Written Answers of 3 November 1993

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Land Ownership
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps his Department is taking to prepare land ownership statistics for England and Wales which will identify the level of domestic ownership of England and Wales.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  There are no plans to produce such statistics at the present time.

  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when his Department intends to make the registration of land ownership in England and Wales compulsory.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Compulsory registration of title on sale was extended to the whole of England and Wales on 1 December 1990 under the provisions of the Land Registration Act 1925. The Government indicated in the citizens charter White Paper that they would explore options to complete the land register in the absence of a sale of title. Responses to the subsequent consultation paper issued by the Land Registry, "Completing the Land Register in England and Wales", are presently being assessed and will be taken into account in formulating future policy.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Annunciator
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee what facilities will be available to hon. Members on the new annunciator service.

  Mr. Waller
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Bosworth (Mr. Tredinnick) on 13 July,Official Report, column 444.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee on which dates the new annunciator service will be operational for each building of the parliamentary estate.

  Mr. Waller
  The new annunciator equipment, which was demonstrated to the House on 22 July, is currently undergoing acceptance tests. If those tests are successfully completed, the equipment is expected to come into operation, serving screens throughout the parliamentary estate, early in 1994.

  Data and Video Network
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee (1) by which date each building on the parliamentary estate will be cabled;
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  (2) when the Information Committee expects to report to the House on the provision of a parliamentary data and video network.

  Mr. Waller
  The Information Committee hopes to report on the parliamentary data and video network early in the new year. It intends to deal with the timing of cabling as part of that study.

  Word Processing Training
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee if he will undertake a questionnaire to gauge the demand from hon. Members for training courses in the use of word processors.

  Mr. Waller
  As part of its inquiry into the parliamentary data and video network the Committee has sent a questionnaire to all Members. The responses will be considered by the Committee as part of its deliberations which, it is hoped, will lead to a report to the House early in 1994.

  Questions and Answers
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee what plans he has to include in the parliamentary on-line information system the full text of answers in entirety relating to parliamentary questions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waller
  The Library is in the process of upgrading the software and hardware for the parliamentary on-line information system (POLIS). When the upgrading is completed in spring 1994, the Library, in co-operation with the Department of the Official Report, intends to create a database containing the complete text of oral questions and debates.

  Providing the text of written answers to parliamentary questions in the POLIS database is also in the Library's development programme, but this involves complications resulting from the format of some answers.

  Vote Bundle
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee (1) if he will list the recommendations of the last report on the format of the Vote bundle that were(a) implemented and (b) not implemented; and if he will consider a further review of the format and content of the Vote bundle;

  (2) what proposals he has to rationalise the content of the Vote bundle or otherwise reduce its cost.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  The Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee of the Services Committee carried out a full investigation into the Vote bundle in 1991. Its three recommendations which have been implemented were:(a) the removal of Division lists (b) the removal of daily minutes of proceedings of statutory instruments Committees (c) the abolition of the Blue Order Book and its replacement by a White Order Book available on demand.

  I see no reason at present for a further review, but the Committee would of course consider carefully any specific new suggestions made by hon. Members.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chairman of the Finance and Services Committee (1) if he will examine the possibility of producing a one-page daily agenda for the front of the Order Paper;
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  (2) if he will take steps to separate the list of written questions from the Vote bundle and make them available only on request.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  Both these suggestions were made by my hon. Friend to the former Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee of the Services Committee which decided not to recommend their adoption. I see no reason to reconsider these specific proposals at this stage.

  Rifle Range
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chairman of the Finance and Services Committee what is the cost of maintenance of the rifle range; what is the rate of use of the rifle range; and if he will conduct a cost-benefit assessment of its current usage.

  Mr. Channon
  I have asked the Director of Works to write to the hon. Member in respect of the maintenance costs of the range. The other points raised by the hon. Member are matters for the Houses of Parliament Sports and Social Club, which operates the range.

  New Palace Yard (Filming)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if the Committee will consider introducing proposals to amend the rules relating to photography in the Palace of Westminster so as to prohibit filming in New Palace Yard after 12 noon.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  The Administration Committee has already agreed to review the regulations governing photography and filming in the Palace of Westminster. Consideration is expected to begin early in the new year, and I shall ensure that the issue raised by my hon. Friend is included in the Committee's deliberations.

  Members' Services
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will institute a survey of Members to ascertain what additional services they would like to have provided.

  Mr. Beith
  It is for the domestic committees to maintain an oversight of the needs of hon. Members in consultation with House Departments, and to make recommendations for additional services on the basis of a considered study. Their proposals are then considered as necessary by the Finance and Services Committee and the Commission, as well as the House in the case of a major new service.

  The Commission has no plans to undertake a survey of the kind suggested by the hon. Member.

  Training for Members
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will consider bringing forward plans for induction courses for new hon. Members and in-service training for existing Members in conjunction with the Civil Service college; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  I have been asked to reply.
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  Departments of the House carry out a variety of introductions to their services for new Members. In addition, all Members receive a Members' Handbook describing the services provided by House Departments and other organisations such as the Transport Office, the Post Office and the Gymnasium. If the hon. Member has any specific proposals for induction courses or in-service training, he should bring them to the attention of the Administration Committee.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  National Lottery
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consideration he has given to the establishment of a charitable foundation to(a) operate the national lottery and (b) distribute the funds from the national lottery; and what would be the financial effects of doing so.

  Mr. Sproat
  The question of a charitable foundation to operate the national lottery was debated extensively in both Houses during the passage of the legislation.(a) The licence to operate the lottery will be awarded by the Director General of the National Lottery after a competitive tender exercise designed to maximise the proceeds for good causes. There is no reason why a charitable foundation should not bid for the licence.

  (b) Any new body established to assess applications for lottery funds would need expertise in the areas of art, sport and heritage. Statutory bodies with this expertise already exist. Duplication of the functions of these bodies would be inefficient and reduce the national lottery proceeds available for good causes.

  Art Funding, London
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what has been the amount of art funding granted to projects covering the Greater London area in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Brooke
  Government funding for the arts in London is channelled through the Arts Council, and is provided both direct to clients and through the London Arts Board. The amount of Arts Council funding for the Greater London area—excluding national companies—in each of the last three years is as follows:

  £ million

  1992–93

  27·93

  1991–92

  23·39

  1990–91

  19·31

  In addition, aggregate funding for the national companies, most of which are based wholly or mainly in London, for each of the three years was: £62·64 million, 1992–93; £58·11 million, 1991–92; and £51·46 million, 1990–91.

  Arts Council
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what percentage of the Arts Council's budget is spent on administration; and what were the equivalent figures five and 10 years ago.
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  Mr. Brooke
  The percentage of the Arts Council's budget spent on administration in 1992–93, 1987–88 and 1982–83 is set out in the table:

  1992–93

  1987–88

  1982–83

  £

  £

  £

  Grant in aid

  221,200,000

  139,300,000

  91,300,000

  Administration of subsidies and services

  7,611,522

  4,826,000

  3,455,716

  Percentage spent on administration

  3·44

  3·46

  3·79

  Source: Audited accounts.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many clients per head of staff were handled by(a) the Arts Council and (b) its music department (i) 10 years ago and (ii) now.

  Mr. Brooke
  The number of clients per head of staff handled by the Arts Council and its music department 10 years ago and in 1992–93 are set out in the table:

  1992–93

  1982–83

  Total number of individual clients

  1,317

  923

  of which music

  303

  182

  Total number of staff (excluding trading)

  151

  214

  of which music

  8

  13

  Total number of grants per staff member

  8·72

  4·31

  Number of music grants per staff member

  37·88

  14·00

  London Orchestras
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the members of the committee to review the funding of the four London orchestras; and if he will also list their relevant qualifications for this task.

  Mr. Brooke
  The membership of the committee, together with relevant background information, is as follows:

  Sir Leonard Hoffman (chairman):
  A Lord Justice of Appeal and member of the board of English National Opera;

  Sir Brian Bailey:
  Member of the board of the Bournemouth Orchestras;

  Anthony Camden:
  Oboist and Dean of Music, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts;

  Henry Fogel:
  Executive Director, Chicago Symphony Orchestra;

  Ian Horsburgh:
  Principal, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and Vice Chairman of the London Arts Board;

  Tony Pender:
  Chairman of the Northern Sinfonia.

  Private Investment Projects
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list those public investment projects within his Department's responsibility which have attracted private capital and have been commenced since the 1992 autumn statement.

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 2 November 1993]: A number of projects are currently under consideration, but none has yet reached the stage where any details can be given. By their nature, such projects involve a long lead-time, but we will make announcements about any major projects as soon as we are in a position to do so.
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  Many of the bodies sponsored by this Department—notably museums and galleries—have, for a number of years, sought and received private funding for building and other projects. In addition, the Department is involved in a number of business sponsorship schemes which encourages matching funding from the public and private sectors.

  Remembrance Service, Cenotaph
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans there are to privatise the arrangements for the service of remembrance at the Cenotaph.

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 2 November 1993]: Provision of individual works services such as the cleaning and repair of the Cenotaph has for many years been managed and carried out by Building Management South East as part of the Property Services Agency. Now that Building Management South East Ltd. is in the private sector it is important that other firms have the opportunity to compete for its work. I will therefore be inviting competitive tenders in due course. There will be no change in the actual service of remembrance.

ENVIRONMENT

  Biological Diversity Convention
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now expects that the United Kingdom will ratify the biological diversity convention; and what outstanding obstacles there are to the ratification.

  Mr. Yeo
  We intend, with our EC partners, to ratify the convention on biological diversity by the end of 1993, given satisfactory progress towards securing safeguards against our concerns on the financial provisions of the convention.

  Housing, Liverpool
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money will be spent by housing action trusts in Liverpool over the next five years.

  Sir George Young
  The HATs' spending plans for the next three years will be finalised once the current public expenditure survey has been completed. An external financing limit for 1994–95 and indicative EFLs for the subsequent two years of this survey period will be set next month.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department takes into consideration EC objective 1 status when assessing levels of grant and standard spending assessment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Standard spending assessments are the Government's assessment of the appropriate amount of revenue expenditure by each local authority taking account of its physical, demographic and social characteristics. The calculation of SSAs take no account of the likely level of funding from European Community institutions.

  Under arrangements agreed with the European Commission, my Department will provide public expenditure cover, in the form of supplementary credit approvals, automatically and in full, for forecast European regional development fund receipts arising on projects which fall within the "other services block", my Department's urban initiatives and projects for which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for National Heritage has the policy responsibility. To the extent that an authority chooses to use part of its allocation of basic credit approvals to provide matching funding within a project using ERDF grant, then the revenue consequences of these credit approvals will have been reflected in SSAs in the usual way.

  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria are applied for assessing spending on(a) refuse collection, (b) environmental health and (c) planning; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Refuse collection, environmental health and planning control are among those services included in the standard spending assessment for "All Other Services" at the district level. The formula for the distribution of resources for "All Other Services" is set out in the Local Government Finance Report (England) 1993–94 approved by Parliament in February 1993.

  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make it his policy to include(a) economic and (b) social deprivation indices in the standard spending assessment; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to base future standard spending assessments on research into the variations in spending needs between different authorities; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will make it his policy to include in the additional needs index a disability indicator of need in both special and ordinary schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  We have recently completed a review of the system of standard spending assessments. As part of the review we have considered the inclusion in standard spending assessments of a wide range of indicators, including measures of economic deprivation and disability. The existing system of standard spending assessments is based on statistical evidence and research into the factors which lead to variation in the costs faced by local authorities.

  Proposals for standard spending assessments for 1994–95 will be announced later this autumn as part of the provisional revenue support grant settlement.

  Poor-health Areas
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria his Department applies when assessing the needs of areas of poor health; whether age is a factor; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  We have recently completed a review of the system of standard spending assessments. As part of the review we have considered the inclusion of a range of health indicators, including standard mortality ratios, taking account of variations in the age structure of the local population.

  Work on the review has now finished and my right hon. Friend will announce the outcome later in the autumn as part of his proposals for revenue support grant for 1994–95.

  Local Government Reform
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates he has received from the Local Government Commission and the local authority associations of the transitional costs of local government reform in England.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Local Government Commission has included in its reports on each of the review areas in the first tranche, estimates of transitional costs associated with its recommendations. Neither the Association of District Councils nor the Association of County Councils has submitted estimates of any such costs. My officials have, however, been holding technical discussions with representatives of the ADC and ACC on the implications of local government reorganisation, including any potential transitional costs.

  Council Tax
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the original estimate of the council tax base in Barnet and Wandsworth; and what is the latest estimate.

  Mr. Baldry
  The council tax bases used for the 1993–94 local government settlement, derived from the proposed valuation lists sent to the authorities between 15 November and 1 December 1992, were 128,281 and 105,392 band D2 adult equivalents for Barnet and Wandsworth respectively.

  The latest estimates, derived from the valuation lists available to authorities on 7 June 1993, are 130,459 and 110,334 band D equivalents for Barnet and Wandsworth respectively.

  Refrigerant Containers
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultation his Department has undertaken with British aerosol manufacturers and users about the terms of the draft Environmental Protection (Non-Refillable Refrigerant Containers) Regulations.

  Mr. Yeo
  My Department issued a consultation paper in March 1992 setting out the proposals for these regulations. The British Aerosol Manufacturers Association (BAMA) was among the organisations consulted. Officials have since discussed the proposed regulations directly with representatives of BAMA.

  Housing
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table for the latest available year showing for each local housing authority in England(a) the total amount of capital receipts, (b) the reserve proportion thereof, (c) numbers in temporary accommodation and (d) the cost of temporary accommodation, with totals for London boroughs, metropolitan boroughs, shire districts, and England.

  Mr. Gummer
  I have today placed in the Library of the House tables giving final figures of(a) total receipts and (b) reserved receipts for 1991–92 and corresponding provisional figures for 1992–93 for each local housing authority in England.

  My Department does not collect information on the total numbers of those homeless households which have been placed by local authorities in temporary accommodation having been accepted by them as homeless, nor on the costs of the various types of temporary accommodation other than bed and breakfast accommodation.

  Data on the total numbers of households placed in temporary accommodation and some data on the costs are, however, collected by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. The latest information is for 1991–92 and is published in "Homelessness Statistics 1991–92 Actuals", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Radiation
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what advice he has received from the National Radiological Protection Board on the annual collective dose of radiation worldwide from(a) background radiation, fallout and non-nuclear industry sources, (b) medical exposure and (c) the operation of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what advice he has received from the National Radiological Protection Board on the annual collective dose of radiation to the whole United Kingdom population from all sources now; by what amount that dose would increase if THORP was operating; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  Details of the annual collective doses of radiation from all sources to the United Kingdom population are published in the National Radiation Protection Board's (NRPB) "Radiation Exposure of the UK Population—1993 Review". Information on the collective doses to the world's population from all sources is published in "Sources, Effects and Risks of Ionising Radiation UNSCEAR 1988 Report to the General Assembly, United Nations". At the request of the Chief Medical Officer's Committee on the Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE), NRPB has published estimates of the collective doses arising from proposed Sellafield discharges. These calculations indicate that the operation of THORP would increase the annual collective dose to the United Kingdom population by less than 0.003 per cent. and the world's population by less than 0.0006 per cent. I am arranging for copies of these publications to be placed in the House Library.

  Tower Blocks
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a list of tower blocks erected in England by local authorities for housing purposes,(a) currently in occupation or (b) demolished or awaiting demolition with details in the year in which approvals for construction and/or financing was given by his Department, and the number of dwellings in each block, where this occurred in 1963 and thereafter.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information requested is not collected by this Department.

  Rents
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for each financial year since 1978 the average unrebated rent for(a) local authority tenants, (b) housing association tenants for each local housing authority in England, with sub-totals for London boroughs, metropolitan boroughs, and shire districts, and England, in current prices, constant prices, and with a constant price index where 1978 equals 100.

  Mr. Gummer
  I have today placed in the Library a table showing the average local authority weekly unrebated rent for each housing authority for each financial year from 1988–89 to 1992–93, both at current and constant prices with the latter also expressed as an index with 1988–89 equal to 100. This information could only be provided for years before 1988–89 at disproportionate cost.

  From 1978 to 1989 the information for housing association tenants can be found in the publication "Statistical Note for Rent Officers: Statistics of Rent Registrations by Rent Registration Area and Rent Assessment Committee Determinations by Panel Area". From 1990 the information on registered fair housing association rents can be found in the publication "Rent Officer Statistics"; information on new lettings by registered housing association can be found in the National Federation of Housing Associations' quarterly bulletin; and information on rents for the whole housing association stock can be found in the report "Housing Associations in 1992" published by the Housing Corporation.

  Copies of all these publications are in the Library.

  Housing, Newcastle
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the present strategic guidance for the provision of new dwellings in Tyne and Wear; what meetings have been held with the city of Newcastle upon Tyne on this matter; and what allowance has been made for the need for more student accommodation in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.

  Mr. Baldry
  The strategic guidance for Tyne and Wear, published in 1989, stated that the five unitary development plans should provide for a basic requirement of 30,100 dwellings to be built between the beginning of 1988 and the end of 2001. The necessity to review and roll forward this strategic guidance has been discussed at a number of meetings with officers from the city of Newcastle upon Tyne as part of a continuing dialogue. The need for more student accommodation in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne will be one of the factors taken into account when setting new guidelines for housebuilding beyond the year 2001.

  House Renovation Grants
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he proposes to make to the house renovation grant system following his recent consultation exercise.

  Sir George Young
  After considering the response to the consultation paper on the future of private housing renewal programmes, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have today laid before the House Renovation Grant Limit Order, under which the upper limit for mandatory renovation grants to owners, tenants and landlords in England will be £20,000. The order will come into force on 14 January 1944. I propose no change, for the moment, to the Exchequer subsidy rate in England of 60 per cent. or to the test of applicants' resources.

  The consultation paper included longer-term options which I am considering further. The Government's objective is to ensure that the resources available for private housing renewal are targeted effectively.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is making an announcement today covering arrangements for Wales.

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Brandreth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in implementing the system of local authority air pollution control introduced under part 8 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Yeo
  By the end of March this year, some 13,000 applications for authorisation had been received by local authorities, of which over 5,500 had been decided. Only 12 appeals were received by my Department during the first two years of operation of the new air pollution controls.

  I am pleased to say that the evidence from the data that have been collected and from a review of 25 local authorities conducted by my Department is that local authorities are getting on well with tackling their new responsibilities. None the less, there remains a heavy workload to determine the outstanding applications and to ensure that the necessary improvement are made by operators.

  Housing, Brent
  Sir Rhodes Boyson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made with the proposal for a housing action trust in Brent.

  Sir George Young
  I am pleased to announce that I have decided, after careful consideration of tenants' views and of the detailed feasibility study for the estate, that there should be a ballot of tenants on the proposal to establish a housing action trust for the Stonebridge estate in Brent. This is a further example of the Government's determination to tackle the problems of rundown estates and improve their management in close consultation with the people who live there.

  I shall announce the ballot date in due course. In the meantime, further consultations with the tenants will take place, so that they can ask the questions and receive the answers which will enable them to understand the implications for them of the establishment of a housing action trust.
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  I have decided to appoint Mr. Tony Wade MBE and Mr. Clive Lloyd CBE, respectively, as prospective chairman and deputy chairman for the trust. They will carry forward the further consultations with tenants and help prepare for the major tasks which the housing action trust will undertake, if established.

  Market Franchise Rights
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had from Manchester city council in regard to proposals on market franchise rights; what reply he is sending; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 20 October 1993]: We have received representations from the council objecting to the Government's proposals. The representations are being carefully considered along with other consultees' views.

  Correspondence
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to reply to the letters of 3 October and 14 October from Mr. N. T. P. Murphy, a constituent of the right hon. Member for Copeland, concerning Nirex.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 29 October 1993]: My officials replied to Mr. Murphy on 3 November 1993.

  Urban Development Corporations
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the total gross public spending for each year since 1981–82, and the projected expenditure for each year to 1995–96, in 1992–93 prices, for the urban development corporations.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 2 November 1993]: The urban development corporations' programmes are supported by grant in aid, receipts from their activities and receipts from the European Community. Actual grant in aid paid to the urban development corporations for each year from 1981–82 and the projected public expenditure plans to 1995–96, at 1992–93 prices, are set out in the table.

  Year

  Actual expenditure £ million

  1981–82

  37·1

  1982–83

  61·9

  1983–84

  94·8

  1984–85

  88·4

  1985–86

  81·9

  1986–87

  89·3

  1987–88

  1160·2

  1988–89

  254·7

  1989–90

  476·8

  1990–91

  607·5

  1991–92

  601·4

  1992–93

  515·8

  Public expenditure plans (1992–93 prices)

  1993–94

  349·2

  1994–95

  273·2

  1995–96

  255·3

  1 The figures include provision for the docklands light railway from 1987–88 onwards.

  Urban Regeneration Agency
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the projected expenditure for each year to 1995–96 in 1992–93 prices, for the Urban Regeneration Agency.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 2 November 1993]: The Urban Regeneration Agency's programme will be supported by grant in aid, receipts from its activities and receipts from the European Community. As the agency has yet to be established, the receipts it may generate cannot be predicted accurately. Payments from the European Community will depend upon approval for projects under the European regional development fund community support frameworks which have yet to be determined. Public expenditure plans for the grant in aid to the Urban Regeneration Agency, derived from the 1993 departmental annual reports and expressed in 1992–93 prices, are: set out in the table.

  Public Expenditure Plans (1992–93 prices)

  Year

  £ million

  1994–95

  169

  1995–96

  190

HEALTH

  Service Quality
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans she has to ensure that existing knowledge about effectiveness is used to improve service quality;

  (2) how the Government's autumn initiative on quality in purchasing will ensure that existing knowledge about effectiveness is used to improve service quality.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department of Health's research and development division has published its strategy, "Research for Health", part of which relates to the dissemination of existing knowledge on effectiveness of treatment. A unit that will provide a focal point for review and dissemination of research will shortly be set up.

  In addition the Department has commissioned a series of effective health care bulletins. Each bulletin consists of a systematic review and synthesis of literature on clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and acceptability of health service interventions. These bulletins are designed to aid purchasers in drawing up effective contracts.

  As part of the national health service research and development programme, the Cochrane centre has been set up in Oxford, to establish a database of controlled trials, and to provide an information service.

  The Department of Health's central health outcomes unit and the United Kingdom outcomes clearing house in Leeds have been set up to develop and promote the assessment of outcome of services. A recently published departmental consultation document on population health outcome indicators is based on the collation of existing knowledge about effectiveness.

  In addition clinical audit has been established whereby procedures used for diagnosis, care and treatment are compared against standards of proven effectiveness, with the aim of improving quality of patient care. As a part of
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  this, the health professionals are currently working with the Department to develop nationally agreed guidelines, based on knowledge about effectiveness and appropriateness of services, for use in purchasing high-quality care.

  Copies of these documents will be placed in the Library.

  NHS Race Unit
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the remit of the new NHS race unit; what are its planned staffing level and budget; and where it is to be sited.

  Mr. Sackville
  The remit of the national health service ethnic health unit is described in the executive letter sent to NHS general managers and chief executives—EL(93)89, —copies of which will be placed in the Library. The letter explains that the unit is being set up"to help to ensure that black people and people from different ethnic backgrounds derive full benefit from the Health of the Nation strategy, from local health purchasing policies, the Patient's Charter, the Care in the Community initiatives and the developing role of primary care".

  The unit will begin operation this November and will have a budget of £500,000 for the remainder of the financial year and a staff complement of not more than six people. Since the unit will be directly accountable to the NHS Management Executive, it, too, will be based in Leeds.

  Smoking
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the projects commissioned since 1975 by her Department and by its predecessor Department to evaluate methods of getting smokers to give up smoking; if she will list for each project the name and institution of the principal investigator and the titles of the reports in which the findings were published; and if she will place a copy of each report in the Library.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department of Health and its predecessor has participated in a number of programmes of basic social/behavioural research on factors affecting smoking habits, and several large, ad hoc research studies. These provide a wealth of information on which more specific, targeted smoking cessation interventions are based.

  A list of the studies will be placed in the Library.

  The studies are listed and those marked* were concerned specifically with the evaluation of smoking cessation interventions. Also listed are three specific evaluation projects which are currently in planning.

  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the projects commissioned since 1975 by the Health Education Authority and its predecessor, the Health Education Council, to evaluate methods of getting smokers to give up smoking, and for each project the name and institution of the principal investigator and the titles of the reports in which the findings were published; and if she will place a copy of each report in the Library.

  Mr. Sackville
  Little of the research work of the Health Education Authority or its predecessor the Health Education Council has been specifically devoted to evaluation of smoking cessation interventions but many of the studies carried out by or on behalf of these bodies
  211
  contain information on the social/behaviourial factors affecting smoking habits. They therefore form the basis for specific targeted smoking cessation interventions.

