Written Answers of 13 May 1993

EMPLOYMENT

  School Leavers
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will last for each year since 1988 the number of pupils in Greater London reaching the minimum school leaving age and the number who entered employment directly, entered a youth training scheme on leaving school, returned for a further period at school, or entered a further education college; and if she will provide such estimates as are available for the same figures for 1993.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is compiled by United Kingdom heads of careers services on behalf of the careers service. It is given in the table. This information is not yet available for 1992 and 1993. Information for 1988 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Numbers of pupils leaving secondary school at minimum school leaving age in inner and outer London and their destinations for the years 1989–91

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Full-time education

  32,790

  31,800

  38,200

  Youth training1

  4,050

  3,070

  2,920

  Employment

  12,550

  9,030

  4,520

  Not in any2

  3,180

  4,300

  6,260

  Unknown3

  8,490

  6,130

  6,050

  Total

  60,620

  54,160

  57,950

  Source: School Leavers' Destinations Survey.

  Figures rounded to nearest 10.

  1 Including those on YT with employed status and those using training credits.

  2 May be unemployed or not available for work for any of a wide range of reasons.

  3 Those who failed to let the careers service or school know what they were doing and who failed to respond to at least two attempts at follow-up by the careers office.

EDUCATION

  Infant Schools
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many four-year-olds were in classes in infant schools in England, excluding four-year-olds in nursery classes of infant schools or in nursery schools in 1987 and 1991; and what percentage this was of the age group.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is given in the table.
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  Pupils aged 4 attending infant classes in maintained infant schools in England.

  Position as at January each year.

  Number of pupils aged four1

  As a percentage of the four year old population2

  1987

  71,025

  18

  1991

  76,703

  18

  1 Ages as at previous 31 August—excluding the rising fives who by January will have reached the age of five.

  2 Based on the estimated four-year-old population as at previous 31 August—again excluding the rising fives.

  School Playing Fields
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) when he intends to complete his consideration of the responses to his consultation letter on the sale of school playing fields;

  (2) if he will publish a full list of the organisations and individuals to whom his consultation letter on the sale of school playing fields was sent, the date on which the letter was sent to each organisation and individual and the date on which a response from each organisation and individual was received by his Department; and if he will place copies of each response in the Library;

  (3) how many organisations have not responded to his consultation letter on the sale of school playing fields; what action he has taken to pursue those organisations for responses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend expects to inform local education authorities and others of his conclusions arising from this exercise shortly.

  My hon. Friend the Member for South Ribble (Mr. Atkins), then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, wrote to the local authority associations on 19 December 1991 asking for their comments on his proposed letter to chief education officers by 28 February 1992. Copies of the consultation letter were also sent on 20 December 1991 to the Sports Council, the Central Council of Physical Recreation, the National Playing Fields Association and the regional councils for sport and recreation for information.

  Following is a list of the bodies which commented on the consultation letter and the dates of their replies:

  Date

  Association of District Councils

  26 February 1992

  Association of Metropolitan Authorities

  February 1992

  Association of County Councils

  February 1992

  Association of London Authorities

  24 February 1992

  The Sports Council

  28 February 1992

  National Playing Fields Association

  5 March 1992

  The Central Council of Physical Recreation

  16 January 1992

  Chiltern District Council

  13 February 1992

  Cornwall County Council

  25 February 1992

  Dorset County Council

  26 February 1992

  ACRE: The Rural Communities Charity

  28 February 1992

  Somerset County Council

  4 March 1992

  It is not our normal practice to place responses to consultations in the Library.

  No response was received from the London Boroughs Association. My hon. Friend the Member for South Ribble wrote to the chairman of the association, on 19 December 1991, and a further copy of his letter was sent

  527
  to the association on 6 February 1992. Officials subsequently telephoned the association to ask whether a response would be forthcoming; a representative confirmed that the association did not intend to respond.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish a full list of those local education authorities which have actively demonstrated that, in considering whether to retain playing fields released by a school proposed for closure, they have considered whether such playing fields should be retained to make up shortfalls at a neighbouring school, the method by which such consideration has been demonstrated, the total number of schools that have been subject to such consideration, the total number of schools at which the playing field has subsequently been released and the total number of schools at which the playing field has subsequently been retained.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is not available. Local education authorities are not required to provide such information when submitting proposals for school closure to my right hon. Friend.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  VAT
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 29 April to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms Harman),Official Report, column 508, if the representations he has received supporting the need to use the tax system to help fulfil the Government's Rio commitment have (a) specifically supported the use of value added tax as the instrument to do so, (b) supported the imposition of VAT on standing charges or (c) proposed alternative ways of using the tax system in this regard.

  Sir John Cope
  A number of representations my right hon. Friend received specifically supported the use of VAT as an instrument to help fulfil the United Kingdom's Rio commitment. For example, the Friends of the Earth said in its Budget briefing"Friends of the Earth therefore welcomes the Chancellor's commitment to increasing domestic fuel and power prices over the next two years through the gradual imposition of VAT."
  Standing charges were not mentioned in any representations, and alternative ways of using the tax system were proposed in some of the representations received.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to impose value added tax on newspapers, periodicals, books or other publications; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  My right hon. Friend's plans for VAT changes are set out in the Budget and the Finance (No. 2) Bill and do not extend VAT in this area.

  Tax Evasion
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on Inland Revenue rules regarding taxation on those resident in the United Kingdom for more than 183 days a year; and what steps are being taken to deal with evasion.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Under section 336 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988, an individual who is present 528
  in the United Kingdom for 183 days or more in a tax year is treated as resident for tax purposes for that year. The Inland Revenue reviews the residence status of individuals, where appropriate, as part of its general compliance responsibilities.

  Profit-related Pay
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his Department's policy in respect of companies cutting basic pay in order to increase the tax-free element through profit-related pay.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Government's purpose in introducing tax relief for profit-related pay—PRP—was to encourage flexibility in pay determination arrangements. The tax relief, subject to certain limits, is available only for PRP schemes which satisfy certain legislative requirements. Responsibility for the detailed terms of specific employment contracts rests with the parties themselves.

  Unitary Taxation
  Sir Michael Grylls
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what response he has received from United States Treasury Secretary Bentsen to his representations about unitary taxation.

  Mr. Lamont
  United States Secretary Bentsen has explained the United States Adminstration's position. He and his colleagues recognise the importance the British Government attach to this issue, the strength of feeling in the United Kingdom and the risk of retaliatory action by the United Kingdom if a satisfactory solution is not forthcoming. He has assured me that the Administration are very keen to find a solution to this problem that is acceptable. I have said that the Government are ready to discuss how an acceptable solution could best be achieved. But I have informed him that the Government will have to take retaliatory measures in relation to United States based companies if there is not a satisfactory resolution of the problem of the internationally opposed unitary tax on foreign-owned companies in California by the end of this year. Meanwhile, I have instructed the Inland Revenue to obtain information from California-based companies in the United Kingdom on the probable impact of such retaliatory measures.

ENVIRONMENT

  Low Frequency Noise
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in which year his Department first became aware of the hum noise complaint relating to low frequency noise; if he will make a statement concerning the action by his Department since that time to investigate this complaint: and what results were obtained.

  Mr. Maclean
  My Department first became aware of the problem of low frequency noise in the late 1970s. The independent noise review conducted for my Department in 1990 observed that this was a difficult area in terms of measurement, individual sensitivity and identification of sources. It recommended full support for the programme of research being conducted for the Department by the Building Research Establishment which is due to be completed early next year. Complaints about low
  529
  frequency noise are investigated by local authorities under part III of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in the same way as other noise complaints.

  Fanfare for a New World
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is taking to account for the losses incurred by the Merseyside development corporation in subsidising the Fanfare for a New World concert.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department has asked Merseyside development corporation's auditors, in their examination of the accounts for last year, to look specifically at the issue of the corporation's sponsorship of the concert; we await the outcome of this examination.

  Merseyside Development Corporation
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to restructure the Merseyside development corporation.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  In 1991 a financial management and policy review—FMPR—was carried out at Merseyside development corporation, as part of the Department's role in sponsoring non-departmental public bodies. The FMPR was based on four studies covering management, staffing, audit and pay and conditions. As the FMPR resulted in changes within the MDC's structure, there are no further proposals for any more changes.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish an audit of the finances of the Merseyside development corporation.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Merseyside development corporation is subject to an annual audit by independent external auditors, appointed by the Secretary of State. The auditors' report is published in the corporation's annual report. A full copy of the financial statements is available from the corporation on request.

  New Housing
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new housing starts there were for the first three months of 1993 and for the corresponding period in 1992.

  Mr. Baldry
  Provisional figures show that there were 43,900 housebuilding starts in Great Britain during the first three months of 1993 compared with 41,100 starts during the corresponding period of 1992.

  This increase is an expression of growing confidence by the building industry in the market for new houses. Taken with recent evidence of rising house prices and increased activity by estate agents, there are now signs of a recovery in the housing market.

  Association of Environmental Consultants
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has received from the Association of Environmental Consultants on its new code of practice.

  Mr. Maclean
  My officials have received a copy of the code of practice. I welcome this example of self-regulation by a group of prominent companies and I am sure that it will help to encourage public confidence in their work.

  Ozone Levels
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when and where World Health Organisation air quality guidelines for ozone levels have been exceeded since 1987.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 10 May 1993]: There are two World Health Organisation Guidelines for the protection of human health, a one-hour guideline of 76–100ppb and an eight-hour guideline of 50ppb. There are two guidelines for the protection of plants and crops, a daily mean of 33ppb and a growing season mean of 30ppb.

  Ozone monitoring has been carried out since 1987 at 16 United Kingdom sites in the Department's network. Between 1987 and 1991 the guidelines were exceeded on at least one occasion at each site. Ozone levels in the United Kingdom are, however, among the lowest in Europe.

  Affordable Housing
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response the Government have made to the proposals for policy objectives on affordable rented housing put forward by the Churches National Housing Coalition in its document circulated to hon. Members.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 10 May 1993]: The Government have noted with interest the points made by the Churches National Housing Coalition. The coalition's proposals concerned supply and choice of housing; homelessness and targeting resources. In all these areas we are already making significant progress.

  The Government's aim is to ensure that a decent home is within the reach of every family.

  We have taken steps to increase the supply of low-cost housing where it is needed. The housing market measures announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the autumn statement mean that the public resources available to housing associations, the main providers of new social housing, increased from £935 million in 1989–90 to £1·8 billion in 1993–94, making some 54,500 new homes available. In addition, the temporary relaxation of the rules governing local authority receipts, for the period November 1992 to December 1993, gives local authorities greatly increased spending power for projects such as the renovation of their housing stock.

  Greater choice and efficiency are key elements of Government policy. We have taken measures to encourage the revival of the private rented sector; to give public sector tenants greater control over the management of their homes; to encourage more efficient management in the social sector; as well as promoting home ownership.

  Under the rough sleepers initiative, £96 million was made available from 1990–91 to 1992–93 to provide additional hostel and longer-term accommodation in central London, where the problem is most acute. A further £86 million is available over three financial years, from April 1993–94 to 1995–96 build on the success of this initiative.

  We believe that it is a more efficient use of resources to target subsidy towards people rather than simply into "bricks and mortar", so that the public subsidy reaches those individuals who need it most. Our policies on spending in the social sector reflect that.
  531
  In addition, home ownership continues to hold a central place in our housing policy. The right to buy for council housing, as well as our rent-to-mortgages proposals; cash incentive schemes to enable public sector tenants to move out into owner-occupation; and shared ownership schemes are all important parts of our commitment to help those who want to own their own homes to do so.

