Written Answers of 20 May 1993

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Scientific Research (Russia)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assistance the United Kingdom has offered the Russian Scientific Research Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology in Moscow.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  British scientists have long had contacts with scientists at the Institute of Organic Chemistry in Moscow, which comes under the Russian Academy of Sciences department of general and technical chemistry. These contacts have developed through assistance for Russian science funded by the Office of Science and Technology and administered through the Royal Society. As an example, Dr. Rakitin of the Moscow institute was awarded a three-month Kapitza fellowship beginning in November 1992 at the department of chemistry, Imperial college, London, in order to initiate United Kingdom/Russia collaboration in the synthesis and chemistry of heterocyclic systems of great importance to the fine chemicals industry.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Mediation
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary. Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the percentage of cases in which mediation leads to an outcome which is more satisfactory to those involved than that of a confrontation in court.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor has welcomed the growth of private mediation services and he is considering ways in which such services can contribute to his aims of reducing cost, complexity and delay in civil litigation. It is important that alternative methods of dispute resolution, whether inside or outside the court, provide scope to tailor procedures more closely to the needs of disputants. Work at this stage is concentrating on defining these differing needs, rather than attempting to assess accurately disputants' "satisfaction".

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the effect of local community mediation services on reducing(a) the cost of legal aid and (b) time spent in court.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Any alternative methods of resolving disputes which are more economical for the taxpayer, while being speedier and simpler to use by parties to a dispute, would be welcomed. The effect of the introduction of a new system of dispute resolution on the cost of legal aid is something that would have to be considered when developing and implementing a new 234
  scheme. As many of the disputes referred to community medication would not, otherwise, have reached the courts, it is not possible to assess reliably the effect on court time of such services.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Falklands
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to the answer of the Secretary of State for Defence of 29 March,Official Report, columns 15–16, if he will make a statement on the current state of his consideration of the conduct of British troops in the Falklands in 1992.

  The Attorney-General
  The investigation referred to by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 29 March 1993 is continuing. The Director of Public Prosecutions will consider what action, if any, is appropriate once the investigation is completed.

TRANSPORT

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to what investigations his Department has been subject by the Data Protection Registrar in relation to a suspected breach of a data protection principle; if he will summarise the nature of each complaint and state when the complaint was made; and what remedial action was taken by his Department to ensure future compliance with the principle subject to the investigation.

  Mr. Norris
  In response to this question, my Department (including its agencies) has obtained information from the Office of the Data Protection Registrar as follows:

  a total of 40 complaints have been received.

  these complaints are categorised in the Annex according to the Principles set out in the Registrar's Guideline No. 4 booklet.

  None has led to a request from the Registrar for any remedial action.

  In the time available, the additional information requested could be provided only at disproportionate expense.

  Sustainable Development Report
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking and what instructions he has given to prepare a draft paper as a basis for his Department's contribution to the sustainable development report.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Preparation of the sustainable development report is being co-ordinated by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. My officials are currently discussing with the Department of the Environment the format of a consultation paper, which we hope will focus public debate about the preparation of a United Kingdom sustainable development plan.

  Rail Freight
  Mr. Haselhurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his proposals for the privatisation of the British Railways Board's freight businesses.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have today published a document, "Rail Freight Privatisation—The Government's Proposals", which sets out the Government's plans to restructure British Rail's existing freight businesses for privatisation. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and in the Vote Office.

  The key proposals are: to split British Rail's existing trainload businesses into three geographical companies for transfer to private sector ownership; to establish the channel tunnel freight business on a sound commercial footing with the aim of privatisation as soon as possible; to invite proposals from the private sector on the future of the Freightliner domestic and deep-sea container business; and to privatise Rail Express Systems, which carries Royal Mail letter traffic, as soon as practicable.

  The combination of privatisation and open access to the railway network will promote the development of a rail freight industry which is efficient, competitive and responsive to customers' needs.

  Railway Pensions
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has reached final conclusions on the future arrangements for railway pensions after privatisation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have now completed my consultations about the future of railway pensions. I have had very helpful discussions with representatives of pensioners and of contributing members to the railway pension scheme, with the trustees, with the trade unions and with the Railways Board.

  My objective remains to preserve the security of rights enjoyed by pensioners and members while adopting arrangements to suit the new structure of the privatised industry. The proposals I am announcing today meet this objective.

  I have decided that there should be set up, under the powers granted in the Railways Bill, a joint industry pension scheme for the railways. This will be broadly on the basis set out in the consultation paper "Railway Pensions after Privatisation" issued in January. The governance and administration of the joint industry scheme will continue to involve both the employers and employees in the industry. We shall be discussing the detailed arrangements with interested parties. The eventual arrangements will need to reflect the recommendations of the pensions law review committee chaired by Professor Goode.

  Existing employees' rights will be protected by statutory orders made under the Railways Bill. The benefits offered to employees must be no less favourable than those in the existing scheme. There will be no penalties for involuntary breaks in employment. The present schemes under which the employer matches additional voluntary contributions made by employees (BRASS schemes) will continue subject to the existing right of the employer to withdraw matching for new or increased contributions.
  236
  Employees should be reassured by the statutory protection of these benefits. But I now propose to go further and give those staff serving at Royal Assent an individual right to remain in the joint industry scheme for as long as they are still employed in the railway industry. An amendment to the Bill to secure this "indefeasible" right—on which representatives have placed great importance—will be brought forward in another place.

  There will in addition be specific safeguards, in franchise contracts, to cover the transfer of pension funds when a franchise changes hands.

  In our consultation paper we proposed two possible broad approaches to arrangements for existing pensioners. Option 2 would have involved an appropriate portion of each fund being transferred to the Government, in return for guaranteed index-linked pensions. There was very little support for this option in the consultation. The Government have decided not to proceed with it.

  Instead, Option 1, a closed scheme for railway pensioners with appropriate support by investment, will be set up in due course, which will enable them to participate in any future surpluses there may be. We shall discuss with the trustees and the board the timetable for establishing this scheme taking account of the need to have clear arrangements in place as soon as possible. But we recognise the trustees' need for time to rearrange their investments to secure the pensions of their members. Meanwhile, the pensioners will continue in the BR scheme with the board's remaining employees. Again in response to points made in consultation, I am content for the pensioners' closed scheme to be managed as part of the joint industry scheme, provided that its governance arrangements are satisfactory. This will require further discussion and will again need to reflect the outcome of the Goode committee's recommendations.

  The division of funds between sections of the joint industry scheme and any new schemes will take into account the liabilities of those schemes, and the decisions made by the trusteees following the 1990 actuarial valuation, to improve pension benefits and to reduce contribution rates. The calculations will be subject to independent actuarial advice. These calculations will be carried out in the light of the present valuation of the fund, which is expected to be completed in the autumn.

  The Government will continue to make the contributions to BR pension funds fixed by the Transport Act 1980. The necessary amendments to the 1980 Act to make this possible have been put down for discussion at Report stage.

  Orders for setting up new schemes, transferring funds and protection of existing employees will be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure in both Houses. Orders relating to schemes and funds will be the subject of statutory consultation with the trustees.

  It is both natural and right that pensioners, pension scheme members and trustees should express their concerns and seek reassurance about pension arrangements in the privatised railway. The consultation document gave them the opportunity to do so: these decisions address those concerns and provide that reassurance.
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  Coastguard Service
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes he plans to the coastguard service in north Devon; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Steven Norris
  No changes to the coastguard service in north Devon are planned other than those already implemented over the last 12 months under the coastal review.

  Selby Bypass
  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated cost, on completion, of the Selby bypass project now in train; and how much approximately has so far been spent on the project on design work, soil surveys and public inquiries, etcetera.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The current estimated cost of the Selby bypass is £19 million.

  The readily available information shows that £0·8 million has been spent since 1988 in respect of design work, soil surveys and public inquiries.

  Applications for Orders
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what applications he has received in respect of section 6 of the Transport and Works Act 1992, stating for each the date received, the applicant and the nature of the scheme or works and where the public may obtain copies; and what arrangements exist for notifying hon. Members.

  Mr. Freeman
  None. One application has been made to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in respect of cooling works for a proposed generating station at South Humber Bank. This was received on 19 April from Humber Power Limited. The draft order disapplies section 6 of the Humber Conservancy Act 1905 in regard to works which are subject to separate consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. Copies of the application are available for inspection free of charge at the county hall, Humberside county council, and the civic offices, Cleethorpes borough council. The guide to the new procedures places the responsibility on applicants to notify hon. Members with a constituency interest of applications. In this case I understand that my hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Cleethorpes (Mr. Brown) has been notified of the application.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Parliamentary Seats, Wales
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Boundary Commission will begin its review of parliamentary seats in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand that a decision will be made on this matter once an appointment has been made to fill the post of deputy chairman of the Boundary Commission for Wales.

  Replica Guns
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is considering taking against the misuse of replica guns; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend has accepted the advice offered to him by the firearms consultative committee that the range of offences which apply to the misuse of imitation firearms should be extended. This will be implemented at a suitable legislative opportunity.

  Child Deaths
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions during the last five years following the death of a child charges have been brought under(a) section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and (b) sections 18 and/or 20 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861; and what sentences, on conviction, were imposed in each case.

  Mr. Jack
  Information in the form requested is not collected centrally.

  Litter Offences
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of the prosecutions brought under the Litter Act 1983 during the most recent period for which statistics are available was successful;

  (2) what was the average fine imposed under the Litter Act 1983 during the most recent period for which statistics are available.

  Mr. Jack
  In England and Wales in 1991 there were 1,450 prosecutions under the Litter Act 1983. Eighty-three per cent. (1,199) of those proceeded against were convicted. The average fine imposed was £55.

  Data for 1992 will not be available until the autumn.

  Royal Family (Bugging)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all occasions where he has given interviews this year to the media on allegations of the bugging of the royal family by security or intelligence services; and if he will place in the Library copies of the available transcripts of his comments on this matter.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I gave interviews to the BBC on Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 May. If the hon. Member wishes to obtain transcripts he should contact the BBC. I was also questioned about this subject, among others, at a press conference in Edinburgh on 12 May but I cannot provide a transcript of my answers there.

  Burglaries
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many burglaries have been committed within each police authority area of Wales in each year from 1987; how many have been convicted of burglary in each year; and, of those convicted, how many were registered or unregistered drug addicts at the time of the burglaries.

  Mr. Jack
  The information available relates to the recorded offences of burglary in Wales and persons convicted of such offences. A table showing these data is given below. Information on how many convicted burglars are registered or unregistered drug addicts is not available centrally.
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  Recorded burglaries and persons convicted of burglary by Welsh police force area 1987 to 1992

  Wales

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Police force

  Recorded offences

  Persons convicted

  Recorded offices

  Persons convicted

  Recorded offences

  Persons convicted

  Recorded offences

  Persons convicted

  Recorded offences

  Persons convicted

  Recorded offences

  Persons convicted

  Dyfed-Powys

  2,942

  364

  3,214

  288

  2,721

  296

  3,419

  341

  4,696

  370

  5,100

  1—

  Gwent

  4,804

  621

  4,170

  530

  3,838

  477

  5,235

  564

  7,477

  530

  8,239

  1—

  North Wales

  9,955

  737

  8,837

  635

  7,387

  551

  8,342

  576

  10,184

  553

  12,472

  1—

  South Wales

  26,493

  1,765

  25,158

  1,443

  25,067

  1,366

  28,121

  1,477

  36,637

  1,610

  38,799

  1—

  Total for Wales

  44,194

  3,487

  41,379

  2,896

  39,013

  2,690

  45,117

  2,958

  58,994

  3,063

  64,610

  1—

  1 Not available yet.

  Female Prisons (Complaints against Male Staff)
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many male staff members in each of the female prisons has been subject to official complaint for sexual misconduct in each of the past five years; and in how many cases formal disciplinary action was taken.

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

  Letter from Mr. D. Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 20 May 1993:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about complaints of sexual misconduct made against male staff working in women's prisons in each of the past five years.
  Complaints of harassment or other sexual misconduct, whether made by members of staff or inmates, are dealt with in the first instance at the establishment. If formal disciplinary charges are brought, they may be resolved at the establishment under powers delegated to the governor. Not all records of such cases are retained locally; in fairness to the accused, papers relating to complaints which are dismissed or where the accused in found innocent are destroyed. Only those cases which merit a punishment beyond the scope of the governor's powers would be referred to Headquarters. Cases of proven sexual misconduct would almost certainly fall into this category but we do not have any records which would enable us to state how many such cases had been referred to us in the past five years.
  A Notice to Staff on sexual harassment was issued in 1992 and we have since mid-1991 kept informal records of complaints of sexual (and racial) harassment which are referred to us by area managers, governors and other colleagues. These include complaints by both staff and inmates. We have been able to identify two complaints against male members of staff at women's establishments. In 1991, one complaint of sexual harassment against a male principal officer resulted in a written warning. In 1992 a complaint of sexual harassment against a storeman was found not to be substantiated.
  Further details of other complaints could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Drugs (Confiscation of Assets)
  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money was returned to the Treasury under the confiscation powers of(a) the Drug Trafficking Act 1986 and (b) the Criminal Justice Act 1988 in each financial year since their commencement.

  Mr. Jack
  The information is given in the table:240

  Amount (£) recovered1 by the Secretary of Stale in confiscation orders under the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986 and the Criminal Justice Act 1988 by financial year

  England and Wales

  Year

  Amount recovered £

  Drug Trafficking Offences Act 19862

  1987–88

  600,000

  1988–89

  1989–903

  1,375,200

  1990–913

  1,448,000

  1991–92

  5,384,500

  Criminal Justice Act 19884

  1989–903

  353,700

  1990–913

  437,100

  1991–92

  59,400

  1 The information collected centrally is known to be incomplete as returns were not received from all petty sessional divisions.

  2 Came into force January 1987.

  3 There was some confusion with the recording of information regarding the two Acts during these years. In consequence it is considered that data has been under recorded for the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986 and over recorded from the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

  4 Came into force April 1989.

  Identity Cards
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration his Department has given to the introduction by banks of photo-identity bank cards with a tamper-proof, laser-etched signature as a possible model for the introduction of a universal photo-identity card scheme in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Jack
  The introduction of photographs on cheque and credit cards was recommended in the Home Office crime prevention unit paper 26, "Preventing Cheque and Credit Card Fraud", which was published in 1991. I understand, however, that although some banks and building societies have now introduced such cards, including laser-engraved signatures, there is not general agreement among the financial institutions that these provide the most effective way of combatting the problem of fraud.

  The particular technical solutions adopted to tackle cheque and credit card fraud must be a commercial decision which lies with the banks and the retail sector. The Home Office will, however, continue to do what it can to encourage full co-operation and communication between all those bodies which have an interest in tackling this problem.

  The introduction of an identity card scheme is a separate issue, and one which is kept under review. However, the Government are not at present persuaded

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  that the benefits of issuing identity cards outweigh the disadvantages and costs. The question of possible models does not therefore arise.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the applicability of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to any future Home Office market testing exercise will be included in relevant documentation as a condition of contract.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  No. The regulations form part of a statutory instrument and, if applicable, take effect and are enforceable without the need for them to be included in a condition of contract.

  Unit Fines
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his estimate of the proportion of cases in which an inappropriate fine given under the unit fine system was(a) too high and (b) too low;

  (2) what is his estimate of the total number of cases in which an inappropriate fine was given under the unit fines system.

  Mr. Jack
  I have no basis on which to make any such estimate.

  Actual fine levels imposed are the responsibility of sentencers.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he had with the Justices Clerks Society on proposals for reforming the unit fine system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  Following the implementation of the unit fine system on 1 October 1992, officials in my Department had a number of discussions with representatives of the Justices Clerks Society about the way in which the scheme was operating and, latterly, about ways in which it might be modified. But, as my right hon. and learned Friend indicated in his statement on 13 May, his conclusion was that the better course was to abolish the scheme altogether. He has since then (17 May) met representatives of the society.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many notifiable criminal offences took place in Devon and Cornwall in 1992; and if he will publish separate figures for(a) violence against the person, (b) sexual offences, (c) robbery, (d) burglary, (e) theft and handling of stolen goods, (f) fraud and forgery, (g) criminal damage and (h) other offences.

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

  Notifiable offences recorded by the policy by offence group Devon and Cornwall

  Offence group

  1992

  Violence against the person

  3,926

  Sexual offences

  665

  Robbery

  310

  242

  Offence group

  1992

  Burglary

  28,728

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  60,658

  Fraud and forgery

  3,601

  Criminal damage

  15,936

  Other offences

  851

  Total

  114,675

  Drug Smuggling
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many front-line customs staff have been employed on anti-drug smuggling duties in the United Kingdom and its waters during each of the last five years.

  Sir John Cope
  I have been asked to reply.

  Front-line resources devoted specifically to passenger and transport control by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise over the past five years are set out in table 1. This is not restricted to drugs enforcement because Customs' frontier controls encompass a number of prohibitions and restrictions. Other staff also contribute to the anti-smuggling effort, including specialist investigators, staff employed on freight and documentary processing and essential support services such as training and prosecutions. Table 2 shows a broad estimate of the total resource devoted to the anti-drugs effort, including such staff.

  Table 1

  Her Majesty's Customs and Excise Front-line resources devoted to passenger and transport control

  Staff years

  1988–89

  3,600

  1989–90

  3,637

  1990–91

  3,630

  1991–92

  3,558

  1992–93

  3,420

  Table 2

  Her Majesty's Customs and Excise Resources devoted to anti-drugs effort

  Staff years

  1988–89

  4,700

  1989–90

  4,950

  1990–91

  4,850

  1991–92

  4,800

  1992–93

  5,000

  Note: Resources are counted in staff years rather than staff numbers, to take account of such factors as part-time working and overtime.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Eggs
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will bring forward legislation to ensure that eggs from battery hens are labelled to make that clear.

  Mr. Curry
  The EC Egg Marketing Standards Regulations lay down the terms which may be used to describe egg production systems. The terms include "free
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  range" and "perchery (barn)" eggs. Further descriptions are not required by those EC regulations and are not considered necessary.

  Set-aside Land
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from farmers on the effect of ploughing up land with the aim of discouraging illegal encampments on elibigility for set-aside payments in respect of that land.

  Mr. Curry
  None. Set-aside fields can be ploughed to create a bare fallow from 1 May. Requests for an exemption from the management rules to plough the margin of a set-aside field earlier than this to help prevent illegal access have been treated sympathetically.

