire

  1,810

  588

  940,000

  1:392

  Devon and Cornwall

  2,920

  1,048

  1,515,000

  1:382

  Dorset

  1,318

  553

  663,000

  1:354

  Durham

  1,377

  541

  604,000

  1:315

  Essex

  2,917

  1,088

  1,477,000

  1:369

  Gloucestershire

  1,148

  373

  539,000

  1:354

  Greater Manchester

  7,055

  2,539

  2,562,000

  1:267

  Hampshire

  3,287

  1,089

  1,705,000

  1:390

  Hertfordshire

  1,688

  594

  843,000

  1:369

  Humberside

  2,033

  699

  874,000

  1:320

  Kent

  3,106

  1,107

  1,539,000

  1:365

  Lancashire

  3,209

  1,071

  1,408,000

  1:329

  Leicestershire

  1,834

  667

  891,000

  1:356

  Lincolnshire

  1,191

  483

  593,000

  1:354

  Merseyside

  4,656

  1,638

  1,441,000

  1:229

  Norfolk

  1,426

  460

  759,000

  1:402

  Northamptonshire

  1,203

  436

  587,000

  1:358

  Northumbria

  3,586

  1,232

  1,433,000

  1:297

  North Yorkshire

  1,408

  454

  721,000

  1:387

  Nottinghamshire

  2,329

  742

  1,016,000

  1:331

  South Yorkshire

  3,000

  960

  1,293,000

  1:327

  Staffordshire

  2,172

  736

  1,047,000

  1:360

  Suffolk

  1,237

  520

  662,000

  1:377

  Surrey

  1,674

  604

  768,000

  1:337

  Sussex

  2,980

  971

  1,430,000

  1:362

  Thames Valley

  3,833

  1,458

  1,972,000

  1:373

  Warwickshire

  1,002

  332

  490,000

  1:367

  West Mercia

  2,060

  927

  1,099,000

  1:368

  West Midlands

  6,952

  2,471

  2,619,000

  1:278

  West Yorkshire

  5,070

  1,878

  2,066,000

  1:297

  Wiltshire

  1,262

  490

  575,000

  1:328

  City of London

  805

  309

  4,000

  1:4

  Metropolitan

  27,812

  14,584

  7,285,000

  1:172

  1 Population figures provided by OPCS June 1991.

  Racial Attacks
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reports have been recorded by the police of racial abuse or racial attacks in south-east London in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The number of racial incidents recorded for 3 Area of the Metropolitan police, which consists of the London boroughs of Southwark, Lewisham, Bromley, Greenwich and Bexley, is as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1987

  244

  1988

  292

  1989

  396

  1990

  394

  1991

  596

  1992

  811

  Public Order Act
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will propose amendment of the Public Order Act 1986.
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  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. and learned Friend gave to a question from my right hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) on 31 March at column 225.

  Dangerous Dogs
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has had from the Association of Chief Police Officers concerning the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Department has received one letter from the Association of Chief Police Officers concerning the operation of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost of consulting canine experts to determine whether or not dogs at the centre of the Mold Hendre Woods trial are pit bulls.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The cost to the prosecuting authorities of obtaining advice as to the identification of the 29 dogs involved in this case is £2,514·50.

  Identity Cards
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce a national identity card for all United Kingdom citizens; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  Although I remain ready to consider any arguments which may be advanced in favour of introducing an identity card system. I am not at present persuaded that the case for such a system has been made.

  Child Abuse
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response he is making to the recommendations in the NSPCC report into "Joint Enterprise and Parents", relating to(a) seeking separate trials in such cases, (b) reviewing the guidelines on what constitutes neglect or cruelty for the purposes of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, (c) making admissible evidence of behaviour of one parent against a child and (d) clarifying the extent to which a trial judge may comment on a defendant's choice not to give evidence.

  Mr. Jack
  The principal recipient of the NSPCC report into "Joint Enterprise and Parents" was the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice, which is expected to report in the summer. The Government will very carefully consider any proposals the commission may make that have a bearing on the issues raised in this question. A copy of the report was also sent by the director of the NSPCC to my right hon. and learned Friend, who in his reply offered the view that the report provided a useful analysis of actual cases while clearly demonstrating that there were no easy answers to the problems identified.

  Corporal Punishment
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 16 March,Official Report, column 169, on corporal punishment, if he will list the evidence referred to in his answer.

  Mr. Jack
  The evidence referred to in that answer is the same evidence which informed policy in 1948.

  Boards of Visitors
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has to report on Lord Justice Woolf's recommendations concerning a president of boards of visitors.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have been considering the report of a working group which was established to look at this recommendation, together with the representations that have been made to me by interested parties.

  I have decided against appointing a president of boards of visitors. There is no strong consensus of opinion amongst boards in favour of a president and some concern from them that their local, autonomous and voluntary nature might be compromised by such an appointment. Lord Woolf suggested that a president migh develop more effective methods for recruiting new members to boards and give guidance on good practice to be followed by boards, including the provision of training. These areas are
  84
  already being addressed by my hon. Friend the Minister of State in conjunction with the board of visitors representative bodies and the prison service liaison section for boards of visitors.

  Consequently, I am not convinced that the appointment of a president is required.

  Boards of visitors have served the Crown and the public for many years and as Lord Woolf pointed out, we have good cause to be grateful to them for the work they do. The many changes that are happening now within the prison service have resulted in boards of visitors being faced with increasing demands upon their time. With this in mind, I have asked that once the prison service agency has had time to adjust to its own new status, consideration should be given to Lord Woolf's other recommendations and conclusions regarding boards of visitors to see whether we can assist boards further in carrying out their important role.

  Directorate of Telecommunications
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for privatising the directorate of telecommunications.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  As I announced on 3 February 1993 at column 204, I have been given approval for advisers to be engaged in preparation for the privatisation of DTELS (formerly the Directorate of Telecommunications). The aim is privatise during 1993–94 by means of a trade sale.

  Expenses in connection with the sale will be met from sale receipts. Parliamentary approval of this new service will be sought in a Supplementary Estimate for the Home Office's privatisation of DTELS vote (class VIII, vote 5). Pending that approval, urgent expenditure incurred in advance of the sale will be met by repayable advances, not expected to exceed £1 million, from the Contingencies Fund.

  Racism and Homophobia
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that all police forces monitor racial and homophobic attacks.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 4 May 1993]: All police forces monitor racial incidents reported to them, and report to HM inspectorate of constabulary each year the number of incidents.

  The introduction of systematic monitoring of homophobic attacks is a matter for chief officers.

  Life Imprisonment
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time that a prisoner sentenced to life imprisonment spends in prison.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The available information is published annually in "Prison Statistics England and Wales" (table 8.5 of the latest volume, for 1991, Cm 2157), copies of which are in the Library. There are wide variations in time served, as shown by table 8.3 of the same publication.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Market Testing
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to introduce new legislation to ease the implementation of further market testing programmes for central Government Departments and agencies in 1993–94.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Government's legislative programme for 1993–94 will be announced in the Queen's Speech.

  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the percentage savings arising from market testing in previous years; and if he will give details of evidence he has for the level of savings.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Annual returns from Departments indicate that in previous years savings arising from market testing have typically been around 25 per cent. of the original cost even when the activity has remained in-house.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what safeguards exist, under the market testing programme, to prevent contractors or consultants already engaged by a Department from bidding for new work to which they had access or privileged information as a result of their involvement in an earlier contract.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  It is the responsibility of each Department to assure itself that proper safeguards are in place to preserve fair and open competition and any competitive tendering exercise. Guidance on these matters was set out most recently by Her Majesty's Treasury's public competition and purchasing unit in its guidance note No. 40, "The Competitive Tendering Process", copies of which are in the Libraries of the House.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if it is Government policy for external contractors to be market tested against an in-house bid at the re-tendering stage following a market test in which the initial contract was awarded to an external contractor.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  It is the Government's general policy not to allow in-house bids when contracted out services are re-tendered. But there may be circumstances when such a bid would be allowed, for example when it could be made as part of a larger in-house bid, in a market test also covering services currently done in-house, or when there appeared to be insufficient external competition.

HEALTH

  Sellafield (Emissions)
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimates her Department have made of the number of people who will die each year(a) in Cumbria, (b) in the United Kingdom and (c) worldwide, as a result of the proposed emissions of krypton gas from Nuclear Fuels Ltd.'s thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield in Cumbria;

  (2) what assessment has been made of the additional cost to the health service of treating the additional
  86
  childhood leukaemias and other cancers due to the emissions of radioactivity from the Sellafield site compared with current, actual emissions.

  Mr. Sackville
  The estimated collective dose for members of the pubic in the United Kingdom, Europe and worldwide from the proposed emissions of radionuclides, including Krypton 85, from British Nuclear Fuel Ltd's thermal oxide reprocessing plant are tabulated in the authorising Departments' explanatory memorandum to the draft authorisations. Copies of the draft authorisations are available in the Library. Estimates of the theoretical number of fatal cancers can be made using the fatal cancer risk factor recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection, which is currently 0·05 deaths per Sievert. For example, this theoretical calculation would imply, for all radionuclides discharged annually to the atmosphere from these proposed authorisations (covering all plants on the Sellafield site), rather less than one excess death in the United Kingdom over the next few decades. This precludes any sensible quantification of cost.

  Tuberculosis
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) cases of and (b) deaths from tuberculosis were recorded in each district health authority area in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The number of cases of tuberculosis recorded in each district health authority is not available centrally. The numbers of deaths from tuberculosis will be placed in the Library.

  Transitional Grants
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the basis for adjustments, and transfer of funds where appropriate, to transitional grant where boundary changes take place.

  Mr. Yeo
  We will consider the effects of any significant changes in future years when calculating the distribution of the special transitional grant for those years.

  Personal Social Services
  Mr. Boyce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list in rank order the top five providers measured in terms of home help hours per year for those aged over 75 years among social services authorities; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  This information is not available centrally. Figures on hours of home help received by clients of all ages are collected by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and an indicator relating this information to the resident population aged 75 and over by local authority is included in the Personal and Social Services Key Indicators. A copy of the latest publication, for 1990–91, is available in the Library.

  Mr. Boyce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of the annual financial settlement on the level of spending on personal social services in 1993–94.

  Mr. Yeo
  Total standard spending for local authority personal social services in 1993–94 is £5,585 million, an
  87
  increase of 15 per cent. over 1992–93. With effective use of these resources, now almost 35 per cent. in real terms above the 1990–91 level, authorities should be able to make progress expanding existing services and fully discharge their new responsibilities for community care.

  Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the level of provision of magnetic resonance imaging scanners.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Dr. Jones) on 28 April at col.447. The latest figures held by the Department indicate that there are 78 magnetic resonance imaging scanners in England.

  Patients Charter
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of district health authorities met the patients charter targets for(a) assessments following admission to accident and emergency units and (b) waiting times in out-patient clinics in the first six months of the financial year.

  Mr. Sackville
  District health authorities, as purchasers of health care, will shortly be publishing their first annual report on performance against all patients charter standards achieved by their providers.

  A commentary on overall performance will be included in the chief executive's annual report for 1992–93.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of dispensed drugs are liable to full prescription charges; what proportion are free; and what proportion of the population are liable to pay prescription charges.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In 1992, a prescription charge was paid on around 15 per cent. of items dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, a further 5 per cent. were covered by prescription prepayment certificates and about 80 per cent. were dispensed free. An estimated 50 per cent. of the population are liable to pay prescription charges.

  Mr. Boyce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to monitor the impact of increased prescription charges.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information we regularly collect does not indicate that the level of prescription charge influences patient access to necessary medication. The number of prescribed items dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors rose from 305 million in 1979 to 387 million in 1992, and is expected to exceed 403 million in 1993–94.

  Dentistry
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of state for Health (1) whether a rolling capitation system of dental remuneration for treating non-exempt adults is to be introduced;
  88
  (2) what will be the role of family health service authorities in the provision of general dental services following consideration of the Bloomfield report on dental remuneration;

  (3) what new arrangements for dentistry in the general dental service will be put in place after consideration of the Bloomfield report on dental remuneration;

  (4) if she will make it her policy that (a) the doctors and dentists pay review should continue to exist under any new service arrangements for dentistry following consideration of the Bloomfield report on dental remuneration and (b) the current expenditure on dental services should remain at its present level;

  (5) if she will (a) ring fence family health services authority funds for general dental services and (b) uprate funds in addition to inflation factors.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Consultation on the Bloomfield report is continuing. We will announce our proposals in due course.

  Community Care
  Mr. Boyce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she last met representatives of(a) the Association of Directors of Social Services, (b) the British Association of Social Workers, (c) organisations representing those with learning disabilities, (d) carers, (e) service users, (f) the Social Care Association and (g) organisations providing residential, drug and alcohol projects to discuss the implementation of the changes in community care and the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

  Mr. Yeo
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I most recently met the Association of Directors of Social Services on 26 April 1993.

  I met representatives of the British Association of Social Workers on 11 November 1992.

  I met the national development team on 7 May 1992, Rescare on 14 May 1992, ARC on 7 July 1992 and Mencap on 27 July 1992.

  Ministers have attended a number of functions arranged by carer organisations in recent months. I met the Relatives Association on 11 March 1993.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had several meetings with Age Concern, the most recent of which was on 8 February 1993. I met the National Schizophrenia Fellowship on 10 February 1993. I met the all-party disablement group on 3 November 1992. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met the all-party parliamentary group for pensioners on 15 December 1992. We are setting up a group of users and carers who will give Ministers feedback on their experiences of the implementation of the community care reforms.

  The Social Care Association has not sought meetings to discuss the implementation of community care.

  At the end of last year my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I met a large number of independent sector drug and alcohol service providers to discuss various issues surrounding the implementation of community care.

  Ambulances
  Mr. Boyce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made in improving ambulance response times: and if she will make a statement.
  89
  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 23 March at col.576.

  Nurses
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the level; of job opportunities available to newly qualified nurses.

  Mr. Sackville
  The level of job opportunities available to newly qualified nurses will be for regional health authorities and local employers to decide. Where possible, regional health authorities and local employers are taking a variety of approaches to manage the situation, including expansion of flexible working patterns, job sharing, short-term contracts and clearing house schemes which alert newly qualified nurses to suitable posts.

  Hepatitis B
  Mr. Boyce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the Government's policy on hepatitis B vaccination.

  Mr. Sackville
  In the United Kingdom hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for those at particular risk as a result of occupation, lifestyle or other factors such as intimate contact with a person infected with hepatitis B or a carrier of the disease. High risk groups include:

  intravenous drug abusers;

  those with multiple sexual partners;

  close family contacts of an infected person or carrier;

  babies born to mothers who are chronic carriers or who have had acute hepatitis B during pregnancy;

  certain occupational groups, including all health care workers involved in invasive procedures.

  The policy is kept under constant review, with expert advice from the Advisory Group on Hepatitis and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

  "The Health of the Nation"
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on progress towards "The Health of the Nation" targets.

  Mr. Sackville
  "The Health of the Nation" is a long-term strategy, with many of its targets for the year 2000 and beyond. The mechanisms are in place to meet the targets. All national health service regions have implementation plans and a wide range of other bodies are now actively working together to bring about improvements in health.

  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the regulations to be made under section 30 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 will be laid.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have today issued a consultation document which includes draft regulations to be known as the Parental Orders for Gamete Donors Regulations 1993. The period for public consultation will end on 2 July 1993. The Government intend to lay the draft regulations before Parliament as soon as possible after the results of the consultation exercise have been considered. Copies of the consultation document are available in the Library.

  Tranquilliser Addiction
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is issued by her Department to general practitioners concerning the treatment of patients with tranquilliser addiction.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Detailed advice on the prescribing of benzodiazepines issued by the Committee on the Safety of Medicines is given in the British National Formulary which is issued free to all doctors. This advice contains a withdrawal protocol for general practitioners to help patients reduce their dependency gradually.

  NHS Administration
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the numbers of employees in(a) administrative grades and (b) medical staff employed in the national health service for each of the past seven years, and currently.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information available is shown in the table.

  Whole-time equivalent administrative and medical staff in England for 30 September of each year

  Year

  Administrative and clerical

  Medical

  1985

  110,940

  38,900

  1986

  110,840

  39,270

  1987

  113,900

  39,060

  1988

  114,720

  40,390

  1989

  116,840

  41,680

  1990

  120,040

  42,990

  1991

  127,370

  44,210

  Sources:

  Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census.

  Department of Health Non-medical Workforce Census.

  Department of Health form KM 49 (1991 figures).

  Notes:

  1. The figures represent staff directly appointed in the Hospital and Community Health Service. Those for administrative grades are the staff employed on the terms and conditions of the NHS Administrative and Clerical Staffs Whitley Council. Medical staff include those in both career grades and training grades in the Hospital and Community Health Service.

  2. The figures for 1991 include staff in NHS trusts.

  3. The figures for 1992 are not yet available.

  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current level of remuneration paid to chairmen and members of regional and district health authorities and trusts; and what has been the level of remuneration in each case of the past five years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The current levels payable since 1 December 1991, of annual remuneration for chairmen and non-executives of NHS authorities and trusts are:

  RHA Chairmen: £20,925.

  DHA Chairmen are paid according to a banding structure based on the district revenue budget. The present rates are:

  Revenue budget 1985–86

  Band

  Rates per annum

  (£)

  In excess of £60 million

  Band 1

  19,285

  Between £30 million to £60 million

  Band 2

  17,145

  Less than £30 million

  Band 3

  15,125

  91
  FHSA chairmen are also paid according to a banding structure based on the population of the area covered by the authority. The present rates are:

  FHSA population mid 1985

  Band

  Rates per annum

  £

  Over 750,000

  Band 1

  12,605

  250,000–750,000

  Band 2

  11,720

  Under 250,000

  Band 3

  10,845

  NHS trust chairmen are paid according to the unit turnover in 1988–89. The present rates are:

  Unit turnover 1988–89

  Band

  Rates per annum

  £

  In excess of £50 million

  Band 1

  19,285

  Between £20 million and £50 million

  Band 2

  17,145

  Less than £20 million

  Band 3

  15,125

  Remuneration for non-executive members and directors of NHS authorities and trusts was introduced in 1990. All receive £5,000 per annum.

  The remuneration of NHS authority and trust chairmen since July 1987 was:

  Date

  RHAs

  DHAs

  Trusts

  £

  £

  £

  1 July 1991

  19,110

  13,812–17,610

  13,812–17,610

  1 July 1990

  18,921

  13,674–17,437

  —

  1 July 1989

  12,462

  12,462

  —

  1 July 1988

  11,709

  11,709

  —

  1 July 1987

  11,205

  11,205

  —

  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will indicate the criteria used in appointing members of health authorities.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Members of health authorities are appointed for their personal qualities and skills, and for the contribution they can make to the authority. The aim is to achieve a balance on the authority of different skills and experience, including local knowledge.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of self-deferrals by people who had been waiting(a) 0–11 months, (b) 12–23 months or (c) 24 or more months for (i) in-patient and for (ii) day case treatment in each six months period since April 1987.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 23 April 1993]: Such information as is available is given in the table. Information about self-deferred cases is available only from September 1987. The increase in self-deferrals for day case treatment reflects the 128 per cent. increase in day case admissions over the same period.

  Self-deferred cases

  Numbers at end of six-month periods ending;

  In-patients

  Day case

  September 1987

  40,766

  8,977

  March 1988

  39,115

  8,361

  September 1988

  40,753

  8,433

  92

  In-patients

  Day case

  March 1989

  37,098

  8,769

  September 1989

  38,224

  9,905

  March 1990

  36,441

  9,735

  September 1990

  39,274

  11,865

  March 1991

  36,115

  11,998

  September 1991

  33,868

  12,469

  March 1992

  30,965

  13,151

  September 1992

  35,992

  18,134

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients waiting more than two years for treatment were removed from waiting lists(a) by admission for treatment and (b) for reasons other than treatment; and how many were self-deferred, in each regional health authority in each six-month period since September 1988.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 23 April 1993]: The information available centrally on the total numbers of patients who were either admitted or removed from waiting lists or self-deferred has been placed in the Library. Information on the numbers of these patients who had waited over two years is not held centrally.

PRIME MINISTER

  Treaties
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister how many treaties have been ratified by Her Majesty's Government since 1979.

  The Prime Minister
  Her Majesty's Government have ratified 243 treaties since 1 January 1979.

  St. Bartholomew's Hospital
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from the City of London about the proposal to close the accident and emergency department at St. Bartholomew's hospital.

  The Prime Minister
  So far as I am aware, none.