  A full list of Health Education Council and Health Education Authority publications on smoking will be placed in the Library.

  Nuclear Emergency Planning
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been issued to health authorities on their expected role in nuclear emergency planning and the distribution of potassium iodate tablets; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department's guidance to English health authorities on their role in nuclear emergency planning is contained in the circular HC(89)8 and its annex, copies of which are available in the Library. Earlier this month, the circular was amended to include revised guidance to health authorities on planning for the distribution of potassium iodate tablets for use in the event of a nuclear emergency. Copies of this amendment will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. P. B. Horsburgh
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date Mr. P. B. Horsburgh will relinquish his position as chairman of the Doncaster Healthcare NHS trust; what reasons he gave for leaving his post; what position within the national health service he will be taking up; if he will be eligible for severance pay; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Mr. Peter Horsburgh's appointment as chairman of the Doncaster Healthcare national health service trust ends on 30 November 1993. He has no appointment pending to any other non-executive post in the region. Severance pay is not appropriate.

  GP Fund Holders
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action she will take regarding the waiting time policy being operated by the George Eliot hospital, Nuneaton, with respect to general practitioner fund holders;

  (2) what measures she will take to prevent disparities in waiting time developing between fund-holding and non-fund-holding practices in the Coventry and Warwickshire area.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Joint guidance—EL(91)84—issued by the Department and the profession, copies of which will be placed in the Library, makes it clear that contracts offered to one purchaser should not disadvantage the patients of another. National health service managers are responsible for ensuring that this guidance is implemented locally. The George Eliot hospital is meeting its contracts with the district health authority. General practitioner fund holders, like all purchasers, are free to purchase spare hospital capacity, on behalf of their patients, where this is available.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide details of the number of fund-holding general practitioners in each of the London boroughs in terms of numbers and as a percentage of general practitioners.
  212
  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available centrally.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number and percentage of general practitioner fund holders that have spent more than their budgets for 1992–93.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information will not be available until final accounts have been audited and the information collected at the end of November.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the items general practitioner fund holders can spend their savings on.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The purposes for which general practitioner fund holder savings may be used are clearly set out in regulation 24 of the National Health Service (Fund-holding Practices) Regulations 1993, Statutory Instrument No. 567 1993, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the extent to which general practitioner fund-holding patients are being treated ahead of non-fundholding patients with the same clinical need.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  All emergencies are treated immediately.

  Joint guidance issued by the Department and the profession—EL(91)84—and a letter from the national health service chief executive about urgent issues dated 22 February 1993 require hospitals to hold common waiting lists for urgent and seriously ill patients and to give urgent cases priority within local timescales. NHS managers and clinicians are responsible for implementing this guidance locally. Copies of the guidance, and the executive letter, will be placed in the Library.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate the number of general practitioners and general practitioner fund holders who own their premises.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is not available centrally on which such an estimate could be based.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral statement of 21 October,Official Report, columns 398–400, if she will make a statement on the role and position of general practitioner fund holders within the restructured NHS.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  General practitioner fund holding has been one of the major successes of the reformed national health service. More than 6,000 GPs in 1,200 practices are now fund holders. From next April, over a third of the population will be served by fund-holding GPs. This reflects the real achievements in improving patient care. The new arrangements for district health authorities and family health services authorities will not undermine the role of GP fund holders in providing a competitive edge in purchasing.

  Cold-related Diseases
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in Britain died of cold-related diseases in each of the last five years.
  213
  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available.

  VAT (Domestic Fuel)
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will conduct an analysis of the health implications of VAT on fuel.

  Mr. Sackville
  No. We are aware of analysis aimed at predicting the effect on household consumption of fuel, and of evidence concerning the effect on health of variation in domestic ambient temperatures. It is not possible, however, to combine these data to make any reliable inference about the health consequences of change in the cost of fuel.

  Disciplinary Procedures
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures exist in hospital trusts to ensure proper examination of wrongful or inappropriate conduct of consultants and other senior clinical staff.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Trusts are required to follow the existing arrangements in relation to the handling of clinical complaints against national health service consultants and other senior clinical staff set out in departmental circular HC(88)37, copies of which are available in the Library. It is for trusts to establish arrangements for investigating other allegations of misconduct by consultants or other senior clinical staff.

  Osteoporosis
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets she has for the reduction in osteoporosis; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  None specifically. However, alongside specific interventions such as hormone replacement therapy, available through general practitioners and clinics, important measures which should help reduce the incidence of osteoporosis include increasing levels of physical activity, cutting down excess alcohol, avoiding cigarette smoking, and eating a balanced diet. We are promoting all these lifestyle measures through the health strategy "The Health of the Nation", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Patient Expenditure
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what increase in patient expenditure is experienced within the NHS during January to March, over that of the months from July to September.

  Mr. Sackville
  From the information available to the Department, we estimate that hospital and community health services expenditure in the months of January, February and March 1993 was between 4 and 5 per cent. higher than that in the months of July, August and September 1992. The hon. Member should note that this information is based on unaudited management information as the audited accounts of health authorities do not include the figures required.

  Consultants
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the annual cost of the distinction award system for hospital consultants; and what plans she has to increase openness and public accountability for the scheme.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 27 October at column 694.

  Chrysoidine
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy on the use of the maggot dye chrysoidine and the link between it and cancer.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Committee on the Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment considered the dye chrysoidine up to 1985. On the last occasion, the committee reaffirmed its earlier advice that it would be prudent for anglers who wanted to use chrysoidine to avoid skin contact with the dye. The Government conveyed this advice to the National Federation of Anglers and the angling press at that time.

  Winter Hospital Admissions
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage increase in patient admissions occurs in the winter months, January to March, as opposed to the summer months, July to September.

  Mr. Sackville
  Providers reported that in 1992–93 the number of finished consultant episodes in the general and acute specialties in January to March was about 3 per cent. higher than in July to September.

  Surgery (Consent)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is in force laying out the procedures doctors and surgeons should carry out if they discover cases where they have reason to believe informed consent for radical surgery has not been obtained; and who has the responsibility of ensuring those procedures are properly carried out in(a) directly managed units and (b) hospital trusts.

  Mr. Sackville
  It is for doctors and health professionals themselves to ensure that valid consent is obtained from their patients for any treatment proposed. The common law requirement for consent is reflected in guidance issued by the National Health Service Management Executive and by health professionals' own ethical codes. Treatment of a patient capable of giving consent, without obtaining consent, could leave health professionals, health authorities or trusts open to legal action.

  Individual members of staff in the NHS have a right and duty to raise with their employer any matters of concern they may have about health service issues concerned with the delivery of care to a patient in their authority, trust or unit. Guidance issued to the NHS, EL(93)51, copies of which are available in the Library, recommends that local policies and procedures be introduced to allow these rights and duties to be fully and properly met.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines she regards as being in force for the obtaining of informed consent for radical surgery.
  215
  Mr. Sackville
  Guidance on consent to examination and treatment was issued to the national health service by the NHS Management Executive in August 1990, HC(90)22, copies of which are available in the Library. It advises that patients have the right under common law to give or withhold consent. Sufficient information must be given to patients to ensure that they understand the nature, consequences and any substantial risks of the treatment proposed.

  Diabetes
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the extent to which there is a shortage of specialist dieticians to counter diabetes; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The numbers of dieticians working in the national health service has grown from 1,140 in 1987 to 1,410 in 1992. It is for purchasers and providers to determine the numbers of dieticians required to provide an effective service to people with diabetes.

  Suicide
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support is being given to voluntary organisations to meet the target set in the "Health of the Nation" regarding the rate of suicide.

  Mr. Bowis
  In the mental illness field, more than 40 grants are being made to some 28 voluntary bodies at a total cost of £2 million in 1992–93. Most of these organisations provide help and support for mentally ill people in the community and make a contribution towards meeting our "Health of the Nation" target to reduce the rate of suicide.

  Nebulisers
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to make the prescriptions of nebulisers available on the NHS; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Hand-operated nebulisers are already available on general practitioner prescription and powered nebulisers may be prescribed by consultants for patients in hospital and in the community. No changes are planned in these arrangements.

  Welfare Milk Tokens
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when welfare milk tokens ceased to be valid for exchange for soya, goat's, fully skimmed and long-life milks; and what were the reasons for the change.

  Mr. Sackville
  There has been no recent change in the products available under the welfare food scheme. Milk tokens have never been valid for soya, goat's or fully skimmed milk. Long life—UHT—milk is obtainable for milk tokens.

  Perioperative Deaths
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to require all surgeons and anaesthetists to provide audit data for national confidential inquiry into perioperative death.
  216
  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 28 October at column 766. We strongly support the participation of all clinicians in medical audit and in national confidential inquiries, but to be effective we believe that this must be done on a voluntary basis. All surgeons and anaesthetists are encouraged to take part in the national confidential inquiry into perioperative deaths by their respective royal colleges.

  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the Government's response to the report of the national confidential inquiry into perioperative deaths published in September.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have welcomed the report of the national confidential enquiry into perioperative deaths—NCEPOD—and its general conclusion that across the range of specialties covered, patients can rely on excellent standards. The report acknowledges that progress has been made to resolve a number of problems identified in earlier enquiries and provides important messages about high standards of surgical and anaesthetic care in this country. We are committed to a programme of work to improve the quality of patient information, including the development of a single patient identifier to provide a means for health event linkage.

  Through careful assessment of clinical standards this enquiry helps to ensure that the medical profession retains a critical approach to its work. The Government wish to encourage all surgeons and anaesthetists to continue to support NCEPOD, and national health service managers and the profession to act on the results. We expect all doctors to participate in peer review activities, and we provide continuing financial support for medical and clinical audit, as well as for NCEPOD. In these ways doctors can develop confidence in their clinical performance and identify areas where they can further develop their expertise.

  NHS Management
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral answer of 26 October,Official Report, column 678, what percentage of the total cost is represented by (a) the management allowance for general practitioner budget holders, (b) the administrative costs to the FHSA, DHA, trusts, RHA, management executive and her Department, and (c) the computer allowance for fund holders.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  On average, the management allowance represents 2.1 per cent. of general practitioner fundholder budgets and the average computer reimbursement costs associated with managing a fund are 0.5 per cent. Administration costs of other national health service bodies associated with fund holding are not identified separately.

  Generic Prescribing
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost per prescription of packaging generic drugs in the same way as branded drugs.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available centrally.
  217
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to ensure that generically prescribed drugs have the same information for patients as brand prescribed drugs.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The United Kingdom labelling and leaflet regulations apply equally to all licensed medicines. Labels and patient information leaflets supplied with generically prescribed medicines will have to contain all the information required by regulations.

  Regional Health Authorities
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation she intends to undertake, pursuant to her oral statement of 21 October,Official Report, columns 398–400, on proposals to reduce the number of regional health authorities from 14 to eight from 1 April 1994.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  A consultation document has been published setting out my proposals to determine new national health service regions and to establish eight new regional health authorities to replace the existing 14. The consultation document is being sent to all Members of Parliament, NHS bodies, community health councils, local authorities, health service trade unions and other interested organisations. Copies will also be placed in the Library. The consultation document invites views on the proposals by 15 January 1994.

  Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she gave permission for the construction of a multi-storey car park at the RVI Hospital Trust, Newcastle; how much capital she has made available and in which financial years; and whether this is included in the capital programme of the Leayes wing at the RVI Trust.

  Mr. Sackville
  Permission for the construction of a multi-storey car park at the Royal Victoria infirmary and Associated Hospitals national health service trust has not yet been granted.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what capital resources she has committed and in respect of which financial years for the unification of opthalmology services at the RVI Trust Newcastle; what sums have been committed; and what plans she has to review this commitment in the light of proposals that may emerge from the current review of Newcastle hospital services by the Newcastle district health authority.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Capital funds of £7· million have been committed to the unification of ophthalmology service at the Royal Victoria Infirmary and Associated Hospitals national health service trust. The funds are phased over two years, with completion of the scheme in 1995. To date, £244,000 has been committed for planning costs.

  Proposals following the outcome of the review of acute services in Newcastle by Newcastle district health authority are awaited.

  NHS Corporate Governance Review Panel
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the membership, date of appointment and remuneration and other allowable expenses of the NHS corporate governance review panel, together with other positions within the NHS that each member holds.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier) on 12 July at columns 386–87. Members of the corporate governance task force are not remunerated for the assistance they are giving, but travel and subsistence expenses are payable at civil service rates. The members of the four working groups of the task force and their other positions are as listed.

  Group 1: Public Service Values

  Sir Bryan Askew (Chairman)

  Chairman: Yorkshire Regional Health Authority

  Andrew Wall

  Senior Fellow: Health Services Management Centre, Birmingham University

  Anthony Merifield

  Head of Public Appointments: Cabinet Office

  Chris Vellenoweth

  Special Projects Advisor: National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts

  Rabbi Julia Neuberger

  Chairman: Camden and Islington Community Health Services

  National Health Service Trust

  Ann Kelly

  Non-executive: Royal Berkshire and Battle NHS Trust

  Laurie Caple

  Chief Executive: Northumbria Ambulance Services NHS Trust

  Group 2: Matching The Roles and Functions of Chairmen and Non Executive Directors with their Part Time Commitment

  Dr. Stuart Burgess (Chairman)

  Chairman: Oxford RHA

  Professor Chris Ham

  Director: Health Services Management Centre, Birmingham University

  Steven Campion

  Performance Manager: Wessex RHA

  Elspeth Metcalfe

  Chairman: Hereford and Worcester FHSA

  Roger Hoyle

  National Health Service Management Executive Outpost Director: South Western

  Dr. Charlotte Williamson

  Vice Chairman: York Health Services NHS Trust

  Derek Smith

  Chief Executive: Kings Healthcare NHS Trust

  Group 3: Induction and Training of Chairmen, Non-Executive Director and Boards as a Whole

  Mike Marchment (Chairman)

  Chief Executive: Premier Health NHS Trust

  Michael West

  Occupational Psychologist: Sheffield University

  John Spiers

  Chairman: Brighton Healthcare NHS Trust

  Angela Sealey

  Chairman: Basingstoke and North Hampshire Health Authority

  Stuart Haywood

  Chairman: of the Committee of Management, The Retreat Hospital, York

  Philip Hunt

  Director: National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts

  Dr. Tina Townsend

  Director: NHS Training Directorate

  Group 4: Finance and Performance Reporting

  Ken Punt (Chairman)

  219

  Senior Fellow and Head of Centre for Healthcare Financial Management: Health Services Management Unit

  John Sherring

  Regional Director: Audit Commission, West Midlands

  Jane Wesson

  Non-executive Director: Wakefield Health Authority

  Paul Lilley

  Director of Finance: East Gloucestershire NHS Trust

  Simon Cussons

  Chairman: Macclesfield HA

  Viral Haemorrhagic Fever
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision she has made for viral haemorrhagic fever; at what locations in-patient provision against the possibility of this condition has been made; and at which locations in the last five years such provision has been discontinued.

  Mr. Sackville
  Patients with, or with suspected, viral haemorrhagic fever, are treated in high security infectious disease units; these units are funded directly by the Department of Health. There is presently one such unit with provision for four patients per year at Coppetts Wood hospital, north London. Discussions on the possibility of upgrading a similar unit in Newcastle are presently taking place. A unit at Fazakerley hospital in Liverpool closed in 1992.

  HIV/AIDS
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what dedicated in-patient provision has been made for the treatment of HIV/AIDS; at which locations such provision has been made; and what additional in-patient provision she expects to make.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally. Funding for the treatment and care of people with HIV and AIDS is included in the revenue funding allocated to regional health authorities each year. Regions and health districts then determine the type and level of service provision in the light of local needs and circumstances.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what capital investment has been made, or is committed, into the HIV/AIDS infectious diseases complex at Newcastle general hospital; and when any new or refurbished facilities are expected to open;

  (2) what were the capital and other costs associated with the Scids immune deficiency unit at Newcastle general hospital; how many patients this unit is expected to treat each year; and when it is expected to open.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Crute, the chairman of Newcastle health authority, for further details.

  Radium Treatment
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued on the decommissioning of sites and buildings where high-dose radium treatment machines have been installed; what the planned life of such machines is expected to be; how long after the use of such machines has ceased she expects to wait before decommissioning can begin; and whether sites and buildings containing such defunct machinery will require extra security.

  Mr. Sackville
  Radium has been replaced as a radioactive source in radiotherapy machines by safer materials such as cobalt and iridium. Hospitals using such sources are registered with Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution—Department of the Environment—who provide guidance on safe handling. Replacement or removal of sources is carried out by approved contractors as part of the national disposal service. Hospitals also appoint local radiation protection advisers who implement the requirements of the Ionising Radiation Regulations 1985. Expected equipment lifetimes can be at least 15 years with a further 10 years maintenance support if required. However, existing machines are now being replaced by linear accelerators, which generate treatment beams without the need for radioactive sources and pose no radiation hazard when turned off. The existing disposal service imposes no undue delays or risk of contamination of premises.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of control assistants, using whole-time equivalents, for each ambulance service in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information available is shown in the table. Separate figures for control assistants are not available centrally.

  Control assistants and ambulance officers at 30 September (whole-time equivalents by region)

  1990

  1991

  1992

  ENGLAND TOTAL

  2,780

  2,340

  2,390

  Northern region

  180

  170

  180

  Yorkshire region

  240

  220

  220

  Trent region

  290

  280

  270

  East Anglian region

  130

  130

  120

  North West Thames region

  80

  40

  40

  North East Thames region

  70

  70

  70

  South East Thames region

  80

  120

  120

  South West Thames region

  100

  100

  100

  Wessex region

  140

  140

  140

  Oxford region

  130

  130

  130

  South Western region

  220

  220

  220

  West Midlands region

  340

  260

  320

  Date of journeys

  Places visited

  Purpose of visit

  Accompanying officals

  Total department expenditure £

  Overseas visits by Secretary of State

  4–5 May 1992

  Geneva

  WHO Meeting of Ministers

  1

  691

  14–15 May 1992

  Brussels

  EC Health Council Meeting of Ministers

  3

  1,167

  3 August 1992

  Copenhagen

  United Kingdom EC Presidency Ministers Meeting

  2

  1,335

  20 September 1992

  Madrid

  United Kingdom EC Presidency Ministers Meeting

  2

  1,385

  222

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Mersey region

  120

  90

  90

  North Western region

  240

  200

  170

  London ambulance service

  410

  170

  210

  Notes:

  1. Separate figures for control assistants and ambulance officers are not available centrally. These two groups of ambulance staff are aggregated for central pay information purposes.

  2. The figures include staff in ambulance trusts.

  3. Figures for individual ambulance services are not available centrally.

  4. The figure shown for Northern region in 1991 is a corrected one from previously published figures.

  5. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

  6. Figures fell between 1990 and 1991 due largely to a number of ambulance officers taking up separate senior manager terms as well as a reduction in control assistants in response to a fall in the need for patient transport services in the London ambulance service.

  Sources:

  For 1990: the Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.

  For 1991 and 1992: the Department of Health form KM49.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of ambulance staff in England employed by the NHS in 1990, 1991 and 1992, using whole-time equivalents.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 21 October 1993]: The information requested is shown in the table.

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Ambulance Staff in National Health Service Employing Authorities and Trusts

  18,130

  17,630

  17,680

  All figures are at 30 September and are rounded to the nearest 10.

  Figures fell between 1990 and 1991 due largely to a number of ambulance officers taking up separate senior manager terms and a fall in the demand for Patient Transport Services in the London Ambulance Service.

  Source:

  For 1990: Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.

  For 1991 and 1992: Department of Health form KM 49.

  Note: The figure shown for 1991 is a corrected one from previously published figures.

  Ministers' Overseas Journeys
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what journeys abroad, involving public expenditure, she and other Ministers in the Department have made since 9 April 1992; what were the dates of the journeys and the places visited; what was the purpose of the journey in each case; by whom the Minister was accompanied, and what additional public expenditure was involved; and what was the total cost of each journey made abroad by each Minister.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 26 October 1993]: The information available is shown in the table:
  223

  Date of journeys

  Places visited

  Purpose of visit

  Accompanying officials

  Total department expenditure £

  13–14 October 1992

  Cologne Holland

  United Kingdom EC Presidency Health Ministers Meetings

  2

  857

  12–13 November 1992

  Brussels

  EC Health Council Meeting of Ministers

  1

  1,867

  3 March 1993

  Copenhagen

  WHO Ministers Meeting

  3

  2,557

  3–8 April 1993

  Russia, Kazakhstan

  Trade Mission

  5

  3,543

  7–17 September 1993

  Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Perth,, Sydney, Hong Kong

  Trade Mission—Health Care Industries

  4

  131,000

  18 October 1993

  Brussels

  To promote London as a site for the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA)

  3

  11,200

  Overseas visits by Minister for Health

  5 October 1992

  Dublin

  United Kingdom EC Presidency Health Ministers Meetings

  Private Secretary

  501

  12–13 October 1992

  Brussels, Rome

  United Kingdom EC Presidency Health Ministers Meeting

  1

  1,010

  18 October 1992

  Larnaca

  10th Commonwealth Private Secretary Health Ministers Conference

  1

  2,825

  12–13 November 1992

  Brussels

  EC Health Council Meeting of Ministers

  1

  547

  26–27 May 1993

  Brussels

  EC Health Council Meeting of Ministers

  1

  873

  Overseas Visits by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Health) (Mr. Sackville)

  17 June 1993

  Milan (Lombardy)

  Promoting United Kingdom waste incineration products and to bid for United Kingdom siting of European Medicines Evaluation Agency

  1

  611

  Overseas Visits by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Community) (Mr. Bowis)

  30 March 19932

  Paris

  To address a conference on Management issues in Psychiatry sponsored by British drugs industry

  1

  574

  29 August-5 September 1993

  South Africa

  Trade Mission to promote British Medical Industry (Health Promotion)

  2

  111,500

  12–19 September 1993

  United States of America and Canada

  Mental Health—Fact finding tour

  3

  119,000

  14 October 1993

  Paris

  Meeting of EC Council of Ministers for Social Affairs

  1

  1574

  Overseas Visits by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Lords) (Baroness Cumberlege)

  7–8 December 1992

  Paris

  OECD Ministers' Meeting

  1

  794

  7–17 September 1993

  United States of America

  Fact finding visit in connection with Ministerial responsibilities

  2

  117,000

  1 Estimated cost.

  2 Mr. Yeo.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of employing management consultants to assist in her Department's assessment of applications for trust status in each wave; how many assessments took place; and which were the consultants concerned.
  224
  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 1 November 1993]: The information is shown in the table. Information on the number and cost of the fourth wave assessment is provisional as the process is not yet complete.
  225

  Wave

  Cost £

  Number of assessments

  Lead management consultants

  1

  601,340

  66

  Coopers & Lybrand

  2

  601,013

  113

  Coopers & Lybrand

  3

  452,375

  155

  KPMG

  4

  275,000

  147

  Touche Ross

TRANSPORT

  Newcastle Western Bypass
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many payments have been paid under section 7 of the Land Compensation Act 1973 to property owners in the vicinity of the Newcastle western bypass north of the Stamfordham road interchange; what total sum has been paid; and when the last payment was made.

  Mr. Key
  No compensation is payable under section 7 of the Land Compensation Act 1973. However, compensation payments made due to the works on Newcastle western bypass north of the Stamfordham road interchange under the other provisions of part I of the Act is as follows:

  Number of payments made:

  1,051

  Total sum of compensation:

  £1,845,040

  Last payment made:

  27 October 1993

  Proposed East-west Route
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on(a) the present stage of preparation and estimated timetable for completion and (b) the latest estimate of cost of the (i) Braintree-Al2, (ii) Stansted-Braintree, (iii) A1-Stansted, (iv) A5-A1, (v) Leighton Linslade bypass, (vi) Wing

  Bids for transport supplementary grant-1994–95

  Structural maintenance

  Authority

  Major schemes £k

  Principal road carriageways £k

  Bridges £k

  Total TSG bid £k

  City of London

  0

  0

  1,106

  1,106

  Barking and Dagenham

  5,017

  587

  250

  5,854

  Barnet

  0

  200

  498

  698

  Bexley

  5,614

  1,250

  970

  7,834

  Brent

  190

  1,013

  1,249

  2,452

  Bromley

  497

  640

  344

  1,481

  Camden

  0

  1,773

  3,085

  4,858

  Croydon

  6,440

  2,263

  181

  8,884

  Ealing

  1,525

  571

  372

  2,468

  Enfield

  3,889

  404

  2,492

  6,785

  Greenwich

  1,615

  708

  708

  3,031

  Hackney

  1,418

  1,013

  1,700

  4,131

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  0

  1,045

  2,255

  3,300

  Haringey

  990

  1,544

  700

  3,234

  Harrow

  7,551

  416

  953

  8,920

  Havering

  0

  72

  563

  635

  Hillingdon

  2,630

  364

  2,210

  5,204

  Hounslow

  3,159

  540

  937

  4,636

  Islington

  0

  1,220

  715

  1,935

  Kensington and Chelsea

  538

  166

  36

  740

  Kingston upon Thames

  3,992

  700

  567

  5,259

  Lambeth

  0

  630

  936

  1,566

  Lewisham

  8,552

  300

  260

  9,112

  Merton

  685

  222

  110

  1,017

  Newham

  3,808

  70

  6,526

  10,404

  Redbridge

  0

  705

  1,310

  2,015

  Richmond upon Thames

  0

  260

  515

  775

  Southwark

  2,413

  500

  430

  3,343

  Sutton

  800

  210

  468

  1,478

  226
  bypass, (vii) west of Aylesbury-Wing bypass and (viii) M40-west of Aylesbury stages of the proposed east-west route.