  Integrated Administration and Control
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the timetable of processing IACS forms at each of his Department's regional centres and when he expects all forms at each centre to be accepted for grant eligibility.

  Mr. Curry
  Each regional service centre will now undertake a detailed check of the IACS forms to determine eligibility for aid. These checks have already begun. We shall aim to have the checks completed as quickly as possible, having regard to the time payments are due under the individual schemes involved.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what total cost he estimates for the administration of the integrated administration and control system by his Department in 1993–94 and 1994–95.

  Mr. Curry
  Our best estimate is that administration of IACS in England will cost in the region of £7 million in 1993–94 and £5 million in 1994–95.

  Strawberries (Destruction)
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will raise with his French counterpart the question of compensation for Mr. Russell Temple for the destruction of a quantity of Spanish strawberries near Bordeaux while en route to England.

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

  Her Majesty's embassy in Paris has already protested to the French authorities about the destruction of a consignment of strawberries which one of Mr. Temple's lorries was carrying near Bordeaux; they agree that he has a strong case for compensation. We shall be in touch with Mr. Temple.

  Agricultural Grants
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications for subsidy or grant made before 11 February remained unpaid on 11 May in the region of the United Kingdom covering the north of England.

  Mr. Curry
  The processing of claims under many MAFF schemes follows an annual cycle. On 11 May, the position at the northern regional service centre at Carlisle was as follows:
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  Since it opened on 26 January, the 1993 hill livestock compensatory allowance scheme had attracted 4,562 claims of which 4,000 had been paid. Of 3,411 claims for suckler cow premium submitted by 15 December, 2,962 had been paid. The remainder were subject to outstanding inquiries. A total of 7,200 claims for sheep annual premium submitted by 5 March 1993 awaited processing.

  A total of 609 applications to participate in the Lake District environmentally sensitive area had been received since its launch on 22 January and were with ADAS for the preparation of detailed agreements.

  In the month of April 157 applications for capital grant schemes or payments were received and 178 were processed. The number in course of processing on 30 April was 227, of which 11 had been received before 11 February.

  We have made clear in our service standard publication, "Commitment to Service", that applications for grants and subsidies will be dealt with as swiftly as possible and we set out our targets under a number of schemes. We are currently extending our monitoring systems so that we can check more closely performance against these targets.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Tourism
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what has been the increase in real output of the United Kingdom tourist industry in each year since 1986; what effect the decline in the nominal exchange rate since September 1992 has had on bookings for this year; and if he will publish his forecast for the industry's real output this year and next.

  Mr. Key
  The information on output is not available in the form requested. The Department does not collect data on bookings and so cannot quantify the effect of the depreciation of sterling since September 1992; however, it will have made the United Kingdom a more competitive tourism destination.

  The British Tourist Authority forecasts that the number of overseas visits will rise by 5 per cent. in 1993 and by a further 6 per cent. in 1994. Spending by overseas visitors is expected to rise by 4 per cent. (in cash terms) in 1993, and by a further 4 per cent. in 1994. The English tourist board forecasts that the number of domestic tourism trips of one night or more will rise by 1½ per cent. in both 1993 and 1994. Spending on domestic tourism trips is expected to rise by 7 per cent. (in cash terms) in 1993 and by a further 5½ per cent. in 1994.

  Arts
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the Government's activities in the field of the arts since 1987.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Government aim to create the conditions which enable the arts to flourish. This is now the responsibility of my Department, the creation of which indicates the priority that the Government place both on the arts and on the other areas for which it carries responsibility. Most of the Department's funding for the arts is channelled through the Arts Council of Great Britain (ACGB); decisions on funding arts organisations
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  are taken by ACGB at arm's length from Government. Grant-in-aid for the ACGB has risen from £139·3 million in 1987–88 to £225·6 million in 1993–94, an increase of 16 per cent. in real terms.

EDUCATION

  Humanities Research
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what arrangements he is considering for the funding of humanities research.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Government have considered carefully the appropriate framework for supporting humanities research, in the light of the Follett report and of the debate in another place on 17 February.

  The Government support humanities research primarily through the higher education funding councils (HEFCs), which have allocated some £90 million research funding for the humanities for the 1993–94 academic year. It also funds the British Academy to provide postgraduate and senior research awards and support research activities and facilities in the humanities: the Department for Education's grant to the academy for the 1993–94 financial year is some £22 million (an increase of 11 per cent. over the previous year).

  For research in the humanities the most important resources are the time of individual scholars, and library and other collections. For the humanities these are supported almost entirely through the HEFCs' institutional grant, as are permanent academic salaries in the sciences. The Higher Education Funding Council for England is undertaking a review of library provision. The Government do not believe that humanities research would be strengthened by reducing reliance on the HEFCs' institutional grant as the means of supporting academic salaries and research collections.

  Since the major channel for Government funding for humanities research will continue to be the HEFCs, the Government has concluded that the responsibility for promoting and funding it should remain with the Education Departments. This will allow the Office of Science and Technology to focus on its core responsibilities.

  The Government have also concluded that a research council established to manage the appropriate proportion of the resources available to humanities research would not be viable. The Government consider, moreover, that the direction and consolidation of research that the existing research councils provide would not be appropriate in the humanities.

  The Government believe that the existing structures for supporting humanities research, operating through the HEFCs and the British Academy, are best suited to meeting the particular needs of research in the humanities, and will continue to support high quality research in these disciplines in the United Kingdom.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools which have voted in favour of becoming grant-maintained are waiting for their applications to be accepted by his Department.

  Mr. Forth
  There are 166 schools whose proposals for self-governing (grant-maintained) status are currently 246
  under consideration in the Department. A further 87 have voted in favour of applying for self-governing status but have yet to publish proposals.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list all those organisations which have been approved by his Department as registered grant-maintained school auditors under the CIPFA scheme of audit regulation approved by his Department on 18 January.

  Mr. Forth
  Self-governing state schools (grant-maintained) are required to have an external audit of their accounts undertaken annually by one of the following: the Audit Commission; members of one of the professional accountancy bodies which are recognised supervisory bodies and who are also registered to audit limited companies in accordance with the companies legislation; or people or members of any other body approved by the Department of Trade and Industry to audit limited companies or approved by the Department of Education to audit grant-maintained schools.

  This Department has approved the CIPFA scheme of audit registration for this purpose but, as with the other professional bodies who can audit grant-maintained schools, is not responsible for approving the individuals or organisations applying for registration. That is a matter for the professional bodies concerned, who both register and monitor the auditors.

  I understand that the CIPFA has registered the following bodies under its scheme for the audit of grant-maintained schools:

  Surrey county council

  Dudley metropolitan borough council

  Hampshire county council

  Norfolk county council

  London borough of Croydon

  Derbyshire county council

  Bedfordshire county council

  Dorset county council

  Hertfordshire county council

  Lincolnshire county council

  Nottinghamshire county council

  Kent county council

  Cambridgeshire county council

  Gloucestershire county council

  Northamptonshire county council

  The requirements for external audits of grant-maintained schools are specified in an audit code issued by this Department. This includes an obligation on schools to notify the Department of the auditors they appoint.

  School Tests
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement about the publication, or otherwise, of the results of key stage 1 and 3 tests in schools this year; and what percentage of schools he expects to carry out these tests.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend intends to publish national curriculum test results in school performance tables this year. The primary tables will show the proportion of seven-year-old pupils in each primary school reaching or exceeding the level expected of a typical seven-year-old—level 2—in the core subjects of English, mathematics, science and in reading. The secondary performance tables will show the proportion of 14-year-olds in each secondary school reaching or exceeding the level expected of a typical 14-year-old—level
  247
  6—in mathematics and science. School results in English will not be published until 1994. My right hon. Friend has said that he will decide whether tests for 14-year-olds in technology should take place in 1994 in the light of this year's tests.

  My right hon. Friend also intends to publish both national and local analyses of the results of key stage one and three tests in England this autumn, although he has made clear that the local analyses will not include the results of the tests of 14-year-olds in English and technology.

  My right hon. Friend has repeatedly said that this summer's tests should be administered in the interest of pupils and in order to learn lessons for the future.

  Students
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the total full-time equivalent number of students in higher education, postgraduate and undergraduate, from the United Kingdom and EC, in each year from 1980 to the most recent year available.

  Mr. Boswell
  Total full-time equivalent (FTE) student numbers of United Kingdom and EC domiciled' higher education students in Great Britain institutions are shown in the table:

  Year

  FTE2 (thousands)

  1980

  542·7

  1981

  570·5

  1982

  587·8

  1983

  603·6

  1984

  612·4

  1985

  624·1

  1986

  642·1

  1987

  655·4

  1988

  678·6

  1989

  724·8

  1990

  785·3

  1991

  880·6

  1 Includes a small number of non-EC overseas domiciled part-time students.

  2 An illustrative weight of 0·35 has been applied to part-time students to derive full-time equivalent student numbers.

  Sources: USR, FESR, WO, SOED.

  Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consideration he has given, in connection with considering the potential membership of the

  Employment Select Committee reports

  Report number

  Title and date published

  Government response

  1992–93 Session

  First report

  Employment in the Horseracing Industry and the new VAT regime after 1 January 1993 (16 December 1992)

  Second Special report HC 521

  Second report

  Employment Consequences of British Coal's Proposed Pit Closures (21 January 1993)

  Third Special report HC 597

  1991–92 Session

  First report

  Employment in Prisons for Ex-offenders (28 November 1991)

  CM 1837" March 1992

  Second report

  Industrial Change: Retraining and Redeployment (7 May 1992)

  First Special report HC 219

  248
  proposed. Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority, to the reasons given by Lord Skidelsky and Dr. John Marenbon for their resignations from the School Examinations and Assessment Council.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend regrets the resignations of Lord Skidelsky and Dr. Marenbon from SEAC, and is aware of the reasons they gave. When considering the appointment of members to the proposed SCAA he will take account of relevant comments made to him from all sources.

  Charters
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress he has made in issuing charters for further and higher education.

  Mr. Patten
  I have today issued the charters for further and higher education as consultative documents. I am seeking the views of a number of organisations including the representative bodies of universities and colleges before publishing the final documents in the autumn. Copies of the charters have been placed in the Library. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is consulting on' charters for Wales.

EMPLOYMENT

  Defence Work
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans she has to encourage the allocation of defence work and related employment to the north of England and Scotland.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement on Friday 14 May 1993,Official Report, column 603.

  Select Committee Recommendations
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many Select Committee recommendations have been made about her Department since April 1989; and how many have been accepted.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Employment Select Committee has published 14 reports since April 1989. The Government's responses are contained in the following table. Copies of the documents are available in the Library.
  249

  Report number

  Title and date published

  Government response

  1990–91 Session

  First report

  Disability and Employment (Typescript 20 December 1990 HMSO)

  No Special report published—letter sent by Secretary of State 15 January 1991

  Second report

  Recruitment Practices (20 February 1991)

  Departmental Memorandum sent 19 April 1991

  Third report

  Future Prospects for Levels of Employment and Unemployment (5 June 1991)

  Second Special report HC 675

  Fourth report

  The European Community Social Charter (20 August 1991)

  Third Special report HC 676

  Fifth report

  Training and Enterprise Councils and Vocational Training (20 August 1991)

  Fourth Special report HC 677

  1989–90 Session

  First report

  Legionnaires' Disease: Further Developments (25 January 1990)

  First Special report HC 428

  Second report

  Part-time work (31 January 1990)

  Second Special report HC 485

  Third report

  Employment Training (11 June 1990)

  Third Special report HC 643

  Fourth report

  Tourism (25 July 1990)

  Fourth Special report HC 668

  1988–89 Session

  Second report

  The Employment Patterns of the Over 50's (9 May 1989)

  Fourth Special report HC 581

  Unfair Dismissal
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make it her policy to amend the qualifying conditions for unfair dismissal set out in the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 to enable a claim for unfair dismissal to be pursued by a woman dismissed because of her pregnancy at any stage between conception and the end of maternity leave.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Yes. The Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill, currently before Parliament, contains provisions which will make it automatically unfair for an employer to dismiss an employee on maternity-related grounds during the period of her pregnancy or statutory maternity leave. This protection will apply regardless of the employee's length of service or hours of work.

PRIME MINISTER

  Government Priorities
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister what priorities have been set for Her Majesty's Government between now and the beginning of the summer adjournment.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 14 January 1993 at columns 786–87.

  Policy Objectives, London
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister what are Her Majesty's Government's short-term, medium-term and long-term policy objectives for London.

  The Prime Minister
  Our policy objectives are to maintain and enhance London's position as a thriving national capital and a leading world city.

  Council of Ministers (Votes)
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Prime Minister what advice has been given to all Departments concerning the recording of answers to be published in the Official Report to parliamentary questions of all votes in meetings of the EC's Council of Ministers; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  All Departments are being advised that statements to the House following meetings of the Council of Ministers should include details of the vote, whenever a formal vote is taken in Council, or should record that no formal votes were taken.

  Correspondence (Journalists)
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Prime Minister what guidelines he has issued governing official correspondence between civil servants and journalists; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  None. Guidance on various points concerning relations between civil servants and journalists is given in "A Working Guide for Government Information Officers" produced by the information officer management unit in the Office of Public Service and Science, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Engagements
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 20 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 this House I shall be having further meetings later today.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the total amount of UNHCR humanitarian aid reaching Bosnia-Herzegovina during the last two months originating from(a) the Republic of Croatia and (b) the Republic of Serbia; how much of that aid arrived by road to each destination; and how much by air.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The most recent figures available from UNHCR show that in February a total of 17,653 tonnes were delivered to Bosnia-Herzegovina, 24,330 tonnes were delivered in March and 6,131 tonnes in the first half of April. Most of this aid was delivered by road from UNHCR's distribution centres in Metkovic, Zagreb and Rijeka in Croatia and from Belgrade in Serbia. Exact figures showing the distribution from each centre are unavailable.

  No aid was delivered by air to Bosnia-Herzegovina from Croatia or Serbia during this period—the airlift to Sarajevo operates from Ancona in Italy and has delivered a total of 38,356 tonnes to date. The air drops to eastern Bosnia operate from Rheinmain in Germany and have delivered 2,849 tonnes to date.

  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the number of Serbian refugees displaced by the conflict in the former Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Nations does not keep records of displaced people in the former Yugoslavia by ethnic origin. However, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that there are now a total of 457,000 displaced people in Serbia, of whom 291,000 have come from Bosnia-Herzegovina and 166,000 from Croatia.

  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on incidents involving the stopping of United Nations and humanitarian aid convoys by Croat forces in Bosnia on(a) 11 May and (b) 12 May; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We understand that on Monday 10 May a UNHCR convoy manned by Bosnian Muslim drivers en route from Metkovic to Zenica was stopped at a Bosnian Croat militia (HVO) checkpoint. Reports indicate that the vehicles were damaged, some of the goods were stolen and several of the drivers were beaten. The convoy then proceeded to Gorni Vakuf, where the drivers received medical attention from British UNPROFOR troops, and finally returned to Metkovic on 11 May.

  We have no reports of any incidents involving UNHCR convoys on Tuesday 11 May. But on Wednesday 12 May the HVO stopped a UNHCR convoy manned by Danish drivers which carried Italian goods and visiting Italian officials. The convoy, en route from Split to Zenica was held up for nine hours, but eventually allowed to proceed without harm to goods or personnel.
  252

  Indonesia
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the terms on which £65 million aid was granted to the Government of Indonesia to develop a power project in east Kalimantan; if he will name the project; and if he will list the British companies involved.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The £65 million loan arrangement signed with the Indonesian Government in April 1993 provided finance at 3·5 per cent. interest, repayable over 25 years with a seven-year grace period.

  The Samarinda electric power project in east Kalimantan is likely to utilise most of the £65 million. The Indonesian electricity authority will award a contract for equipment supply after a competition between a number of British suppliers.

  Family Planning Projects
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how ODA-funded population and family planning projects are evaluated; what criteria. are used; which organisations have been evaluated; and with what results.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 19 May 1993]ODA's evaluation department is responsible for formal impact evaluations of, mostly, bilateral aid spending. Their current work programme includes population and family planning projects. The criteria used for their evaluation are the same as for other ODA programmes, and include assessing how far the objectives of the spending have been achieved and its impact on intended beneficiaries in comparison with cost.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policies were put forward by Foreign Ministers of other member states in relation to the commitment of ground forces and combat aircraft in the former Yugoslavia at the most recent EC Foreign Affairs Council.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to the hon. Member for Keighley on 19 May at column 168.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to raise in the European Council the issue of human rights in Croatia and the role of extreme right-wing groups in that country.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The behaviour of the Croatian Government and its human rights record are regularly discussed with our EC partners. These factors, together with the Croatian Government's attitude towards fighting between Croats and Muslims in Bosnia, and towards the Serbs in Krajina, are taken into account in determining EC policy towards Croatia.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visa applications
  253
  from holders of Yugoslav passports have been refused since the introduction of visa requirements; and how many have been issued during the same period.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The method of collecting statistics at posts world wide does not normally allow us to establish the number of applications by nationality. For an initial period, however, we are monitoring the effect of the visa regime on former Yugoslav nationals at the visa sections in Belgrade, Zagreb, Vienna, Budapest, Sofia, Rome, Milan, Florence, Naples, Dusseldorf and Paris. At these Posts, up to the end of April, 494 applications from former Yugoslav nationals had been refused; 3,918 applications were granted.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans Her Majesty's Government have to contribute monitors, including military personnel, along the border of Yugoslavia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We support the deployment of international observers on Bosnia's borders with Serbia and Montenegro to monitor implementation of the prohibition of supplies (except humanitarian goods) to areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina controlled by the Bosnian Serbs. The United Nations Security Council is now actively considering detailed proposals. As yet no decisions have been taken on how the United Kingdom would contribute to international efforts to implement measures agreed by the United Nations Security Council.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to provide monitors to police the border between Yugoslavia and Bosnia-Herzegovina; and when he expects the first monitors to be in place.