  Orders in Council
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the statutory powers which have authorised the use of the Orders in Council in the last six months.

  The Prime Minister
  Since 1 November 1992, Orders in council have been made under the following Acts and Measures:

  Burial Acts 1853 and 1855

  Child Abduction and Custody Act 1985

  Civil Aviation Acts 1949 and 1982

  Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982

  Continental Shelf Act 1964

  Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

  Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act 1990

  Dioceses Measure 1978

  Education Reform Act 1988

  Education (Scotland) Act 1980

  European Communities Act 1972

  Extradition Acts 1870 and 1989

  Foreign Compensation Acts 1950 and 1969

  Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988

  Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978

  Local Government Act 1972 and 1974

  93

  Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1972

  Merchant Shipping Act 1894

  Naval and Marine Pay and Pensions Act 1865

  Northern Ireland Act 1974

  Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973

  Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986

  Pastoral Measure 1983

  Royal Marriages Act 1772

  Social Security Administration Act 1992

  Social Security (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1977

  Supreme Court Act 1981

  Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992

  United Nations Act 1964

  University of London Act 1978

  Universities of Oxford and Cambridge Act 1923

  Universities (Scotland) Act 1966

  Publlic Servants
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister how many persons have been appointed to grades 1 to 7, or equivalent grades, in the civil service since 1979.

  The Prime Minister
  Since 1979 there has been about 1,250 grade 1 to 3 appointments in the home civil service. This figure includes those appointed from within the service.

  About 4,000 recruits have entered the home civil service at grade levels 4 to 7 during the period. This figure excludes promotions from within the civil service, on which information is not readily available.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Ecclesiastical Buildings
  Mr. Roger Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the peculiars enjoying the ecclesiastical exemption from listed building control.

  Mr. Brooke
  This information is not available. My Department will shortly be discussing the status of peculiars with church representatives, in the light of the changes to the scope of the ecclesiastical exemption which I announced on 17 December at columns 370–71.

  BSkyB
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what response he has made to the Independent Producers Association and to the all-party media committee in respect of their submissions concerning the regulatory framework for BSkyB.

  Mr. Brooke
  The chairman of the all-party media group has recently written to me and I shall be responding shortly. I have not yet received a submission from the Independent Producers Association.

  Bernard Shaw Estate
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps have been taken to ensure that the British museum has used the proceeds of the Bernard Shaw estate to fulfil the ends expressed in Mr. Shaw's will.

  Mr. Key
  The use of income from the bequest is entirely a matter for the trustees of the British Museum.

  Deaf and Blind Sports
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what level of direct financial support will be available to the British Deaf Sports Council and British Blind Sport in the coming financial year;

  (2) if he will make a statement on Government aid for profoundly deaf people in sport;

  (3) what action he will take to assist the British Deaf Sports Council with administrative costs associated with costs arising from participation in the world games for the deaf in Sofia, Bulgaria;

  (4) what steps he will take to improve awareness of deaf persons' needs in sport.

  Mr. Brooke
  In 1993–94, the British Deaf Sports Council and British Blind Sport will each receive a grant of £30,000 from the Sports Council, channelled through the British Sports Association for the Disabled. The Sports Council also assists the British Paralympic Association (BPA) which has agreed to provide £70,000 towards the costs of the World Games for the Deaf and hopes to contribute more. My Department will be represented in Sofia and I am sure that the achievements of our deaf athletes will increase public awareness of this aspect of disabled sport.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Security
  Mr. George
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what plans there are to reduce the cost of security at the Palace of Westminster.

  Mr. Beith
  None. All services provided in the Palace are monitored to ensure that best value for money is obtained.

  Silverware
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee if he will list the occasions in each of the last five years when cutlery has been sold; what were the scrap weights and the estimated number of items in each consignment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  I understand from the Director of Catering Services that the Refreshment Department records show that cutlery and holloware has been sold on three occasions, detailed as follows:

  Date

  Scrap weight cwt.

  Approximate number of items

  Scrap value per cwt.

  Credit received

  £

  £

  3 May 91

  6·82

  2,000

  16·00

  109

  12 February 1992

  4·25

  500

  17·50

  74

  1 April 1993

  1·37

  75

  25·50

  35

  The Department's records indicate that damaged and worn out cutlery and holloware were not sold back to its supplier until May 1991. Prior to that time, they were written off by stock-takers, agreed by the National Audit Office as "unusable" and accumulated in the Refreshment Department stores. This accumulated stock was sold in the two lots noted above, dated May 1991 and February 1992,

  95
  hence the large number of items disposed of in these transactions. At the financial year-end stock-take in March 1993, approximately 75 items were written off as a result of wear and tear and were sold for scrap in the transaction above dated April 1993.

  There is no evidence of any substantial theft of cutlery or holloware from the House.

  The Department's conditions of trade now specify that no cutlery or holloware will be disposed of by its supplier unless all identifiable crests and marks have been erased.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee if he will publish the letter from the Director of Catering Services to the hon. Member for Bradford, South dated 27 April, relating to House of Commons silverware.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  The terms of the letter are as follows:"Further to your question tabled for reply on 26 April, I am pleased to write with the details you requested.
  The cutlery to which I believe you refer was damaged as a result of normal wear and tear and was disposed of by sale as scrap to the Department's nominated silverware supplier. In fact two small consignments of redundant silverware have been disposed of in this manner in the past six months. The total scrap value paid to the Department was £109, based on the weight of the redundant silverware.
  In November 1992, it was brought to our attention by The Sunday Times that House of Commons silverware was being offered for sale in the USA. It transpired that a consignment of redundant silverware sold back to our supplier in the normal way had been sold on by them for melting down by a third party without having first erased all Portcullis badging. The silverware was then sold on by the third party and eventually appeared for sale on the open market in the USA. Rest assured, contractual agreement has since been formalised that no old silverware will be disposed of by our supplier unless all identifiable crests and marks have been erased.
  I trust this information is helpful to you, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any points you would like to raise on the matter."

  I understand from the Director of Catering Services that there was an error in the letter. The two consignments of silverware mentioned in the second paragraph of the letter were in fact disposed of in February 1992 and April 1993.

  Committee Stages
  Mr. Richard Shepherd
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list each Bill, since 1979, whose Committee stage exceeded the hours spent overall on the Committee stage of the European Communities (Amendment) Bill in Session 1992–93; and in respect of which of those Bills the House made allocation of time orders.

  Mr. Newton
  Since Session 1979–80, no Bill which was committed to a Committee of the whole House has had a Committee stage as long as that of the European Communities (Amendment) Bill. Comparative figures for Bills committed to Standing Committees are only available at disproportionate cost.

EDUCATION

  Ministerial Visits to Schools
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many of the schools(a) he and (b) the three schools Ministers have visited in the past year are (i) grant maintained, (ii) local authority run and (iii) private.
  96
  Mr. Forth
  Of the 117 schools visited by the DFE ministerial team my right hon. Friend has visited three grant-maintained schools, 25 local authority maintained schools, two non-maintained special schools, five independent schools and two city technology colleges.

  I, my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) have between us visited 13 grant-maintained schools, 55 local authority maintained schools, one non-maintained special school, seven independent schools and four city technology colleges.

  Postgraduate Students
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to assist postgraduate students to fund their course fees and living expenses where their education authority are refusing to grant discretionary awards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  Local education authorities have power to make discretionary awards to students on postgraduate courses, other than those designated under the Postgraduate etc. Courses (Exclusion from Discretionary Awards) Regulations as being within the ambit of another postgraduate award-making body. Universities can use their access funds to help full-time postgraduate students facing financial difficulties. My right hon. Friend has no plans to establish a new award scheme for postgraduates unable to secure support from other sources.

  Advertisements
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the newspapers and other journals in which he placed advertisements on 27 April; and what was the cost to his Department in each case.

  Mr. Forth
  Advertisements were placed in The Independent and The Guardian. The rates for placing advertisements are negotiated on an individual basis and this information is commercial in confidence.

  Tests
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) if he will list the local education authorities which in the seven years before the introduction of assessment and testing within the national curriculum failed to ensure that children in their schools were assessed and tested until they took examinations at 16-plus;

  (2) if he will list the schools in each local education authority area, which in the seven years before the introduction of assessment and testing within the national curriculum failed to ensure that children were assessed and tested until they took public examinations at 16-plus;

  (3) if he will list the action taken by his predecessors and himself since 1979 to remedy the failures reported to them as far as the non-testing of children before the age of 16-plus was concerned.

  Mr. Forth
  Comprehensive information on testing and assessment policies in individual local education authorities and individual schools is not available in the form requested. There have been a number of surveys of tests used for different age groups, however. The most recent was conducted by the National Foundation for
  97
  Educational Research on behalf of the School Examinations and Assessment Council (SEAC) in March 1992 on existing practices in local education authorities for testing 11-year-olds. No testing took place in 49 out of the 91 authorities which responded—over half.

  The same theme is to be found in a number of reports by Her Majesty's inspectorate. For example, in OFSTED's most recent report, "Assessment, Recording and Reporting in 1991–92", the schools inspectors said that they had found that
  "The quality of teacher assessment during key stage 3 remained variable with the norm being weak"
  and
  "the quality of teacher assessment in middle schools was rarely good."
  The main action to remedy this was taken by my right hon. Friend and his predecessors when the national curriculum and its associated assessment arrangements were introduced in the Education Reform Act 1988, to ensure that all pupils were rigorously assessed in the national curriculum subjects four times during 11 years of compulsory schooling, on completion of programmes of study associated with each key stage—for most pupils at the ages of 7, 11, 14 and 16. Implementation of statutory assessment procedures began with tests for seven-year-olds in 1991. Tests for 11-year-olds will be the last to be introduced, in 1994.

  Special Needs
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress has been made to reduce the time taken by local education authorities in issuing statements of special needs; and which local education authorities have met his Department's recommended time of issuing special needs statements.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested has not to date been collected centrally. However the Government recognise that there has been concern over the time some LEAs can take to complete their statutory duties in this area. The Education Bill, now in the other place, accordingly empowers the Secretary of State to make regulations prescribing time limits for the making of assessments and statements, subject to prescribed exceptions.

  Parents' Guide
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will name the advertising agency handling the campaign to publicise the parents' guide, "How is Your Child doing at School?" and what is the fee for this account.

  Mr. Forth
  The advertising agency is GGK London Ltd. Information about the agency's handling fee is commercial in confidence.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the estimated cost of the free phone line set up for parents to request copies of "How is Your Child Doing at School?".

  Mr. Forth
  The cost of setting up the free phone line is estimated at £3,500. The cost of operating the line will depend on the response rate.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he placed the order for the parent's guide 98
  "How is Your Child Doing at School?"; and how many copies of the leaflet have been published in each of the 10 languages listed in the advertisement published on 27 April.

  Mr. Forth
  Proposals for a campaign to provide parents with information about testing, based on similar campaigns undertaken in the previous two years, formed part of the Department's publicity strategy approved by the Secretary of State in December last year. The number of copies being produced in each language is:

  Number

  English

  3,000,000

  Hindi

  10,000

  Bengali

  10,000

  Punjabi

  10,000

  Gujerati

  10,000

  Chinese

  10,000

  Greek

  10,000

  Turkish

  10,000

  Urdu

  12,000

  Vietnamese

  7,500

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much it cost his Department to publish the parent's guide "How is Your Child Doing at School?" in each of the 10 languages listed in the advertisement published on 27 April.

  Mr. Forth
  The cost of producing the guide in Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujerati, Chinese, Greek, Turkish and Vietnamese is estimated at £18,000 in total. It is not possible to allocate a cost for each individual translation. The cost of producing the version in English is estimated at £132,000.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for future DOE leaflets for parents.

  Mr. Forth
  During the current year, my right hon. Friend proposes to issue the following leaflets whose primary target audience is parents:

  a revised version of the parents charter;

  the 1993 comparative tables of schools' performance;

  a leaflet about the assisted places scheme;

  a leaflet, "Questions Parents Ask", about self-governing (GM) schools; and

  a leaflet about GNVQs.

  University Students' Grants
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average annual grant for university students in each European Community country.

  Mr. Boswell
  The information requested is not held centrally. The table shows the latest available estimates for the expenditure per student on student support and welfare in higher education. A fuller set of comparisons for 1986 is given in the DFE working report "International Comparisons of Higher Education"; copies of which are available in the Library.

  Public recurrent expenditure on student support and welfare per higher education student in 1989 at 1989 prices

  Type of support available

  1£

  France

  Loan and grant

  248

  Germany

  Loan and grant

  62

  99

  Type of support available

  1£

  Spain

  Loan and grant

  112

  United Kingdom

  Loan and grant

  2 3785

  1 At purchasing power parity.

  2 Excluding expenditure and students on nursing and paramedic courses at Department of Health establishments. Also excludes in-service teacher training secondments and costs.

  3 Excludes tuition fees.

  Dance Students
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what level of financial support is available for students studying dance; and if he will make a statement on the availability of courses in dance and future financial support for dance students.

  Mr. Boswell
  Students on designated full-time first degree and equivalent level courses in dance are eligible for a mandatory award and a student loan on the terms prescribed in the regulations. Other students may apply to their local education authority for a discretionary award, the availability and amount of which is for the authority to determine. Some dance students also receive support under the Government's music and ballet scheme. The Government keep these arrangements under periodic review.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Kent Marshes
  Dame Peggy Fenner
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what role the flood defence function of the National Rivers Authority has in the implementation of higher water levels in the north Kent marshes environmentally sensitive area.

  Mr. Curry
  Where higher water levels are sought there will be careful liaison between the Ministry and the National Rivers Authority.

  Meat Regulations
  Sir Roger Moate
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about the implementation of EC directives on slaughterhouses(a) in general and (b) in regard to the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1992 and the requirement for stainless steel hooks; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Mr. Soley) on 29 April at col. 1136, and to the independent report on hygiene and structural requirements in slaughterhouses which my right hon. Friend the Minister placed in the Library of the House on 31 March (Official Report, 31 March 1993, col. 251).

  Pesticides
  Sir Roger Moate
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of progress in the speeding up of pesticide registration and evaluation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  Good progress is being made by the Pesticides Safety Directorate in speeding up the pesticide evaluation system. Applications for new active ingredients are now being evaluated shortly after receipt of the full data package and the target is to clear 15 such applications in the current year. This is a substantial increase on previous years. Queues have also been eliminated in three other approval streams covering experimental permits and minor changes to existing approvals. The waiting period for applications requiring the evaluation of new data in respect of existing products had been reduced from a peak of 91 weeks to 67 weeks. I expect this period to be reduced significantly over the next few months.

  Table Salt
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has plans to ban the use of sodium hexacyanoferrate as an additive in table salt.

  Mr. Soames
  I have no plans to ban the use of this additive. Sodium hexacyanoferrate is permitted by the Miscellaneous Additives in Food Regulations (as amended). It was last evaluated by the Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) as an anti-caking agent in salt in 1988. The COT confirmed that sodium hexacyanoferrate was provisionally acceptable for use in food pending the submission of further studies. These studies have now been carried out and will be reviewed by the COT when full details have been submitted.

  Radioactive Fallout
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many sheep and farms, covering what land area in total, are still affected by the restrictions imposed on farms as a result of the radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear accident in May 1986.

  Mr. Curry
  The information requested is as follows:

  Number of farms

  Acreage (approx)

  Number of sheep (approx)

  England

  126

  90,588

  110,500

  Northern Ireland

  98

  18,742

  17,750

  Scotland

  54

  137,579

  106,000

  Wales

  353

  180,000

  248,000

  Dairy Herds (Bacteria)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how often the Milk Marketing Board performs a bacteria count and cell count on every dairy herd.

  Mr. Curry
  The Milk Marketing Board aims to test the milk supplied to it by each producer once a week.

  IACS Forms
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will extend the deadline for the submission of integrated administration and control system forms for one month from 5 May.

  Mr. Curry
  No.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about his Department's approach to those who return their IACS forms with(a) minor and (b) major errors.

  Mr. Curry
  We are carrying out an initial brief check of IACS forms received to ensure that essential details have been provided and the application has been signed. Applications which satisfy this test are accepted as having been lodged with the Department on the date of receipt. Other applications are returned to farmers for completion or signature, and will be lodged on the date we received the completed or signed form. We cannot, however, guarantee to check all applications in time for them to be completed before the deadline, and it is for farmers to ensure that they have supplied all the necessary information. All applications will subsequently be subjected to more detailed checks of the information provided. The penalties to be applied where IACS forms are late or inaccurate are laid down by EC regulations. Details are set out in the IACS explanatory booklet, together with the procedures for the correction of genuine errors. We shall be as reasonable as we possibly can in our checks of applications received, particularly where minor errors are involved, but we have to operate within the legislative framework.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what penalties he is proposing for those who return IACS forms late; what is the return date for IACS forms in every other EC country; and what are the penalties for late submission in every other EC country.

  Mr. Curry
  The penalties for late claims are laid down in EC regulations, and apply equally in all EC member states. Details are set out in the IACS explanatory booklet.

  The EC regulations set a deadline of 15 May for the return of IACS applications this year. I understand that the majority of member states have opted for a deadline on or around 15 May, though Spain set a closing date of 31 March and France a date of 30 April. Portugal has set 30 April for farmers with autumn and winter crops and 15 May for the others. There is provision in the EC regulations for member states to set a deadline between 15 May and 1 July where the application relates only to permanent pasture and it is submitted at the same time as a livestock aid application. I understand that only Ireland has exercised this option.

  Dairy Inspectors
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many dairy inspectors there are in the United Kingdom; how often dairy inspectors visit each farm to administer the dairy regulations; what is the cost to the farmer of each visit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  There are 21 dairy inspectors in England and Wales. The frequency of inspection visits varies but top quality milk producers whose milk is consistently 102
  placed in Band A of the Milk Marketing Board's total bacterial count scheme, who have a good history of compliance with milk and dairy regulations and who demonstrated satisfactory on-farm conditions during the most recent visits, will normally be visited every three and a half years. Other producers are visited more frequently depending on the standards they achieve. The present cost to the farmer of each visit is £92, or £71 if he has fewer than 20 cows. The position in Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for the respective Secretaries of State.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those EC countries operating restrictions on specified offals.

  Mr. Soames
  According to information collected by the European Commission in April 1991, in addition to the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands have a ban on the feeding of specified bovine offals to ruminants.

  The export of the specified bovine offals from the United Kingdom to other member states is prohibited.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those EC countries that have recorded incidences of BSE.

  Mr. Soames
  In addition to the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and France have confirmed cases of BSE in indigenous cattle, and there has been a single case of BSE in Denmark in a cow which had been imported from the United Kingdom.

  Captive Birds
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what decision he has taken in relation to resuming imports of captive birds from Tanzania.

  Mr. Soames
  The issue of licences for import of captive birds from Tanzania was suspended in March 1991 because of the failure of the authorities there to respond to our request for a veterinary official of my Department to make a visit and discuss with them various animal health and welfare matters, the standard of health certification and the conditions under which future imports of captive birds would take place.

  The Tanzanian veterinary authorities agreed to a visit from a senior MAFF veterinarian in July 1991. Following this visit a new protocol for the provision of animal health certification was subsequently drawn up. The main provision of the new protocol is that the director of veterinary services in Tanzania will be responsible for the production and issue of an official veterinary health certificate, which will be required for all birds entering Great Britain, regardless of their final destination.

  I have now received assurances from the Tanzanian veterinary authorities that they will observe the new protocol on exports of all birds to Great Britain, regardless of their final destination. Arrangements are also in hand for verification of the certifying veterinarians.

  In view of these assurances, I have agreed to the immediate resumption of the issue of licences for imports of captive birds from Tanzania.

  We shall be monitoring closely at ports of entry any consignments of birds arriving from Tanzania in the

  103
  coming months to ensure that the terms of the protocol have been met. The lifting of the moratorium will not affect the requirement for CITES export permits originating in Tanzania for bird species covered by the convention to be checked for validity by the CITES Secretariat in Lausanne before an import permit can be issued by the Department of the Environment.

  We remain committed to securing reductions in the level of mortality in imported captive birds, both whilst in transit to this country and while in post-import quarantine. In addition, we will continue to take appropriate measures to ensure that the highest possible standards are complied with by those transporting birds and those responsible for their care after import.

  Animal Breeding Techniques
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how he intends to respond to ethical concerns about the use of new animal breeding techniques on farms.

