Written Answers of 12 May 1993

ATTORNEY GENERAL

  Serious Fraud Office
  Mr. Stephen
  To ask the Attorney-General when he expects to lay before Parliament and publish the annual report of the Serious Fraud Office for the year 1992–93.

  The Attorney-General
  The annual report for the SFO for 1992–93 was laid before Parliament at 11 am today and then published. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

TRANSPORT

  Reduced Child Fares
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to guarantee the reduced fares scheme for children following bus privatisation and deregulation in Greater London.

  Mr. Norris
  Bus privatisation will have no effect on the availability of child fares in London because bus operators will continue to provide services for London Transport, at the fares set by London Transport.

  After deregulation, fares—including those for children —will be a matter for individual operators. However, we intend to extend to London local authorities the power already available to authorities outside London to offer travel concessions for children under 16 years, and school children under 18 years.

  A21
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the way forward for the improvements to the A21 between Flimwell and Robertsbridge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I am pleased to announce that the three programmed schemes in preparation along this stretch of A21 in East Sussex are being replaced by one comprehensive improvement between Flimwell and Robertsbridge. The improvement will include the Salehurst roundabout at Robertsbridge and the section of road between Flimwell and Hurst Green.

  This announcement will be welcomed by the many local people and local authorities which made representations to me for a more strategic approach to the improvement of this length of the A21.

  Railway Privatisation
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many applications he has received from rail operators to provide international services over British Rail tracks under the Railway Regulations 1992.
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  Mr. Freeman
  None. The channel tunnel is not yet open.

  Rail Freight
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the procedures for ascertaining that the weight of freight per rail wagon does not exceed British Rail restrictions, and conforms with the requirements of the Health and Safety Executive.

  Mr. Freeman
  Primary responsibility rests with British Rail. The Health and Safety Executive does not set or check weight limits for wagons. The design, construction and designated use of wagons prevent them from being loaded beyond their maximum capacity.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the maximum weight of a wagon for the carriage of freight on the railways.

  Mr. Freeman
  The maximum axle weight is 25·5 tonnes. The largest freight wagons in normal use are mineral wagons and large oil tankers mounted on two bogies with two axles, which weigh 102 tonnes fully laden.

ENVIRONMENT

  Energy Saving Trust
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what funds he has given to the Energy Saving Trust.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith), on 19 February 1993,Official Report, column 382.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the objects of the Energy Saving Trust.

  Mr. Maclean
  The directors of the Energy Saving Trust have set out the objects of the trust in a mission statement. This declares that the trust will encourage the efficient use of all forms of energy in the United Kingdom, leading to an overall reduction in total energy consumption and its consequent environmental impact. The trust will seek to sponsor initiatives that also provide long term economic benefits to the nation.

  The trust aims to promote a broad awareness and understanding of the benefits of energy efficiency and conservation and will also promote training in energy-saving practices and technology.

  Environmental Damage
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what notional additional environmental costs his Department assigns to(a) gas, (b) coal and (c) nuclear generation.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Department does not assign costs in the way that the hon. Gentleman suggests.

  A report recently produced by the Economic and Social Research Council-sponsored centre for social and economic research on the global environment for the Department of Trade and Industry on the social costs of

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  fuel cycles has produced some estimates of "externality adders". The numbers produced in this report should be seen as indicative rather than authoritative.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has had from Professor David Pearce on the problems of assigning money values to environmental damage; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have sought no specific proposals. Professor Pearce is leading a team of researchers who have been commissioned by my Department to estimate the external, including environmental costs and benefits, of landfilling and of incinerating waste. I have referred to Professor Pearce's report of fuel cycle costs in reply to the previous question.

  Loft Insulation
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what study his Department has made of the reasons why people apply for grants to install insulation in their loft.

  Mr. Maclean
  We have made no study of the reasons why people apply for grants to install energy efficiency improvements. It is assumed that people do so in order to benefit from the increased energy efficiency which such improvements bring.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further information he has made available to local authorities about the standard Spending assessments for 1993–94.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  A publication "Standard Spending Assessment Handbook 1993–94" has been produced to provide details of the standard spending assessments (SSA) of each local authority. Copies have today been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Copies are being sent to every local authority in England and to the local authority associations.

  EC Emissions Directives
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the occasions, in the last five months, when European directives on smoke, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and lead have been exceeded; where this has taken place; and if the information was released to the public.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 10 May 1993]: The air quality standards in these directives are set on the basis of compliance with limit values over 12-month periods. The standards for nitrogen dioxide and lead were not breached in 1992. Data for smoke and sulphur dioxide for the period April 1992 to March 1993 are not yet available, but provisional figures indicate that these standards have also not been breached. The public can obtain information about air quality, based on measured concentrations of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone, from daily bulletins on the Government's freephone 0800 556677, on CEEFAX page 404, on Teletext page 187 or from certain newspapers.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Children's Play
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what progress has been made on discussing Sports Council funding for the national children's play and recreation unit; and what measures will be implemented to fund children's play after March 1993 pending the completion of these tasks.

  Mr. Brooke
  [pursuant to his reply 28 January 1993, Official Report, column 853]: The Sports Council has now taken over the national play information centre and the play unit's work on playwork education and training along with seven of the unit's staff. An eighth officer will be employed on a consultancy basis. The Council's budget for play for 1993–94 is £300,000, which includes financial support for the four national centres for playwork education. In addition, the Sports Council's trust company has agreed to give a grant of £25,000 to the National Voluntary Council for Children's Play. I am delighted with these decisions which show the serious way in which the Sports Council is tackling its new responsibilities.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Emergency Planning
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what lessons his Department has drawn from the 1990–91 Gulf war for emergency planning of local authority involvement; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Local authorities were involved in the planning for the reception of possible casualties arising from the 1990–91 Gulf conflict. The principal lesson learnt was the importance of involving local authorities in the making of such arrangements from as early a time as possible.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what criteria were used in deciding future allocations of Home Office emergency planning grant aid to local authorities; and what consultations were undertaken with local authorities over the allocation;

  (2) what plans he has to issue new guidelines to local authorities on the use of civil defence and emergency planning grant aid following the changes in international relations since 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Home Office wrote to the local authority associations and to individual local authorities in December 1992 to seek their views on a new method of distributing the total available civil defence grant to individual authorities.

  We have proposed a system based on a formula reflecting the needs of the emergency planning process and, where appropriate, the number of districts in the county or metropolitan are concerned.

  Comments have been received on these proposals and the proposed allocations for 1994–95 onward will be announced shortly.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what consultations have been
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  held since November 1989 regarding the length of the period of warning the civil defence system assumes for planning purposes before the outbreak of a major conflict in Europe; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what assessment his Department has made since November 1989 of the threat to the United Kingdom from the use of chemical or biological weapons, in respect of civil defence issues.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The threat to the United Kingdom is kept under constant review. The process of integrated emergency management which is promoted by the Home Office calls for the development of plans based on the mitigation of effects and the continued delivery of service in an emergency, whatever the cause. Officials are considering the question of warning times within this context.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for the period from November 1989(a) the dates of, (b) the subjects discussed at and (c) attendances at any meetings Ministers have had with the relevant Ministers responsible for civil defence and emergency planning in other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No such meetings have taken place. Regular contact with other NATO countries on these subjects is maintained at official level.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to recruit qualified or experienced emergency planners to his Department(a) to replace the local authorities' adviser and (b) to oversee the use of civil defence and emergency planning grant aid.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There are no plans to replace the local authorities' adviser. Emphasis will be placed upon visits by Home Office officials to local authorities and regular meetings with the local authority associations.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what effect reorganisation of local government in(a) England and (b) Wales will have on arrangements for grant-aided local authority emergency planning.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The precise effect of local government reorganisation on local authority grant-aided emergency planning arrangements will have to be determined area by area.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has had since April 1992 over improving the responses of the emergency services to peace-time emergencies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Part of the work of the civil emergencies adviser, Mr. David Brook, is to assist the emergency services in preparing their response to peace-time disasters. He is in regular contact with and has meetings with the emergency services, local authorities and others who have a role to play in preparing for and responding to disasters. In August 1992 the Home Office publication "Dealing with Disaster" was issued which contained guidance compiled by Mr. Brook aimed at assisting the provision of an effective response.
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  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements have been made for the disposal of obsolescent message switch equipment installed at(a) regional Government headquarters, (b) United Kingdom warning and monitoring organisation control centres and (c) local authority emergency centres; and if he will make a statement regarding the overall cost of installing, maintaining and disposing of the message switch equipment at these locations.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The message switch equipment at the regional government headquarters and at the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation control centres was the subject of a combined rental and maintenance agreement with British Telecom. This agreement covered the repayment of capital cost, installation, maintenance and subsequent removal.

  The total cost of the agreement over the 10-year period, during which the equipment was installed, amounted to just under £3·5 million in respect of equipment at regional government headquarters and £3·75 million in respect of equipment at the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation.

  The message switch equipment, which was installed at local authority emergency centres, was purchased by the Home Office at a cost of £2·1 million including installation. Annual maintenance costs, in the final year, amounted to £1·5 million.

  The total cost of the disposal of equipment installed at local authorities is estimated at £20,000. Where a local authority has indicated an interest in retaining a message switch network within its area, the Home Office has transferred ownership of the equipment to that authority with a proviso that it should not be resold.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding his Department is making available to(a) the BBC and (b) independent broadcasters in respect of his Department's proposals to rely on the broadcast media to issue national warnings of possible air attacks.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Precise costs will depend on the outcome of discussions which are now taking place with the BBC.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether local proposals to retain parts of the air-raid warning siren network for use in peacetime emergencies will be eligible for grant aid from his Department.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals his Department has made for the future securing of a reserve fire-fighting capacity for use in time of war and national emergency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government continue to maintain a stockpile of emergency fire service appliances and equipment. Maintenance of the stockpile was contracted out to the private sector in 1991. The contract is for 10 years with a breakpoint after five.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table based on the 1992 reported crime figures showing the total number of crimes reported in each police authority area in 1992, and also showing these figures as a rate per 1,000 population in those areas and as a rate per uniformed officer in those areas.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is given in the table:

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police 1992 (1) England and Wales

  Police force area

  Offences per 1,000 population

  Offences per police officer

  Avon and Somerset

  122

  55

  Bedfordshire

  110

  51

  Cambridgeshire

  98

  51

  Cheshire

  79

  39

  Cleveland

  145

  53

  Cumbria

  87

  35

  Derbyshire

  89

  45

  Devon and Cornwall

  76

  38

  Dorset

  79

  38

  Durham

  104

  44

  Essex

  77

  38

  Gloucestershire

  113

  52

  Greater Manchester

  141

  51

  Hampshire

  89

  45

  Hertfordshire

  69

  34

  Humberside

  147

  61

  Kent

  102

  49

  Lancashire

  83

  35

  Leicestershire

  107

  52

  Lincolnshire

  81

  39

  Merseyside

  100

  30

  Metropolitan Police District(2)

  124

  31

  Norfolk

  89

  46

  Northamptonshire

  101

  48

  Northumbria

  142

  56

  North Yorkshire

  73

  37

  Nottinghamshire

  157

  67

  South Yorkshire

  102

  43

  Staffordshire

  93

  44

  Suffolk

  68

  35

  Surrey

  71

  31

  Sussex

  83

  39

  Thames Valley

  99

  50

  Warwickshire

  92

  44

  West Mercia

  72

  37

  West Midlands

  123

  45

  West Yorkshire

  145

  58

  Wiltshire

  73

  32

  Dyfed-Powys

  56

  27

  Gwent

  89

  39

  North Wales

  73

  35

  South Wales

  125

  51

  Total

  106

  42

  (1) Excluding criminal damage of value £20 and under.

  (2) Including City of London.

  Passport Agency
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what performance targets he has set for the United Kingdom Passport Agency in 1993–94.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  During 1993–94, I shall expect the Passport Agency to continue to provide a high standard of service to the public while seeking further efficiency savings in its operations.

  I have set the agency the following key targets:
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  (i) to process properly completed straightforward applications within a maximum of 20 working days in the periods of peak demand between January and June, 15 working days in July and August, and 10 working days at other times,

  (ii) to process such applications within an overall average of nine working days for the year as a whole, and

  (iii) to reduce unit costs by a further 3 per cent. in real terms in comparison with the outturn for 1992–93.

  The chief executive will remain directly accountable to me for the performance of the Passport Agency. An advisory board, including two private sector members with experience of delivery services to the public, will continue to provide me with an independent assessment of the agency's performance.

  Metropolitan Police
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) men and (b) women of an ethnic minority background are serving as police officers in the Metropolitan police force as of 1 May.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There were 476 men and 147 women officers of an ethnic minority background.

  Fire and Civil Defence Authorities
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to confer new duties or powers upon those fire and civil defence authorities other than the London FCDA.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Draft civil defence regulations were published last December and comments received are being considered. There are no plans to confer new duties or powers upon any of the fire and civil defence authorities.

  Hosni E. Farhat
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the decision regarding the recommended minimum length of sentence to be served in the case of Hosni E. Farhat was made by the then Home Secretary; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  It is assumed that by "recommended minimum length of sentence", the hon. Member refers to the punitive element of a discretionary life sentence which must be served to satisfy the requirements of retribution and deterrence. This period was previously known as the "tariff".

  Following advice from the trial judge and the then Lord Chief Justice, the Secretary of State decided in 1985 that the first review of Mr. Farhat's case by the parole board should take place after 17 years in custody. From that, Mr. Farhat will have concluded that the punitive element of his sentence was at least 20 years.

  Under the transitional provisions in schedule 12 to the Criminal Justice Act 1991, the Secretary of State issued a certificate to Mr. Farhat in August 1992 notifying him that the relevant part of his sentence—as the punitive element is now known—is 20 years.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the case of Hosni E. Farhat.