  Mr. Garet-Jones
  The United Nations Security Council is actively considering proposals to deploy international observers on Bosnia's borders with Serbia and Montenegro. We hope that these personnel will take up their duties as soon as possible.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he first became aware of a proposal by the Federal Government of Yugoslavia to put the border between Yugoslavia and Bosnia-Herzegovina under the supervision of United Nation monitors; and how this was responded to by Her Majesty's Government and EC partners.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Serbia and Montenegro authorities announced on 6 May their intention to prohibit the supply of all goods (except humanitarian supplies) to the Bosnian Serbs. We hope that the United Nations Security Council will soon agree to deploy international observers to monitor implementation of these measures. At its meeting on 10 May the EC Foreign Affairs Council indicated that the European Community and its Member States would be willing to contribute to international efforts to support implementation.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has in respect of human rights abuses and restrictions on the press and media in Croatia; and what representations have been made to the Government of Croatia.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  There are continuing concerns about Croatia's human rights record and treatment of the media.254
  Several representations have been made, most recently a strong message from the EC presidency to President Tudjman on 12 May, warning that the Community would not be able to continue its support for Croatia if the violence and ethnic cleansing committed by Croats in Bosnia continue.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the number of detention camps operated by(a) Bosnian Serbs, (b) Bosnian Croats and (c) Bosnian Muslims in Bosnia-Herzegovina; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) regularly visits 1,023 prisoners held by Bosnian Serbs in eight places of detention, 2,200 held by Bosnian Croats in six places of detention and 1,023 held by Bosnian Muslims in 15 places of detention. The ICRC is also visiting those detained during the recent fighting between Bosnian Croat and Muslim forces in central and southern Bosnia.

  BBC World Service
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his most recent estimate of the number of people living outside the United Kingdom who listen to BBC World Service broadcasts.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Latest estimates by the BBC World Service, based on audience research, indicate that the global audience for World Service broadcasts in all languages is in the region of 124 million. This figure does not include any information on audiences in certain countries, such as China, Burma and Vietnam, where reliable data are not readily available.

  Wilton Park Executive Agency
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the Wilton Park executive agency performed against the targets which were agreed for 1992–93; and what targets have been agreed for the current year.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Wilton Park exceeded three of the four targets set for the 1992–93 financial year and only narrowly failed, by 1 per cent., to achieve the target for cost recovery. Commercial income was lower than expected as a result of the economic recession.

  The Wilton Park departmental board met on 23 April. I have agreed to the recommendation of the board that the following key targets be adopted for this financial year:

  to increase overall income from £918,000 in 1992–93 to £959,000;

  to increase cost recovery from 71–5 per cent. in 1992–93 to 72·05 per cent.;

  to increase the overall number of Wilton Park Conference participants from 957 in 1992–93 to 995;

  to reduce the average cost to the FCO of each participant from £382 to 1992–93 to £374.

HEALTH

  Patients Charter
  Mr. Boyce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the progress being made in implementing the patients charter.
  255
  Mr. Sackville
  The national health service has made considerable progress in implementing the patients charter since it came into effect on 1 April 1992. The patients charter has stimulated many innovative ideas and good practice at a local level and the efforts of the NHS should be recognised. From April 1993 the patients charter has been extended to primary health care with all family health service authorities producing their own local charters.

  GP Fund Holders
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make available the letter sent to Mr. John Firth in her Department from the Audit Commission in relation to their findings on fund-holding.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave her on 31 March at col 239.

  Mammograms
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women in Pendle have been waiting more than two years for a mammogram.

  Mr. Sackville
  No women requiring mammography due to clinical need have waited more than two years.

  Contraceptives
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she intends to meet representatives from the United Kingdom Hormonal Contraceptive Manufacturers Group following the Government's decision to seek to extend the selected list scheme to 10 new categories.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No formal invitation to meet this group has been received.

  Midwives
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many whole-time equivalent midwives were employed in the NHS in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.

  Midwifery staff. England 1987–91

  Whole-time equivalent

  1987

  19,130

  1988

  19,090

  1989

  19,110

  1990

  19,860

  1991

  19,640

  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

  NSPCC Report
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response she is making to the recommendations in the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children report on joint enterprise and parents.

  Mr. Yeo
  I have seen a copy of the report submitted to the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice, which itself is expected to report in the summer. This is principally a matter for the Home Office and I refer my hon. Friend to 256
  the reply my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Home Department, gave to the hon. Member for Wentworth (Mr. Hardy) on 5 May at column 83.

  Prescription Charges
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) men aged 65 years and over, (b) women aged 60 years and over and (c) people with family health services authority exemption certificates for prescriptions there were in each year since 1988.

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

  Numbers of men aged 65 years and over, women aged 60 years and over and prescription charge exemption certificates issued by family health services authorities1 in England in each year 1988 to 1991

  Year

  Men aged 65 and over

  Women aged 60 and over

  Exemption2 certificates

  1988

  2,981,002

  5,752,924

  635,779

  1989

  3,013,527

  5,760,838

  621,229

  1990

  3,036,790

  5,758,402

  594,894

  1991

  3,071,645

  5,788,790

  608,792

  1 Family health services authorities issue exemption certificates to pregnant women, women in the first year after the birth of a child and men and women with one or more of the medical conditions which confer entitlement to free prescriptions.

  2 Data derived from six-monthly statistical returns provided by family health services authorities.

  Artificial Insemination
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the names of the centres licensed for artificial insemination by donor from 1 August 1991, but not now licensed.

  Mr. Sackville
  The following donor insemination centres, operating at 1 August 1991, no longer hold licences:

  Hartlepool general hospital

  Mount Stuart hospital, Torquay

  Royal Oldham hospital

  The Heath clinic, London

  The following centres were performing donor insemination on 1 August 1991, but currently hold only a storage licence:

  Walm Lane clinic, London

  Watford general hospital.

  Non-fundholder Services
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the names of provider units known by the Department of Health and NHS management executive to be restricting services to non-fundholding GPs' patients in April 1993 and May 1993.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  It is for national health service purchasers—health authorities and general practitioner fundholders—to place contracts with provider units to secure high quality, cost-effective services. The Government agreed with, the medical profession in 1991 that providers should not offer a contract to one purchaser that would disadvantage the patients of another. We have no evidence that hospitals are not following this guidance when offering services to potential purchasers.

  Absenteeism
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will publish the report prepared by Crime Prevention Consulting on absenteeism in the NHS.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I have arranged for copies of the report to be placed in the Library.

  Pharmacists
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received from pharmacists regarding the proposed new level of payments to pharmacists; and what will be the effect on small pharmacies.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We have received a number of representations about our proposals for restructuring pharmacists' remuneration. These proposals are under discussion with the profession.

  Junior Hospital Doctors and Dentists
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in reducing the hours of junior hospital doctors and dentists; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Regional task forces have reported that at 31 March there were 370 junior hospital doctors and dentists in England contracted for more than a maximum average of 83 hours a week. This is a fall of over 12,900, or 97 per cent., since September 1990. We also have reports that a further 125 posts have had their contracted hours reduced in April, bringing the total remaining posts to 245.

  This represents significant progress in reducing junior doctors' and dentists' hours. I have written to health authority and trust chairmen to thank them and to emphasise that the small number of posts where contracted hours remain over 83 hours are tackled as a high priority. I will monitor progress closely.

  We are determined to see further progress in reducing hours for the benefit of junior doctors and dentists.

  Anophthalmia
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the small area health statistics unit, LSE, will be reporting on its examination of anophthalmia; and if she will publish their findings.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  A research proposal for a study into the incidence of anophthalmia in Great Britain has been received by the Department from Dr. Paul Elliott, the head of the environmental epidemiology unit at the London school of hygiene and tropical medicine. This proposal is being considered by external referees. The proposed length of the study is 18 months and the team would be expected to report shortly after that.

  AIDS
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the report by Professor Nicholas Day on the spread of AIDS; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Updated projections of HIV and AIDS for England and Wales prepared by a working group 258
  chaired by Professor Day and convened by the director of the Public Health Laboratory Service will be published shortly. It would be inappropriate to comment on the report before it is published.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish a table showing the financial support given by her Department to groups campaigning on the issue of AIDS for the financial years 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94 and the planned amount for 1994–95 expressed both in cash and real terms; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The table shows the funds made available by the Department under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 to voluntary organisations in support of their prevention and care services for people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and the years 1990–91 to 1993–94. Funding decisions for 1994–95 have not yet been made.

  £ million

  Year

  Cash

  Real terms

  1990–91

  1·726

  1·726

  1991–92

  1·842

  1·727

  1992–93

  1·987

  1·800

  1993–94

  1·927

  1·699

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will outline her Department's proposed strategy to target funding provided for HIV/AIDS prevention work more specifically than hitherto at(a) intravenous drug users and (b) homosexual men; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) what policies she is proposing to ensure that narrower targeting of funding for HIV/AIDS prevention work on particularly high-risk groups has no detrimental effect on the impact of the safer sex message directed at the general population.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department will ensure that funding for HIV and AIDS prevention work strikes the right balance between maintaining awareness among the wider population, and increasing the emphasis on those whose behaviour might place them at particular risk including men who have sex with men, drug users and their sexual partners.

  The work will build upon the success we have had in achieving high public awareness and include education for young people in both formal and informal settings. Health authorities have been encouraged to undertake HIV prevention initiatives for those at greatest risk and provide increased facilities for HIV testing.

  Corporate Affairs Intelligence Unit
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the operation of the corporate affairs intelligence unit within the NHS Management Executive with reference to its reporting mechanism and structure, its staffing structure, the number of staff employed by the unit and its budget for 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) on 22 February at columns 482–83.

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what statistics she has on the number of reported cases of food poisoning in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The table shows the number of reported cases for England and Wales only. Information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Food poisoning cases England and Wales 1988–92

  Year

  Total

  1988

  39,713

  1989

  52,557

  1990

  52,145

  1991

  52,543

  11992

  64,882

  1 Provisional.

  Source: OPCS.

  The Government have initiated a major new surveillance programme to collect and analyse hard information about the sources and causes of human food-borne illness. As part of this programme, a major new study will start later this year in England, which aims to provide a sound basis for assessing the true incidence and causes of food-borne disease in the population as well as its economic cost.

  Income from private patients

  £ thousands (cash)

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Northern

  1,504

  1,511

  1,716

  1,986

  1,877

  Yorkshire

  3,425

  3,769

  3,963

  4,888

  4,542

  Trent

  2,385

  2,794

  3,114

  2,809

  3,465

  East Anglian

  3,093

  3,888

  4,709

  5,241

  7,319

  North West Thames

  8,150

  10,233

  11,700

  13,171

  13,984

  North East Thames

  8,791

  10,987

  13,958

  16,184

  11,158

  South East Thames

  6,828

  7,809

  8,576

  10,905

  11,692

  South West Thames

  2,702

  2,729

  3,291

  4,061

  3,528

  Wessex

  1,665

  2,202

  2,471

  3,263

  4,383

  Oxford

  4,849

  5,778

  8,083

  9,462

  9,725

  South Western

  2,627

  3,154

  3,591

  4,750

  2,112

  West Midlands

  3,439

  3,594

  4,313

  5,573

  6,327

  Mersey

  2,055

  2,032

  1,648

  1,981

  2,006

  North Western

  4,094

  4,505

  5,302

  6,533

  4,950

  SHAs

  11,287

  11,910

  15,141

  16,663

  21,513

  NHS Trusts

  —

  —

  —

  —

  32,254

  Total

  66,893

  76,895

  91,577

  107,472

  140,834

  Notes:

  1. SHAs = Special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals.

  2. Some total columns do not add precisely because of rounding.

  Hillingdon Hospital Incinerator
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the Health and Safety Executive's most recent inspection of Hillingdon hospital incinerator; what was the date of the inspection and the outcome of consideration of corrosion in the water tubes; and if she is satisfied that inspections are being carried out sufficiently regularly for the safety of employees and local residents.

  NHS Administration
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current level of administration costs for(a) regional health authorities, (b) district health authorities and (c) trusts in England.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 5 May 1993]The latest available (1991–92) annual accounts of regional and district health authorities in England record expenditure on headquarters administration totalling £312 million and £327 million respectively.

  These figures cover the total revenue expenditure on the pay and accommodation costs of staff of all disciplines and their support staff employed at headquarters levels together with the costs of the purchaser function. They exclude administrative support in hospital departments and at other local levels which is regarded as operational expenditure.

  The annual accounts and financial returns of national health service trusts do not separately identify administration costs of a non-operational nature.

  Private Patients
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much income, by region, has been generated by private patient facilities in NHS hospitals in each year since 1987–88.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 10 May 1993]Figures of total income from private in-patients and out-patients, derived from annual accounts submitted to the Department, are shown in the table.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have been asked to reply.

  Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) last inspected the incinerator at Hillingdon hospital on 4 August 1992 in connection with an associated liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage installation.

  HSE learned on 15 April that a steam boiler tube associated with the incinerator had failed on 16 March 1993. HSE has obtained confirmation from the operator of the incinerator that all the necessary thorough examinations had been made before the incident and that no

  261
  repairs affecting safety had been required. HSE has also been informed that the water treatment system to prevent corrosion has since been modified and that a new boiler will be installed in June 1993. Failure of a boiler tube is detected by an automatic monitoring system which shuts down the boiler and presents no danger to employees or local residents.

  It is the duty of the operator of the incinerator to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees and the health and safety of others, including local residents, in connection with its operation. We are satisfied with H SE's arrangements to monitor the operator's compliance with health and safety legislation and that the statutory requirements in respect of the incinerator have been complied with.

  Responsibility for inspecting environmental pollution matters under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 rests with Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Pharmacies (West Midlands)
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of pharmacies in the west midlands; and how many dispense fewer than 2,000 prescriptions a month.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [pursuant to his reply, 14 May 1993, c. 590]I regret that my previous reply was incorrect. It should have read:The total number of pharmacies in the west midlands in 1991–2, the latest year for which figures are available, was 1,073. Of these, 227 pharmacies were dispensing fewer than 2,000 prescriptions a month.

DEFENCE

  Bosnia
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has about the numbers of regular Croatian army forces currently in Bosnia-Herzegovina; what assessment has been made of the potential additional risk their presence poses to British forces under United Nations command; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We have no accurate figures available of the number of regular Croatian army forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina. We judge that the involvement of these forces does not significantly increase the threat to British forces at present.

  TASM
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are his latest proposals in respect of the tactical air-to-surface missile system.

  Mr. Aitken
  We continue to study a range of possible options for our long-term sub-strategic nuclear capability. An announcement on the outcome will be made at the appropriate time.

  Lance Corporal Gary Fryer
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will send to the hon. Member for Stockton, South a full report, including the inquest and inquiry reports, of the circumstances in which Lance Corporal Gary Fryer was killed on 16 October 1992.
  262
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A summary of the service police report into the circumstances surrounding Lance Corporal Fryer's death will be released to the next of kin, on request, after the coroner's inquest. This is standard practice in incidents of this sort, but it is not our normal practice to release the information to anyone other than the next of kin. A date for the inquest has not been fixed.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the circumstances in which Lance Corporal Gary Fryer, No. 24792566 of the Royal Corps of Signals was killed on 16 October 1992.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Lance Corporal Gary Fryer was driving as part of a British military convoy, consisting of 14 vehicles. The convoy was driving along the autobahn route 28, en route to Emden, Germany. Because the convoy was strung out, the leading vehicle stopped on the hard shoulder on the westbound carriageway, between the junctions of Apen/Remel and Filsum.

  Lance Corporal Fryer left his vehicle and was hit by a Dutch civilian articulated Scania lorry and trailer, which was attempting to overtake the convoy. He sustained fatal injuries. The accident occurred around 3 am

  The incident was investigated by the German civil police and the Royal Military Police. A copy of the police reports have been passed to the Warrington coroner.

  The driver of the articulated lorry is a Dutch national and faces prosecution on various charges in Holland as a result of the accident. The coroner will not fix a date for an inquest until legal proceedings concerning the accident are complete.

  Radiation Warnings
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what efforts have been made by his Department to date to provide information to the general public on(a) issuing early warnings of radiation hazards, (b) the early identification and cordoning-off of contaminated areas, (c) medical screening and decontamination of those contaminated with plutonium and (d) the restoration to safe use of contaminated land and buildings in the event of a nuclear weapon transportation accident in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Aitken
  The Public Information for Radiation Emergencies Regulations 1992 require that prior information be supplied to members of the public who are likely to be in an area in which they are liable to be affected by a reasonably foreseeable radiation emergency. In the case of nuclear weapon transport, the likelihood of an accident affecting any individual member of the public is so extremely remote that prior supply of information is not required.

  Sunburst Missiles
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the dangers posed to British forces in the Persian Gulf by Sunburst cruise missiles; and what discussions he has had with his Ukranian counterpart about the sale of the missiles.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We have no evidence that Ukraine has sold cruise missiles to Iran and the Ukrainians have publicly denied that they have made any such sale. My Department has not therefore discussed the matter with Ukraine.

  Metrology
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the future metrology needs of each business section of the Defence Research Agency; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the full financial appraisal made by his Department or the Defence Research Agency before finalising the sale of the mechanical metrology laboratory in Woolwich;

  (3) what place the proposals to sell off the mechanical metrology laboratory have in his programme of asset selling or privatisation of activities within the Defence Research Agency; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) what account has been taken of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 in respect of the proposed sale of the mechanical metrology laboratory at Woolwich;

  (5) what consultations took place, and with whom, prior to his granting approval to the Defence Research Agency to offer the mechanical metrology laboratory for sale;

  (6) if he will list the dates (a) of publication and circulation of the Defence Research Agency consultative document on the proposed sale of the directorate of quality assurance and technical support's mechanical metrology laboratory, (b) when the option 4 was chosen as the preferred option and (c) of the initial approach to and subsequent appointment of Capita Corporate Finance Ltd;

  (7) what assessment he has made of the risk to the Ministry of Defence as purchaser, both in terms of quality and price, of having to deal with a private sector monopoly provider if the sale of the directorate of quality assurance and technical support's mechanical metrology laboratory proceeds;

  (8) what extent the cost/benefit analysis of option 4 contained in the Defence Research Agency's consultative document on the proposed sale of the directorate of quality assurance and technical support's mechanical metrology laboratory includes possible redundancy costs;

  (9) if he will set out his proposed timetable for the sell-off of the directorate of quality assurance and technical support's mechanical metrology laboratory at Woolwich; and if he would be willing to extend this to facilitate an in-house bid being made;

  (10) if he will make it his policy that the DQATS mechanical metrology laboratory will remain in Woolwich.