  Mr. Gummer
  Ethical concerns about the use of new animal breeding techniques in farming are matters which I take very seriously. I have therefore invited Dr. Michael Banner, Dean of Peterhouse college, Cambridge to chair an ad hoc committee to consider the ethical implications of emerging technologies in the breeding of farm animals. The committee's terms of reference are:To consider the ethical implications of emerging technologies in the breeding of farm animals; to advise on the adequacy of the existing legal and other safeguards in those areas: and to make recommendations.

  I shall discuss the membership and work programme of the committee with Dr. Banner, and will make a further announcement as soon as these issues have been settled. I expect the committee to report in about a year.

  Meat Products
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the degree of over-capacity in the United Kingdom meat foods manufacturing sector.

  Mr. Curry
  [holding answer 4 May 1993]: Overall capacity of the food industry is for the market place to decide. My contacts with representatives of this sector suggest that they are continuing to invest and are optimistic about the future.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Radar Speed Cameras
  Ms Walley
  to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to ban the sale and advertising of devices to evade radar speed camera technology.

  Mr. Leigh
  The use and advertising of such devices is already subject to a number of controls.

  The use of radar speed trap detectors constitutes an offence under the Wireless Telegraph Act 1949.

  Under the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971 it is an offence to obscure the registration number of a vehicle. It is a common law offence to incite a person to commit an offence, for example, in an advertisement.
  104
  The British code of advertising practice, administered by the Advertising Standards Authority requires that advertisements should contain nothing which is in breach of the law.

  I understand that the Department of Transport is to strengthen existing regulations to make it illegal to sell reflective number plates of the type designed to evade camera technology.

  Loan Guarantee Scheme
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much money has been loaned by each of the participating banks in the loan guarantee scheme in the prior two years.

  Mr. Leigh
  Money loaned, by lender, under the small firms loan guarantee scheme in the past two years has been:

  £ thousands

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Total

  National Westminster

  34,600

  13,672

  48,272

  Barclays

  14,060

  13,281

  27,341

  Midland

  8,770

  14,029

  22,799

  3i

  4,950

  4,220

  9,170

  Bank of Scotland

  2,710

  2,127

  4,837

  Lloyds

  2,300

  2,306

  4,606

  LENTA

  1,620

  13

  1,633

  Royal Bank of Scotland

  990

  569

  1,559

  Clydesdale

  —

  1,197

  1,197

  Ulster

  —

  229

  229

  Yorkshire Enterprise

  —

  225

  225

  DONBAC

  —

  218

  218

  Northern

  —

  190

  190

  Power Stations (Sour Gas)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which power stations in the United Kingdom have been authorised to use sour gas.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has given consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to the following stations which are to be fuelled by "sour gas":

  Ryedale, North Yorkshire (50–60 MW)

  Connah's Quay, Deeside, North Wales (1,350 MW)

  Power stations with a capacity of 50 MW or less are dealt with under the Town and Country Planning Acts and my Department does not have information on such stations.

  Consents for power stations in Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland respectively.

  Trawsfynydd Power Station
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to announce his decision in respect of Nuclear Electric's application to set up an incinerator to dispose of contaminated oil at Trawsfynydd power station; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade will announce his decision on this application in due course.

  Motor Insurance
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the role of his Department in ensuring that only motor insurance companies with current valid authorisation can issue insurance cover; what steps are taken to protect policy holders where there is no valid authorisation: if he will list all recent cases of companies issuing cover without authorisation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  My Department has responsibilities for administering the Insurance Companies Act 1982. Part of this responsibility is to ensure that only properly authorised companies underwrite motor insurance business in the United Kingdom. When the Department becomes aware of possible illegal underwriting of motor insurance business it will therefore seek to act to have any illegality stopped. Depending on the circumstances of a particular case action by the Department against those who may be in breach of the Act might include investigation, prosecution and seeking a winding up; and if fraud is suspected, referral and/or assistance to the police. Where appropriate, it would also seek to alert the public to the dangers of an illegal operation through appropriate publicity and would liaise with other bodies e.g. the Department of Transport, that may need to be aware of a case or may be able to help with it.

  It is the responsibility of drivers to make certain that they are properly insured. They can help themselves by dealing through reputable intermediaries or direct with authorised insurance companies. They should always ensure that they know the name of the insurer carrying their risk as well as the name of any intermediary with whom they deal. If they have doubts about the status of the insurer, they may contact the Motor Insurers Bureau for advice or, failing that, ask the Department. In the event that an uninsured motorist is involved in an accident the Motor Insurers Bureau will meet a third party claim but may pursue the uninsured motorist for recompense.

  Recently there has been an increase in the number of illegal motor insurance operations coming to the attention of the Department. The list gives the names of those who over the last three months are believed to have issued motor insurance without proper underwriting by an authorised insurer. In addition, a further four cases are currently being investigated to establish whether the issuers of the insurance are acting legally. Many of these cases have involved targeting particular groups of motorists who have been affected by rises in insurance premiums. For example, young drivers and those with convictions may be attracted by the unusually attractive rates offered.

  Those running illegal operations will usually advertise their products in a very limited way. Thus advertising may be restricted to particular local areas or limited to distribution of leaflets to domestic premises. By these means they seek to minimise risk of detection. Such approaches should be treated with some caution. As with all fraudulent activity, it is the responsibility of those paying money to take reasonable precautions against being duped.

  RECENT CASES OF COMPANIES ISSUING MOTOR INSURANCE WITHOUT AUTHORISATION

  February 1993

  Westbridge Corporation Ltd.

  106

  72 New Bond Street

  London

  trading through Red Rose Insurance Consultants in Bolton

  March 1993

  Royal Lytham Insurance/Royal Lytham Holdings

  Lytham St. Annes

  Sunrise Insurance Co. (UK) Ltd./L & G Security Ltd.

  Neath

  Crest Motor Securities (UK), trading as Springwood Insurance Services

  Ipswich

  April 1993

  Sterling Motor Securities UK Ltd./Sterling Union Assurance

  72 New Bond Street

  London

  trading through Nationwide Insurance Bureau Ltd

  Westbridge Corporation Ltd.

  72 New Bond Street

  London

  trading through Paul Rogers Insurance & Financial Consultants in Hove

  Jordan (Exports)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the total number of export licences awarded by his Export Control Office for equipment sent to Jordan since 1985; and what information Her Majesty's Government have received on compliance with end-use certificates of goods exported to Jordan over this period.

  Mr. Needham
  A complete breakdown of figures for the number of licences issued for Jordan is not readily available. However, the following table shows applications received and licences issued where available:

  Year

  Applications received

  Licences issued

  1985

  n/a

  n/a

  1986

  200

  n/a

  1987

  340

  n/a

  1988

  310

  n/a

  1989

  138

  n/a

  1990

  155

  47

  1991

  104

  69

  1992

  157

  122

  1 1993

  39

  13

  1 1 January 1993 to 30 April 1993.

  Information on compliance with end-use certificates is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Export Guarantee Funds
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much of the £1 billion fund created in 1988 under section 2 of the Export Guarantees and Overseas Investment Act 1978 has been used.

  Mr. Needham
  ECGD has issued guarantees worth £834·2 million against the ceiling of £1 billion under the arrangements which Ministers announced in June 1988 for underwriting large contracts for defence goods.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the outstanding liabilities, and the annual cost, of expenditure incurred under section 2 of the Export Guarantees and Overseas Investment Act 1978 in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Needham
  Information on section 2 is only available up to March 1987 after which ECGD introduced
  107
  a new form of account under which information was no longer accounted for separately between section 1 and section 2.

  Amounts at risk1

  Amounts in default2

  Consolidated fund balance3

  Trading reserves and surpluses4

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  31 March 1980

  8,177

  77

  342·0

  309·3

  31 March 1981

  8,465

  94

  371·3

  364·5

  31 March 1982

  12,266

  180

  380·6

  454·6

  31 March 1983

  17,737

  403

  166·0

  680·3

  31 March 1984

  18,673

  623

  -15·5

  566·3

  31 March 1985

  19,354

  876

  -156·7

  405·3

  31 March 1986

  16,930

  1,200

  -252·8

  551·0

  31 March 1987

  14,821

  1,549

  -510·0

  297·2

  1 These amounts represent ECGD's gross contingent liability under extant guarantees excluding unrecovered claims payments.

  2 These comprise gross paid claims, plus interest, which have not been recovered or written off.

  3 These amounts represent ECGD's cumulative cash balance under Section 2. Notional interest in line with commercial rates was earned on positive balances and charged on negative balances.

  4 These amounts represent the cumulative value of ECGD's assets (positive cash balances, paid claims net of provisions) over its liabilities (negative cash balances, provisions for future claims).

  Mothballed Collieries
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if collieries which are to be mothballed will have their shafts, roadways, and coal faces maintained; if water pumping operations will be maintained at collieries where this is necessary; and if he will give details of what the mothballing process consists of.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a matter for British Coal.

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what permits, licences or grants have been given by the nuclear installations inspectorate/Health and Safety Executive, in the recent and current rounds of the licensing procedure for THORP, for radioactive processes and/or the use of radioactive substances in THORP, other than the reception and storage of irradiated fuel.

  Mr. Eggar
  The regulation of THORP, which is undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate (NII), is effected by conditions attached to the nuclear site licence for Sellafield. As regards the commissioning of THORP the NII has not yet permitted the introduction of radioactive material except for small amounts of natural uranium needed to calibrate certain instruments.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what account has been taken of(a) the Tomsk-7 and (b) the 1973 B204 Sellafield accidents in the design of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 4 May 1993]: This is a matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) but I understand that all relevant factors, including lessons learned from the accident at B 204 Sellafield, have been taken fully into account by BNFL in the design and construction of THORP. In addition, the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate ensures that the design of nuclear plant such as THORP meets the high standards of safety they require.
  108
  The information has been published in ECGD's trading accounts from 1979–80, copies of which can be found in the Library. For convenience the relevant details are brought together in the following table:

  Metric and Imperial Measures
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will enable consumers to compare the price of metric and imperial measured catch-weight goods by waiving the statutory requirement to show dead-weight marking on them so that display of comparison weight can be made by means of charts at the premises.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Government are reviewing the present statutory requirement for dual price marking.

  Postal Deliveries
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has, in his plans for the universal letter service at a uniform tariff following the Post Office review, for the provision of a second daily domestic delivery in most areas of the country.

  Mr. Leigh
  There are no plans to change the overall arrangements.

  Coal Stocks
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what have been the average level of coal stocks held(a) by British Coal and (b) by the generators in each of the past five years; and what guidance he is giving each in respect of stock levels in the current and two subsequent years.

  Mr. Eggar
  The average levels of coal stocks held by the electricity generators and British Coal in each of the last five years were:

  British Coal

  United Kingdom electricity generators

  (thousand tonnes)

  (thousand tonnes)

  1988

  6,105

  25,813

  1989

  9,851

  27,975

  1990

  8,593

  26,895

  1991

  9,827

  28,942

  1992

  12,632

  31,989

  The current stocking requirements are set out in the Government's White Paper, "The Prospects for Coal"

  109
  (Cmnd 2235). As envisaged in the White Paper, consultations are taking place about stocking arrangements for 1993–94 and following years.

  Oil Exploration
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what specific conditions have been imposed on oil exploration licences issued to Marathon Oil for blocks 103/1, 103/6, 106/27, 102/10, 106/18, 106/19 and 106/23.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 26 April,Official Report, column 304.

  Energy and Environment Council
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the issues discussed and decisions taken at the joint Energy and Environment Council held on 23 April.

  Mr. Eggar
  My hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside and I represented the United Kingdom at a joint session of the Energy and Environment Councils on 23 April to review progress in relation to the Community strategy on climate change. Discussion focused on the proposal for a Community carbon/energy tax and the concept of burden-sharing in 110
  achieving the carbon dioxide stabilisation objective. We noted that the Economic and Financial Council had concluded last December that a great deal more work was needed before it could take any decisions on whether a tax was needed and, if so, what form it should take. This work was under way and, in the meantime, it was premature to seek to commit member states to the principle of a Community-wide carbon/energy tax. The United Kingdom was not yet convinced that such a tax was either a necessary or appropriate response to the problem of global warming. A number of other member states who were willing to accept the principle of a Community tax made clear that they could do so only on the basis that they would be exempted from applying the tax as part of the proposed burden-sharing arrangement. No decisions were taken or agreement reached, on the proposed tax or on the structure of burden-sharing.

  The Council also discussed a Commission report on Community assistance to eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union to improve the safety of nuclear reactors, in which the United Kingdom and others called for improved implementation of Community programmes.

  The Commission announced that it would shortly submit proposals for a new Council regulation on ozone-depleting substances.

  British Coal Pension Scheme
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if his Department has given or offered an indemnity to British Coal against any liability that might fall upon the corporation as a consequence of the deferment of payments of additional contributions to the British Coal staff superannuation scheme.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 4 May 1993]: No indemnity has been given or offered to British Coal for any such liabilities.

  Waste Disposal Contracts
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 26 April,Official Report, column 306, if a municipal waste-to-energy scheme which had been granted a waste disposal contract relatively soon after a third tranche of the non-fossil fuel obligation is announced would be eligible to bid into the new order.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 4 May 1993]: Provided that such a project met the other requirements, I would expect it to be eligible to bid.

  Number of offers accepted

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Advanced technology programmes

  15

  89

  58

  73

  34

  EUREKA

  19

  10

  21

  69

  55

  LINK

  13

  38

  90

  110

  109

  SMART

  130

  215

  258

  278

  272

  SPUR

  0

  0

  1

  137

  128

  Total

  177

  352

  428

  667

  598

  Expenditure in constant 1992–93 prices (£k)

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Advanced technology programmes

  10,434

  10,407

  12,992

  20,942

  28,821

  EUREKA

  6,200

  6,713

  10,599

  12,116

  22,736

  LINK

  74

  1,508

  4,472

  9,969

  15,483

  SMART

  3,206

  6,533

  10,120

  12,140

  12,113

  SPUR

  0

  0

  7

  329

  5,856

  Total

  19,914

  25,161

  38,190

  55,496

  85,009

  Regional Development Funding
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the level of European regional development funding in each region in each year since 1984(a) at current prices and (b) at 1984 prices.

  European regional development fund allocations to the United Kingdom

  £ million, 1984 prices

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  North

  39

  24

  35

  55

  58

  45

  6

  28

  49

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  51

  20

  36

  27

  16

  19

  35

  35

  42

  East Midlands

  4

  17

  2

  2

  3

  0

  5

  5

  16

  South West

  28

  10

  20

  25

  15

  4

  4

  3

  8

  West Midlands

  18

  44

  36

  58

  21

  0

  87

  22

  31

  North West

  57

  70

  42

  33

  30

  39

  0

  41

  27

  South East

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  ENGLAND

  197

  185

  171

  199

  143

  107

  137

  135

  173

  Dounreay
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a further statement on progress made by AEA Technology at the Dounreay nuclear establishment to secure the import of spent research reactor nuclear fuel from Iraq.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 30 April 1993]: The IAEA issued a formal invitation, on 27 November 1992, to tender for the removal, transport and disposal of irradiated fuel stored in Iraq. No tender was submitted by the United Kingdom nuclear industry.

  Innovation Schemes
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will provide information on the take up of each of the(a) Smart, (b) Spur, (c) advanced technology programmes, (d) Link and (e) Eureka innovation schemes;

  (2) if he will outline the expenditure, in constant prices, on each of the (a) Link, (b) advanced technology programmes, (c) Smart, (d) Spur amd (e) Eureka schemes.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 30 April 1993]: Information on take-up of the schemes listed is represented by the number of projects for which offers were accepted. Information on expenditure is presented in 1992–93 prices.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 4 May 1993]: European regional development fund allocations, in current and 1984 prices, to each of the regions of the United Kingdom are given in the tables:
  113

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  WALES

  57

  54

  40

  49

  52

  50

  10

  36

  56

  SCOTLAND

  92

  66

  49

  101

  79

  37

  86

  88

  35

  Multi Regional

  1

  0

  12

  2

  1

  10

  0

  0

  8

  GREAT BRITAIN

  346

  304

  272

  352

  275

  204

  233

  260

  272

  NORTHERN IRELAND

  21

  22

  36

  35

  36

  69

  20

  41

  60

  TOTAL UNITED KINGDOM

  367

  326

  308

  386

  311

  273

  253

  301

  332

  European regional development fund allocations to the United Kingdom

  £ million, current prices

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  North

  39

  25

  39

  63

  70

  57

  8

  39

  72

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  51

  21

  40

  31

  19

  24

  45

  48

  61

  East Midlands

  4

  18

  2

  3

  3

  0

  6

  7

  23

  South West

  28

  10

  22

  28

  18

  5

  5

  4

  12

  West Midlands

  18

  46

  40

  67

  26

  0

  113

  30

  45

  North West

  57

  74

  47

  38

  36

  49

  0

  56

  40

  South East

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  ENGLAND

  197

  195

  190

  230

  172

  134

  179

  184

  252

  WALES

  57

  57

  45

  56

  63

  63

  13

  50

  81

  SCOTLAND

  92

  69

  54

  117

  94

  46

  112

  120

  51

  Multi Regional

  1

  0

  13

  3

  1

  13

  0

  0

  12

  GREAT BRITAIN

  346

  321

  302

  406

  330

  256

  304

  355

  395

  NORTHERN IRELAND

  21

  23

  40

  40

  43

  87

  26

  56

  87

  TOTAL UNITED KINGDOM

  367

  344

  342

  446

  373

  343

  330

  410

  482

  "The Abuse of Market Power"
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all the individuals and bodies from which his Department received written or oral representation in connection with the Green Paper, "The Abuse of Market Power".

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  [holding answer 4 May 1993]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the summary of responses to the Green Paper which was placed in the Vote Office when I announced to the House on 14 April the Government's decision to strengthen the existing legislation on abuse of market power. An appendix to the summary lists those who made representations on the Green Paper.

WALES

  Fords
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many fords there are in Wales where public roads cross watercourses; how many fatal or serious accidents have occurred in each of the last 10 years as a result of vehicles failing to negotiate water on fords on 114
  public roads; if he will list fords which have been closed to traffic following such accidents; and what is his Department's policy towards fords and the provision of warning to motorists when water conditions may be dangerous.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  There are no fords crossing trunk roads in Wales. Information on local authority roads is not held centrally. There are warning signs prescribed in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1981 which local authorities can use to alert drivers to the existence of a ford and to the depth of water.

  Valleys Initiative
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the town-village regeneration schemes that have been undertaken under the valleys initiative to date, indicating the amount spent by his Department on each scheme; and if he will list forthcoming town-village centre regeneration schemes to be funded under the valleys initiative in the forthcoming year.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The table shows the urban development schemes which have been and will be funded by the Welsh Development Agency in the period from 1988 to 1994:
  115

  Welsh development agency urban development: programme for the valleys

  Indicative expenditure 1988–89 to 1993–94

  £000s

  Town/Project

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Merthyr Tydfil

  260

  —

  500

  1,220

  2,100

  3,210

  Cynon Valley

  —

  100

  400

  990

  2,600

  3,030

  Abertillery

  100

  150

  200

  560

  720

  500

  Ebbw Vale

  —

  70

  —

  155

  200

  300

  Tredegar

  —

  —

  —

  —

  350

  1,795

  Pontarddulais

  50

  —

  565

  435

  540

  150

  Pontardawe

  —

  80

  360

  340

  220

  600

  Ystalyfera

  —

  50

  200

  250

  500

  250

  Neath/Dulais

  100

  100

  —

  100

  —

  —

  Rhondda

  —

  240

  190

  340

  500

  800

  Pontypridd

  80

  210

  110

  180

  200

  800

  South Islwyn

  —

  120

  175

  280

  90

  500

  Caerphilly/Abertridwr

  —

  —

  200

  150

  350

  150

  Amman Valley Ammanford

  —

  50

  186

  —

  —

  200

  Rhymney

  40

  80

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Pontypool

  —

  —

  —

  —

  50

  680

  Torfaen

  —

  300

  —

  125

  300

  —

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the environmental improvement schemes undertaken as part of the valleys initiative in each year from 1990; and if he will list forthcoming environmental schemes to be developed under the initiative in(a) 1993 and (b)

  Mr. David Hunt
  Under the programme for the valleys the Welsh Development Agency has supported 134 environmental improvement schemes since 1990.