  Mr. Jack
  My right hon. and learned Friend and his predecessors have previously received a number of
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  representations alleging that Mr. Farhat was wrongfully convicted. These were fully considered but they brought to light no grounds for intervening in the case. Further representations have recently been received from Mr. Farhat and these are now being considered.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what review has been undertaken of the intelligence information relating to the case of Hosni E. Farhat.

  Mr. Jack
  I do not know what specific information the hon. Member has in mind, but in considering the latest representations about the safety of Mr. Farhat's conviction, my right hon. and learned Friend will take account of any relevant information which is available to him.

  Attempted Murder
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons convicted of attempted murder left prison in each of the last five years; and what was the average length of detention in each year.

  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.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Andrew F. Bennett, dated 10 May 1993:

  PERSONS CONVICTED OF ATTEMPTED MURDER AND DISCHARGED WITHIN THE LAST FIVE YEARS
  The Home Secretary has asked me to write to you directly in reply to your Parliamentary Question about the number of persons convicted of attempted murder who have been discharged from prison in each of the last five years. I am sorry to tell you that the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. This is because in prison statistics prior to February 1991 attempted murder was recorded within the "other homicide" offence classification and not recorded separately. As a result, it would involve checking a large number of cases with prison service establishments.The readily available information relates to the length of sentence imposed and is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", Supplementary tables volume 2 (tables S2.7 of the issue for 1991, Cm 2134), copies of which are held in the Library. A copy of the relevant page from the 1991 publication is attached.
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the average recommended minimum length of sentence to be served in cases of attempted murder in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Jack
  On the assumption that the question relates to the punitive element—now known as the relevant part—of a discretionary life sentence imposed for attempted murder, the information is as follows:

  Year

  Number of cases

  Actual or average punitive element (years)

  1979

  1

  15

  1980

  2

  7·5

  1981

  4

  12·9

  1982

  1

  6

  1983

  1

  10

  1984

  5

  9·7

  1985

  1

  10

  1986

  2

  9·5

  1987

  4

  13

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  Year

  Number of cases

  Actual or average punitive element (years)

  1988

  1

  7

  1989

  2

  8

  1990

  3

  7·3

  1991

  3

  8

  1992

  4

  7·5

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals are currently serving sentences for attempted murder in United Kingdom prisons; and what is their average length of sentence.

  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.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Andrew F. Bennett, dated 10 May 1993:

  FOREIGN CITIZENS SERVING SENTENCES FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER
  The Home Secretary has asked me to write to you directly in reply to your Parliamentary Question about the number of foreign citizens currently serving sentences for attempted murder. The latest available provisional figures are for 28 February 1993. They show 23 foreign nationals serving sentences for attempted murder in prison service establishments in England and Wales. Of these 5 were serving life sentences. The lengths of sentence of those serving determinate sentences varied from 5 years up to 30 years; their average sentence was about 12·4 years.

  Libyan Prisoners
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Libyan citizens are(a) currently serving sentences and (b) awaiting sentencing in United Kingdom prisons.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange a reply.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Andrew F. Bennett, dated 10 May 1993:

  LIBYAN CITIZENS IN PRISON SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS
  The Home Secretary has asked me to write to you directly in reply to your Parliamentary Question about the number of Libyan citizens currently serving sentences and the numbers on remand. The latest available provisional figures are for 28 February 1993. They show that eight prisoners serving sentences in prison service establishments in England and Wales had their nationality recorded as Libyan. There were no remand prisoners recorded as having Libyan nationality.

  Overseas Domestic Workers
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure that people coming from overseas to do domestic service work in Britain are given the right to change employers and other rights enjoyed by similar workers recruited in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Each case involving a domestic worker who wishes to remain in the United Kingdom after having left his or her employer is carefully considered
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  before any enforcement action is taken, and account is taken of any compassionate circumstances. Domestic workers are entitled to the protection of our criminal and employment law.

  Juvenile Crime
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the relationship between the level and nature of his Department's support for youth work and the change in the level of juvenile crime; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  No such assessment has been made. Except for certain projects which are supported under the safer cities initiative, the Home Office does not directly fund youth work; but the Home Office research and planning unit is currently involved in an evaluation of a number of local projects which have deliberately targeted young people at risk of offending.

PRIME MINISTER

  Non-fossil Fuel Obligation
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements have been made to ensure co-ordination between Government Departments on non-fossil fuel obligation 3.

  The Prime Minister
  The responsibility for making orders imposing a non-fossil fuel obligation on public electricity suppliers in England and Wales lies with my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. He consults other Ministers as appropriate.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Bank Loans (Small Businesses)
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has to encourage the banks to increase their loans to the small businesses sector for capital investment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced proposals to improve the small firms loan guarantee scheme in his Budget on 16 March. The changes will take effect on 1 July.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list by district council in Nottinghamshire the number of appeals presently notified to valuation officers by property owners against council tax bandings; and how long he expects it to take for these appeals to be dealt with.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 10 May 1993]: As at 6 May, some 5,398 appeals have been made by taxpayers in Nottinghamshire, against their council tax bandings. Of these 277 are in Ashfield, 453 in Bassetlaw, 327 in Mansfield and 685 in Newark and Sherwood. The remaining 3,656 are in Broxtowe, Gedling, Nottingham and Rushcliffe for which individual statistics are not yet available.

  As the total number of appeals which will be made in Nottinghamshire cannot yet be predicted, it is not possible to determine the length of time it will take to deal with these appeals.

  Company Cars
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his answer of 27 April,Official Report, column 379, if he will list the circumstances when home-to-work travel in a car made available by an employer is not regarded as private use.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 11 May 1993]: Home-to-work travel in a car made available by an employer is not regarded as private use:

  where the employee has a travelling appointment;

  where the employee travels from home to a temporary place of work and the distance travelled is less than the distance between the normal place of work and the temporary place of work;

  where, exceptionally, the home qualifies under tax law as a place of work and the employee travels from home to another place of work in the performance of his duties.

  There are also circumstances where home-to-work travel in a car provided by an employer is regarded as private use but is ignored for tax purposes. These are:

  where a disabled person is provided with a car from home-to-work travel and there is no other private use; where a car is provided for home-to-work travel when public transport is disrupted;

  where a car is provided for late night journeys from work-to-home, within the terms of Inland Revenue extra-statutory concession A66;

  where the car is a pooled car and any home-to-work travel is merely incidental to its business use.

WALES

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) general receptionists and (b) telephone receptionists are employed within each of his Department's offices; and how many are Welsh speaking.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The numbers of reception staff employed by the Department are:

  Number

  Receptionists

  Gwydyr House

  2

  Cathays Park

  3

  Telephonist and Receptionists

  Brunel House (Cadw)

  1

  Trawsgoed

  2

  Caernarfon

  2

  Llandrindod Wells

  1

  Carmarthen

  2

  Colwyn Bay

  1

  Those at Trawsgoed and Caernarfon are Welsh speaking.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to place all public advertisements produced by his Department either(a) bilingually in the Welsh language and English language or (b) in the Welsh language only.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Department is fully committed to providing for the needs of Welsh speakers and English speakers alike. As a matter of policy, all official notices appear bilingually, and it is the Department's objective that public advertisements should be bilingual.

  Holiday Play Schemes
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what competitive tendering procedures were used for the selection of Acorn Nursery as provider of holiday play schemes for children of Welsh Office staff; what financial evaluation was made of competing bids; what consultation with different grades of staff was carried out; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Welsh Office holiday play scheme contract was advertised in the local press. Tenders were evaluated on the basis of the cost benefit to the Department and the value for money to parents—who meet the major part of the cost. Two tenderers came within the Department's cost limit and satisfied its quality criterion. They were interviewed.

  As the cost benefit to the Welsh Office was the same with either provider, consultations took place with a representative sample of users in a range of grades including junior clerical grades. Staff were unanimous in preferring the Acorn hid and the selection was made on that basis.

  Child care forms an important part of my Department's policy to promote equality of opportunity, help staff combine a career and family responsibilities, and maximise the contribution of skilled and experienced staff.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he intends to take to encourage people with disabilities to become teachers, nursery nurses or teachers' aides.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The teaching as a career unit, funded by the Welsh Office and the Department for Education (DFE), promotes and publicises teaching. It has not undertaken any special targeting of the disabled.

  The DFE is in consultation with disabled teachers' interest groups prior to the revision of its circular 1/88 "Physical and Mental Fitness to Teach of Teachers and of Entrants to Teacher Training". This will continue to stress that disability in itself does not mean that a person is medically unfit to teach, but that the paramount consideration should be the health and welfare of pupils.

  EC Funding
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for 'Wales, pursuant to his answer of 28 April,Offical Report, column 412, if he will specify what the projects in the Betws and Taff Merthyr areas are; and what was the commencement date of those projects.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows:

  Project

  Start Date

  Betws Catchment Area

  Pontardawe Access Improvements

  May 1992

  Innter Link Road Ammanford (Phase I)

  January 1991

  Block B, Capel Hedre Industrial Estate

  January 1993

  Environmental Improvements, Meadows Road, Cross Hands

  March 1991

  Cross Hands Business Park Workshop Units

  March 1993

  Cross Hands Business Park Landscaping

  February 1992

  Taff Merthyr Catchment Area

  Trelewis Community Centre

  February 1991

  Cwm Cynon (South) Infrastructure

  December 1992

  474

  Project

  Start Date

  Nixons Institute Mountain Ash

  April 1993

  Cwm Cynon Business Centre

  December 1992

  Penrhiwceiber Colliery Leisure Facility

  June 1992

  Deep Duffryn Colliery Leisure Facility

  August 1992

  Salmon
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to protect and enhance the number of spring salmon that are entering Welsh rivers.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The National Rivers Authority is proposing new byelaws designed to improve spring salmon runs on the Dee, Wye and the Usk.

  Children Leaving Care
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children and young people under the age of 17 years have left care in Wales in each of the last five years; and how many of them(a) left school with no qualifications, (b) remain unemployed, (c) are currently estimated to be sleeping rough and (d) are in goal or other corrective institutions.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Denbighshire
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the representations he has received in regard to the inclusion of the communities of Nercwys, Nannerch, Gwernymynydd, Gwernaffield, Cilcain, Mostyn, Halkyn, Whitford, Brynford, Trelawnydd and Gwaerysgor, Llanasa, Ysaefivy and Cherwys in the proposed Denbighshire authority following the publication of his local government White Paper.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Since publishing my White Paper on 1 March 1993, I have received 42 written representations regarding the inclusion of these communities within the proposed unitary authority for Denbighshire.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Krypton Gas
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library copies of the results of research commissioned since 1978(a) by his Department and (b) by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. on the possible health effects of the discharge of krypton gas into the environment.

  Mr. Eggar
  Neither the Department of Trade and Industry nor its predecessor, the Department of Energy, has commissioned research into the possible health effects of krypton gas. Questions about any research commissioned by British Nuclear Fuels plc are matters for the company.

  British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the names of the members of the board of BNFL and state which of them have a management role or a business interest in Touche Ross.
  475
  Mr. Eggar
  This is a matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc. Appropriate information on the directors of the company is given in BNFL's report and accounts, copies of which are placed in the Library of the House.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade in which publications in other European countries advertisements have been placed by Government Departments in the current financial year promoting inward investment into the United Kingdom; what was the cost of the advertisements; and if he will place copies in the Library.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  During the 1992–93 financial year the Department of Trade and Industry spent £190,000 on advertisements in Europe promoting inward investment into the United Kingdom. In Germany advertisements were placed in Hadelsblatt, Top Business and Wirtschaftswoche, together with chamber of commerce magazines in Freiburg, Stuttgart, Mannheim, Karlsruhe and Reutlingen, while in Switzerland advertisements appeared in Bilanz, Basler Zeitung and Neue Zuercher Zeitung. The 1993–94 campaign has yet to be commissioned.

  Copies of the advertisements have been placed in the Library.

  Hydrocarbons Programme
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what plans he has to allow overseas counterparts of the British Geological Survey to bid for responsibility for United Kingdom oil and gas archives or to undertake surveys;

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 27 April, Official Report, column 336, which types of organisations in the United Kingdom he has identified as potentially suited to the work under the hydrocarbons programme mentioned in his answer.

  Mr. Eggar
  In considering which organisations may be invited to submit competitive bids for work under the hydrocarbons programme, the Department is taking account of the requirements of the relevant legislation and commercial sensitivity.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the work of the Renewable Energy Advisory Research Group.

  Mr. Eggar
  In December 1992 the report of the renewable energy advisory group to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade was published. The report's findings will be taken into account in the Government's renewable energy strategy document due to be published later this year.

  Manufactured Exports
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he has taken to ensure that British exports of manufactured goods to the United States of America do not face tariffs.

  Mr. Needham
  My Department takes every opportunity to press the United States and other countries to reduce 476
  existing tariff barriers and to oppose the introduction of new ones, both in general terms in the context of the general agreement of tariffs and trade and in instances of specific concern. For example, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made clear our strong opposition to the US auto industry's request that the US Treasury reclassifies sports utility vehicles as trucks to secure massive added tariff protection to the detriment of our Land Rover exports. We also support the EC in its efforts to seek an all-round tariff reduction in the Uruguay round negotiations.

  THORP
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the specific products and by-products of thermal oxide reprocessing at Sellafield, with their respective levels and life of radioactivity, and volume produce; and if he will indicate the proposed purpose or use of each of these products and by-products.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 5 May 1993]: The thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield will recover uranium and plutonium from spent nuclear fuel. These materials can be recycled in civil power stations. British Nuclear Fuels plc expects that over 6,000 tonnes of uranium and some 40 to 50 tonnes of plutonium will be separated during the first 10 years of THORP's operation.