  Mr. Key
  Most of the schemes which comprise the east-west route are at early stages in their development. It is difficult to be certain of the programme and cost. The latest planning data are as follows and are subject to the availability of funding and completion of statutory procedures.

  (i) Braintree-Al2: public consultation early 1994. Cost £39 million—all costs area at Q1/92 prices.

  (ii) Stansted-Braintree: awaiting decision following public inquiry. Cost £68·5 million.

  (iii and iv) A5-Stansted—includes A5-A1 and Al-Stansted: public consultation autumn 1994. Completion year 2001. Cost £462·1 million.

  (v) Leighton Linslade bypass: opened to traffic November 1991. Cost £22 million.

  (vi) Wing bypass: decision following planning inquiry expected shortly. Cost £15 million.

  (vi) West of Aylesbury to Wing bypass: public consultation period just completed. Decision about preferred route expected in 1994. Cost £97 million.

  (vii) M40-west of Aylesbury: no decisions have been made whether or when schemes will enter the trunk roads programme.

  Transport Supplementary Grant
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the value of the bids for transport supplementary grant 1994–95 which he has received from individual local authorities in their transport policy and programmes submissions within the following categories, dividing each total bid into the amounts for(a) major road schemes, (b) structural carriageway maintenance and (c) structural bridge maintenance.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The information is as follows.
  227

  Structural maintenance

  Authority

  Major scheme £k

  Principal road carriageways £k

  Bridges £k

  Total TSG bid £k

  Tower Hamlets

  400

  6,750

  549

  7,699

  Waltham Forest

  1,167

  330

  2275

  1,772

  Wandsworth

  0

  1,000

  3,996

  4,996

  Westminster

  10,684

  442

  4,552

  15,678

  Bolton

  1,378

  1,150

  2,477

  5,005

  Bury

  0

  962

  1,200

  2,162

  Manchester

  28,425

  2,544

  2,879

  33,848

  Oldham

  3,080

  980

  3,050

  7,110

  Rochdale

  35

  960

  2,200

  3,195

  Salford

  5,289

  1,540

  900

  7,729

  Stockport

  1,550

  1,527

  3,348

  6,425

  Tameside

  2,070

  1,500

  765

  4,335

  Trafford

  21,661

  312

  464

  22,437

  Wigan

  1,127

  750

  580

  2,457

  Knowsley

  17,600

  1,021

  550

  19,171

  Liverpool

  2,450

  2,200

  1,000

  5,650

  St. Helens

  5,039

  150

  277

  5,466

  Sefton

  1,362

  194

  853

  2,409

  Wirral

  2,835

  318

  750

  3,903

  Barnsley

  4,522

  1,128

  1,092

  6,742

  Doncaster

  8,475

  1,521

  1,739

  11,735

  Rotherham

  3,700

  629

  2,272

  6,601

  Sheffield

  13,389

  4,270

  4,871

  22,530

  Gateshead

  500

  300

  400

  1,200

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  12,236

  2,156

  429

  14,821

  North Tyneside

  400

  1,450

  680

  2,530

  South Tyneside

  10

  886

  660

  1,556

  Sunderland

  6,690

  2,600

  1,051

  10,341

  Birmingham

  34,504

  6,000

  3,420

  43,924

  Coventry

  12,645

  534

  922

  14,101

  Dudley

  11,822

  2,000

  946

  14,768

  Sandwell

  4,107

  2,953

  4,453

  11,513

  Solihull

  2,599

  180

  410

  3,189

  Walsall

  10,992

  1,297

  3,455

  15,744

  Wolverhampton

  14,554

  2,305

  6,200

  23,059

  Bradford

  4,545

  3,000

  3,962

  11,507

  Calderdale

  2,897

  3,796

  1,464

  8,157

  Kirklees

  97

  4,370

  1,949

  6,416

  Leeds

  19,813

  7,140

  2,527

  29,480

  Wakefield

  5,110

  2,370

  1,343

  8,823

  Avon

  22,814

  3,220

  2,980

  29,014

  Bedfordshire

  5,263

  1,350

  2,204

  8,817

  Berkshire

  20,628

  2,995

  1,300

  24,923

  Buckinghamshire

  6,069

  2,476

  755

  9,300

  Cambridgeshire

  2,627

  3,859

  3,439

  9,925

  Cheshire

  16,908

  12,480

  4,565

  33,953

  Cleveland

  9,655

  2,763

  1,495

  13,913

  Cornwall

  8,192

  3,310

  3,000

  14,502

  Cumbria

  3,110

  3,000

  2,750

  8,860

  Derbyshire

  2,960

  2,175

  2,016

  7,151

  Devon

  7,565

  6,845

  2,663

  17,073

  Dorset

  3,300

  1,500

  1,250

  6,050

  Durham

  9,935

  1,750

  2,176

  13,861

  East Sussex

  9,009

  3,946

  2,233

  15,188

  Essex

  18,966

  5,500

  3,616

  28,082

  Gloucestershire

  8,070

  2,593

  1,474

  12,137

  Hampshire

  28,228

  8,262

  2,614

  39,104

  Hereford and Worcester

  1,539

  3,441

  1,574

  6,554

  Hertfordshire

  8,970

  3,900

  3,450

  16,320

  Humberside

  11,062

  5,041

  2,784

  18,887

  Isle of Wight

  0

  780

  310

  1,090

  Kent

  105,776

  12,783

  3,650

  122,209

  Lancashire

  27,691

  7,007

  13,198

  47,896

  Leicestershire

  7,326

  3,909

  2,644

  13,879

  Lincolnshire

  3,025

  2,430

  2,600

  8,055

  Norfolk

  9,286

  5,383

  6,189

  20,858

  Northamptonshire

  6,253

  5,301

  1,920

  13,474

  Northumberland

  7,708

  3,500

  2,980

  14,188

  North Yorkshire

  13,385

  8,176

  4,160

  25,721

  Nottinghamshire

  6,373

  5,645

  2,612

  14,630

  Oxfordshire

  3,301

  2,799

  1,619

  8,716

  Shropshire

  4,982

  3,308

  2,118

  10,408

  Somerset

  9,367

  2,604

  3,510

  15,481

  Staffordshire

  12,296

  8,000

  2,000

  22,296

  Suffolk

  8,543

  5,000

  3,700

  17,243

  228 229

  Structural maintenance

  Authority

  Major scheme £k

  Principal road carriageways £k

  Bridges £k

  Total TSG bid £k

  Surrey

  27,072

  6,219

  8,791

  42,082

  Warwickshire

  495

  3,370

  2,605

  6,470

  West Sussex

  9,863

  2,800

  700

  13,363

  Wiltshire

  2,889

  2,308

  275

  5,472

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provision he has made in his Department's budget for the proposed west of Aylesbury-Wing bypass for compensation payments to householders whose homes would be reduced in value or otherwise affected by his Department's plans.

  Mr. Key
  No provision has yet been put aside for compensation. For planning purposes, a sum of £5·3 million—Q1/92 prices—has been esimated for the cost of land and properties including compensation.

  Persons who would be directly affected by the route of the bypass would be able to make a case for the purchase of their property under blight terms once a preferred route has been decided and protected.

  Persons who consider that the physical effects of public traffic using the new road once opened would affect the value of their property may make a claim against the Department under part I of the Land Compensation Act 1973. The claim period would commence one year after the new road opened to traffic.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the names by local highway authority of the major road schemes for which the authority is bidding for transport supplementary grant to enable main works to start during 1994–95.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Following are the bids received for such schemes in the current round:

  Authority

  Scheme name

  Enfield

  Genotin road link

  Greenwich

  Woolwich road improvement

  Harrow

  Sheepcote road widening

  Kingston

  Kingston north-south strategy—A240 corridor

  Tower Hamlets

  Poplar traffic calming area scheme

  Westminster

  Vauxhall bridge road improvement

  Manchester

  Hyde road (Tameside-West Gorton)

  Manchester

  Inner relief route—Regent road-Chester road— phase 2, stage 2

  Oldham

  A62/A627 Oldham way improvements

  Salford

  Trafford road—the Quays-White City

  Trafford

  Trafford road improvement

  Trafford

  Bridgewater boulevard

  St. Helens

  Blackbrook diversion

  Sefton

  Merseyside N corridor stage 1 Switch island/ Thornton link

  Sefton

  Merseyside N corridor stage 2 Thornton link/ Blundell link

  Wirral

  Heron road/Saughall Massie road improvement/ diversion

  Doncaster

  A630 Wheatley Hall road

  Sunderland

  Grangetown and Ryhope bypass

  Birmingham

  Lichfield road improvement phase 2

  Birmingham

  South Birmingham improvements—phase 1— A34 and A435

  Dudley

  A4036 improvement Merry Hill

  Sandwell

  Churchbridge improvement Sandwell

  Sandwell

  Expressway/All Saints way junction Sandwell

  Wolverhampton

  Willenhall road improvements phase 3

  Calderdale

  Brighouse Elland road/Brookfoot lane improvement

  230

  Authority

  Scheme name

  Kirklees

  Huddersfield ring road improvements phase 4

  Leeds

  Leeds Harewood bridge bypass

  Leeds

  Leeds guided bus—A61/A64

  Leeds

  Leeds city centre loop road—phases 3 and 4

  Wakefield

  Hemsworth bypass

  Wakefield

  Normanton bypass

  Avon

  Avon ring road 2—B4465 Shortwood to A420 Warmley

  Avon

  Park and ride—Bristol-site 2 Bath-site 3

  Bedfordshire

  Arlesey/Stotfold bypass

  Berkshire

  Reading Cross town route stage 2 broken brow to Vastern road

  Berkshire

  Reading Cross town route stage 3 Caversham road to Portman road

  Berkshire

  Reading A4 Bath road widening/dualling

  Berkshire

  Stafferton way link Maidenhead

  Buckinghamshire

  Wendover bypass

  Cambridgeshire

  Needingworth bypass

  Cambridgeshire

  Werrington to Glinton bypass—phase 2

  Cheshire

  Davenham bypass

  Cheshire

  Wheelock bypass

  Cleveland

  Skelton and Brotton bypass

  Cleveland

  Middleton road to Powlett road

  Cornwall

  Probus bypass

  Cornwall

  Carland cross—South of Trispen

  Cumbria

  Dalton in-Furness to Askam-in-Furness

  Derbyshire

  Derby-London road diversion

  Devon

  Hatherleigh bypass

  Devon

  Salcombe dip to Inverteign drive Teignmouth

  Durham

  Witton Gilbert bypass

  Durham

  Wheatley Hill to Bowburn

  East Sussex

  New route—Ditton to Seaside—Eastbourne

  Essex

  Aukingford Gardens to Talbot roundabout, Chelmsford stages 1 and 2

  Essex

  Bypass—A12-A132

  Gloucestershire

  Tewkesbury eastern relief road

  Gloucestershire

  Gloucester southern radial relief road

  Hampshire

  Northam road Southampton

  Hampshire

  Woolmer road link

  Hertfordshire

  Cheshunt link road

  Kent

  Wainscott northern bypass

  Kent

  Hale street bypass

  Kent

  Gillingham northern link

  Kent

  Bearsted road/Sittingbourne road

  Kent

  Staplehurst road link

  Lancashire

  Blackburn eastern radial route

  Lancashire

  Westgate link Burnley

  Lancashire

  South Ribble M65 interface improvements

  Leicestershire

  Glen Parva bypass

  Lincolnshire

  A15/A1 Market Deeping bypass

  Norfolk

  Ormesby bypass

  Norfolk

  Brockdish/Needham bypass

  Northamptonshire

  Warmington improvements

  Northamptonshire

  Higham Ferrers bypass-Stanwick dualling

  Northumberland

  Kitty Brewster bridge duplication

  Northumberland

  Longhorsley bypass

  Northumberland

  Longframlington bypass

  North Yorkshire

  A661 Spofforth bypass

  North Yorkshire

  B1228 Peasholme Green bridge

  Nottinghamshire

  Awsworth and Cossall bypass

  Nottinghamshire

  Mansfield eastern outer ring road—phase 2

  Oxfordshire

  Oxford integrated transport package

  Shropshire

  Hodnet bypass

  Somerset

  Wells relief road

  Somerset

  Yeovil relief road

  Staffordshire

  Biddulph bypass

  Staffordshire

  Victoria place link Stoke-on-Trent

  231

  Authority

  Scheme name

  Staffordshire

  Uttoxeter bypass phases 1 and 2

  Suffolk

  Kesgrave bypass

  Suffolk

  Rickinghall-Botesdale bypass

  Surrey

  Hazel avenue to Borough boundary, Guildford

  Surrey

  West End Bisley and Knaphill bypass

  Surrey

  Farnham bypass improvement

  Warwickshire

  Leamington-Kenilworth improvement

  West Sussex

  Rustington-Hangleton dualling—phase 2

  West Sussex

  Crawley transport package

  Wiltshire

  East Knoyle bypass

  M5
  Dr. Liam Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who has responsibility for the A369 at junction 19 of the M5 during and subsequent to the widening of the motorway.

  Mr. Key
  Avon county council is the highway authority for the A369 and the roundabout at M5 junction 19. The Secretary of State for Transport is the highway authority for the slip roads which are part of the M5 motorway.

  Phase 1 of the motorway widening works, provision of four lanes between junctions 18 and 19, will not change these responsibilities. In the longer term, highway authority boundaries may need to be reviewed if and when the junction configuration changes as part of the subsequent phases.

  Pleasure Craft (Light Dues)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the charging of light dues on pleasure craft.

  Mr. Norris
  We believe that users of services should pay towards their cost. We have over a long period sought to identify a means of charging light dues to pleasure craft which would be both fair and capable of generating a worthwhile income for the general lighthouse fund, without creating a disproportionate and expensive administrative system to collect the dues. Following a joint paper which the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland put to the European Commission, the Commission recognised in its communication "A Common Policy on Safe Seas", published in February of this year, that the different approaches applied by member states to the funding of marine navigational aids resulted in some ports operating at a competitive disadvantage. The Commission proposed that a system should be established on a Community-wide basis under which dues would be set, collected and then shared among the national authorities. The system would be based on the "User Pays" principle. The Commission is now carrying forward work on this subject.

  The Government have therefore concluded, because of these developments at the Community level, that they should not pursue further the charging of light dues to pleasure craft solely within the United Kingdom. We will wish to keep the situation under review depending on the progress of discussions at Community level.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library copies of the technical and other background studies prepared by Union Railways on the proposed route of the channel tunnel rail link.

  Mr. Freeman
  Union Railways' report, which I received on 29 October, and supporting appendices documents will, subject to commercial confidentiality, be published when the Government's decisions are announced. These documents contain a substantial amount of detail, drawing on the technical and background studies undertaken by Union Railways. It is not intended that the very large volume of raw material generated during the preparation of Union Railways' report be published.

  Drivers Test Centre, Wibsey
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to close Wibsey drivers' test centre in Bradford, South; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The Driving Standards Agency, which is responsible for driving test matters, set out its intention in its 1993–94 business plan to continue a programme of reviewing and rationalising its test centre estate. There are no proposals, however, at this time to close the centre at Wibsey.

  Rail Track Study
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what sums of money have been paid or are payable to Coopers and Lybrand for its study into a charging regime for the rail track; and to what time period of work such payment relates;

  (2) what progress has been made by Coopers and Lybrand in its study into a charging regime for access to the rail track; and what proposals it has put forward.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department has paid approximately £1·6 million for the studies carried out by Coopers and Lybrand on access charges, for work since December 1991. Sums for the most recent work have yet to be settled. Good progress has been made. Detailed proposals on charge structure and calculation methods of costs have been put forward and agreed.

  Highways Agency
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the job specification and terms and conditions and salary details for the post of chief executive of the Highways Agency; and to what extent they have been varied in the advertisements for the post.

  Mr. Key
  I am placing in the Library copies of the two editions—dated September and October 1993—of the leaflet outlining the job description and terms and conditions of the post, which have been issued to those responding to the advertisements. The only significant variation is in the paragraphs relating to salary and performance pay.

  British Rail (Cycle Carriage)
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will require British Rail to increase the capacity for the carriage of cycles on the newly introduced Waterloo to Salisbury and Exeter trains.
  233
  Mr. Freeman
  Carrying bicycles by train is an operational matter for British Rail. I understand that its policy is to allow one bicycle in each three-coach unit. Trains operate with either three, six or nine coaches depending on passenger number. The new trains have been designed to provide the maximum number of seats for passengers and do not have room for more than one bicycle in each three-coach unit.

  Private Capital
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those public investment projects within his Department's responsibility which have attracted private capital and have been commenced since the 1992 autumn statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 2 November 1993]I gave my approval on 29 October for London Regional Transport to start work on the Jubilee line extension, to which the private sector is making a contribution of £400 million. Following conclusion of a joint venture agreement between BAA and British Rail in August, work is also going ahead on the Heathrow express link.

  Work is continuing on the privately financed second Severn bridge and draft orders were published in June for the privately financed Birmingham northern relief road.

  In addition, the Government have announced that it is the intention that both the channel tunnel rail link and crossrail schemes should be taken forward as joint ventures with the private sector.

  Roads and Railways
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated land take needed for,(a) the roads programme and (b) the railway programme for 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96.

  Mr. Key
  Meaningful estimates cannot be made. The land take needed for roads and railways depends on the progress and the design of individual schemes.

  In particular, with the channel tunnel rail link, the land take needed will depend upon the outcome of the detailed consultation currently taking place, as well as the timing of legislation to authorise the new line.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Counterfeit Goods
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has for dealing with counterfeit goods and pirate tapes.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 already contains far-reaching provisions for dealing with counterfeit goods and pirate tapes. The Government are currently considering whether any new provisions are needed to strengthen the anti-counterfeiting measures introduced by that Act.

  The Government also support the proposals to extend Council regulation (EEC) 3842/86, which already provides effective controls at the external borders of the EC against counterfeit goods, to cover goods that infringe copyright.
  234
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give trading standards officers power to seize counterfeit cassettes and goods under the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Trading standards officers were empowered by section 300 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to enforce the new offences relating to counterfeit goods, where this entails the fraudulent application or use of a trade mark. There are no plans to extend these powers to tapes which infringe copyright but do not use a counterfeit trade mark.

  US-Germany Telecommunications Treaty
  Mr. Roger Evans
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 28 June,Official Report, column 371, whether Her Majesty's Government or the European Commission is now to take legal action against Germany for refusing to apply either article 29 of the utilities directive or the recent Council regulation implementing retaliatory sanctions against the United States of America in the field of Government procurement, in signing its recent treaty on telecommunications with the United States of America.

  Mr. Needham
  I am not aware of the signing of any treaty of telecommunications between Germany and the United States of America. Government procurement is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

  Merseyside
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if it is his policy to match the £600 million funding from the EC to Merseyside so that the area may benefit from opportunities available under its status as an objective 1 area.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The European Community funds make grants towards the cost of a variety of projects undertaken by various beneficiaries. That part of the cost of each project which is not met by the funds remains the responsibility of the beneficiary.

  This is the case not only on Merseyside, but generally, and will continue to be so.

  IMS Ltd.
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assets and liabilities were attached to the Export Credits Guarantee Department when IMS Ltd. was wound up.

  Mr. Needham
  IMS Ltd. has not been wound up and none of the company's assets and liabilities have been attached to the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  Launch Aid
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the income and expenditure accounts of the launch aid programme in the last five years itemising the projects which have generated such moneys.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The information is as follows:
  235

  Outturn

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Launch aid payments (£ million)

  Airframes A330/340

  88·5

  122·5

  134·0

  73·5

  28·6

  Helicopters EH101

  9·9

  11·1

  7·1

  5·2

  2·8

  TOTAL

  98·4

  133·6

  141·1

  78·7

  31·4

  Launch aid receipts (£ million)

  Airframes A320

  —

  10·0

  34·0

  55·4

  40·9

  Other1

  1·1

  0·6

  0·5

  0·3

  0·2

  Aero-engines RB211

  20·6

  29·9

  14·3

  25·6

  27·9

  V2500

  —

  —

  1·6

  0·1

  2·8

  Other2

  0·9

  2·0

  1·4

  1·6

  2·9

  TOTAL

  22·6

  42·5

  51·8

  83·0

  74·7

  1 BAC 1–11, DH Comet, HS Trident.

  2 Dart, Spey, Proteus, Avon, Tay, Tyne.

  Atomic Energy Authority Police
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many uniformed staff are in the Atomic Energy Authority police force; what powers these police have of arrest and to carry arms; and whether he intends to privatise this police force along with the rest of the Atomic Energy Authority.

  Mr. Eggar
  The current strength of the Atomic Energy Authority constabulary (AEAC) is 499. Officers of the AEAC are appointed as special constables and have powers of arrest in premises in the possession of or under the control of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and British Nuclear Fuels plc, and, in respect of their property, within a radius of 15 miles of these premises. The powers of the AEAC were extended by the Atomic Energy Authority (Special Constables) Act 1976. This Act gives authority for officers to be armed both in the general course of their duties and in relation to safeguarding of special nuclear material in storage and transit throughout Great Britain.

  The Act also authorises officers to exercise their powers in any place where it appears to them to be expedient to go in order to safeguard nuclear material or to pursue persons they believe to have removed or to have attempted to remove it unlawfully.

  No decisions have yet been taken on whether to privatise the AEA or any part of it. I am considering the results of the consultancy study I announced on 1 April, Official Report, column 407, as well as the AEA's own views, and an announcement will be made in due course. The future of the AEAC will be considered in the context of decisions about the future of the AEA as a whole.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Immigration
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) Ghanaian, (b) Nigerian, (c) Bangladeshi and (d) Indian citizens, admitted with visas as working holidaymakers, have been refused re-entry to
  236
  Britain after a trip abroad during the period for which their visa has remained valid, between 1 January 1992 and 30 June 1993.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is not available.

  Suicide
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many verdicts of suicide were recorded for men aged 25 to 55 years for each year since 1987.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information on deaths recorded as suicide on death certificates for males aged 25 to 54 in England and Wales is given in the table.

  Registered deaths of males aged 25–54 years where the cause of death certificate as suicide or self-inflicted injury, England and Wales 1987–92

  Year

  Number of persons

  1987

  1,449

  1988

  1,616

  1989

  1,521

  1990

  1,700

  1991

  1,851

  1992

  1,837

  Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

  Prisoners (Assaults)
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners from local and remand prisons in England and Wales have been treated at outside hospitals as a result of attacks on them in prison; and how many prisoners have been treated by medical services within prisons as a result of attacks in 1992.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  237
  Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Peter Luff, dated November 1993:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your Question asking how many prisoners in local prisons and remand centres received medical treatment as a result of attacks on them in 1992.
  I regret that this information is not statistically recorded.