  Mr. Aitken
  This is a matter delegated to the Defence Research Agency under its framework document. I have therefore asked the chief executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

  Letters from Mr. J. Chisholm to Mr. John Austin-Walker, dated 20 May 1993:

  In today's written answer the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed you that I would be replying directly to your question regarding the future metrology needs of the DRA.

  We carried out extensive consultations with military customers, looked very carefully at out own DRA needs, and retained consultants to advise, amongst other things, on the commercial propects. As a result of this, we concluded that there was an ongoing requirement for mechanical metrology but that the MOD/DRA demand was insufficient to take up the full capability of the Laboratory. What we are seeking to
  264
  do, therefore, is to find a private sector buyer who would be able to combine the potential MOD/DRA customer base with his existing commercial market and offer a cost-effective service to both us and to industry at large.

  In today's written answer the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed you that I would be replying directly to your request that the investment appraisal carried out for the posssible sale of the Mechanical Metrology Laboratory should be placed in the Library.

  The financial case for each of the possible options for the future of the Mechanical Metrology Laboratory is summarised in the Consultative Document issued to staff and Trade Unions. I have today arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library. The release of any more detailed financial information could jeopardise the commercial confidentiality of the terms of sale.

  In today's written answer the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed you that I would be replying directly to your question regarding the possible sale of the DRA's Mechanical Laboratory.

  It has recently become apparent that the likely future income of this Mechanical Metrology Laboratory is insufficient to cover its costs. Rather than simply closing down the Laboratory I have, therefore, begun to explore the possibility of finding a private sector buyer. This is a logical response to a very specific problem. It is not part of any wider policy of privatisation.

  With regard to asset selling, the DRA will, of course, be vacating a large number of sites over the next few years as part of its rationalisation programme and those sites will be handed back to the Ministry of Defence for alternative use or disposal. The site of the Mechanical Metrology Laboratory at Woolwich will eventually be treated in exactly the same way.

  In today's written answer the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed you that I would be replying directly to your question concerning the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations to the proposed sale of the Mechanical Metrology Laboratory at Woolwich.

  The legal view is that the 'TUPE' regulations will apply to the sale of the Laboratory and I would expect potential buyers to take account of that in putting together their bids. There are a number of non-mobile staff in the Laboratory to whom a commitment has been given that they will have the opportunity to opt to return to the MOD. This commitment will be honoured.

  In today's written answer the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed you that I would be replying directly to your question regarding the proposed sale of the Mechanical Metrology Laboratory.

  Following consultation within the Ministry of Defence, Ministerial approval was given in April 1993 to initiate consultations with the staff and trades unions and at the same time to test the market for potential buyers for the Laboratory. No final decision will be taken regarding the sale until we have considered the outcome of the staff and TU consultation, which has now been completed, and evaluated the offers received.

  In today's written answer the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed you that I would be replying directly to your question regarding the proposed sale of the Mechanical Metrology Laboratory.

  The Consultative Document was published and circulated to staff on 1 April 1993. It put forward Option 4 as the preferred solution but whether this is subsequently confirmed will depend on the outcome of the consultation exercise that has just been completed with the staff and trades unions and the evaluation of offers received from potential purchasers.

  Capita Corporate Finance Limited were retained by the Defence Research Agency in February 1993 to carry out a financial appraisal of the Option for the Laboratory, including possible sale. They are now assisting us in the advertising of the Laboratory and will advise us on the acceptability of bids received. It will, however, be for me as

  265
  Chief Executive of the Defence Research Agency to decide what final recommendations to make to the Minister of State for Defence Procurement.

  In today's written answer the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed you that I would be replying directly to your question regarding the impact of the possible sale of the Mechanical Metrology Laboratory on the service provided to Ministry of Defence customers.

  The market for mechanical metrology is characterised by a diversity of both public sector and private sector suppliers. Most of the services offered by our Laboratory could be provided by alternative sources, which is why we have looked at closure as a possible option. Our Laboratory does, however, have some particular skills and capabilities which, whilst not enough to justify its retention by the DRA, are of sufficient advantage to our customers to prompt us to look for ways of sustaining its continued existence in the private sector. Survival in the private sector would, however, depend upon the Laboratory being able to attract new commercial customers and retain existing MOD ones whether owned by the DRA or by a private sector concern, it would not be a monopoly supplier.

  In today's written answer the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed you that I would be replying directly to your question regarding the increase of redundancy costs in the cost/benefit analysis of the way ahead.

  We have taken into account all the costs associated with each of the options available to us. That includes the redundancy costs that might arise in the event of a sale proceeding and not all staff transferring to the new owner.

  In today's written answer the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed you that I would be replying, directly to your question regarding the timetable for the possible sale of the Mechanical Metrology Laboratory, and the feasibility of accommodating an in-house bid.

  Expressions of interest were invited from private sector firms on 27 April by Capita Corporate Finance Limited who are handling the mechanics of the process for us. Final bids will be invited from the three or four most promising firms sometime in early July. We expect to be in a position to make our selection and put a recommendation to Ministers in early August.

  I do not believe there is any future for Mechanical Metrology within the DRA, which is why I have been exploring the option of a sale. An in-house bid is not therefore appropriate. The reason we are pursuing the possibility of a sale for the Laboratory is that whilst the quality of the work provided is excellent, the volume and demand cannot meet costs. The Laboratory does not have the skills and network of contracts to exploit possible commercial markets which is what a potential buyer would bring. An in-house bid would, therefore, not be feasible unless augmented by considerable additional resource. I would not, however, discourage a proposal for a 'management buy-out' although this would, of course, have to be evaluated alongside other offers from the private sector.

  In today's written answer the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed you that I would be replying directly to your question regarding the future location of the Mechanical Metrology Laboratory.

  The DRA is already committed to withdrawing from Woolwich by 1995–96 as part of its rationalisation programme and I understand the MOD is intending to close the site shortly afterwards. It is not, therefore, feasible for the Mechanical Metrology Laboratory to remain on the site in the longer term although we have made it clear to potential purchasers that they could negotiate an agreement with the MOD to keep the Laboratory on the site for a transitional period.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when it is proposed to establish the directorate general test and evaluation as an agency; and if he has 266
  considered incorporating the present directorate of quality assurance and technical support's mechanical metrology laboratory within the proposed agency.

  Mr. Aitken
  Although the Directorate General of Test and Evaluation has been identified as a candidate for agency status I have not yet taken a final decision. The Mechanical Metrology Laboratory has not been considered for inclusion within DGT&E, but there is no reason for the task to be retained within the public sector and the aim of the Defence Research Agency—the current owner—is to offer the facility for sale as a going concern.

  Falklands War
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from which(a) current and (b) former officers he has received reports or other documents relating to allegations concerning possible war crimes during the Falklands conflict; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have seen one letter from a former officer who served in the Falklands during the conflict in 1982. I have also received reports from within the Department on the allegations of possible war crimes.

  The allegations are currently being investigated by the Metropolitan police who have the full co-operation of my Department. During the course of their investigations, the Metropolitan police continue to have access to all relevant departmental and regimental files.

  Naval Support Command
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he expects to announce his decision on the site chosen for the establishment of the naval support command; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I hope to be able to announce soon our preferred location for the headquarters of the naval support command, and the start of formal consultations with all interested parties.

  Genetically Modified Organisms
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates, venues and methods of disposal for stocks of genetically modified organisms which have been held by his Department in each year when such disposals have occurred.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  [holding answer 17 May 1993]This is a matter for the chief executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) and I have asked him to reply.

  Letter from Mr. G. Pearson to Mrs. Ann Winterton, dated 20 May 1993:

  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him if he will list the dates, venues and methods of disposal for stocks of genetically modified organisms which have been held by his Department in each year when such disposals have occurred (Question 9, Order Paper 12 May 1993) has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures

  267
  against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. The research includes assessing the threat to the UK Armed Forces from genetically modified organisms.

  3. The reasons for producing, storing and disposing of genetically modified organisms were stated in my letter to you of 17 May 1993 in reply to your Parliamentary Question asking whether any stocks of genetically modified organisms are currently held by the Ministry of Defence. As I indicated in that letter genetically modified organisms that do not exhibit properties of value to the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment research programme are destroyed.
  268
  As such, genetically modified organisms are disposed of at CBDE as they are evaluated and this can be as frequent as daily. Before disposal they are inactivated by high temperature steam in an autoclave in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Health and Safety Executive Advisory Committee on Genetic Manipulation. The inactivated organisms are then disposed of using normal cleansing procedures. The work at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment on genetically modified organisms has been in progress for the past 9 years and disposals have been made as described above since the start of the work.

SCOTLAND

  Quarrying
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he will take on the appeal from Scottish Aggregates Ltd. against the refusal of planning permission to develop a quarry at Windyhill Farm, Elderslie by Renfrew district council; what procedures he will apply to ensure that local residents have the opportunity to put their case; what steps he takes to ensure that local elected representatives are kept abreast of the situation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend has not received any appeal in respect of the development to which the hon. Member refers.

  Council Housing
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is his latest estimate of the receipts from council house sales in Edinburgh that will count towards this year's capital allocation;

  (2) how much money he will allow Edinburgh district council to borrow for capital expenditure on council housing this year.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Edinburgh district council's gross final HRA capital allocation for investment in council housing in 1993–94 is £30·702 million. This consists of a net allocation of £14·855 million, plus estimated HRA capital receipts of £15·847 million (of which £14·926 million are in respect of council house sales).

  Water Bills
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated added cost to the average water bill in(a) Lothian and (b) Strathclyde as a result of non-payment of water bills.

  Sir Hector Monro
  In setting council water charges for 1993–94, Lothian and Strathclyde regional councils have assumed collection rates of 95 per cent. and 90 per cent. respectively. On average, this gives added costs of £3 in Lothian and £6 in Strathclyde regional council.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many households in(a) Lothian and (b) Strathclyde are in arrears with water bills; and what is the estimated amount.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Details of the numbers of households in Lothian and Strathclyde in arrears with community water charges are not held centrally.

  Raymond Gilmour
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the current position relating to the appeal of Raymond Gilmour, currently detained in Saughton prison on the conviction of murder.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Representations were submitted on behalf of Mr. Raymond Gilmour on 8 January and 12 March this year concerning his conviction 270
  for murder at Glasgow High Court on 7 June 1982. Detailed inquiries are being made into the matters raised by these petitions. The hon. Member will be informed as soon as a decision has been reached in his constituent's case.

  Children's Hospices
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 11 February to the hon. Member for Ayr,Official Report, columns 785–86, what plans he has for the development of childrens' hospices to serve areas of Scotland remote from the hospice proposed by the Children's Hospice Association, Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  None. The hospice being established by the Children's Hospice Association Scotland will accept children from all parts of Scotland.

  Railway Stations (Lifts)
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration British Rail's advisory group on disability has given to installing passenger lifts to allow people with mobility disabilities access to railway stations in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The role of the British Rail advisory group on disability (BRAG) is to advise BR on provision for disabled passengers. The group does not report to Ministers. The consideration by BRAG of any specific issues is therefore an internal matter for the group and for BR.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland to what investigations his Department has been subject by the Data Protection Registrar in relation to a suspected breach of a data protection principle; if he will summarise the nature of each complaint and state when the complaint was made; and what remedial action was taken by his Department to ensure future compliance with the principle subject to the investigation.

  Mr. Lang
  The Office of the Data Protection Registrar has verified that one complaint of unauthorised disclosure was received against the Scottish Office on 9 May 1991. After investigation, the Registrar confirmed that under the Data Protection Act 1984 no breach of the principle of disclosure had taken place.

  General Practitioners
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 11 May,Official Report, column 408, what steps he has taken to ensure that general practitioner fund holders, in providing care themselves, or in setting contracts with other providers, will not directly disadvantage NHS patients from other practices.

  Mr. Stewart
  Existing guidance concerning GP fund holders setting contracts with other providers is contained in the procedural manual on GP fund-holding issued by the management executive of the national health service in Scotland. This already requires that providers ensure that contracts with one purchaser will not disadvantage the patients of another.
  271
  Copies of this manual have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  In consultation with health boards, guidance is currently in the process of being compiled which will incorporate the principle that GP fund holders in providing care themselves, will not directly disadvantage NHS patients from other practices. This guidance when completed will be included in the manual.

  Enterprise Trust, Glasgow
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the budget and actual expenditure for each year since 1987 of the East End management unit and the East End Executive in Glasgow.

  Mr. Stewart
  The East End Executive is an enterprise trust, established in 1990, and has received support from a variety of public and private sector sources, including Glasgow Development Agency. The East End management unit is, I understand, jointly funded by Strathclyde regional council and Glasgow district council and has also received some project funding from the Glasgow Development Agency.

  Since neither of these organisations is responsible to, nor directly funded by, the Scottish Office we do not hold the information that the hon. Member requests. I suggest that he might best take up his inquiries direct with them.

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what account the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department took of countryside values in considering whether to object to the proposed opencast mining at Woodbank Farm, Armadale; if he will list each other factor considered by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department; and if he will place in the Library the text of his Department's advice to the West Lothian district council on this proposal.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department was consulted by West Lothian district council about the proposed opencast mining at Woodbank farm, Armadale, in accordance with the established procedures for consultations on developments affecting agricultural land. Wider questions concerning the effect of the proposals on the countryside would be for others to consider. After considering the agricultural quality of the land in question and the scale and nature of the proposals, the Department advised that it had no objections provided restoration and after-care are undertaken to a suitable standard. A list of detailed restoration conditions was supplied to the district council. I am arranging for a copy of the Department's response and the conditions to he placed in the Library.

  Reparation and Mediation
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for the development of reparation and mediation between victims and offenders in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In this financial year the grant offered to Scottish Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (SACRO) for reparation and mediation was increased by just over 25 per cent. from £16,720 to £21,000. Following discussions with SACRO 272
  this grant will enable the director of the Edinburgh scheme to continue to develop the concept of reparation and mediation and to produce a document of guidance for the development of other such schemes.

  Two new schemes, one in Hamilton and the other in Aberdeen, have recently received urban programme support. Reparation and mediation has a significant contribution to make within diversion from prosecution policies and research has been commissioned into the operation of the Edinburgh scheme. I will examine carefully the findings of this research and determine how best we can take forward the development of this useful alternative to prosecution.

  Student Allowances
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish details of any changes in students' allowances for 1993–94.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I am publishing today the main rates of allowances payable under the postgraduate students' allowances scheme for vocational postgraduate courses which do not attract student loans, together with the rates of various supplementary allowances payable to both undergraduate and vocational postgraduate award holders. The main rates of maintenance allowance for undergraduates will remain frozen at their 1990–91 cash levels following the introduction of student loans.

  Details of the new rates have been placed in the Library. The increases in these rates are in line with the 2·7 per cent. increase in the overall provision for student maintenance envisaged in the autumn statement.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will announce the income scale which will apply to the assisted places scheme in Scotland in 1993–94.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  For school session 1993–94, I propose to lay regulations before the House in due course providing for progressive parental contribution for one assisted pupil in relation to family income as follows:

  Parental contribution

  Part of relevant income to which the specified percentage applies

  percentage

  That part (if any) which exceeds £9,356 but does not exceed £10,173

  9

  That part (if any) which exceeds £10,173 but does not exceed £11,005

  12

  That part (if any) which exceeds £11,005 but does not exceed £ 12,654

  15

  That part (if any) which exceeds £12,654 but does not exceed £15,189

  21

  That part (if any) which exceeds £15,189 but does not exceed £18,500

  24

  That part (if any) which exceeds £18,500

  33

  The relevant income scale is open ended, but the remission can, of course, be given only where the parental contribution is less than the school tuition fee.
  273

  Health Service Suspensions
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many NHS hospital doctors and consultants are currently under suspension pending inquiries and disciplinary action.

  Mr. Stewart
  This information is not held centrally.

  Skye Bridge
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to monitor the proportion of construction and construction-related jobs associated with the Skye bridge contract which are being secured by local labour; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 14 May 1993]: The contractor issues a monthly progress report

  HIV/AIDS

  Drugs

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Argyll and Clyde

  592,328

  620,729

  96,381

  100,000

  Ayrshire and Arran

  460,032

  543,936

  189,572

  195,000

  Borders

  147,846

  153,000

  23,862

  25,000

  Dumfries and Galloway

  207,767

  235,222

  34,377

  37,000

  Fife

  465,235

  481,773

  70,395

  75,000

  Forth Valley

  473,000

  449,000

  56,094

  63,000

  Grampian

  1,233,067

  1,235,000

  102,863

  107,000

  Greater Glasgow

  4,188,787

  4,559,968

  772,956

  788,000

  Highland

  288,595

  324,940

  46,949

  36,000

  Lanarkshire

  657,667

  708,000

  109,480

  115,000

  Lothian

  7,592,400

  7,300,000

  629,456

  640,000

  Orkney

  26,739

  28,454

  4,876

  5,500

  Shetland

  30,892

  33,392

  5,404

  6,500

  Tayside

  2,589,583

  2,643,000

  260,795

  265,000

  Western Isles

  47,062

  47,062

  8,650

  9,000

  State Hospital

  —

  34,000

  —

  —

  Total

  119,001,000

  19,397,476

  2,412,110

  2,467,000

  1 Includes £500,000 to enable health boards to implement recommendations of the ministerial AIDS task force.

  Access to Information
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the range of charges made by local authorities in Scotland for copies of registers requested by the public under the public access to information provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 18 May 1993]: This information is not held centrally. It is a matter for local authorities to set reasonable charges for providing copies of information under the terms of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Community Care
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to introduce a system of dowry funding to the community care arrangements in Scotland equivalent to that operated in other parts of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 19 May 1993]: My right hon. Friend has no such plans. In Scotland we have adopted alternative arrangements to facilitate the transfer of resources from health boards to local authorities to reflect the shift in the balance or responsibilities that is
  274
  which includes a breakdown of sub-contractors and work force engaged on the contract. The proportion of local sub-contractors and labour can be determined from the details given.

  HIV and Drugs Services
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money was given to each health hoard in Scotland for HIV/AIDS and drugs services in(a) 1992–93 and (b) 1993–94.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 18 May 1993]: The proposed allocation of monies to each health board in Scotland for HIV/AIDS and drugs services is shown in the table:

  associated with the transfer of patients from long-stay hospitals into the community. Those arrangements were arrived at after consulation with all relevant interests.