  Following recovery of the uranium and plutonium, the residue, amounting to around 3 per cent. by weight, consists of waste. The long-term radiological content of the waste is lower than that of the spent fuel because the uranium and plutonium have been removed. For the estimated volumes of wastes involved and details of their contents, I refer the hon. Member to the 1991 United Kingdom radioactive waste inventory, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

EMPLOYMENT

  Work Permits
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many work permits for overseas workers have been granted in each year since 1987.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The number of work permits issued by the Department since 1987 is as follows:

  Year

  Number of work permits issued

  1987

  26,965

  1988

  33,021

  1989

  37,865

  1990

  43,619

  1991

  37,989

  1992

  37,917

  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the top 10 countries whose citizens received work permits to pursue employment in Britain in 1992; and if she will give the number of applications accepted from each of these countries.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The top 10 countries whose citizens received work permits in 1992 and the number of applications approved are given in the table:
  477

  Country

  Work permits approved

  USA

  11,617

  Japan

  2,030

  India

  1,660

  Australia

  1,067

  Canada

  916

  Sweden

  568

  South Africa

  472

  Peoples Republic of China

  458

  Poland

  374

  USSR

  356

  These figures do not include permits issued under the training and work experience scheme.

  Employment, Durham
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information her Department has on how many women in the Durham area have initiated legal challenges against their employers since 1990 on the grounds on sexual offences, and on the results of such cases.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information is held on how many people living in the Durham area have been denied unemployment benefit since 1990 because they are not available for work because they have an adult or child to care for during working hours.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Gerry Steinberg, dated 12 May 1993:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question requesting information on how many people living in the Durham area have been denied unemployment benefit since 1990 because they are not available for work because they have an adult or child to care for during working hours. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.Unfortunately, the information is not available in the form you have requested and it could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Statistics on the number of people whose claims for unemployment benefit have been disallowed because they are not available for work do not identify, separately, the number of people disallowed because they have caring responsibilities.Adjudication statistics are compiled quarterly, for each Employment Service Region, and published in the "Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions". Information about claims disallowed because people are not available for work for any reason are recorded under the heading of "Availability". The figures for Durham are contained in the statistical return for Northern Region. Copies of this document can be obtained from the House of Commons Library.As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.478
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current number of job vacancies in the Durham area.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In March 1993, the latest date for which figures are available, the number, not seasonally adjusted, of unfilled vacancies at the jobcentre which covers the city of Durham was 229. Jobcentre vacancies do not represent the total number of vacancies available.

  Electrical Equipment
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what legislation would be necessary and what legislation would need to be amended to privatise(a) the Electrical Equipment Certification Service and (b) any other part of the Health and Safety Executive.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Primary legislation would be needed in either case.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Current Affairs Survey
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the most recent(a) national and (b) international circulation of the Central Office of Information publication "Current Affairs—A Monthly Survey"; what benefits accrued to the United Kingdom from its publication; and for what reasons its publication is being stopped.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The most recent circulation figure for "Current Affairs—A Monthly Survey" was 714 copies. About three-quarters went to United Kingdom addresses. The publication was designed to enable readers of the annual "Britain Handbook" to be kept up to date with developments in British affairs.

  Efforts to increase circulation have not been successful and production costs outweigh income from subscriptions.

  HIV and AIDS
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much money has been given by Her Majesty's Government to the Medical Research Council since 1988 for AIDS and HIV research.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Between the years 1988–89 and 1992–93, Her Majesty's Government have allocated £68 million to the Medical Research Council for AIDS and HIV research.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library details of all Medical Research Council grants for HIV and AIDS research, together with the published and completed papers presented to the Medical Research Council as a consequence of this grant-aided work.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  A list of research grants supported by the MRC through its strategic and directed programmes have been placed in the Library. A list of published and completed papers could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Medical Research Scientists (Shares)
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will introduce legislation to bar medical research scientists from holding shares in drugs companies whose products they are researching.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  No. I can see no need to introduce legislation aimed specifically at medical research scientists. The Company Securities (Insider Dealing) Act 1985 already restricts improper share dealing by a company's employees or by public servants. The Criminal Justice Bill, which is progressing through the House and will replace the existing legislation, contains provisions with a similar effect. Holdings of shares may also be subject to further restrictions under a scientist's terms of employment or contract.

HEALTH

  AZT
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the present clinical criteria for having AIDS; what were the clinical criteria for having AIDS in 1987; how those criteria have changed; and what effect the criteria have on eligibility of patients to be prescribed AZT.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In the United Kingdom, the current clinical criteria for AIDS are those set out by the US Centers for Disease Control in 1987. Copies will be placed in the Library. The 1987 AIDS case definition revised the 1985 definition by addition of non-infectious, non-cancerous HIV-associated conditions and by widening the diagnostic critieria for certain AIDS indicator diseases.

  Zidovudine, or, AZT, is currently licensed in the United Kingdom for the following indications:

  asymptomatic disease in adult patients showing signs of immune suppression, i.e., CD4 counts repeatedly below 200 per cumm or between 500 and 200 and falling rapidly

  early symptomatic HIV disease in adults with CD4 counts below 500 per cumm

  advanced disease, i.e., AIDS and AIDS Related Complex, in adults and children

  HIV related symptons or asymptomatic disease with markers indicating significant HIV-related immune suppression in children over the age of three months.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) civil servants within her Department, (b) consultants sitting upon any of the advisory committees since 1977 or (c) other individuals involved organisationally in the Concorde trials have received money in royalties or grants, or had career positions, or directorships or consultancies, with the Wellcome Foundation, the Wellcome Trust or any of the Wellcome Foundation's subsidiary companies.

  Dr Mawhinney
  No civil servants within the Department have received money in any form from the Wellcome Foundation or the Wellcome Trust. Membership of the Committee on Safety of Medicines is published in the Medicines Commission annual report, which includes a comprehensive list of members' interests in the pharmaceutical industry. Information is not available for outside experts who sit on other Departmental advisory committees. The Concorde trial 480
  was organised by the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library the full results of the Concorde trials; and if she will make a statement on the results.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The full report of the trial is still in preparation and is due to be published within the next few months. A copy of the letter to The Lancet summarising the preliminary results is available in the Library.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health is she will place in the Library all the relevant research data prior to the start of the Concorde trials in 1988, which showed that AZT was of benefit to HIV antibody positive asymptomatic individuals.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  Prior to the start of the Concorde trial one paper had been published which indicated a potential benefit of AZT treatment in asymptomatic HIV-infected individuals, and this reported data on a very small number of subjects. A copy is available in the Library. (Lancet (i) 1988: pages 373–376).

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are being made for those Concorde trial subjects who were given the drug AZT: how many are still being prescribed the drug; and who is bearing the cost.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  All patients in the Concorde trial will have the opportunity to discuss their future treatment with their doctors in the light of the results of the trial and their own clinical status and will be told whether they received AZT or placebo during the blinded phase of the trial, if they wish to know. For those deciding to continue treatment with AZT and who fall within the currently licensed indications, the cost of the drug will be met by the national health service. There is no information available on the number of patients still being prescribed the drug.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Concorde trials relating to AZT were completed; when the results were announced; and if she will make a statement about the way in which the preliminary results were announced.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  Analysis of the data from the Concorde trial collected up to 31 December 1992 was completed in March 1993; limited follow-up information will continue to be collected on the patients, in an unblinded fashion, so the trial is not completely finished. Preliminary results were published in a letter to The Lancet on 2 April 1993, having been announced to doctors and other staff involved with the trials at participating clinical centres at a meeting on 1 April 1993. The trial co-ordinating committee considered it important for the key data to be made available to an international readership in a preliminary report through the scientific press as soon as possible, to avoid the spread of inaccurate rumours among patients and their doctors.

  Pegasus Drug Abuse Project
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current state of plans for the Pegasus drug abuse project proposed by the North East Thames regional health authority.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  An application for funding for the Pegasus project proposal was considered recently by North East Thames regional health authority and the hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman, Sir William Staveley, for details. An application was also made to the Department of Health by the Association for the Prevention of Addiction under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968. This was unsuccessful.

  Children in Care
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to ensure that children who might abscond while in care are properly escorted while outside the home.

  Mr. Yeo
  Advice on physical intervention to prevent a detained child from running away from an open children's home, or while being escorted outside a secure accommodation care unit, is included in the guidance on permissible forms of control in children's residential care published by the Department on 28 April 1993. It is the responsibility of management to interpret this guidance and develop policies and procedures within which to operate. A copy of the guidance is available in the Library.

  FHSA

  Number of GPs

  Number of medical practices

  Number of fundholding practices

  Number of fundholding GPs

  Cheshire

  512

  143

  47

  236

  Liverpool

  240

  104

  18

  54

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  176

  76

  12

  40

  Sefton

  141

  55

  13

  52

  Wirral

  178

  68

  11

  41

  Total for Mersey RHA

  1,247

  446

  101

  423

  Information on GP numbers is collected by family health services authorities; the data are for 1 October 1992. Fundholding figures are for 30 April 1993.

  Complaints (Evidence)
  Mr. Boyce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 22 April,Official Report, column 169, what action she takes to ensure that evidence presented to her by the Medical Advisory Committee is complete; and by what process a complainant may raise objections to the material before the committee.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Medical Advisory Committee gives advice to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on any penalty which should be imposed on a general practitioner who has been found in breach of his terms of service. There is no provision under the regulations for the involvement of the complainant in this consideration.

  Back Pain
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to receive the report from her Department's clinical standards advisory committee inquiry into back pain; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The group expects to report in the summer of 1994 to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Clinical standards advisory group reports are normally published along with a Government response within three months of receipt.

  Male Circumcision
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to the NHS of male circumcision operations in the last 15 years for which figures are available; and what was the cost of comparable operations in the private sector.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  GP Fund Holders
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each district health authority within the Mersey region the total number of(a) general practitioners and medical practices and (b) general practitioners and medical practices that are fund holders.

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

  Drugs
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 22 April,Official Report, column 169, how many of the preparations listed as drugs acting on the skin (a) do not require a product licence under the Medicines Act 1968, (b) are available for purchase without a doctor's prescription at pharmacies and other retail outlets and (c) attracted fewer than 20 prescriptions a year met by the NHS in each of the years 1990, 1991 and 1992.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The number of products within this list which attracted fewer than 20 prescriptions was 788 in 1991 and 822 in 1992; figures for 1990 are not available. The remaining information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Health Centres
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to announce the results of the working group on the financing of health centres.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We intend to announce the results, and our proposals, shortly.

  Dementia
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether dementia is included within the ambit of the specific grant for mental illness.

  Mr. Yeo
  Yes.

  Home Care Services
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to bring forward legislation to enforce the registration and inspection of private individual home care services.

  Mr. Yeo
  We have no plans to do so.

  Junior Doctors
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give average figures for(a) hours contracted, (b) duty hours and (c) hours on feet of junior hospital doctors in each year since 1971.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information on the average contracted hours of junior hospital doctors and dentists, at 30 September for each year, is as follows:

  Hours

  1971–1975

  Not available

  1976

  92

  1977

  91

  1978

  90

  1979

  90

  1980

  89

  1981

  89

  1982

  88

  1983

  87

  1984

  86

  1985

  85

  1986

  85

  1987

  82

  1988

  81

  1989

  81

  1990

  79

  1991

  79

  199

  Not yet available

  Information on duty hours and on "hours on feet" is not available centrally.

  NHS Management Review
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will announce the terms of reference and membership of the NHS management functions and manpower review; and if she will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The continuing development of the national health service reforms requires the structure of the NHS above the level of local purchasers and providers to be examined. I have set up a review to 484
  consider what management processes and organisational structures will best deliver measurable improvements in health and effective and efficient services, through the operation of the NHS internal market, while minimising management costs and ensuring proper public accountability. I have asked the review team to complete its work in July.

  The review team's terms of reference are as follows:

  1. To carry out an organisational analysis of the main work and functions required to:

  Ensure that the Government's reforms of the NHS are fully effected.

  Ensure effective oversight of purchasers and providers operating in the NHS internal market.

  Ensure that the Secretary of State is able to discharge her statutory responsibilities for the management of the NHS. Ensure that the proportion of NHS expenditure devoted to direct patient care is maximised.

  2. In the light of the above:

  To determine the statutory responsibilities and the core functions which must continue to be discharged by bodies which are part of, or directly accountable to, central Government.

  To make recommendations on the organisational structure required for this.

  To consider possible future changes to the configuration of NHS purchasers—including DHA mergers, joint DHA/ FHSA working and the development of the GP Fundholding scheme.

  To make recommendations on the discharge of other essential functions, e.g., Estates Management and Information Management and Technology.

  To determine the financial and manpower consequences, for the NHS and the Department of Health (including the NHSME), of conclusions reached.

  3. The review team should take particular account of:

  The need to achieve a balance between the benefits of decentralisation and the essential requirements of public accountability.

  The need for an internally consistent regulatory framework to support the operation and development of the internal market. The need for the development of effective purchasing in the NHS.

  The conclusions of the Cadbury Report on corporate governance.

  Ms Kate Jenkins, a member of the NHS policy board, will chair the review's steering group and lead the review team itself. The other members of the review team are:

  Mr. Alan Langlands—(Deputy Chief Executive, NHS Management Executive)

  Mr. Peter Griffiths—(Formerly Chief Executive, Guy's NHS Trust)

  Mr. Ian Carruthers—(Chief Executive, Dorset Health Commission)

  Mr. John Sherring—(Regional Director—West Midlands, Audit Commission)

  Dr. Carol Propper—(NHS Management Executive on secondment from University of Bristol)

  Members of the review team providing professional advice on specific areas are:

  Professor Andrew Pettigrew—(Centre for Corporate Strategy and Change, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick)

  Dr. Graham Winyard—(Medical Director, NHS Management Executive)

  Mrs. Sue Williams—(Deputy Director of Nursing, NHS Management Executive)

  Other sources of professional advice will be identified as necessary.