  Crime, Leicester
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of(a) burglary, (b) house breaking and (c) violent assault were reported for the city of Leicester in each of the last 15 years.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is not collected centrally. However, statistics by police force area can be found in the annual publication "Criminal statistics, England and Wales", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Vandalism
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the reported number of cases of vandalism in each of the police divisions covering the Greater London area in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Maclean
  The available information to recorded offences of criminal damage in police divisions in the Metropolitan police district been provided by the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis. The information is contained in the following table:

  Recorded criminal damage offences in the Metropolitan Police District Metropolitan Police District

  Police district

  1990

  1991

  1992

  No. 1 Area

  Barkingside

  2,296

  2,597

  2,851

  Chingford

  1,744

  2,081

  2,101

  Ilford

  2,211

  2,207

  2,163

  Leyton

  1,952

  2,307

  2,456

  Islington

  2,677

  2,438

  2,725

  Holloway

  2,317

  2,518

  2,584

  Edmonton

  1,996

  2,533

  2,637

  Ponders End

  2,861

  3,206

  3,032

  Hornsey

  2,148

  2,124

  2,203

  Tottenham

  1,860

  2,285

  2,571

  No. 2 Area

  Hackney

  2,396

  2,802

  2,821

  Stoke Newington

  2,172

  2,731

  2,778

  Bethnal Green

  1,174

  1,313

  1,343

  Leman Street

  1,029

  1,404

  1,265

  Limehouse

  2,082

  2,168

  1,498

  Havering

  2,924

  2,390

  3,597

  Dagenham

  3,001

  3,425

  3,293

  Plaistow

  2,436

  2,968

  2,844

  Forest Gate

  2,841

  2,650

  2,648

  Thames River

  35

  31

  20

  No. 3 Area

  Southwark

  2,249

  2,485

  2,929

  Peckham

  2,143

  2,456

  2,689

  Carter Street

  1,997

  2,015

  2,119

  Catford

  1,933

  2,078

  2,448

  Lewisham

  2,233

  2,091

  2,614

  Orpington

  2,049

  2,535

  2,982

  Bromley

  1,863

  2,305

  2,932

  Greenwich

  2,400

  2,985

  3,662

  Plumstead

  3,302

  3,862

  4,344

  Bexley Heath

  3,055

  3,804

  4,476

  No. 4 Area

  Brixton

  2,436

  2,501

  2,315

  Kennington

  863

  1,002

  1,141

  238

  Police district

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Clapham

  1,733

  1,721

  2,040

  Streatham

  2,472

  2,489

  2,300

  Merton

  3,697

  4,060

  3,850

  Croydon

  2,513

  2,651

  3,108

  South Norwood

  3,127

  3,017

  3,439

  Epsom & Sutton

  3,697

  4,505

  4,639

  No. 5 Area

  Chiswick

  1,255

  1,531

  1,989

  Hounslow

  2,562

  3,266

  3,242

  Spelthorne

  1,187

  1,601

  1,779

  Richmond upon Thames

  2,269

  2,620

  2,726

  Kingston

  2,850

  3,104

  3,479

  Battersea

  1,925

  1,976

  2,009

  Tooting

  1,915

  2,158

  2,375

  Wandsworth

  2,059

  2,136

  2,176

  No. 6 Area

  Chelsea

  935

  1,470

  934

  Kensington

  1,172

  986

  1,085

  Notting Hill

  1,518

  1,787

  2,354

  Hammersmith

  2,462

  2,572

  2,727

  Fulham

  1,334

  1,389

  2,018

  Heathrow

  300

  297

  288

  Ealing

  2,962

  3,424

  3,739

  Southall

  2,717

  2,952

  3,382

  Hillingdon

  4,100

  4,638

  5,059

  No. 7 Area

  Hampstead

  1,818

  2,024

  2,088

  Kentish Town

  2,266

  2,163

  2,396

  Holborn

  1,123

  1,146

  1,247

  Harrow

  2,640

  3,632

  3,543

  Wembley

  2,020

  2,307

  2,276

  Kilburn

  2,612

  2,894

  3,161

  Barnet and Hertsmere

  2,175

  2,555

  2,689

  Golders Green

  1,578

  1,891

  1,970

  West Hendon

  2,005

  2,119

  2,429

  No. 8 Area

  Belgravia

  940

  984

  987

  West End Central

  796

  789

  712

  Charing Cross

  1,147

  595

  580

  Paddington Green

  1,451

  1,378

  1,098

  Marylebone

  811

  776

  552

  Harrow Road

  1,370

  1,497

  1,653

  Prisoners (Home Leave)
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations there are with the police and victims regarding home leave for prisoners serving custodial sentences for serious assaults.

  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 D. Lewis to Mrs. Ann Coffey, dated October 1993:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about consultations with police and victims regarding home leave for prisoners serving sentences for serious assaults.
  Guidance on home leave is contained in Prison Service Circular Instruction 43/1992, a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library. When deciding whether to grant leave prison governors should take account of the attitude of known victims in the local community, and they may also seek reports from the local police. If the police or any victims of crime are concerned about the possibility of a particular prisoner being allowed home leave, it is open to them to submit their observations to the governor, so that they can be included in his/her deliberations.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Malaysia
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the decision to grant support for the Pergau hydro-electric project in Malaysia was linked to any other bilateral trade agreement with Malaysia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  No.

  Angola
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid was given by Her Majesty's Government to Angola in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  United Kingdom gross bilateral aid to Angola in 1992–93, for which provisional figures are available, was £1·824 million.

  Somalia
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the amount of aid given by the United Kingdom to Somalia during the past 12 months.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Since January 1993, Britain has committed nearly £11·5 million in humanitarian and development assistance to Somalia, including our contribution to EC programmes.

SCOTLAND

  Connor Peripherals (UK) Ltd.
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action the Scottish Office will be taking to ensure that grant assistance paid to Connor Peripherals (UK) Ltd. to set up its Irvine plant is recouped by the Exchequer.

  Mr. Stewart
  This has been covered in discussions with the company. The details are commercially confidential.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much Connor Peripherals (UK) Ltd. has received in grant assistance from the Government since coming to Irvine.

  Mr. Stewart
  Details of grant payments made to individual companies are commercially confidential and are not divulged.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations were made by the Scottish Office to Connor Peripherals (UK) Ltd. prior to the company's announcement of job losses at their plant in Irvine.

  Mr. Stewart
  My officials in Locate in Scotland were in direct contact with senior executives of Connor Peripherals both here in the United Kingdom and in the United States in the months preceding the company's announcement. Moreover, I met Connor's senior management at their Californian headquarters during my recent visit to the United States.
  240
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement concerning the recent announcement of redundancies by Connor Peripherals (UK) Ltd. in Irvine.

  Mr. Stewart
  I am disappointed by the redundancies recently announced by Connor Peripherals but encouraged that the company is to retain its European repair and distribution facility at Irvine. This facility remains an important part of the infrastructural support for Scotland's personal computer industry. The redundancies derive from overcapacity and price competition affecting disc-drive manufacturers on a worldwide basis. It is important to note however that Conner's manufacturing operations in Irvine have been suspended pending improvements in world market conditions, and at this stage it is not possible to predict if these job losses will be permanent.

  Job Losses
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional assistance he will be offering to agencies in Ayrshire following the loss of jobs at Jetstream Aircraft Ltd., Wilson's Pipe Fittings and Connor Peripherals (UK) Ltd.; and if he will make it his policy not to wind up the Irvine development corporation before 1999.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend and I regret the recent announcements of job losses by companies in Ayrshire. The local enterprise company, Enterprise Ayrshire, has at its disposal a wide range of measures and flexibility to encourage broad economic development throughout Ayrshire; and to provide training, reskilling and to generate alternative employment opportunities. The overall allocation of resources to local enterprise companies is a matter for Scottish Enterprise to determine, with Enterprise Ayrshire currently allocated a budget of more than £24 million. While it is for the local enterprise company to set its own priorities within those resources, we place significant importance on its ability to react promptly and flexibly in addressing the consequences of closures and job losses. Enterprise Ayrshire has been closely involved with Jetstream on a number of fronts and will continue to maintain its contact. Any difficulties which might arise from the commercial decisions of it or other companies to cease or reduce operations will be fully considered by Scottish Enterprise in its future allocation decisions.

  My right hon. Friend set out the Government's policy on the wind-up of the Scottish new town development corporations in the reply given to the hon. Member for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (Mr. Hogg) on 27 October, Official Report, columns 682–84. This policy reflects the belief that Scottish Enterprise and the local enterprise companies are sufficiently matured to undertake the leading economic development role for all areas within their boundaries.

  Regional Selective Assistance
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many companies in Scotland currently receive regional selective assistance from the Government; and how much regional selective assistance has been paid by the Government to companies in Scotland in each of the last five years.
  241
  Mr. Stewart
  At 31 October 1993 there were 744 projects in Scotland which had received at least one instalment of regional selective assistance (RSA) and were either not yet complete or were still being monitored following completion. The expenditure figures requested are given in the table.

  Gross expenditure in Scotland on RSA grant

  £ million

  1988–89

  38·0

  1989–90

  40·6

  1990–91

  68·2

  1991–92

  63·7

  1992–93

  59·2

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Scottish Office is reviewing the current rules governing regional selective assistance; and how much money the Scottish Office has managed to recoup from companies in receipt of regional selective assistance when the conditions of the award are not met.

  Mr. Stewart
  The regional selective assistance scheme is kept under continuous review. In the five years to 31 October 1993 £3·685 million of regional selective assistance was recovered from companies in connection with projects in respect of which the terms of the offer were not subsequently met.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many companies in Scotland in receipt of regional selective assistance have subsequently announced job losses or the closure of their plants.

  Mr. Stewart
  Information in the form requested is not available.

  Amkor Anam Europe Ltd.
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland further to his answer of 3 March,Official Report, column 178, how much money the Scottish Office has recovered in grant assistance from Amkor Anam Europe Ltd. following the closure of its Irvine plant in November 1992.

  Mr. Stewart
  Details of grant recoveries from individual companies are commercially confidential and are not divulged.

  Sporting Rights
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider exempting sporting rights from rating liability.

  Mr. Lang
  It has long been recognised that a far greater range of subjects consisting of sporting rights are liable for non-domestic rates in Scotland than in England or Wales. I propose to rectify this anomaly by introducing a provision in the forthcoming Local Government Reform Bill to exclude sporting rights in Scotland from a liability for non-domestic rates with effect from 1995, when other subjects will be revalued.

  The Government have been concerned for many years to remove the anomalies whereby properties in Scotland may attract rates bills that are not attracted by similar properties in England and Wales. Many such anomalies
  242
  have now been dealt with successfully and we are hopeful that the remaining ones will be ironed out at the 1995 revaluation. One of the most prominent remaining areas of concern is that of sporting rights—shootings and fishings —and I am glad to announce that this problem can now be resolved. I know that many sporting proprietors consider their rates burden oppressive and the disparity with the situation in England and Wales unfair. I hope that my proposal to exclude sporting rights in Scotland from a liability for non-domestic rates will rectify this situation.

  Caledonian MacBrayne
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to introduce new financial arrangements for Caledonian MacBrayne.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Capital expenditure on vessels by Caledonian MacBrayne will from now on be financed by grants of 75 per cent. from the Scottish Office with the balance being met by long-term borrowing, also from the Scottish Office. This arrangement replaces the previous arrangement under which capital expenditure on vessels was financed mainly through borrowing from the Ship Mortgage Finance Company, and is being applied to the financing of the new vessel for the Ullapool-Stornoway service. The purpose of the new arrangements is to eliminate the need for any capital expenditure to be financed by short term borrowing. Additional grant of £6·7 million is also being made this year to eliminate the company's accumulated overdraft and to enable the company's accounting year to be changed from a calendar year to a financial year basis. Capital grant for the Ullapool-Stornoway vessel will total £10·9 million, of which £3·45 million will be paid in 1993–94. All the changes will be accommodated by compensating reductions in the company's market borrowings and will therefore be contained within the existing external financing limit set for the company.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many people resident in the Edinburgh travel-to-work area are employed in the Haddington travel-to-work area;

  (2) how many people resident (a) in the Haddington travel-to-work area are employed in Berwickshire, (b) in Berwickshire are employed in the Haddington travel-towork area, (c) in the Haddington travel-to-work area are employed in the Borders region and (d) in the Borders region are employed in the Haddington travel-to-work area;

  (3) how many people resident in (a) the Haddington travel-to-work area, and (b) Berwickshire, are engaged in full-time work in (i) agriculture and (ii) fishing; and what proportions of the total work force those figures represent;

  (4) how many people resident in the Haddington travel-to-work area are employed in the Edinburgh travel-to-work area.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 27 October 1993]: Information at the level of detail requested can be provided only by using a specialised product from the 1991 census of population described as the special workplace statistics. This product is scheduled for release around the end of

  243
  November. Analysis by travel-to-work data will require the use of an appropriate software package, the results of which are not expected before spring 1994.

  Prisons
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each of Her Majesty's prison establishments in Scotland the key objectives reported by the Prison Service for the year 1993–94; and what they were for the year 1992–93.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 27 October 1993]: I have asked Mr. E. W. Frizzell, the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to arrange for a reply to be given to the hon. Member.

  Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 2 November 1993:
  The Secretary of State for Scotland has asked me to reply to your recent question asking for a list of the key objectives reported by the Scottish Prison Service for the year 1993–94; and what they were for the year 1992–93 for each of Her Majesty's prison establishments in Scotland.
  The key objectives for each establishment for 1993–94 are listed as an annex to our Corporate Plan; I have attached a copy. The key objectives for 1992–93 are listed in the Scottish Prison Service Annual Report for 1992–93 (Cm 2323), a copy of which I have also attached.
  A copy of this letter will appear in the Official Report and a copy will be placed in the Library, together with the attachments.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people resident in(a) Musselburgh, Prestonpans and Wallyford and (b) the rest of East Lothian are employed in (i) deep mining and (ii) opencast mining; and what proportion of the total work force those figures represent.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 27 October 1993]: Information at the level of detail requested is not available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Health Care (Smokers)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he introduced guidelines to ensure equality of access to health care for smokers and non-smokers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 1 November 1993]: No such guidelines have been issued.

  The decision to offer any particular treatment to an individual is a matter for clinical judgment, taking into account a number of factors including the extent to which the patient is likely to benefit. The professional issues which may arise were discussed by the Chief Medical Officer in the September 1993 edition of Health Bulletin, Vol. 51, pages 269–70.

  Victim Support
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the funding allocated to Victim Support Scotland in each of the past 10 years expressed in current prices.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 1 November 1993]: The Scottish Office funding to the Scottish Association of Victim Support Schemes since its formation in 1985 has been as follows:
  244

  Financial year

  £

  1984–85

  600

  1985–86

  14,000

  1986–87

  43,610

  1987–88

  62,090

  1988–89

  155,000

  1989–90

  286,000

  1990–91

  349,000

  1991–92

  442,000

  1992–93

  642,000

  1993–94

  764,000

  These figures are the actual grant figures paid in the relevant years.

  Crime Victims
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has held with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities relating to the placing of a statutory obligation on local authorities to provide services for victims of crime in their areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 1 November 1993]: The Scottish Office have not held any discussions with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities relating to the placing of a statutory obligation on local authorities to provide services for victims of crime in their areas.

  Local authorities already have a victim support role as part of their general duty to support those in need and this is augmented by specialist assistance from social work departments if required. The Scottish Association of Victim Support Schemes (SAVSS) provides short-term support to victims of crime. The volunteer commitment is the essential component of this important service in the Government's view, and does not lend itself to a statutory approach.

  Over the period 1 July 1992 to 30 June 1993, 38,447 victims were offered help by 62 local schemes.

  Trust Assessments
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the cost of employing mangement consultants to assist in his Department's assessment of applications for trust status in each wave; how many assessments took place; and which were the consultants concerned.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 1 November 1993]: The cost of employing management consultants to assist in the assessment of applications for trust status was £97,760. There have been two assessments; the consultants involved were KPMG for second wave trust applications and Coopers and Lybrand for third wave applications.

  Private Investment Projects
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those public investment projects within his Department's responsibility which have attracted private capital and have been commenced since the 1992 autumn statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 November 1993]: Privately financed projects in the health service which have begun since last year's autumn statement are listed below.
  245

  Project

  Dundee Teaching Hospitals Trust

  Lease of laboratory analyser equipment

  Grampian Healthcare Trust

  Provision by Westminster Healthline of beds for the mentally ill

  Lanarkshire Health Board

  Contract with TAKARE PLC for the provision of 90 care beds for the elderly with dementia

  Greater Glasgow Health Board

  60 beds for long-term care of the elderly; 60 beds for long-term mentally infirm at Darnley

  Greater Glasgow Health Board

  120 beds for long-term care of elderly at Ruchill

  Greater Glasgow Health Board

  120 beds for long-term care of the elderly at Shettleston

  Lothian Health Board

  Molecular medicine centre, Western general hospital

  A number of large infrastructure projects are also being considered as potential candidates for private finance, including water and sewerage projects. For transport,

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise

  Scotish Enterprise

  Local enterprise companies

  Scottish Homes

  New town development corporations

  (a) statutory right to attend all board or committee meetings

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  (b) statutory right to inspect the minutes of meetings

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  (c) statutory right to inspect the annual reports

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  (d) statutory right to inspect the annual accounts

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  (e) statutory right to inspect a register of members' interests

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the total gross public spending for each year since 1991–92 and the projected expenditure for each year to 1995–96, in 1992–93 prices, for(a) Highlands and Islands Enterprises, (b) Scottish Enterprise and (c) local enterprise companies.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 November 1993]: The information for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise is set out in the table. Expenditure by the local enterprise companies is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the chairmen of these bodies to write to the hon. Member.

  £ million

  Total expenditure at 1992–93 prices

  Scottish Enterprise

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise

  1991–92

  462·0

  74·6

  1992–93

  448·8

  74·6

  1993–94 estimated

  439·2

  77.0

  1994–95 plans1

  411·8

  74·0

  1995–96 plans1

  410·0

  72·4

  1 Subject to revision in the public expenditure survey.

  246
  building on the success already achieved in attracting private finance to the Skye bridge project, feasibility studies are already under way into the opportunities which may exist for attracting private sector investment to further transport infrastructure projects in Scotland, including the second Forth Road bridge and the associated road links and the fastlink project which could link the M74 and M8 motorways. In addition, many of the projects undertaken by bodies such as Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Home and the new towns attract private capital.

  Non-departmental Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing whether the public have a statutory right to(a) attend all board or committee meetings, (b) inspect the minutes of meetings, (c) inspect the annual reports, (d) inspect the annual accounts and (e) inspect a register of members' interests, of (i) Highlands and Islands Enterprise, (ii) Scottish Enterprise, (iii) local enterprise companies, (iv) Scottish Homes and (v) new town development corporations.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 November 1993]: The information requested is set out in the table:

  Housing
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the figures for gross public investment in Scotland in the provision of housing, both new build and renovated, by(a) local authorities and (b) housing associations for each year since 1979–80 with the projected investment for both categories up to 1995–96, in 1992–93 prices; and if he will publish this information in the form of a table.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is in the tables. Table 1 provides details of the total gross expenditure on housing by local authorities and housing associations in each year since 1979, expressed in 1992–93 prices, using gross domestic product deflators. Table 2 provides details in cash terms of the resource planning assumptions issued to local authorities as a guide for investment planning up to 1995–96. There are no comparable assumptions for housing association investment.

  Table 1

  Local authorities £ million

  Housing Associations £ million

  1979–80

  538·451

  116·146

  1980–81

  477·082

  132·824

  1981–82

  469·353

  156·690

  1982–83

  443·245

  186·648

  1983–84

  502·831

  179·313

  247

  Local authorities £ million

  Housing Associations £ million

  1984–85

  403·206

  155·925

  1985–86

  435·898

  154·623

  1986–87

  497·226

  163·701

  1987–88

  624·071

  180·119

  1988–89

  571·722

  208·505

  1989–90

  579·965

  241·573

  1990–91

  544·214

  215·087

  1991–92

  490·434

  228·156

  1992–93

  457·736

  255·121

  1993–94

  1436·228

  1254·521

  1 Provisional.

  Table 2 Resource Planning Assumptions (1992–93 prices)

  £ million

  1994–95

  400

  1995–96

  405

  Higher Education
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the projected expenditure for each year to 1995–96, in 1992–93 prices, for the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 November 1993]: A table showing the requested information is contained in "Serving Scotland's Needs" (Cm 2214). Table 6·2 shows that provision of £416 million —£405 million at 1992–93 prices—has been made for the council's expenditure in 1993–94. For planning purposes only, sums of £434 million—£405 million—and £440 million—£396 million-have been indicated for 1994–95 and 1995–96.

  Scottish Homes
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the total gross public spending for each year since 1990–91 and the projected expenditure for each year to 1995–96, in 1992–93 prices, for Scottish Homes.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 November 1993]: Scottish Homes total programme expenditure during the period 1990–91 to 1993–94 is shown in the table. Projected expenditure for 1994–95 and beyond is currently being considered as part of the public expenditure survey.

  Scottish Homes Programme expenditure expressed in 1992–93 prices using GDP deflators

  £ million

  1 1990–91

  304

  1 1991–92

  327

  1 1992–93

  364

  2 1993–94

  362

  1 (outturn).

  2 (plan).

  Learning Disabilities
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people with learning disabilities are presently living in long-stay hospitals in each health board area.
  248
  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 27 October 1993]: The information in the table records the position as at 31 December 1992.

  Health Board of origin

  Number of Residents

  Argyll and Clyde

  335

  Ayrshire and Arran

  208

  Borders

  28

  Dumfries and Galloway

  99

  Fife

  223

  Forth Valley

  189

  Grampian

  359

  Greater Glasgow

  886

  Highland

  110

  Lanarkshire

  365

  Lothian

  434

  Orkney

  5

  Shetland

  6

  Tayside

  211

  Western Isles

  8

  SCOTLAND

  3,466

  NHS Trusts
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the current financial year's income from private patients at each trust hospital; and what proportion in each case it forms of the hospital total income.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 28 October 1993]: This information is not collected centrally.

WALES

  Home Renovation Grants
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes he proposed to make to the house renovation grant system following his recent consultation exercise.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  After considering the responses to the consultation paper on the future of private housing renewal programmes, I have today laid the House Renovation Grant Limit Order, under which the upper limit for mandatory grants to owners, tenants and landlords in Wales will be £24,000. The order will come into force on 14 January 1994. I propose no change for the moment, to the exchequer subsidy rate or to the applicants test of resources.

  The consultation paper included longer-term options which I am considering further. The Government's objective is to ensure that the resources available for private sector housing are targeted effectively.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when she hopes to reply to the report sent to her Department in June by microbiologist Dr. Stephen Dealler of York district hospital in respect of BSE in cattle; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  At a meeting on 22 June Dr. Stephen Dealler gave a pre-publication copy of an article to MAFF
  249
  scientists, but requested that it be held in confidence and provided to no one else. On 18 August 1993 Dr. Dealler wrote to the secretary of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) giving his permission for the article to be circulated to the committee, and asking for it to be considered at its meeting in October. It was considered at the meeting on 7 October and the chairman of the committee, Dr. Tyrrell, FRS, wrote to Dr. Dealler on 27 October with the committee's comments on the article. That letter drew attention to the fact that Dr. Dealler had drawn his conclusions on the basis of assumptions made about the BSE infectivity of various tissues by extrapolation from the disease scrapie in sheep. Using these assumptions he had gone on to calculate the potential numbers of people who had been exposed to various levels of BSE agent.