  Infant Mortality
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the infant mortality rate in each Scottish parliamentary constituency over the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 19 May 1993]: As my hon. Friend the then Minister for Health and Education told the hon. Gentleman in response to his previous question on 7 June 1991 at column 320, it is not our practice to quote infant mortality rates for small areas such as individual parliamentary constituencies, because such comparisons are likely to be misleading. Infant mortality in Scotland is at an all-time low (only 6·8 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1992) and most Scottish constituencies have fewer than 10 infant deaths a year. If these small numbers of deaths are divided by the very much larger numbers of live births to give a rate per thousand, the effect of even one untimely death is such as to make the rate swing sharply up or down, making its use for comparision between areas, or between years, of little value.

  I am therefore appending a table showing the infant mortality rates for Scotland and the number of infant deaths in each constituency for each of the last five years.
  275

  Infant mortality rate for Scotland and numbers of infant deaths by Parliamentary constituency, Scotland, 1987–1992 (provisional figures for 1992)

  Deaths per 1,000 live births

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Scotland

  8·5

  8·2

  8·7

  7·7

  7·1

  6·8

  Angus East

  4

  11

  9

  8

  5

  4

  Argyll and Bute

  10

  7

  10

  8

  9

  8

  Ayr

  4

  6

  11

  8

  7

  4

  Banff and Buchan

  5

  5

  10

  6

  5

  10

  Caithness and Sutherland

  6

  4

  6

  1

  1

  3

  Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley

  9

  10

  9

  5

  10

  11

  Central Fife

  16

  6

  7

  8

  6

  3

  Clackmannan

  7

  9

  9

  7

  7

  8

  Clydebank and Milngavie

  5

  7

  6

  6

  3

  7

  Clydesdale

  8

  11

  6

  8

  5

  9

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  1

  3

  8

  4

  5

  3

  Cunninghame North

  7

  7

  9

  5

  3

  10

  Cunninghame South

  13

  13

  8

  4

  14

  7

  Dumbarton

  5

  17

  7

  12

  8

  8

  Dumfries

  10

  10

  16

  6

  10

  4

  Dunfermline East

  12

  11

  9

  6

  10

  4

  Dunfermline West

  13

  11

  6

  10

  2

  12

  East Kilbride

  4

  8

  10

  3

  6

  5

  East Lothian

  6

  8

  3

  4

  3

  7

  Falkirk East

  10

  7

  12

  7

  5

  5

  Falkirk West

  6

  4

  11

  8

  7

  2

  Galloway and Upper Nithsdale

  7

  5

  7

  4

  9

  9

  Gordon

  6

  9

  5

  9

  9

  7

  Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber

  9

  12

  5

  12

  7

  8

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  14

  11

  15

  9

  8

  7

  Kincardine and Deeside

  9

  9

  3

  6

  6

  8

  Kirkcaldy

  7

  4

  6

  5

  6

  7

  Linlithgow

  6

  7

  11

  5

  8

  6

  Livingston

  17

  12

  12

  11

  10

  8

  Midlothian

  7

  7

  9

  10

  5

  5

  Moray

  8

  8

  8

  12

  1

  5

  North East Fife

  4

  3

  9

  3

  3

  3

  North Tayside

  8

  3

  8

  7

  8

  4

  Orkney and Shetland

  4

  2

  4

  2

  7

  3

  Perth and Kinross

  11

  6

  8

  11

  7

  8

  Renfrew West and Inverclyde

  6

  8

  7

  5

  4

  3

  Ross, Cromarty and Skye

  12

  7

  5

  9

  7

  7

  Roxburgh and Berwickshire

  5

  0

  2

  9

  1

  3

  Stirling

  5

  11

  6

  6

  7

  6

  Strathkelvin and Bearsden

  11

  9

  6

  7

  4

  6

  Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

  5

  6

  3

  4

  6

  4

  Western Isles

  2

  2

  1

  3

  2

  2

  Aberdeen North

  16

  12

  6

  5

  5

  7

  Aberdeen South

  5

  11

  10

  8

  5

  4

  Dundee East

  7

  12

  8

  10

  6

  5

  Dundee West

  5

  7

  4

  7

  5

  5

  Edinburgh Central

  4

  4

  6

  3

  6

  10

  Edinburgh East

  10

  7

  3

  11

  8

  10

  Edinburgh, Leith

  11

  8

  8

  15

  9

  9

  Edinburgh, Pentlands

  12

  8

  11

  8

  6

  7

  Edinburgh South

  7

  6

  8

  8

  11

  6

  Edinburgh West

  8

  4

  8

  2

  7

  3

  Glasgow, Cathcart

  8

  4

  7

  3

  8

  5

  Glasgow Central

  11

  6

  4

  5

  9

  11

  Glasgow, Garscadden

  9

  9

  3

  8

  10

  6

  Glasgow, Govan

  2

  9

  10

  5

  4

  8

  Glasgow, Hillhead

  5

  6

  7

  0

  4

  10

  Glasgow, Maryhill

  10

  11

  12

  10

  3

  9

  Glasgow, Pollok

  7

  6

  14

  9

  13

  8

  Glasgow, Provan

  7

  18

  9

  6

  10

  10

  276 277

  Deaths per 1,000 live births

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Glasgow, Rutherglen

  13

  2

  10

  8

  4

  3

  Glasgow, Shettleston

  7

  7

  6

  5

  3

  4

  Glasgow, Springburn

  7

  8

  11

  9

  9

  6

  Greenock and Port Glasgow

  4

  5

  5

  12

  5

  7

  Hamilton

  2

  8

  11

  11

  9

  1

  Monklands, East

  12

  7

  8

  4

  6

  10

  Monklands, West

  2

  9

  5

  8

  14

  7

  Motherwell, North

  16

  6

  8

  11

  15

  6

  Motherwell, South

  7

  7

  6

  9

  7

  1

  Paisley, North

  7

  9

  6

  10

  6

  6

  Paisley, South

  10

  8

  6

  9

  4

  7

  SCOTLAND

  563

  543

  554

  510

  473

  449

  Argyll and Clyde Health Board
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many nominations he received for the positions on Argyll and Clyde health board which fell vacant on 31 March; which individuals, parties or organisations submitted these nominations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 19 May 1993]: The information requested is as follows:

  Number

  Total nominations received

  194

  Self-nominations

  162

  Parties or organisations

  32

  There is a statutory requirement on the Secretary of State to seek nominations for membership of health boards from specified bodies including local authorities and organisations representing the health professions. On this occasion it was decided in addition to place public advertisements relating to NHS trusts as well as health boards. Organisations which responded in respect of Argyll and Clyde were: univeristy of Strathclyde, Paisley chamber of commerce, British Medical Association, Scottish Trades Union Congress, Inverclyde Community Care Forum, British Red Cross Society (Dunbartonshire area), Bank of Scotland, Scottish Association of Care Home Owners, Argyll and Bute district council, Renfrewshire Enterprise Limited, Arthritis Care, Strathclyde regional council, Renfrew district council, Scottish National Housing and Town Planning Council and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. The hon. Member himself made two nominations.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many complaints have been received by(a) the Scottish Office and (b) the Scottish ambulance service about the operation of that service in the Argyll and Clyde health board area in each month since January 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 19 May 1993]: The number of complaints received are as follows:
  278

  Month

  Scottish Office

  Scottish Ambulance Service

  1992

  January

  —

  4

  February

  —

  —

  March

  —

  4

  April

  —

  2

  May

  —

  4

  June

  —

  5

  July

  —

  1

  August

  —

  3

  September

  2

  5

  October

  1

  6

  November

  —

  6

  December

  —

  2

  1993

  January

  3

  7

  February

  1

  8

  March

  —

  6

  April

  3

  7

  In proportion to the average number of patients carried each month of 12,500, the number of complaints is relatively small at approximately 0·03 per cent. Of patients dealt with. This is broadly similar to other areas in the west of Scotland. However, the Scottish ambulance service takes all complaints seriously and will investigate these promptly. The senior managers take appropriate action to remedy any practices or procedures which have been deficient and to discipline any member of staff who has failed to comply with the appropriate instructions. A senior ambulance officer will usually visit the complaint to explain and apologise where the service was not at the required standard. The Scottish ambulance service patient charter sets out the standards aimed at and the procedure for making complaints. Copies of the charter have been widely distributed and its contents are made known on a regular basis to patients and relatives being conveyed by the service.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals the Argyll and Clyde health board has for the disposal or utilisation of the former clinic at Quarry street/Church street, Johnstone; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 19 May 1993]: The former clinic premises have been advertised for sale by selling agents appointed by Argyll and Clyde health board.

  Scottish Homes
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the organisational structure of Scottish Homes.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 19 May 1993]: It is the responsibility of Scottish Homes to devise an organisational structure capable of delivering the objectives contained in its strategic plan, which has to be approved annually by my right hon. Friend. The creation of any new post in the organisation at a level equivalent to grade 5 or above in the civil service requires the prior approval of my Department.

  Royal Alexandra Hospital
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent on refurbishing or improving the administration areas of the Royal Alexandra hospital in each of the past five years; how much is planned to be spent in(a) the current financial year and (b) the future financial years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 19 May 1993]: Expenditure on refurbishing and improving all administration areas including those for clinicians and their administrative support staff within the Royal Alexandra hospital over the past five years was as follows:

  £

  1988–89

  10,000

  1989–90

  16,000

  1990–91

  365,500

  1991–92

  28,100

  1992–93

  115,500

  Planned expenditure on administration areas in 1993–94 is £2,000. There are no further expenditure plans for such areas at present.

  Further Education College Principals
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many principals of further education colleges in Scotland received bonus payments following the colleges' incorporation in April; how such payments were authorised; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 17 May 1993]: Information on bonus payments to principals is not held centrally.

  From 1 April 1993 the employers of further education college staff, including principals, are boards of management. Remuneration is for them to determine.

  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who authorised payment of bonuses to further education college principals in the year to 1 April.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 17 May 1993]: Prior to 1 April 1993, principals of further education colleges were employees of education authorities. Any bonuses paid would be for them or college councils to authorise, having regard to their statutory powers.

  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) which further education college principals received bonus payments in the year to 1 April;
  280
  (2) from which budgets bonuses to further education college principals came in the year prior to 1 April.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 17 May 1993]: This information is not held centrally.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Retail Prices Index
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what amount the weighted average price of(a) services, other than foreign holidays, and (b) goods other than food, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, fuel, petrol and oil covered by the retail prices index has risen since January 1987.

  Mr. Nelson
  The information is not available in the form requested and can be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy with respect to the exclusion from the calculation of the retail price index of such increases as are the result of Government intervention on interest rates.

  Mr. Nelson
  The retail prices index includes the cost of mortgage interest payments as part of the housing costs of those who are buying their own home. Because of the sensitivity of this component of the RPI to changes in interest rates, it is better when assessing underlying inflationary pressures to look at changes in the index for all items other than mortgage interest payments.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the increase since January 1987 in the costs of(a) mortgage interest, (b) electricity, (c) entertainments and recreation and (d) books and newspapers relative to the change in the retail prices index.

  Mr. Nelson
  The following table gives the information:

  Retail Prices Index January 1987 to March 1993

  percentage increase

  Mortgage interest payments

  40·6

  Electricity

  42·7

  Entertainment and recreation

  75·1

  Books and newspapers

  57·0

  All items

  39·3

  Imports
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the materials purchased by each of the selected broad sectors of industry listed in table 18.3 of the Annual Abstract of Statistics 1992 was imported; what was the corresponding figure in 1983; and if he will provide an estimate, in each case, for the years 1968, 1973 and 1979 together with figures for changes in weighted output and for import penetration from the (i) EEC, (ii) non-EEC and (iii) total, ignoring the changing industrial and import classification, but giving overlapping figures as appropriate.

  Mr. Nelson
  Estimates of the import content of materials purchased by manufacturers are available for
  281
  1968, 1972, 1974, 1984 and 19851. These estimates, the most detailed available, are available in the Library. Estimates for 1990 will be published towards the end of this year.
  1 "Input-Output Tables for the United Kingdom, 1968", table 3; "Input-Output Tables for the United Kingdom, 1972"; "Input-Output Tables for the United Kingdom, 1974"; "Input-Output Tables for the United Kingdom, 1979"; "Input-Output Tables for the United Kingdom, 1984"; "Input-Output Tables for the United Kingdom, 1985".

  The following table shows consistent estimates of net output for the years 1968, 1973, 1979, 1983 and 1990. More detailed estimates are unavailable prior to 1978.

  Published

  Levels of Output (Index of Production 1985 = 100)

  1985

  1968

  1973

  1979

  1983

  1990

  Weights

  Group

  26

  21–22

  Metals

  140·7

  138·9

  118·5

  94·2

  121·3

  35

  23–24

  Other Minerals

  103·2

  129·3

  114·5

  96·8

  113·4

  69

  25

  Chemicals

  60·9

  81·6

  93·5

  90·6

  118·3

  2

  26

  Man-made fibres

  154·1

  226·2

  176·4

  100·6

  117·2

  37

  31

  Metal goods nes

  135·5

  143·1

  122·9

  96·5

  110·8

  85

  32

  Mechanical engineering

  117·2

  125·6

  118·0

  94·3

  112·3

  98

  33–4–7

  Electrical and instrument engineering

  56·5

  74·9

  79·5

  84·4

  125·4

  38

  35

  Motor Vehicles and parts

  141·8

  156·6

  131·5

  95·2

  121·6

  37

  36

  Other transport equipment

  111·1

  110·4

  100·6

  104·0

  129·7

  91

  41–42

  Food, drink and tobacco

  82·0

  94·6

  99·3

  99·5

  106·4

  22

  43

  Textiles

  142·4

  152·2

  123·4

  93·4

  92·4

  25

  44–45

  Clothing and footwear

  95·2

  105·1

  108·9

  91·9

  98·6

  71

  47

  Paper and printing

  98·7

  111·3

  109·5

  93·4

  133·9

  55

  46–8–9

  AH other manufacturing

  95·0

  118·1

  113·8

  93·8

  132·3

  691

  2–4

  All manufacturing

  96·2

  110·5

  106·0

  93·8

  118·4

  Training Costs
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research has been conducted by his Department into the feasibility of schemes allowing employees to set their training costs against income tax.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We considered various schemes for tax relief for employees' training before introducing in 1991 a new income tax relief for vocational training. This vocational training relief is available to taxpayers and non-taxpayers and so benefits not just employees who pay income tax but also those outside the labour training to get back to work.

  VAT (Fuel)
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if domestic fuel bills can be zero-rated in later years after being subject to a positive rate of VAT; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  Under the current EC sixth VAT directive agreed by the United Kingdom in 1976 an existing zero rate of VAT can be continued. Without a change in this directive a zero rate cannot be created, or reintroduced if ended as is proposed from next April for domestic fuel and power supplies. The directive can be changed only by the unanimous agreement of all member states.

  Exchange Rate
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment has been made of the effect of the fall in interest rates and the real exchange rate between
  282
  Estimates of import penetration for 1968 to 1989 are available in the Library2. Separate estimates for import penetration from EC and non-EC countries are not available.
  2 "The home and export performance of United Kingdom industries", Economic Trends, August 1977—for a 1968 estimate; "Manufacturing industry in the seventies: an assessment of import penetration and export performance", Economic Trends, June 1980-for annual estimates 1970 to 1979; "MQ12 Import penetration and export sales ratios for manufacturing industry"—for quarterly estimates 1975 Q4 to 1989 Q1.

  (a) October 1981 and November 1982 and (b) June 1985 and April 1987 on economic recovery in (i) 1982–85 and (ii) 1987–89.

  Mr. Nelson
  There are a large number of influences on economic activity at any one time, and it is impossible properly to assess the effects of interest rate and real exchange rate changes in isolation.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what investigations his Departments have been subject by the Data Protection Registrar in relation to a suspected breach of a data protection principle; if he will summarise the nature of each complaint and state when the complaint was made; and what remedial action was taken by his Departments to ensure future compliance with the principle subject to the investigation.

  Mr. Nelson
  Her Majesty's Treasury has not been subject to any investigations by the Data Protection Registrar.

  Peru (Debt)
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much Government to Government debt is owed by the Government of Peru to Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Nelson
  Outstanding debt owed to the United Kingdom Government by Peru in respect of credits guaranteed by the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) and loans advanced by the Overseas Development Administration (ODA) amounts to £112 million, a large proportion of which was recently rescheduled by the Paris Club of creditor nations.

  Manufacturing
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the average increase in output per head in manufacturing and non-manufacturing(a) since 1979 and (b) from 1963 to 1973.

  Mr. Nelson
  Between 1979 and 1992, manufacturing output per head increased by 63·4 per cent. which is equivalent to an increase of 3·8 per cent. compounded over the 13 years.

  In the 10 years from 1963 to 1973, manufacturing output per head increased by 50·7 per cent. This is equivalent to an increase of 4·2 per cent. compounded over the 10 years.

  Output per head in non-manufacturing industries is not measured separately.

  Small Firms Corporation Tax
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many firms currently pay small firms corporation tax.

  Mr. Dorrell
  About 300,000 companies are charged to corporation tax at the small companies rate and a further 30,000 receive marginal small company relief.

  Tobacco Taxes
  Mr Nigel Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was raised by tobacco taxes in 1979 and 1992, with figures adjusted for inflation.

  Sir John Cope
  Receipts from excise duties on tobacco products were as follows:

  £ million

  Nominal

  1992 prices

  1978

  2,153

  5,970

  1992

  6,417

  6,417

  National Sustainable Strategy
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the role of his Department in the drawing up of the first United Kingdom national sustainable strategy; how many civil servants in his Department will be involved in the drawing up of the plan; and what measures are being undertaken to raise awareness regarding sustainability among the departmental staff involved.

  Sir John Cope
  My Department will be playing a full part in the preparation of the United Kingdom's report to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development which is being co-ordinated by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. The number of civil servants involved will depend upon the report's contents.