  River Safety
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps his Department is taking to publish an account of progress in the implementation of recommendations made after major disasters recommended in the Hayes report on river safety.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 11 May 1993]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport gave on 11 May, Official Report, column 380.

  Environmental Damage
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what study he is making of the legal liability resulting from transboundary environmental damage.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 12 May 1993]: This matter is considered whenever it is raised in the development, application or revision of the relevant international environmental legal instruments.

  Crown Estate Commissioners
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will use the next appropriate legislative opportunity to give the Crown Estate Commissioners a statutory duty to further the conservation of the terrestrial and maritime environment.

  Mr. Lamont
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government have no plans to introduce such legislation.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Crown Estate Commissioners are subject to the environmental provisions of section 11 of the Countryside Act 1968; and whether those provisions extend to their functions below the low water mark.

  Mr. Lamont
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Crown Estate Commissioners' environmental and conservation policy applies the provisions of section 11 of the Countryside Act 1968 to their ownership both of land and of the sea bed below the low water mark.

SCOTLAND

  Council Tax
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the overstepping of maximum charges for bands in the transitional reduction scheme of the council tax; and what proposals he has to prevent such occurrence.

  Mr. Lang
  I have received a number of representations from MPs and members of the public about the difference 532
  between the actual council tax, set by local authorities, and the adjusted council tax used by local authorities to calculate entitlement to transitional reduction.

  The sole purpose of the transitional reduction scheme is to moderate increases in local tax bills arising as a consequence of the change in tax system and it is not intended to protect taxpayers from increases arising for other reasons. The level of adjusted council tax used to determine relief is calculated according to a prescribed formula. This formula takes account of what each local authority might need to spend on services in 1993–94 but makes no allowance for past deficits and assumes a council tax collection level of 98 per cent. Where local authorities budget responsibly and have good records of tax collection, the actual and adjusted taxes should be very close to each other and may be identical. This is the case in a number of areas in Scotland. Where this is not the case, taxpayers may wish to ask their local authority for an explanation.

  Skye Bridge
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to waive or curtail the operation of the planning processes relating to planning and development proposals from Highland regional council in respect of work to be carried out in the Kyle of Lochalsh and Kyleakin areas as a result of the building of the Skye bridge; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are no plans to alter the planning processes in respect of Highland regional council's proposals.

  Scottish Transport Group
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans there are to privatise the Scottish Transport Group; what estimate of asset proceeds he has made; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The disposal programme covering the undertakings of the Scottish Transport Group was published on 6 February 1990. The major part of this programme, the disposal of the 10 former subsidiaries of the Scottish Bus Group, has been successfully completed. My reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro) on 2 December 1991,Official Report, columns 45–46, gave details of the proceeds from the sale of the Scottish Bus Group. The Scottish Transport Group will be wound up in due course after the disposal of its remaining property assets and the winding up of its pension funds. Estimates of likely proceeds from the remaining assets are commercially confidential.

  Forestry
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 20 April,Official Report, columns 89–90, whether any additional person or persons have attended or are expected to attend any meeting of the forestry review group.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Members of the forestry review group may be represented by alternates from their Departments. No persons other than members or their alternates have attended meetings.

  Oil and Gas
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of people employed in(a) onshore and (b) offshore oil and gas-related activity in (i) 1991 and (ii) 1992; and what is his estimate of the total at the latest available date.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 10 May 1993]: The latest available information on the number of people employed offshore in the oil and gas sector in the northern North sea is for September 1991 when it was estimated at between 26,400 and 27,950.

  There are no estimates of oil and gas related employment for onshore workers alone for either 1991 or 1992. The latest information available relating to the number of people employed onshore and offshore in companies with turnover in excess of 80 per cent. related to oil and gas sector is for June 1992. On that basis, the estimate was 82,800, compared to 83,400 in June 1990.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Exports to Iran
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has received on the trading activities of Seaconsar Far East Ltd. of Hong Kong in relation to British exports to Iran.

  Mr. Needham
  Information supplied to my Department about the trading activities of companies is treated as commercially confidential.

  Council of Industry Ministers
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of the European Community Council of Industry Ministers held on 4 May.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I represented the United Kingdom at the meeting of European Community Industry Ministers held in Brussels on 4 May.

  The most important item on the agenda was restructuring of the EC steel industry where I underlined the importance of keeping up the momentum of the discussions with industry to ensure that a definitive programme of capacity reductions is in place before the 30 September deadline set by the Industry Council in February. I emphasised that a successful restructuring plan is dependent on strict control of state aids to the industry, a point with which Vice-President Van Miert fully agreed. With support from a number of other member states, I argued for the European Coal and Steel Community levy to be phased out rapidly and the Danish presidency hoped that decisions could be taken by the end of the year.

  The Council agreed in principle to extend the provisions of the seventh directive on aid to the shipbuilding industry to the end of 1994.

  There was discussion of measures to support small and medium enterprises with a decision that a single programme should commence in July this year, subject to agreement on the detail of the text.

  The Commission, at the United Kingdom's instigation, made a presentation of the progress towards accomplishing the tasks set out in the Council resolution on
  534
  administrative simplification agreed during the United Kingdom presidency. The United Kingdom had placed this important topic on the agenda to keep up the momentum of the Commission's work in this area. The Commission's action should help to ensure that burdens on British business are minimised.

  We also tabled a paper, which was supported by a number of other member states, outlining our concern about the damage to the United Kingdom's recycling industry caused by German packaging waste legislation. The Danish presidency hoped that progress could be made at the June Environment Council on the packaging waste directive as a Community solution to some aspects of this problem.

  The Council also held a wide-ranging debate on the link between industrial competitiveness and environmental protection. We consider this link to be important and will continue to work with the Commission and other member states so that the relationship between industrial competitiveness and environmental protection is taken into account when formulating policies.

  BNFL Office, South Korea
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the role of the BNFL office in South Korea; and what reassessment has been undertaken of its role in the context of discussions on the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 5 May 1993]: It is for BNFL to decide on its commercial representation overseas. The Republic of Korea is a state party to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and has concluded a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency. Any business undertaken by BNFL will take place in accordance with the United Kingdom's obligations under the treaty.

  Assisted Area Status
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the impact on the number of areas in London eligible for assisted status if each London borough were treated as a travel-to-work area.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Designating assisted areas depends on the criteria set out in the consultation paper issued in June 1992. These criteria will be considered for all travel-to-work areas. For very large travel-to-work areas, including London, the situation in their constituent parts is also being considered.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals his Department has submitted to the European Commission for a new assisted areas map; and when he plans to submit further proposals.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 12 May 1993]: The Government's full proposals for the new assisted areas map will be submitted to the European Commission shortly. Proposals for enhanced assisted area status for the Barnsley, Doncaster and Mansfield travel-to-work areas, which formed part of the package of support measures for coal closure areas announced by my right hon. Friend last October, were cleared with the European Commission beforehand. Additionally, my statement about Swan

  535
  Hunter on 12 May indicated that the Newcastle and South Tyneside travel-to-work areas would remain as development areas, subject to European Commission approval: discussion with the Commission on this point is now under way.

WALES

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the non-governmental public bodies operational in Wales indicating(a) the total number of Government appointees, (b) the number of Welsh-speaking appointees, (c) the total number of staff employed, (d) the number of

  Non-departmental public body (NDPB)

  Number of staff

  Number of Welsh speaking staff

  Number of staff received paid leave to learn Welsh (1992–93)

  Cardiff Bay Development Corporation

  86·5

  4

  21

  Countryside Council for Wales

  299·0

  75

  81

  Curriculum Council for Wales

  26·0

  10

  4

  Development Board for Rural Wales

  124·0

  36

  115

  Higher and Further Education Funding Councils

  42·0

  8

  0

  Housing for Wales

  75·0

  20

  12

  Land Authority for Wales

  43·0

  Not known

  0

  National Library of Wales

  215·0

  199

  3

  National Museum of Wales

  499·0

  157

  21

  Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales

  35·0

  10

  6

  Sports Council for Wales

  147·0

  27

  0

  Wales Tourist Board

  109·0

  46

  3

  Wales Youth Agency

  10·0

  4

  2—

  Welsh Development Agency

  442·0

  40

  37

  Welsh National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting

  31·0

  5

  0

  1 In-house tuition also provided.

  2 Private tutor visits office weekly.

  Unitary Authorities
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 29 April,Official Report, column 523, what conclusions he has now drawn about travel times from the specified communities to Bridgend and Barry, following his discussions on 23 April.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The length of time taken for residents of these communities to reach Bridgend and Barry would vary according to such things as the route taken and the means of transport used.

  Housing Needs Assessment
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to establish a national housing needs assessment mechanism in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones:
  No.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to make his Department's housing needs assessment research in Wales available for public scrutiny.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Housing Management Advisory Panel for Wales has just published "Taking Stock: A Guide to Local Housing Assessment".
  536
  Welsh-speaking staff and (e) the number of staff within each body that have received paid leave to attend courses to learn Welsh for the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Bridgend (Mr. Griffiths) on 23 March 1993 at columns 549–50, listing the public bodies to which I make appointments. As some people hold more than one appointment, the number of appointees is 960. Of these, 129 have indicated on their nomination form that they speak Welsh. However, this information is not provided in all cases. Only executive non-departmental public bodies employ staff, and the information requested is shown in the table.

  Epilepsy
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he intends to take following the recent seminars on epilepsy in Wales regarding(a) dissemination of the conclusions of the report, "Epilepsy, in Wales—a Study of the Needs of People with Epilepsy, Current Services and of Potential Developments", (b) the identification of potential strategies for development of support services and (c) the current and potential roles and responsibilities of voluntary, statutory and professional agencies.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The seminars were paid for by the Welsh Office as part of our further consultations to assist consideration of this matter. The report of the seminars has only recently been received and is being carefully studied.

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

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Immunisation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of babies were immunised and vaccinated in each family health service authority area in the last year for which statistics are available and the two previous years; and if he will provide a similar list for those children receiving their booster vaccination and immunisation injections.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information relating to children immunised is collected by health authorities. The percentage of children resident at the end of the year in question and who had been immunised by their second birthday is given in the tables.

  Information on the number of booster vaccinations is not collected in such a manner that would enable the Department to calculate a percentage of children vaccinated by a given birthday. However, the tables show the number of children aged four and under who received booster/reinforcing doses in each of the last three years, based on the district in which the dose was given rather than the district in which the child was resident. These figures do not represent the number of children who had received a booster/reinforcing dose by the age of four and under, as a child would be included in the figures only for the year in which the dose was given.