  The letter from Dr. Tyrrell informed Dr. Dealler that recent experiments conducted with tissues from BSE-infected cattle have shown that only the brain and spinal cord have a detectable level of infectivity and the range of

  Number of suspect cases of BSE reported by county

  1992

  1993

  October

  November

  December

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  Eastern

  257

  233

  248

  265

  213

  271

  226

  162

  196

  214

  216

  255

  Bedfordshire

  12

  11

  10

  12

  7

  9

  9

  9

  8

  3

  8

  5

  Cambridgeshire

  10

  9

  19

  14

  15

  12

  18

  8

  5

  14

  10

  10

  Essex

  31

  13

  25

  21

  13

  23

  24

  12

  18

  22

  17

  16

  Hertfordshire

  17

  9

  19

  16

  8

  20

  14

  10

  11

  9

  18

  16

  Lincolnshire

  19

  26

  16

  19

  22

  33

  19

  15

  14

  26

  28

  34

  Norfolk

  104

  83

  94

  102

  84

  99

  76

  63

  78

  92

  71

  110

  Northamptonshire

  32

  35

  30

  31

  26

  23

  30

  19

  23

  19

  27

  22

  Suffolk

  32

  47

  35

  50

  38

  52

  36

  26

  39

  29

  37

  42

  Mid and West

  931

  859

  799

  872

  830

  936

  798

  780

  753

  777

  759

  810

  Cheshire

  165

  152

  156

  164

  150

  182

  132

  135

  137

  142

  132

  136

  Derbyshire

  100

  96

  89

  105

  101

  94

  83

  84

  73

  95

  90

  90

  Hereford and Worcester

  77

  65

  55

  59

  53

  77

  66

  50

  56

  54

  65

  47

  Lancashire

  186

  166

  152

  153

  157

  175

  134

  135

  121

  127

  120

  141

  Leicestershire

  74

  63

  59

  53

  88

  69

  63

  63

  64

  55

  69

  65

  Manchester

  12

  9

  6

  10

  16

  12

  18

  10

  9

  9

  6

  12

  Merseyside

  5

  2

  2

  1

  6

  5

  1

  4

  1

  3

  12

  10

  Nottinghamshire

  24

  19

  24

  26

  22

  33

  20

  23

  22

  19

  8

  16

  Salop

  114

  96

  86

  130

  100

  113

  95

  90

  90

  73

  65

  110

  Staffordshire

  137

  146

  135

  116

  100

  122

  149

  158

  145

  169

  151

  131

  West Midlands

  3

  0

  2

  5

  3

  5

  3

  2

  2

  2

  3

  5

  Warwickshire

  34

  45

  33

  50

  34

  49

  34

  26

  33

  29

  38

  47

  Northern

  464

  462

  441

  471

  452

  528

  417

  365

  365

  390

  422

  443

  Cleveland

  5

  4

  7

  8

  9

  8

  2

  6

  3

  8

  8

  7

  Cumbria

  140

  157

  153

  133

  150

  143

  124

  93

  94

  114

  113

  108

  Durham

  17

  19

  23

  17

  18

  23

  19

  12

  12

  9

  21

  26

  Humberside

  20

  24

  21

  24

  18

  31

  21

  22

  20

  16

  26

  16

  Northumberland

  45

  29

  31

  31

  38

  32

  23

  24

  22

  28

  22

  30

  Tyne and Wear

  0

  1

  5

  2

  1

  2

  3

  1

  2

  0

  1

  1

  Yorkshire, North

  197

  192

  159

  207

  180

  240

  202

  177

  173

  183

  191

  210

  Yorkshire, South

  12

  13

  14

  20

  18

  17

  8

  5

  19

  12

  13

  10

  Yorkshire, West

  28

  23

  28

  29

  20

  32

  15

  25

  20

  20

  29

  35

  South

  391

  366

  339

  386

  360

  424

  366

  304

  242

  290

  280

  366

  Berkshire

  13

  20

  16

  13

  10

  22

  16

  10

  6

  19

  11

  21

  Buckinghamshire

  28

  27

  36

  40

  27

  45

  33

  38

  26

  25

  31

  27

  Hampshire

  78

  66

  48

  97

  72

  88

  71

  71

  47

  54

  49

  81

  Isle of Wight

  13

  15

  17

  21

  16

  15

  9

  16

  10

  6

  16

  11

  Kent

  47

  34

  48

  32

  48

  49

  51

  29

  30

  35

  30

  44

  London

  2

  1

  0

  7

  2

  2

  4

  6

  1

  3

  1

  3

  Oxon

  68

  51

  45

  44

  53

  50

  43

  40

  38

  39

  31

  46

  Surrey

  27

  32

  25

  32

  27

  29

  31

  15

  18

  19

  20

  26

  Sussex, East

  43

  30

  38

  39

  39

  45

  38

  28

  15

  27

  32

  41

  Sussex, West

  72

  80

  66

  61

  66

  79

  70

  51

  51

  63

  59

  66

  South West

  1,452

  1,315

  1,476

  1,461

  1,441

  1,497

  1,218

  1,063

  1,037

  1,142

  1,056

  1,162

  Avon

  80

  80

  100

  91

  77

  78

  67

  57

  48

  58

  59

  63

  250
  other tissues considered by Dr. Dealler, including meat, liver, kidney and lung do not have any detectable infectivity. The implication of using these acutal results, rather than extrapolating from sheep disease, is that there is no evidence of any significant risk from the consumption of tissues other than brain and spinal cord from adult cattle. Brain and spinal cord are among the specified bovine offals whose use is banned under the BSE Order 1991 and which do not therefore enter the human or animal food chain. The SEAC has not advised the Government to amend their safeguards as a result of its consideration of Dr. Dealler's article.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list for each month for the last 12 months, and by region, the number of cases of BSE in cattle that have been reported.

  Mr. Soames
  The numbers of suspect cases of BSE notified to the Ministry in Great Britain, and placed under restrictions, by county for each month from October 1992 to September 1993 are as follows:
  251

  1992

  1993

  October

  November

  December

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  Cornwall

  285

  270

  283

  261

  283

  327

  225

  212

  193

  237

  177

  211

  Devon

  321

  315

  330

  367

  352

  356

  265

  251

  290

  287

  264

  263

  Dorset

  217

  181

  221

  204

  173

  199

  172

  153

  150

  142

  162

  144

  Gloucester

  80

  69

  80

  74

  79

  82

  64

  55

  50

  52

  57

  58

  Somerset

  303

  233

  278

  304

  299

  288

  260

  230

  197

  246

  226

  300

  Wiltshire

  166

  167

  184

  160

  178

  167

  165

  105

  109

  120

  111

  123

  Wales

  452

  437

  426

  493

  391

  456

  393

  354

  329

  365

  345

  376

  Clwyd

  73

  72

  57

  80

  55

  75

  53

  60

  45

  66

  56

  60

  Dyfed

  210

  204

  199

  253

  190

  215

  194

  163

  172

  179

  165

  172

  Glamorgan

  6

  9

  5

  6

  7

  6

  1

  7

  4

  4

  3

  7

  Glamorgan, South

  12

  5

  19

  15

  14

  14

  16

  11

  7

  8

  14

  9

  Glamorgan

  3

  6

  3

  2

  3

  5

  5

  2

  1

  2

  5

  5

  Gwent

  31

  37

  36

  37

  33

  31

  29

  25

  17

  34

  20

  28

  Gwynedd

  32

  23

  23

  24

  18

  22

  16

  12

  10

  11

  17

  27

  Powys

  85

  81

  84

  76

  71

  88

  79

  74

  73

  61

  65

  68

  Scotland

  260

  252

  233

  222

  246

  274

  221

  188

  185

  200

  219

  206

  Borders

  11

  20

  16

  20

  16

  21

  20

  10

  8

  12

  14

  13

  Central

  6

  5

  4

  8

  9

  7

  5

  6

  11

  9

  7

  1

  Dumfries

  84

  80

  72

  76

  64

  82

  68

  64

  57

  57

  54

  60

  Fife

  7

  13

  13

  9

  8

  13

  9

  5

  7

  11

  12

  6

  Grampian

  47

  38

  40

  37

  35

  50

  35

  33

  42

  27

  39

  49

  Highland

  13

  7

  10

  12

  13

  10

  8

  10

  8

  13

  9

  8

  Lothian

  10

  4

  4

  10

  8

  10

  4

  8

  2

  4

  6

  8

  Orkney

  4

  1

  4

  7

  2

  7

  3

  0

  4

  3

  5

  3

  Strathclyde

  60

  59

  54

  37

  69

  55

  55

  40

  29

  51

  54

  43

  Tayside

  18

  25

  16

  6

  22

  18

  14

  12

  17

  13

  19

  15

  Western

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Final figures for October 1993 are not yet available.

  Overall, about 85 per cent. of these suspect cases are eventually confirmed as BSE, the proportion varying at different times of the year.

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 26 October,Official Report, column 560, what is the Ordnance Survey grid reference of each Forestry Commission property in Yorkshire and Humberside sold since 27 July 1981; and if she will place a map in the Library which names and identifies each of these properties.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list for each separate piece of land currently held by the Forestry Commission in Yorkshire and Humberside(a) its name, (b) its area in hectares, (c) its Ordnance Survey grid reference and (d) whether there is public access to the land; and if she will place a map in the Library which names and identifies each of these pieces of land.

  Mr. Jack
  The Forestry Commission manages the following areas of woodland in Yorkshire and Humberside:

  County

  Area (hectares)

  Yorkshire

  24,096

  Humberside

  360

  I have made arrangements for a map showing the location of the individual woodlands to be placed in the Library as soon as possible.
  252
  The more detailed information requested on the individual woodlands is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list for each separate piece of land acquired by the Forestry Commission in Yorkshire and Humberside since 27 July(a) its name, (b) its area in hectares, (c) its Ordnance Survey grid reference, (d) the purchase price and (e) the name and address of the previous owner.

  Mr. Jack
  The Forestry Commission has acquired only one piece of land in Yorkshire and Humberside since 27 July 1981. This was part of the Troutsdale estate in north Yorkshire which was purchased in 1987 for £24,000. It covers 37 hectares and its Ordnance Survey grid reference is SE930890. The names and addresses of previous owners of land acquired by the commission are treated as confidential.

  Badger Culling
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the Government intends to make an announcement on their current review of badger culling.

  Mr. Soames
  We are reviewing the current badger control arrangements in the light of the development of a test for TB in live badgers. We will be discussing this with the consultative panel on badgers and bovine tuberculosis which will be meeting on 18 November. We will need to consider carefully the views of the panel before making an announcement.

  Hens
  Mr. Hoon
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to improve the welfare of laying hens.
  253
  Mr. Soames
  We are awaiting Commission proposals to set revised welfare standards for laying hens kept in battery systems and new standards for hens kept in alternative systems. The Government wish to see the highest welfare standards set on a Community basis for laying hens in all systems of production.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 25 October,Official Report, column 510, if she will place in the Library the final report of the London convention's intergovernmental panel of experts on radioactive waste disposal at sea.

  Mr. Jack
  A copy of the final report of the London convention's intergovernmental panel of experts on radioactive waste disposal at sea has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Office Costs
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated amount to be spent in 1993–94 in rent and other costs associated with the offices of her Department in Whitehall place, London.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 28 October 1993]: The properties in Whitehall place occupied by the Ministry are Crown freeholds. However, under internal Government recharging arrangements, the Ministry pays rent for them to the Exchequer. The Ministry is also required to pay contributions in lieu of rates to the Valuation Office agency of the Inland Revenue. Additionally, responsibility for all maintenance and refurbishment of these buildings has been devolved to the Ministry. Estimated expenditure in 1993–94 is as follows.

  £

  Running Costs

  Rent

  4,322,199

  Contributions in Lieu of Rates

  1,166,020

  Facilities Management including maintence and cleaning

  612,000

  Furnishings

  230,000

  Utilities

  104,000

  Capital Costs

  Refurbishment

  1,072,000

  TOTAL

  7,506,219

  Public Investment
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is she will list those public investment projects within her Department's responsibility which have attracted private captial and have been commenced since the 1992 autumn statement.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 2 November 1993]: There are no ongoing public investment projects within my
  254
  Department which have attracted private capital since the 1992 autumn statement. However, my Ministry requires authorities responsible for flood defence and coast protection to obtain private sector contributions towards the cost of capital works needed to facilitate current or future developments, and encourages authorities to do so where defences provide a particular direct benefit to a business.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Griffiths) of 21 June,Official Report, column 13, to include estimates for 1994–95 based on the assumption of statutory indexation and measures already announced in the 1993 Budget; and if he will include estimates for the effect on revenues if child benefit was taxed at the higher rate only.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Estimated revenue yields are given in the table. For 1994–95 the rates of child benefit have been assumed to be £10·20 per week for the first child and £8·25 per week for subsequent children in line with the 1·8 per cent. increase in the September retail prices index.

  £ million

  Yield in a full year

  At 1993–94 income levels

  At 1994–95 income levels

  Child benefit taxed as

  Father (or lone mother's) income

  1,150

  1,200

  Mother (or lone father's) income

  625

  650

  At higher rate only on father or lone mother's income

  200

  250

  At higher rate only on mother or lone father's income

  30

  30

  Income Tax
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the tax liabilities of taxpayers in 1994–95 in the income ranges(a) including and (b) excluding the effects of changes in national insurance contributions (i) under £5,000, (ii) £5,000 to £10,000, (iii) £10,000 to £15,000, (iv) £15,000 to £20,000, (v) £20,000 to £25,000, (vi) £25,000 to £30,000, (vii) £30,000 to £40,000, (viii) £40,000 to £50,000, (ix) £50,000 to £70,000, (x) over £70,000 and (xi) over £100,000, compared with what their liability would be under the indexed 1993–94 tax regime, assuming statutory indexation in 1994–95 and including measures already announced in the 1993 Budget.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Latest estimates of the average changes in income tax and national insurance contribution liabilities in 1994–95, assuming statutory indexation and inclusion of measures already announced, compared with liabilities under a statutory indexed 1993–94 regime are shown:
  255

  Income Tax and National insurance contributions

  Range of individual's income in 1994–95 £

  Numbers gaining 000s

  Amount £

  Numbers losing 000s

  Amount

  Under 5,000

  —

  —

  1,600

  10

  5,000–10,000

  1,200

  18

  5,700

  50

  10,000–15,000

  480

  20

  5,600

  130

  15,000–20,000

  170

  20

  3,800

  210

  20,000–25,000

  80

  20

  2,000

  260

  25,000–30,000

  40

  20

  1,200

  310

  30,000–40,000

  40

  20

  1,100

  480

  40,000–50,000

  10

  20

  400

  500

  50,000–70,000

  10

  20

  260

  510

  70,000–80,000

  —

  —

  60

  510

  over 80,000

  10

  20

  180

  500

  Total

  2,100

  20

  21,800

  170

  I regret that a reliable analysis of taxpayers with incomes over £100,000 is not available.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue which would have accrued to the Treasury in each year since 1988 had all the income tax rates over 40 per cent. been maintained.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) on 29 October,Official Report, columns 849–50.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue which would accrue to the Treasury next year if the higher rates of income tax, over 40 per cent. abolished in 1988, had been maintained.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The latest estimate of the full year revenue cost at 1994–95 income levels, assuming statutory indexation of allowances and thresholds and inclusion of measures already announced, compared with reintroduced tax rates of 45, 50, 55 and 60 per cent., is £5·2 billion. The band widths for the tax rate schedule have been calculated by uprating the corresponding parts of the 1987–88 regime by movements in the retail prices index as in the statutory indexation formula.

  The estimate does not allow for any behavioural effect that might have resulted had the tax rates above 40 per cent. been retained, and does not include capital gains tax.

  VAT
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the impact on the retail prices index of(a) a 1 per cent. increase in the rate of VAT and (b) the extension of VAT at (i) 8 per cent. and (ii) 17·5 per cent. to items currently subject to a zero rate, giving figures separately for each item.

  Sir John Cope
  The RPI impact—excluding mortgage interest payments—of an increase of I per cent. in the standard rate of VAT is estimated to be 0·50 per cent. The table shows the impact on the RPI—excluding mortgage interest payments—of extending VAT to currently zero-rated items.

  8 per cent VAT

  17·5 per cent VAT

  Food

  1·01

  2·20

  Construction of new dwellings

  —

  —

  Domestic fuel and power

  0·37

  0·82

  Domestic passenger transport

  0·18

  0·39

  International passenger transport

  0·08

  0·18

  256

  8 per cent VAT

  17·5 per cent VAT

  Books, newspapers and magazines

  0·13

  0·27

  Children's clothing

  0·09

  0·20

  Water and sewerage services

  0·09

  0·20

  Drugs and medicines on prescription

  —

  —

  Supplies to charities

  —

  —

  Ships and aircraft above a certain size

  —

  —

  Vehicles and other supplies to disabled people

  —

  —

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the relief and exemptions on VAT; and what will be the cost of each to the Exchequer(a) in 1993–94 and (b) in 1994–95 if unchanged.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 2 November 1993]: Figures for 1993–94 are published in table 9 of the publication "Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Reliefs" which is in the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect on Treasury revenue in 1994–95 and in a full year of extending VAT at(a) 8 per cent, and (b) 17·5 per cent, to all items currently zero rated, giving figures separately for each item.

  Sir John Cope
  Table 9 of the publication "Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Reliefs"—which is in the House of Commons Library—shows the estimated costs, of not standard-rating currently zero-rated items in 1993–94. These estimates can be scaled up or down to provide a rough indication of the potential revenue from applying any particular rate of VAT to these items except that the figures make no allowance for changes in behaviour.

  Tobacco
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue is obtained from excise duty and value added tax on tobacco.

  Sir John Cope
  The information available is as follows:

  Tobacco Duty Receipts £m

  VAT on tobacco expenditure £m

  1992–93

  6,041

  1,520

  257
  Value added tax has been estimated from Central Statistical Office figures on consumers' expenditure on tobacco products.

  Family Incomes
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the answer of 25 February,Official Report, column 677 on the number of families with children with taxable incomes below the income tax threshold.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In 1993–94 it is estimated that approximately 1·9 million single parents and married couples with children have no income tax liability. These represent about a quarter of all families with children.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to tax invalidity benefit.

  Mr. Dorrell
  It remains the Government's intention to bring invalidity benefit into taxation at a suitable opportunity.

  Enterprise Zones
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the rules and other guidance covering access to tax reliefs on developments in enterprise zones whose time has expired.

  Mr. Dorrell
  A person incurring capital expenditure on the construction of a building in an enterprise zone under a contract entered into during the life of the zone is entitled to claim the 100 per cent. capital allowances available, provided that the expenditure is incurred within 10 years of the expiry of the zone.

  Year

  Total

  Capital gains

  Schedule D tax

  Corporation tax

  PAYE

  1978–79

  11,041

  135

  5,873

  560

  4,473

  1979–80

  10,648

  148

  5,701

  584

  4,215

  1980–81

  10,222

  143

  5,529

  597

  3,953

  1981–82

  10,124

  126

  5,747

  409

  3,842

  1982–83

  10,221

  116

  5,673

  390

  4,042

  1983–84

  10,171

  113

  5,570

  394

  4,094

  1984–85

  9,339

  92

  4,674

  557

  4,016

  1985–86

  8,443

  92

  4,596

  559

  3,196

  1986–87

  7,989

  85

  4,472

  530

  2,902

  1987–88

  7,795

  105

  4,250

  538

  2,902

  1988–89

  7,866

  121

  4,243

  571

  2,931

  1989–90

  7,879

  92

  4,243

  570

  2,974

  1990–91

  7,846

  79

  4,410

  549

  2,808

  1991–92

  8,187

  70

  4,376

  532

  3,209

  1992–93

  8,410

  69

  4,730

  492

  3,119

  Tax Recovery
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the amounts of unpaid capital gains tax, schedule D tax, corporation tax, PAYE, and national insurance currently being actively pursued by the Inland Revenue by way of court actions and other methods of recovery and corresponding figures for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information required is not available in the form requested.
  258
  One hundred per cent. allowances are also available for expenditure on an enterprise zone building purchased unused, or within two years of first use, provided that the construction expenditure was incurred during the 10-year life of the zone—or was incurred within 10 years of the expiry of the zone under a contract entered into during its life.

  I have placed in the Library a copy of the Inland Revenue press release of 16 December 1991 which gives details of these rules.

  Inland Revenue Staff
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many collection staff were working for the Inland Revenue in each year since 1979; and how many were working in the areas of(a) capital gains tax, (b) schedule D tax, (c) corporation tax, (d) PAYE and (e) national insurance contributions in each year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Excluding staff employed on central administration, the table sets out the total numbers of Inland Revenue staff engaged on the collection of tax within the Department's accounts offices, local office network, and enforcement offices for each year since 1978–79 and how many were working in the areas of(a) capital gains tax, (b) schedule D tax, (c) corporation tax, and (d) PAYE in each year. Under (d) the figures include staff used in collecting PAYE from employers and a relatively small number of schedule E tax assessments. As resource usage on national insurance contribution work is incidental to mainstream tax collection it is not separately recorded.

  Beverages Order
  Dame Peggy Fenner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what consultations he has had with manufacturers or retailers regarding the extension of value added tax to freshly squeezed orange juice by the VAT Beverages Order 1993;

  (2) what consultations he has had with consumers' associations regarding the extension of the range of value added tax to freshly squeezed orange juice by the VAT Beverages Order 1993; what assessment he has made of the effect of the change on consumers' choice; and if he will make it his policy to zero rate freshly squeezed orange juice and other additive free products.
  259
  Sir John Cope
  Representatives of the freshly squeezed orange juice industry put their case to me on 28 October. It was not appropriate to consult consumers' associations about a tax change of this kind, nor is it possible to make an accurate assessment of the effect on consumers' choice. The order ensures that all fruit juices, however they are produced, are treated equally and taxed at the standard rate of VAT.

  Dame Peggy Fenner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations he has had with health experts regarding the effect of the VAT Beverages Order 1993 on the proposals made in the "The Health of the Nation" document for the promotion of healthy eating and drinking.

  Sir John Cope
  I am advised that there are no significant differences between the nutritional value of freshly pressed fruit juices and fruit juices produced from concentrates.

  Dame Peggy Fenner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the products which were formerly zero rated for VAT which will become subject to the full rate of VAT under the VAT Beverages Order 1993.

  Sir John Cope
  The order extends the standard rate of VAT to freshly squeezed fruit juices and to certain pasteurised fruit juices which a VAT tribunal recently decided were zero rated.

  EC Contributions
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement setting out the basis on which EC contributions are calculated and the payments made on each resource base, in the most recent annual period for which figures are available.

  Sir John Cope
  Contributions to the European Community budget are determined by the own resources decision—council decision 88/376/EEC, Euratom and the regulations governing the implementation of that decision—council regulations (EEC, Euratom) Nos. 1552/89 and 1553/89. The European Community's own resources comprise agricultural and sugar levies; customs duties; a VAT-based resource; and a GNP-based resource. Estimates of agricultural and sugar levies and of customs duties are entered into the annual EC budget; but payments by member states are made on the basis of amounts actually collected. VAT and GNP resource contributions are based on estimates of VAT and GNP bases and are normally adjusted, to reflect outturn, in the following budgetary year.

  The payments made by the United Kingdom for each resource base in 1992–93 were:

  £ million

  Agricultural and Sugar Levies

  203

  Customs Duties

  1,603

  VAT-based resource

  4,522

  GNP-based resource

  960

  The United Kingdom also received refunds of £312 million in December 1992 in respect of 1991 VAT and GNP contributions. The United Kingdom's abatement totalled £1,993 million.

  PAYE and National Insurance
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the amounts of PAYE and national insurance written off for each year since 1975.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The amounts of PAYE and NIC remitted or written off since 1975 are as follows:

  Year

  PAYE amount in £ thousands

  Class 1 and 1A NIC amount in £ thousands

  1975

  n/a

  n/a

  1976

  n/a

  n/a

  1977

  n/a

  n/a

  1978

  n/a

  n/a

  1979

  n/a

  n/a

  1980

  9,914

  1,056

  1981

  11,432

  1,158

  1982

  15,281

  1,261

  1983

  22,622

  1,555

  1984

  33,312

  1,971

  1985

  46,695

  2,213

  1986

  60,915

  4,377

  1987

  92,560

  8,514

  1988

  130,724

  15,894

  1989

  122,890

  15,127

  1990

  107,091

  17,239

  1991

  135,258

  21,644

  1992

  381,172

  32,570

  Separate figures for PAYE and NIC for the years 1975–1979 are no longer available in the form requested.

  Business Cycle
  Dr. Berry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide for each of the last four cyclical downturns the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development estimates of the output gap at the trough of the cycle, as a percentage of trend gross domestic product, for the United States of America, Japan, Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Nelson
  OECD estimates of the output gap for the major seven economies in the current cycle and at the troughs of the previous three economic cycles were published in the OECD "Economic Outlook 52" (December 1992).

  Housing Investment
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the National Federation of Housing Associations, the Institute of Housing and the House Builders Federation on levels of housing investment; what reply he is sending; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received a number of representations on housing investment in recent weeks, all of which are considered carefully. It would not be appropriate to comment further in advance of the Budget.

  Corporation Tax
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the take-up of the increased capital allowances against corporation tax announced in the 1992 "Autumn Statement" for the most recent periods for which
  261
  statistics are available; what was (a) the estimated cost and (b) the actual cost for the period; what is his latest estimate of the full year cost of the scheme and what was the cost budgeted; and what is his estimate of the difference between the cost of the enhanced allowances regime and that of the allowances it replaced, on the assumption that those had applied in the current year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 1 November 1993]: Available estimates of the direct revenue effects of enhanced capital allowances announced in the 1992 "Autumn Statement" are as follows. The figures cover both companies and unincorporated businesses.

  £ million (yield +ve/cost-ve)

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Latest estimates

  -200

  -700

  +50

  Original estimates

  -200

  -500

  +50

  The original estimates were published in the "Autumn Statement" 1992 and in table 4B.1 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1993–94. The latest estimates are provisional and mainly reflect increased estimates of the levels of profitability. Information is not yet available from tax assessments for the relevant period.

  The accrual costs of all capital allowances are given in table 1.6 and appendix B1 of "Inland Revenue Statistics 1993".

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the various reliefs and exemptions on corporation tax; and what will be the cost of each to the Exchequer(a) in 1993–94 and (b) in 1994–95 if unchanged.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 2 November 1993]: Costs to the Exchequer in 1993–94 and 1994–95 of tax expenditures and structural reliefs will largely depend on costs accruing for 1992–93 and 1993–94 respectively, because corporation tax is payable nine months after the end of a company's accounting period.

  Estimated costs accruing for 1992–93 and 1993–94 are published in table 1.6 and appendices B1 and B2 of "Inland Revenue Statistics 1993".