  Projects have included:

  £

  Garden Festival Approaches

  383,000

  Dowlais Top landscape works (Part of WDA/Welsh Office heads of valleys corridor project)

  114,000

  Landscape Works: Rassau and Gamlydan

  Housing Estate

  Blaenau Gwent

  76,000

  Landscape Works: Cefn Golau Housing Estate

  17,000

  Taff Trail long distance cycleway

  95,000

  Taff Valley Coed Cymru initiative

  18,000

  Alltwen Triangle landscaping

  20,000

  Brynamen Road landscaping Gwaun Cae Gurwen

  25,000

  Seven Sisters town centre improvements

  48,000

  Resolven town centre improvements

  68,000

  Resolven canal basin

  50,000

  In addition many environmental improvement projects have been supported by the urban programme and by groundwork trusts. It would not be possible to list every individual scheme other than at disproportionate cost.

  Future Development

  The WDA will be promoting a number of landscape and forest strategies in the valleys programme area. Four areas have so far been identified, namely:
  Blaenau Gwent, Rhymney, Rhondda and Ogwr.

  In each case there will be a package of action based on a landscape masterplan including the planting of new woodlands, management of existing woodlands, the upgrading of land reclamation sites, and a range of amenity creation and landscape projects in the urban fringe. These will be achieved in partnerships which will include local authorities, the Forest Authority and the Countryside Council for Wales.
  116

  Drugs and Alcohol
  Mr. Roger Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what advice he has issued to local councils in relation to their responsibilities for drug and alcohol misusers under the community care arrangement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Advice was issued to Welsh county councils on 1 April 1993 in Welsh Office circular WHC(93)30, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. This advice covers the councils' responsibilities to assess the needs of alcohol and drugs misusers and to plan and arrange appropriate services for these individuals under the general community care arrangements. It includes reference to residential care arrangements.

  Income Statistics
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of the poorest 10 per cent. of the population of Wales were(a) pensioners, (b) families with children and (c) single people with children in each year since 1979.

  Mr. David Hunt
  This information is not available centrally.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what was the estimated real income after housing costs of(a) the richest 10 per cent. of the population of Wales and (b) the poorest 10 per cent. in each year since 1979 and what was the average real income in Wales in each year since 1979;

  (2) what estimates he has of the number of households in Wales that currently have debts owing to three or more creditors and what was the number in (a)(b) 1985 and (c)

  Mr. David Hunt
  This information is not available centrally.

  Local Government Ombudsman
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current state of the outstanding caseload for the local government ombudsman in Wales for cases waiting(a) three months, (b) six months and (c) nine months or longer to be investigated.
  117
  Mr. David Hunt
  The Commission for Local Administration is an independent statutory body and questions relating to its activities are for the Commission itself to answer.

  The annual reports of the Local Commissioner, copies of which are in the Library of the House, provide statistics on the number of complaints received and the time taken to deal with them. The report for 1992–93 is likely to be available in June.

  Local Government Reform
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received to date in support of the local Government reform proposals set out for Dwyfor; and if he will indicate the number of representations received that were in favour of granting independent unitary authority status for(a) Meirionnydd and (b) Montgomery.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Since publishing my White Paper on 1 March 1993, I have received one written representation in support of a Caernarfonshire and Meirionnyddshire unitary authority. In addition, I have received 10 representations in favour of a Meirionnydd unitary authority and 181 representations in favour of a Montgomeryshire unitary authority. I have also received 4,135 signed postcards in favour of unitary authority status for Montgomeryshire.

  Bypass Schemes
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the estimated cost of the proposed Builth Wells bypass, the estimated number of vehicles per day that will use it, the estimated timescale for completion, the length of delays currently experienced by drivers and the present level of accidents in Builth Wells.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The estimated cost of the Builth Wells bypass is £15 million (at out-turn prices). Depending on which route is chosen, some 6,500 vehicles a day could use the new road. The anticipated two year construction contract is currently programmed to start between April 1996 and March 1999, subject to the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures and the availability of funds. Traffic delays presently vary according to the time and season, but are particularly significant in the summer months. At the southern end of the proposed scheme, and in the town centre, the accident rate is above the national average. For the remainder, it is about the national average.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all(a) town/village bypass schemes and (b) traffic calming measures undertaken by his Department within the south Wales valleys in each year from 1990; and if he will list the schemes which are intended to be developed in (i) 1993 and (ii) 1994.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The primary responsibility for the road network in the south Wales valleys rests with local authorities. No bypass schemes or traffic calming measures have been introduced in the valleys on trunk roads for which I am responsible since 1990. The A465 Aberdulais to Glynneath and the A470 Pentrebach to Cefn Coed improvements which it is planned to start in 1993–94 will 118
  each by-pass local communities. Road conditions are kept under review, but no specific traffic calming measures are planned on trunk roads in the valleys in 1993 or 1994.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the 1993–94 budget for each training and enterprise council in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Welsh Office are currently finalising contracts with TECs for 1993–94 budgets and the information is not yet available.

  Unitary Authorities
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received in favour of his proposals to transfer the communities of Coychurch Lower, Ewenny, Saint Bride's Major and Wick into the Vale of Glamorgan, under his proposals for unitary authorities, from people living in these communities.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Since publishing my White Paper on 1 March 1993, I have received four such written representations in favour of my proposals to incorporate the communities of Coychurch Lower, Ewenny, Saint Bride's Major and Wick into a Vale of Glamorgan unitary authority.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much will be spent or has been spent in each year from 1990–91 to 1995–96 on(a) stage 1 ESAs, (b) stage 2 ESAs, (c) stage 3 ESAs and (d) stage 4 ESAs, identifying how much of the total is allocated for the public access payments; what is the amount to be spent on (i) nitrate sensitive areas, (ii) the moorland scheme, (iii) the habitat improvement scheme, (iv) set aside management, identifying how much of the total will be for public access payments and (v) organic farming in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows: Expenditure on ESA payments to farmers in Welsh ESAs was £0·9 million in 1990–91, £1·5 million in 1991–92 and £1·5 million in 1992–93.

  Planned expenditure is £5·8 million in 1993–94, £7·6 million in 1994–95 and £7·8 million in 1995–96.

  Public consultation proposals have been issued for public access to ESA land. Planned expenditure is £0·51 million in 1994–95 and £0·52 million in 1995–96. In addition to this expenditure on ESAs, we have also issued for public consultation proposals for a moorland scheme, a habitat improvement scheme, a meadowland scheme for public access to set-aside land and an organic scheme. Current plans for expenditure on payments to farmers under these new measures is £0·5 million in 1993–94, £2·4 million in 1994–95 and £4·8 million in 1995–96. The precise allocation between the schemes will be decided in the light of the results of the public consultation. I have no plans to designate any nitrate sensitive areas (NSAs) in Wales.

  Pharmaceutical Services (Mold)
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the factors upon which he based his decision to classify Mold and its outlying districts as a non-rural area for the purposes of the provision of pharmaceutical services.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Questions affecting the rurality of an area are governed by the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations, 1992. In considering the issue the Secretary of State has regard to the overall density of population, including any developments or population changes which may be expected; sizes of community; distance between settlements and the spread and frequency of public transport, together with the range of local services available.

  Death Rates
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what guidelines he has issued, and what proposals he has to issue further guidelines, to health authorities and general practitioner fund-holding practices in Wales concerning the implications for purchasers of hospital health care of statistically significant variations in death rates in or just after treatment; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what consultations he has had with the health authorities and hospital trusts in Wales in relation to the variations in performance in hospitals with respect to death rates during or just after hospital treatment;

  (3) what representations he has received with respect to the publication of league tables in relation to variations between hospitals in death rates during or just after surgery and other treatments (a) with and (b) without standardisation for age and social condition of patient intake; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) if he will publish figures indicating the gap between the highest and lowest death rate hospitals, with respect to death rates after (a) general surgery, (b) orthopaedic surgery and (c) other treatments, after standardising for age and social condition of the patient intake; and what proposals he has for improviong the performance of the hospitals with death rates related to treatment, that are markedly above average;

  (5) what is the maximum differential gap in death rates between the lowest and highest death rate in Welsh hospitals following (a) general surgery, (b) orthopaedic surgery and (c) other treatments; and what proposals he has for improving the performance of these hospitals whose death rates after surgical treatment is higher than the norm.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to his hon. Friend the Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mr. Jones) on 30 April 1993 at column 589.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest estimate of the finances that would accrue in a full year, after the deduction of all tax and other costs, from the national lottery to(a) sport in Wales, (b) performing arts in Wales, (c) other arts' activities in Wales and (d) other organisations or activities by type and category; and what percentage will be applied to revenue costs and capital costs, respectively, in each case.
  120
  Mr. David Hunt
  It is not possible to predict how much the various categories of beneficiaries will receive from the national lottery. Distribution arrangements are the subject of discussions with the distributing bodies and with other Government Departments, and the relevant criteria will be published in due course. With the exception of charities, I expect the proceeds to be used for the most part for capital projects.

  Strategy Resettlement Funding
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide a table showing all housing associations and other organisations which have applied for all-Wales strategy resettlement funding for 1993–94, the figure applied for in each case and the figure actually agreed by his Department.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Housing associations receive funding for strategy-related housing through Housing for Wales as part of their special needs programme. Special grants are made to county teams who negotiate and commission care at a local level with care management organisations. The programme for resettlement for this year (1993–94) will evolve during the year. However, the full year costs to counties to supply a comprehensive package of care, including accommodation for 110 individuals is estimated to be £5 million to the Welsh Office.

  Grants
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what objectives he has set(a) each section of his Department and (b) each quango or body responsible in whole or in part to his Department for (i) the publication of information or criteria relating to grants available for 1993–94 (ii) the time to elapse between publication date and closing date (iii) the time for notification of a decision after the publication date and closing date, respectively, and (iv) the information to be provided to any unsuccessful applicant.

  Mr. David Hunt
  These matters differ from grant to grant and organisation to organisation. The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Hospital Services (South Glamorgan)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 19 October 1992,Official Report, column 125, about the strategic plan for hospital services in South Glamorgan, what is his current estimate of the completion date of the strategic hospital planning review of South Glamorgan health authority.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  While the issues of timing and content still remain a matter for the health authorities in South Glamorgan, I understand the issue of the review is imminent. I await it with interest.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairmen of the South Glamorgan and Mid Glamorgan health authorities and the provost of the Welsh national school of medicine
  121
  concerning the strategic review of future hospital arid bed supply and demand and regional services provision., what is his current estimate of the prospective completion date of the review; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  [holding answer 30 April 1993]: The review known as "Collaboration on Commissioning", which was completed in December 1992, is a matter for the health authorities and the University of Wales college of medicine.

  My right hon. Friend has had no meeting with the chairmen of South Glamorgan or Mid Glamorgan health authorities to discuss this review.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Job Statistics
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new jobs have been created in the past two years, how many of these are now in existence; how many jobs have been lost during the same period; and if he will give details of the types of jobs created and lost.

  Mr. Atkins
  Information on new job creations is not available except to the extent that 2,500 new jobs were created with assistance from the Local Enterprise Development Unit in the calendar year 1991 and 2,490 with assistance from the Industrial Development Board in the financial year 1991–92. All of these jobs were in the manufacturing and services sectors. Information on how many of these are still in existence could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Figures for jobs created in 1992 and 1992–93 are not yet available. The table shows redundancies notified to the Department of Economic Development in 1991 and 1992 and the sectors in which they occurred.

  Confirmed redundancies

  1991

  1992

  Manufacturing

  3,745

  3,667

  Construction

  370

  283

  Services

  1,163

  1,368

  Other industries

  21

  5

  Total

  5,299

  5,323

  Housing Development, Newtownards
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the application for housing development at The Oaks, Old Shore road, Newtownards—planning application No. 0028/93—has within his ownership or agreement with other landowners the land required to provide the sight lines in both directions from the entrance of the proposed development on to the public road.

  Year ended 31 March 1992

  Salaries and Wages

  Northern

  Southern

  Eastern

  Western

  Total

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Medical

  10,857,873

  9,264,640

  45,639,656

  9,011,950

  74,774,119

  Dental

  657,852

  646,167

  3,328,520

  917,642

  5,550,181

  Trained Nursing

  35,547,724

  32,511,106

  97,564,997

  34,853,875

  200,477,702

  Other Nursing

  4,060,649

  5,497,214

  16,778,697

  4,641,848

  30,978,408

  Student Nursing

  1,413,441

  1,071,898

  12,275,416

  2,417,602

  17,178,357

  Para-Medical

  7,822,486

  5,946,629

  30,220,221

  5,451,678

  49,441,014

  122
  Mr. Atkins
  The certificate of land ownership which accompanied the application requires further investigation and I will write to the hon. Gentleman once this has been carried out.

  Donaghadee Urban District Council
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 26 April, whether his Department has copies of the minutes of meetings of the former Donaghadee urban district council.

  Mr. Atkins
  Copies of the minutes of meetings of the former Donaghadee urban district council are held in the Public Record Office. The minutes signed on 7 August 1945, show that the council approved a plan to divide Warren house, Donaghadee into two flats. However, as indicated in my reply of 26 April, the Department does not have a copy of any decision document pursuant to this meeting of the council.

  Ports Privatisation
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will amend the draft Ports (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 so as to make the exercise of the proposed powers to privatise ports in Northern Ireland compulsorily subject to the affirmative parliamentary procedure.

  Mr. Atkins
  This issue has been raised in a number of the representations received during the consultation period on the draft Ports (Northern Ireland) Order 1993. The responses have been extremely wide-ranging and I am considering them in detail before taking any decisions on the way forward.

  Health Service Wages
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the total wage bill of hospital and community health services staff in each board area, in each of the last five years and projected for the next two years, broken down into the principal groups of staff, including consultants, junior doctors and nurses.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 30 April 1993]: The information is not readily available in the form requested. The Northern Ireland health and social services boards provide integrated health and personal social services. The boards' accounts for 1992–93 are currently being prepared. However, for the last five years for which accounts are available the salaries and wages bill for each board are set out in the tables. It is not possible to provide accurate forecasts of future pay bills, although for the current financial year the Government's public sector pay restraint policy is designed to hold settlements to 1 per cent.
  123

  Salaries and Wages

  Northern

  Southern

  Eastern

  Western

  Total

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Pharmacy

  702,694

  685,762

  2,520,212

  591,065

  4,499,733

  Social Services

  15,215,535

  10,489,964

  35,696,671

  10,331,309

  71,733,479

  Home Helps

  5,097,525

  6,337,418

  12,078,649

  4,009,200

  27,522,792

  Administrative and Clerical

  14,492,221

  11,948,540

  39,055,723

  10,469,524

  75,966,008

  Domestic and Allied

  9,553,491

  7,028,102

  37,082,454

  7,336,035

  61,000,082

  Tradesmen

  2,259,585

  1,739,384

  6,688,063

  1,770,563

  12,457,595

  Ambulance

  2,527,488

  1,861,019

  4,020,604

  1,797,807

  10,206,918

  Other Grades

  1,661,284

  1,241,274

  4,234,596

  1,014,300

  8,151,454

  TOTAL

  111,869,848

  96,269,117

  347,184,479

  94,614,398

  649,937,842

  Year ended 31 March 1991

  Salaries and Wages

  Northern

  Southern

  Eastern

  Western

  Total

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Medical

  9,395,468

  8,532,108

  41,592,665

  8,098,570

  67,618,811

  Dental

  608,836

  561,370

  2,224,987

  823,778

  4,218,971

  Trained Nursing

  32,014,132

  29,753,099

  89,063,112

  31,615,746

  182,446,089

  Other Nursing

  3,454,762

  4,765,650

  13,835,590

  3,823,978

  25,879,980

  Student Nursing

  2,019,098

  1,377,555

  14,303,464

  2,823,449

  20,523,566

  Para-Medical

  6,594,455

  5,211,693

  26,757,616

  4,827,378

  43,391,142

  Pharmacy

  595,954

  583,736

  2,260,592

  506,794

  3,947,076

  Social Services

  13,676,336

  9,478,819

  32,582,283

  9,264,670

  65,002,108

  Home Helps

  4,572,915

  5,865,088

  11,441,670

  3,776,492

  25,656,165

  Administrative and Clerical

  11,897,290

  9,551,542

  32,718,131

  8,577,568

  62,744,531

  Domestic and Allied

  8,813,105

  8,980,095

  36,464,899

  7,399,067

  61,657,166

  Tradesmen

  2,174,325

  1,689,771

  6,319,575

  1,625,955

  11,809,626

  Ambulance

  2,329,043

  1,718,948

  3,719,830

  1,632,276

  9,400,097

  Other Grades

  1,501,552

  1,266,709

  4,401,367

  1,054,176

  8,223,804

  TOTAL

  99,647,271

  89,336,183

  317,685,781

  85,849,897

  592,519,132

  Year ended 31 March 1990

  Salaries and Wages

  Northern

  Southern

  Eastern

  Western

  Total

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Medical

  8,404,625

  7,481,029

  37,562,527

  6,663,507

  60,111,688

  Dental

  522,778

  544,932

  1,985,297

  616,934

  3,669,941

  Trained Nursing

  29,537,228

  28,396,668

  85,749,268

  29,736,471

  173,419,635

  Other Nursing

  3,207,993

  4,288,780

  12,077,375

  3,441,815

  23,015,963

  Student Nursing

  2,196,196

  1,545,937

  12,198,990

  2,739,662

  18,680,785

  Para-Medical

  5,681,586

  4,447,334

  23,833,195

  3,973,849

  37,935,964

  Pharmacy

  504,847

  343,644

  1,835,626

  425,165

  3,109,282

  Social Services

  12,320,159

  8,427,220

  27,763,816

  7,919,174

  56,430,369

  Home Helps

  4,123,825

  5,368,127

  10,483,163

  3,412,612

  23,387,727

  Administrative and Clerical

  9,517,381

  8,138,849

  27,064,126

  7,039,020

  51,759,376

  Domestic and Allied

  8,596,144

  9,364,311

  35,119,034

  8,915,478

  61,994,967

  Tradesmen

  2,103,004

  1,442,843

  6,270,209

  1,560,230

  11,376,286

  Ambulance

  1,837,318

  1,317,874

  2,741,239

  1,241,502

  7,137,933

  Other Grades

  1,528,518

  1,196,778

  4,081,633

  969,862

  7,776,791

  Total

  90,081,602

  82,304,326

  288,765,498

  78,655,281

  539,806,707

  Year ended 31 March 1989

  Salaries and Wages

  Northern

  Southern

  Eastern

  Western

  Total

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Medical

  7,678,916

  7,130,059

  34,825,759

  6,259,215

  55,893,949

  Dental

  546,769

  512,004

  2,176,636

  588,609

  3,824,018

  Trained Nursing

  28,545,400

  26,930,776

  81,431,637

  28,986,430

  165,894,243

  Other Nursing

  3,166,950

  4,232,571

  11,410,146

  3,126,695

  21,936,362

  Student Nursing

  2,078,282

  1,602,090

  13,583,907

  2,340,112

  19,874,391

  Para-Medical

  5,094,831

  4,010,000

  19,200,297

  3,483,720

  31,788,848

  Pharmacy

  441,900

  369,354

  1,605,101

  413,840

  2,830,195

  Social Services

  12,038,359

  7,761,914

  26,071,937

  7,426,115

  53,288,325

  Home Helps

  3,739,198

  5,141,034

  10,330,488

  3,220,458

  22,431,178

  Administrative and Clerical

  8,245,648

  6,966,201

  24,127,124

  6,138,037

  45,477,010

  Domestic and Allied

  8,469,583

  8,959,119

  33,542,449

  9,546,583

  60,517,734

  124 125

  Salaries and Wages

  Northern

  Southern

  Eastern

  Western

  Total

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Tradesmen

  2,024,983

  1,308,826

  6,296,567

  1,468,345

  11,098,721

  Ambulance

  1,998,709

  1,432,929

  2,994,535

  1,321,300

  7,747,473

  Other Grades

  1,452,956

  1,177,486

  3,906,973

  1,015,776

  7,553,191

  TOTAL

  85,522,484

  77,534,363

  271,773,556

  75,335,235

  510,165,638

  Year ended 31 March 1988

  Salaries and Wages

  Northern

  Southern

  Eastern

  Western

  Total

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Medical

  6,975,393

  6,253,181

  31,547,797

  5,455,613

  50,231,984

  Dental

  578,741

  451,204

  1,866,935

  668,600

  3,565,480

  Trained Nursing

  24,309,370

  22,884,704

  66,536,343

  24,156,932

  137,887,349

  Other Nursing

  2,896,608

  4,041,606

  10,359,937

  2,935,044

  20,233,195

  Student Nursing

  2,025,578

  1,544,402

  13,349,980

  2,592,894

  19,512,854

  Para-Medical

  4,533,036

  3,393,604

  17,572,398

  2,963,565

  28,462,603

  Pharmacy

  396,187

  334,802

  1,369,735

  371,617

  2,472,341

  Social Services

  10,969,179

  6,974,665

  23,369,826

  6,606,819

  47,920,489

  Home Helps

  3,671,358

  4,881,977

  9,938,176

  3,330,588

  21,822,099

  Administrative and Clerical

  7,578,908

  6,440,513

  22,204,442

  5,537,068

  41,760,931

  Domestic and Allied

  8,172,924

  8,603,619

  32,049,983

  9,354,802

  58,181,328

  Tradesmen

  2,025,649

  1,430,688

  6,184,258

  1,403,969

  11,044,564

  Ambulance

  1,922,675

  1,444,550

  2,813,902

  1,298,892

  7,480,019

  Other Grades

  1,292,214

  1,065,708

  3,617,468

  924,405

  6,899,795

  TOTAL

  77,347,820

  69,745,223

  242,781,180

  67,600,808

  457,475,031

  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what have been the changes in average pay levels for general practitioners, nurses, consultants and hospital porters in Northern Ireland since May 1990.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 30 April 1993]: The information is set out in the table. Average monetary changes could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Increase for 1991–92

  Increase for 1992–93

  Increase for 1993–94

  Group

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  General practitioners

  9·50

  5·50

  1·50

  Nurses and midwives

  8·20

  5·80

  11·50

  Senior nurses/midwives

  7·43

  3·90

  2—

  Consultants

  10·50

  5·50

  1·50

  Hospital porters

  8·80

  4·93

  11·50

  1 Offered.

  2 No offer yet.

  Community Midwives
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many community midwives are employed by each health board in Northern Ireland.