  Percentage of children immunised by their 2nd birthday

  Diphtheria

  Tetanus

  Pertussis

  Polio

  Measles

  1989–90

  Clwyd

  91·8

  91·8

  79·2

  91·9

  85·0

  East Dyfed

  90·8

  90·9

  67·6

  90·8

  83·1

  Gwent

  90·4

  90·4

  69·9

  90·6

  82·1

  Gwynedd

  94·4

  94·5

  73·1

  94·6

  87·1

  Mid Glamorgan

  89·0

  89·1

  65·4

  89·3

  76·9

  Pembrokeshire

  93·8

  93·9

  82·1

  93·6

  86·5

  Powys

  95·0

  95·3

  78·3

  95·2

  91·1

  South Glamorgan

  86·6

  86·6

  72·4

  86·5

  75·2

  West Glamorgan

  90·7

  90·7

  69·5

  90·9

  81·7

  1990–91

  Clwyd

  93·9

  93·9

  85·0

  94·0

  88·2

  East Dyfed

  94·3

  94·3

  75·3

  94·1

  88·0

  Gwent

  92·2

  92·2

  75·5

  92·4

  85·9

  Gwynedd

  94·9

  94·9

  80·0

  95·0

  88·3

  Mid Glamorgan

  92·1

  92·2

  75·0

  92·2

  82·6

  Pembrokeshire

  95·4

  95·4

  86·9

  95·5

  91·8

  Powys

  96·6

  96·7

  85·8

  96·9

  92·2

  South Glamorgan

  90·6

  90·7

  77·9

  90·6

  83·7

  West Glamorgan

  91·3

  91·3

  76·9

  91·2

  83·6

  1991–92

  Clwyd

  94·8

  94·8

  89·1

  94·8

  90·5

  East Dyfed

  95·0

  95·0

  81·6

  95·1

  91·5

  Gwent

  91·1

  91·1

  78·5

  92·4

  86·9

  Gwynedd

  96·1

  96·2

  86·6

  96·2

  92·4

  Mid Glamorgan

  93·0

  93·1

  80·5

  93·3

  86·6

  Pembrokeshire

  95·2

  95·2

  89·2

  96·1

  92·0

  Powys

  96·1

  96·1

  89·6

  96·1

  92·3

  South Glamorgan

  93·0

  93·0

  84·9

  94·4

  88·3

  West Glamorgan

  93·1

  93·1

  83·2

  94·4

  89·0

  538

  Number of children who received booster/reinforcing doses

  Diphtheria

  Tetanus

  Polio

  1989–90:

  Clwyd

  2,448

  2,454

  2,444

  East Dyfed

  2,125

  2,127

  2,125

  Gwent

  4,384

  4,387

  4,398

  Gwynedd

  1,311

  1,317

  1,305

  Mid Glamorgan

  2,546

  2,559

  2,544

  Pembrokeshire

  686

  689

  690

  Powys

  703

  703

  708

  South Glamorgan

  4,110

  4,116

  4,127

  West Glamorgan

  2,792

  2,787

  2,800

  1990–91:

  Clwyd

  3,281

  3,284

  3,279

  East Dyfed

  2,376

  2,379

  2,372

  Gwent

  4,866

  4,866

  4,883

  Gwynedd

  2,156

  2,163

  2,158

  Mid Glamorgan

  5,366

  5,364

  5,374

  Pembrokeshire

  1,510

  1,509

  1,513

  Powys

  1,570

  1,572

  1,572

  South Glamorgan

  4,342

  4,344

  4,353

  West Glamorgan

  4,154

  4,154

  4,155

  1991–92:

  Clwyd

  3,525

  3,526

  3,537

  East Dyfed

  2,503

  2,504

  2,495

  Gwent

  5,261

  5,263

  5,269

  Gwynedd

  2,407

  2,411

  2,410

  Mid Glamorgan

  5,796

  5,797

  5,810

  Pembrokeshire

  1,447

  1,447

  1,448

  Powys

  1,407

  1,407

  1,408

  South Glamorgan

  4,884

  4,886

  4,884

  West Glamorgan

  4,193

  4,199

  4,197

  Tourism
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new initiatives the Welsh tourist board will be embarking on in the summer of 1993 to attract visitors to Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The WTB has launched a major new £2·5 million advertising and promotional campaign for 1993–94 as part of its ongoing marketing strategy to support the tourism industry in Wales. This includes television advertisements, campaign posters, direct mailing/response advertising for the autumn, main and spring seasons. In addition to this, the WTB has earmarked nearly £800,000 for campaigns in selected overseas target markets with a much greater emphasis on European database marketing activities.

  Elderly People
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on how many people over the age of 65 years live alone in Wales; and how many people aged 65 years or more living alone have suffered from dementia in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The 1991 census recorded that there were 174,049 persons of pensionable age living alone in Wales. Information on those over the age of 65 years living alone is not available. Information on the number of people aged 65 years or more living alone who have suffered from dementia is not available centrally.

  Pollution, Pontypool
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many copies of his Department's report on polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins and furans in the Pontypool environment—the Panteg monitoring project —have been printed; and to whom it has been distributed.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Two hundred. Copies were provided for local Members of Parliament; the Chairman of the Select Committee on Welsh Affairs; the EEC; the regulatory authorities; ReChem International Ltd; Torfaen borough council; property holders in the Panteg area on whose land significant testing had been carried out and the secretary of Mothers and Children against Toxic Waste.

  The Welsh Office is also making the report available to other interested parties at £25 each.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list all those non-departmental public bodies in Wales, for which he advises on the membership; and if he will list the members so appointed;

  (2) if he will list the members of all the non-departmental public bodies for which he has responsibility.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Bridgend (Mr. Griffiths) on 23 March 1993 at columns 549–50, listing current appointments I have made to public bodies in Wales. Information on appointments made by other Government Ministers is contained in "Public Bodies 1992" available in the Library of the House.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Social Fund
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consideration he has given to the report by the Social Security Consortium entitled "The Social Fund: Failing the Poorest", a copy of which has been sent to him; what action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement on the findings of the report.

  Mr. Scott
  We have noted the report, which is based on the research we commissioned from York university's social policy research unit—SPRU. We are carefully considering the operation of the social fund in response to the SPRU research, along with a number of other authoritative reports and our own close monitoring of the fund.

  Methods of Payment
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to introduce financial inducements to pensioners and other benefit recipients to obtain their benefits through banks rather than post offices.

  Miss Widdecombe
  We have no such plans.

  Severe Hardship Claims
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table listing the number of severe hardship claims made and awards granted for each of the last 12 quarters in each district.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Alan Milburn, dated 12 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 if he will publish a table listing the number of severe hardship claims made and awards granted for each of the last twelve quarters in each district.

  The complete range of information you have requested is not available except at a disproportionate cost. This is primarily because statistics regarding severe hardship claims are maintained clerically and not in the format requested. Additionally, the Benefits Agency district arrangements were introduced only in April 1991, and statistics prior to this relate to the former local office structure.

  I have, however, appended the national figures for Severe Hardship claims and awards for the period requested. I should emphasise that these relate to claims made rather than individual customers.

  I hope you find this reply helpful. Copies of this letter will be placed in the Library.

  National severe hardship claims and awards

  Quarter ending

  Number of claims

  Number successful

  June 1990

  6,573

  4,600

  September 1990

  7,417

  5,329

  December 1990

  6,558

  4,952

  541

  Quarter ending

  Number of claims

  Number successful

  March 1991

  10,699

  8,050

  June 1991

  13,031

  10,356

  September 1991

  16,269

  13,021

  December 1991

  15,163

  12,372

  March 1992

  23,539

  19,646

  June 1992

  25,258

  20,716

  September 1992

  28,160

  23,127

  December 1992

  25,107

  19,917

  March 1993

  36,937

  30,839

  Income Support
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the latest available figures for(a) income support recipients, (b) those in receipt of a family premium and (c) those in receipt of lone-parent premiums in the district council areas of Derbyshire.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 12 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 if he will give the latest available figures for (a) Income Support recipients, (b) those in receipt of a family premium and (c) those in receipt of lone parent premiums in the district council areas of Derbyshire.

  The complete range of information you have requested is not available and could he provided only at a disproportionate cost. This is because information regarding the number of Income Support recipients is not collected on the basis of district council areas. Additionally, statistics are not routinely collected that reflect the number of customers in receipt of a family premium.

  Information concerning lone parent premiums and the number of Income Support recipients in the Benefits Agency's offices in Derbyshire is in the Official Report Vol. 224 Col. 300.

  However, estimates of the numbers of recipients receiving family premium and lone parent premium nationally are available from the Annual Statistical Enquiry (ASE). This is a point in time survey based on a one per cent. sample of all people in receipt of Income Support.

  The latest information from the ASE relates to May 1991. The estimates from this were 4,487,000 recipients of Income Support, 1,318,000 recipients of the family premium and 871,000 recipients of the lone parent premium.

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

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the latest available figures for(a) claimants, (b) adult dependants who are in receipt of income support and (c) the number of children in such households in the district council areas of Derbyshire.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.
  542
  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 12 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 if he will give the latest available figures of (a) claimants, (b) adult dependants who are in receipt of Income Support and (c) the number of children in such households in the district council areas of Derbyshire.

  The complete range of information you have requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. This is because information regarding the number of Income Support recipients, their children or adult dependants, is not collected on the basis of district council areas. However, information concerning the number of Income Support recipients by Benefits Agency office in Derbyshire can he found in the Library.

  Estimates of the numbers of adult dependants and children nationally are available from the Income Support Annual Statistical Enquiry (ASE). This is a point in time survey based on a one per cent. sample of all people in receipt of Income Support.

  The latest information from the ASE related to May 1991. The estimates from this were 4,487,000 recipients of Income Support, 763,000 partners, 2,368,000 children under 16 and 129,000 dependants aged between 16 and 19.

  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.

  Pensions
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many individuals living in the Falkland Islands are currently in receipt of a British state retirement pension; what would be the additional cost of granting them inflation-proofed pensions; and if he will seek to conclude as soon as possible a reciprocal agreement in respect of the Falkland Islands.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 5 May 1993]: In December 1991, the latest date for which figures are currently available, 14 people resident in the Falkland Islands were receiving United Kingdom retirement pensions. The additional cost of paying them inflation-proofed pensions would be approximately £11,000 per year, at 1992 rates. However, any concession on indexation for the Falklands would lead inevitably to pressure to treat pensioners living in other countries in the same way. To inflation-proof United Kingdom pensions worldwide, for the 355,000 British pensioners who do not receive index-linked payments, would cost some £275 million a year. We therefore have no plans to conclude a reciprocal agreement with the Falkland Islands.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Rabies
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to revise the legal provisions and the inspections practice of Her Majesty's Customs to keep rabies and other notifiable diseases out of the United Kingdom following the opening of the channel tunnel; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  An order will shortly be presented to the House which will provide the legal backing for policing and frontier controls in respect of the channel tunnel. The order will not introduce any new rabies control measures,
  543
  but will adapt our current procedures at ports of entry around the United Kingdom to the unique physical circumstances of the channel tunnel. Animal health controls at the channel tunnel and its terminals will be just as strict as those presently in force at sea ports and airports. In addition, the channel tunnel concessionaires have established a number of preventive measures to prevent animals entering the tunnel, and more will be put in place once the tunnel is operational.

  Ozone Depletion
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research has been commissioned by the Government on the implications of the depletion of the ozone layer for agriculture in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Government will be spending over £0·5 million in 1993–94 on research to examine the effects of ultra-violet-B—UV-B—radiation on agricultural crops. The project sponsors, titles, contractors and estimated costs for 1993–94 are as follows:

  Agricultural and Food Research Council

  Effects of UV-B irradiation on cell cycle gene expression and DNA repair in developing wheat (Tricticum aestivum L.) leaves.

  University of Manchester, with Horticulture Research International.

  £54,000.

  The molecular basis of UV-B perception and response in plants.

  University of Glasgow.

  £38,000.

  Molecular mechanisms involved in UV-B induced changes in gene expression for photosynthetic proteins.

  Horticulture Research International.

  £43,000.

  The interactions of enhanced UV-B and water stress on oil seed rape cultivars with differing UV-B sensitivity.

  University of Cambridge.

  £67,000.

  Characterise the molecular basis of gene regulation by environmental stress, including UV-B.

  Horticulture Research International.

  £167,000 (1992–93 cost. 1993–94 estimated cost is unavailable).