  Foreign Entertainers
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax has been yielded in each separate tax year under the foreign entertainers legislation in the Finance Act 1986; how much of this revenue is due to tax liabilities in each year; and how much of this revenue is due to tax liabilities from past years and interest charged upon such liabilities.
  284
  Mr. Dorrell
  The following is the information:

  Yield (£) relating to:

  Actual year

  Previous year

  Total

  11987–88

  6,921,507

  3,178,043

  10,099,550

  1988–89

  12,436,964

  3,707,230

  16,144,194

  1989–90

  13,259,785

  4,403,960

  17,663,745

  1990–91

  18,003,805

  2,033,597

  20,037,397

  1991–92

  16,146,336

  1,410,536

  17,556,872

  1992–93

  19,953,506

  508,569

  20,462,075

  1 From 1 May 1987.

  The above amounts of tax and interest (which take repayments into account) were obtained from foreign entertainers and sportsmen by the Inland Revenue foreign entertainers unit.

  Family Incomes
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average income for a family of four in Nottinghamshire, or the nearest corresponding region, included in or including Nottinghamshire for which figures are available; and what proportion of that income is spent on tax, including value added tax and national insurance in each year since 1988.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 18 May 1993]: The table shows the available information—average household income, and income tax and employees' national insurance contributions as percentages of household income per household, for Nottinghamshire, for the calendar years 1988 to 1990.

  Household income for Nottinghamshire

  1988

  1989

  1l990

  Household income per household (£ per year)

  15,890

  17,337

  18,856

  Income tax as percentage of household income

  14·0

  12·3

  12·6

  Employees' national insurance contributions as percentage of household income

  4·0

  3·4

  2·4

  1 Provisional

  Notes:

  1. Total household income based on the National Accounts definition of household income.

  2. County estimates consistent with the date to be published in the Regional Accounts article in the May 1993 issue of "Economic Trends", and the national estimates published in the 1992 Blue Book.

  3. County breakdown of income tax based on sample survey of Inland Revenue records, and employees' national insurance contributions based on sample of records held by Department of Social Security. Estimates at this level of detail are prone to large sampling errors.

  Source: Central Statistical Office.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the proportion of income paid in tax, including national insurance and VAT, paid by a family with two children and earnings of(a) £10,000, (b) £15,000, (c) £20,000 and (d) £45,000 in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 18 May 1993]: The figures are given in the table.
  285

  Total tax payments as a proportion of income for married couple with two children, 1988–89 to 1992–93

  Per cent, of earnings

  £10,000

  £15,000

  £20,000

  £45,000

  1988–89

  37·0

  39·7

  39·4

  44·4

  1989–90

  35·0

  38·3

  38·8

  43·5

  1990–91

  33·2

  37·0

  38·2

  42·9

  1991–92

  33·4

  37·3

  39·2

  42·7

  1992–93

  31·7

  36·1

  38·2

  42·2

  Notes:

  1. Income tax payments are calculated on the assumption that the households only have income from employment, receive no tax reliefs other than the standard allowances and have one earner, who is assumed to pay class 1 NI contributions at the contracted-in rate.

  2. The estimates of indirect taxes exclude rates/Community Charge and are based on equations derived from the 1985 Family Expenditure Survey, uprated to later years using forecasts of aggregate tax receipts. They are based on the illustrative assumption that 10 per cent. of disposable income is saved.

  Foreign Holidays
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what percentage the price of foreign holidays, as shown in the retail prices index, has increased since January 1987; what contribution the Government made to that increase; and what has been the effect on the balance of payments and on output and employment in the British tourist industry and on 1992 bookings in United Kingdom tourist destinations compared with the number of overseas holidays.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 18 May 1993]: A price index for foreign holidays has only been compiled for use in the retail prices index since February this year, following the recommendation of the RPI advisory committee. It is not possible properly to isolate the effects of the price of foreign holidays n the balance of payments, output and employment in the British tourist industry; or on 1992 bookings in United Kingdom tourist destinations compared with the number of overseas holidays.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Small Business
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what guidelines his Department issues to companies dealing with small businesses which do not hold BS5750.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My Department does not issue guidelines to industry o the use of BS5750. The decision whether or not to specify the standard is a commercial one for purchasers, many of whom find it useful in providing assurance of quality control and satisfaction of customer needs.

  BS5750 should be relevant to small companies as well as larger ones, and indeed many have found that it brings significant advantages in terms of greater efficiency and better quality control. There may, however, be circumstances in which specification of the standard would be inappropriate, and purchasers would be wise to ensure that the standard is not applied indiscriminately.

  Environmental and Technological Development
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about his plans to amalgamate the DEMOS and ETIS schemes for assisting environmental and technological developments in industry; what the new scheme will be called; and how much money is likely to be available for it.

  Mr. Eggar
  The DEMOS and ETIS schemes will complete their three-year term in September 1993. The Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of the Environment are currently considering what future support might be appropriate to encourage innovation by industry in environmental technology. No decision has yet been taken. An announcement will be made should Departments proceed with any new scheme.

  Sanitary Disposal Services
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to meet the Sanitary Medical Disposal Services Association.

  Mr. Eggar
  None.

  International Energy Agency Report
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what contribution was made by his Department to the International Energy Agency's recent report, "World Energy Outlook to 2010"; and what assessment he has made of the analysis adopted in the report on carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector.

  Mr. Eggar
  The "World Energy Outlook to 2010" was produced as a background paper by the IEA secretariat to inform discussion at the IEA ministerial governing board meeting on the 4 June 1993. The IEA secretariat has presented its analysis to member countries at routine IEA meetings, though the report's conclusions are those of the IEA secretariat alone. My Department is examining the details of the report.

  Nuclear Safeguards
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representation his Department had at the meeting of the European Safeguards Research and Development Association in the Vatican City in May.

  Mr. Eggar
  Two of my officials were present at the recent meeting of the European Safeguards Research and Development Association in the Vatican City in May.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade to what investigations his Department has been subject by the Data Protection Registrar in relation to a suspected breach of a data protection principle; if he will summarise the nature of each complaint and state when the complaint was made; and what remedial action was taken by his Department to ensure future compliance with the principle subject to the investigation.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Department of Trade and Industry has been the subject of one complaint, in August 1990, in relation to a reported breach of principle 7 (subject access),
  287
  of the Data Protection Act. Provisions to protect the confidentiality of complainants have prevented a full review of records in the time available. To date, no record has been identified of the complaint being referred to my Department for action.

  If my continuing inquiries indicate to the contrary, I will respond further to the hon. Member.

  Assisted Area Status
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 13 May,Official Report, column 533, what boundaries he intends to use in examining the constituent parts of London for consideration of designating assisted areas; and on what basis he will calculate figures for unemployment in those areas.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In the review of the assisted areas map our consideration of large travel-to-work areas, including London, is taking into account relevant facts about all their constituent parts. Travel-to-work areas are the smallest areas for which reliable unemployment rates are available. We are, however, taking into account the unemployment data which are available at ward and local authority level, such as numbers of unemployed. The review consultation document made it clear that other criteria, including inner city and urban problems, will also be considered.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what impact assessment for dry cleaning businesses was carried out by his Department following the Montreal agreement on chlorofluorocarbons in terms of the costs involved and on the viability of such small businesses.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 18 May 1993]: It is for Departments leading negotiations, in this case the Department of the Environment, to assess the compliance costs of international commitments which have an impact on business. However, DTI commissioned a study into the use of CFCs as solvents in 1992 which highlighted a number of the implications for the dry cleaning sector of the early phasing-out of CFCs.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what notification has been given to dry cleaning businesses of the terms and implications of the Montreal protocol on chlorofluorocarbons for modification for replacement of machinery.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 18 May 1993]: My Department has publicised the impending phase-out of ozone-depleting substances since the launch of DTI's environment programme in 1989. In addition to regular meetings between officials and representatives of the dry cleaning sector, we have published a series of information leaflets on the issue and most recently distributed over 5,500 "fliers" directly to dry cleaners publicising the latest dates for CFC phase-out and the implications for dry cleaners using CFC 113.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what financial provision has been made for compensation for businesses, in each constituent part of the United Kingdom, for costs incurred in complying with the EC and United Kingdom measures implementing the 288
  terms of the Montreal agreement banning chlorofluorocarbons (a) overall and (b) in respect of dry cleaning businesses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 18 May 1993]: There is no general provision for funding investment in new equipment required to meet higher environmental standards; such subsidies would be contrary to the polluter pays principle. However, normal tax reliefs have been enhanced by the introduction of a 40 per cent. first year allowance for plant and machinery bought in the year ending 31 October 1993. Projects of regional or national benefit may be eligible for regional selective assistance where they create or maintain employment in the assisted areas.

  Enterprise Initiative Scheme
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many firms in receipt of a grant under his Department's enterprise initiative scheme have gone into liquidation during the period covered by the grant; and if he will set out the total value of the relevant grants.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 19 May 1993]: The DTI subsidy for assisted consultancy projects under the enterprise initiative is paid on project completion. Information on the liquidation of assisted companies is not collected.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps his Department takes to assess the financial viability of firms involved in his Department's enterprise initiative scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 19 May 1993]: As part of the free business review carried out under the enterprise initiative consultancy scheme, enterprise counsellors must establish that the applicant is financially viable and has sufficient funds to finance its share of a subsidised consultancy project. This involves scrutiny of the applicant's audited accounts, management accounts, assets and liabilities.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what studies his Department has undertaken of the effectiveness of small business support schemes delivered by training and enterprise councils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 19 May 1993]: The Department of Trade and Industry assumed responsibility for contracting with training and enterprise councils for the delivery of business support programmes on the 1 April 1993. As yet the Department has not undertaken any formal studies of their effectiveness, but plans to do so later in the year.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on which dates he met his European counterparts in the Council of Ministers in the last 12 months; and at which meetings the issue of intervention funding for the shipping industry was discussed.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 19 May 1993]: In the last 12 months I represented the United Kingdom at

  289
  Industry Council meetings on four occasions, on 17 June and 24 November last year and on 19 and 20 March and 4 May this year. Support for the shipbuilding industry was discussed at the 17 June meeting last year and at both meetings this year.

ENVIRONMENT

  Benefits Fraud
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information his Department has regarding the contracting out of benefits fraud investigation by local authorities.

  Mr. Burt
  I have been asked to reply.

  Two local authorities have contracted out aspects of their benefit administration and two others are in the process of doing so. None has sought to contract out benefit fraud investigation.

  We fully support authorities which decide to contract out elements of benefit administration that the law permits and we have issued guidance to all authorities which contains the following advice on benefit fraud investigation:
  … Contractors should be alerted to the possibility of claimant fraud/abuse, and contracting out authorities are strongly advised to ensure that measures to detect and prevent fraud/abuse are made a contractual obligation. In view of the specialised nature of fraud investigation, the Department considers that, once the contractor's suspicions are aroused for any reason, full deteails should be passed immediately to the authority to conduct the investigation and direct further action, such as notifying the DSS District Office where Income Support or other Social Security benefits are in payment."

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Protection Rackets
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there have been in Northern Ireland over the last five years on charges relating to protection rackets.

  Mr. Mates
  There have been 55 prosecutions and 39 convictions in the five years to 11 May 1993.

  Constitutional Talks
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had on the present status of the inter-party talks concerning Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for all-party talks on the future governance and administration of Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the possible resumption of the inter-party talks on the future of Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the resumption of talks on the future of Northern Ireland.
  290
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the current position of the inter-party talks on the future of Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had on the resumption of the talks process concerning the future of Northern Ireland.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Riddick).

  EC Water Directives
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the cost of implementing EC water directives in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Atkins
  Compliance with the EC directive on drinking water, urban waste water treatment and bathing water will require a total capital expenditure estimated at £622 million in the period up to 2005.

  Ports Privatisation
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will announce his conclusions on the draft Ports (NI) Order 1993 following its consultation period; and how many representations he has received on the parliamentary procedure that should be applied to individual privatisation proposals.

  Mr. Atkins
  The consultation period ended on 2 April 1993 and I would hope to announce my conclusions by early summer. I have received a total of 52 representations during the consultation process, 18 of which concerned the parliamentary procedure for individual privatisation proposals.

  Rural Planning
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will announce proposals relating to rural planning.

  Mr. Atkins
  An announcement will be made before the summer recess.

  Casement Park Murders
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration he is giving to referring to the Court of Appeal convictions arising from the Casement Park murders.

  Mr. Mates
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received a number of representations relating to the cases of three of those convicted—Mr. Patrick Kane, Mr. Michael Timmons and Mr. Sean Kelly. These, together with issues raised in the recent BBC TV "Rough Justice" programme which featured Mr. Kane's case, are currently being thoroughly examined to see whether or not there are grounds to justify a reference, the normal criterion for which is that there is some new evidence, or other consideration of substance, which has not already been before the courts and which casts doubt on the safety of the conviction. No representations have been received in respect of any other convictions relating to the events surrounding the Casement Park murders.

  North America (Visit)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his recent visit to North America.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  In New York, Washington and Boston, I met a wide range of officials from the Administration, Congressional leaders and prominent Irish-Americans, as well as giving a series of television, radio and press interviews.

  Tourism
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made on joint co-operation with the Republic of Ireland regarding tourism.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Northern Ireland Tourist Board and its counterpart in the Republic of Ireland co-operate closely in areas of mutual benefit to tourism on the island of Ireland. Good progress continues on initiatives such as the international reservation systems covering all of Ireland, known as Gulliver, and with joint marketing activities. I have met my counterpart in the South twice since their general election and we are keen to find new areas for potential co-operation.

  Religious Education
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements are currently operating for the teaching of religious education in all schools; what percentage of the curriculum is devoted to the teaching of Christianity; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  All schools are required to provide religious education for all pupils. In schools under the control of the education and library boards, such education must be undenominational and based on the Holy Scriptures. In voluntary schools religious education is under the control of the school managers. On a phased basis, beginning in September 1993, a core syllabus, approved by all the main churches in Northern Ireland and entirely Christian in content, will become compulsory for all schools, as part of the new statutory curriculum. The Northern Ireland Curriculum Council has been asked to produce guidance for schools as to how a wider

  31 March 1979

  31 March 1993

  Number

  Whole-time equivalent

  Number

  Whole-time equivalent

  Trained nurses

  10,787

  9,253·6

  14,949

  12,313·8

  Other nurses

  3,444

  2,964·7

  3,889

  3,283·0

  Student nurses

  4,089

  4,066·6

  760

  755·8

  Total

  18,320

  16,284·9

  19,598

  16,352·6

  The figures for 1993 do not include 1,427 Project 2000 students.
  292
  approach, incorporating study of other world religions, might be adopted and implemented within schools' total RE programme.

  Legislation (Delays)
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he proposes to reduce delays between Acts of Parliament for England or Great Britain and the corresponding Orders in Council for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Secretary of State is aware of the concerns which Northern Ireland MPs have expressed recently and we are continually looking at ways of minimising the time it takes to process legislation in Northern Ireland.

  Care Homes
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the numbers of people in independent care homes and statutory homes at 31 January and 31 March.

  Mr. Hanley
  Approximately 2,921 and 12,247 beds were available in statutory and independent homes respectively at 31 January 1993, compared with approximately 2,735 and 12,852 at 31 March. It is not known how many of these beds were occupied on the dates in question.

  Dyslexia
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many teachers of children requiring remedial education, in each education and library board area in Northern Ireland, have had specific training to enable them to identify children suffering from dyslexia.

  Mr. Hanley
  Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Nurses
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nurses were employed in Northern Ireland(a) in 1979 and (b) at the latest available date.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information is as follows:

  Confessions (Access to Solicitors)
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will introduce legislation to give people being interrogated by the Royal Ulster Constabulary the opportunity of access to a solicitor before signing any confession.
  293
  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  No. The rights of those detained under the emergency legislation are already protected by extensive statutory safeguards. These include the right to consult with a solicitor, which can be delayed only in certain specified circumstances, and only for a maximum of 48 hours. Confessions are inadmissible if obtained by torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, or the use or threat of violence. If prima facie evidence is adduced that the accused was subjected to such treatment, the onus is on the prosecution to satisfy the court that the statement was not improperly obtained. The courts also have a wide discretion to exclude a confession if it appears appropriate to do so in order to avoid unfairness to the accused or otherwise in the interests of justice.

  Interrogation Centres
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will specify cases, including dates, of people who have been awarded compensation by Her Majesty's Government as a result of maltreatment by the RUC at Castlereagh interrogation centre.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  The information is not available in the form requested. However, I have today placed in the Library of the House copies of a statistical analysis, prepared by the Police Authority for Northern Ireland, of claims for compensation concluded during the financial years 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92 arising from allegations relating to detention in holding centres.

  The Police Authority paper shows that during this three year period 200 such claims were finalised. Most of the alleged incidents giving rise to these claims occurred during the period 1985–89, though some go back to the late 1970s. In 127 of the 200 cases assault was alleged.

  Compensation was paid in 123 cases (62 per cent.). In only 27 of these, however, was alleged assault one of the grounds on which payment was made; payments in the remaining cases related to allegations of wrongful arrest, false imprisonment (including overholding), loss of property or other causes.

  Of the 27 cases where payments were made on the basis of alleged assault, nine arose from incidents outside the holding centres themselves, including five from a single incident involving the use of plastic handcuffs. In only 18 cases, therefore, were damages paid where alleged assault inside a holding centre was a factor. These cases were, of course, dealt with on the civil burden of proof, assessed on the balance of probabilities, rather than the criminal standard of beyond reasonable doubt.

  The total payment in cases in which alleged assault was found to be a factor was £69,900; the total payment in all others cases was 136,474.

  The Government welcome the publication of this analysis, which confirms the impression of Lord Colville, recorded in his report of the operation in 1992 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991, that in only a small minority of cases arising from detention in the holding centres were damages paid on the basis of alleged assault. It also demonstrates how misleading has been much coverage of this issue, in the press and elsewhere.

  It of course remains the firm position of both the Government and the RUC that any ill-treatment of persons in custody is wholly unacceptable. All complaints are investigated by the police, and the police investigation may be directly supervised by the Independent
  294
  Commission for Police Complaints. On completion of a supervised investigation a full report goes to the commission, which is required to issue a statement as to whether or not the investigation has been carried out satisfactorily. All completed files are in any event subject to ICPC scrutiny at the end of the investigation process. The paper may also be referred to the DPP. Any police officer acting improperly may face criminal or disciplinary proceedings.

  The stringent safeguards already in place for those in detention have recently been reinforced by the appointment of an independent commissioner for the holding centres, and will shortly be strengthened still further by the introduction of codes of practice governing the detention, treatment, questioning and identification of terrorist suspects. The holding centres, and the police officers who work there, play a vital role in the struggle against terrorism. These measures are intended to enhance still further public confidence that the police have nothing to hide and that persons detained in holding centres are not being illtreated or denied their rights, and also to protect the officers themselves from malicious allegations.