  Average equivalised disposable income and percentage shares by households type and by quintile groups of households ranked by equivalised disposable income

  Using the McClements equivalence scale re-scaled so that a household of one adult = 1

  £ per year

  Bottom

  2nd

  3rd

  4th

  Top

  All

  1979

  Households with children

  Average

  1,161

  1,706

  2,223

  2,882

  4,462

  2,405

  Percentage share of total income

  2

  6

  10

  10

  9

  37

  Other households

  Average

  1,186

  1,654

  2,240

  2,947

  4,494

  2,558

  Percentage share of total income

  7

  7

  8

  13

  27

  63

  126
  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 30 April 1993]: The number of community midwives employed by each health and social services board at 31 December 1992 was as follows:

  Board

  Number

  Whole-time equivalent

  Eastern

  61

  57·45

  Northern

  35

  31·13

  Southern

  27

  23·65

  Western

  42

  41·75

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Incomes
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage share, and average amount per equivalent adult at 1990 prices, of disposable income by quintile groups of households for(a) households with children, (b) other households and (c) all households, for 1979, 1987 and 1990.

  Mr. Nelson
  The information is not available in the precise form requested because the equivalence scale used is based on households rather than adults. In addition the figures are only available at current prices.
  127

  Bottom

  2nd

  3rd

  4th

  Top

  All

  All households

  Average

  1,180

  1,677

  2,231

  2,918

  4,487

  2,498

  Percentage share of total income

  9

  13

  18

  23

  36

  100

  1987

  Households with children

  Average

  2,225

  3,329

  4,547

  6,184

  10,763

  5,059

  Percentage share of total income

  3

  4

  7

  8

  9

  31

  Other households

  Average

  2,297

  3,253

  4,538

  6,273

  11,473

  4,548

  Percentage share of total income

  6

  8

  9

  14

  32

  69

  All households

  Average

  2,273

  5,372

  7,446

  10,228

  18,544

  9,063

  Percentage share of total income

  8

  12

  16

  23

  41

  100

  1990

  Households with children

  Average

  2,632

  4,237

  6,062

  8,766

  15,627

  6,976

  Percentage share of total income

  2

  4

  7

  8

  9

  30

  Other households

  Average

  2,688

  4,085

  6,110

  8,698

  16,752

  7,934

  Percentage share of total income

  5

  7

  9

  15

  33

  70

  All households

  Average

  2,671

  4,134

  6,089

  8,721

  16,493

  7,621

  Percentage share of total income

  7

  11

  16

  23

  43

  100

  Percentages are rounded independently and may not sum to row or column totals.

  Households with children have fallen as a proportion of the sample from 39 per cent. in 1979 to 33 per cent. in 1990. This is the main reason that their share of income has fallen from 37 per cent. in 1979 to 30 per cent. in 1990. The variation in the shares of income between household types by quintile group is mainly a reflection of the different composition of the quintile groups.

  These figures are not strictly comparable over time because of changes in classification of both income and taxation and because of changes in the family expenditure survey.

  Ms Corston
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total value of equivalised disposable income, at 1990 prices, for all households for the years 1977 to 1990, on the basis given in Economic Trends for January 1993, page 187.

  Mr. Nelson
  The information is not available in the precise form requested. The total value of equivalised disposable income for households in the sample at current prices can be obtained by multiplying the sample size by the average equivalised disposable income. It is not

  Average values of taxes and benefits, for bottom and top quintiles ranked by equivalised disposable income of all households

  Households with children

  1979

  1987

  1990

  Bottom

  Top

  Bottom

  Top

  Bottom

  Top

  £ per year

  Contributory cash benefits

  328

  112

  396

  115

  370

  156

  Non-Contributory cash benefits

  1,066

  355

  3,356

  700

  3,689

  735

  Direct Taxes and NIC

  461

  2,772

  721

  7,728

  1,026

  9,748

  Indirect taxes

  695

  1,817

  1,442

  3,653

  1,772

  4,805

  Equivalised disposable income1

  1,903

  7,314

  3,648

  17,645

  4,315

  25,618

  Benefits in kind

  1,883

  1,182

  3,529

  2,511

  4,367

  3,061

  Final income

  4,072

  9,839

  7,261

  23,703

  8,500

  34,397

  1 Using the McClements equivalence scale with a household of a married couple = 1.

  Notes:

  Due to possible mis-recording of some non-contributory benefits as contributory benefits, the split between the two types of benefit should be treated with caution.

  The equivalence scales used in the analysis are only applicable to disposable income. It is not appropriate to apply them to other income measures or composite parts of those measures.

  These figures are not strictly comparable over time because of changes in classification of taxes and benefits and because of changes in the Family Expenditure Survey.
  128
  possible to calculate the total value for all households in the United Kingdom as the appropriate grossing factors are not available.

  The average values of equivalised disposable income for all households for alternate years from 1977 to 1987 and for 1988 are published in the March 1991 edition of "Economic Trends", the average values for 1989 and 1990 are published in the January 1992 and January 1993 editions respectively. The January 1993 edition of "Economic Trends" has references to the annual articles.

  Ms Corston
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average value in 1979, 1987 and 1990, at 1990 prices per equivalent adult in households with children of(a) contributory benefits in cash, (b) non-contributory benefits in cash, (c) direct taxes, (d) indirect taxes, (e) equivalised disposable income, (f) benefits in kind and (g) final income, within the bottom and top quintiles of all households ranked by disposable income.

  Mr. Nelson
  The information is not available in the precise form requested because the equivalence scale used is based on households rather than adults. In addition, the figures are available only at current prices.
  129
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the(a) total income of the top 1 per cent. of taxpayers, (b) unearned income of the top 1 per cent. of taxpayers, (c) unearned income of all taxpayers, (d) total number of taxpayers and (e) number of taxpayers in the top 1 per cent. in each year since 1979;

  (2) what was the total unearned income of (a) all taxpayers and (b) the top 1 per cent. of taxpayers divided into income from (i) shares and securities, (ii) bank and interest-bearing accounts, (iii) building societies accounts and deposits, (iv) rents, (v) pensions and annuities and (vi) other, with details for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 4 May 1993]: Available information is given in the tables. Estimates of income are based on information reported to tax offices and collected through annual surveys of personal incomes. For years before 1985–86, estimates exclude employees' contributions to occupational pension schemes and some investment income on which tax is deducted at source. It is therefore not possible to provide estimates of the total unearned income of all taxpayers, although information on the top 1 per cent. of taxpayers is available. For years up to and including 1989–90, married couples are counted

  £ billion

  All taxpayers

  Top 1 per cent. of taxpayers

  Dividends

  Bank and Building Society Interest

  Rents

  Other unearned income

  Dividends

  Bank and Building Society Interest

  Rents

  Other unearned income

  1978–79

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·5

  0·1

  0·1

  0·4

  1983–84

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·7

  0·3

  0·2

  0·8

  1984–85

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·6

  0·4

  0·2

  0·7

  1985–86

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·8

  0·8

  0·2

  0·6

  1986–87

  3·7

  11·8

  1·0

  2·7

  1·0

  0·8

  0·3

  0·7

  1987–88

  4·8

  12·1

  1·1

  3·0

  1·2

  0·8

  0·2

  0·9

  1988–89

  6·9

  13·4

  1·5

  3·6

  2·5

  1·3

  0·3

  1·1

  1989–90

  8·1

  21·0

  2·0

  4·2

  3·3

  1·6

  0·5

  1·7

  1990–91

  8·7

  26·4

  1·8

  5·0

  3·0

  2·0

  0·4

  1·8

  Employment Earnings
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the total earnings in(a) cash and (b) real terms from self-employment and employment in the manufacturing and service sectors by standard industrial classification of the earnings source in (a) 1963, (b) 1974, (c) 1979 and (d) the most recent period for which information is available; and what were the percentage changes for each sector between each of those successive dates.

  Mr. Nelson
  Figures for income from employment in the manufacturing and service sectors, analysed on the basis of the standard industrial classification in use at the time of publication, may be found in the following CSO publications:

  1963

  National Income and Expenditure 1963–73: tables 18 and 20 (wages and salaries only).

  1974

  (on 1968 Standard industrial Classification): National Income and Expenditure 1982 edition: tables 3.1 and 3.3.

  1974

  (on 1980 classification) and later years may be found in the appropriate issues of the National Accounts Blue Book, Tables 2.1 and 2.3, and also on the CSO database, which can be accessed by the House of Commons Library.

  130
  as one taxpayer and their incomes are combined. Following the introduction of independent taxation, for 1990–91 onwards, husbands and wives are counted separately. Estimates for 1991–92 and 1992–93 are based on projections of the 1990–91 survey and are therefore provisional, and detailed information on the breakdown of unearned income is not available.

  Total income of top 1 per cent, of taxpayers

  Total unearned income of top 1 per cent, of taxpayers

  Total unearned income of all taxpayers

  Total taxpayers

  Number of taxpayers in top 1 per cent.

  £ billion

  £ billion

  £ billion

  (million)

  (thousands)

  1978–79

  5·0

  1·2

  —

  21·4

  214

  1983–84

  9·7

  1·9

  —

  20·4

  204

  1984–85

  10·9

  1·8

  —

  20·2

  202

  1985–86

  12·9

  2·3

  —

  20·2

  202

  1986–87

  14·6

  2·8

  19·2

  20·4

  204

  1987–88

  16·4

  3·1

  21·0

  20·8

  208

  1988–89

  21·2

  5·3

  25·4

  21·3

  213

  1989–90

  24·2

  7·0

  35·2

  21·5

  215

  1990–91

  28·3

  7·2

  41·9

  26·0

  260

  1991–92

  29·0

  6·5

  35·2

  25·3

  253

  1992–93

  28·7

  6·6

  31·8

  24·7

  247

  Estimates of income from self-employment by sector are not available.

  There are no official estimates of components of personal incomes measured at constant prices.

  Ministers' Accommodation
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to tax the benefits in kind received by Ministers who have access to official accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have no plans to change the tax treatment of any accommodation, provided for Ministers.

  London and Bishopsgate Investment Management
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date London and Bishopsgate International Investment Management plc applied to his Department for a principal's licence to carry on the business of dealing in securities under the provisions of the Prevention of Fraud (Investments) Act 1958.

  Mr. Nelson
  On 28 February 1988.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 13 January,Official Report, column 749, to which firm or sole trader, whose

  131
  application was received after 27 February 1988, his Department granted a licence to carry on the business of dealing in securities under the provisions of the Prevention of Fraud (Investments) Act 1958.

  Mr. Nelson
  London and Bishopsgate International Investments Management plc.

  Matrix Churchill
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer why a package sent recently, via Federal Express, by Mr. Douglas Franze from Washington, USA, addressed to Mr. Paul Henderson, a former managing director of Matrix Churchill, was inspected by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  As part of their general anti-smuggling activity Customs and Excise regularly examine a proportion of imported packages to check for undeclared goods and to protect society from the importation of items which are prohibited or restricted.

  Petroleum Revenue Tax
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact upon the Scottish oil industry of the Budget proposals for changes in petroleum revenue taxation.

  Mr. Dorrell
  To the extent that production is within the charge to petroleum revenue tax (PRT), doubling investors' marginal share of profit should encourage investment in, and extend the life of, fields. Removing the burden of PRT from new fields will both increase after-tax costs and increase after-tax profits that would have been subject to PRT. So companies will have greater incentives to undertake commercially-viable investment. That should prove beneficial to the United Kingdom offshore industry and its onshore support, including onshore support situated in Scotland.

  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the total exploration and appraisal relief given against PRT liabilities over the last three years was allocated to(a) wells, (b) seismic, (c) overheads, (d) insurance and (e) other expenditure.

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

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Government Finance
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive the Audit Commission report into local government finance.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I understand that the Audit Commission plan to publish its report into standard spending assessments around the middle of May.

  Local Government Reform
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the reasons for creating a commission to investigate local Government reform in England.
  132
  Mr. Robin Squire
  We established the Local Government Commission to make recommendations on local government structure and boundaries having regard to the need to reflect the identities and interests of local communities and to secure effective and convenient local government, against the background of a variety of existing local authorities in England.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities, of each type, existed in England on 31 March 1974; how many of each type now exist; and when he expects the commission on local government reform to report.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  In England, on 31 March 1974 there were:

  Number

  County councils

  45

  Greater London council

  1

  County boroughs

  79

  Non-county boroughs

  227

  Urban district councils

  449

  Rural district councils

  410

  London boroughs

  32

  City of London

  1

  At present there are:

  Number

  County councils

  39

  Shire district councils

  296

  Metropolitan district councils

  36

  London boroughs

  32

  City of London

  1

  The Local Government Commission is carrying out its reviews of local government structure in the shire counties of England in rolling programme. The commission will be making recommendations to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State as it completes each review. The commission has submitted its final report on the future structure of local government on the Isle of Wight and it is currently reviewing the other areas in the first tranche of its work programme.

  Estate Action
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many properties in Estate Action schemes have been disposed of to the private sector.

  Mr. Baldry
  Excluding properties sold under the right to buy, it is expected that some 29,000 dwellings will have been disposed of to the private sector by the end of 1993–94.

  Urban Development Corporations
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the present value of land held by each urban development corporation.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 4 May 1993]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on Wednesday 8 July 1992, Official Report, column 253.

  Industrial and Provident Societies
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to amend the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts; and if his consultations about changes will include housing associations.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government have no plans at present to amend the current legislation.

EMPLOYMENT

  Radiation Exposure
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what changes she proposes to make in the occupational radiation exposure limits.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The UK's radiation dose limits for workers, comply with the current EC (Euratom) Directive on basic standards for radiation protection. Revision of this directive, and the dose limits therein, will begin later this year. There are no plans to reduce dose limits in advance of revision of the directive.

  Graduate
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures her Department is taking to reduce the number of university graduates who are unemployed.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Employment Department is providing a wider range of measures than ever before to provide all unemployed people, including graduates, with the help they need to find a job. Some of these measures may be particularly appropriate for graduates, for example job review workshops, job search seminars or executive jobclubs. Training and enterprise councils have discretion to tailor training for work programmes specifically for unemployed graduates.

  Employment Statistics
  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what percentage of female employees work(a) full time and (b) part time;

  (2) what percentage of male employees work (a) full time and (b) part time.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In December 1992, 54 per cent. of female employees in the United Kingdom worked full time and 46 per cent. worked part time. At the same date 89 per cent. of male employees worked full time and 11 per cent. worked part time.

  Training
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make a statement on the youth training credit pilot schemes.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  On 8 March, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the next 10 training and enterprise councils (TECs) in England and Wales to be asked to develop youth credits. This round, the third in the progressive extension of the initiative, brings the number 134
  of TECs (and local enterprise companies in Scotland) offering or developing credits for young people to 34. The Government's aim is that, by 1996, every 16 and 17 year old who chooses to leave full-time education will have the offer of a credit.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when she will publish guidelines for the operating of training for work schemes.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Planning guidance for 1993–94 was issued to training and enterprise councils (TECs) on 4 December 1992. The operating agreement, setting out the contractual requirements for running training for work was issued to TECs during the first week in March.

  Maternity Leave
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations she has received from employers and employers organisations on the extension of the 14-week maternity leave period set out in the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill to 18 weeks.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  We have received one letter from an employer and one from an employers' organisation calling for an extension of the maternity leave period to 18 weeks. The Government are, however, satisfied from the extensive consultations carried out on the EC Pregnant Workers Directive that the great majority of employers wish the burdens on business arising from its implementation to be kept to a minimum.

  Health and Safety
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she has any plans to extend the pilot scheme currently running in Scotland involving public access to health and safety inspectors' reports.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  This exercise in making some information of inspectors reports publicly available was set up by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on a pilot basis and encompasses reports on inspections made by the field operations division in Scotland from 5 January 1993. It is intended that the exercise will cover inspections made until at least 30 June. I am informed that the HSE will be evaluating the exercise over the next few weeks before deciding whether to extend it.

  Mine Safety
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what actions she proposes to take to secure amendment to the regulations concerning mine safety; what proposals she has received to this end; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In 1983 the Health and Safety Commission, which advises my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on health and safety legislation, put in hand a programme to renew mining legislation. Regulations have been made, and codes of practice approved, for safety of exits at mines, electricity at work at mines, explosives in coal and other safety-lamp mines, and shafts and winding in mines. My right hon. Friend has recently received proposals for regulations and an approved code of practice for the management and administration of safety and health at mines.
  135
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make it her policy in her consideration of changes to the safety regulations applying to mines to adhere to the principles relating to maintenance or improvement of existing regulations set out in section 1 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The replacement of pre-1974 health and safety legislation is subject to section 1(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 which requires such replacement to maintain or improve the standards of health, safety and welfare established by or under the earlier legislation.

  The Health and Safety Commission and the Government are committed to the maintenance and improvement of safety standards within the mining industry and this will remain a constant and paramount objective.

  Industrial Action
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will publish the number of days lost due to official and unofficial industrial action for each year since 1978; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Because of the practical difficulties in distinguishing between official and unofficial disputes such an analysis was discontinued in 1981. However, a special exercise for the Government's Green Paper "Unofficial Action and the Law", showed that approximately 1·3 million working days were lost in unofficial stoppages in 1988, more than one third of the 3·7 million days lost in the year. Data for 1978 to 1980 are as follows:

  Table 6.1 Defendants1 proceeded against at magistrates' courts by type of offence Extract from Criminal Statistics England and Wales 1991

  Number of defendants (thousands)

  Percentage

  Indictable offences

  Summary offences

  Indictable offences

  Summary offences

  Year

  Total number proceeded against (thousands)

  Offences (excluding motoring offences)

  Motoring offences

  Offences (excluding motoring offences)

  Motoring offences

  Persons aged 10 and under 17

  1981

  130

  95

  22

  13

  73

  17

  10

  1982

  121

  90

  20

  12

  74

  16

  9

  1983

  112

  82

  20

  11

  73

  17

  10

  1984

  105

  78

  17

  9

  75

  16

  9

  1985

  94

  71

  15

  8

  76

  16

  8

  1986

  75

  57

  11

  6

  76

  15

  8

  1987

  68

  53

  10

  5

  78

  15

  7

  1988

  62

  48

  10

  4

  77

  16

  7

  1989

  55

  37

  14

  4

  66

  26

  8

  1990

  54

  36

  13

  4

  67

  25

  8

  1991

  50

  35

  12

  4

  69

  24

  7

  Persons aged 17 and under 21

  1981

  390

  144

  85

  161

  37

  22

  41

  1982

  394

  152

  82

  160

  38

  21

  41

  1983

  394

  149

  86

  159

  38

  22

  40

  1984

  372

  148

  79

  145

  40

  21

  39

  1985

  364

  149

  75

  140

  41

  21

  38

  136

  Year

  Working days lost Known official

  (Thousands) Unofficial and not known

  1978

  4,052

  5,353

  1979

  23,512

  5,962

  1980

  10,081

  1,883

  Wages Councils
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations she has received against the abolition of wages councils since the Trade Union and Employment Rights Bill received its Third Reading in the House.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 4 May 1993]: I have received a number of representations since Third Reading in the House, both supporting and opposing abolition. Since announcement of the Bill over 85 per cent. of letters from employers and employer bodies support abolition.