  Department of the Environment

  Impact of increased UV-B radiation (the impacts of UV-B on natural and cultivated vegetation in the United Kingdom; mapping the risk of UV-B impacts on cultivated and natural vegetation in the United Kingdom; and, the impacts of UV-B on plant pathogens and host-pathogen interactions).

  University of Lancaster.

  £84,000.

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Responses of crops to UV-B radiation.

  University of Lancaster, with Horticulture Research International.

  £74,000.

  Foot and Mouth Disease
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether foot and mouth disease was present in any of the countries from which the imported cattle, currently subject to his Ministry's attempts to trace those which have been vaccinated, have originated; how 544
  many of the animals imported into the United Kingdom have not yet been traced; and what factors are responsible for the time it is taking to locate the remaining suspect animals.

  Mr. Gummer
  There have been no confirmed reports of the presence of foot and mouth disease in either the Czech Republic or in Poland in recent years.

  The vast majority of Czech cattle, for which the tracing exercise began first, have now been located and good progress is being made in tracing the Polish cattle.

  Some difficulties have been experienced in tracing those animals which have passed through the hands of several owners since they were originally imported. Tracing has also been made more difficult by the keeping of poor movement records by some owners and some retagging of livestock following change of ownership.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what date the last consignment of livestock suspected of having been vaccinated against foot and mouth disease was received into the United Kingdom; and after what period of time there is no risk of a latent carrier of the disease transmitting that disease to other animals.

  Mr. Gummer
  The last consignment of livestock suspected of having been vaccinated against foot and mouth disease—FMD—arrived in this country on 25 March 1993. All imported FMD-seropositive animals have been inspected by the State Veterinary Service. There is no evidence of clinical disease in any of the animals or suggestion that any of the animals are carriers. Studies elsewhere have shown that carrier animals may be the source of subsequent disease outbreaks up to two and a half years after the carrier animal was first infected.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps are being taken to ensure that any animal slaughtered because of vaccination for foot and mouth will be destroyed and not allowed to enter the food chain.

  Mr. Gummer
  All animals found to be vaccinated against FMD will be either re-exported or slaughtered. There is no risk to public health from vaccinated animals entering the food chain.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps are being taken to ensure that farmers who came to be in possession of vaccinated cattle are not made responsible for meeting the direct losses incurred.

  Mr. Gummer
  The resolution of the problem is a commercial matter and it is for the current owners and importers to come to a mutually acceptable arrangement with the exporter in the country of origin for the animals' re-export or slaughter.

  Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the working party on naturally occurring toxicants in food to complete its study of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in milk and in herbal remedies; whether the report of that study will be published; and what pyrrolizidine alkaloids the study has so far found in milk samples.
  545
  Mr. Soames
  The working party on naturally occurring toxicants in food has completed its study of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in milk. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids were not detected in any of the milk samples taken. A project to study the metabolism of pyrrolizidine alkaloids found in herbal ingredients has recently commenced and is due for completion in 1995. The results of all these studies will be published. Data on pyrrolizidine alkaloids in the herbal remedy comfrey have already been published.

PRIME MINISTER

  Means-tested Payments
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list all payments made to individuals by Government Departments, Government agencies and local authorities which are subject to a means test.

  The Prime Minister
  The information requested is not available centrally. The main source of income-related payments is the social security system which provides benefits administered by the Benefits Agency and local authorities. These benefits include income support, family credit, disability working allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit.

  A number of Departments operate income-related assistance for a variety of special purposes. For example:
  The Department of Education operates a system of mandatory and discretionary grants for people in higher education. Such awards consist of two parts, fees and maintenance, the latter of which is means tested. The scheme is administered by local authorities.
  The Department of the Environment provides a scheme for home renovation which is administered by local authorities.
  The Lord Chancellor's Department operates the scheme for legal aid.
  The Department of Health is responsible for the NHS low income scheme which provides help with NHS charges, optical costs and fares to hospital to receive NHS treatment.

  Alan Clark (Diaries)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what consideration has been given to the confidentiality guidelines set out in the advice to Ministers manual in relation to the submission by the right hon. Alan Clark, former Minister of State for Defence Procurement, of his diaries to the Cabinet Office for review prior to publication.

  The Prime Minister
  Paragraph 19 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers" requires former Ministers to submit their memoirs to the Secretary of the Cabinet before publication and to conform to the principles set out in the Radcliffe report of 1976 (Cmnd 6386). In offering comments, the Secretary of the Cabinet takes account of the recommendations in the Radcliffe report about the protection of confidential relationships within Government.

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he has to monitor the incidence of kwashiakor, marasmus and malaria in Iraq; and by what mechanism Her Majesty's Government monitor the condition of the Iraqi people.
  546
  The Prime Minister
  The United Nations conducted an assessment mission to Iraq in March 1993 which included a survey of the health of the population. As a result, WHO and UNICEF have included programmes to help relieve the situation in the United Nations plan of action. As well as official United Nations reports we also receive independent reports from non-governmental organisations working in Iraq.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

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

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Attorney-General what was the average time to elapse between the offence and the completion of proceedings at magistrates courts for an indictable offence for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Jack
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information on the average time taken for indictable cases from offence to completion has been collected centrally only since 1985. Data are published at regular intervals in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin series; issue Nos. 24/89 and 8/93 cover the years 1985 to 1992. Copies are available from the Library.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement as to the sentencing powers of the courts in respect of persistent 10 to 14-year-old offenders.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Courts currently do not have the power to sentence persistent juvenile offenders to custody. I propose to remedy this as soon as possible by introducing a secure training order for 12 to 15-year-olds.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what view he has formed of the effectiveness of current measures to deal with persistent juvenile offenders.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the current measures to deal with persistent juvenile offenders.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I do not consider that the measures currently available to the courts when they have to deal with persistent juvenile offenders are satisfactory. That is why I announced new proposals in my statement to the House on 2 March 1993, at columns 139 to 42.
  547
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the numbers of juvenile offenders who come from single-parent families.

  Mr. Jack
  I regret that information currently available does not enable that particular assessment to be made.

  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the operation of juvenile attendance centres.

  Mr. Jack
  The operation of attendance centres is kept under constant review. We are, however, currently preparing a new national standard which will cover objectives and regimes, revised attendance centre rules and fresh detailed administrative guidance for officers in charge of centres, all of which will be subject to an appropriate process of consultation before they are issued.

  Home Office circular 72/1992 issued on 28 July 1992 described some of the new arrangements for dealing with young offenders following the full implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 1991, and reminded courts of their powers to make attendance centre orders where young people have defaulted in the payment of fines. This circular listed all the centres available in England and Wales.

  My Department also produces a periodical publication called "Attendance Centre News" which is circulated to, among others, the officers in charge of the centres, probation and social services and the courts. The most recent edition which was produced in a more accessible and informative style than previous versions was published in September last year. It included articles about the activities undertaken at the centres. A copy of it is available in the Library of the House.

  Crime and the Economy
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made as to any link between crime and the economic situation in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Work on this subject was covered in the Home Office research study "Trends in crime and their interpretation" published in 1990 and I have no current plans for fresh research into this area.

  MSV Pescado
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made by Devon and Cornwall police in raising the MSV Pescado.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The salvage company contracted to raise the Pescado on behalf of the Devon and Cornwall constabulary hopes to raise the vessel in the very near future.

  Libyan Life Prisoners
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners of Libyan nationality are now serving life sentences in United Kingdom prisons.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Five prisoners of Libyan nationality are now serving life sentences in United Kingdom prisons.

  Police Authority Chairpersons
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria will be used by him to select the chairpersons of the new police authorities.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  We want businesslike, efficiently run police authorities which are able to monitor police performance locally, to help establish local policing needs and to ensure the delivery of local and national policing objectives. This will require leadership from the police authority. I will select from the overall membership the person who is best able to give that lead.

  Clear-up Rates
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which five police forces have the highest clear-up rates in England and Wales.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Dyfed-Powys cleared up 53 per cent. in 1992 followed by Gwent with 44 per cent., Merseyside with 42 per cent. and Suffolk and Lincolnshire with 39 per cent.

  Sentencing
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the action taken by his Department to deal with lenient sentences.

  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on legislation relating to appeals against lenient sentences; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I refer my hon. Friends to the reply given earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Spring).

  Police Duties
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to increase the numbers of police officers on the streets.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  We have increased numbers by 16,500 since 1979. Increasing police strength is not, though, the only way to increase the number of front-line officers. We encourage police authorities to civilianise posts which do not need to be done by police officers, and to ensure that their officers are deployed as effectively as possible. This will allow more police officers to be released for operational duties, rather than having to undertake administrative tasks which can be done by others.

  Criminal Justice Act 1991
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the workings of the Criminal Justice Act 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  Arrangements were made in advance of the implementation of the Act on 1 October 1991 for its effects to be carefully monitored and evaluated. This process is still ongoing, but my right hon. and learned Friend has already said that it will be necessary to make some changes
  549

  to the sentencing provisions in part I of the Act and in the arrangements under which the courts operate the unit fine system.

  Unit Fine System
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State For the Home Department what steps he is taking to review the workings of the unit fine system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  We have been keeping the operation of the unit fine system under close review since it came into operation on 1 October 1992. We have also received representations about it, most recently from the Magistrates Association of England and Wales. Following its meeting with us on 4 May, the association has issued a bulletin to its members encouraging magistrates to make full use of the discretion already available to them under the system, in setting fine levels. But we have recognised that it will also be necessary to make some changes by way of legislation in areas such as the mechanism for determining unit values, in order to ensure that the scheme operates fairly and in accordance with the original intention. These changes will be introduced as soon as possible.

  Street Lighting
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his assessment of the effectiveness of improved street lighting to combat crime.

  Mr. Jack
  Research for the Home Office has shown that improved lighting can reduce crime when introduced as part of a package of crime prevention measures. By itself, better street lighting appears to have no direct effect on crime levels, but it is helpful in reducing the fear of crime and making people feel safer.

  Car Crime
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department is taking to reduce car crime.

  Persons bailed by the police, magistrates' courts or Crown court who failed to appear 1981–1991

  England and Wales

  Thousands and percentages

  Police

  Magistrates' courts

  Crown Court1

  Number failing to appear

  Proportion of those bailed

  Number failing to appear

  Proportion of those bailed

  Number failing to appear

  Proportion of those bailed

  Thousands

  Per cent.

  Thousands

  Per cent.

  Thousands

  Per cent.

  1981

  22·5

  4

  13·2

  5

  3·0

  4

  1982

  22·1

  5

  13·8

  4

  3·0

  4

  1983

  25·1

  4

  12·7

  4

  2·3

  3

  1984

  18·6

  3

  14·7

  4

  3·1

  4

  1985

  17·1

  3

  15·0

  4

  3·9

  5

  1986

  18·9

  4

  15·4

  5

  4·5

  6

  1987

  25·5

  5

  18·7

  5

  5·4

  7

  1988

  28·6

  5

  21·7

  6

  6·4

  7

  1989

  32·8

  5

  22·5

  6

  6·6

  8

  1990

  39·9

  6

  31·6

  7

  7·4

  8

  1991

  42·6

  7

  32·8

  7

  8·4

  9

  1 Includes those bailed by magistrates' on committal who failed to appear at the Crown Court.

  550
  Mr. Jack
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier to the hon. Member for Colchester, South and Maldon (Mr. Whittingdale).

  Obscene Publications Acts
  Mr. Lord
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests were made by the Metropolitan police in the latest year for which figures are available for offences arising out of the Obscene Publications Acts.