  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will introduce legislation to enforce the video recording of interviews by the RUC at interrogation centres.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I am not persuaded of the desirability of introducing video recording of interviews with terrorist suspects. There is already a formidable array of safeguards to guarantee that the rights of those detained under the emergency legislation are fully respected. These include the recent appointment of Sir Louis Blom-Cooper as independent commissioner for the holding centres.

  "Making Belfast Work"
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all of the educational projects which have been funded by the "making Belfast work" programme in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information is as follows:

  The Department of Education (NI) making Belfast work 1990–91 programme

  1. Principal Teachers' Training and Support in Primary and Secondary Schools

  2. Belfast Citizen Advice Bureaux—Premises and Equipment

  3. Mobile Science Gallery

  4. Dairy Farm Library

  5. Community Arts Outreach—Music

  6. Youth Resource Centre—West Belfast

  7. Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

  8. Action Sport

  9. Youth Club Face Lift—various locations

  10. Ozanam House—Youth Facility Building

  11. Schools Links with Industry

  12. Nursery Schools at New Barnsley, Twinbrook and Finaghy Road North

  13. Nursery Schools at Lenadoon, Ardoyne, Glen Road and Cliftonville Primary School

  14. Literacy/Numeracy in Primary Schools

  15. Literacy/Numeracy in Secondary Schools

  16. Literacy/Numeracy Further Education/Youth Training Programme

  17. Literacy/Numeracy—Belfast Toy and Book Library

  18. Newtownabbey Schools—Information Technology Equipment

  19. Discipline in Schools

  20. Homework Centres in certain Belfast schools

  21. Additional Technology Support in Secondary Schools

  295

  22. Whiterock—Further Education Provision

  23. Shankill Further Education Outcentre

  24. Additional Equipment for Further Education Colleges

  25. Workers Education Association

  26. Women's Education Programme

  27. Corpus Christi—Macrory Park Sports Facility

  28. Corpus Christi refurbishment of school

  29. Equipment for Boxing Clubs

  30. Provision of Lap Top Computers in Secondary Schools

  1991–92 Programme

  1. Principal Teachers' Training and Support in Primary and Secondary Schools

  2. Belfast Citizen Advice Bureaux—Premises and Equipment

  3. Behavioural Unit at Robert Bell Primary School

  4. Mobile Science Gallery

  5. Dairy Farm Library

  6. Community Arts Outreach—Music

  7. Youth Resource Centre—West Belfast

  8. Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

  9. Action Sport

  10. Schools Links with Industry

  11. Schools Links with European Industry

  12. Nursery Schools at New Barnsley, Twinbrook and Finaghy Road North

  13. Nursery Schools at Lenadoon, Ardoyne, Glen Road and Cliftonville Primary School

  14. Nursery School at Twinbrook

  15. Literacy/Numeracy in Primary Schools

  16. Literacy/Numeracy Belfast Toy and Book Library

  17. Literacy/Numeracy in Secondary Schools

  18. Literacy/Numeracy Further Education/Youth Training Programme

  19. Newtownabbey Schools—Information Technology Equipment

  20. Discipline in Schools

  21. Homework Centres in certain Belfast Schools

  22. Liaison between Home Schools and Other Agencies

  23. Support for Technology and Science in Secondary Schools

  24. Enhanced Environment for Teaching Staff

  25. Additional Technology Support in Secondary Schools

  26. Whiterock-Further Education provision

  27. Shankill Further Education Outcentre

  28. Additional Equipment for Further Education Colleges

  29. Workers Education Association

  30. Women's Education Programme

  31. Equipment for Boxing Clubs

  1992–93 Programme

  1. Principal Teachers' Training and Support in Primary and Secondary Schools

  2. Belfast Citizen Advice Bureaux—Premises and Equipment

  4. Behavioural Unit at Robert Bell Primary School

  5. Information Technology Equipment for Special Schools

  6. Mobile Science Gallery

  7. Dairy Farm Library

  8. Arts and Disability Centre

  9. Youth Resource Centre—West Belfast

  10. Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

  11. Taughmonagh Youth Club

  12. Action Sport

  13. Belfast Bytes—computer awareness centre

  14. Schools Links with Industry

  15. Schools Links with European Industry

  16. Nursery Schools at New Barnsley, Twinbrook and Finaghy Road North

  17. Nursery Schools at Lenadoon, Ardoyne, Glen Road and Cliftonville Primary School

  18. Nursery School at Brooklands Primary School Ballybeen

  19. Nursery School at Twinbrook

  20. Literacy/Numeracy in Primary Schools

  21. Extension of Literacy/Numeracy in Primary Schools

  22. Literacy/Numeracy Belfast Toy and Book Library

  23. Literacy/Numeracy Ballybeen Toy and Book Library

  24. Literacy/Numeracy in Secondary Schools

  25. Extension of Literacy/Numeracy in Secondary Schools

  296

  26. Literacy/Numeracy Further Education/Youth Training Programme

  27. Newtownabbey Schools—Information Technology Equipment

  28. Discipline in Schools

  29. Homework Centres in certain Belfast Schools

  30. Liaison between Home Schools and Other Agencies

  31. Support for Technology and Science in Secondary Schools

  32. Enhanced Environment for Teaching Staff

  33. Regeneration of Schools in the Inner-city

  34. Technical Support in Science for Schools

  35. Community Literacy Centres

  36. Whiterock—Further Education provision

  37. Shankill Further Education Outcentre

  38. Dunlewey Street Further Education Outcentre

  39. Educational Guidance Service for Adults

  40. Belfast Centre for the Unemployed

  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) maintained schools and (b) controlled schools are excluded from benefiting from "making Belfast work" expenditure in Belfast.

  Mr. Hanley
  Within the area of the Belfast education and library board, eight maintained schools and 25 controlled schools are excluded as they are outside the "making Belfast work" initiative catchment area.

  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent in each of the last three years by the "making Belfast work" programme on educational projects in Belfast.

  Mr. Hanley
  A total of £4·434 million was spent in 1990–91, £5·323 million in 1991–92 and £6·405 million in 1992–93.

  Fair Employment
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the operation of the fair employment legislation in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Atkins
  The fair employment legislation in Northern Ireland is operating very well. More than 4,000 firms are registered with the Fair Employment Commission and are monitoring their work force composition. During 1993, over 1,500 companies are required to complete their first three-yearly review of employment practices. Where necessary, these companies will be required to take affirmative action.

  The Fair Employment Tribunal offers real redress to people with a genuine grievance. A number of significant decisions and substantial awards and settlements have already been made.

  The effectiveness of the law is to be formally reviewed by the Government in 1995.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Market Testing
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what market testing procedures have been undertaken by the Benefits Agency; and what has been their total cost.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The administration of market testing within the Benefits Agency is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits
  297
  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. Richard Burden, dated 19 March 1993
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what market testing procedures have been undertaken by the Benefits Agency; and what has been their total cost.
  Market testing is being carried on services within the Benefits Agency (BA) according to the plans published in the Citizen's Charter White Paper "Competing for Quality". Each service area being market tested within BA has to date undertaken the following procedures:

  Set up Steering Groups.

  Set up In-house and Client side teams.

  Set up detailed monitoring and reporting arrangements.

  Undertaken a feasibility study.

  Developed their contract strategy.

  As at 31 March 1993 the cost to BA of the market testing programme is £1,285,444.
  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.

  Child Support Act
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many members of the tribunals set up as a result of the Child Support Act 1991 are(a) existing magistrates, (b) nominated by trade unions, (c) women, (d) lone parents and (e) under 30 years of age.

  Mr. Burt
  The independent tribunal service (ITS) has, to date, recruited 734 members under the provisions of the Child Support Act 1991. According to information available, 87 are existing magistrates, 102 have been nominated by trade unions, 363 are women, 36 lone parents and seven are under the age of 30.

  As a matter of routine the ITS collects data only on the age and sex of its tribunal members. There may, therefore, be more magistrates, trade union nominees and lone parents than these figures indicate.

  Benefits (Automated Credit Transfer)
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 11 May,Official Report, columns 445–46, on automated credit transfer, what proposals his Department made during discussions with banks and building societies to encourage them to persuade pensioners and benefit recipients to open accounts with them; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  We have made no such proposals.

  Residential Care
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made as to whether projects for people with drug and alcohol problems, previously funded by his Department, will be given contracts by social services departments.

  Mr. Burt
  This Department has never funded such projects although individual residents in homes which cater for such people may receive social security benefits. The negotiation of contracts for social care is a matter for social services departments acting under the guidance of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

  Pregnant Women
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to secure that the full adult rate of income support is paid to pregnant women between the ages of 16 and 24 years, provided that they are both available for work and registered for youth training.

  Mr. Burt
  We have no such plan.

  Disability Benefits
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many and what percentage of(a) attendance allowance claims, (b) new disability living allowance claims and (c) top-up claims since February 1992 have (i) resulted in an award and (ii) been rejected; and if he will publish a breakdown in each case of whether the claim was decided solely on the statement of disability or whether a medical examination, other evidence or both were required;

  (2) what were the average clearance times for (a) new claims, (b) top-up claims and (c) requests for review of disability living allowance at each disability benefit centre for each month since September 1992.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 19 May 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking (1) how many and what percentage of (a) attendance allowance claims, (b) new disability living allowance claims and (c) top-up claims since February 1992 have (i) resulted in an award and (ii) been rejected; and if he will publish a breakdown in each case of whether the claim was decided solely on the statement of disability or whether a medical examination, other evidence or both were required and (2) what were the average clearance times for (a) new claims, (b) top-up claims and (c) requests for review of disability living allowance at each disability benefit centre for each month since September 1992.
  Number of claims made and decided.
  You asked for the number of new claims and top-up claims for DLA together with the number and percentage of awards and refusals, including reasons for refusal. Annex 1 shows a breakdown of this information together with details of decisions based upon information provided on the claim form, medical examinations and other forms of evidence.
  A further breakdown detailing claims to AA from 1.2.92 to date is shown at Annex 2.
  National average clearance times.
  Performance on DLA is measured in terms of X per cent. of cases cleared in Y days and it is therefore not possible to state an average processing time.
  It may be helpful for me to say at this stage that new DLA claims are dealt with by the regional Disability Benefit Centres (DBC) Details of the clearance times for each DBC for each month between September 1992 and April 1993, inclusive of new claims and those made under the special rules are supplied at table I.
  Top-up claims are dealt with by the Claims Conversion Unit (CCU).
  A breakdown, therefore by DBCs is not available. I have provided details of available information regarding performance at table 2.

  299
  Finally, Disability Living Allowance reviews are dealt with by the Disability Living Allowance Unit (DLAU). No information is, therefore, available in respect of each DBC. Table 3, however provides details of review performance figures for the specified period.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the library.

  Annex 1

  1. Number of claims received February 1992 to April 1993

  Number

  New claims

  562,000

  Top-up claims

  235,000

  AA claims

  671,000

  2. Adjudication officer decisions February 1992 to April 1993

  Number

  As percentage

  New DLA

  Awards

  298,000

  53

  Refusals

  228,000

  41

  3. Adjudication officer decision by evidence type

  New DLA claims

  Top-up claims

  Awards

  Refusals

  Awards

  Refusals

  Statement of disability

  Number

  134,000

  84,000

  124,000

  32,000

  Percentage

  45

  37

  77

  69

  Medical examination

  Number

  64,000

  44,000

  18,000

  4,000

  Percentage

  22

  19

  11

  8

  Other evidence

  Number

  89,000

  74,000

  18,000

  8,000

  Percentage

  30

  33

  11

  17

  Cases with unrecorded evidence type

  Number

  11,000

  25,000

  2,000

  3,000

  Percentage

  4

  11

  1

  6

  Annex 2

  AA65+—May 1992—April 1993

  Awards

  Refusals

  Statement of Disability

  Number

  244,000

  56,000

  Percentage

  59

  43

  Medical Examination

  Number

  67,000

  33,000

  Percentage

  16

  26

  Other Evidence

  Number

  45,000

  13,000

  Percentage

  11

  10

  New claims for DLA September 1992

  Normal rules Percentage cleared

  Special rules Percentage cleared

  in 30 days

  in 55 days

  in 10 days

  in 15 days

  Edinburgh

  22

  41

  48

  55

  Newcastle

  35

  63

  36

  37

  Leeds

  44

  66

  83

  90

  Manchester

  38

  60

  79

  80

  Bootle

  27

  52

  66

  74

  Birmingham

  21

  39

  30

  37

  300

  Number

  As percentage

  Others1

  36,000

  6

  Top-up Claims

  Awards

  161,000

  69

  Refusals

  47,000

  20

  Others2

  27,000

  12

  AA Claims

  Awards

  433,000

  —

  Refusals

  133,000

  —

  1 Others - this category includes claims withdrawn, defective claims and claims otherwise disposed of.

  Note: AA statistics prior to April 1992 were kept on a quarterly basis and not monthly. Therefore it is not appropriate to give awards and refusals as a percentage of claims received. Due to rounding percentage figures do not always add up to 100 per cent.

  AA65+—May 1992—April 1993

  Cases with

  Unrecorded

  Evidence Type

  Number

  60,000

  27,000

  Percentage

  14

  21

  Note:—The breakdown of decisions by evidence type for AA are based on the period May 1992 to April 1993 as these statistics were not recorded prior to that period. The figures shown in this table will therefore not agree with those shown in table 2 which shows the number of adjudication officer decisions for the period April 1992 to April 1993. Due to rounding percentage figures do not always add up to 100 per cent.

  Table 1

  Primary Target for DLA normal rules cases in 60 per cent. Other in 30 days and for special rules 80 per cent. in 10 days. Secondary Target for DLA normal rules in 95 per cent. in 55 days and for special rules 90 per cent. in 55 days.
  301

  Normal rules Percentage cleared

  Special rules Percentage cleared

  in 30 days

  in 55 days

  in 10 days

  in 15 days

  Bristol

  32

  69

  86

  90

  Cardiff

  34

  60

  59

  61

  Wembley

  36

  63

  91

  92

  Sutton

  33

  59

  55

  64

  Glasgow

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Great Britain

  31

  54

  59

  64

  October 1992

  Normal rules Percentage cleared

  Special rules Percentage cleared

  in 30 days

  in 55 days

  in 10 days

  in 15 days

  Edinburgh

  21

  41

  48

  55

  Newcastle

  49

  72

  44

  49

  Leeds

  51

  71

  80

  89

  Manchester

  55

  77

  89

  91

  Bootle

  38

  62

  78

  86

  Birmingham

  30

  46

  37

  42

  Bristol

  56

  75

  91

  93

  Cardiff

  54

  74

  77

  80

  Wembley

  45

  68

  91

  92

  Sutton

  49

  68

  69

  80

  Glasgow

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Great Britain

  39

  58

  62

  68

  November 1992

  Normal rules Percentage cleared

  Special rules Percentage cleared

  in 30 days

  in 55 days

  in 10 days

  in 15 days

  Edinburgh

  35

  54

  60

  66

  Newcastle

  65

  84

  66

  66

  Leeds

  65

  82

  80

  90

  Manchester

  70

  86

  94

  97

  Bootle

  51

  75

  82

  87

  Birmingham

  38

  55

  55

  63

  Bristol

  61

  80

  96

  96

  Cardiff

  63

  82

  84

  89

  Wembley

  56

  77

  93

  96

  Sutton

  53

  72

  69

  80

  Glasgow

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Great Britain

  50

  68

  71

  77

  December 1992

  Normal rules Percentage cleared

  Special Rules Percentage cleared

  in 30 days

  in 55 days

  in 10 days

  in 15 days

  Edinburgh

  49

  70

  66

  73

  Newcastle

  73

  87

  87

  88

  Leeds

  69

  86

  81

  89

  Manchester

  74

  90

  94

  96

  Bootle

  47

  74

  84

  90

  Birmingham

  38

  62

  54

  59

  Bristol

  70

  86

  89

  92

  Cardiff

  66

  86

  83

  88

  Wembley

  56

  78

  80

  87

  Sutton

  55

  75

  75

  81

  Glasgow

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Great Britain

  55

  75

  73

  80

  January 1993

  Normal rules Percentage cleared

  Special Rules Percentage cleared

  in 30 days

  in 55 days

  in 10 days

  in 15 days

  Edinburgh

  42

  73

  62

  72

  Newcastle

  69

  90

  95

  98

  Leeds

  62

  85

  83

  89

  302 303

  Normal rules Percentage cleared

  Special Rules Percentage cleared

  in 30 days

  in 55 days

  in 10 days

  in 15 days

  Manchester

  67

  87

  92

  95

  Bootle

  41

  80

  86

  89

  Birmingham

  40

  71

  59

  69

  Bristol

  52

  83

  87

  91

  Cardiff

  60

  84

  83

  87

  Wembley

  47

  74

  81

  91

  Sutton

  49

  76

  82

  90

  Glasgow

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Great Britain

  49

  76

  76

  83

  February 1993

  Normal Rules Percentage cleared

  Special Rules Percentage cleared

  in 30 days

  in 55 days

  in 10 days

  in 15 days

  Edinburgh

  62

  78

  81

  85

  Newcastle

  85

  96

  92

  94

  Leeds

  73

  88

  88

  94

  Manchester

  81

  92

  93

  97

  Bootle

  73

  92

  88

  93

  Birmingham

  56

  76

  82

  87

  Bristol

  72

  89

  93

  96

  Cardiff

  74

  87

  88

  91

  Wembley

  58

  78

  87

  91

  Sutton

  57

  74

  91

  95

  Glasgow

  65

  85

  —

  —

  Great Britain

  61

  77

  85

  90

  March 1993

  Normal Rules Percentage cleared

  Special Rules Percentage cleared

  in 30 days

  in 55 days

  in 10 days

  in 15 days

  Edinburgh

  69

  83

  82

  90

  Newcastle

  87

  98

  99

  99

  Leeds

  80

  92

  89

  95

  Manchester

  83

  94

  94

  96

  Bootle

  81

  94

  94

  97

  Birmingham

  66

  86

  88

  92

  Bristol

  86

  96

  96

  97

  Cardiff

  85

  94

  90

  93

  Wembley

  68

  83

  89

  95

  Sutton

  61

  77

  84

  91

  Glasgow

  62

  85

  75

  75

  Great Britain

  71

  85

  85

  90

  Revised targets from April 1 1993 for normal rules are Primary 65 per cent. in 30 days and Secondary 85 per cent. in 55 days. Only one targets has been set from special rules cases 80 per cent. in 10 days.