  Clinical Services
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her Department's policy on the use, by health authorities or trusts, when all other clinical indicators are equal, of age as a criterion for access to clinical services.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  It is the responsibility of clinicians to establish the need for and priority of medical treatment.

  Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd.

  Scottish Office

  European Regional Development Fund

  Kennacraig

  299,000

  161,000

  120,000

  Port Ellen

  10,000

  —

  —

  Port Askaig

  70,000

  —

  —

  379,000

  161,000

  120,000

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 18 March,Official Report, column 383, if he will now make a statement on the evidence that he has received from East Lothian district council on 18 February, and also on 26 April, about abuses of the right to buy council houses with discounts; and if he will introduce amendments to the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 to prevent such abuses.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has considered the information provided by East Lothian district council about certain right-to-buy sales in East Lothian. Our conclusion on the basis of this information is that it does not appear that anything has happened which is contrary to the right-to-buy provisions in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987.

  Tenants who are buying their homes should be free to make whatever financial arrangements they think desirable to suit their particular circumstances. A tenant who has bought a house is also free to dispose of it as he or she wishes, subject to the provisions for the repayment of discount if the disposal takes place within three years. We do not propose to amend the legislation to constrain these freedoms.

  It is important that tenants should understand the financial implications of any agreement they might enter into. It is advisable for tenants to take independent legal advice before entering into any agreement, and we will emphasise this in revising the leaflet "Buy Your Home" later this year.

  Forestry
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 20 April,Official Report, columns 89–90, if he will give biographical details of the members of the forestry review group.

  Sir Hector Monro
  All the members of the forestry review group are serving civil servants and have responsibilities, knowledge and experience, relevant to its remit and work. I see no benefit in publishing further biographical details.

SCOTLAND

  Piers
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 29 April,Official Report, columns 538–39, if he will give a full breakdown of the cost of adapting the piers at Kennacraig, Port Ellen and Port Askaig per agency involved in the project.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The breakdown of the estimated cost of adapting the piers at Kennacraig, Port Ellen and Port Askaig by source of funding is as follows:

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that the work of the forestry review group does not jeopardise the Forestry Commission's existing policy and practice of allowing free public access to its land.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The remit of the forestry review group expressly includes the request that it should make proposals for changes which would improve the effectiveness of the delivery of the Government's forestry policy objectives, having regard to the Government's other economic and environmental policies.

  Such objectives and policies clearly include the Forestry Commission's practice of encouraging public access to woodlands as stated in its "Forestry Policy for Great Britain", copies of which are in the Library.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many individual Forestry Commission land holdings there are.

  Sir Hector Monro
  It is estimated that there are about 5,000 individual Forestry Commission land holdings, excluding individual housing plots and other small areas.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the total amount of public expenditure generated since 1981 by former Forestry Commission land passing into the private sector and becoming eligible for agricultural grants and subsidies.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The amount of public expenditure generated in these circumstances has been negligible.

  Woodlands sold by the commission are rarely converted to agricultural use as, under the felling licensing procedures, there is a general presumption against this. Existing agricultural land sold by the commission will normally have been attracting agricultural grants and subsidies before sale.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) the total area of land disposed of, (b) the number of individual sales, (c) the income generated by the sales, (d) the total area of land disposed of over which public access has been formally protected and (e) the number of individual access agreements made on land disposed of, regarding land disposed of by the Forestry Commission since 1981.
  487
  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 11 May 1993]: Between 27 July 1981 and 31 March 1993, the Forestry Commission sold 173,000 hectares of land, including woodlands and other land such as agricultural land and residential properties.

  The sales included over 2,000 individual areas of forest land which are identified in lists held in the Library of the House; no central record is kept of the number of sales of agricultural land and residential properties.

  The total income from all sales was £174 million.

  The arrangements for securing continued public access to commission woodlands after sale, by way of prior agreements entered into between the Commission and local authorities, were introduced in October 1991. Most of the sales concluded since then were too far advanced in October 1991 to be considered for an access agreement, while most of the areas brought forward for disposal since that date have still to be sold. Access agreements have now been made with local authorities for five areas of commission land, one of which, covering 21 hectares, has been sold.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 20 April,Official Report, columns 89–90, what steps he has taken, or proposes to take, to publicise the name and address of the secretary to the forestry review group; and if he intends to encourage or invite the submission of expert evidence to the group from outside.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 11 May 1993]: Many individuals and organisations have already submitted useful comments and thoughts to the secretary to the forestry review group, whose name and address have been given coverage in the Official Report and the media.

  Further submissions will continue to be welcomed and, as the work of the group progresses, there may be issues on which specific comment is invited; publicity will be arranged for these, as appropriate.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 17 March,Official Report, columns 276–78, to the hon. Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley), if he will place in the Library a list by county and region of Forestry Commission land holdings greater than 1,000 hectares, giving the name, location and area.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 21 April 1993]: The Forestry Commission is preparing a list of its landholdings greater than 1,000 hectares and I shall arrange for the hon. Member to receive a copy as soon as possible and for further copies to be placed in the Library.

  Cockburnspath Bypass
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to receive the Strathclyde university study monitoring the wind levels over the newly

  Scottish Tourist Board

  Name

  Occupation

  Annual Remuneration £

  Chairman

  Ian Grant CBE FRAgs

  Farmer

  34,510

  488
  constructed Cockburnspath bypass; and if he will make it his policy to publish the results when they are known in full.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 May 1993]: The report of the Strathclyde university study of wind speeds on the new Cockburnspath bypass is expected to be submitted by the end of this year. The results will be made public.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for diversion of vehicles from the route of the newly constructed Cockburnspath bypass during abnormally high wind conditions; and what alternative roads would be used in any such diversion.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 May 1993]: In common with other exposed section of trunk road, the embankment section of the new Cockburnspath bypass now has signs warning drivers of high-sided vehicles of the danger of crosswinds. A comparative study of the pattern of wind speeds and directions at this location and the nearby section of A1 at Thorntonloch is being undertaken by Strathclyde university and the results will determine a strategy for the use of automatically triggered diversion signs. In the event of their use, the diversion route will be along the former trunk road through Cockburnspath.

  A1
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the currently identified parts of the A1 between Newcastle and Edinburgh which are identified as being subjected to abnormally high winds; and what the wind velocities are in such cases.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 May 1993]: Sections of the Al between Newcastle and Edinburgh which have been identified and signed as being subject to abnormal winds which can cause difficulties for drivers of high sided vehicles are:

  (a) River Coquet Bridge, Felton Bypass;

  (b) River Tweed Crossing, Berwick Bypass;

  (c) Cockburnspath Bypass;

  (d) Thorntonloch, north of Dunglass; and

  (e) Dunbar Bypass.

  The study of wind speed at Cockburnspath and Thorntonloch is ongoing and meaningful results are not yet available. Wind velocities have not been measured at the other locations.

  Appointments
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for the Scottish Tourist Board, the Higher Education Funding Council and the Scottish Sports Council the names of the chairman and board or council members, their occupation or profession and the allowances and remuneration payable in each case.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 10 May 1993]The information requested is given in the tables.
  489

  Name

  Occupation

  Annual Remuneration £

  Board Members (6)1

  Ian Milton

  Managing Director

  6,320

  David D Stevenson CBE

  Chairman and Managing Director

  6,320

  John F Loughray

  Company Director

  6,320

  Scott Grier

  Managing Director

  6,320

  Mrs. Philippa Grant

  Company Director

  6,320

  1 One vacancy at present.

  Scottish Higher Education Funding Council

  Name

  Occupation

  Annual Remuneration £

  Chairman

  Professor Jack Shaw, CBE

  Deputy Governor, Bank of Scotland

  25,000

  Council Members

  Professor John Sizer, CBE (Chief Executive)

  165,000

  Professor Michael Bond

  Vice Principal, University of Glasgow

  4,000

  Dr. Chris Carter

  Vice Principal, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art

  4,000

  Professor John Darby

  Assistant Principal, Napier University

  4,000

  Mrs. Eilleen Dunning, OBE

  Former Headteacher, St. Augustine's School

  4,000

  Professor Robert Jack, CBE

  Retired Senior Partner, McGrigor Donald Solicitors

  4,000

  Mr. John McClelland

  UK Director of Manufacturing and Hardware, IBM

  4,000

  Mr. Ronald Miller, CBE

  Executive Chairman, Dawson International

  4,000

  Professor Janet Sprent

  Professor of Plant Biology, Dundee University

  4,000

  Professor David Wallace

  Professor of Mathematical Physics, University of Edinburgh

  4,000

  Mr. Ian Wood, CBE

  Chairman and Management Director, John Wood Group

  4,000

  Mr. James Wright

  Vice-Chancellor, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  4,000

  In addition, Council members are reimbursed expenses arising from attendance at meetings of the council and council subcommittees.

  1 The chief executive is eligible to receive additional performance-related payments of up to 10 per cent. of his gross salary.

  Scottish Sports Council

  Name

  Occupation

  Annual Remuneration £

  Chairman

  Mr. Graeme M. Simmers, OBE

  Businessman

  12,468

  Council Members

  Mr. G. Malcolm Murrary (Vice Chairman)

  Chief Executive (Insurance Company)

  4,465

  Mr. Michael Barron

  Chief Executive (Local Government)

  Nil

  Mr. Alan Blackshaw

  Business Consultant

  Nil

  Mr. Peter Jim Fairlie

  Company Director

  Nil

  Miss Lesley Grant

  Retired Headteacher

  Nil

  Mr. Alan Grosset

  Solicitor

  Nil

  Mr. John Loughray

  Director and Consultant

  Nil

  Mr. Fred Nelson

  Engineer

  Nil

  Dr. Myra Nimmo

  Senior Academic Faculty of Education Strathclyde University

  Nil

  Mr. John N. M. Frame

  Stockbroker

  Nil

  Mrs. Alison Ramsay

  Solicitor

  Nil

  All council members are entitled to claim expenses incurred as a result of their attendance at council meetings or SSC sponsored.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each of the newly incorporated further education colleges the names of the chairman and board members, their occupations or professions and the level of allowances or remuneration payable.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 May 1993]: I shall arrange for the information held centrally on
  490
  members and chairmen of boards of management to be sent to the hon. Member. A copy will also be placed in the Library of the House.

  Membership of a board of management does not attract remuneration. Boards of management may pay allowances and expenses to members within such criteria as the Secretary of State may determine. The criteria which have been set are the same as those applicable to members of local authorities.
  491
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for Scottish Homes and for each of the new town development corporations the name of the

  Name

  Occupation

  Salary (£)

  Scottish Homes

  Sir James Mellon, KCMG, (Chairman)

  Former Diplomat

  36,350

  John Richards, CBE, PPRIAS, (Deputy Chairman)

  Architect, John Richards Associates

  16,515

  Mrs. Frances McCall, MBE

  Member, Management Committee, Calvay Co-op

  6,310

  Professor Duncan Maclennan, MA, MPhil, FRSA

  Professor of Economics and Director, Centre for Housing Research, Glasgow University

  6,310

  Dr. Tom N. A. Begg, OBE, JP, BA, PhD

  Lecturer in Economics, Queen Margaret College Edinburgh

  6,310

  Mrs. Heather Sheerin, OBE

  Co-Director family owned retail carpet business

  6,310

  Mrs. Daphne M. W. Sleigh

  Freelance Market Researcher

  6,310

  Cameron H. Parker

  Non-executive Vice-Chairman, Lithgows Ltd.

  6,310

  Professor John R. Small

  Deputy Principal Heriot Watt University and Professor of Accountancy and Finance

  6,310

  Peter McKinlay (ex-officio member)

  Chief Executive Scottish Homes

  70,527

  Glenrothes Development Corporation

  Professor C. Blake, CBE (Chairman)

  Former Chairman of William Low & Co. plc

  21,540

  David B. B. Smith (Deputy Chairman)

  Director and Chief Executive of Dunfermline Building Society

  9,790

  Mrs. Frances Havenga

  Exports Director

  4,420

  John MacDonald, JP

  Leader of Fife Regional Council

  4,420

  Douglas C. Mason

  Freelance Journalist

  4,420

  Iain A. McCrone, CBE

  Chairman and Managing Director of McCrone Farmers

  4,420

  James A. G. Fiddes

  Senior Partner, Ryden Property Consultants and Chartered Surveyors

  4,420

  Mrs. Jane Buchanan, JP

  Travel Agent

  4,420

  Robert J. Taylor

  Lecturer in Industrial Studies

  4,420

  East Kilbride Development Corporation

  J. Allan Denholm, CBE (Chairman)

  Company Director

  21,540

  Harley Marshall, JP (Deputy Chairman)

  Company Managing Director

  9,790

  Mrs. Elaine McDonald

  Chartered Accountant

  4,420

  James R. Mowat

  Engineer

  4,420

  Iain J. A. Dyer

  Lecturer, Glasgow University

  4,420

  John A. A. Spiers

  Chartered Accountant and Chartered Surveyor

  4,420

  Stewart Crawford

  East Kilbride District Councillor: Provost

  4,420

  Colin Robb

  Leader of East Kilbride District Council

  4,420

  Dr. David M. Sanderson

  Convener of Strathclyde Regional Council

  4,420

  Cumbernauld Development Corporation

  David Mitchell, CBE (Chairman)

  Joint Managing Director M & N Norman Timber Ltd.

  21,540

  Tom M. Barrie, JP (Deputy Chairman)

  Member, Strathclyde Regional Council

  9,790

  John A. Dawson

  Professor of Marketing, Edinburgh University

  4,420

  Mrs. Rose Mary McKenna, JP

  District Councillor

  4,420

  James M. Burnett

  Chartered Surveyor

  4,420

  John S. Moreland, OBE

  Director, Scottish Nuclear

  4,420

  P. G. Lockett

  Chartered Accountant

  4,420

  Robert R. C. Taylor

  Chairman and Managing Director Robert Taylor Holdings Ltd.