  Mr. Jack
  None. The Obscene Publications Act does not provide the police with a power of arrest.

  Gun Licences
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review laws under which licences are issued for people to hold guns where objections are made to the authorities by next of kin of the applicant; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Firearms Acts 1968 to 1992 require the chief officer of police to satisfy himself that an applicant for a firearm or shotgun certificate can be permitted to possess a firearm or shotgun without danger to public safety or to the peace. The chief officer may take account of any objections from the applicant's next of kin or anybody else when considering such an application. We have no plans to review this aspect of the law.

  Bail (Court Appearances)
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many, and what percentage, of defendants bailed by(a) the police, (b) magistrates and (c) the Crown court failed to appear for the last 10 years.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is given in the table, and published annually in "Criminal statistics, England and Wales", chapter 8.

  Crime Statistics
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many crimes were recorded by the police in England and Wales in(a) 1979 and (b) 1992; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many (a) incidents of violence against a person and (b) robberies were recorded by the police in (i) 1979 and (ii) 1992; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) how many incidents of fraud and forgery were recorded by the police in (a) 1979 and (b) 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The requested information is published in table 2.17 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales 1989" and in table 6 of Home Office statistical bulletin 9/93; copies of both publications are available in the Library.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was(a) the percentage clear-up rate for crime, (b) the authorised police establishment and (c) the total number of crimes reported for each police force in England and Wales for 1992.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 29 April 1993]: Information on percentage clear-up rates and the number of recorded offences by police force area for 1992 is contained in tables 4 and 2 respectively of Home Office statistical bulletin 9/93, a copy of which is available in the Library. Figures for the authorised police establishment for 31 December 1992 are contained in the table:

  Authorised police establishment as at 31 December 1992

  England and Wales 1992

  Police force area

  Authorised establishment

  Avon and Somerset

  3,087

  Bedfordshire

  1,178

  Cambridgeshire

  1,241

  Cheshire

  1,920

  Cleveland

  1,502

  Cumbria

  1,187

  Derbyshire

  1,850

  Devon and Cornwall

  2,928

  Dorset

  1,302

  Durham

  1,389

  Essex

  2,950

  Gloucestershire

  1,184

  Greater Manchester

  7,077

  Hampshire

  3,269

  Hertfordshire

  1,684

  Humberside

  2,034

  Kent

  3,096

  Lancashire

  3,229

  Leicestershire

  1,853

  Lincolnshire

  1,206

  London, City of

  798

  Merseyside

  4,706

  Metropolitan Police District

  28,240

  Norfolk

  1,446

  Northamptonshire

  1,190

  Northumbria

  3,613

  North Yorkshire

  1,418

  Nottinghamshire

  2,344

  South Yorkshire

  3,031

  Staffordshire

  2,215

  Suffolk

  1,233

  Surrey

  1,673

  Sussex

  3,014

  Thames Valley

  3,812

  Warwickshire

  1,020

  West Mercia

  2,053

  West Midlands

  6,977

  552

  Police force area

  Authorised establishment

  West Yorkshire

  5,295

  Wiltshire

  1,181

  Dyfed-Powys

  969

  Gwent

  1,010

  North Wales

  1,369

  South Wales

  3,168

  England and Wales

  126,941

  Police Roles
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will undertake a detailed study of the present and future roles of the police.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend is currently awaiting the report from Sir Patrick Sheehy, chairman of the inquiry into police responsibilities and rewards. In reaching its recommendations, the inquiry has been considering and taking into account, the results of fact-finding studies into the roles and responsibilities of police officers.

  Poppers
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider the proscribing of the recreational drug poppers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The active ingredient of "poppers" is one or other of a group of chemicals known as alkyl nitrites. The misuse of alkyl nitrites has been considered by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on three occasions, most recently in 1991. The council found that, although these substances posed a limited health hazard when misused, they were not dependence forming and did not give rise to the sorts of social problems which were sufficient to justify their control under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

  We continue to keep the situation under review.

  Bone Tests
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the outcome of his Department's tests at Aldermaston to identify bones brought from Russia.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I have asked the chief executive of the Forensic Science Service to reply and she will do so shortly. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Dr. Janet Thompson to Mr. David Atkinson, undated:

  You recently tabled a Parliamentary Question about the joint Russian British project to identify remains purported to be those of Tsar Nicholas II and his family. As you know, the arrangement now is that the Chief Executive of an Executive Agency, with the agreement of the Minister, replies to Members of Parliament on operational matters. I am therefore replying on behalf of the Home Office Forensic Science Service (FSS).

  Samples of the remains discovered near Ekaterinburg in July 1991 were brought to Britain in September by Dr. Pavel Ivanov of the Bureau of the Chief Forensic Medical

  553
  Examiner, Russian Ministry of Health. Work carried out in Russia had lead to a tentative identification but Russian forensic authorities sought the assistance of the FSS in applying the Polymerase Chain Reaction DNA technique to the samples.

  Extraction of DNA from the samples was successful. Comparison with DNA from known relatives of the Romanov family, and statistical analysis of the findings, is at present being undertaken at the FSS's Research Laboratory in Aldermaston. We expect to announce the results of the project in the summer.

  The work also forms part of the FSS research programme. If validated, the techniques used will be applied to criminal casework and will extend the range of services we provide.

  Interior Ministers Council
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals in regard to deterring, discovering and apprehending nuclear smugglers will be discussed at the European Interior Ministers Council in Denmark on 6 and 7 May.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  None.

  Horse Watch Schemes
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department is doing to support horse watch schemes in all parts of the country; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  We encourage all watch type schemes which involve members of the community helping the police in the fight against crime.

  I understand that police forces throughout the country provide assistance to people wishing to set up horse 'watch schemes. For example, there are schemes in operation in areas such as Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Suffolk and Northumbria.

  In March this year, the Association of Chief Police Officers gave approval to national guidelines which have been drawn up by the British Horse Society. The guidelines provide information on how to set up and run horse watch schemes and have recently been sent to all police forces in England and Wales. It is, however, ultimately for each chief officer of police to decide how to allocate the resources available to him.

  Police (Courts)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to reduce the time spent by police officers attending court which turn out to be unnecessary because they are not called as witnesses.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The implementation of the recommendations of the working group on pre-trial issues which are aimed at increasing the efficiency of the whole pre-trial process will affect this. The recommendations include improved court listing procedures and greater emphasis on pre-trial hearings. The package of measures should significantly reduce the number of occasions on which police officers attend court for no useful purpose.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Northern Ireland Flag
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the origin and current status of the Northern Ireland flag.
  554
  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  In 1953 the former Government of Northern Ireland gave their assent to the flying in certain circumstances of their own flag known as the "Ulster Banner". This consists of a St. George's cross with a crowned six-pointed star and a red hand at the centre. This was not intended to be a replacement or alternative to the Union flag as the official flag of Northern Ireland. Since the dissolution of the Government of Northern Ireland, this flag has had no official status.

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what flag or flags are used by Her Majesty's Government to represent Northern Ireland.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  The official flag of Northern Ireland is the Union flag.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the occasions in the last year on which the Minister responsible for health and agriculture visited the constituency of Upper Bann, indicating with respect to each visit whether the hon. Member for that constituency was notified.

  Mr. Hanley
  In his capacity as health Minister, my noble Friend Lord Arran visited Craigavon area hospital on 11 May 1992 and 20 April 1993, and Banvale social education centre on 17 February 1993. In his capacity as Minister for agriculture, he visited the constituency of Upper Bann on 12 May 1992, 23 July 1992, 27 August 1992 and 24 February 1993. The hon. Member was notified on each occasion except 27 August 1992.

  Security Statistics
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make available the security statistics for 1991, together with details of persons charged with terrorist-type offences and convictions for scheduled offences for the year.

  Mr. Mates
  Security statistics for 1991 are as follows. Statistics for previous years can be obtained from the Library.

  Table 1

  Statistics of terrorist activity

  Number

  (a) Shooting incidents1

  409

  (b) Explosions

  230

  Estimated weight in kilograms

  6,578

  (c) Bombs neutralised

  137

  Estimated weight in kilograms

  2,700

  (d) Armed robberies

  536

  (e) Amount stolen

  £1,672,884

  (f) Malicious fires

  333

  (g) Deaths:

  Civilian

  75

  Regular Army

  5

  Royal Irish Regiment

  8

  Royal Ulster Constabulary

  5

  Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve

  1

  TOTAL

  94

  555

  Number

  (f) Injuries:

  Civilian

  570

  Regular Army

  197

  Royal Irish Regiment

  56

  Royal Ulster Constabulary

  108

  Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve

  31

  TOTAL

  962

  1 Excludes shots heard.

  Table 2

  Statistics of security forces activity

  Number

  (a) (i) Dwellings searched by the Army:

  Occupied

  746

  Unoccupied

  176

  Derelict

  164

  TOTAL

  1,086

  (a) (ii) Dwellings searched by the RUC:

  Occupied

  1—

  Unoccupied

  Derelict

  TOTAL

  2,961

  Table 3

  Convictions and sentences for scheduled offences tried on indictment at Belfast Crown Court 1991

  Custodial sentences (January to December 1991

  Offences

  Persons convicted

  Non-custodial sentence

  Young offenders centre/ training school

  Less than 5 years

  5 years and less than 7 years

  7 years and less than 10 years

  10 years and less than 15 years

  15 years and less than 20 years

  20 years and over

  Detained S.O.S.

  Life

  Murder

  9

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  8

  Aiding and abetting murder

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Attempted murder

  16

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  4

  5

  5

  0

  0

  Conspiracy to murder

  14

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  5

  2

  4

  0

  0

  Manslaughter

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Assault occasioning actual bodily harm

  5

  2

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Wounding or grievous bodily harm with intent

  20

  3

  3

  3

  3

  4

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Wounding or grievous bodily harm

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Kidnapping and false imprisonment

  20

  3

  0

  4

  4

  5

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Arson

  7

  1

  2

  3

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Petrol bomb offences

  7

  6

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Hijacking

  8

  4

  1

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Robbery

  88

  20

  26

  24

  8

  8

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Burglary (aggravated)

  4

  2

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Blackmail

  7

  3

  0

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Receiving

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Membership

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Unlawful collection of information

  10

  1

  1

  5

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Wearing hoods

  2

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Withholding information

  7

  6

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Recording information

  4

  1

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Possession of information useful lo terrorists

  11

  2

  0

  6

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Making properly available

  13

  8

  0

  4

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Riot

  7

  7

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Carrying firearm with intent

  10

  4

  2

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Possession of firearm in suspicious circumstances

  11

  5

  2

  3

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Possession of firearm with intent

  48

  15

  5

  2

  6

  12

  8

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Explosives offences

  34

  2

  1

  2

  3

  6

  5

  10

  5

  0

  0

  Intimidation

  4

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Threats to kill

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Criminal damage

  3

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Handling

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Pervert course of justice (attempt)

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Theft

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  556

  Number

  (b) Finds:

  Weapons

  214

  Ammunition (rounds of)

  18,175

  Explosives (weight in Kg)

  4,168

  (c) Persons charged with terrorist-type offences:

  Murder

  37

  Attempted murder

  83

  Firearms offences

  87

  Explosives offences

  24

  Armed robbery

  40

  Others

  120

  TOTAL

  391

  1 Breakdown into occupied, unoccupied or derelict not provided by the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

  Note: Searches of dwellings frequently involve both the Army and the Royal Ulster Constabulary and are registered in their respective records. The totals should therefore not be aggregated and are shown separately to avoid an element of double counting.
  557

  Custodial sentences (January to December 1991)

  Offences

  Persons convicted

  Non-custodial sentence

  Young offenders centre/ training school

  Less than 5 years

  5 years and less than 7 years

  7 years and less than 10 years

  10 years and less than 15 years

  15 years and less than 20 years

  20 years and over

  Detained S O S.