LORD CHANCELLORS DEPARTMENT

  Juvenile Courts
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many children were brought before juvenile courts in each of the last five years; and how many of them had school reports submitted on their behalf.

  Mr. Jack
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information on juveniles aged 10 and under 17 proceeded against at magistrates courts is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales". Table 6.1 refers. The latest available figures are for 1991; 1992 figures will be available in the autumn.

  Information on the number of school reports submitted to youth courts is not collected centrally.
  137

  Number of defendants (thousands)

  Percentage

  Indictable offences

  Summary offences

  Indictable offences

  Summary offences

  Year

  Total number proceeded against (thousands)

  Offences (excluding motoring offences)

  Motoring offences

  Offences (excluding motoring offences)

  Motoring offences

  1986

  339

  133

  70

  136

  39

  21

  40

  1987

  325

  140

  74

  110

  43

  23

  34

  1988

  322

  137

  79

  106

  43

  25

  33

  1989

  324

  122

  90

  112

  38

  28

  35

  1990

  329

  129

  85

  114

  39

  26

  35

  1991

  314

  132

  73

  110

  42

  23

  35

  Defendants aged 21 and over1

  1981

  1,774

  284

  365

  1,125

  16

  21

  63

  1982

  1,706

  297

  366

  1,042

  17

  21

  61

  1983

  1,797

  300

  415

  1,082

  17

  23

  60

  1984

  1,708

  295

  385

  1,028

  17

  23

  60

  1985

  1,689

  299

  379

  1,011

  18

  22

  60

  1986

  1,757

  273

  427

  1,057

  16

  24

  60

  1987

  1,451

  295

  421

  735

  20

  29

  51

  1988

  1,480

  310

  454

  716

  21

  31

  48

  1989

  1,484

  290

  464

  730

  20

  31

  49

  1990

  1,509

  304

  478

  727

  20

  32

  48

  1991

  1,591

  323

  488

  780

  20

  31

  49

  All Defendants1

  1981

  2,294

  523

  472

  1,299

  23

  21

  59

  1982

  2,221

  539

  469

  1,214

  24

  21

  55

  1983

  2,303

  530

  521

  1,252

  23

  23

  54

  1984

  2,184

  521

  482

  1,181

  24

  22

  54

  1985

  2,147

  520

  469

  1,158

  24

  22

  54

  1986

  2,171

  463

  508

  1,199

  21

  23

  55

  1987

  1,843

  488

  505

  850

  26

  27

  46

  1988

  1,863

  494

  543

  826

  27

  29

  44

  1989

  1,864

  449

  568

  847

  24

  30

  45

  1990

  1,892

  469

  577

  846

  25

  31

  45

  1991

  1,956

  489

  573

  894

  25

  29

  46

  1Including "other defendants", i.e., companies, public bodies, etc.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Cyprus
  Mr. Deva
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold an early meeting with representatives of the Turkish Cypriot community.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Our aim is to give effective support to the continuing inter-communal negotiations on Cyprus under UN auspices. The timing of any possible meeting with Turkish Cypriot representatives must be carefully considered in the light of progress in those negotiations.

  Radio 4
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the United Kingdom's ambassador in Bonn has taken in respect of the petition received signed by listeners in Germany on the retention of Radio 4 on long wave; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Her Majesty's ambassador in Bonn has forwarded the petition to London for the BBC, who are reviewing their future plans for transmitting Radio 4, taking into account the various representations which they are receiving.

  Cambodia
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what position the United Kingdom representative on the United Nations Security Council will take in relation to a continuing UN presence in Cambodia following the holding of elections there; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The mandate of the UN transitional authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) is due to end with the formation of a new Cambodian Government three months after the Constituent Assembly elections on 23–27 May. The UN is likely to maintain a strong presence in Cambodia after this through its specialised and humanitarian agencies and programmes, including for example UNESCO, FAO/WFP, UNDP and UNICEF.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what position the United Kingdom representative at the United Nations is taking in relation to requests for a war crimes tribunal or special genocide commission to investigate the actions of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.

  Mr. Goodlad
  No such proposal is currently under consideration at the United Nations. In the absence of an international tribunal with jurisdiction to try Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge for genocide, Pol Pot and his associates would have to be brought before a competent Cambodian
  139
  court. It is therefore for the new Cambodian Government to decide whether to bring them to trial. If this were to happen, we would be the last to object.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to assist the release of funds promised by the United Nations to Cambodia for reconstruction and the clearing of land mines.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The international community has pledged $880 million for the reconstruction of Cambodia over a number of years, of which some $94·3 million has been disbursed. The flow of international aid is likely to increase substantially once a new government is in place in Phnom Penh. We regret the failure so far of the Supreme National Council of Cambodia to sign an International Bank for Reconstruction and Development package to help with the reconstruction of Cambodia, and urge all Cambodian parties to reach agreement on this as soon as possible. We have pledged some $30 million of aid since October 1991 of which $23 million has been committed. We have contributed funds to the HALO Trust, a British non-governmental organisation involved in mine clearance in Cambodia and to the funding of the Cambodian mine action centre through our assessed contribution to the UN transitional authority in Cambodia.

  Political Parties (Funding)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the information available to him on the systems of state funding for political parties in the G7 group of countries, and in the Council of Europe.

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

  Commonwealth of Independent States
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the number of United Kingdom representatives in each of the constituent nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The numbers of United Kingdom-based staff are as follows:

  Number

  Ukraine

  19

  Moscow

  83

  St. Petersburg

  7

  Kazakhstan

  3

  We propose to open posts in Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Belarus shortly. The other countries within the Commonwealth of Independent States are covered by United Kingdom staff based in Moscow.

  Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which states are in membership of the CSCE at the present time; and which of these belonged in November 1990.
  140
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There are currently 53 states participating in the CSCE. A copy of the list has been placed in the Library of the House. This list also indicates which states belonged to the CSCE in November 1990.

  Yugoslavia was suspended from participation in all CSCE activity in July 1992. The Czech Republic and Slovakia were admitted as separate countries on 1 January 1993. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was granted observer status at the committee of senior officials meeting on 28 April.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the names and nationalities of the committee of senior officials of the CSCE.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Meetings of the committee of senior officials are attended by representatives from each CSCE participating state, either its representative (normally an Ambassador) in Vienna or a senior official from its Foreign Ministry. The United Kingdom is normally represented by Mr. David Logan, an assistant undersecretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. By way of illustration a list of delegates at the committee of senior officials meeting in Prague from 2–4 February has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the locations of all the offices of the secretariat, the committee of senior officials and all other institutions of the CSCE.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The main centre for CSCE institutions is Vienna where the following are located: the conflict prevention centre and its secretariat, the Vienna group of the committee of senior officials, the secretariat for the Forum for Security Co-operation and the secretariat facilities for the CFE treaty and open skies implementation group. The recently appointed secretary-general will also have his office in Vienna.

  By tradition the committee of senior officials meets in Prague and is serviced by the CSCE secretariat there.

  There are three other CSCE institutions: the CSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights is situated in Warsaw; the office of the CSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities is in The Hague; the Parliamentary Assembly of the CSCE has its office in Copenhagen.

  Finally, the CSCE has resident preventative diplomacy missions in a number of conflict or potential conflict areas and sanctions assistance missions in countries neighbouring Serbia and Montenegro.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the subsidiary working bodies, committees and structures established by the committee of senior officials of the CSCE together with the names and nationalities of their members.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Council of Ministers of the CSCE, meeting in Stockholm in December 1992, instructed representatives of participating states to meet regularly in Vienna between sessions of the committee of senior officials (CSO). This body is now known as the CSO Vienna group.

  Ad Hoc groups of all participating states may also be formed to deal with a specific task. These are then dissolved after their task has been completed. There are

  141
  currently ad hoc groups dealing with the management of CSCE resources and with CSCE structures and institutions. A group will shortly be established to consider the legal status of CSCE institutions.

  An informal financial committee of experts meets as and when required to review the budgets proposed for CSCE institutions and activities and to make recommendations to the CSO.

  Sudan
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of the Sudan about the arrest, detention, and release of members of the Umma party in Sudan in April.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We raised with the Sudanese the brief detention in April of Sadiq al-Mandi, leader of the Umma party, and we shall continue to monitor cases of arbitrary arrest in the Sudan.

  India
  Mr. Keen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Indian Government on behalf of Mr. Pritam Sing Kang and his case of mistaken identity at New Delhi airport.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The High Commission in New Delhi was not contacted at the time and has no trace of the incident, but has written twice to the foreigners regional registration officer requesting a report. It has not so far received a reply.

  The Indian authorities alone decide who may or may not enter Indian territory and we have no standing to challenge their decision.

  North Korea
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the decision of North Korea to withdraw from the non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom is determined to maintain and strengthen the non-proliferation treaty. We deeply regret the announcement by North Korea on 12 March of their intention to withdraw from the Treaty. With the Treaty's other co-depositaries and with our European partners we have urged North Korea to reconsider their position. We are now participating actively in discussions in the United Nations Security Council aimed at ensuring North Korea's compliance with their treaty obligations.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the procedure necessary to provide for the election by Gibraltar of a member of the European Parliament; and what is the Government's policy on this issue.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Gibraltar does not participate in elections to the European Parliament. We have no plans to change this situation. Annex II of the EC Act on Direct Elections of 1976 limits the franchise for elections to the European Parliament to the United Kingdom.

  Entry Clearance
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated cost of the proposed monitoring officer examining refusals of entry clearance where there is no right of appeal.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  It is too early to make firm costings.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community's Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The following meetings are planned:

  4 May: Industrial Affairs Council

  10 May: Telecommunications Council

  10–11 May: Foreign Affairs Council

  11 May: Foreign Affairs/Gulf Cooperation Council

  17 May: Cultural Affairs Council

  24–25 May: Agricultural Council

  25 May: Development Council

  27 May: Health Council

  The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

  (a) Industrial Affairs Council—4 May

  Restructuring of the steel industry of the Community

  ECSC Treaty

  Industrial competitiveness and environmental protection

  State Aid for ship building

  Maritime industries

  Small and medium sized enterprises. Community measures to intensify and ensure the continuity of a policy for enterprise.

  (b) Telecommunications Council—10 May

  European Telecommunications Equipment Industry (8304/ 92; 5704/92)

  Telecommunications Services Review

  Open network provision voice telephoning directive (8840/92)

  Postal services Green paper

  Introduction of Advanced Television Services (6242/92)

  Development of Technology and Standards in the Advanced

  Television Sector

  (c) Foreign Affairs Council—10–11 May

  Trade Policy Questions

  Relations with the EP

  Commission report on access to information

  Russia

  Central and Eastern Europe

  Ex-Yugoslavia

  Preparation of EC/ACP Ministerial—17–18 May

  Preparation of EC/GCC Ministerial

  Preparation of OECD Ministerial: trade and environment

  (d) EC/Gulf Co-operation Council—11 May

  Implementation of the Co-operation Agreement

  Exchange of views on the development of economic relations between the countries of the GCC and the Community

  Report of Joint Co-operation Committee to the Joint

  Co-operation Council on the implementation of the Co-operation Agreement

  Exchange of views on developments in the two regions:

  Gulf Co-operation Council

  European Community

  Exchange of views on questions of political interest

  (e) Cultural Affairs Council—17 May

  European Cultural Month 1995

  The Media Programme

  The Artemis Programme

  Draft resolution to create a scheme for the translation of dramatic works

  Future work on books and reading

  (f) Agriculture Council—24–25 May

  Price fixing

  Milk

  Sugar

  Cereal Quality

  GATT

  143

  Potatoes

  CAT reform

  Portuguese wine distillation

  (g) Development Council—25 May

  Development Co-operation in the run-up to 2000

  Human rights, Democracy and Development

  Population Policy Family planning

  Emergency Aid

  Untying of Aid

  Women in development

  UNCED follow-up

  The Special EC initiative for Africa

  (h) Health Council—27 May

  Resolution of future actions in the field of public health

  Conclusions on reduction of consumption of tobacco

  Policy debate on tobacco advertising

  Conclusions on "Europe against AIDS" programme

  Conclusions on "Europe against Cancer" programme (poss)

  Conclusions on "Smoking in Public Places"—(5867/93)

  The Industrial Affairs Council will meet on 4 May and will discuss restructuring of the steel industry of the Community; ECSC Treaty; Industrial competitiveness and environmental protection. Ministers will also discuss state aid for shipbuilding and maritime industries. There will be a policy discussion on small and medium sized enterprises.

  The Telecommunications Council will meet on 10 May to attempt to reach a common position on ONP voice telephony. Adoption of Council conclusions on the Commission Communication on the European Telecommunication Equipment Industry will be sought. Ministers will seek to adopt the proposed decision on the introduction of advanced television services. Adoption is also sought on the proposed Council resolution on the development of Technology and Standards in the Advanced Television Sector. The Postal Services Green paper is also scheduled for discussion.

  The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 10–11 May. EC Foreign Ministers will consider Trade Policy Questions; relations with the EP; Commission report on access to information. Ministers will also consider Russia; Central and Eastern Europe and Ex-Yugoslavia.

  The Foreign Affairs/Gulf Cooperation Council will meet on 11 May to discuss the implementation of the Cooperation agreement. Ministers will also exchange views on developments in the two regions and on questions of political interest.

  The Cultural Affairs Council will meet on 17 May. The agenda has not yet been finalised, but the European Cultural Month 1995, the media programme, and the Artemis programme are likely to be discussed. There may also be a draft resolution to create a scheme for the translation of dramatic works. Future work on books and reading may also be discussed.

  The Agricultural Council will meet on 24–25 May. Ministers will discuss price fixing; milk, sugar; cereal quality; GATT; potatoes; CAP reform and Portuguese wine distillation.

  The Development Council is planned for 25 May. The agenda has not yet been finalised, but development Cooperation in the run-up to 2000; Human Rights—Democracy and development; and Population Policy—family planning are likely to be discussed. Emergency Aid, Untying of Aid and women in development are also likely to be discussed. Ministers may also discuss UNCED follow-up and the "Special EC initiative for Africa".

  The Health Council will meet on 27 May to discuss a resolution on future actions in the field of public health. Ministers will discuss the draft decision on the cancer programme which notes the Commission's report on the effectiveness of action undertaken in the "Europe Against Cancer" programme over the past five years. Ministers will discuss the conclusions on "Europe against AIDS" programme and the conclusions on reducing smoking in the Community which stress the importance of price as a mechanism to reduce tobacco consumption. The conclusions on smoking in public places will also be discussed.

  UN Register of Conventional Arms Transfers
  Mr. Booth
  To the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what date the Government submitted to the United Nations' Secretary General a144
  return from the United Kingdom to the UN register of conventional arms transfers in New York; and if he will place a copy of the return in the Library.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We submitted our first return to the UN Register to the UN Secretary General on 30 April. It covers major arms imports and exports during the calendar year 1992. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Mohammed Gham Ghani
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he is going to make a recommendation in the case (Ref: CON/4028) of Shenaz Begum, Afsar Khan and Shaira Begum, the children of Mr. Mohammed Gham Ghani, referred to his Department by the post in Islamabad on 2 March; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The immigration service interviewed Mr. Mohammed Ghani on 18 April. When a copy of the interview notes is received from them, the passport applications made to the British High Commission at Islamabad on behalf of Mr. Ghani's three children, will be considered again.

  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as a decision has been made on this case.

  Nuclear Energy
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response Her Majesty's Government have made to the Commission's work programme 1993–94, SEC(93)58 Final published on 26 January; and what is his policy towards the proposal to change the scope of Euratom safeguards included in the programme.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have been asked to reply.

  The contents of the Commission work programme have been received and noted. There has been no official response by Her Majesty's Government but the work programme and an explanatory memorandum have been deposited in Parliament.

  There is no direct reference in the work programme to Euratom safeguards.

  Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations with non-governmental organisations the United Kingdom Government have been required or recommended to make prior to making submissions to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights concerning article II of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; and which non-governmental organisations have been consulted prior to submissions being made.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 20 April 1993]: I have been asked to reply.

  While there is no formal obligation to consult, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has welcomed contributions by non-governmental groups in the preparation of reports under the covenant.

  I will write to the hon. Member about the second part of his question once necessary consultations with a number of other Government Departments is completed.

DEFENCE

  Malaysia (Arms Contract)
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Minister signed the 1986 agreement with the Malaysian Government in respect of an arms contract; who signed on behalf of the Malaysian Government; what was the original estimated value of this contract; and what has been the delivered value of goods to date.

  Mr. Aitken
  I am not aware of any such agreement signed in 1986. My right hon. and noble Friend the former Prime Minister and the Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir signed a memorandum of understanding in September 1988 under which the Malaysian Government agreed to purchase various military equipments from the United Kingdom. The terms of the MOU cannot be released from reasons of commercial confidentiality, but since the signature of the MOU the Malaysian Government and British industry have signed a number of contracts whose total value exceed £16 billion.

  Civil Aircraft Notifications
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many notifications were made under the civil aircraft notification procedure in(a) 1991 and (b)

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The number of notifications made under the civil aircraft notification procedure in 1991 and 1992 is as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1991

  139

  1992

  535

  The increase between 1991 and 1992 follows the raising of the height for notification of aerial activity under this procedure from 500 to 1,000 ft.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints about low flying were received in each month since June 1991 from addresses in(a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) England.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The numbers of inquiries or complaints relating to military low flying training which my Department received over the period June 1991 to March 1993 from addresses in Wales, Scotland and England were as follows:

  Month

  Wales

  Scotland

  England

  1991

  June

  95

  52

  274

  July

  159

  62

  605

  August

  101

  100

  644

  September

  97

  99

  374

  October

  79

  43

  295

  November

  51

  77

  223

  December

  25

  45

  108

  1992

  January

  32

  52

  126

  February

  60

  108

  203

  March

  43

  104

  275

  April

  66

  66

  275

  146

  Month

  Wales

  Scotland

  England

  May

  145

  90

  661

  June

  123

  96

  668

  July

  117

  154

  610

  August

  97

  91

  372

  September

  67

  77

  327

  October

  99

  92

  391

  November

  35

  34

  315

  December

  20

  26

  178

  1993

  January

  23

  38

  168

  February

  27

  104

  167

  March

  48

  106

  347

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints were received about low-flying aircraft in(a) 1991 and (b) 1992 in (i) England (ii) Wales and (iii) Scotland; and what proportion of such complaints related to (1) fast jets, (2) light jet trainers, (3) heavy propeller-driven aircraft, (4) light propeller-driven aircraft and (5) helicopters.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The numbers of inquiries or complaints relating to military low flying training received in 1991 and 1992 from England, Scotland and Wales were as follows:

  Number of complaints

  1991

  1992

  England

  3,412

  4,401

  Scotland

  791

  990

  Wales

  643

  904

  Information on the proportion of complaints by categories of aircraft could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the military low-level training sorties flown over the United Kingdon in each year since 1987 took place wholly or partly between the hours of 11 pm and 7 am.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is not available. Central records of night low flying do not separately distinguish flying between the hours of 11 pm and 7 am. The aim is to complete low flying training before 11 pm wherever possible because it is recognised that aircraft noise can be particularly intrusive at night and only the minimum necessary of such activity is authorised.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the(a) bird sanctuaries, (b) wildlife breeding sites and (c) nature reserves which are the subject of seasonal or permanent low-flying avoidance arrangements in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It remains our policy not to release detailed information on the United Kingdom military low-flying system. Fifty-seven sanctuaries, wildlife breeding sites and nature reserves are, however, the subject of seasonal or permanent low-flying avoidance arrangements.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the results of exercises held by the Royal
  147
  Air Force since 1985 to measure the perceived noise on the ground, generated by overflying low-level military jet aircraft.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A copy of the report "Noise levels of military aircraft at low altitude: Exercise Luce Belle" is available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-flying sorties were carried out over(a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland during (i) 1991 and (ii) 1992.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is not available. A typical low-level sortie covers some 300 to 500 miles and commonly covers more than one of the areas mentioned. Fixed-wing low flying training is not currently undertaken in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide a monthly breakdown of the figures for low-level military training sorties over the United Kingdom since 1987.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is as follows:

  Year and month

  Sorties

  1987

  January

  8,822

  February

  12,527

  March

  12,515

  April

  13,006

  May

  14,364

  June

  13,787

  July

  14,071

  August

  11,959

  September

  12,954

  October

  11,950

  November

  12,892

  December

  8,814

  Total

  147,661

  1988

  January

  11,179

  February

  14,279

  March

  15,494

  April

  11,733

  May

  12,990

  June

  14,220

  July

  12,653

  August

  13,182

  September

  11,459

  October

  11,589

  November

  13,105

  December

  9,408

  Total

  151,291

  1989

  January

  13,168

  February

  11,702

  March

  11,816

  April

  12,398

  May

  14,299

  June

  15,641

  July

  14,282

  August

  11,279

  September

  9,376

  October

  12,682

  November

  11,462

  December

  6,218

  Total

  144,323

  148

  Year and month

  Sorties

  1990

  January

  11,263

  February

  10,152

  March

  16,362

  April

  10,871

  May

  13,329

  June

  11,709

  July

  13,704

  August

  11,309

  September

  11,361

  October

  13,166

  November

  11,834

  December

  6,330

  Total

  141,390

  1991

  January

  8,990

  February

  7,471

  March

  10,814

  April

  12,300

  May

  12,556

  June

  11,662

  July

  12,971

  August

  10,676

  September

  11,229

  October

  11,097

  November

  11,226

  December

  6,408

  Total

  127,400

  1992

  January

  9,628

  February

  12,691

  March

  13,176

  April

  10,575

  May

  12,276

  June

  12,105

  July

  13,105

  August

  10,003

  September

  11,291

  October

  11,058

  November

  9,684

  December

  5,872

  Total

  131,464

  1993

  January

  9,024

  February

  10,121

  March

  13,009

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the locations of Skyguard radars within the United Kingdom which are currently utilised to monitor low-flying activity.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Skyguard radar system used to monitor low flying activity within the United Kingdom is based at RAF Waddington. The radars are mobile and are deployed to various locations around the country to monitor low flying.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which armoured vehicles currently deployed in Bosnia are to be replaced by vehicles from Germany, and why; at what cost; how they are to be transported; and if he will make a statement.
  149
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The first battalion of the Prince of Wales Own Regiment are taking their own Warrior armoured vehicles with them and the first battalion of the Cheshire Regiment will return with their Warriors to Germany. The vehicles will be transported by ship. The cost of changing the vehicles is estimated at £300,000. The changeover is being done in order to spread the high mileage and very significant wear arising from operations in Bosnia across the fleet as a whole, thereby maintaining the best engineering management and reducing overall long-term costs to a minimum.