  4,420

  Ian R. Young

  Managing Director, Archibald Young (Brass Founders) Ltd.

  4,420

  Livingston Development Corporation

  R. S. Watt, CBE (Chairman)

  Computer Systems Consultant

  21,540

  Brian A. Meek, OBE, JP (Deputy Chairman)

  Vice President, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Association

  9,790

  Mrs. Isobel Brydie, JP

  Member, West Lothian District Council

  4,420

  William R. V. Percy

  Member, Lothian Regional Council

  4,420

  John S. Young

  Former Chairman of Berkley Computer Systems

  4,420

  Ian Ivory

  Investment Manager

  4,420

  Keith Geddes

  Lothian Regional Councillor

  4,420

  492
  chairman and board members, their occupations or professions and the salaries, allowances or other type of remuneration payable.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 May 1993]: The information requested is set out in the table:
  493

  Name

  Occupation

  Salary (£)

  Gordon S. Milne

  Retired Managing Director of Scottish Metropolitan

  4,420

  Charles A. Boyle

  Former Director of Manchester Ship Canal Co.

  4,420

  Irvine Development Corporation

  Maurice Crichton (Chairman)

  Retired Chartered Accountant

  21,540

  Mrs Jeannette M. Mason

  Former member of Strathclyde Regional Council

  9,790

  Jack Carson, JP

  Convener of Cunninghame District Council

  4,420

  David Jerdan

  Chartered Surveyor

  4,420

  Alan Jones

  Vice President and Area Manager, Beechams

  4,420

  Archibald G. O. Walker

  Chartered Accountant

  4,420

  William B. Miller, OBE

  Chairman, Prestwick Holdings plc

  4,420

  Thomas H. Colyer

  Member of Strathclyde Regional Council

  4,420

  Charles Maclean

  Company Director

  4,420

  All the above appointments, except the chief executive, Scottish Homes, are held on a part-time basis. For Scottish Homes, the estimated time commitment is half a day per week for members, one and a half days per week for the deputy chairman and three days per week for the chairman. For the new town development corporations, the expected time commitment is half a day per week for members, one day per week for the deputy chairman and two days per week for the chairman.

  Fords
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many fords there are in Scotland 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.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 6 May 1993]: Information is not held centrally as to the number of fords in Scotland on public roads, the number of fatal or serious accidents at fords, nor the number of fords closed to traffic following such accidents.

  Roads authorities have a duty to manage and maintain the roads for which they are responsible, including any fords on these roads, to allow for the safe and convenient movement of traffic.

  There are prescribed signs to warn of the existence of a ford and of the depth of water. Roads authorities are at liberty to instal such signs without seeking the Secretary of State's consent. Where it is felt that particular circumstances require further warning signs to be erected, roads authorities may seek the Secretary of State's authorisation for non-standard signs.

  Examinations
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans there are to introduce a more comprehensive system of moderation of the internal elements of examination under the auspices of the Scottish Vocational Education Council and the Scottish Examination Board; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 7 May 1993]: The Scottish Vocational Education Council and
  494
  the Scottish Examination Board both give a high priority to the quality of external and internal assessment, and to moderation of their awards. They have in place quality assurance and review procedures to ensure that acceptable standards are maintained.

  The Howie committee included in its report proposals for a quality assurance system to underpin the validity of the new Scottish upper secondary awards which it has recommended. The proposals contained in the Howie committee's report and all the comments received upon these propopals are under consideration.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans there are to alter the continual assessment element of ScotVec qualifications; what representations he has had regarding the quality and acceptability of ScotVec modules; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 7 May 1993]: ScotVec qualifications are evolved in consultation with all interested parties and an independent review conducted by the Scottish Council for Research in Education in 1991 reported that employers favoured the assessment techniques used in ScotVec national certificate modules.

  The success of the Scottish wider access programme in enabling students to enter higher education is evidence of acceptance of ScotVec's assessment methods and quality assurance. The Scottish Universities Council on Entrance, along with other national bodies, has also recently recognised groupings of ScotVec modules for entrance to higher education.

  Local Government Reform
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 14 April,Official Report, column 587, what plans he has to improve the structures and systems of accountability to elected local authorities by non-elected agencies and non-governmental organisations following his proposed reforms of the local government system in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 11 May 1993]: There are no plans to amend the present arrangements for ensuring the accountability of non-departmental public bodies in the context of the Government's proposals for local government reform in Scotland.

EDUCATION

  Testing
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the total cost, at the latest date for which figures are available, of(a) materials used or to be used in the scheduled standard assessment tasks for 1993 and (b) advertisements relating to testing and commending these tests to parents.

  Mr. Forth
  The total cost of producing and distributing all the materials for this year's tests of seven and 14-year-olds is estimated at £6·5 million. This is borne entirely by the School Examinations and Assessment Council. There is no direct cost to schools.

  It is estimated that the cost of advertising the leaflet "How is Your Child Doing at School?" which provides information to parents about this summer's tests is £415,000.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education by what date he expects his policy in regard to standard assessment tasks to be fully operational.

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the right hon. Member to the statement my right hon. Friend made to the House on 11 May,Official Report, columns 651–60.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from secondary schools in Abingdon concerning the operation of his system of national testing of school pupils.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has received various oral and written comments from secondary schools in Abingdon. These have concerned various aspects of the tests for 14-year-olds. The review being conducted by Sir Ron Dearing will consider such comments about the tests, with the aim of improving the assessment and testing arrangements in the future.

  Teachers' Dispute, Wandsworth
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was his response to the letter of 23 April from the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers requesting a meeting to discuss the dispute between the union and the London borough of Wandsworth.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend's private secretary replied on his behalf on 30 April. She advised the NASUWT that it should make its concerns and views known to Sir Ron Dearing who is conducting a review of the national curriculum and assessment arrangements. She said that meanwhile there was no justification for abandoning this summer's tests or for a boycott of the tests, which would damage pupils' education and hamper the achievement of a more streamlined curriculum and assessment framework.

  Number of pupils and boarding pupils in maintained and non-maintained special schools for each LEA in England (including hospital special and general hospital schools).

  January 1992

  Maintained

  Non-maintained

  All pupils

  Boarders(1)

  All pupils

  Boarders(1)

  Corporation of London

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Camden

  372

  62

  0

  0

  Greenwich

  742

  56

  0

  0

  Higher Education
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the number of students entering higher education for each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  The table gives the number of first-year students on higher education courses at publicly funded higher education institutions in Great Britain from 1979 onwards. It includes both UK and overseas domiciled students.

  Academic Year

  Student numbers (000s)

  1979

  327·4

  1980

  340·4

  1981

  355·4

  1982

  356·9

  1983

  365·4

  1984

  370·3

  1985

  391·2

  1986

  410·3

  1987

  415·4

  1988

  438·3

  1989

  473·2

  1990

  511·5

  1991

  587·3

  The number of students in higher education has
  expanded even faster than the rate of growth envisaged in the 1991 higher education White Paper. Over one in four young people were entering higher education in 1992. Government spending plans provide for an increase of 104,000 or 13 per cent. in higher education student numbers during the next three years. This will allow the current record levels of participation to be maintained and give institutions a period during which to consolidate their recent achievements.

  Special Schools
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many pupils in(a) England and (b) each local education authority are educated in (i) local authority-maintained special schools, (ii) non-maintained special schools and (iii) independent special schools;

  (2) how many pupils in (a) England and (b) each local education authority have boarding places in (i) local authority-maintained special schools, (ii) non-maintained special schools and (iii) independent special schools.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested for maintained and non-maintained special schools is shown in the table.

  Information on independent special schools can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  497

  Maintained

  Non-maintained

  All pupils

  Boarders (1)

  All pupils

  Boarders(1)

  Hackney

  651

  150

  0

  0

  Hammersmith

  436

  55

  0

  0

  Islington

  335

  26

  0

  0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  87

  86

  0

  0

  Lambeth

  843

  98

  0

  0

  Lewisham

  466

  59

  0

  0

  Southwark

  491

  61

  0

  0

  Tower Hamlets

  511

  41

  0

  0

  Wandsworth

  715

  195

  0

  0

  Westminster

  168

  29

  0

  0

  Barking

  161

  0

  0

  0

  Barnet

  365

  50

  0

  0

  Bexley

  272

  0

  0

  0

  Brent

  353

  0

  0

  0

  Bromley

  358

  0

  44

  41

  Croydon

  515

  14

  0

  0

  Ealing

  459

  0

  0

  0

  Enfield

  429

  0

  0

  0

  Haringey

  342

  0

  0

  0

  Harrow

  220

  0

  0

  0

  Havering

  225

  0

  0

  0

  Hillingdon

  402

  0

  89

  34

  Hounslow

  391

  0

  0

  0

  Kingston upon Thames

  231

  0

  0

  0

  Merton

  249

  0

  0

  0

  Newham

  342

  0

  0

  0

  Redbridge

  382

  0

  9

  0

  Richmond upon Thames

  149

  0

  0

  0

  Sutton

  311

  0

  0

  0

  Waltham Forest

  777

  20

  0

  0

  Birmingham

  3,015

  222

  0

  0

  Coventry

  820

  65

  0

  0

  Dudley

  571

  0

  0

  0

  Sandwell

  819

  43

  0

  0

  Solihull

  277

  0

  0

  0

  Walsall

  575

  25

  0

  0

  Wolverhampton

  501

  8

  0

  0

  Knowsley

  625

  53

  0

  0

  Liverpool

  1,585

  94

  147

  80

  St. Helens

  470

  0

  0

  0

  Sefton

  428

  0

  165

  97

  Wirral

  772

  0

  69

  32

  Bolton

  483

  9

  37

  12

  Bury

  298

  23

  0

  0

  Manchester

  1,849

  106

  0

  0

  Oldham

  593

  0

  0

  0

  Rochdale

  503

  28

  0

  0

  Salford

  451

  0

  0

  0

  Stockport

  448

  37

  323

  102

  Tameside

  422

  0

  0

  0

  Trafford

  398

  0

  0

  0

  Wigan

  868

  66

  0

  0

  Barnsley

  158

  0

  0

  0

  Doncaster

  710

  36

  308

  244

  Rotherham

  628

  0

  0

  0

  Sheffield

  878

  133

  0

  0

  Bradford

  962

  7

  0

  0

  Calderdale

  199

  0

  54

  54

  Kirklees

  645

  74

  30

  22

  Leeds

  1,019

  16

  113

  81

  Wakefield

  635

  16

  0

  0

  Gateshead

  364

  24

  0

  0

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  792

  69

  156

  96

  North Tyneside

  439

  0

  121

  20

  South Tyneside

  346

  0

  0

  0

  Sunderland

  695

  0

  0

  0

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Avon

  2,065

  228

  0

  0

  Bedfordshire

  1,143

  81

  0

  0

  Berkshire

  1,649

  79

  239

  234

  Buckinghamshire

  1,582

  275

  0

  0

  Cambridgeshire

  984

  77

  0

  0

  Cheshire

  1,505

  333

  171

  163

  Cleveland

  1,415

  58

  0

  0

  Cornwall

  298

  57

  0

  0

  Cumbria

  306

  0

  0

  0

  Derbyshire

  1,356

  97

  98

  48

  498 499

  Maintained

  Non-maintained

  All pupils

  Boarders(1)

  All pupils

  Boarders(1)

  Devon

  1,787

  185

  344

  250

  Dorset

  1,104

  57

  76

  35

  Durham

  1,068

  127

  0

  0

  East Sussex

  1,366

  65

  438

  324

  Essex

  2,609

  147

  160

  73

  Gloucestershire

  1,320

  108

  65

  33

  Hampshire

  3,688

  178

  279

  279

  Hereford and Worcester

  1,260

  38

  172

  172

  Hertfordshire

  1,911

  275

  63

  63

  Humberside

  1,240

  121

  0

  0

  Isle of Wight

  252

  0

  44

  42

  Kent

  3,346

  559

  514

  418

  Lancashire

  3,258

  218

  159

  112

  Leicestershire

  1,104

  165

  0

  0

  Lincolnshire

  1,145

  159

  0

  0

  Norfolk

  896

  83

  0

  0

  North Yorkshire

  1,007

  197

  202

  170

  Northamptonshire

  1,158

  17

  28

  26

  Northumberland

  488

  62

  0

  0

  Nottinghamshire

  1,718

  80

  93

  65

  Oxfordshire

  839

  48

  130

  127

  Shropshire

  550

  14

  77

  77

  Somerset

  609

  23

  61

  43

  Staffordshire

  2,222

  181

  0

  0

  Suffolk

  792

  123

  0

  0

  Surrey

  1,783

  325

  636

  578

  Warwickshire

  1,301

  148

  0

  0

  West Sussex

  1,233

  123

  90

  58

  Wiltshire

  753

  175

  22

  15

  England

  92,101

  7,442

  5,826

  4,320

  (1) Boarders are included in total pupils figures.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average annual cost of(a) boarding and (b) day places in (i) local authority-maintained special schools, (ii) non-maintained special schools and (iii) independent special schools.

  Mr. Forth
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications for grant-maintained status have been approved since 1 December 1992(a) without modification and (b) with modification in respect of (i) admission numbers, (ii) admission policy and (iii) incorporation date.

  Mr. Forth
  Since 1 December 1992, 70 applications for grant-maintained status have been approved without modification, and 118 with modification. Of this latter group, 26 applications were approved with modification in respect of admission numbers, 95 in respect of admission policy, and 10 in respect of incorporation date. Some applications were approved with more than one modification.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list by local education authority the number of(a) teachers, (b) nursery nurses and (c) teachers' aides employed who are disabled.

  Mr. Boswell
  The information requested is not centrally recorded.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Mongolia
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new proposals he has to improve relations with Mongolia.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Relations with Mongolia are very good. January marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations. This year has seen the introduction of a bilateral aid programme for Mongolia of £2·7 million over the next three years. This is aimed at helping the Mongolians with their economic reform programme, being carried out in the face of considerable hardship. A bilateral round table meeting is scheduled for this October in London.