  Where the costs of the main reliefs include both income tax and corporation tax, the amounts for corporation tax are as follows:

  £ million

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Capital Allowances

  11,750

  13,150

  Double Taxation Relief

  2,300

  2,300

  London Taxation
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the annual total of(a) tax revenues contributed by London to the national exchequer and (b) receipts by London in Government grants and other public expenditure.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 2 November 1993]: Estimates of total tax receipts and public spending are not available on a regional basis.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  A8 (Traffic Flow)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish details of the most recent traffic flow survey on the A8, Lame-Belfast road, County Antrim.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information requested is as follows:

  Date of survey and location

  Annual average daily traffic flow

  December 1992

  At Drumnahoe north-east of the junction with the A36

  13,750

  June 1993

  At Moss road junction

  12,282

  December 1992

  North of Bruslee

  8,350

  December 1992

  Between Corr's corner and B56 junction

  13,330

  Civil Servants (Foreign Office)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants with Foreign Office experience have worked in the Northern Ireland Office in each of the last 10 years.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The number of civil servants who have been on loan to the Northern Ireland Office from the Foreign Office in each of the last 10 years is:

  Year

  Number

  1984

  3

  1985

  3

  1986

  1

  1987

  1

  1988

  3

  1989

  2

  1990

  2

  1991

  1

  1992

  1

  1993

  1

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants transferred from the Northern Ireland Office to the Foreign Office in each of the last 10 years.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Records were only computerised three years ago, but it is believed that one transferred in 1989 and one in 1990.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants have transferred from the Foreign Office to the Northern Ireland Office in each of the last 10 years.

  Sir John Wheeler
  During the last 10 years only one civil servant currently employed by the Northern Ireland Office has transferred from the Foreign Office.

  Information from the records of past Northern Ireland Office employees could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to reduce unemployment in the Province; and if he will make a statement.
  263
  Mr. Atkins
  Over the year to September 1993 there has been a welcome fall of 2,400–2·2 per cent.—in seasonally adjusted unemployment in Northern Ireland.

  Further reductions in unemployment in Northern Ireland will depend on the achievement of higher levels of economic growth leading to increased employment opportunities, and on Northern Ireland industry becoming more internationally competitive.

  The Government's strategy to achieve this includes helping companies to identify and remove obstacles to growth; encouraging inward investment; increasing exports; building up management and work force skills; developing and enterprise culture; and supporting innovation and research and development. Help is available in each of these areas for activities which will improve business performance.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures in the Province.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Heywood and Middleton (Mr. Callaghan) on 2 November.

  Executive NDPB

  Attend board/committee meetings

  Inspect the minutes of meetings

  Statutory right to Inspect the annual reports

  Inspect the annual accounts

  Inspect a register of Members' interests

  National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Northern Ireland

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Local Enterprise Development Unit (LEDU)

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB)

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC)

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Fair Employment Commission (FEC)

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  General Consumer Council (GCC)

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Northern Ireland Consumer Committee for Electricity

  1Yes

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Health and Safety Agency (HSA)

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Labour Relations Agency (LRA)

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Enterprise Ulster (EU)

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Ulster Sheltered Employment Ltd. (USEL)

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Northern Ireland Local Government Officers' Superannuation Committee

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Laganside

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Fire Authority

  2Yes

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  3No

  Northern Ireland Housing Executive

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  No

  Agricultural Research Institute for Northern Ireland

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Agricultural Wages Board for Northern Ireland

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Foyle Fisheries Commission

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Livestock Marketing Commission for Northern Ireland

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Pig Production Development Committee

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Probation Board for Northern Ireland

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  No

  Vaughan's Charity

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Public Service Training School

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Education and Library Boards (5)

  4Yes

  Yes

  No

  Yes

  No

  Council for Catholic Maintained Schools

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Northern Ireland Schools Examinations and Assessment Council

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  No

  Arts Council for Northern Ireland

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Sports Council for Northern Ireland

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Youth Council for Northern Ireland

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  No

  Ulster Museum

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Ulster Folk and Transport Museum

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  No

  Police Authority for Northern Ireland

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  No

  Independent Commission for Police Complaints

  No

  No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  264
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the level of unemployment in the construction industry in the Province; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  At 9 September there were 18,122 unemployed construction workers in Northern Ireland, representing a decrease of 227 on the previous month and a fall of 920 from September 1992.

  Non-departmental Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing whether the public have a statutory right to(a) attend all board or committee meetings, (b) inspect the minutes of meetings, (c) inspect the annual reports, (d) inspect the annual accounts and (e) inspect a register of members' interests of each executive non-departmental public body for which his Department is responsible.

  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 2 November 1993]: The information is set out in the table.
  265

  1 Public excluded when business is of a confidential nature.

  2 Board meetings.

  3 Committee meetings.

  4 Except for the meetings of the teaching appointments committee.

EMPLOYMENT

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total amount budgeted for consultants in the Health and Safety Executive in 1993–94; and if he will list all those consultants employed this year so far.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I understand that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has no separate budget for consultants. Consultants employed this year so far are listed:

  Total Quality Management International

  The P. A. Consulting Group

  Dr. E. G. Masdin

  Patrick Thomas Consultants

  Shreeveport Ltd.

  KPMG

  Denham Nash

  The Capita Group plc

  W. S. Atkins

  Keisley Harris Ltd.

  Touche Ross

  So far this year, HSE has spent some £99,000 with these companies.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what effect the market-testing programme at the Health and Safety Executive headquarters at Bootle is expected to have on the numbers of staff employed by the executive.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Given the competitive nature of market testing, it is not possible to predict the outcome of particular tests. Tests completed or approaching completion which affect staffing at the Health and Safety Executive's Bootle headquarters show a saving of four posts. A further 99 posts are covered by market tests now in hand.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what restrictions have been placed on the recruitment of Health and Safety Executive staff since August.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  It is for the Health and Safety Commission and Executive to decide how to deploy their staff and other resources in managing their grant in aid.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his Department's policy in respect of benefit eligibility towards unemployed people who make themselves completely unemployable by their appearance.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. David Atkinson, dated 3 November 1993:
  266
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to him about the policy in respect of benefit eligibility towards unemployed people who make themselves completely unemployable by their appearance. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  A client can be held to have neglected to avail themself of an employment opportunity if, because of their unreasonable conduct, an offer of employment is withdrawn or a prospective employer considers them unsuitable. In such cases they can be disqualified from receiving unemployment benefit for up to 26 weeks.
  We cannot enforce a set standard of dress to clients using our services. However, we expect clients to dress appropriately for job interviews.
  In addition when someone refuses an offer of employment brought to their notice by us, unless they can show good cause for their refusal, they can be disqualified from receiving unemployment benefit for up to 26 weeks. When offering a vacancy we are expected to consider whether the individual, given their background and experience, could reasonably be expected to undertake the work.
  Whether these rules apply in individual cases is for the independent adjudicating authorities to decide. These authorities are in the first place an adjudication officer; on appeal a Social Security Appeal Tribunal; and on further appeal, on a point of law only, a Social Security Commissioner. The independence of these authorities prevents me or any Minister from intervening in or commenting on their decisions.
  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  THORP
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 21 October,Official Report, column 333, what meetings he has held with the trade unions at Sellafield on the thermal oxide reprocessing plant.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None.

  Books (VAT)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the effect on the level of employment in publishing and bookselling sectors of the imposition of value added tax on books.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have not received any such representations other than my hon. Friend's recent parliamentary question on this matter.

  Construction Industry (Deaths)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many deaths have taken place in England and Wales this year in the construction industry at the latest date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Figures on fatal and major injuries for all industry sectors are published annually. Reliable information for the current year is not yet available. Provisional figures for the fiscal year ending 31 March 1993 will be included in the Health and Safety
  267
  Commission's annual report which is due to be published before the end of the year. A copy will be placed in the Library.

  Public Investment
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those public investment projects within his Department's responsibility which have attracted private capital and have been commenced since the 1992 autumn statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 2 November 1993]: The private finance initiative, which was announced in the 1992 autumn statement, is an important tool which will lever private finance into the public sector. Although the Department has, as yet, no projects which have attracted private capital, we do keep these matters under review to ensure that the Department provides the best possible value for money. As significant projects arise, or equipment comes up for replacement, we will consider in particular the opportunities for private

  Private Office Overseas travel record

  Travelling Minister(s)

  Dates

  Places visited

  Purpose of visit

  Size of delegation

  Visit expenditure £

  Secretary of State

  29 April 1992

  30 April 1992

  Luxembourg

  Social Affairs Council

  6

  2,231

  Minister of State

  11 June 1992

  12 June 1992

  Geneva, Switzerland

  ILO Conference

  2

  1,504

  Secretary of State

  11 June 1992

  11 June 1992

  Madrid, Spain

  Social Affairs bilateral

  3

  3,615

  Secretary of State

  12 June 1992

  12 June 1992

  Rome, Italy

  Social Affairs bilateral

  3

  Secretary of State

  16 June 1992

  16 June 1992

  Rotterdam, Netherlands

  Social Affairs bilateral

  3

  1,668

  Secretary of State

  23 June 1992

  24 June 1992

  Luxembourg

  Social Affairs Council

  7

  2,393

  Minister of State

  6 September 1992

  10 September 1992

  Poland and Bulgaria

  Signing of joint statement of agreement

  2

  2,200

  Secretary of State

  8 September 1992

  9 September 1992

  Paris, France

  Social Affairs bilateral, Training issues

  3

  1,874

  Secretary of State

  14 September 1992

  17 September 1992

  Russia

  UK Know How Fund

  4

  13,281

  Parliamentary Under-secretary of State (Lords)

  21 September 1992

  23 September 1992

  France/Belgium

  Fact finding visit/ Policy development

  2

  1,585

  Secretary of State

  22 September 1992

  22 September 1992

  Brussels, Belgium

  Informal Social Affairs meeting

  5

  1,841

  Parliamentary Under-secretary of State

  26 September 1992

  3 October 1992

  Japan

  Fact finding visit/Policy development

  2

  15,823

  Minister of State

  27 September 1992

  2 October 1992

  USA

  Fact finding visit/Policy development

  2

  13,143

  Parliamentary Under-secretary of State (Lords)

  18 November 1992

  20 November 1992

  Poland

  Opening of Polish Minisl of Labour Training Centre

  2

  1,501

  Secretary of State Minister of State

  3 December 1992

  3 December 1992

  Brussels, Belgium

  Social Affairs Council

  8

  2,240

  Parliamentary Under-secretary of State (Lords)

  1 April 1993

  8 April 1993

  USA/Canada

  Fact finding visit/ Policy development

  2

  15,495

  Secretary of State

  5 April 1993

  6 April 1993

  Luxembourg

  Social Affairs Council

  7

  1,163

  Secretary of State

  30 April 1993

  30 April 1993

  Paris, France

  Social Affairs bilateral

  4

  1,141

  268
  finance initiative further in the context of its market test; and we shall be looking at the possibility of using the initiative for contract energy management projects in the future.

  Ministers' Overseas Journeys
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what journeys abroad, involving public expenditure, he and other Ministers in the Department have made since 9 April 1992; what were the dates of the journeys and the places visited; what was the purpose of the journey in each case; by whom the Minister was accompanied, and what additional public expenditure was involved; and what was the total cost of each journey made abroad by each Minister.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 26 October 1993]: Information is not available in the form requested. However, the information now available in departmental records from 9 April 1992 to June 1993 is given in the table, and as soon as costs are available for each of the remaining visits to date, I will write to the hon. Member.
  269

  Travelling Minister(s)

  Dates

  Places visited

  Purpose of visit

  Size of delegation

  Visit expenditure £

  Minister of State

  3 May 1993

  4 May 1993

  Nyborg, Denmark

  Informal Social Affairs Council

  7

  3,881

  Secretary of State

  5 May 1993

  5 May 1993

  Cologne, Germany

  Social Affairs bilateral

  7

  Secretary of State Minister of State

  31 May 1993

  1 June 1993

  Luxembourg

  Social Affairs Council

  9

  4,049

  Minister of State

  3 June 1993

  4 June 1993

  Budapest, Hungary

  UK Know How Fund (opening of Flexible Learning Centre)

  2

  2,387

  Parliamentary Under-secretary of State

  9 June 1993

  10 June 1993

  Geneva, Switzerland

  ILO Conference

  1

  699

SOCIAL SECURITY

  National Insurance
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his current estimate of the level of the Treasury supplement necessary in 1994–95, expressed as a percentage of benefit outgoings, based on the assumption of indexation for all contribution limits and thresholds and the effects of changes in national insurance contribution rates announced in the 1993 Budget; and what would be the combined rate of employer/employee contributions necessary in order to achieve a balanced national insurance fund without the Exchequer contribution.

  Mr. Hague
  It is estimated that a Treasury grant equivalent to 12·5 per cent. of expected benefit expenditure would be needed to balance the national insurance fund in 1994–95. If the grant were not available, a combined employer/employee contribution rate of between (the contribution percentages vary according to whether there is an increase in the main primary or secondary rate, or a combination of both) 22·7 and 23·4 per cent. would be needed to raise the same level of income. Estimates are based on the March 1993 "Financial Statement and Budget Report" assumptions.

  Benefits
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the size of the(a) earnings and (b) maintenance disregards in each means-tested benefit scheme; and how these disregards vary for different categories of claimant.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the table.

  Client Group

  Earnings Disregard (Note 3) £

  Maintenance Disregard (Note 1)£

  Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit

  Lone Parents

  25

  15

  Disabled

  15

  15

  Carers

  15

  15

  Specialist occupations (Note 2)

  15

  15

  Other couples

  10

  15

  Other single people

  5

  nil

  Income Support

  Lone parents

  15

  nil

  Disabled

  15

  nil

  270

  Client Group

  Earnings Disregard (Note 3) £

  Maintenance Disregard (Note 1) £

  Carers

  15

  nil

  Specialist occupations (Note 2)

  15

  nil

  Unemployed couples (over 2 years)

  15

  nil

  Unemployed couples (under 2 years)

  5

  nil

  Other

  5

  nil

  Family Credit

  Lone parents

  69

  15

  Couples with children

  69

  15

  Disability working allowance

  Lone parents

  69

  15

  Couples with children

  69

  15

  Single (no children)

  41·40

  nil

  Notes:

  1. The £15 maintenance disregard in housing benefit, council tax benefit and disability working allowance applies only where there is a child or young person in the household.

  2. Specialist occupations are reservists, part-time firemen, part-time lifeboatmen and auxiliary coastguards.

  3. The income disregard in family credit and disability working allowance applies to all income, including earnings, not otherwise disregarded.

  4. The disregards apply to the family unit as a whole, i.e., to the total earnings received and the total maintenance received.

  5. People receiving income support are entitled to receive maximum housing benefit and council tax benefit without their resources being assessed by the local authority.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people previously receiving invalidity benefit have been taken off that benefit on the grounds of being capable of work in each month over the last two years.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is not available in the form requested. Quarterly estimates of sickness and invalidity benefit claims disallowed because the claimant is not incapable of work are being collected from April 1993. The latest available estimate, for the quarter ending 30 June 1993, shows 15,400 such disallowances, based on a 5 per cent, sample of examinations, rounded to the nearest hundred.

  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's policy on counting voluntary work as proof of capacity for work; and if he will make a statement about the effect of his policy on recipients of invalidity benefit.
  271
  Mr. Scott
  People receiving invalidity benefit may undertake voluntary work, so long as they continue to satisfy the entitlement conditions for receiving the benefit. Recipients who are thinking of doing some voluntary work are advised to discuss the matter first with their doctor, before checking with their local social security office to find out if it will affect their benefit.

  Average weekly amount

  Year

  Number receiving IS help with mortgage interest

  Total amount paid

  Cases with full interest

  Cases with 50 per cent, interest

  000s

  £ million

  £

  £

  1988

  300

  286

  18·56

  16·71

  1989

  281

  353

  24·46

  21·86

  1990

  310

  553

  34·42

  33·69

  1991

  411

  949

  46·34

  35·61

  1992

  499

  1,143

  46·01

  30·59

  Notes:

  1. Figures are for the amount of mortgage interest that is included in the IS assessment.

  2. Figures are from the annual statistical enquiry (ASE), a 1 per cent. sample survey of claimants receiving regular weekly payments of IS in May each year.

  3. Information on the number of new claims with mortgage interest is not available.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the tariff income schedule of cuts in savings within the income support means tests; what is the equivalent system of savings assessment in the housing benefit system; on what dates the schemes were last revised; and what plans he has to review the assessment of savings in means-tested benefits.

  Mr. Burt
  In all the income-related benefits, capital up to £3,000 is ignored. In income support (IS), deductions from benefit of £1 a week are made for each £250, or part of £250, of capital between £3,000 and the upper capital limit of £8,000. Similar rules apply in housing benefit (HB), but the 65 per cent. taper reduces the effect of the deductions, and the upper capital limit is set at £16,000. These rules were last revised in April 1990 when the upper capital limits were raised to their present levels, from £6,000 in IS and from £8,000 in HB. The rules are kept under review but we have no current plans for change.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures indicating the income support and social fund budgets allocated to the social security offices in the Ynys Mön constituency during each of the last two years; and what was the monthly amount spent on income support and the social fund by each office in that period.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones, dated 2 November 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions raised about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security, asking if he will publish figures indicating the income support and Social Fund budgets allocated to the social security

  Income Support
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing in respect of payment of income support for mortgage interest, for each financial year since 1988, the total amount paid, the number of new claims, the number of claims in payment and the average weekly payment.

  Mr. Burt
  The available information is in the table.

  offices in the Ynys Mon constituency during each of the last two years; and what was the monthly amount spent on income support and Social Fund by each office in that period.
  I should explain that Social Fund (SF) discretionary budgets are allocated to each Benefits Agency District rather than individual offices. In the case of Gwyneddigion District, which includes the constituency of Ynys Mon, it is therefore only possible to show the information for the whole District.
  I enclose details of the SF budgets allocated to the District, together with details of monthly expenditure for each of the financial years 1991/92 and 1992/93. The provisional data for the current financial year to the end of September 1993 is also included.
  Turning to Income Support (IS), I should explain that IS is a demand led benefit and therefore not subject to a cash limit, as is the Social Fund. The information requested, regarding the monthly amount of IS spent, is therefore not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. This is because the details of benefit paid could only be obtained by examining all of the cases held at the Gwyneddigion District.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will be placed in the Library.
  Gwyneddigion District.
  Loans allocation—£826,353
  Grants allocation—£313,934

  Table of monthly expenditure

  Period—1991–92

  Loans

  Grants

  April

  46,387

  23,080

  May

  46,816

  19,504

  June

  44,856

  24,238

  July

  47,266

  26,876

  August

  48,098

  18,642

  September

  50,401

  28,532

  October

  75,693

  30,460

  November

  87,945

  31,814

  December

  75,435

  27,100

  January

  60,463

  28,110

  February

  85,910

  23,007

  March

  105,279

  32,533

  Total

  774,549

  313,896

  All figures are rounded to the nearest pound.

  Gwyneddigion District.

  Loans allocation—£890,128

  Grants allocation—£408,054
  273

  Table of monthly expenditure

  Period—1992–93

  Loans

  Grants

  April

  88,943

  33,301

  May

  74,882

  34,968

  June

  76,766

  39,139

  July

  75,735

  36,361

  August

  71,602

  21,859

  September

  79,507

  32,860

  October

  61,853

  34,231

  November

  72,290

  38,884

  December

  72,156

  36,643

  January

  50,924

  31,571

  February

  69,478

  38,202

  March

  95,945

  30,011

  Total

  890,081

  408,030

  All figures are rounded to the nearest pound.

  Gwyneddigion District.

  Loans allocation—£998,150

  Grants allocation—£428,457

  Table of monthly expenditure

  Period—1993–94

  Loans

  Grants

  April

  81,519

  31,470

  May

  73,494

  32,195

  June

  79,468

  40,082

  Date of Journey

  Places visited

  Purpose of visit

  Number accompanying Minister

  Total departmental expenditure £

  Secretary of State

  15 April 1992

  France

  Recalled from France to attend Cabinet and departmental meetings.

  —

  1,045·00

  1 September 1992

  France

  Recalled from France for departmental meetings.

  —

  2,980·00

  29 January to 1 February 1993

  Zurich

  To attend the World Economic Forum.

  —

  439·41

  7 April 1993

  France

  Recalled from France for the launch of the Child Support Agency.

  —

  324·10

  Minister of State

  20 to 21 May 1992

  Limerick

  Council of Europe Conference of Social Security Ministers.

  —

  143·35

  23 to 24 May 1992

  Luxembourg

  Meeting of Social Affairs Council.

  2

  1,006·86

  2 to 5 September 1992

  Barcelona

  Parolympic games and bilateral meeting with Spanish Minister of State.

  2

  1,303·68

  7 to 11 October 1992

  Montreal

  International Ministers meeting.

  2

  4,473·90

  11 to 13 October 1992

  New York

  UN General Assembly.

  2

  3,012·90

  8 to 9 December 1992

  Paris

  OECD meeting.

  1

  456·78

  27 May to 6 June 1993

  China Hong Kong

  Visit counterpart Minister of State for Disabled. Meeting with C. Patten. Visit to Rehabilitation Services for Disabled. Meeting with Secretary of State for Health and Welfare of Hong Kong.

  6

  13,926·30

  Parliamentary Undersecretaries

  28 January 1993

  Copenhagen, Denmark

  Social Affairs Council Meeting.

  4

  4,500·00

  1 February 1993

  Strasbourg

  Open Beveridge exhibition.

  2

  1,125·30

  26 to 27 February 1993

  Germany

  Bilateral talks with German counterparts.

  2

  332·50

  28 April 1993

  Republic of Ireland

  Meeting board of management trust: war pensions. Visit Leopardspark hospital. Meeting WP advisory committee and voluntary organisations.

  1

  460·00

  15 May 1993

  Brussels

  To see Belgian Social Security Minister to discuss draft EC Council on resolution on flexible retirement pension.

  2

  590·52

  28 to 30 September 1993

  Republic of Ireland

  Informal talks with Minister of State for Social Welfare and visit to community development programme— Dublin.

  1

  426·00

  274

  Period—1993–94

  Loans

  Grants

  July

  75,000

  33,418

  August

  54,375

  23,672

  September

  87,180

  40,535

  Total to date

  376,111

  201,372

  All figures are rounded to the nearest pound.

  Ministers' Overseas Journeys
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what journeys abroad, involving public expenditure, he and other Ministers in the Department have made since 9 April 1992; what were the dates of the journeys and the places visited; what was the purpose of the journey in each case; by whom the Minister was accompanied, and what additional public expenditure was Table of monthly expenditure involved; and what was the total cost of each journey made abroad by each Minister.

  Mr. Hague
  [holding answer 26 October 1993]: The available information is in the table.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Turkey
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received recently regarding violation of human rights in Turkey; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We regularly receive representations about alleged human rights abuses against Kurds in Turkey.

  We are concerned by all allegations of human rights abuses in Turkey, including those perpetrated by the PKK. The Turkish authorities are aware of the importance we attach to the rule of law and respect for human rights.

  Russia
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent of political stability in Russia; and what evidence there is of military and security commanders acting without political authorisation.

  Mr. Hurd
  The prospects for political stability in Russia are now better than for some time. The Russian people will be able next month to vote in elections to a new Parliament and to express their views on a new Constitution. The Russian military and security services have, for the most part, remained politically neutral. In bringing an end to the confrontation with Parliament, President Yeltsin had the backing of the Ministers of Defence and Security.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to ensure the development of an open and full democracy in Russia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have made clear to President Yeltsin and members of the Russian Government on many occasions our full support for the process of economic and democratic reform in Russia. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs raised this most recently with the Russian Foreign Minister during his visit to the United Kingdom on 26 October. The Russian people will go to the polls on 12 December to elect deputies to a new two-chamber Parliament and to vote on the adoption of a new constitution. This is a very real step forward in terms of building a democratic society based on the rule of law, to which President Yeltsin is committed. International observers have been invited to ensure the elections are free and fair. The United Kingdom will take part in this.

  GATT Negotiations
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the outcome of the GATT negotiations on the conduct of European Community business.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The European Council last week underlined the real economic benefits a positive outcome would bring to the Community in our efforts to 276
  restore growth, raise competitivity and reduce unemployment. Heads of Government underlined their commitment to reach a global, durable and balanced agreement this year. The Commission is working strenuously to this end.

  Malta
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many official visits have been made to Malta over the past three years and by whom; and what future visits are planned.

  Mr. Hurd
  During this period, in addition to the highly successful state visit last year, four Ministers have been to Malta and there have been a number of visits by officials. I plan to visit Malta early in 1994.

  Child Migrants
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff at the high commissions in Australia, Canada and New Zealand are currently involved in discussions in relation to the British child migrant scheme.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  No staff at the high commissions in Australia, Canada and New Zealand are currently involved in discussions about the child migrant scheme. In July 1993, the high commission in Ottawa dealt with an inquiry from a Canadian television station following the showing on British television of the ABC/BBC mini-series "The Leaving of Liverpool". In Canberra, a member of the high commission was involved—most recently, in September —in obtaining information from the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs about the Child Migrants Trust in Australia. The information was passed to the Department of Health in London.