  Tornados
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 23 April,Official Report, column 242, if he will categorise by rank and specialisation the 227 ground personnel deployed with the six Tornados and two VC-10s to enforce the no-fly zone.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The 227 ground personnel were in support of the Tornados at Gioia del Colle; in addition there were 41 ground personnel deployed in support of the VC10 tankers at Sigonella. The 268 personnel are categorised as follows:

  Officers

  Senior NCOs

  Airmen

  Total

  Operations Support

  7

  2

  2

  11

  Engineering and Supply

  6

  55

  152

  213

  Administrative and catering

  5

  7

  32

  44

  TOTAL

  18

  64

  186

  268

  Drug Tests (Armed Forces)
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to introduce random drug tests for members of the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The armed forces employ a range of measures to combat drug abuse. These measures are kept under review and the introduction of compulsory drug testing is an option we are considering.

  Hunting
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on whose authority licences are issued to hunt on Ministry of Defence land; and how the terms and conditions of the licences are drawn up.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Licences are issued under the authority of the Secretary of State for Defence. The licences are different for each hunt to take into account the special needs of the host establishment.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Surrey Union hunt was first issued with a licence to hunt on Ministry of Defence land.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  On 7 October 1991.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Army personnel were permitted to participate in cub hunting in 1991, 1992 and 1993.
  150
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Army personnel from mounted units, and those involved in their training, are permitted to take part in a range of equestrian training activities, including cub hunting.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the terms and conditions of hunt licences permit any hunt to block up badger setts or permit the digging out of foxes on Ministry of Defence land;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to include in any licences for hunting on Ministry of Defence land a requirement that the rules set out in the rules of the Masters of Foxhounds Association be adhered to.

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

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which hunts currently have a licence to hunt on Ministry of Defence land and in which areas; and when these licences are due for renewal.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The licences to hunt issued by my Department are due for renewal at various times. The hunts which had licences for the 1992–93 season were:

  Brecon Farmers Hunt—Sennybridge Training Area

  Sennybridge Farmers Hunt—Sennybridge Training Area

  Irfon and Towey Hunt—Sennybridge Training Area

  Glyn Celyn Beagles—Sennybridge TrainingArea

  Blankney Hunt—Fulbeck and Beckingham Training Area

  Surrey Union Hunt—Aldershot Military lands and Surrey Commons Training Area

  West Shropshire Hunt—Nesscliffe Training Area

  North Shropshire Hunt—Nesscliffe Training Area

  Avon Vale Hunt—Salisbury Plain Training Area

  South and West Wiltshire Hunt—Salisbury Plain Training Area

  Royal Artillery Hunt—Salisbury Plain Training Area

  Beaucaster Hunt—Spadeadam

  Border Hunt—Otterburn Training Area

  West Percy Hunt—Otterburn Training Area

  Tynedale Hunt—Ouston Nr. Newcastle

  Bedale Hunt—Catterick Training Area

  Zetland Hunt—Feldom Training Area

  Wensleydale Hunt—Catterick Training Area

  West of York Hunt—Ellerton Banks

  Catterick Beagles—Catterick Training Area

  Newcastle Beagles—Otterburn Training Area

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all those fox hunts with which Ministry of Defence personnal are permitted to hunt in duty hours.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Personnel who are permitted to take part in fox hunting during duty hours may do so with any fox hunt in the country if they have the permission of the hunt secretary.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions the Queens Royal Irish Hussars have participated in fox hunting; and with which hunts, in 1991, 1992 and 1993.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the cost of the licenses held by the HMS Heron sporting gun club were last increased; by what percentage; and for how many years the licenses have been held.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  HMS Heron sporting gun club has held a licence to shoot at Merryfield airfield since 1974 and at Langport range since 1986. The licences were last reviewed in 1991 and there was no increase in the charges.
  151
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to restrict the involvement of armed forces personnel in fox hunting during duty hours.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Personnel from mounted units, and those involved in their training, are permitted to take part in fox hunting in duty hours at the commanding officer's discretion when it is not to the detriment of any other military task. Other personnel are not normally permitted to hunt during duty hours. No further restrictions are planned.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any charge is made for Army personnel to use Army horses and equipment to hunt in off-duty hours; and on how many occasions Army personnel from non-mounted units have been permitted to hunt in duty hours in 1991, 1992 and 1993.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Army personnel from mounted units, and those involved in their training, are not permitted to use Army horses or equipment to hunt in off-duty hours. Army personnel from non-mounted units are required to pay for the hire of Army horses to hunt in off-duty hours. They would normally provide their own equipment.

  Figures showing the number of occasions on which Army personnel from non-mounted units have been permitted to hunt in duty hours in 1991, 1992, and 1993 could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether cub hunting is permitted on Ministry of Defence land.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Yes.

  Shooting Rights
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 29 March,Official Report, column 14, whether the Bulford and Tidworth garrison shoot is permitted to sell shooting days; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No.

  Flying Training
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the percentage decrease or increase in the provision for Royal Air Force flying training activity in 1991–92 over 1990–91; and what changes in provision are being implemented this year.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The tasked flying hours for 1991–92 showed a decrease of 3 per cent. over 1990–91. Tasked flying hours for 1993–94 are yet to be finalised.

  Listed Buildings
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the listed buildings currently owned by his Ministry; which he intends to sell; how many have been sold in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The following properties are currently for sale: Inverary pier, Faslane; Royal Marine 152
  barracks, Eastney; 28A Colliergate drill hall, York; former officers' mess, Maidstone; Forthside house, Stirling; Penisula barracks, Winchester and Bawdsey manor.

  In addition, we are disposing of Royal William yard and Mount Batten tower in Plymouth which will be transferred to the Plymouth urban development corporation and Paterchurch tower, Pembroke dock which will be transferred to Pembrokeshire district council.

  Other listed buildings have been indentified as possibilities for sale but have not yet been placed on the market. We intend, however, to review systematically all our historic buildings to determine which should be retained by the Ministry of Defence, in their current or alternative use, and which should be disposed of expeditiously to ensure their preservation by finding a suitable alternative use.

  Information on sales in the last five years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  British Hydrographic Service
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the work of the British Hydrographic Service.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The United Kingdom Hydrographic Service is made up of four elements: the Ministry of Defence Hydrographic Department, which is responsible for operational policy on surveying and for planning defence and civil surveys; the Royal Navy Hydrographic Surveying Squadron, which conducts United Kingdom defence surveys and part of the civil survey task; the Ministry of Defence Hydrographic Office Defence Agency, which is responsible for the production of the British Admiralty charts and publications and other professional services to the Ministry of Defence; and the Royal Navy Hydrographic School, where Royal Navy and Foreign and Commonwealth students are given courses accredited by the International Hydrographic Organisation.

  The detailed work of all these elements is summarised in the annual report of the Hydrographer of the Navy, which is laid before Parliament and copies of which are placed in the Library.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current and projected future cost of the British Hydrographic Service; and what is the current and proposed future establishment of the service.

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

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give a breakdown by size and category of the number of vessels currently operated by the British Hydrographic Service.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Hydrographic Survey Squadron currently consists of two ocean survey vessels of some 2,500 tonnes; three coastal survey vessels of between 1,400 and 1,100 tonnes; and one inshore survey craft of some 20 tonnes. In addition, the Hydrographic Survey Squadron operates two chartered vessels to undertake civil hydrographic surveys.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the revenue generated in each
  153
  of the last 10 years by sales of charts and related information by the British hydrographic service (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) to overseas customers.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  This is a matter for the chief executive of the Hydrographic Office Defence Agency and I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from J. A. L. Myres to Mr. Nicholas Winterton, dated 5 Ma) 1993:

  1. You recently asked the Secretary of State for Defence a Parliamentary Question concerning the revenue generated in each of the last 10 years by sales of charts and related information by the British Hydrographic Service (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) to overseas customers.

  2. The Minister has asked me, as Chief Executive of the Hydrographic Office, to reply directly to you. The information you require can be found in the attached Annex. In amplification I should like to make two observations. Firstly, the term "charts and related information" has been defined as the sale of charts and hydrographic publications. Secondly, the revenue figures are, for reasons of comparison, expressed on a constant price basis, namely at 1992–93 prices.

  3. I should also point out that charts and hydrographic publications are sold through a worldwide network of Admiralty Chart Agents. Whilst we have, on the basis of our invoice returns, been able to differentiate between sales to UK and overseas chart agents, it does not follow that an overseas chart agent will sell only to a user based overseas or vice versa.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Annex

  £ million

  Financial Year

  United Kingdom (1at 1992–93 prices)

  Overseas (1at 1992–93 prices)

  1982–83

  7·08

  9·38

  1983–84

  6·91

  8·44

  1984–85

  7·08

  8·66

  1985–86

  5·98

  7·91

  1986–87

  6·22

  7·91

  1987–88

  6·13

  8·12

  1988–89

  6·28

  8·79

  1989–90

  6·77

  9·45

  1990–91

  7·04

  10·65

  1991–92

  8·60

  11·11

  1992–93

  7·58

  10·98

  1 Calculated using HM Treasury GDP deflator index dated February 1993.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to withdraw vessels operated by the British hydrographic service and for the replacement of such vessels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The current ships of the Hydrographic survey squadron will be replaced, as this becomes necessary, with chartered vessels with naval crews or parties embarked as appropriate.

  Reserve Forces
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to use members of the reserve forces in support of current operations.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I reported to the House by notice last October the call-out of a small number of willing officers of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve to support 154
  current operations, and in November the Minister of State for the Armed Forces reported the call-out of a number of Territorial Army and Royal Naval personnel.

  A need for futher limited support from the reserve forces has now arisen. The requirement is for a small number of officers to serve in Italy in intelligence and public relations capacities in support of the operations to enforce the no-fly zone over Bosnia. Three officers will be deployed at any one time and additional support may be needed in the United Kingdom. They will all be volunteers. They are being called out under section 11(1) of the Reserve Forces Act 1980.

TRANSPORT

  Fords
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fords there are in England where public roads cross watercourses; how many fatal or serious accidents have occurred in each of the last 10 years as a result of vehicles failing to negotiate water on fords on public roads; if he will list fords which have been closed to traffic following such accidents; and what is his Department's policy towards fords and the provision of warning to motorists when water conditions may be dangerous.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No information is available centrally about the number of fords in England, accidents at or near fords, or fords which have been closed to traffic following accidents. Fords are normally on minor roads which are the responsibility of the local authority. The signs prescribed in Traffic Signs Regulations for use as necessary include triangular signs to give advance warning of the ford and the need to try brakes after crossing, gauges to show the depth of water and "Unsuitable for motors" plates for use with the warning signs where the water is normally too deep. Warning signs can be used where floods occur at fairly regular intervals but should be covered or removed unless the hazard is present.

  Sonic Booms
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many sonic booms have been reported over land areas of the United Kingdom in each year since 1987; and how many of these were caused by(a) military aircraft and (b) civil aircraft.

  Mr. Norris
  We have received no reports of primary sonic booms over the UK from the operation of civil aircraft since 1987.

  I have asked my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence to write to the hon. Member about military aircraft.

  Exeter-Barnstaple Rail Line
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the future funding of the Exeter to Barnstaple railway line.

  Mr. Freeman
  Services which meet an essential social need will continue to receive a subsidy where necessary. This applies whether the operator is a franchisee or BR, which will continue to operate services until they are franchised.
  155

  Plutonium Transport
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter dated 15 March by the Minister for Aviation and Shipping to Lord Jenkins of Putney on comparative risks of plutonium transport.

  Mr. Norris
  Yes, I have done so.

  General Lighthouse Fund
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what change will be made in the funding of the general lighthouse fund following the transfer of responsibility for this service from Her Majesty's Customs.

  Mr. Norris
  The General Lighthouse Authorities, with the agreement of the Department of Transport, have

  Grants and subsidies to the bus industry: Great Britain

  £ million1

  Year

  Revenue support

  Fuel duty rebate

  Rural bus grant

  New bus grant

  Infra-structure grant

  Total

  1972–73

  —

  21

  1

  20

  1

  —

  1973–74

  —

  20

  1

  21

  1

  —

  1974–75

  —

  36

  3

  23

  2

  —

  1975–76

  —

  39

  4

  37

  2

  —

  1976–77

  —

  47

  —

  41

  2

  —

  1977–78

  196

  57

  —

  49

  1

  303

  1978–79

  220

  59

  —

  57

  1

  337

  1979–80

  264

  67

  —

  66

  —

  397

  1980–81

  373

  80

  —

  74

  —

  527

  1981–82

  443

  89

  —

  58

  —

  590

  1982–83

  561

  103

  —

  30

  —

  694

  1983–84

  572

  101

  —

  16

  —

  689

  1984–85

  608

  127

  —

  1

  —

  736

  1985–86

  495

  131

  —

  —

  —

  626

  1986–87

  419

  129

  17

  —

  —

  565

  1987–88

  337

  135

  17

  —

  —

  489

  1988–89

  337

  158

  13

  —

  —

  508

  1989–90

  296

  150

  4

  —

  —

  450

  1990–911

  323

  169

  —

  —

  —

  492

  1991–922

  377

  189

  —

  —

  —

  566

  1 Not adjusted for inflation

  2 Provisional

  Sources: Bus and Coach Statistics 1991–92, HMSO

  Transport Statistics Great Britain, HMSO

  Road Crashes
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress in the reduction of deaths and serious injuries from road crashes in the north west region.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The number of people killed and seriously injured on north west roads in 1991 was 5,580. This is 21 per cent. lower than the annual average 1981–85 base figure, against which we are measuring our target of reducing the number of road casualties by one-third by the year 2000.

  Roadworks
  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to what extent the application of higher safety standards to protect workers engaged in highway repairs has increased the number and length of lane closures at roadworks(a) generally, and (b) between junction 28 and 29 on the M 1.
  156
  entered into a contract with the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers to collect the majority of light dues. The contract came into operation of 1 April 1993 and did not involve any changes to the operation of the General Lighthouse Fund.

  Bus Subsidies
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the total amount of subsidy to bus operations in each of the past 20 years.

  Mr Freeman
  The information requested is shown in the table. Revenue support figures for the years prior to 1977–78 are not shown as they could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The current standards for safety zones have been in force for many years, although compliance may have improved following publication of the revised chapter 8 of the Department's traffic signs manual in May 1991. The number and length of lane closures have depended on the maintenance requirements at any particular time, and the volume of traffic which had to be accommodated in the open lanes.

  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department take where motorway repairs and improvements are done under lane rental contracts to prevent excessive delays caused by long sections of road being affected at any one time.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Lane rental provides a particular incentive for contractors to minimise the duration of lane closures, but all our motorway repairs and improvements are carefully planned and co-ordinated to minimise delays to road users, regardless of the form of contract used. We normally require that roadworks on motorways be spaced at least 10 km apart, and our contractors are instructed that no more than 4 km of carriageway should be coned off
  157
  on any scheme at any time. Traffic management layouts are individually designed, and techniques continuously refined, to maximise the capacity of the lanes available and smooth the flow of traffic through the works.

  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement concerning the length of delays to traffic at the roadworks between junctions 28 and 29 on the M 1 motorway currently taking place; and what steps can be taken to reduce them.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Major maintenance, including strengthening and resurfacing, is necessary to the M 1 between junctions 28 and 29 in Derbyshire. Lane restrictions are an essential safety measure to protect the workforce and road users. This section of the M 1 carries 90,000 vehicles a day. With that level of traffic, Iane restrictions will unfortunately cause a degree of disruption, particularly at peak times. To mitigate the effect on traffic, the work is being carried out under a lane rental contract which allows the contractor to work throughout the day and night, seven days a week, to encourage early completion. Through the national and local media road users have been kept advised of the work, so that they can consider making alternative arrangements if that is possible. I am, of course, sorry for the inconvenience that has been caused to people using this part of the MI, but the work is programmed for completion on 20 May.

  Environmental Impact
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he plans to introduce on the environmental impact of transport in the north west region.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  All major transport infrastructure proposals, in the north-west and elsewhere, are subject to full environmental impact assessment.

  The March Budget announced that the value of fuel duty in real terms is to be increased as part of a strategy to increase fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions. My Department is working closely with our European partners to tighten standards for noise and gaseous emissions from vehicles.

  Traffic, Greater Manchester
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will visit the Greater Manchester area to assess the effect of traffic on town centres.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I shall be happy to visit Greater Manchester when the opportunity arises.

  We have several major schemes in our trunk road programme which are designed to take traffic away from town centres in Greater Manchester. We are also supporting local authority road schemes and public transport projects such as Metrolink to help traffic conditions in the centres.

  Bus Travelcards
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in how many urban areas all bus travelcard systems have been withdrawn or disagreed by operators since 1985.
  158
  Mr. Freeman
  This information is not collected centrally. However, in all the major metropolitan areas there are at present travelcard schemes involving all the major bus operators.

  LGV and PSV Drivers
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now make it his policy to initiate a registration scheme for qualified and experienced LGV and PSV instructors at an early date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 17 November 1992,Official Report, column 161.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the standards of tuition given by unqualified LGV and PSV instructors and the numbers of liquidations of firms of unqualified instructors; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I have received no recent representations on these particular topics. My Department has no information about the number of liquidations of large goods vehicle and passenger carrying vehicle instruction firms.

  Rail Privatisation
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) pursuant to his statement on 2 February,Official Report, column 243, that under the proposed rail franchising arrangement there should be a cap for those services that are a monopoly, at what level above the existing fares the cap will be set; and what the criteria will be for bringing the cap into effect;

  (2) to what extent his policy on the guidance he will be issuing to the rail franchising authority as to the circumstances in which, and the extent to which, fares might be controlled has been developed beyond what is said in paragraphs 14 and 15 of the Railways Bill Committee paper No. 3 of February; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Further work remains to be done in developing the draft guidance that I provided to the Standing Committee in relation to fares regulation and other matters.

  Emergency Telephone (A2)
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement on his plans to instal emergency telephones on the A2 as it passes through the Dartford constituency.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Emergency telephones are to be installed on the A2 between Bexley and Three Crutches (M2). Consultants were appointed in January this year and it is hoped that installation work will start in spring next year.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what targets for performance set by his Department for the Benefits Agency in respect of clearance
  159
  time and accuracy are reduced for 1993–94 relative to the original targets for 1992–93; what are the estimated final figures for 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  There are four targets which have been reduced for 1993–94.