  Life

  Taking motor vehicle without consent

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Breach of community service order

  3

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Breach of suspended sentence

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Making or receiving contributions

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  388

  115

  48

  77

  34

  38

  34

  17

  14

  1

  10

  Notes:

  1. Non-scheduled offences are included in table 3 where co-defendants were charged with scheduled offences, and where the charge was "reduced" (e.g. from robbery to handling stolen goods), or where a defendant pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

  2. Breach of community service orders/suspended sentences are included where the orders were made on scheduled offences. They are also included where the breach of conditions is heard along with other scheduled offences.

  3. Where a person has been convicted of more than one offence, only that offence which received the longest sentence is recorded in the statistics.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Indonesia
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current extent of United Kingdom aid to Indonesia; and what has it been over the past five years.

  (in £ millions)

  Technical Co-op and Financial Aid

  ATP

  CDC

  Debt Relief

  Total

  1987–88

  6·044

  1·807

  4·537

  2·273

  14·660

  1988–89

  8·333

  2·410

  4·350

  2·273

  17·366

  1989–90

  7·445

  2·192

  9·707

  2·273

  21·616

  1990–91

  10·689

  6·342

  5·296

  2·273

  24·600

  1991–92

  10·372

  10·828

  10·952

  2·273

  34·425

  Figures for 1992–93 are not yet available.

  Brazil
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the Overseas Development Administration aid programme for Brazil; and what plans he has to augment the programme that assists Brazil's Indian population.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The main emphasis. of the Brazil programme is on environmental activities. There is a large programme of forestry support in the Amazonia region and a smaller programme of urban environmental projects. We are also involved in a number of other sectors, mainly involving human resource development. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms Walley) on 19 April 1993, columns 37–38.

  We are currently assisting indigenous people with support to six projects run by the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development and OXFAM co-financed through the joint funding scheme. We have also agreed to assist the Ministry of Indian Affairs in refitting three aircraft which are used to protect and provide services for the indigenous peoples of Brazil.
  558
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 7 May, column 260.

  We also provide debt relief on past development loans. The Commonwealth Development Corporation currently has investments totalling £72 million and covering 11 projects.

  Gross public expenditure on United Kingdom aid to Indonesia since 1987–88 is as follows:

  Cambodia
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funds were pledged by the United Kingdom for Cambodia at the United Nations Aid Conference in Tokyo in June 1992; how this commitment has been met to date; what information he has on the payments made to date by the other pledger nations; and if he will make a statement on the current effectiveness of the United Nations transitional authority in Cambodia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In June 1992 we announced that our total aid pledge for Cambodia had been increased by $10 million to some $30 million. Of this sum we have already committed nearly $24 million, principally on humanitarian aid and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees repatriation programme, mine clearance, human rights, health care, water supply and English language teacher training. Of the $880 million pledged by donors at Tokyo, some $94·3 million had been provided for aid projects within Cambodia up to February this year. A national breakdown of this figure is not available.

  UNTAC has made considerable progress towards implementing the comprehensive political settlement in Cambodia. Preparations for the elections due to be held from 23 to 27 May are well advanced: more than

  559
  4·6 million Cambodians have registered to vote, 96 per cent. of those eligible; the election campaign began on 6 April, and UNTAC has taken a range of measures to promote a neutral political environment. In addition, nearly all the 350,000 refugees formerly in camps on the Thai-Cambodian border have returned to their homes.

  Sub-Saharan Africa
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will call on the G7 countries at their summit in July to support a financial plan for sub-Saharan Africa.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 12 May 1993]: We are working to ensure that the developing countries, including those in Africa, will be among the subjects covered at the G7 summit, especially as the summit will take place in the run-up to the conference on Africa to be hosted by the Japanese Government in October. The needs of sub-Saharan Africa have a high priority for the British aid programme.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Human Rights
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library before the United Nations conference on human rights in Vienna a copy of the United Kingdom national statement on human rights.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A copy of the United Kingdom national statement at the United Nations world conference on human rights will be placed in the Library of the House as soon as it has been delivered.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who will represent Her Majesty's Government at the United Nations conference on human rights in Vienna in June.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We will be represented at the United Nations conference on human rights in Vienna from 14 to 25 June, by a delegation consisting of Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials with expertise in the field of human rights, including the United Kingdom permanent representative to the United Nations at Geneva, and representatives of interested dependent territories. The delegation will be led either by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs or by myself.

  Eritrea
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken by his Department to grant diplomatic recognition to Eritrea following the recent 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.

  Public Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral reply to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr Michie) of 25 November 1992,Official Report, column 861, what country he was in when the public immunity certificate to which he refers was (a) being considered and (b) signed.

  Mr. Hurd
  I was in South Africa when the public interest immunity was considered and signed on 3 and 4 September 1992. When the supplemental certificate was considered and signed, I had returned to London from the United Nations General Assembly in the early hours of 23 September for two debates in the House returning to New York in the afternoon of 25 September.

  Foreign Affairs Council
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals were put forward by the United Kingdom in regard to the European Commission report on access to information; and what discussions took place and what decisions were taken on the report at the Foreign Affairs Council on 10 to 11 May.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  None. The Council agreed that the Commission's paper was a good basis for further work and that it should be studied further in the Committee of Permanent Representatives.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals were put forward by the United Kingdom on trade and environment at the Foreign Affairs Council on 10 to 11 May.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The United Kingdom did not put forward any specific proposals on trade and the environment at the Foreign Affairs Council on 10 May. Ministers agreed a statement put forward by the presidency on the relationship between trade and environmental policies in advance of the OECD ministerial meeting on 2 June.

  Overseas Domestic Workers
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many entry clearances were issued to overseas domestic workers at the latest available date.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Separate statistics on the number of entry clearances issued to domestic workers are not kept and could not be obtained except at disproportionate expense.

  Iran
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his United States counterpart regarding the sponsorship of terrorism by Iran.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have regular discussions with the United States on combating the whole range of international terrorism, including state sponsorship.
  561
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 14 April,Official Report, column 578, what measures Her Majesty's Government are taking to combat international terrorism sponsored by Iran.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We shall continue our efforts, both through bilateral co-operation and international forums, to combat all forms of state support for international terrorism. We and our European partners made clear our concern about Iran's behaviour in this area at the Edinburgh summit in December 1992.

  Belize
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is his policy to guarantee the frontier of Belize with Guatemala; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Our policy is to contribute all we can to the continuing improvement in relations between Belize and Guatemala and to encourage a full and final settlement of the border dispute between the two countries.

  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest situation regarding the Belize garrison; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The British garrison has been deployed in Belize since 1948. The central American region, of which Belize forms a part, has recently seen a welcome transformation in its political and security circumstances. The civil wars in Nicaragua and El Salvador are over; peace talks are in progress in Guatemala's 30-year domestic conflict; and progress towards regional integration is gathering speed. Central America's major neighbours, the Group of 3—Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela—are playing a part in this process, as is the United States. So is Britain, with its EC partners, through the San José dialogue between the EC and central America.

  In 1991 Guatemala recognised Belize as a sovereign and independent state; diplomatic relations were subsequently established and much progress has been made since then towards a normal bilateral relationship. The time has now come for the British military presence in Belize to evolve, to reflect the improvements in the regional political and security picture and in the very welcome and encouraging developments in Belize/Guatemala relations. Accordingly, over the next year or so, the garrison will be gradually reduced. At the request of and with the agreement of the Government of Belize, the British military presence will take the form of a training operation for United Kingdom troops. The formal responsibility for the defence of Belize will pass from British forces to the Belize defence force at a date to be announced in due course. Britain stands ready to play a part in any consultations that the Belize authorities may request on Belize's future security.

  The British troop presence in Belize is of long standing. Her Majesty's Government welcome the developments in Belize's bilateral and regional relationships which permit this evolution of the British troop presence. Her Majesty's Government have assisted since Belizean independence in 1981 with the development of the Belize defence force — BDF—through the provision of loan service personnel,
  562
  equipment, training and advice. We will maintain our programme of assistance to the BDF to sustain and improve the force's capability. Belize will, of course, also continue to be a beneficiary under Britain's bilateral aid programme.

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the health situation in relation to marasmus, kwashiokor, and malaria in Iraq; and what response he has made to the latest Harvard study of the medical situation in the Tigris and Euphrates valleys, a copy of which has been sent to him.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 12 May 1993]: We are aware of reports that the general standard of health in Iraq continues to decline as a result of the failure of the Government of Iraq to use their existing resources for the benefit of those in need in Iraq. I have not seen a copy of any recent Harvard study.

HEALTH

  Abortions
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what percentage of NHS abortions is provided through agency arrangements,(a) nationally and (b) for each district health authority;

  (2) which district health authorities have agency arrangements for the provision of NHS abortions.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information will be placed in the Library. For reasons of confidentiality, statistics for district health authorities are presented by DNA of woman's usual residence, not by DHA of termination.

  Agency arrangements for provision of national health service abortions are agreed between individual DHAs and the private sector. They are set up to provide for the needs of the DHA's resident population. Central receipt of the notification of dates when agency arrangements come into effect, and when they are dissolved, can be subject to delay and therefore the figures should be interpreted with caution.

  AZT
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library a list of all the fully completed research on the effects of AZT on patients with either ARC or AIDS distinguishing the research that shows conclusively that AZT is of benefit in such cases.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Licensing Authority receives reports of fully completed research as part of a licensing application. The information relating to licensing applications is confidential in accordance with section 118 of the Medicines Act 1968. However, most of the extensive research has been published in the scientific literature and copies will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what grounds the drug AZT was given fast-track licensing by the Committee on the Safety of Medicines; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The licence application for Retrovir (AZT) was given fast-track status by the Licensing
  563
  Authority on the grounds that it was considered to be a potential major advance in the treatment of AIDS patients. At the time of the decision in late 1986 there was no alternative licensed product for the treatment of AIDS. The decision to fast-track the application was made solely on public health grounds.

  The fast-tracking of an application means that it is assessed out of turn, but is still subject to the full standard assessment process. The criteria for granting fast-track status to an application was set out in the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Braintree (Mr. Newton). the then Secretary of State, to my hon. Friend the Member for Thanet, North (Mr. Gale) on 3 November 1987 at column 703.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration is being given to the advertising and promotion campaign relating to AZT in respect of the application of the prescription medicines code of practice authority guidelines.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The application of the code of practice is a matter for the prescription medicines code of practice authority.

  Wellcome Foundation
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all the meetings which took place from 1985 to 1988 between representatives of the Wellcome Foundation and her Department or with Ministers.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There were 16 meetings with officials, and one with a Minister and officials on pharmaceutical price regulation scheme matters and related business. There was also a number of meetings with officials of the then medicines division, now the Medicines Control Agency, and the AIDS unit, covering a large number of issues, but it is possible to quantify these only at disproportionate cost.

  Limited List Prescribing
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 16 February,Official Report, columns 159–60, how many of the (a) anti-diarrhoeal drugs, (b) appetite suppressants, (c) medicines for the treatment of vaginal and vulval conditions and (d) drugs for the treatment of soft tissue inflammation currently available on the national health service have been the subject of letters to manufacturers by the Advisory Committee on NHS Drugs in respect of the proposed extension of the limited list.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Advisory Committee on Drugs is an independent committee. It would not be appropriate at this stage to disclose information about the number of products which are the subject of discussions with manufacturers in relation to the proposed extension of the selected list scheme.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effect of the implementation of the Food Safety Act 1990 on the incidence of salmonella; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The reported levels of salmonella are affected by a number of factors. These may include 564
  increased reporting of foodborne illness, changes in eating patterns and in food handling and hygiene practices. It is therefore extremely difficult to quantify the effect of the implementation of the Food Safety Act as against these other factors.