  Somalia
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the prospects for Somalia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The deployment of foreign troops has radically improved the relief situation, although security remains a major problem. Somali military factions have agreed to a ceasefire, disarmament and the formation of a transitional government.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about developments in Bosnia and the Balkans.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in former Yugoslavia.
  501
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in Bosnia.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his European Community counterparts on the conflict in Bosnia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about Government policy on Bosnia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The rejection of the Vance-Owen peace plan by the Bosnian Serb Assembly is a serious set-back but should not be seen as the last word on the agreement. We are pursuing a twin-track policy: to continue planning for implementation of the plan, while at the same time increasing pressure on the Serbs to accept and implement the peace plan and to desist from further attacks. We are already intensifying sanctions, and are consulting closely with our partners and allies on the possibility of stronger measures if the Serbs do not comply.

  A political settlement in Bosnia would ease tensions in the region and reduce the risk of possible spillover into other parts of the former Yugoslavia.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of sanctions against Serbia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Sanctions are having an increasingly harsh effect on the Serbian economy. Inflation is running at over 225 per cent per month. Over 70 per cent of the work force are unemployed or idle.Per capita gross domestic product has fallen to the 1969 level and severe shortages are apparent in all sectors of the economy. The provisions of United Nations Security Council resolution 820 and the tighter enforcement measures being taken will have a major impact on the effectiveness of the sanctions regime.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government have taken to ensure the release of the women held in Bosnian rape camps; if he will initiate steps to have rape classified as a war crime; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Sherwood (Mr. Tipping) on 27 April Official Report, column 372. Rape is already a war crime since it is specifically prohibited by article 27 of the fourth Geneva convention.

  Middle East
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest developments in the middle east peace negotiations.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the middle east peace process.

  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is 502
  being made towards a peace settlement between the Palestinians and the Israeli Government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The bilateral negotiations between Israel and the Arab parties resumed in Washington on 27 April. We welcome the resumption. We continue to urge the parties to negotiate seriously to produce early visible progress towards lasting settlement on the basis of United Nations Security Council resolutions 242 and 338.

  Denmark (Referendum)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has for avoiding the isolation of Denmark in the event of a second no vote in its referendum.

  Mr. Hurd
  We do not expect the Danes to vote no.

  Japan
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom/Japanese relations.

  Mr. Goodlad
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs confirmed during his visit to Japan on 6 to 7 April, relations between the United Kingdom and Japan are excellent. We are maintaining a high level of ministerial contact so as to develop our co-operation in all fields including political dialogue, trade, investment, science and technology and broader cultural and educational exchanges.

  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Japanese Foreign Minister to discuss bilateral relations.

  Mr. Goodlad
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met the new Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr. Kabun Muto, on 7 April during his visit to Tokyo. He had also met on 6 April the
  acting Foreign Minister, Mr. Yohei Kono, and had with him a fruitful discussion on how to develop further the excellent bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and Japan.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed the Cyprus issue with the Turkish Government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  When my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met Mr. Cetin in London on 23 November, he made clear our expectation that Turkey would use her significant influence to encourage the Turkish Cypriot community to work actively towards a settlement to the dispute. We use every opportunity to reiterate to the Turks our desire for a solution to the Cyprus problem and will do so again in the run-up to the resumed intercommunal talks in New York on 24 May.

  Iran
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent meetings he has had with members of the Government of Iran concerning hostages and detained persons in the middle east; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs last met the Iranian Foreign Minister, Dr. Velayati, in New York on 25 September 1992. He met the Iranian charge d'affaires in London on 26 January 1993 and I met him on 5 May 1993. The Iranian Government are well aware of our views on hostages.

  Open Government
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution he expects to make to the open government initiative.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster told the House on 12 March, we will be publishing a White Paper on openness during the present Session. I have no wish to anticipate its recommendations.

  Sudan
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Government policy on the current troubles in Sudan.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A root cause of the misery in Sudan is the civil war. We welcome the reconvening of peace talks under the auspices of the Nigerian Government and are discussing with our EC partners, the US and others what further the international community can do to alleviate the suffering.

  We shall maintain strong pressure on the Government of Sudan to improve their performance in areas of concern to us, especially human rights and the alleviation of the humanitarian crisis. We were one of the first to respond at the outset of the present crisis in November 1990, and have since then committed over £63 million in humanitarian aid. This makes us one of the leading donors to Sudan.

  Eritrea
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy towards Eritrea following its referendum.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We warmly welcome the outcome of the referendum on Eritrea's status. United Nations observers have confirmed their satisfaction with the process. This opens the way for recognition of Eritrea. The Eritreans have announced that their independence will be formally declared on 24 May. Accordingly, we plan to announce our decision on recognition by that date.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to encourage an amicable resolution on the island of Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.
  504
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the present situation in Cyprus.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The United Nations Secretary-General held a formal meeting with the leaders of the two Cypriot communities in New York on 30 March. The two leaders expressed their willingness to resume talks in New York on 24 May and to use the "Set of Ideas" for the purpose of reaching a mutually acceptable overall framework agreement. We continue to give vigorous support to the United Nations initiative.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Turkish Government, and when this was last done, regarding the number of settlers from mainland Turkey now moving to northern Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The questions of settlement and property rights in Cyprus are intrinsic to the UN "Set of Ideas", endorsed by the Security Council as the basis of a settlement. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs last urged Turkey at the highest level to support the "Set of Ideas" when he met Mr. Demirel and Mr. Cetin on 23 November. We keep in close touch with the Turkish Government, and make our views clear, through Her Majesty's ambassadors in Ankara and elsewhere.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when ministers or officials of his Department last met opposition leaders of political parties operating in northern Cyprus; when such meetings took place; and what issues were discussed.

  Mr. Goodlad
  There have been 13 meetings between officials and Turkish Cypriot "opposition" leaders in the last three months, including a guest of Government visit by Mustafa Akinci in London on 24 March. Discussions included the negotiations towards a settlement of the Cyprus problem and the situation in north Cyprus.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's estimate of the number of people who have migrated from Turkey to northern Cyprus in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We do not compile such statistics.

  Russia
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation to discuss the current political situation in Europe.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed European political issues with Mr. Kozyrev when he met him in Moscow in April. They have since discussed these issues by telephone.

  UN Peace Operations
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in how many countries, and in which, there are currently United Nations peacekeeping or peace monitoring operations.
  505
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in how many countries United Nations peacekeeping or peace monitoring units are operating.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There are 12 current United Nations peacekeeping or monitoring missions:

  UNTSO—The UN Truce Supervision Organisation

  UNDOF—The UN Disengagement Observer Force

  UNIFIL—The UN Interim Force in Lebanon

  UNMOGIP—The UN Monitoring Organisation India/Pakistan

  UNFICYP—The UN Force in Cyprus

  ONUSAL—The UN Missions in El Salvador

  UNAVEM—The UN Angola Verification Mission

  MINURSO—The UN Referendum Monitory Mission in Western Sahara

  UNIKOM—The UN Iraq/Kuwait Observer Mission

  UNTAC—The UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia

  UNPROFOR—The UN Protection Force (Former Yugoslavia)

  ONUMOZ—The UN Operation in Mozambique

  A deployment is also underway to UNOSOM II which will take over from UNITAF—the Unified Task Force —in Somalia.

  Angola
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the present situation in Angola.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Talks between the Government of Angola and UNITA continue under United Nations auspices in Abidjan. We continue to support the UN in its efforts to bring the two parties to agreement on a ceasefire, full implementation of the Bicesse peace accords, and free access throughout the country for much-needed humanitarian aid.

  Brazil
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Brazilian Government about their 1988 constitutional commitment to demarcate lands for their Indian population within a five-year period.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are in regular touch with the Brazilian authorities about the rights of the indigenous peoples of Brazil. They are fully aware of our concern. In February this year, the Brazilian Minister of Justice publicly reconfirmed his intention to complete the demarcation of the lands of Brazil's indigenous peoples by October 1993 in compliance with Brazil's 1988 constitution.

  Human Rights
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to raise the rights of indigenous peoples in Brazil at the United Nations conference on human rights in Vienna.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The aims of the United Kingdom delegation at the United Nations conference on human rights in Vienna will be to promote universal adherence to existing standards, to explore ways to improve their implementation and to examine the relationship between human rights, democracy and development. The rights of the indigenous peoples in Brazil will be for consideration 506
  under item 11 of the agenda: "Consideration of contemporary trends in and new challenges to the full realisation of all human rights of women and men, including those of persons belonging to vulnerable groups".

  European Treaties
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the proposed names for the treaties comprising(a) the current treaty of Rome, as amended, with the contents of titles II, III and IV of the treaty on European union signed at Maastricht and (b) titles I, V, VI and VII of the treaty on European union signed at Maastricht.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Following the entry into force of the treaty on European union, four treaties will be in force:

  (a) the treaty establishing the European Community ("The EC Treaty") i.e., the present treaty of Rome as amended by title II of the treaty on European union;

  (b) the treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community ("The ECSC Treaty") as amended by title III of the treaty on European union;

  (c) the treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community ("The EURATOM treaty") as amended by title IV of the treaty on European union;

  (d) the treaty on European union itself, in its entirety.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Disabled People
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what liaison has taken place between the Benefits Agency and organisations representing the disabled in(a) Wales and (b) England.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Liew Smith, dated 11 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 liaison has taken place between the Benefits Agency and organisations representing the disabled in (a) Wales and (b) England.The Agency is committed to an equal opportunities policy. For our customers with disabilities, this means that wherever possible we will ensure that their dealings with us should not be limited by reason of their disabilities.In Wales, our staff have had a good deal of contact with organisations representing people with disabilities, much of it at local level. A review of our customer service across Wales was held in October 1992, attended by many organisations (including several representing the needs of people with disabilities in Wales). We have also run a one day seminar jointly with the Wales Council for the Blind, aimed at carers and people with disabilities. With the introduction of the new disability benefits last year, a bilingual English/Welsh cassette was produced for blind customers, and was distributed through talking newspapers and to all Social Service Departments in Wales.A series of "roadshows" using our own Benefit Bus and the Wales Council for the Disabled WCD advice and information bus took place during February of this year, at 10 locations throughout Wales. Following this, a series of one day seminars, organised jointly by the Agency and by the council,

  507
  have been held. They were attended by our own customer service staff in Wales, and by representatives from relevant organisations. A member of our staff was seconded to the council last year for 10 months.Nationally, we liaise and meet regularly with a number of organisations representing the needs of people with disabilities. These include the Royal National Institute for the Deaf, the Royal National Institute for the Blind, People First, and the National Schizophrenia Society. We are looking at a number of their services with a view to publicising them through our network of District Information Officers and Customer Service Managers in local benefit offices. We also liaise regularly with a number of other customer organisations, including the National Association of Citizen's Advice Bureau (NACAB).I meet senior staff from NACAB six monthly.As the Agency's customer charter makes clear, we are committed to providing a service which is accessible for all our customers. We recognise that disabled people may have particular needs and we will continue to look for ways to make our services easier to use. One way in which we intend to meet this commitment is through a national forum to enable organisations representing or comprising people with disabilities to contribute to the Agency's ongoing work to improve services for disabled customers. The first meeting took place last September. That first, very informal meeting, was mainly, but not exclusively, about the disability benefits. A second meeting took place on 5 May this year. The forum will continue twice yearly whilst there is the demand.A small group of organisations have also met with the Agency to discuss how to improve access to our public areas. The outcome is that we are redrafting and improving accommodation guidance for District and Unit Managers.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.

  Young People, Durham
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many 16 and 17-year-olds living in the Durham area are not in full-time education and are not entitled to benefit.

  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 Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Gerry Steinberg, dated 11 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 how many 16 and 17 year olds living in the Durham area are not in full-time education and are not entitled to benefit.

  1991–92

  April 1992 to 31 December 1992

  Hospital

  OBS

  GP Maternity

  OBS

  GB Maternity

  Ards

  25

  —

  20

  —

  Belfast City

  64

  —

  64

  —

  Downe

  20

  —

  20

  —

  Lagan Valley

  33

  —

  27

  —

  Mater

  24

  —

  23

  —

  Royal Maternity

  74

  —

  72

  —

  Ulster

  44

  —

  43

  —

  Ballymena Cottage

  20

  16

  10

  16

  Robinson Memorial

  —

  14

  —

  14

  Mid Ulster

  26

  —

  26

  —

  Moyle

  19

  —

  19

  —

  Route

  19

  —

  18

  —

  Waveney

  25

  —

  25

  —

  Craigavon Area

  61

  —

  61

  —

  Daisy Hill

  52

  —

  52

  —

  South Tyrone

  31

  —

  29

  —

  508 This information is not available in the format requested except at a disproportionate cost. This is because the Benefits Agency does not keep statistics relating to disallowed claims by age of applicant. However, I have appended information relating to the number of successful applications for Severe Hardship payments made in the Benefits Agency's North Durham and South Durham Districts during February and March 1993. This information does not equate exactly to the number of individuals in receipt of a Severe Hardship payment, since an individual may have made more than one application during the period. Additionally, directions to make Severe Hardship payments normally last eight weeks, so some of these directions may not now be current.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.

  Successful Severe Hardship claims in the Benefits Agency's North and South Durham districts; February and March 1993

  February 1993

  March 1993

  North Durham

  32

  43

  South Durham

  34

  32

  Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what circumstances compensation is payable in respect of delays in handling claims for mobility allowance; and how many times these have arisen between 31 October 1992 and 31 March 1993.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply to the hon. Member for Fulham (Mr. Carrington) on Tuesday 4 May, at column 10.