  Exporters
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to improve the quality of help given to British exporters by Her Majesty's diplomatic service.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Since the establishment of a joint FCO/DTI directorate to co-ordinate overseas trade services, there have been significant improvements in the quality and range of services offered to exporters. There is a much greater emphasis on quality and speed of service, new services are being introduced, staff training has been overhauled and contacts with industry, trade associations and chambers of commerce enhanced. Feedback is very positive. Ninety per cent of our customers surveyed would use our services again.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to discuss the situation in Bosnia with his NATO colleagues.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will attend the North Atlantic Council ministerial meeting on 2 December. Although the agenda has not been finalised, we expect that the situation in Bosnia will be discussed at this meeting.
  277
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with other Foreign Secretaries regarding former Yugoslavia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The situation in the former Yugoslavia was discussed by EC Foreign Ministers at the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 26 October.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the effectiveness of the UN safe havens in Bosnia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  United Nations Security Council resolution (SCR) 824 of 6 May 1993 established Sarajevo, the Bosnian capital, and the towns of Bihac, Srebrenica, Gorazde, Tuzla and Zepa as safe areas. SCR836 of 4 June expanded the mandate of the United Nations protection force in Bosnia to include deterring attacks against the safe areas and it is clear that the presence of-even small numbers of—UNPROFOR personnel has reduced the willingness of parties to attack safe areas.

  Taiwan
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with the Government of the Republic of China—Taiwan.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We have no diplomatic relations with Taiwan. There are however growing commercial and cultural links reflecting Taiwan's increasing economic importance.

  Nigeria
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the political situation in Nigeria.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  While welcoming the withdrawal of military government on 27 August, we remain concerned about the prospects for democracy in Nigeria. A peaceful transfer of power to a democratically accountable government is the only way to maintain a strong and united Nigeria.

  Far East (Exports)
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department is doing to assist promotion of exports in the far east.

  Mr. Goodlad
  All FCO posts in the far east have export promotion as a top priority. Among other tasks, they seek out export opportunities, advise British companies on the business to be won in their markets, lobby on their behalf for major contracts and against discrimination and organise visits by ministers and trade missions with the specific object of winning business. I am happy to say that our exports to China are 90 per cent. up this year, to the Philippines 69 per cent., to Thailand 46 percent., to South Korea and Malaysia 32 per cent., to Hong Kong 31 per cent., to Singapore 23 per cent. and to Taiwan 20 per cent.

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

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the middle east peace talks.

  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the middle east peace negotiations.

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

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have warmly welcomed the agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and welcome the work of the joint committees on implementation of this agreement. We continue to impress on all parties the importance of rapid progress towards a comprehensive settlement.

  Syria
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to persuade Syria to participate in the current round of peace talks.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs visited Syria on 22 to 24 October. He met President Assad and Foreign Minister Shara'a. He emphasised the importance we attach to early progress on the Syria track, and momentum more generally in the peace process.

  South Africa
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government are taking to contribute to progress towards full democracy in South Africa.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Chelmsford (Mr. Burns).

  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards democracy in South Africa.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We welcome the passage of legislation by the South African parliament on 23 September to establish the transitional executive council. This is a tremendously important step and puts South Africa firmly on the road to non-racial democracy. We now await agreement on the interim consititution and the Bill of Rights, following which the TEC will come into operation and prepare the way for democratic elections.

  Abu Dhabi
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's relations with Abu Dhabi.
  279
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates remain excellent.

  Asylum
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to assist potential asylum seekers in their country of origin; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have obligations towards refugees who are within the United Kingdom or at our ports, but we have no obligation to encourage or assist would-be asylum seekers around the world to come here. Our diplomatic and aid efforts to encourage good government and promote respect for human rights can mitigate the circumstances which give rise to refugee outflows.

  Iraq (Arms Sales)
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the sale of arms to Iraq.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We strictly implement the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council under which the sale of arms to Iraq has been prohibited since 6 August 1990.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had concerning the situation in Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs hosted a lunch for the leaders of the two Cypriot communities in Nicosia on 20 October. It provided an opportunity for the leaders to clarify their positions on the set of ideas and confidence-building measures proposed by the UN Secretary-General and for them to discuss ways of moving the process forward. He followed this up when he met the UN Secretary-General in London on 25 October.

  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to secure the withdrawal of the occupying Turkish army from Cyprus.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The United Kingdom supports the call in United Nations Security Council resolution 789 for a reduction in the number of foreign forces stationed in Cyprus. We stand ready, together with other Security Council members, to consider alternative ways to promote the effective implementation of UN resolutions on Cyprus should there be no further progress by the time of the next report to the Security Council by the UN Secretary-General.

  Eastern Europe
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made with east European countries to join the European Community.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Last June's Copenhagen European Council agreed that the central European associate countries should join the European Community as soon as they are ready to assume the economic and political obligations of membership.

  I very much welcome that decision, for which we had lobbied hard. Our task is now to help the associate countries prepare for membership.

  Western Sahara
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he intends to take to ensure that the Government of Morocco comply with United Nations resolutions on a referendum in Western Sahara.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Both Morocco and Polisario have accepted the United Nations settlement plan but are still engaged in talks with the Secretary-General on its implementation. It is essential that both sides continue to co-operate if there is to be a successful resolution of this dispute.

  Haiti
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to visit Haiti to discuss bilateral relations.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no plans at present to visit Haiti.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current state of diplomatic relations between Her Majesty's Government and Haiti.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Diplomatic relations with Haiti are conducted through our ambassador at Kingston, Jamaica, who frequently visits Haiti, and our vice-consul based in Port au Prince. We support United Nations efforts to restore democratic government to Haiti.

  Secret Services (Offices)
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the contracts awarded to(a) equip, (b) furnish and (c) decorate the new Vauxhall Cross offices of the Secret Intelligence Service were awarded in each case to the company submitting the lowest tender.

  Mr. Hurd
  Contracts for this project were awarded to companies whose tenders met the requirements of the project and represented the best value for money.

  Mr Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what companies have been awarded the contracts to(a) equip, (b) furnish and (c) decorate the new Vauxhall Cross offices of the Secret Intelligence Service; and what were the prices of each contract.
  281
  Mr. Hurd
  I do not propose, for reasons of security and commercial confidentiality, to comment on individual companies awarded contracts for projects on behalf of the security and intelligence agencies.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total cost of equipping, cabling, decorating and furnishing the new Vauxhall Cross offices of the Secret Intelligence Service.

  Mr. Hurd
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 18 October,Official Report, column 82.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the contracts for(a) equipping, (b) furnishing and (c) decorating the new Vauxhall Cross offices of the Secret Intelligence Service have been put out to tender.

  Mr. Hurd
  These contracts have either been put out to tender or let on a negotiated basis by the project management contractor with firms which were retained from the development stage of the project.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether each of the contracts to(a) equip, (b) furnish and (c) decorate the new Vauxhall Cross, Secret Intelligence Service offices were awarded to British companies.

  Mr. Hurd
  A number of the contracts for this project were awarded to British companies.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many companies tendered for the contracts to(a) equip, (b) furnish and (c) decorate the new Vauxhall Cross offices of the Secret Intelligence Service; and what were the bids of each unsuccessful tender.

  Mr. Hurd
  A number of companies tendered for the various contracts, but it would be wrong to comment on individual bids on grounds of security and commercial confidentiality.

  Sellafield
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received regarding the problems of proliferation arising from the reprocessing and export of plutonium from Sellafield.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We understand that representations were made on a variety of issues including non-proliferation, during the further round of public consultation on the revised discharge authorisations for Sellafield. These are currently being considered by my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  Pakistan
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on current relations between Pakistan and Her Majesty's Government.
  282
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We enjoy excellent relations with Pakistan and look forward to working with Ms Bhutto's new Government.

PRIME MINISTER

  Joint Intelligence Committee
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will outline the functional and departmental composition and internal procedures of the Joint Intelligence Committee.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the booklet on the central intelligence machinery published by HMSO on 1 October.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Prime Minister to which Ministers the Joint Intelligence Committee reports; and which Minister bears the ultimate responsibility for guiding its decisions.

  The Prime Minister
  I am ultimately responsible for the Joint Intelligence Committee. The committee is not a decision-making body. Its assessments are seen by other Ministers according to the subject matter.

  Libel Actions
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Prime Minister what legal costs have been met from the public purse relating to libel actions involving Government Ministers in the last three years; and how many cases are still in progress.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 1 November 1993]: No legal costs payable by the public purse have been incurred on libel proceedings involving Government Ministers during the last three years.

EDUCATION

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to call in consultants or accountants to assist in, or provide advice on, the organisation of conferences, seminars or workshops on grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  None.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 28 October, at columns 744–45, how many of the grant-maintained schools operating at the end of the last financial year showed (a) a financial surplus and (b) a financial deficit.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  None of the 336 grant-maintained schools operating as at 31 March 1993 had a cash deficit.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 28 October,Official Report, columns 744–45, whether he will list the firms of consultants used by his Department to provide basic support for conferences, seminars or workshops on grant-maintained status stating, in each case, the services received and the fees paid.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  No. The details of contracts between the Department and individual contractors must
  283
  be treated as commercial-in-confidence. Payments by the Department for the support services listed in my reply of 28 October—Official Report, columns 744–45—total approximately £180,000 to date.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 28 October,Official Report, columns 744–45, how many of the five representations on the possibility of a role for the Audit Commission in the auditing of accounts of grant-maintained schools were supportive of such a possibility.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Four.

DEFENCE

  Low Flying
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what level of command authorisations for low-level jet flights between the hours of 11 pm and 7 am are required to be taken; and what records are maintained of(a) requests for low-level flights in this time period and (b) authorisations granted.

  Mr. Hanley
  Requests for fast jet low flying sorties between the hours of 2300 and 0700 must be made at least 30 days in advance and require the authorisation of Ministry of Defence Air Staff at the appropriate level depending on the nature of the request. The requests and the responses to them are held on departmental files, but separate records are not maintained.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the RAF Support Command list of approved low flying turning points.

  Mr. Hanley
  There is no such list.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was title and purpose of the exercise involving night low level parachute dropping from a US Air Force C-5 aircraft from RAF Brize Norton and RAF St. Mawgan between 2 and 14 November 1992; how many low-level sorties(a) during the day and (b) at night were carried out by the aircraft; what was the (i) earliest and (ii) latest time of the day at which low level sorties by the aircraft were booked; and what were the locations of the parachute drop zones used.

  Mr. Hanley
  The exercise held between 2 and 14 November 1992 was called Bitter Bust and was a joint US/UK forces exercise. During the exercise five low level sorties were flown by C-5 aircraft; three during the day, and two at night. The earliest low level sortie began at 1426, and the latest was completed by 1910. These aircraft carried out two parachute drops during the exercise, both over military training areas; one over Salisbury plain and the other over Weston on the Green.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the measures introduced as part of the citizens charter to improve the responses of his Department to complaints about low flying aircraft.

  Mr. Hanley
  My Department's contribution to the citizens charter has included the introducation of a target time of four weeks for response to complaints received from members of the public about low flying, in other than exceptional cases.
  284
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Jaguar and Tornado aircrew assigned to operational duties over(a) Bosina and (b) Northern Iraq are required to qualify or re-qualify to fly at 100 ft above ground level prior to deploying from their bases in the United Kingdom or Germany.

  Mr. Hanley
  All combat ready RAF fast jet aircrew, except Tornado F3 aircrew, are required to be current in operational low flying down to 100 ft. These aircrew may fly a small number of continuation training sorties before deploying to operational theatres overseas.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the individual low-flying areas which have been surveyed by the RAF police to assess requirements for changes to avoidance areas for low flying within the last three years; and if he will list the dates of the survey of each area.

  Mr. Hanley
  The individual low flying areas which have been surveyed by the RAF Police within the last three years, and the dates each survey was completed, are as follows:

  LFA 7 14 December 1990

  LFA 9 30 April 1991

  LFA 17 16 May 1991

  LFA 14 28 February 1992

  LFA 12 3 July 1992

  LFA 13 19 August 1992

  LFA 1 27 May 1993

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what consideration has been given to opening the airspace of the highlands restricted area to all air operators during the summer months;

  (2) what consideration has been given to permitting civil aircraft to enter the highlands restricted area when no military aircraft have booked to use it.

  Mr. Hanley
  Arrangements already exist for civil aircraft to enter the highlands restricted area, provided that details of the proposed flight are passed to the tactical booking cell at RAF West Drayton in sufficient time to permit military users to be informed of the activity. The arrangements obtain at all times when the area is open to military aircraft.

  Mr. Llywd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those aircraft types in United Kingdom military service which are not fitted with a radar altimetre.

  Mr. Hanley
  Of those aircraft in United Kingdom military service, Bulldog T1, Chipmunk, Dominie T1, Gazelle, Hawk T1, Islander, Jetstream, Tucano T1 and VC10 K2 aircraft are not fitted with a radar altimeter.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors are taken into account in the process of decision-making about the introduction of new or revised flow control measures in the United Kingdom low-flying system.

  Mr. Hanley
  Unidirectional flow controls are established in the United Kingdom low flying system where aircraft may be constrained by narrow valleys or corridors formed by avoidance areas. Consideration may be given to introducing new or revised flow control measures where the introduction of additional avoidance areas further constrains the available airspace, with possible implications for flight safety.
  285
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the rules are governing the use as simulated targets of features located in flow control areas of the United Kingdom low-flying system.

  Mr. Hanley
  Where features used as simulated targets are located in flow control areas of the United Kingdom low-flying system, the aircraft must be flown in compliance with the direction of the flow control.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records are held of the numbers of flights over Germany by Royal Air Force aircraft at low-level since September 1990.

  Mr. Hanley
  Records for low-level flights over Germany by Royal Air Force aircraft between September 1990 and April 1992 are incomplete. Records held since April 1992, however, show that some 4,200 sorties have been flown by fast jet aircraft.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current policy on the maintenance of operational low flying qualifications by individual air crew following successful completion of their initial operational low flying qualification training.

  Mr. Hanley
  Air crews qualified to conduct operational low flying (OLF) maintain currency by flying a minimum of four overland OLF sorties, with a maximum of six in any six-month period and a maximum of 10 in any 12-month period. OLF currency is valid for six months. Lapsed currency may be regained by Tornado IDS crews flying five OLF sorties, and by Jaguar and Harrier pilots flying four OLF sorties. OLF sorties conducted over the sea do not contribute to the maintenance of OLF currency.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of complaints about low flying received from addresses in each of the numbered low flying areas of the United Kingdom during 1992.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows:

  Low flying areas

  Numbers of complaints or inquiries

  1

  160

  2

  916

  3

  11

  4

  436

  5

  467

  6

  432

  7

  904

  8

  255

  9

  81

  11

  475

  12

  272

  13

  23

  14

  504

  16

  486

  17

  594

  18

  228

  Support Aircraft
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what offensive support roles are performed by(a) the Harrier aircraft, (b) the Jaguar aircraft and (c) the Tornado aircraft; and if he will make a statement on each aircraft type's specific contribution to these roles.
  286
  Mr. Hanley
  All three aircraft are capable of performing the offensive support roles of close air support, battlefield air interdiction and tactical reconnaissance. Offensive Support is the primary role for Harrier and Jaguar, and it is in this role that they are currently assigned to NATO. The Tornado GR1 aircraft is not currently assigned to the offensive support role; it is concerned primarily with long-range interdiction and reconnaissance.

  Airships
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the results of his Department's trials into the suitability for military use of the Skyship 600 airship; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  Further to the reply that my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement gave to the hon. Member on 15 July 1993 at column 637, the trials are continuing and it will be some time before we are in a position to make any decisions on future operational roles for airships.

  Aircraft Noise
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those military airfields in the United Kingdom at which mandatory noise abatement procedures are in force for aircraft during(a) approach/landing and (b) take-off.

  Mr. Hanley
  There are no mandatory noise abatement procedures in force at military airfields in the United Kingdom. The Department does, however, have in place extensive measures to minimise the disturbance from aircraft around military airfields, subject to the limitations imposed by the need to maintain operational capability. These measures include extensive sound insulation and compensation schemes and controls on the ground running of engines. These voluntary measures are also followed at United States Air Force (USAF) bases in the United Kingdom. The MoD and USAF keep their operating procedures under constant review and remain committed to minimising the impact of their activity on the general public and to maintaining good relations with their neighbours and local amenities.

  Jaguar Aircraft
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have been made to the planned date of withdrawal from RAF service of the Jaguar aircraft since the end of 1990.

  Mr. Hanley
  At the end of 1990, we planned to start withdrawing Jaguar from 2001. Current plans assume that Jaguar will start to withdraw from 2004.

  Open Skies Agreement
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the outcome of the open skies agreement trial flight over the United Kingdom by a Russian aircraft in June.

  Mr. Hanley
  A joint Russian/Belarussian inspection team arrived at RAF Brize Norton on 14 June this year to practise the provisions of the open skies treaty. The observation flight took place on 17 June from RAF
  287
  Leuchars and, although adverse weather conditions prevented the inspection team from photographing as many of the agreed United Kingdom sites as they had hoped, the exercise was considered a success. The inspection team returned to Russia on 19 June.

  Aircraft Accidents
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the definition of a major accident to a British military aircraft includes accidents in which one or more fatalities occur but damage to the military aircraft involved is assessed as less severe than category 4.

  Mr. Hanley
  Yes.

  16 (Reserve) Squadron
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to move No. 16 (Reserve) Squadron from its current location.

  Mr. Hanley
  None. Current plans assume that No. 16 (Reserve) Squadron will remain at RAF Lossiemouth.

  Dominie Aircrew
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Dominie aircrew are currently assigned to maritime patrol duties in wartime; when this role for the Dominie was first introduced; and what is the annual training requirement for aircrew assigned to this role.

  Mr. Hanley
  Six crews, each of four personnel, are assigned to short range maritime patrol duties in wartime. This role was introduced for the Dominie in the late 1960s. There is no formal additional training requirement.

  RAF Lakenheath
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what additional demands for range facilities will result from the deployment of a squadron of US Air Force F-15C fighter aircraft to RAF Lakenheath.

  Mr. Hanley
  This deployment is not expected to result in any additional demand as the F-15C is an air defence fighter and will not be making use of the RAF's air-to-ground weapons ranges.

  Tornado
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many hours have been flown by Tornado GR1 serial number ZA611 since its accident on December 1986; and what was the cost of repairs to the aircraft following that accident.

  Mr. Hanley
  Since its repair, the aircraft has been placed in temporary storage as a medium-term reserve to cover future attrition within the operational fleet. The aircraft has only flown three hours since its accident. Costs of repair to RAF aircraft are commercial in confidence.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current requirement for operational low flying training by Royal Air Force Tornado F3 crews.

  Mr. Hanley
  There is no requirement.

  Air Misses
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the effect of the decision in March 1988 to publish reports of air misses involving commercial air transport aircraft on the propensity of military air crew to report air misses with commercial air transport aircraft.

  Mr. Hanley
  Military air crew continue to report such air misses with the same frequency as before.

  RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 26 July,Official Report, column 749, what was the title of the research contract carried out for the RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine by a British university between 1985 and 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The title of the contract was "Circadian rhythms during irregularities of work and rest". The object of the research was to determine the nature and the extent of changes in the amplitude and phase of the circadian rhythm that occur in response to the organisation of the sleep-wake cycle.

  Harrier
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates of all major accidents to Harrier aircraft since its entry into British military service providing, in each case, an indication of whether the cause was(a) aircrew error, (b) servicing error, (c) natural, operating and medical causes, (d) technical failure or (e) not positively determined; and which of the accidents occurred during low-level flying.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows:

  Date

  Type

  1Cause

  2Low flying

  6 June 1979

  Harrier GR3

  AE

  No

  12 June 1979

  Harrier GR3

  TF

  No

  18 July 1979

  Harrier GR3

  AE

  Yes

  21 September 1979

  Harrier GR3 x2

  AE

  3No

  4 October 1979

  Harrier GR3

  NOM

  Yes

  8 November 1979

  Harrier GR3

  NOM

  No

  12 March 1980

  Harrier GR3

  NOM

  Yes

  14 October 1980

  Harrier GR3

  TF

  No

  28 October 1980

  Harrier GR3

  NOM

  Yes

  1 December 1980

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  AE

  No

  26 May 1981

  Harrier GR3

  AE

  No

  14 July 1981

  Harrier GR3

  NPD

  Yes

  25 August 1981

  Harrier GR3

  SE

  Yes

  12 February 1982

  Harrier GR3

  NPD

  Yes

  6 May 1982

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  NOM

  No

  6 May 1982

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  NOM

  No

  23 May 1982

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  NPD

  No

  29 May 1982

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  NOM

  No

  8 June 1982

  Harrier GR3

  NPD

  No

  29 June 1982

  Harrier T4

  AE

  No

  6 November 1982

  Harrier GR3

  TF

  No

  21 January 1983

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  AE

  No

  23 February 1983

  Harrier T4 and GR3

  AE

  4No

  22 March 1983

  Harrier GR3

  NPD

  No

  3 May 1983

  Harrier GR3

  SE

  No

  14 June 1983

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  NPD

  No

  20 October 1983

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  TF

  No

  289

  Date

  Type

  1Cause

  2Low flying

  28 October 1983

  Harrier GR3

  NPD

  No

  19 November 1983

  Harrier GR3

  NPD

  No

  16 March 1984

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  TF

  No

  3 June 1984

  Harrier GR3

  TF

  No

  29 November 1984

  Harrier GR3

  NOM

  Yes

  1 December 1984

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  NOM

  Yes

  7 February 1985

  Sea Harrier T4

  AE

  No

  18 February 1985

  Harrier T4

  NOM

  5Yes

  19 November 1985

  Harrier GR3

  NOM

  No

  16 April 1986

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  AE

  No

  17 June 1986

  Harrier GR3

  TF

  No

  28 June 1986

  Harrier GR3

  AE

  No

  15 October 1987

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  NOM

  Yes

  2 November 1987

  Harrier GR3 x2

  AE

  6No

  20 May 1988

  Harrier GR3

  AE

  No

  18 August 1988

  Harrier GR3

  NPD

  No

  20 June 1989

  Harrier T4

  AE

  No

  4 October 1989

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  AE

  No

  29 October 1989

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  SE

  No

  1 December 1989

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  TF

  No

  8 May 1990

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  AE

  No

  17 October 1990

  Harrier GR5

  SE

  No

  10 May 1991

  Sea Harrier FRS 1

  NPD

  Yes

  29 May 1991

  Harrier GR7

  TF

  No

  25 September 1991

  Harrier T4

  NOM

  Yes

  30 September 1991

  Harrier GR5

  AE

  No

  14 May 1992

  Harrier GR3

  NOM

  No

  28 May 1992

  Sea Harrier FRS1

  NPD

  No

  7 August 1992

  Harrier GR5

  TF

  No

  28 June 1993

  Harrier GR7

  NYD

  Yes

  1 AE — Air crew error. SE — Servicing error. NOM — Natural, operating and medical hazards. TF — Technical failure. NPD — Not positively determined. NYD — Not yet determined (board of inquiry not yet complete).

  2 Low flying column: Indicates whether the aircraft was engaged in low-flying (raining or not, it does not include accidents during take-off or landing or during low-level aerobatics displays.

  3 Mid-air collision involving two Harrier GR3s.

  4 Mid-air collision involving Hairier T4 and Harrier GR3.

  5 Mid-air collision involving Harrier GR3 and German Federal Marine F104 aircraft.

  6 Mid-air collision involving two Harrier GR3s.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the accident to a Harrier GR7 aircraft on 28 June.

  Mr. Hanley
  The report of the RAF board of inquiry into this accident is not yet complete. A summary of the board's findings will be published in due course.

  Flag and Cope Thunder Exercises
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates and number and type of aircraft involved of all RAF participation in Flag and Cope Thunder Exercises in North America since 1989.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows:
  290

  Dates

  Aircraft Types

  Red/Green Flag

  April 1989

  9 Tornado GR1s

  April 1990

  9 Tornado GR1s

  April 1991

  10 Harriers

  January-February 1992

  8 Tornado GR1s

  October-November 1992

  8 Tornado GR1s, 6 Tornado F3s, 2 Victors, 1 C-130

  Cope Thunder/Distant Frontier

  April-May 1990

  4 Tornado GR1s

  April-May 1992

  8 Tornado GR1s, 6 Tornado F3s, 1E-3D, 1 VC10 Tanker, 1 C-130

  April-May 1993

  9 Tornado GR1s, 8 Tornado F3, 1 C-120

  Maple Flag

  Records of RAF participation in Maple Flag exercises in Canada are not held centrally. The exercise takes place in May-June each year, and RAF participation usually comprises either eight Jaguars or Harriers, which usually attend in alternate years.

  MiG Aircraft Collision
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what powers he has to conduct an investigation into the accident involving two MiG-29 aircraft at RAF Fairford on 25 July.

  Mr. Hanley
  The accident involving two MiG-29 aircraft at RAF Fairford occurred on 24 July 1993 during the international air tattoo (IAT). An RAF board of inquiry was convened because the accident occurred on MoD property, at a flying display which was being conducted under military flying regulations. The investigation was held with the agreement of both the IAT management and the Russian authorities.