  Welfare Food Outlets
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the likely effect of placing restrictions on the outlets for welfare food and child vitamin supplements on the take-up of these products.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. The outlets which may supply these products remain those listed in the Welfare Food Amendment Regulations 1988.

  Environmental Health Prosecutions
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 4 March,Official Report, column 217, what plans she has to revise the collection of statistics to make it possible to evaluate the percentage of successful prosecutions brought by environmental health officers.

  Mr. Sackville
  The statistics enable a comparison to be made between the number of establishments prosecuted under the Food Safety Act 1990 and subordinate legislation and the number of successful convictions. However, it is not possible to determine those taken by environmental health officers. We have no plans to change the form of the statistics which are based on EC requirements.

  Hepatitis C
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her Department's estimate of(a) the number of persons who contracted hepatitis C following blood transfusions in the period January 1989 to September 1991, (b) how many of these persons have pursued legal action against the Blood Transfusion Service or any other body in respect of the contraction of post-transfusion hepatitis C and (c) what is the average length of time taken for the settlement of these claims.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information is not available for the Department to make such an estimate. No legal action has been brought against the Department by any person alleging to have contracted hepatitis C through blood transfusion during the specified period.

  Information is not available centrally about any actions brought against health authorities.

  MMR Vaccine
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence she has on a link between the problem of extreme long sight in children and the administration of the MMR vaccine; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department is not aware of any evidence for such a link.

  Mr. Mohammed Saeed
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 4 May,Official Report, column 65, what safeguards have been introduced, following her departmental inquiry into matters relating to Mohammed Saeed, to prevent unqualified persons from becoming general practitioners; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Mr. Saeed was granted full registration by the General Medical Council in 1961 on the basis of reciprocal agreements with overseas medical schools in place at that time. These agreements are now more restricted in scope and the council's registration procedures have been considerably tightened up. The Department recently issued guidance (EL(92)84) to national health service-employing authorities and family health services authorities reminding them of the need to be sure that procedures for employing doctors involve checks which confirm that they are registered with the General Medical Council and that their registration certificates cover the tasks they are expected to undertake. A copy of the guidance is available in the Library.

  Children (Illnesses)
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children of each sex aged under 18 years were recorded as having(a) diabetes, (b) asthma, (c) hayfever, (d) eczema and (e) allergic rhinitis in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  Food Safety
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the extent to which environmental health officers distinguish clearly between good practice and legal requirements in accordance with the codes issued under section 40 of the Food Safety Act 1990.

  Mr. Sackville
  The small number of cases which come to the attention of the Department does not enable us to make an assessment of the extent to which environmental health officers distinguish clearly between good practice and legal requirements. Department of Health officials take every opportunity to emphasise the importance of this distinction—through training courses for EHOs, conferences, seminars, and work with the Institution of Environmental Health Officers and the local authorities co-ordinating body on food and trading standards. In addition, the Department wrote, on 6 May, to all chief EHOs in England reminding them of the need to make this distinction. A copy of this letter will be placed in the Library.

  Medical Specialists
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the number of new specialists needed to implement fully the report of the working group on specialist medical training and of the real-term cost implications of these new specialists.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The report has been issued for consultation so that any decisions on implementation can 566
  be taken in the light of comments from all interested parties. Work on the resource implications will be taken forward as part of the consultative process with the objective of implementing any changes without increasing national health service pay bills beyond existing plans.

  Maternity Claims
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many maternity claim forms were submitted by general practitioners in each of the last five years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available centrally.

  Consultants
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the ratio of operations done by consultants to doctors in the training grades in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available centrally.

  Rubella
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were born with congenital rubella syndrome in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Sackville
  The number of cases of confirmed or suspected congenital rubella reported to the national congenital rubella surveillance programme is shown in the table:

  Year of birth

  Registered by January 1993

  1979

  not available

  1980

  36

  1981

  16

  1982

  38

  1983

  68

  1984

  52

  1985

  24

  1986

  29

  1987

  40

  1988

  22

  1989

  13

  1990

  11

  1991

  2

  1992

  16

  1 Includes a set of triplets.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has on the number of district health authorities which do not provide a comprehensive immunisation service for rubella in schools for girls aged 10 to 14 years.

  Ms Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those health authorities which have stopped their programmes of rubella injections at school premises, together with the year in which the programme ceased.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Government policy is that all girls between their 10th and 14th birthdays should be immunised with single antigen rubella vaccine unless there is documented evidence that they have received measles,
  567
  mumps and rubella vaccine already. It is for individual health authorities to decide how best to implement this policy; most currently do so through a schools immunisation programme.

  The Department of Health does not routinely collect information about local arrangements. However, the Public Health Laboratory Service is to undertake a survey shortly which will establish what arrangements are in place.

  Community Care
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her best estimate for the time taken to assess the needs of a patient under the new community care programme; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  Assessment procedures need to be matched to individual circumstances and will, therefore, vary considerably in length and complexity. We have made it clear to local authorities that assessment processes should be as simple, quick and efficient as possible so that people get the care they need when they need it.

  Child Protection Register
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of children of each sex on the child protection register in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Yeo
  The information available is shown in the table. Information was not collected centrally before 1988.

  Number of children on child protection registers in England at 31 March

  Year

  Boys

  Girls

  11988

  18,700

  20,500

  1989

  19,700

  21,400

  1990

  21,100

  22,500

  1991

  22,200

  23,100

  21992

  18,800

  19,800

  1 Results of a pilot survey.

  2 Provisional.

  Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.

  Diphtheria
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of diphtheria have been reported in each of the last 20 years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.

  Notified cases of Diphtheria

  England and Wales

  1972–91

  Number

  1972

  4

  1973

  2

  1974

  3

  1975

  11

  1976

  2

  1977

  2

  1978

  0

  1979

  0

  1980

  5

  1981

  2

  1982

  4

  1983

  4

  1984

  4

  568

  Number

  1985

  4

  1986

  4

  1987

  2

  1988

  1

  1989

  2

  1990

  2

  1991

  2

  Ministerial Cars
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the use of ministerial cars for travel from home to the normal place of employment is regarded for tax purposes by the Department as private use that is merely incidental to the business use of the ministerial car.

  Mr. Sackville
  Yes.

  Disabled Staff
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the work force employed by the national health service within each English health region is registered disabled.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Tables showing the number and percentage of registered disabled persons employed by a wide range of public sector employers, including regional health authorities, district health authorities and national health service trusts, are published annually in the Employment Gazette. The figures are published with the agreement of the employers concerned.

  The latest figures relating to June 1992 are in the April 1993 edition of the Gazette, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of registered disabled people working within her Department and the national health service management executive; what percentage of the total work force of these two bodies this number represents; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  At 11 May 1993, 73 registered disabled people were employed by the Department; this represents 1.4 per cent. of the work force. This includes nine registered disabled people employed in the national health service management executive, representing 1 per cent. of its work force.

  Members' Correspondence
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the practice of the chief executive of the national health service management executive on response times to correspondence from hon. Members; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The chief executive of the national health service management executive treats all correspondence from hon. Members as a matter of priority and aims to provide a reply as quickly as possible. All letters are acknowledged immediately and a full reply is provided as soon as necessary inquiries are completed.

  Diamorphine
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been issued by her Department to general practitioners and hospitals with regard to the use of the drug diamorphine.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Diamorphine is a controlled drug under schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1985. Its supply and prescription are therefore subject to certain controls, which are described in the British National Formulary, which is distributed twice a year free of charge to all prescribers by the Department of Health. A copy of the British National Formulary is available in the Library.

  Prescribing information on the use of diamorphine is given to general practitioners and hospitals in the British National Formulary and in data sheets for products, issued by the manufacturers and authorised by the Licensing Authority. Guidance is also contained in the "Guide to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971" and the Misuse of Drugs Regulations.

  Quarry House
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is(a) the cost of building Quarry house in Leeds and (b) the cost of landscaping around Quarry house.

  Mr. Burt
  I have been asked to reply.

  The total costs of building Quarry house are £55·5 million. This includes the costs of landscaping those areas which are not the responsibility of Leeds city council.

DEFENCE

  Nuclear Waste Storage
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions the Atomic Weapons Establishment or other Ministry of Defence personnel have held with Atomic Energy Authority Technology in the last 10 years regarding the possibility of utilising its low-level waste storage sites at either Harwell or Dounreay.

  Mr. Aitken
  The Atomic Weapons Establishment has not had any discussions with AEA(T) in the last 10 years regarding the possibility of utilising its low-level waste storage sites at either Harwell or Dounreay. However, other branches of my Department currently make use of the storage and disposal facilities available at Harwell and Dounreay.

  Aldermaston
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the exact role and function of(a) radiological protection advisory group staff and (b) operational health physicist staff, employed at AWE Aldermaston as referred to in the oral evidence to the Select Committee on Defence at HC 479 of Session 1989–90 Q. 10ff, p.2; and if he will list (i) the numbers of these staff employed at AWE Aldermaston in each year since 1970 and (ii) the shortfall in the numbers of these staff in each of those years.

  Mr. Aitken
  The role and function of AWE radiological protection advisory group staff is to provide advice and support in the areas of radiation dosimetry, radiological requirements for new and operating facilities, monitoring 570
  of the environment for radioactive materials, nuclear safety hazards assessments, and responses to radiological incidents.

  The role and function of the AWE operational health physics staff is to provide advice on operational health physics aspects of the work undertaken at AWE and also to provide a comprehensive radiological monitoring service for all work undertaken at AWE. Details of the numbers of staff employed during the period 1970–1992 are not held in the form requested, and to provide them would require disproportionate time and cost. However, since the report by Sir Edward Pochin in 1978, the total number of radiological protection staff and health physicist staff has increased by a factor of three.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark), of 2 March,Official Report, column 111, if he will list the detailed actions identified by Sir Edward Pochin following his review of radiological health and safety at Aldermaston.

  Mr. Aitken
  The detailed actions to which I referred in my answer of 2 March were compiled by AWE—then AWRE—management as a result of the scrutiny of Sir Edward Pochin's report, rather than by Sir Edward Pochin himself. This was an internal management report which, in accordance with our usual practice, has not been released for publication.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) of 6 November,Official Report, column 530, whether the project definition study into the scope of work needed to overcome the corrosion problems of the A91 complex at Aldermaston is now complete; what is the estimated date he now expects A91 to be fully operational; and if he will place a copy of the A91 project definition study in the Library.