  Between 31 October 1992 and 31 March 1993, around 50 cases have been dealt with as a result of the delays in handling mobility allowance claims.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Maternity Services
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the hospitals in Northern Ireland which had consultant obstetric and/or general practitioner maternity beds in 1991–92 and 1992–93, with the numbers of beds of each type in each hospital in each year.

  Mr. Hanley
  The average numbers of available beds in the obstetrics and general practitioner maternity specialities in Northern Ireland in 1991–92 and the period from 1 April 1992 to 31 December 1992 are as follows:
  509

  1991–92

  April 1992 to 31 December 1992

  Hospital

  OBS

  GP Maternity

  OBS

  GB Maternity

  Altnagelvin

  68

  —

  61

  —

  Erne

  30

  —

  25

  —

  Tyrone Co.

  31

  —

  31

  —

  Total

  666

  30

  626

  30

  Housing Construction, Newtownards
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when planning application No. X/92/0120 by Braemar Construction for seven dwellings at the rear of Beverley Court, Newtownards was received; when neighbour notification notices were issued; why no neighbour notification notice was issued to the occupier of 3 Beverley Court; what opinion Ards borough council expressed; when planning approval was issued; when work commenced on site; when the planning officer received a letter of 24 February from Mr. Robert Groves of 3 Beverley Court about this; and when a full reply to the letter will be issued.

  Mr. Atkins
  The application was received on 13 February 1992. Neighbour notification notices were issued on 18 February 1992 and the Department's records show that a notice was sent to "The Occupier of No. 3 Beverley Court". The application was presented to Ards borough council at its meeting of 22 June 1992 with an opinion to approve. The council agreed with this opinion and approval issued on 19 July 1992; the divisional planning office has no record of when work started. Mr. Groves' letter of 24 February 1993 was received by the divisional planning office on 26 February 1993. The matters raised required a site survey and a reply was issued on 6 May 1993.

  Actions successfully defended under Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989

  Applicant

  Respondent

  FEC supported

  (i) Government Departments Maguire

  Northern Ireland Civil Service Commission

  No

  (ii) Education and library boards Black

  Belfast education and library board

  No

  (iii) Health and social services boards

  No cases

  (iv) Local authorities

  Little

  Fermanagh district council

  No

  McCausland

  Dungannon district council

  Yes

  Robinson

  Belfast city council

  No

  (v) Other public bodies

  Meek

  Fire Authority for Northern Ireland

  No

  Tierney

  Fire Authority for Northern Ireland

  Yes

  Park

  Post Office

  No

  Gilbride

  Post Office

  No

  McKeown

  Local Enterprise Development Unit

  No

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the actions under(a) fair employment legislation and (b) equal opportunities legislation, which have been successfully defended by (i) Government Departments, (ii) education boards, (iii) health boards, (iv) local authorities and (v) other public bodies, indicating in each case whether the unsuccessful applicant was supported by the Fair Employment Agency or Fair Employment Commission or Equal Opportunities Commission and the costs incurred by the successful respondent in cases where there was such support.

  Mr. Atkins
  Information on discrimination legislation prior to I readily available and could be disproportionate cost.

  Individual complaints of religious discrimination before 1 January 1990 were brought under the procedure in the Fair Employment (NI) Act 1976 and were not defended as such or prosecuted by either party; instead the Fair Employment Agency acted as an impartial investigator. Under the 1976 Act a total of 593 findings were made on foot of individual complaints, of which 496 were findings of no unlawful discrimination. Details as to the respondent in these cases could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Information relating to actions brought since 1 January 1990 under the Fair Employment (NI) Act and the Sex Discrimination (NI) Order 1976 is as follows:
  511

  Actions successfully defended under Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Act 1976

  Applicant

  Respondent

  EOC supported

  (i) Government Departments

  Burnim

  Northern Ireland Civil Service

  No

  Cowley

  Inland Revenue

  No

  (ii) Education and library boards

  Fenton

  Belfast education and library board

  Yes

  Beanie

  Belfast education and library board

  Yes

  Lisk

  North Eastern education and library board

  Yes

  Hood

  South Eastern education and library board

  No

  (iii) Health and social services boards

  McNearney

  Eastern health and social services board

  No

  Young

  Eastern health and social services board

  No

  Jess

  Eastern health and social services board

  Yes

  (iv) Local authorities

  McKinney

  Belfast city council

  Yes

  McDonald

  Newtownabbey borough council

  Yes

  Moore

  Lisburn borough council

  No

  Kemp

  Belfast county council

  No

  (v) Other public bodies

  Devlin

  Northern Ireland Electricity

  No

  No information is available about the costs incurred by respondents in successfully defending cases.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants currently in the Northern Ireland Office have been seconded or transferred from(a) the Foreign Office, (b) the Home Office and (c) the Ministry of Defence; and what their rank was before such move and their current rank.

  Mr. Mates
  Four have been seconded on loan or transferred from the Foreign Office, 18 from the Home Office and 10 from the Ministry of Defence.

  Their grades are as follows:

  Current Grade

  Grade before joining Northern Ireland Office

  1 Grade 1

  1 Grade 2

  2 Grade 2

  2 Grade 3

  2 Grade 3

  1 Grade 3, 1 Grade 5

  1 Grade 4

  1 Chief Information Officer

  4 Grade 5

  3 Grade 5, 1 Administration Trainee

  1 Grade 6

  1 Grade 6

  9 Grade 7

  6 Grade 7, 1 Senior Executive Officer

  1 Higher Executive Officer,

  1 Executive Officer

  5 Higher Executive Officer

  3 Higher Executive Officer,

  1 Executive Officer,

  1 Administration Officer

  1 Information Officer

  1 Information Officer

  1 Administrative Officer

  1 Photo-printer

  1 Senior Personal Secretary

  1 Personal Secretary

  3 Personal Secretary

  3 Personal Secretary

  1 Typist

  1 Typist

  Transport Holding Company
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to privatise the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company; what estimate of asset proceeds he has made; and if he will make a statement.
  512
  Mr. Atkins
  There are no plans to privatise the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company.

  School Pupils
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the number of pupils at each of(a) maintained primary schools, (b) maintained secondary schools, (c) maintained grammar schools, (d) controlled primary schools, (e) controlled secondary schools and (f) controlled grammar schools, in each of the education and library board areas in Northern Ireland for the last five years.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows:

  1988

  Area board

  Primary

  Secondary

  Grammar

  Belfast

  Controlled

  13,168

  6,535

  1,747

  Maintained

  16,707

  9,335

  —

  Voluntary

  206

  —

  13,307

  Western

  Controlled

  10,445

  5,267

  2,178

  Maintained

  25,322

  12,087

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  7,310

  North-eastern

  Controlled

  26,397

  13,931

  3,968

  Maintained

  13,345

  7,430

  —

  Voluntary

  5

  —

  8,696

  South-eastern

  Controlled

  23,398

  11,444

  3,110

  Maintained

  11,514

  4,957

  —

  Voluntary

  160

  —

  6,789

  Southern

  Controlled

  15,766

  9,058

  1,929

  Maintained

  26,066

  12,490

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  7,247

  513

  1989

  Area board

  Primary

  Secondary

  Grammar

  Belfast

  Controlled

  13,295

  6,032

  1,750

  Maintained

  17,063

  9,455

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  13,475

  Western

  Controlled

  10,571

  5,140

  2,208

  Maintained

  25,634

  12,076

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  7,476

  North-eastern

  Controlled

  26,418

  13,178

  4,054

  Maintained

  13,428

  7,237

  —

  Voluntary

  4

  —

  8,668

  South-eastern

  Controlled

  23,536

  10,928

  3,150

  Maintained

  11,817

  4,829

  —

  Voluntary

  158

  —

  6,820

  Southern

  Controlled

  15,890

  8,738

  1,998

  Maintained

  26,427

  12,355

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  7,282

  1990

  Area board

  Primary

  Secondary

  Grammar

  Belfast

  Controlled

  13,472

  5,659

  1,723

  Maintained

  17,431

  9,420

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  13,459

  Western

  Controlled

  10,615

  4,981

  2,229

  Maintained

  25,860

  11,906

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  7,458

  North-eastern

  Controlled

  26,445

  12,619

  4,091

  Maintained

  13,592

  7,047

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  8,583

  South-eastern

  Controlled

  23,639

  10,547

  3,142

  Maintained

  11,944

  4,827

  —

  Voluntary

  166

  —

  6,919

  Southern

  Controlled

  15,994

  8,535

  1,985

  Maintained

  26,609

  12,273

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  7,289

  1991

  Area board

  Primary

  Secondary

  Grammar

  Belfast

  Controlled

  13,769

  5,335

  1,748

  Maintained

  17,553

  9,431

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  13,858

  Western

  Controlled

  10,471

  4,763

  2,242

  Maintained

  25,983

  11,936

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  7,636

  North-eastern

  Controlled

  26,278

  12,235

  4,149

  Maintained

  13,529

  6,983

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  8,712

  South-eastern

  Controlled

  23,697

  10,262

  3,194

  Maintained

  12,110

  4,984

  —

  514

  1991

  Area board

  Primary

  Secondary

  Grammar

  Voluntary

  93

  —

  7,048

  Southern

  Controlled

  15,966

  8,496

  2,022

  Maintained

  26,435

  12,242

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  7,534

  1992

  Area board

  Primary

  Secondary

  Grammar

  Belfast

  Controlled

  13,857

  5,130

  1,736

  Maintained

  17,818

  9,614

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  14,326

  Western

  Controlled

  10,435

  4,750

  2,307

  Maintained

  26,019

  12,257

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  7,818

  North-eastern

  Controlled

  26,171

  12,137

  4,199

  Maintained

  13,604

  7,034

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  8,866

  South-eastern

  Controlled

  23,717

  10,245

  3,214

  Maintained

  11,899

  5,155

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  7,181

  Southern

  Controlled

  15,841

  8,683

  2,012

  Maintained

  26,447

  12,520

  —

  Voluntary

  —

  —

  7,784

  Ulster Young Militants
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will proscribe the Ulster Young Militants; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  The question of whether certain organisations should be proscribed is kept under review. The fact that a particular organisation may not be proscribed confers no immunity from prosecution in respect of substantive criminal acts which it or its members may commit.

DEFENCE

  Nuclear Weapons Transport
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the truck cargo heavy duty II vehicles used by his Department comply with the International Atomic Energy Agency Safety Series No. 6 Regulations 1985, as amended in 1990.

  Mr. Aitken
  The International Atomic Energy Agency Safety Series No. 6 Regulations 1985, as amended in 1990, apply primarily to the containers or packaging used for the safe transport of radioactive material. In formulating safety procedures for nuclear warhead transport, full account is taken of national and international civil regulations on transport of radioactive materials, where relevant.

  Biological and Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what prior warnings of the hazard and effects of the incapacitating agent BZ were given to service personnel who were tested with this agent by his Department; in which years these tests were carried out; how many service personnel were tested with the agent; and which regiments or branches of the United Kingdom armed services these personnel were from;

  (2) on what date information about CR gas was first passed from the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence to the United States Department of Defense; in what form this information was passed; and if this information was passed under the terms of the technical co-operation programme;

  (3) on what date the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence received the last quantity of nerve agent VX from the United States Department of Defense; which United States Department of Defense establishment supplied the quantity of nerve gas; what safety precautions were taken during the transfer of the nerve agent; and which United States safety authorities, British safety authorities and British local councils were informed beforehand of the transfer of this nerve agent;

  (4) how the workings of the basic standardisation agreement between the British, American and Canadian armies were affected by the British decision to give up offensive work on chemical and biological weapons;

  (5) how often the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Canada have met under the terms of the 1980 memorandum of understanding on chemical and biological defence; and what were the dates and locations of each of these meetings;

  (6) what tests and studies his Department has carried out using the organism pasteurella tularensis; when and where these experiments took place; and if the results of this scientific activity were exchanged with the United States of America, Canada or Australia;

  (7) how many scientific papers co-authored by scientists from the chemical and biological establishment at Porton Down and their counterparts in the United States of America military have been published since 1979; what were the dates of these papers; and in which scientific journals they were published;

  (8) what experiments his Department has carried out on the chemical agent phencyclidine; when and where the experiments were carried out; and if the results of the experiments were exchanged with the United States of America, Canada or Australia;

  (9) what stocks of toxins have been transferred from the United States of America Department of Defence to the Ministry of Defence or British scientific research institutions since 1979; from which United States of America Department of Defence establishments these toxins have been transferred; and under which international defence agreements these toxins have been transferred.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  These are matters for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive of CBDE to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from G. Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 12 May 1993:
  516
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him what prior warnings of the hazard and effects of the incapacitating agent BZ were given to service personnel who were tested with this agent by his Department; in which years these tests were carried out; how many service personnel were tested with the agent; and which regiments or branches of the United Kingdom armed services these personnel were from (Question 2, Order Paper 4 May 1993) has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down is to ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. This work includes the evaluation of the potential hazard of possible agents such as the incapacitating agent BZ.
  3. The Service volunteers in the studies involving BZ came from all branches of the Armed Services in response to a request for volunteers to participate in studies at the then Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment. The volunteers were informed that the purpose of the tests was to assess the effects of a potential agent which might affect their behaviour. Volunteers were screened for normality by a resident Army Psychiatrist on arrival at Porton Down and checked again after the study. These studies were carried out in the mid 1960s. It would involve a disproportionate amount of effort to determine which regiments or branches of the Armed Forces these personnel were from.

  Letter from G. Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 12 May 1993:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him on what date information about CR gas was first passed from the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence to the United States Department of Defense; in what form this information was passed; and if this information was passed under the terms of The Technical Co-operation Programme (Question 5, Order Paper 4 May 1993) has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. As part of that programme evaluation is carried out of chemicals that may be used by an aggressor. Research into CR gas at the then Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down commenced in 1962. The information gained in the research programme during the subsequent years has formed part of the chemical and biological defence programme which has been the subject of information exchange and collaboration with the United States Department of Defense on a continuing basis. This information was exchanged under the aegis of the defence agreements referred to by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, the Rt. Hon. Archie Hamilton, MP, in his reply of 21 May 1992, Official Report, Columns 255–256 which include the Technical Co-operation Programme. A report written in 1962 was provided to the United States Department of Defense under the terms of this Programme. It is not possible to be more precise about the form in which the information was exchanged and when as we do not maintain records in a way that enables us to readily access this information.