  Departmental Land
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many acres of land are owned by his Department in the United Kingdom; and what is their estimated capital value.

  Mr. Hanley
  The size of the defence estate in the United Kingdom is approximately 600,000 acres of freehold and leasehold land. It has never been subject to formal valuation.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many houses are owned by his Department; what is their capital value; and how many are vacant.

  Mr. Hanley
  As at 30 September 1993 the Ministry of Defence owned 72,178 service married quarters, of which 10,124 were vacant, and 677 civilian houses, of which 134 were vacant. The majority of the vacant properties were either undergoing or awaiting major maintenance work and modernisation, held for future deployments, awaiting units returning from overseas, already allotted to service families or under consideration for disposal. In addition 1,843 married quarters—1,150 of them vacant—and 512 civilian houses—61 of them vacant—were in the process of being sold. The overall capital value of the MOD's housing stock has not been assessed.

  Civil Servants—Service Personnel Ratio
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the ratio of civil servants in his Department to service men and women(a) five years ago and (b) at the latest date for which the information is available.

  Mr. Hanley
  As at 1 April 1988 there were 317,000 United Kingdom regular forces and 143,000 full-time equivalent United Kingdom-based MOD civil servants of which 33,600 were in the administration group, the remainder being specialist non-industrial staff and industrial staff. At 1 September 1993 the total were 267,200 United Kingdom regular forces and 128,000 full-time equivalent United Kingdom-based MOD civil servants of whom 33,000 were in the administration group.

  These give ratios of administration group MOD United Kingdom-based civil servants to United Kingdom regular forces of 1:9·43 at 1 April 1988 and 1:8·1 at 1 September 1993.

  Digitised Charts
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statment on the preparation, investment and achievement in the hydrographics department's production of digitised charts; and what assessment has been made of the extent to which this work will enable the United Kingdom to compete succesfully in the world market for such charts.

  Mr. Hanley
  Responsibility for the subject in question is a matter for the Hydrographic Office Defence Support Agency under its chief executive, Rear Admiral J. A. L. Myres. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from J. A. L. Myres to Mr. David Nicholson, dated 29 October 1993:

  PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION—0820G
  You recently asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he would make a statement on the preparation, investment and achievement in the Hydrographic Department's production of digitised charts, and what assessment has been made of the extent to which this work will enable the United Kingdom to compete successfully in the world markets for such charts.
  The Minister has asked me, as Chief Executive of the Hydrographic Office, to reply directly to you.
  Vessels are required under international law to carry charts when at sea. It has been recognised for some time that the use of digital versions of the current paper charts in conjunction with ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems) has the potential to increase significantly the safety of navigation and the protection of the marine and littoral environment, and also to reduce vessels' running costs. However, to translate this concept into reality, it was recognised that it was first necessary to reach international agreement on a wide range of associated technical, organisational, financial and legal aspects. I am pleased to say the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (HO) has played, and continues to play, a major role in these international discussions and in the formulation of the resulting standards for the exchange of digital data which were formally endorsed and promulgated by the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) at its 1992 Conference.
  At the same time, the HO's fully-costed and formally-endorsed 10 year information System Strategy aims both to maximise the use of digital data and digital techniques in order to increase the efficiency of its operation, and to meet existing and future requirements to supply digital as well as paper charts to our customers. I am glad to say that the implementation of this strategy is proceeding to timetable.
  Conscious of the requirements and needs of the emerging market for digital data and products, I can also detail two
  292
  initiatives which the HO is actively pursuing. The first of these is the Admiralty Raster Chart Service (ARCS) in which we are collaborating with two British private sector companies. The enclosed press release provides details of the service which will be demonstrated for the first time in public next month at the Europort Exhibition. The second is the United Kingdom Coastal Zone Mapping Project (CZMP) which we are developing in collaboration with our sister Agency, Ordnance Survey. I am sure you will recall my invitation to you to attend a technical symposium in Westminster on 9 March 1993 at which we introduced the project to potential customers and sought their comments; sadly you were unable to attend. The CZMP seeks to provide the digital geographic template to allow the more effective management of the many aspects of the coastal zone, in line with the recommendations of the House of Commons Select Committee Report on the Environment (Coastal Zone Protection and Planning) under the chairmanship of Sir Hugh Rossi.
  The intention is, and I firmly believe the reality will be, that the HO's pre-eminent position in supplying paper charts to the international maritime community will be successfully carried forward into the digital era.

  Public Record Office
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how long access to his Department's archives in the Public Record Office in Hayes has been blocked because of contamination of records by asbestos dust; what action is being taken to remedy the situation; and when applications for disability pensions and other matters will be able to be progressed.

  Mr. Hanley
  Following discovery of asbestos contamination the archive at Hayes has been closed to normal working since 24 June 1993, although restricted access for urgent matters has been maintained through the use of contractors or archive staff wearing protective clothing.

  Responsibility for decontamination lies with Property Holdings of the Department of the Environment. Work has commenced on the removal of asbestos lagging and sealing the asbestos-sheet roofs, while tenders have been sought for cleaning the archive and all the records.

  Priority will be given to that part of the archive containing service records and we are hopeful that unrestricted access will be possible from about mid-December.

  United States Bases
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United States military bases have been closed in the United Kingdom in each of that past five years; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Hanley
  The bases and facilities made available to the United States visiting forces and which have been returned to Ministry of Defence control in each of the past five years are as follows:

  Base

  Facilities

  Date

  1988:

  Bramley

  Storage/Support

  January 1988

  1989:

  RAF Ridgewell

  Storage/Support

  August 1989

  1990:

  RAF Wethersfield

  Standby Deployment Base

  October 1990

  1991:

  RAF Chessington

  Contingency Hospital

  September 1991

  293

  Base

  Facilities

  Date

  RAF Hullavington

  Storage/Support

  September 1991

  RAF Kirknewton

  Contingency Hospital

  September 1991

  RAF Lanark

  Contingency Hospital

  September 1991

  1992:

  Aberdeen

  Communications Site

  November 1992

  NAD Broughton Moor

  NATO Armaments Depot

  June 1992

  RAF Caimmore Hilloch

  Communications Site

  October 1992

  Great Bromley

  Communications Site

  May 1992

  Greatworth

  Communication Site

  February 1992

  RAF Greenham Common

  Standby Deployment Base

  September 1992

  Holy Loch

  Storage/Support

  June 1992

  RAF Inverbervie

  Communications Site

  October 1992

  RAF Kemble

  Storage/Support

  June 1992

  RAF Locking

  Contingency Hospital

  October 1992

  Martlesham Heath

  Communications Site

  July 1992

  RAF Sculthorpe

  Standby Deployment Base

  October 1992

  West Murkle

  Communications Site

  October 1992

  1993:

  RAF Bentwaters

  Main Operating Base

  September 1993

  RAF Burtonwood

  Storage/Support

  August 1993

  Forss

  Communications Site

  September 1993

  Framlingham

  Storage/Support

  September 1993

  NAD Glen Douglas

  NATO Armaments Depot

  October 1993

  RAF Kinnaber

  Communications Site

  January 1993

  RAF Macrihanish

  Storage/Support

  April 1993

  Mormond Hill

  Communications Site

  January 1993

  RAF Woodbridge

  Main Operating Base

  August 1993

  Redundancies
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been paid in redundancy payments to members of the British armed forces in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Hanley
  The current redundancy programme began in financial year 1992–93. In that year a total of some £97,000,000 was spent on special capital payments. In the current year it is estimated that some £281,000,000 will be spent. In addition personnel who have served for 12 years or more are eligible for an immediate pension and terminal grant-for those with less than 12 years service these are preserved until age of 60. These payments would be made whether the individual left on redundancy or at the end of their agreed service. Expenditure on pension, terminal grants and commutation of pension was some £135,000,000 in 1992–93 and is estimated to be £247,000,000 for 1993–94.

  Civil Servants (Retirements)
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what conditions will be placed on early retirees to prevent their subsequent re-employment as civil servants or consultants by their previous departments.

  Mr. Aitken
  Early retirees may be re-engaged to carry out essential work which cannot otherwise be continued or completed. They may also be taken on as consultants to undertake work for which no expertise exists, or can be made available, from within the Department. There are no proposals to impose conditions to prevent such employment.

  Business Development Advisers
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the business development advisers appointed by his Department since 1979 giving details of the periods of their appointment.

  Mr. Hanley
  Since 1979 many different areas of the Ministry of Defence have appointed, or otherwise sought the views of, external consultants to advise on aspects of their business; and such appointments have been for widely varying periods of time. Full information on such appointments is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Officers' Housing
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the justification for his Department's proposal to build a house for a brigadier on green belt land off School lane, Pirbright, and 11 officers' married quarters, also on green belt land, west of Caterham close, Pirbright.

  Mr. Hanley
  The possible reroling of Queen Elizabeth barracks Pirbright is at present being considered. A review of married quarter holdings identified a possible shortfall of 11 officer quarters and one type 2 quarter. As a preliminary measure the local planning officer's views were sought and an application was submitted regarding the suitability of using MOD land for the construction of quarters should the need arise. The planning application has now been withdrawn. Possible further uses for the barracks continue to be examined but at this stage no conclusions have been reached.

  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the officers' married quarters in Caterham close and Dawneys road, Pirbright are currently occupied by personnel who are not employed at Pirbright camp.

  Mr. Hanley
  Six of the quarters are occupied by personnel not employed at Pirbright camp. They are entitled to occupy these quarters because Pirbright is used as a dormitory area for headquarters London district.

  IMS Ltd.
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the size of the staff and the net cash assets or liabilities of IMS Ltd. when it was wound up; and to where those staff and assets or liabilities were transferred.

  Mr. Aitken
  International Military Services (IMS) is a private limited company. It ceased trading in July 1991 and is in the process of being run down with the aim of going into liquidation once its obligations have been met. Information relating to the trading operations of the company is commercially confidential. The company publishes its accounts for public scrutiny in accordance with company law.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library tables showing the size and geographical location of(a) IMS Ltd. and (b) the defence export sales organisation.

  Mr. Aitken
  Yes.

  Export Sales Agreements
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether advice or assistance has been offered to the Malaysian Government on the construction of air and naval base facilities in that country since 1984.

  Mr. Aitken
  Yes.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the products exported to, and projects commenced in, Brunei under the United Kingdom-Brunei defence export sales agreement since 1984; and which were the lead British enterprises involved in each case.

  Mr. Aitken
  In 1989 a defence protocol agreement was signed between the Governments of the United Kingdom and Brunei. To date, there have been no purchases by Brunei as a result of this agreement.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the products exported to, and projects commenced in, Malaysia under the United Kingdom-Malaysia defence export sales agreement since 1984; and which were the lead British enterprises involved in each case.

  Mr. Aitken
  A memorandum of understanding was not signed until September 1988. Under the terms of this MOU the Malaysian Government agreed to purchase various military equipments from the United Kingdom. The terms of the MOU cannot be released for reasons of commercial confidentiality, but since its signature contracts have been signed with a total value in excess of £1 billion.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the products exported to, and projects commenced in, Saudi Arabia under the Al Yamamah agreements; and which were the lead British enterprises involved in each case.

  Mr. Aitken
  The Al-Yamamah programme has included the provision to Saudi Arabia of Tornado aircraft, Hawk and PC-9 training aircraft, minehunters and major defence construction projects, together with associated equipment, infrastructure and extensive manpower and logistic support. An agreement for the supply of further Tornado aircraft was concluded this year. This is a Government-to-Government programme under which British Aerospace acts as prime contractor to the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the products exported to, and projects commenced in, Jordan under the United Kingdom-Jordan defence export sales agreement with, in each case, the lead British enterprise involved, since 1984.

  Mr. Aitken
  It is not our practice to comment on detailed matters concerning individual defence exports. However, in this case the information concerned has been released to the Scott inquiry. Exceptionally, therefore, I can provide the information the hon. Gentleman requests, which is as follows:

  Project

  Lead British enterprise

  1. 120mm and 105 ammunition

  Royal Ordnance

  2. Mod Kit for APFSDS

  IMS

  3. MBT spares

  VDS

  296

  Project

  Lead British enterprise

  4. MBT spares

  Royal Ordnance

  5. MBT spares

  David Brown vehicle transmissions

  6. Training Simulator

  Invertron Sim Systems

  7. Mine Plough. Dozer Blade

  Pearson Engineering

  8. Giant Viper and Trailers

  Royal Ordnance

  9. Trackway 30 and 60

  Laird (Anglesey)

  10. Trackway 60

  Laird (Anglesey)

  11. Trackway Vehicles

  Leyland

  12. Medium Girder Bridge

  Fairey Engineering

  13. C/Mine Flail vehicle

  Aardvark

  14. Water Purification Eqpt

  Stelia-Meta Filters

  15. Medical Equipment

  IMS

  16. Land Rover Vehicles

  Land Rover

  17. Land Rover/Fighting Veh

  Land Rover

  18. Land Rover Vehicle

  Glover Webb

  19. Armoured Land Rover

  Shorts

  20. MRA 7 Tellurometer

  Tellumat

  21. Laser Range Finder LP6

  USI

  22. Motorcycle

  Armstrong Motorcycles

  23. Director Artillery

  Hall and Watts

  24. Rapid Runway Repair Eqpt

  IMS

  25. Generators

  Mirrless Blackstone

  26. VHF Advanced Radios

  Marconi Secure Radio

  27. EOD Equipment

  IMS

  28. Fire Protection Eqpt

  Graviner

  29. LAW 80

  Hunting Engineering

  30. Radar

  Marconi Radar

  31. Radars

  Marconi Radar

  32. Cranes

  Grove Coles

  33. Workshop Eqpt

  Air-tec

  34. Workshop Eqpt

  Kennedy Int.

  35. FS Avionics update

  Smiths Industries

  36. EW Eqpt (Gnd/Air)

  Racal

  37. Cables

  BICC

  38. Cables/Transmission Eqpt

  STC

  39. Hawkeye Spares

  Hawkeye Systems

  40. Hawkeye Support Eqpt

  Hawkeye Systems

  41. Camouflage Nets

  Bridport Aviation

  42. Camouflage Nets

  Bridport Aviation

  43. Thermal Imager units

  Thorn EMI

  44. Communications Eqpt

  IMS

  45. HF/Misc Comms Eqpt

  Marconi Comms

  46. Laser Training Eqpt

  Centronic

  47. Engineering Eqpt

  IMS

  48. Air Cargo Loader

  Avialift Products

  49. Additional L/Rovers

  Land Rover

  50. Tank Transporters

  Foden Trucks

  51. Retreading Facility

  Avon Tyres

  52. Additional L/Rovers

  Land Rover

  53. A/C Combat Simulator

  British Aerospace

  54. Fast Patrol Boats (30m)

  Vosper Thornycroft

  55. Fast Patrol Boats (13m)

  RTK Marine

  56. 20 and 30mm Ammunition

  BMARC

  57. Oversight Services

  MOD UK

  58. Engineering Consultancy

  Rendel, Palmer + Tritton

  59. 17A2 GPMG

  IMS

  60. Target Drones

  TTL

  A small proportion of the equipment contracted for under these arrangements has not been delivered.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the date of the settlement of the defence exports sales agreements with Jordan, Malaysia, Brunei and the Al Yamamah agreement with Saudi Arabia since 1984; which was the British agency responsible for administering these agreements; and what was the value of the total order placed for each agreement in both current and standard prices.

  Mr. Aitken
  Two memoranda of understanding covering the sale of defence equipment with Jordan have been agreed, the first on 19 September 1985 and the second
  297
  on 9 June 1987. Administration of the contracts placed under these arrangements was provided by International Military Services.

  The former Prime Minister and the Malaysian Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir, signed a memorandum of understanding in September 1988, and a defence protocol was signed between the Governments of the United Kingdom and Brunei in 1989. The original formal understanding and the memorandum of understanding between Her Majesty's Government and the Saudi Arabian Government concerning Project Al Yamamah were concluded, respectively, in 1985 and 1986. A further formal understanding was concluded in 1988. All these agreements are administered by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence.

  The exact value of orders placed under such agreements is confidential to the Government concerned.

  Eurofighter
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what problems are being experienced with the installation of flight control systems in the Eurofighter by Deutsche Aerospace; what delays to the project have resulted; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell) on 1 November at column 67.

  Pathfinder Initiative
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the successful and unsuccessful bids submitted to him under the Pathfinder initiative; and what was the cash value of each successful bid.

  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.

  Letter from Mr. J. Chisholm to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 3 November 1993:
  In today's written answer the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed you that I would be replying to your question about Pathfinder.
  The DRA received over 640 bids in response to its Pathfinder initiative. So far 43 proposals with a total value of over £15·4 million have been accepted. A further 133 proposals with a total value of £42·7 million have been accepted in principle and negotiations are continuing to determine how these can best be incorporated into the existing research programme.
  For reasons of commercial confidentiality I am not able to provide a list of all the bids received or their values. I would, however, hope to be in a position to give further details of the successful bids—;though not the values—once formal contracts have been negotiated and the permission of the individual companies obtained. Some of this information should be available by the time of the second Pathfinder Conference which will be held at Farnborough on 24 and 25 November and I will write to you then with an update.

  British Aerospace
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with British Aerospace on the national security implications of any proposals to out-source information technology being put forward by that company.
  298
  Mr. Aitken
  My officials have had discussions with representatives of British Aerospace and have agreed that out-sourcing of their information technology work may be possible provided that certain well-defined security conditions are complied with.

  Ferranti
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what competitive considerations for defence procurement there are in the proposed takeover of Ferranti by GEC; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department is examining the competition implications of the proposed acquisition by GEC of Ferranti International and will, if necessary, advise the regulatory authorities in the usual manner. Advice of this nature is confidential.

  GEC Marconi
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts he has placed with GEC Marconi since 15 July; and what is their value.

  Mr. Aitken
  Our latest centrally held records show that GEC Marconi Ltd. was awarded 72 MOD contracts with a total value of approximately £6·57 million in the period 15 July 1993 to 30 September 1993.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the efforts being made and planned by his Department to develop computer simulation programmes and other methods of testing nuclear weapons not involving underground detonations of a nuclear device.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 2 November 1992 at column 53.

  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the military role of British sub-strategic nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence during the debate on the Statement on the Defence Estimates on 18 October 1993,Official Report, col. 34.

  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the contribution made to the military doctrine of NATO by British sub-strategic nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Hanley
  The contribution of British nuclear weapons to the overall deterrence and security of the allies is recognised in the alliance's strategic concept, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. A significant proportion of the sub-strategic weapons assigned to the alliance are British.

  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department designates a nuclear weapon as sub-strategic on the basis of(a) range, (b) yield or (c) the military role allocated to the weapon.

  Mr. Hanley
  The designation "sub-strategic" relates to the type of action to which the weapon would contribute.

  Anglo-French Nuclear Co-operation Council
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether it is intended that the Government of the United States will participate in the Anglo-French Nuclear Co-operation Council; and what discussions he has had with the United States Government on this matter;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the function and organisation of the Anglo-French Nuclear Co-operation Council; and if he will place the documents relating to the establishment of this council in the Library;

  (3) what matters will be discussed in the Anglo-French Nuclear Co-operation Council;

  (4) if the documents relating to the business of the Anglo-French Nuclear Co-operation Council will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Franco-British Joint Commission on Nuclear Policy and Doctrine was set up in autumn 1992. It brings together senior officials from the British and French Foreign and Defence Ministries, reporting as necessary to Ministers. The commission has carried out a comparison of the two countries' approaches to the role of deterrence, nuclear doctrines and concepts, anti-missile defences, arms control and non-proliferation. Further joint work on these subjects is in hand. The focus of the commission's work has been to deepen the dialogue on nuclear policy issues between the United Kingdom and France rather than to arrive at agreed Franco-British public positions on those issues. It has not so far produced papers appropriate for placing in the Library of the House. There are no plans for the United States to participate in these bilateral discussions: we have similar discussions with the United States both bilaterally and within NATO.

  NATO Nuclear Planning Group
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the remit of NATO's nuclear planning group includes discussion of nuclear arms control and nuclear non-proliferation issues.

  Mr. Hanley
  Issues relating to nuclear arms control and non-proliferation are discussed at nuclear planning group meetings to the extent that they affect the responsibilities of NATO Defence Ministers.

  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's view of the purpose and remit of NATO's nuclear planning group.

  Mr. Hanley
  The purpose of the nuclear planning group is to enable alliance Defence Ministers to discuss matters relating to NATO's nuclear posture, including questions of policy, doctrine, plans and procedures.

  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if NATO will consider extending the membership of the nuclear planning group to include non-treaty members of the North Atlantic Co-operation Council.

  Mr. Hanley
  We do not consider that it would be appropriate for co-operation partners to participate in the work of the nuclear planning group.

  WE177 Free-fall Bomb
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's programme to extend the service life of the WE177 free-fall bomb.
  300
  Mr. Hanley
  We currently assess that the WE177 carried by the Tornado aircraft will be able to provide an effective capability into the first decade of the next century.

  Ammunition
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 28 October,Official Report, column 729, what proportion of ammunition and propellants supplied to the armed services has been placed indirectly with foreign companies.

  Mr. Aitken
  This is a matter for the prime contractors concerned.

  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 28 October,Official Report, column 728, in what country the non-EC supplier of ammunition or propellants is incorporated.

  Mr. Aitken
  Austria.

  Submarine Accidents
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the maximum area and radius which would have to be(a) evacuated and (b) subjected to restrictions in the worst case scenario of a severely ruptured submarine reactor due to collision or other circumstances in the firth of Forth or the firth of Clyde; and what contingency plans have been made.

  Mr. Hanley
  [pursuant to his answer, 29 October 1993, c. 802–3]: The answer that I gave the hon. Member on 29 October should have read as follows:

  The overall probability of any accident resulting in even a small release is very low indeed. Nevertheless it remains prudent to develop contingency plans to respond to the possibility of an accident which might result in a radioactive hazard. The risk of an accident which would require the application of public protection measures such as shelter, evacuation or taking potassium iodate tablets beyond a distance of 10 km from any accident location is no more likely than about one in one million in any one year, even assuming a reactor is operating continuously at that particular location.

  No. 15 (Reserve) Squadron
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the impact of the move of No. 15 (Reserve) Squadron RAF to Lossiemouth on the frequency of use of the weapons ranges at(a) Tain, (b) Rosehearty and (c) Cape Wrath.

  Mr. Hanley
  The use of the ranges at RAF Tain and RAF Rosehearty has decreased during the last 12 months following the progressive withdrawal from the United Kingdom of USAF F-111 aircraft and the run-down of the Buccaneers at RAF Lossiemouth. The move of No. 15 (Reserve) Squadron to RAF Lossiemouth is expected to increase usage from current levels in such a way as to be approximately in line with that which applied at 1992. The use of the Cape Wrath range is not expected to be affected by the move of No. 15 (Reserve) Squadron.

  IRISH CONSTITUTIONAL TALKS
  IRISH CONSTITUTIONAL TALKS
  LIVESTOCK PREMIUM QUOTAS
  LIVESTOCK PREMIUM QUOTAS
  EXPORT PROMOTION: SERVICES TO BUSINESSES
  EXPORT PROMOTION: SERVICES TO BUSINESSES
  US PATENT LAW
  US PATENT LAW
  LIGHT DUES AND PLEASURE CRAFT
  LIGHT DUES AND PLEASURE CRAFT
  BUDGET DISCIPLINE: INTER-INSTITUTIONAL AGREEMENT
  BUDGET DISCIPLINE: INTER-INSTITUTIONAL AGREEMENT
  BT SHARE OFFER: COSTS
  BT SHARE OFFER: COSTS
  VAT RATINGS: ESTIMATED COSTS
  VAT RATINGS: ESTIMATED COSTS
  MoD CONTRACTS BULLETIN: CIRCULATION
  MoD CONTRACTS BULLETIN: CIRCULATION
  ARMY PERSONNEL CENTRE
  ARMY PERSONNEL CENTRE
  SERVICE PERSONNEL IN BOSNIA: ALLOWANCES
  SERVICE PERSONNEL IN BOSNIA: ALLOWANCES
  "NEXT STEPS": MoD RESPONSE
  "NEXT STEPS": MoD RESPONSE
  RIGHTS OF THE CHILD: UN COMMITTEE
  RIGHTS OF THE CHILD: UN COMMITTEE
  RIGHTS OF THE CHILD: UN COMMITTEE REPORT
  RIGHTS OF THE CHILD: UN COMMITTEE REPORT
  CHILD SUPPORT AGENCY: PERFORMANCE-RELATED PAY
  CHILD SUPPORT AGENCY: PERFORMANCE-RELATED PAY
  MARSH ARABS: ASSESSMENT TEAM PROPOSAL
  MARSH ARABS: ASSESSMENT TEAM PROPOSAL
  KOSOVO
  KOSOVO
  PRESIDENT YELTSIN: UK SUPPORT
  PRESIDENT YELTSIN: UK SUPPORT