  Mr. Aitken
  The project definition study into the A91 corrosion problems has been completed. The study has identified a range of options and these are currently being evaluated. Until these options have been fully studied, it is not possible to give a forecast date for the facility to become fully operational. The project definition study report contains commercially sensitive information and it would not be appropriate for a copy to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on each of the(a) major injuries, (b) other injuries, (c) dangerous occurrences and (d) cases of disease, as defined in the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985—SI, 1985, No. 2023—reported to the Health and Safety Executive by AWE Aldermaston during (a) 1976, (b) 1981, (c) 1984 and (d)

  Mr. Aitken
  A total of 138 incidents for illness/injury and dangerous occurrences were reported to the Health and Safety Executive, as defined in the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985, SI, 1985, No. 2023, by AWE Aldermaston in the years 1976, 1981, 1984 and 1987. Further details of these incidents are as follows: 1976—(a) major injuries (total three)—two fractured fibula; one fractured scafoid (b) other injuries (total 32)—10 falls;

  571
  four back injuries; seven hand injuries; three stepping on or striking objects; two falls of objects; one facial acid burn; one burns to hands; one dislocated knee; one eye injury; one hernia; one sports injury (c) dangerous occurrences (total one)—one contamination incident and (d) cases of disease (total nil). 1981—(a) major injuries (total four)—one fractured humerus; one fractured radius; two fractured bones (b) other injuries (total 32)—12 falls; eight back pain; five stepping on or striking objects; three road traffic accident; two sports; one fall of object; one handling (c) dangerous occurrences (total nil) and (d) cases of disease (total nil). 1984—(a) major injuries (total one)—one fractured shoulder (b) other injuries (total 22)—10 falls; three road traffic accidents; three back pain; one sports; one fatigue; one splinter in finger; two falls of objects; one cut from handtool (c) dangerous occurrences (total one)—one contamination incident and (d) cases of disease (total nil). 1987 (a)—major injuries (total three)—two fractured wrists; one fractured ribs (b) other injuries (total 38)—14 falls; nine back injuries; four handling; four sports; one fall of objects; two stepping on or striking objects; one eye injury; one handtool injury; one road traffic accident; one damaged ribs (c) dangerous occurrences (total one)—leakage from effluent pipeline and (d) cases of disease (total nil).

  Waste Management
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made by his Department in tackling the issues listed in paragraph 6.9, page 79 of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Council 12th annual report of 1991.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department has a number of research programmes in hand to address the issues to which the hon. Member refers.

  Contracts
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of. State for Defence what proportion of defence contracts to his Department are provided from(a) Wales, (b) England, (c) Scotland, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) abroad, respectively; and if he will publish an annual figure in each case.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to tables 1.11 and 1.13 of "Defence Statistics", 1992 edition, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Explosives
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what investigation will be made regarding the explosive device found in the sea off Coll; if the results of the inquiry will be published; what steps have been taken to inform and protect west coast fishermen, Caledonian MacBrayne and merchant shipping operating in the area of the risks from explosive devices; if he will give details of the type of ordnance recovered; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Investigation has established that the item in question was an inert training device. Though the device contained a quantity of detonating cord, this posed no appreciable risk to fishermen or to shipping. These devices are usually recovered after each exercise.

  Navy Commanders (Re-employment)
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any former Royal Navy commander now employed by Rolls-Royce and Associates has been hired back by the MOD, Navy Department, to carry out the same duties that he previously discharged as an officer in the Royal Navy.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No, but a Rolls-Royce and Associates employee, a former Royal Navy commander previously involved in the management of the Trident works facilities at the Clyde submarine base, Faslane, has been engaged to provide some essential short-term assistance to the Department's shiplift project team.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to increase the number of British troops currently serving under the United Nations flag in the former Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have nothing to add to the answer my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Davyhulme (Mr. Churchill) on 20 April,Official Report, column 165.

  Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) civilian and (b) military patients were treated in each of the last three years for which figures are available at the Queen Elizabeth military hospital, Woolwich.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is contained in the table.

  1990

  1991

  1992

  In Patients

  Military

  4,785

  4,848

  4,882

  Civilian

  8,288

  7,657

  5,909

  Out Patients

  Military

  10,596

  12,071

  7,987

  Civilian

  15,258

  13,312

  12,931

  Munitions Shipments
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Rhondda (Mr. Rogers) of 22 April,Official Report, column 191, if he will publish as much information in regard to the shipping of munitions in the eastern Mediterranean on his Department's behalf as can be given without disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  This information is not held centrally within the Department and no information can be provided without disproportionate cost.

  Skye Bridge
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the policy of his Department in respect of the proposed design and height of the Skye bridge, with
  573
  particular reference to any emergency defence planning provisions which may arise involving the passage under the bridge of the largest naval vessels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence has been fully consulted over the specifications for the Skye bridge and is content that the design and height of the bridge is consistent with defence requirements for passage of the Kyle of Lochalsh.

  Personnel (Eastern Europe)
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Corby (Mr. Powell) of 22 April,Official Report, column 191, if he will estimate the total number of serving personnel together with members of their families in (a) Germany, (b) Poland, (c) Lithuania, (d) Latvia, (e) Estonia; (f) Georgia and (g) Moldavia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In addition to the numbers of Russian military personnel stationed in Germany, Poland, the Baltic Republic and Georgia I gave in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Corby (Mr. Powell) on 22 April,Official Report, column 191, there are some 9,000 personnel stationed in Moldavia. The number of family members will be in proportion to the size of the forces, but it is not possible to provide an accurate estimate.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 5 May,Official Report, column 149, whether the United Nations will be reimbursing the costs of transporting the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment's Warrior armoured vehicles to Bosnia.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The United Nations assumed financial responsibility for UNPROFOR operations in Bosnia with effect from 1 April 1993. The handling of individual cost elements will be a matter for negotiation.

  HMS Avenger
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why the proposed visit of HMS Avenger to Chile was cancelled; what would have been the additional fuel cost involved; what was the purpose of the proposed visit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It had originally been planned that HMS Avenger would return from patrol in the south Atlantic via the Pacific ocean and Panama canal, and that she would take the opportunity to pay an informal, goodwill visit to Chile later this month. In the light of constraints on fuel usage and of higher priority claims on the fleet's resources, including commitments in the Adriatic, however, it was decided Avenger should return directly to the United Kingdom via the Atlantic saving fuel costs of around £140,000.

  The cancellation of the visit to Chile has not affected the close relations which exist between the Royal Navy and the Chilean Navy. Royal Navy ships have visited Chile regularly in the past and will continue to do so.

  European Fighter Aircraft
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the current total estimated cost of(a) the development and (b) the production of the European fighter aircraft; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will publish the latest estimates of the costs associated with the European fighter aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  The current estimated cost of EF2000 development to the United Kingdom is some £3·4 billion. Production is likely to cost £8·3 billion at current prices. The estimated total project cost, comprising the costs of development, production and integrated logistic support, is some £13·1 billion. After allowances made for inflation, the real increase in project costs since the start of development is less than 10 per cent., which is unwelcome but not unexpected for a collaborative project of this magnitude and technical complexity.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current estimated maintenance costs for one European fighter aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  It is not possbile to be certain about the operating cost, including maintenance and repair, until a substantial number of development flying hours have been accumulated. However, the contractual specification for the aircraft calls for a significantly better level of reliability than for current RAF in-service aircraft.

  Belize
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the use of military helicopters in Belize in relation to the incident in early April involving Guatemalan intruders stealing mahogany trees from Belize territory.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It appears that this relatively minor incident involved trees illegally felled in Guatemala. The commander British forces Belize authorised the use of military helicopters to transport service personnel and to visit the area in question accompanied by representatives of Belizean agencies involved. Belize defence force deployments were by means of their own transport aircraft. I understand that the Belizean and Guatemalan Governments have resolved the incident to their mutual satisfaction.

  Western European Union
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current annual expenditure of the WEU, and the United Kingdom's total budget contributions to this expenditure; what forecasts have been made of future expenditure and of the United Kingdom contribution towards it; and how much is attributable to the costs connected with its move to Brussels, including the provision of buildings and other facilities there.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  I have been asked to reply.

  At current rates of exchange, the WEU budget for 1993 is £24·1 million. The United Kingdom share of this is £4·1 million. Forecast expenditure for 1994 is £22·7 million, of which the United Kingdom share will be £3·86 million.
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  The total budgeted cost of the transfer of the WEU secretariat to Brussels, including the provision of buildings and facilities, was £4·55 million, of which the United Kingdom share was £773,000.

  Army Pay and Personnel Unit
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many sites are currently being considered for the new location of the Army pay and personnel unit;

  (2) how many military and civilian posts will be allocated to the Army pay and personnel unit.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker) on 4 March,Official Report, column 229, I announced that representations received during the consultation period which followed the decision to locate the Army personnel centre in Glasgow would be considered before final decisions were made. A detailed review of the available options has been undertaken and I am now in a position to report the outcome. The review was conducted against the requirement that the Army personnel centre, comprising some 1,300 military and civilian personnel, should be located in the vicinity of one of the six existing Army manning, record and pay offices at Glasgow, Chester, York, Leicester, Ashton-under-Lyne and Exeter. The opportunity was also taken to review what alternative existed to a new purchase or lease of office accommodation.

  The review considered all the options against common criteria and in particular all the costs involved, which in the case of existing commercial buildings included both the
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  initial purchase price and costs of modification and any minor build required. The outcome was to show that the total cost of locating the Army personnel centre in existing Ministry of Defence office accommodation in Glasgow at Kentigern house would be some £6 million; that the overall cost of the building in Stockport referred to in my answer on 4 March would be some £15 million; that of the commercial building in Glasgow which formed the original proposal some £25 million; and the total cost of other options for an existing commercial building or new build would be in the range between £14 million and £24 million. Accordingly, in view of the significant saving over other options, I have concluded that, subject to consultation with the trades unions, siting the centre in Kentigern house represents the best possible value for money. The aim will be to complete the relocation during 1995.

  Kentigern house was purpose built to Ministry of Defence requirements; with some modification to its internal layout, returning the building to open plan office space, together with the application of new office space guidelines, it will be possible to meet the key requirements of the Army personnel centre. The accommodation will be sufficient to house the centre in its entirety, and with the additional flexibility offered by Wellesley house, all MOD staff based in Glasgow will be accommodated satisfactorily. A consultative document has been prepared and is being passed to the trades unions. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House. The consultation period will last until 25 June and I hope to make a final decision shortly after that taking into account the representations received.

  CATTLE EAR-TAGS
  CATTLE EAR-TAGS
  BEEF SPECIAL PREMIUM SCHEME: PURPOSES
  BEEF SPECIAL PREMIUM SCHEME: PURPOSES
  BEEF SPECIAL PREMIUM SCHEME: FORMS
  BEEF SPECIAL PREMIUM SCHEME: FORMS
  LONDON'S HEALTH SERVICE
  LONDON'S HEALTH SERVICE
  TOXICOLOGY SERVICES
  TOXICOLOGY SERVICES
  BRITISH COAL PENSION FUND SURPLUS
  BRITISH COAL PENSION FUND SURPLUS
  FALKLANDS CAMPAIGN: COST
  FALKLANDS CAMPAIGN: COST
  GULF WAR: COSTS AND CLAIMS
  GULF WAR: COSTS AND CLAIMS
  UN OPERATIONS: UK PARTICIPATION
  UN OPERATIONS: UK PARTICIPATION
  N.I.: IMPACT OF VAT ON DOMESTIC FUEL
  N.I.: IMPACT OF VAT ON DOMESTIC FUEL
  ANGOLA AND MOZAMBIQUE
  ANGOLA AND MOZAMBIQUE
  SOUTH AFRICA: UK AID
  SOUTH AFRICA: UK AID
  GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT: RESPONSIBILITY
  GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT: RESPONSIBILITY
  MASSAWA: REPAIR WORK
  MASSAWA: REPAIR WORK
  EUROPEAN COMMUNITY: SOLE COMPETENCE
  EUROPEAN COMMUNITY: SOLE COMPETENCE
  BELIZE: UK GARRISON
  BELIZE: UK GARRISON
  TOXICOLOGY AND BACTERIOLOGY
  TOXICOLOGY AND BACTERIOLOGY