  Letter from G. Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 12 May 1993:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him on what date the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence received the last quantity of nerve agent VX from the United States Department of Defense, which United States Department of Defense establishment supplied the quantity of nerve gas; what safety precautions were taken during the transfer of the nerve agent: and which United States safety authorities, British safety authorities and British local councils were informed beforehand of the transfer of this

  517
  nerve agent (Question 6, Order Paper 4 May 1993) has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to have available small quantities of the materials which may be used as chemical or biological warfare agents by a potential aggressor.

  3. The last transfer of VX from the United States of America took place in June 1967 for a collaborative trial at Porton Down on downwind hazard evaluation and the material was provided and shipped by Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland, The transfer took place by US military aircraft into Mildenhall, Suffolk. The material was shipped in a sealed container as a Class A poison under the regulations prescribed by the interstate Commerce Commission and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Agency. The shipment was escorted by a 3 man escort equipped with protective clothing and detection and decontamination equipment. It was then transferred to the then Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down by road convoy in accordance with the regulations in force at the time in the United Kingdom. These would have included notifying the relevant Police Forces of the operation and the provision of additional escorts, including a police vehicle. Safety precautions were applied to this transfer in accordance with the appropriate standards at that time.

  Letter from G. Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 12 May 1993:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him how the workings of the Basic Standardisation Agreement between the British, American and Canadian armies were affected by the British decision to give up offensive work on chemical and biological weapons (Question 8. Order Paper 4 May 1993) has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.2. The Basic Standardisation Agreement between the American, British and Canadian armies promotes cooperation and interoperability through standardisation amongst the armies of the three Nations. As the agreement is a broad one and is not specific to chemical and biological aspects, the effect of the UK decision to give up offensive work on chemical and biological weapons was that such UK information ceased to be produced and could not be exchanged.
  Letter from G. Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 12 May 1993:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him how often the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Canada have met under the terms of the 1980 Memorandum of Understanding on Chemical and Biological Defence; and what were the dates and locations of each of these meetings (Question 9, Order Paper 4 May 1993) has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The aim of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Chemical and Biological Defence is to integrate the programmes of the three countries to the maximum possible extent. The Steering Group under the MOU meets annually whilst the Programme Officers and Requirements Officers meet at six monthly intervals. In addition, experts from the three countries meet under the aegis of the MOU to address specific topics on an as required basis.
  3. The Steering. Group meets in rotation usually at the headquarters of the respective Departments of Defence. The Group has met twelve times as follows:
  518

  Date

  Location

  30 June 1981

  United States of America

  23 March 1983

  United Kingdom

  11 April 1984

  Canada

  24 September 1984

  United Kingdom

  21 November 1985

  United States of America

  5 June 1986

  Canada

  24 September 1987

  United Kingdom

  18 November 1988

  United States of America

  6 October 1989

  United Kingdom

  12 October 1990

  Canada

  25 October 1991

  United States of America

  24 November 1992

  United Kingdom

  4. The Programme Officers and Requirement Officers (PRO/RD) of each of the three countries meet at six monthly intervals in one of the countries in turn. These meetings usually take place at the respective chemical and biological defence establishments ie. the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down, the Defence Research Establishment at Suffield, Canada, and the United States Army Chemical and Biological Defense Command at Edgewood, Maryland. The dates of these meetings were as follows:

  Date

  Location

  17 December 1980

  United Kingdom

  21–22 October 1981

  United Kingdom

  United States of America/

  3–8 June 1982

  Canada

  13–14 October 1982

  United Kingdom

  21–23 March 1983

  United Kingdom

  26–27 May 1983

  United States of America

  9–10 April 1984

  Canada

  11–12 September 1984

  United States of America

  11–13 March 1985

  United Kingdom

  1–3 October 1985

  Canada

  17–19 March 1986

  United States of America

  29 September-1

  October 1986

  United Kingdom

  27–29 April 1987

  Canada

  9–11 September 1987

  United States of America

  22–24 March 1988

  United Kingdom

  27–29 September 1988

  Canada

  3–5 April 1989

  United States of America

  19–21 September 1989

  United Kingdom

  30 April-2 May 1990

  Canada

  18–20 September 1990

  United States of America

  19–21 March 1991

  United Kingdom

  10–12 September 1991

  Canada

  24–26 March 1992

  United States of America

  15–17 September 1992

  United Kingdom

  23–25 March 1993

  Canada

  Letter from G. Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 12 May 1993:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him what tests and studies his Department has carried out using the organism pasteurella tularensis; when and where these experiments took place; and if the results of this scientific activity were exchanged with the United States of America, Canada and Australia (Question 10, Order Paper 4 May 1993) has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.2. Tests and studies on the organism Pasteurella tularensis (now known as Francisella tularensis) have been carried out since the early 1950s by the then Microbiological Research Department, subsequently by the Microbiological Research Establishment, Porton Down until its closure in 1979 and since then by the Chemical Defence Establishment, now the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down. Whilst some of the initial work had relevance to the feasibility of a retaliatory biological warfare capability, all

  519
  offensive work ceased in the late 1950s and since then work on this organism has been in support of the programme to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat the biological weapons may be used against them.3. The information gained has been the subject of information exchange and collaboration with the United States of America, Canada and Australia on a continuing basis. This information was exchanged under the aegis of the defence agreements referred to by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, The Right Hon. Archie Hamilton, MP, in his reply of 21 May 1992, Official Report, columns 255–256.
  Letter from G. Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 12 May 1993:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him how many scientific papers co-authored by scientists from the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down and their counterparts in the United States of America military have been published since 1979; what were the dates of these papers; and which scientific journals they were published (Question 11, Order Paper 4 May 1993) has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.2. Our records show that the following scientific papers have been co-authored by scientists from the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down and our counterparts in the United States of America defense establishments since 1979;

  a. Identification of encapsulated and non-encapsulated Yersinia pestis by immunofluorescence tests using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies.

  Epidem Ire nf. 101, (1988), 59–73

  b. An investigation of possible models for the production of progressive pulmonary fibrosis in the rat. The effects of repeated intratracheal instillation of bleomycin.

  Toxicology, 51, (1988), 101–110.

  c. A model for carbamate and organophosphate-induced enemiis in humans.

  Neuroscience and Biobehavoural Reviews, Vol.15, (1991), pp 179–184.

  d. Identification of Bacillus anthracis by polyclonal antibodies against extracted vegetative cell antigens.

  Journal of Applied Bacteriology, 66, (1989), 419–432.

  e. Detection of Spores of Bacillus anthracis using the Polymerase Chain Reaction.

  Journal of Infectious Diseases,/65 (1992), 1145–8.

  Letter from G. Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 12 May 1993:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him what experiments his Department has carried out on the chemical agent phencyclidine; when and where the experiments were carried out; and if the results of the experiments were exchanged with the United States of America, Canada or Australia (Question 12, Order Paper 4 May 1993) has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work the potential hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.3. Research into phencyclidine at the then Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down started in 1963 with a study to assess the behavioural effects of phencyclidine in rats and to compare the results with other Psychotomimetics including LSD. The information gained has formed part of the chemical and biological defence programme which has been the subject of information exchange and collaboration with the United States Department of Defense on a continuing basis. This information was exchanged under the aegis of the defence
  520
  agreements referred to by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, The Rt. Hon. Archie Hamilton, MP, in his reply of 21 May 1992, Official Report, columns 255–256.
  Letter from G. Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 12 May 1993:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him what stocks of toxins have been transferred from the United States of America Department of Defense to the Ministry of Defence or British scientific research institutions since 1979; from which United States of America Department of Defense establishments these toxins have been transferred; and under which international defence agreements these toxins have been transferred (Question 13, Order Paper 4 May 1993) has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to have available small quantities of the materials which may be used as chemical or biological warfare agents by a potential aggressor.3. Since 1979 a small quantity of shellfish toxin has been received from the US Army Chemical Research, Development and Engineering Center at Edgewood, Maryland as well as a small quantity of Clostridium perfringens beta-toxin from the US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases. The quantities in both cases were extremely small and would not be regarded as stocks of toxins. These transfers from the United States of America Department of Defense to the Ministry of Defence and more specifically the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down took place under the defence agreements referred to by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, The Rt. Hon. Archie Hamilton, MP in his reply of 21 May 1992, Official Report, columns 255–256.
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the work of the quadrupartite working party on nuclear biological and chemical defence of the United Kingdom—United States of America—Canada—Australia Armies agreement since 1978; on which dates and locations the working party has met; and which Ministry of Defence branches took part in these meetings.

  Mr. Aitken
  The quadripartite working party meets to negotiate and maintain agreements on standardisation of operational procedures and equipment.

  Dates and locations of QWP meetings since 1978 are as follows:

  Date

  Location

  8–17 May 1978

  Canada

  30 October-8 November 1979

  United States of America

  12–21 May 1981

  United Kingdom

  3–9 November 1982

  Australia

  11–17 June 1984

  Canada

  12–18 November 1985

  United States of America

  17–23 June 1987

  United Kingdom

  19–25 October 1988

  Australia

  30 May-5 June 1990

  Canada

  8–15 October 1991

  Australia

  21–27 April 1993

  United Kingdom

  Representatives of the following branches of my Department have attended the quadripartite working party:
  Operational Requirements Branches: most recently, Director Operational Requirements (Joint Systems) and Director Clothing and Textiles.
  Researches Branches: Atomic Weapons Establishment and Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

  521
  Army policy/concepts Branch: Director Doctrine Army now Director Land Warfare.
  Procurement Executive Branch: most recently, Programme Director Light weapons systems.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when information about the L9A1 hand-held aerosol dispenser was exchanged between Britain and other countries under the defence agreements outlined in the Official Report, 21 May 1992, columns 255–56.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No such exchange took place.

  Battle of the Atlantic (Anniversary)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to visit Merseyside during the 50th anniversary of the battle of the Atlantic and the western approaches; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend plans to visit Merseyside at the end of the month to attend events commemorating the 50th anniversary of the battle of the Atlantic.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement as to what the operational sortie requirements were for the Royal Air Force rescue helicopter that flew very low over the village of Clayton, south Yorkshire at approximately 15.48 hours on 25 April.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The search-and-rescue (SAR) Sea King helicopter from RAF Leconfield was returning to the station from a call-out in Morcambe bay. As the aircraft was on standby to provide SAR cover in the area, and because of the prevailing low cloud, the crew were routed to the north of Sheffield and authorised to fly at low level.

  Nuclear Weapons, Tibet
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has as regards(a) the testing and (b) deployment of nuclear weapons in Tibet by China.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We have no evidence that China has tested or deployed nuclear weapons in Tibet.

  Confidence and Security Building
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Defence what is the current total of inspections carried out by the United Kingdom as part of the confidence and security-building measures agreements; which countries have been visited; what problems have occurred; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We have carried out 10 confidence and security-building measures evaluations and three inspections. The evaluations were conducted in the then Soviet Union, Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, Belarus, and Ukraine, with inspections in Belarus and Russia. Although there have been on occasions some minor logistical difficulties, no problems of substance have arisen.

  Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many practice inspections have been carried out by the United Kingdom as part of the preparation for the full implementation of the conventional forces in Europe treaty; what problems have arisen; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Twenty-one practice inspections have been carried out by the United Kingdom. Although there have been on occasion some teething difficulties, no problems of substance have arisen.

  Military Information (Exchanges)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what exchanges of military information have occurred as a result of the signing of the Vienna document in 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As a result of the signing of the Vienna document in 1990, and its successor Vienna document in 1992, three exchanges of military information have taken place. These consist of the command organisation and location of land and air forces, including personnel and equipment holdings, as well as plans for the deployment of new equipment and weapon systems in the following 12 months.

  Belize
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent consideration he has given to changing the level of British forces in Belize.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We are in consultation with the Government of Belize about the British military presence there. The British Government expect to make a statement shortly.

  Bosnia
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what type of training has been given to units due to be deployed for duties with UNPROFOR II, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Extensive refresher training in basic skills is undertaken by any unit preparing to undertake an emergency tour. In the case of 1st Prince of Wales Own Battalion group, additional specialised training included route clearing and anti-ambush drills, convoy control and driving techniques. Some basic language training as well as briefing on the background to the conflict were also included.

  Negretti Aviation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts have been let with Negretti Aviation in the last three years.

  Mr. Aitken
  The information requested is as follows:

  Year

  Total number of contracts

  Total value of contracts

  1992–93

  88

  £6,567,649

  1991–92

  84

  £4,449,184

  1990–91

  67

  1,556,308

  523
  Details of the subject matter of individual contracts are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Aerospace Equipment
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what regard he pays in his defence procurement policy to the preservation of a defence industrial base capable of producing defence aerospace equipment.

  Mr. Aitken
  We believe it is important to retain a viable and effective defence industry, in aerospace as in other sectors, and our procurement policy has achieved this. We give due weight in procurement decisions to their wider industrial and technological implications.

  Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representation his Department had at the first preparatory committee meeting in New York on 10 to 14 May for the fifth review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My Department is being represented at official level.

  Amphibious Helicopter Carrier
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made in assessing the tenders for the amphibious helicopter carrier.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer my hon. Friend to the pursuant reply I gave to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) yesterday.

  TAX CHANGES: REGIONAL IMPACT
  TAX CHANGES: REGIONAL IMPACT
  GROUP 4 COURT ESCORT SERVICE: CONTRACT
  GROUP 4 COURT ESCORT SERVICE: CONTRACT
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