  April 1993

  Normal rules Percentage cleared

  Special rules Percentage cleared

  in 30 days

  55 days

  in 10 days

  15 days

  Edinburgh

  76

  96

  92

  96

  Newcastle

  87

  98

  95

  97

  Leeds

  82

  95

  91

  96

  Manchester

  86

  97

  92

  94

  Bootle

  87

  98

  95

  98

  Birmingham

  68

  89

  95

  97

  Bristol

  81

  97

  94

  95

  Cardiff

  78

  93

  84

  91

  Wembley

  76

  90

  81

  91

  Sutton

  67

  86

  83

  89

  Glasgow

  67

  92

  68

  71

  Great Britain

  75

  91

  88

  93

  304 305

  Table 2

  Performance indicators for top-up claims Primary Target 60 per cent, in 55 days Secondary Target 95 per cent, in 75 days

  Normal rules Percentage cleared

  Special rules Percentage cleared

  in 55 days

  in 75 days

  in 10 days

  in 20 days

  1992

  September

  15

  22

  8

  17

  October

  28

  36

  16

  26

  November

  37

  44

  17

  33

  December

  43

  49

  26

  53

  1993

  January

  46

  55

  18

  35

  February

  57

  64

  36

  52

  March

  57

  63

  27

  50

  April

  71

  76

  21

  44

  Table 3

  Performance indicators for reviews

  Primary Target 60 per cent in 55 days

  Secondary Target 95 per cent in 75 days

  Secondary Target 80per cent, in 75 days (from 1 April 1993)1

  Reviews made in 3 months Percentage cleared

  Reviews outside 3 months Percentage cleared

  in 55 days

  75 days

  in 55 days

  75 days

  1992

  September

  35

  61

  6

  10

  October

  30

  50

  46

  60

  November

  23

  40

  53

  65

  December

  18

  36

  40

  53

  1993

  January

  11

  24

  30

  47

  February

  11

  25

  31

  48

  March

  18

  29

  39

  51

  April1

  33

  47

  43

  61

  Disability Working Allowance
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received in relation to the payment of claims made under the disability working allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  We have received two letters from customers.

  Table 1

  Income Support

  Number of claims received

  Year and month

  Scotland

  England

  Wales

  Great Britain

  1990

  April

  28,169

  225,587

  16,526

  270,282

  May

  29,907

  242,903

  16,992

  289,802

  June

  37,346

  240,918

  17,659

  295,923

  July

  44,497

  342,412

  27,174

  414,083

  August

  38,106

  308,532

  21,765

  368,403

  September

  31,456

  275,582

  20,179

  327,217

  October

  37,292

  311,112

  22,332

  370,736

  November

  34,559

  301,536

  20,806

  356,901

  December

  26,234

  219,458

  14,398

  260,090

  1991

  January

  37,589

  348,191

  24,013

  409,793

  February

  33,880

  316,821

  20,466

  371,167

  March

  32,084

  304,012

  18,843

  354,939

  April

  33,415

  302,477

  19,124

  355,016

  May

  31,500

  288,788

  17,957

  338,245

  Income Support
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) applications and (b) payments for income support were made in each month since April 1990 in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Great Britain.

  Mr. Burt
  [holding answer 18 May 1993]: The information is in the tables.

  Source: Benefits Agency Management Information Statistics.
  307

  Year and month

  Scotland

  England

  Wales

  Great Britain

  June

  33,717

  280,075

  17,295

  331,087

  July

  42,008

  379,262

  25,504

  446,774

  August

  34,245

  308,873

  19,226

  362,344

  September

  33,686

  318,382

  21,634

  373,702

  October

  37,771

  337,611

  22,267

  397,649

  November

  34,376

  308,834

  20,415

  363,625

  December

  26,826

  240,685

  16,509

  284,020

  1992

  January

  42,420

  378,328

  23,475

  444,223

  February

  33,876

  305,785

  18,153

  357,814

  March

  35,041

  319,345

  20,236

  374,622

  April

  35,442

  306,390

  19,435

  361,267

  May

  31,334

  261,820

  15,609

  308,763

  June

  38,142

  304,500

  18,485

  361,127

  July

  45,984

  389,330

  26,113

  461,427

  August

  35,050

  299,169

  18,606

  352,825

  September

  38,465

  344,893

  23,421

  406,779

  October

  44,033

  360,429

  23,629

  428,091

  November

  41,073

  329,517

  20,386

  390,976

  December

  32,563

  260,609

  16,357

  309,529

  1993

  January

  35,783

  329,675

  20,661

  386,119

  February

  31,861

  274,720

  16,422

  323,003

  March

  33,983

  295,642

  18,265

  347,890

  Table 2

  Income Support

  Number of awards made

  Year and month

  Scotland

  England

  Wales

  Great Britain

  1990

  April

  22,831

  168,292

  12,197

  203,320

  May

  24,585

  190,800

  13,446

  228,831

  June

  30,775

  189,563

  13,423

  233,761

  July

  39,824

  271,378

  22,726

  333,928

  August

  32,781

  258,436

  18,209

  309,426

  September

  26,731

  226,866

  16,633

  270,230

  October

  31,708

  255,825

  18,503

  306,036

  November

  29,455

  245,446

  17,005

  291,896

  December

  21,590

  172,703

  11,689

  205,982

  1991

  January

  32,379

  284,350

  19,416

  336,145

  February

  27,832

  257,467

  16,386

  301,685

  March

  26,550

  245,180

  14,715

  286,445

  April

  26,950

  246,972

  15,311

  289,233

  May

  26,370

  244,353

  14,875

  285,598

  June

  28,134

  236,483

  14,527

  279,144

  July

  36,575

  320,408

  21,484

  378,467

  August

  29,151

  268,283

  16,269

  313,703

  September

  28,629

  274,744

  18,366

  321,739

  October

  32,770

  292,787

  19,282

  344,839

  November

  29,408

  263,167

  17,281

  309,856

  December

  23,485

  204,542

  13,607

  241,634

  1992

  January

  36,884

  323,617

  19,797

  380,298

  February

  28,878

  262,052

  15,185

  306,115

  March

  29,561

  267,826

  16,252

  313,639

  April

  30,492

  258,257

  16,176

  304,935

  May

  26,737

  228,800

  13,084

  268,621

  June

  32,614

  257,926

  14,899

  305,439

  July

  40,148

  337,261

  22,387

  399,796

  August

  30,592

  261,956

  15,794

  308,342

  September

  32,575

  295,457

  19,314

  347,346

  October

  36,535

  305,043

  18,850

  361,428

  November

  34,388

  284,084

  17,637

  336,109

  December

  28,121

  227,863

  14,090

  270,074

  1993

  January

  31,217

  284,892

  17,277

  333,386

  February

  27,323

  240,638

  13,877

  281,838

  March

  29,007

  252,545

  14,775

  296,327

  308 309
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many income support recipients aged(a) between 18 and 21 years and (b) 21 and 24 years live with one or more of their parents.

  Mr. Burt:
  [holding answer 10 May 1993]: It is estimated that in 1991 there were 250,000 18 to 21-year-olds and 100,000 22 to 24-year-olds receiving the single person rate of income support and living with one or more of their parents.

  Sources:

  1. Caseload estimates for the total number of 18 to 24-year-olds on income support from the 1991 Annual Statistical Enquiry.

  2. Information 18 to 24-year-olds living with a parent was obtained using evidence from the 1989–90–91 Family Expenditure Surveys (modelled at 1993–94 prices and benefit levels).

WALES

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list(a) the number of people employed, (b) the number of start-ups and (c) the average pre-tax turnover, for small businesses in Wales for each year since 1983.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Information on the numbers of employees employed in units of different size is available for 1984, 1987, 1989 and 1991 from the size-band analyses of the censuses of employment and given in the following summary table:

  Employees in employment in Wales, by size of unit1 (thousands)

  Size of unit (employees)

  September

  1–49

  50–199

  200 and over

  1984

  356·1

  189·4

  319·5

  1987

  364·6

  204·2

  334·1

  1989

  413·4

  209·8

  343·9

  1991

  439·3

  217·4

  287·2

  Source: Size-band analyses of Censuses of Employment. Employment Department (via NOMIS).

  1 Excluding agriculture.

  New VAT registrations give an indication of the number of business start-ups for each year. Firms with a turnover of less than £1 million each year account for over 96 per cent. of the total.

  Number of new VA T registrations

  Year

  Number

  1983

  8,044

  1984

  7,609

  1985

  7,264

  1986

  7,811

  1987

  8,682

  1988

  10,873

  1989

  10,916

  1990

  10,165

  1991

  8,408

  Source: NOMIS

  The following tables give an indication of the distribution of turnover between units, grouped by size, in Wales. Information prior to 1989 is not readily available and the size bands published were changed in 1991.
  310

  Number of units, by turnover size

  Size of unit: turnover

  £

  1989

  1990

  22,000–100,0001

  44,055

  44,762

  101,000–250,000

  13,635

  14,820

  251,000–1,000,000

  7,208

  8,127

  1,001,000 and over

  2,735

  3,070

  Source: PA 1003 Size analyses of United Kingdom businesses. Business Monitor, Central Statistical Office.

  1 £23,000–£100,000 in 1990

  Number of units, by turnover size

  1991

  1992

  Size of unit: Turnover

  £1,000–25,000

  N/a

  16,008

  £26,000–£99,0001

  41,709

  36,130

  £100,000–£249,000

  16,986

  17,223

  £250,000–£999,000

  9,107

  9,430

  £1,000,000 and over

  3,467

  3,486

  1 £24,000–£99,000 in 1991.

  Source: PA 1003 Size analyses of United Kingdom businesses. Business Monitor, Central Statistical Office.

  Self-employed People
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total number of self-employed people in each local authority area in Wales in each of the last five years; and if he will indicate(a) the total number of self-employed and (b) the number of self-employed who were not on the Department of Social Security's books.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Information on the number of self-employed people in each local authority area in Wales is available only from the 1991 population census and published in part 1 of the country reports (CEN 91 CR 47 to 54 for Welsh districts and counties) available in the Library of the House. Information on self-employed persons in receipt of benefits is not available for local authority areas.

  Mortgage Arrears
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on(a) the total number of mortgages held in Wales, (b) the number of mortgages between 3 and 5 months in arrears, (c) the number of mortgages between 6 and 12 months in arrears, (d) the number of mortgages over 12 months in arrears and (e) the number of repossessions in each year from 1981.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information on the total number of mortgages held in Wales and on mortgage arrears are not available centrally. However, according to the 1991 census of population there were in April 1991, 440,584 owner-occupied dwellings with residents where the dwelling was being purchased through a mortgage or loan. This includes those who were buying in stages from a council, housing association or new town (under shared ownership, co-ownership or equity-sharing schemes).

  For repossessions, information is only available for the numbers of repossession orders made following mortgage possession actions entered in county courts in Wales from 1987 and is shown in the following table. The figures do not indicate how many dwellings have been repossessed through the courts as not all the orders will have resulted in the issue and execution of warrants of possession.
  311

  Repossession orders made following mortgage actions1

  Number

  1987

  2,978

  1988

  3,058

  1989

  2,799

  1990

  4,962

  1991

  7,415

  21992

  7,076

  Source: Lord Chancellor's Office

  1 Figures include suspended orders, whereby the mortgagers are given an opportunity to clear their debts.

  2 Provisional

  Neurofibromatosis
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to what studies are being undertaken by hospitals and medical research institutes in Wales on neurofibromatosis.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  As part of an international effort, a research team at the Institute of Medical Genetics, Cardiff is seeking to isolate the defective gene that causes neurofibromatosis.

  Development Partnership, Llanelli
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library the partnership accounts of the partnership between the Welsh Development Agency and Llanelli borough council established for the purpose of developing the south Llanelli area.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Each of the parties to the joint venture account for and report their expenditure separately in the normal way. There are no formal accounts for the joint venture as a whole.

  Eye Examinations
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many eye examinations were carried out in Wales in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information collected centrally relates to sight tests paid for by family health services committees. No information is available centrally on the number of private sight tests carried out.

  Sight tests paid for by FHSAs1

  Number

  1985

  596,778

  1986

  623,088

  1987

  651,175

  1988–89

  733,469

  1989–90

  292,060

  1990–91

  271,170

  1991–92

  332,240

  1 Sight test paid for during the period (ie the test may have taken place in the previous period).

  Dead Stock (Disposal)
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to end the disposal of dead stock to unlicensed premises in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The disposal of dead stock is covered by the Animal By-Products Order 1992. Carcases not 312
  destined for human consumption must be buried, incinerated or disposed of in premises which are approved under article 8 or registered under article 10 of the order, or to knacker yards licensed by local authorities under the Slaughterhouses Act 1974.

  Fox Destruction Clubs
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to regulate unregistered fox destruction clubs in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  None.

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the percentage of disabled persons employed by each local authority in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Tables showing the number and percentage of registered disabled people employed by a wide range of individual public sector employers, including local authorities, are published annually in the Employment Gazette. The information is published with the agreement of the employers concerned. The most recent figures, relating to 1 June 1992, were published in the April 1993 issue of the Gazette, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Hydatidosis
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of hydatidosis were recorded in Wales in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is not available in the form requested. However, the number of deaths and discharges from NHS hospitals in Wales for which a diagnosis of hydatidosis was recorded is given in the following table for the years 1981–90.

  Year

  Deaths/Discharges

  1981

  27

  1982

  26

  1983

  32

  1984

  34

  1985

  25

  1986

  31

  1987

  25

  1988

  12

  1989

  17

  1990

  19

  This information is obtained from individual hospital activity analysis records. Figures for recent years may differ from those released previously as more information has become available. The figures may still understate the true position in that not all hospitals provide complete clinical details relating to patient discharges and deaths. Corresponding data for 1991 and 1992 are not yet available centrally on an all-Wales basis.

  Pharmacies
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the progress regarding the negotiations for the remuneration of community pharmacists in Wales.
  313
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I am very well aware of the contribution small pharmacies make to the local community. The current system of remuneration is unsatisfactory because it is poorly targeted and gives indiscriminate support to pharmacies regardless of the wider contribution they make to the health service. We want to move to a system which, within the overall sum available, will remunerate all pharmacists fairly, is related to their performance in developing a wider health role and which provides an incentive to cost-efficiency. At the same time, there is a need to provide more comprehensive support to pharmacies which provide an essential service to their communities.

  Both pharmacists and health departments are committed to the concept that there should be an allowance to relate the remuneration more closely to the development of a wider professional role. The offer includes a proposal for the payment of a professional allowance to recognise the wider health role of pharmacists. The details are for negotiation with the pharmacists' representatives.

  The pay offer made this year was a first step towards a longer term structure. The proposal included a transitional payment which would have left pharmacies no worse off than in 1992–93.

  Negotiations continue and the pharmacists want to see more clearly the framework for the future before settling details of the year's pay.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing(a) total unemployment rates, (b) unemployment rates among males and (c) unemployment rates among females according to ethnic origin in Wales, indicating the rates of unemployment for (i) whites, (ii) West Indians/Guyanese, (iii) Indians, (iv) Pakistani/Bangladeshi people, (v) African people and (vi) all other ethnic origins.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information available from the 1991 census is given in the following table:

  Unemployed residents aged 16 and over as a percentage of economically active residents in each ethnic group in Wales

  Ethnic group1

  Persons

  Males

  Females

  White

  10·1

  12·6

  6·6

  Black Caribbean

  21·3

  27·7

  11·5

  Black African

  28·0

  31·9

  21·2

  Black other

  23·0

  28·0

  16·0

  Indian

  9·3

  8·7

  10·2

  Pakistani and Bangladeshi

  20·3

  19·9

  21·5

  Other

  13·7

  15·2

  11·1

  All ethnic groups

  10·1

  12·6

  6·7

  1A definition of the ethnic group classification used in the 1991 census is given in 1991 Census "Definitions", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people have been out of work in Wales, in each of the counties of Wales and each of the 314
  constituencies of Wales for (a) five years, (b) four years, (c) three years, (d) two years, (e) one year and (f) six months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  All available unemployment claimant figures can be accessed on-line by staff in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the change in the level of unemployment between(a) February 1983 and February 1993 and (b) February 1984 and February 1993; and when he expects to make a statement on the new assisted area status map of Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Between February 1983 and February 1993, unemployment in Wales, adjusted for seasonal factors and discontinuities, fell by 19,900 to 132,100 a drop of 13·1 per cent. The decrease between February 1984 and February 1993 was 24,900, a drop of 15·9 per cent.

  I hope to be able to announce the outcome of the assisted areas review as soon as possible.

  School Tests
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the publication, or otherwise, of the results of key stage 1 and 3 tests in schools this year; and what percentage of schools he expects to carry out these tests.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  It remains my intention to publish available national data arising from this year's statutory assessment of seven and 14-year-olds. I wrote recently to the chairmen of governors of all maintained schools in Wales encouraging the participation of their schools in the tests. I hope that they will do so in order that the information can usefully inform the current review of the national curriculum which, is being carried out jointly by the Curriculum Council for Wales and the School Examinations and Assessment Council.

  EC Grants
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the amount of grants received from the European Community, by each local authority in Wales in 1992.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman and will place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales to what investigations his Department has been subject by the Data Protection Registrar in relation to a suspected breach of a data protection principle; if he will summarise the nature of each complaint and state when the complaint was made; and what remedial action was taken by his Department to ensure future compliance with the principle subject to the investigation.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My Department has not been subject to any investigations by the Data Protection Registrar.

  FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL, 10th–11th MAY
  FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL, 10th–11th MAY
  RAILWAY PENSIONS
  RAILWAY PENSIONS
  BR FREIGHT SERVICES: PRIVATISATION
  BR FREIGHT SERVICES: PRIVATISATION
  PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE: TESTING
  PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE: TESTING
  WITHDRAWAL OF PUPILS FROM TESTING : PARENTS' RESPONSIBILITIES
  WITHDRAWAL OF PUPILS FROM TESTING : PARENTS' RESPONSIBILITIES
  HUMANITIES RESEARCH: FUNDING
  HUMANITIES RESEARCH: FUNDING