  1992–93

  1993–94

  per cent.

  per cent.

  DLA clearance time (in 55 days)

  95

  85

  DWA clearance time (in 5 days)

  95

  65

  IS accuracy

  94

  92

  Family credit accuracy

  94

  92

  The final performance figures for 1992–93 will be published in the Benefits Agency annual report in July 1993. The 1993–94 targets will be reviewed, as is customary, by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in the light of those figures.

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total cost to the Exchequer to date of weekend working by staff of the Benefits Agency during the past 18 months at time-and-a-half and double-time, plus travelling expenses, for the purpose of making-up the backlog of disability living allowance cases.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 4 May 1993:

  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what is the total cost to the Exchequer to date of weekend working by staff of the Benefits Agency during the past 18 months at time-and-a-half and double-time, plus travelling expenses, for the purpose of making-up the backlog of Disability Living Allowance cases.

  Firstly, it may be helpful for me to explain that Disability Living Allowance (DLA) was introduced on 3 February 1992 and due to this fact any overtime worked prior to this date was mainly in respect of project work and not directly related to processing claims. The information I have therefore supplied, is relevant to the period when DLA was introduced.

  It is not possible to establish how much overtime has been paid in respect of weekend working as the information is not recorded separately from normal after hours working. However, the total amount of overtime, including travelling time, in the period February 1992 to February 1993 was £6,822,583. This figure also includes work carried out in the Disability Benefit Centres which is attributable to other work areas and cannot be identified separately, for example Attendance Allowance.

  Turning now to the question of travelling expenses this data is not available as it is not recorded separately from the normal travelling expenses incurred during everyday duties.

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

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total cost to the Exchequer to date of providing staff of the Benefits Agency with corporate clothing; what this corporate clothing consists of; and how many sets of such clothing have been provided to date.
  160
  Mr. Burt
  The provision of corporate clothing to Benefits Agency staff is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 4 May 1993:

  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what is the total cost to the Exchequer to date of providing staff of the Benefits Agency with corporate clothing: what this corporate clothing consists of; and how many sets of such clothing have been provided to date.

  Corporate clothing, as part of the customer service initiative, enables Benefits Agency staff to present a better and more professional image to their customers. This clothing is worn, voluntarily, by staff who deal regularly with the public such as receptionists, Social Fund officers and those members of staff running exhibitions and talks for outside bodies.

  The corporate dress contract was awarded on 11 December 1991. The national cost of corporate clothing, for the financial years 1991–92 and 1992–93, is in the region of £2·1 million. I should explain that funding for this clothing comes from office running costs and not out of the budgets allocated to benefits.

  The items available as corporate clothing include jackets, shirts, blouses, cardigans, jumpers, trousers, ties, maternity dresses, and belts. The clothing does not come in sets, but the average order would be in the range of 10 items. Over 86,000 individual items have been ordered to date.

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

  Pension Age
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update table 6, at page 49 of "Options for Equality in State Pension Age" to reflect current retirement pension rates.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is in the table. As in table 6 of "Options for Equality in State Pension Age", the amounts are rounded to the nearest £1.

  Basic pension available at different ages (£)

  Age

  Age 63 'pivot'

  Age 65 'pivot'

  60

  45

  39

  61

  48

  41

  62

  52

  45

  63

  56

  48

  64

  61

  52

  65

  66

  56

  66

  71

  61

  67

  77

  66

  68

  84

  72

  69

  92

  79

  70

  102

  87

  Source: GAD, assumes prices uprating and single person's pension rates.

  Water Prices
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to take into account disparities between water prices in different regions of the United Kingdom when structuring the benefits system.

  Mr. Burt
  Social security in the United Kingdom is composed largely of national benefits. We have no plans to change this arrangement.

  Pensions
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost that would be involved in extending inflation-proofed pensions to those over 80 years of age who do not qualify for annual uprating, assuming the same age profile for such British state retirement pensioners as for those who do.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimates he has made of the numbers of British state retirement pensioners with ancestral links with new Commonwealth countries who would wish to spend their retirement in a new Commonwealth country if their entitlement to an inflation-proofed state retirement pensions were to be maintained.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The nationality or origin of a contributor to the British national insurance scheme is not recorded and we do not. therefore, have the information needed to make such an estimate.

  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list those countries where British pensioners receive inflation-proofed state retirement pensions together with the dates when, in each case reciprocal agreements were entered into.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is in the table.

  Table of overseas countries where annual pension increases are paid and the dates on which reciprocal social security agreements came into force

  Country

  Date

  Austria

  1 October 1972

  Barbados

  1 April 1992

  Belgium

  1 June 1958

  Bermuda

  1 November 1969

  Cyprus

  18 May 1957

  Denmark1

  8 February 1960

  Finland

  1 February 1984

  France

  5 July 1948

  Germany

  1 August 1961

  Gibraltar

  26 March 1974

  Guernsey

  4 April 1966

  Iceland

  1 August1985

  Irish Republic

  4 April 1966

  Israel

  1 November1957

  Italy

  1 May 1953

  Jamaica

  1 October 1972

  Jersey

  4 April 1966

  Luxembourg

  1 April 1955

  Malta

  29 October 1956

  Mauritius

  1 November 1981

  Netherlands

  1 June 1955

  Norway

  1 April 1991

  Philippines

  1 December 1989

  Portugal

  1 October 1979

  Spain

  1 April 1975

  Sweden

  1 May 1988

  Switzerland

  1 June 1954

  Turkey

  1 June 1961

  United States of America

  25 September 1969

  Yugoslavia (including the newly independent former republics)

  1 September 1958

  Annual pension increases arc also payable in Greece under the European Community's Social Security regulations.

  1'The reciprocal agreement between the United Kingdom and Denmark does not provide for annual pension increases to be paid to pensioners in Denmark but such increases are payable under the European Community's Social Security regulations.

  Agencies (Letters)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 30 March,Official Report, column 172, for what purpose copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within his responsibility are sent to Ministers before being sent to the hon. Members to whom they are addressed; and how many such letters have been amended as a result of this practice.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Replying to parliamentary questions concerning day-to-day operational matters for which they are responsible has been delegated to the chief executive of this Department's Agencies in line with the Government's response to the Eighth Report of the Treasury and Civil Service Committee (October 1990, Cm 1263). The arrangements are kept under review. In this Department Ministers see a draft of chief executives' replies to remain informed of the actions and replies of the agencies concerned. It is not the practice of Ministers to amend such drafts.

  Free Envelopes
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's policy regarding the supply of free envelopes to facilitate claims for benefits; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  The supply of free envelopes is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. David Hanson, dated 5 May 1993:

  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what is his Department's policy regarding the supply of free envelopes to facilitate claims for benefits.

  In line with the Benefits Agency's core value of Customer Service it is normal practice for officers to provide pre-paid envelopes when requesting information from a customer.

  I am aware that there have been isolated instances where the facility of free envelopes has been withdrawn at a local level, but this has only been where it was felt that the money could be used more constructively in providing a better standard of service to our customers. Such decisions are only made where the District Manager is satisfied that the service to the customer will not suffer, and the decision is kept under constant review. I am currently reviewing these exceptions with a view to deciding whether they are justified. I will make a decision and write to you further at that time.

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

  Residential and Community Care
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will ensure that, where there is no opposition from clients, the Benefits Agency provides assessment information to local authority social services departments, for the purposes of establishing residential care charges;

  (2) what guidance he has issued to ensure co-operation between Benefits Agency staff and social services departments for the introduction of community care.
  163
  Mr. Burt
  The administration of social security benefits is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 4 May 1993:

  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security, asking (i) if he will ensure that, where there is no opposition from clients, the Benefits Agency provides assessment information to local authority social services departments, for the purposes of establishing residential care charges and (ii) what guidance has been issued to ensure co-operation between Benefits Agency staff and social services departments, for the introduction of community care.

  The Benefits Agency has made a number of arrangements to ensure adequate liaison with social services departments. The Departments of Health and of Social Security, the Benefits Agency and the Local Authority Associations (who represent all local authorities), have all been fully involved in the discussions on the introduction of community care. A joint statement of intent was issued in March 1993 to all Benefits Agency offices and Social Services departments (Social Work departments in Scotland). This detailed a number of good liaison practises and stressed the importance of effective communication.

  Additionally, guidance has been issued nationally instructing staff in Benefits Agency offices to co-operate with all reasonable requests for information which social services departments may make, provided that the customers' consent has been obtained. Each Benefits Agency District has also appointed a member of staff with responsibility for liaising with their local Social Services or Social Work department.

  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.

SCOTLAND

  Borders Structure Plan
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be able to make a statement following his consultations on the draft borders structure plan.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend will announce his conclusions on the borders structure plan as soon as he has fully considered all the objections to his draft modifications.

  Public Expenditure
  Dr. Liam Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the level of public expenditure per head in Scotland in the current year.

  Mr. Stewart
  Latest available figures for public expenditure per head in Scotland relate to 1991–92. In that year the level of identifiable general government expenditure per head in Scotland was £3,506. Identifiable general government expenditure comprises expenditure identified as being of direct benefit to Scottish inhabitants. Other expenditure, principally on defence, is of equal benefit to all the inhabitants of the United Kingdom. That amounted to £716 per head across the United Kingdom in 1991–92.

  Water Investment
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much additional borrowing is planned to be required for water investment over the next three years under existing financing arrangements.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Control of local authority capital investment is exercised over expenditure rather than borrowing. Expenditure provision for water and sewerage is £237 million in 1993–94, £243 million in 1994–95, and £248 million in 1995–96, a total of £728 million.

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the chairs of local enterprise companies to discuss their business plans.

  Mr. Stewart
  The contractual relationship to which business plans are relevant is between local enterprise companies and Scottish Enterprise or Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Consequently, although my right hon. Friend and I meet chairmen of local enterprise companies from time to time to discuss a range of economic development and training issues, our discussions are not specifically related to their business plans.

  Farmed Salmon
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for regulating the production of farmed salmon in Scotland.

  Sir Hector Monro
  I have welcomed the salmon farming industry's proposals to establish producer organisations. These will help create a more stable and better informed market. However, I do not accept the industry's case for giving such organisations compulsory powers to determine stock levels and minimum prices both for members and non-members.

  Reservoirs (Public Access)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on public access to reservoirs for recreational purposes.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Public access to reservoirs for recreational purposes is a matter for regional and islands councils as water authorities. The Scottish Office Environment Department will shortly be publishing a voluntary code of practice on conservation, access and recreation to guide the work of water authorities and river purification boards, prepared with their full co-operation.

  Hospital Treatments
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) in-patients and (b) out-patients were treated in national health service hospitals in Scotland in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what the figures were in 1979.

  Mr. Stewart
  A total of 933,624 patients were treated as in-patients in national health service hospitals in Scotland in the year ending 30 September 1992 compared with 735,583 in 1979—a 27 per cent. increase. Out-patients rose to 6,013,929 in 1992 from 5,202,863 in 1979. The most
  165
  significant increase occurred in the numbers of patients treated as day cases—up to 229,222 in 1992 a 180 per cent. increase on the 81,577 recorded in 1979.

  Hospitals (Glasgow)
  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with Greater Glasgow health board regarding the future of Glasgow hospitals, particularly Stobhill hospital.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no recent discussions with Greater Glasgow health board regarding their comprehensive review of acute and maternity services. He looks forward to receiving the board's detailed proposals in due course.

  Dutch Elm Disease
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to prevent the spread of Dutch elm disease.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Dutch elm disease has already spread throughout Britain, apart from some parts of north Scotland. Legislation has been in place for many years giving local authorities powers to order the felling of diseased trees in certain areas where this would help to contain the disease. The Forestry Commission is continuing to investigate possible control methods, including a virus that attacks the fungus which causes the disease. It is also working on the development of disease resistant strains of English elm.

  Water Privatisation
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the corresponding provisions in Northern Ireland when considering whether to privatise Scottish Water.

  Sir Hector Monro
  My right hon. Friend and I maintain contact as appropriate with our colleagues in the Northern Ireland Office.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has had from Conservative councillors on water privatisation.

  Sir Hector Monro
  My right hon. Friend has received 14 representations from Conservative councillors on the future structure of water and sewerage services in Scotland since 17 November last year.

  Structural Funds
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has held with EC counterparts on structural funds' allocation(a) in general and (b) on objective 5(b) status for areas within Grampian regional council boundaries.

  Mr. Stewart
  Draft regulations have been published by the Commission and are under discussion in the structural actions working group of the Council of Ministers. Until the negotiations on criteria for the selection of objective 5(b) areas are further advanced it would be premature to discuss possible financial allocations to areas bidding for inclusion.

  Crash Barriers
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many miles of motorway and dual carriageway in Scotland do not have crash barriers installed.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are 19 miles of motorway and 106 miles of trunk road dual carriageway in Scotland without central reserve safety fencing. This represents approximately 10 per cent. of motorways and 33 per cent. of trunk road dual carriageways. A rolling programme is underway to install central reserve safety fencing on these remaining sections of the network by the end of the 1994–95 financial year.

  Records are not kept centrally for non-trunk road dual carriageways, for which regional councils are responsible.

  Rail Transport (Fife)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the future of rail transport in Fife.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Responsibility for the railways throughout Great Britain is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. The provision of rail services in Fife is at present a matter for British Rail. Under the Government's proposals for the railways we believe that the direct involvement of the private sector will result in a better, more responsive service for the travelling public throughout Scotland including Fife.

  Local Government Reform
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the Government's proposed time scale for introducing local government reform.

  Mr. Stewart
  We intend to announce our decisions on the future structure of local government in Scotland in a White Paper before the summer recess. Thereafter, subject to the necessary legislation being put in place, elections to shadow authorities will take place in spring 1995, with new authorities assuming full control on 1 April 1996.

  Sir Nicholas Fairbairn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now make a further statement on the reform of Scottish local government.

  Mr. Stewart
  More than 3,300 responses to the consultation exercise on local government reform were received from a wide range of organisations and individuals. These are currently being analysed and we intend to announce our decisions on the future structure of local government in Scotland in a White Paper before the summer recess.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of the cost of local government reorganisation.

  Mr. Stewart
  A move to a single-tier structure will give rise to transitional costs which should be quickly recovered by annual savings. An indication of the likely financial consequences of reform will be included in a White Paper on our restructuring proposals which we intend to publish before the summer recess.
  167
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to hold discussions regarding the cost of the reform of the Scottish local government system prior to the publication of the White Paper on this subject.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend will be consulting colleagues in the usual way before publishing his proposals for the reform of local government in Scotland.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his oral answer of 31 March,Official Report, column 349, on the cost of local Government reform, if he will hold discussions on the costs of reform with existing local authorities.

  Mr. Stewart
  My officials have already held useful discussions on the costs of reform with local authority representatives on the working party on local government finance. I have no plans at present to hold further discussions on the issue.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the names and qualifications of financial and management consultancies he intends to use to help the Scottish Office formulate the financial data required to produce a White Paper on Scottish local government reform;

  (2) what plans he has to invite Touche Ross to tender for further work with the Scottish Office in connection with the reform of the local Government system in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  The Scottish Office has no plans at present to commission further work from any consultants in connection with local government reform.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy, before publication of the White Paper on the reform of local Government in Scotland, to have discussions with representatives of industry and commerce in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  My colleagues and I meet regularly with representatives of industry and commerce in Scotland to discuss a range of current issues, including local government reform. Our consultation paper on local government reform generated about 220 responses from commercial and industrial organisations and these will be taken fully into account before decisions are reached on the new structure.

  Museums
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on policy concerning museums.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Policy on museums in Scotland is developed and reviewed in consultation with interested organisations. In particular with the Museums and Galleries Commission, the Scottish Museums Council, and representatives of local authorities.

  Ministry of Defence Spending
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the success of Scottish Enterprise in ensuring that Ministry of Defence spending is attracted to Scotland, Glasgow and Govan.
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  Mr. Stewart
  Scottish Enterprise's success in helping Scottish companies to respond to opportunities to secure contracts and in attracting new employment to Scotland is assessed in the round rather than in relation to any specific organisation. Scottish Enterprise's specific initiative to deal with the effects on the Scottish economy and labour market of changes in the defence sector also goes wider than seeking to maximise Ministry of Defence spending in Scotland; and assessment of that initiative is framed in appropriately broad terms to reflect its objectives.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current level of unemployment in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  In March 1993, the level of unemployment in Scotland, seasonally adjusted, was 244,400 or 9·6 per cent. of the work force.

  It is very encouraging that unemployment in Scotland has fallen for two successive months.

  Hospital Building
  Mr. Eric Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much capital expenditure has been allocated for the current year and 1994 for new hospital building projects in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  A total of £180·484 million was allocated for capital expenditure to health boards, trusts and the state hospital for 1993–94. This figure excludes moneys for information technology but includes amounts allocated for equipment and for the improvement of the existing estate. The allocations for financial year 1994–95 will only be decided at the end of the calendar year.

  Student Grants
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Scottish Education Department will reconsider funding for courses affected by the change of status from college to university of certain institutions in Scotland in cases where students have been deprived of grants.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In Scotland, responsiblity for the provision of student support is determined by the nature, level, and validation of the course concerned; not by the status of the institution offering it.

  My right hon. Friend has no plans to change that arrangement.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what conclusions he has drawn from experience of the practice of Sunday trading in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Over the years Sunday trading practices in Scotland have evolved in line with the wishes of the local communities. Sunday trading in Scotland occurs mainly in urban areas. It fulfils a need for some members of the public without seriously disadvantaging others. The present arrangements appear to work well and to the satisfaction of the great majority of the Scottish public.

  New Towns
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the chairmen of the Scottish new towns to discuss the future of the new towns; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend and I met the chairmen and deputy chairmen of all the new town development corporations on 5 October 1992. I again met the chairmen collectively on 21 December 1992 and will meet the chairmen and board members of individual corporations during the summer months.

  West Coast Main Line
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the chairman of British Rail concerning new investment on the west coast main line; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend meets the chairman of British Rail from time to time. Such contacts cover a wide range of topics relating to rail services in Scotland.

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the 1993–94 budget for each local enterprise company in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  The allocation of resources to the local enterprise companies is an operational matter for Scottish 170
  Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the chairmen of these bodies to write to the hon. Member.

  Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Ltd.
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money was given to Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Ltd. for training in(a) 1992–93 and (b) 1993–94.

  Mr. Stewart
  The allocation of resources to the local enterprise companies is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I have asked the chairman of Scottish Enterprise to write to the hon. Member.

  Opencast Coal
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will issue new interim guidance on opencast coal production, following the Bridgecastle case, to update circulars 4/1984 and 23/1987;

  (2) at what stage he proposes to issue interim guidance on opencast coal production to supersede circulars 4/1984 and 23/1987.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 4 May 1993]: We do not propose to issue specific interim guidance on opencast coal production. We do, however, propose to issue a new National Planning Policy Guideline "Land for Mineral Working" later this year. This will embrace opencast coal mining, take account of the Coal Review White Paper, and supersede circulars 4/1984 and 23/1987.

  INCOME TAX: 1993 BUDGET
  INCOME TAX: 1993 BUDGET
  SELF-EMPLOYMENT: DEFINITION FOR TAX AND SOCIAL SECURITY
  SELF-EMPLOYMENT: DEFINITION FOR TAX AND SOCIAL SECURITY
  VAT: DECISIONS ON THRESHOLD
  VAT: DECISIONS ON THRESHOLD
  BOARDS OF VISITORS: WOOLF RECOMMENDATION
  BOARDS OF VISITORS: WOOLF RECOMMENDATION
  PORTLAND YOUNG OFFENDER INSTITUTION: CHIEF INSPECTOR'S REPORT
  PORTLAND YOUNG OFFENDER INSTITUTION: CHIEF INSPECTOR'S REPORT
  ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S: CASUALTY SERVICES
  ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S: CASUALTY SERVICES
  ARMS TRANSFERS: UN REGISTER RETURN
  ARMS TRANSFERS: UN REGISTER RETURN
  EC COUNCIL OF MINISTERS: FORTHCOMING BUSINESS
  EC COUNCIL OF MINISTERS: FORTHCOMING BUSINESS
  RESERVE FORCES: DEPLOYMENT
  RESERVE FORCES: DEPLOYMENT
  RAF: LASER GUIDED BOMBS
  RAF: LASER GUIDED BOMBS
  ARMED FORCES FIGHTING STRENGTH
  ARMED FORCES FIGHTING STRENGTH