Written Answers of 19 October 1993

ENVIRONMENT

  Partnerships for Change
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the initiatives launched and outcome of the Partnerships for Change conference held in Manchester on 20 to 22 September; and if he will place in the Library a copy of his speech made to the conference.

  Mr. Yeo
  We are preparing a Partnerships in Practice guide to reflect the exchange of experience which took place at the Partnerships for Change conference and to draw out lessons about achieving sustainable development through partnership. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has arranged for a copy of his speech to the conference to be placed in the Library.

  Energy Conservation
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representation Her Majesty's Government had at the symposium on the environmental benefits of energy conservation organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe in Moscow on 20 to 24 September.

  Mr. Yeo
  Four representatives from the United Kingdom energy efficiency industry were present at the symposium in Moscow on 20 to 24 September. There was no official from Her Majesty's Government present, but officials from the Energy Efficiency Office, who have regularly attended steering committee meetings of the UNECE, kept in touch with the United Kingdom industry representatives.

  Environment Council
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what matters were discussed and what decisions taken at the Environment Council meeting in Luxembourg on 5 October; and if he will indicate the policy proposals put forward by the United Kingdom and the votes taken on each proposal.

  Mr. Yeo
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Windsor and Maidenhead (Mr. Trend).

  Environment Management
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to meet the Engineering Employers Federation to discuss environmental management strategies.

  Mr. Yeo
  None, but my officials are in regular contact with the federation.

  Environmental Assessment
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what meetings he has had in 1993 with the Environmental Auditors Registration Association; and what further meetings are planned with the EARA and the Institute of Environmental Assessment.

  Mr. Yeo
  None, but my officials are in regular contact with both organisations.

  Leasehold Reform
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the Advisory Service for Leaseholders seeking to enfranchise or extend their lease under the provisions of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, to come into operation.

  Sir George Young
  The leasehold reform co-ordinating committee has now submitted firm proposals to me for a Leasehold Enfranchisement Advisory Service for England and Wales and I am urgently considering its request for Government financial assistance. I therefore hope to be able to make an announcement about the commencement of this service very shortly.

  Transport and Security Services Division
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made towards establishing the transport and security services division of his Department as an executive agency.

  Sir George Young
  I am pleased to announce that the agency, which will be called Security Facilities Executive (SAFE), was established on 15 October 1993. It incorporates all the functions carried out by transport and security services division (TSSD) which comprised custody services, Government car service, interdispatch service, security furniture services and special services group. The divisional director, John King, has been appointed the chief executive following an open competition.

  The aim and objectives of the agency are set our in a framework document, copies of which will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. By setting demanding and realistic targets each year, I will be encouraging SAFE to maintain and improve its existing standards of performance. I am confident that the agency will rise to the challenge and continue to enhance the value for money that it offers whilst maintaining its enviable standards of excellence.

  For 1993–94, the following have been set for the agency:

  Category

  Measure

  Target

  Financial

  Outturn on the vote

  A surplus of £1.8 million

  Outturn on net running costs

  A deficit of £1.1 million

  Outturn on cost recovery in accruals terms

  99 per cent.

  Efficiency

  Unit costs

  No increase in real terms

  Quality of Service

  Regular customer surveys

  Average rating of "good" or higher

  Environment

  Vehicle fuel efficiency

  Annual average of 24 miles per gallon

  Recycling
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made as to the proportion of(a) plastics, (b) paper, (c) steel and (d) glass produced each year since 1980, which has subsequently been recycled.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 18 October 1993]: The following table, drawn mainly from the Department of the Environment's "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics", shows the known amounts recycled since 1980 (as a percentage of consumption):

  per cent

  Plastics

  Paper and Board

  Steel Cans

  Glass

  1980

  1—

  29

  —

  2

  1981

  1—

  28

  —

  3

  1982

  1—

  27

  —

  4

  1983

  1—

  25

  —

  7

  1984

  1—

  26

  —

  9

  1985

  1—

  27

  —

  13

  1986

  1—

  27

  —

  12

  1987

  1—

  26

  —

  14

  1988

  1—

  26

  8

  16

  1989

  1—

  27

  8

  17

  1990

  2

  31

  9

  20

  1991

  5

  32

  10

  21

  1992

  6

  32

  12

  26

  1 Not available.

  Packaging
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures are being taken by his Department to encourage the use of reduced quantities of(a) metals, (b) plastic and (c) paper in packaging; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 18 October 1993]: Over the past two years the Government have been conducting
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  intensive discussions with a range of industries, including the packaging industry, to see what measures can be taken to reduce unnecessary packaging and improve the recycling rates of different packaging materials.

  On 27 July we invited all sections of the packaging industry—manufacturers and fillers of packaging and retailers—to draw up a plan for raising current levels of recovery to between 50 and 75 per cent. by the year 2000.

  We are asking these businesses collectively to take their share of responsibility for what happens to packaging once it has served its original purpose, while at the same time minimising the use of packaging wherever possible and encouraging reuse wherever practicable.

  We have set five objectives which any industry plan must meet:
  First, there needs to be an effective organisation, spanning all the relevant business sectors, which can both draw up a plan and put it into action;
  Secondly, there needs to be a commitment by business to meet the costs of new collection and processing capacity and of developing a mechanism for raising the necessary finances;
  Thirdly, against the background of a build up in capacity to increase recovery levels to between 50 and 70 per cent. by the year 2000, to expand collection and processing capacity within the next year,
  Fourthly, to encourage industry to increase demand for recycled material where it meets the appropriate standards;
  Fifthly, to safeguard recycling infrastructure for plastic and paper and board, which are currently threatened by subsidised foreign imports.

  We have invited leading figures in the industry to report back by the end of October on the action which they have taken to help collection and processing operations to continue, especially for waste paper, board and plastics. And we are asking them to present us with an effective plan for meeting all these objectives, before this Christmas.

  Copies of two recent DOE press releases (Nos. 519 and 594) setting out our challenge to the packaging industry have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Water Services
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when Her Majesty's Government intend to publish a response to the water regulator Ian Byatt's paper "Paying For Quality"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  In our document "Water Charges: the Quality Framework", my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have today responded to the Director General of Water Services' request for our perspective on the policy context of the review of water company price limits which he intends to complete next summer.

  Our safety and environmental standards are already high, but it is right that where necessary they should be further improved to achieve sustainable use of our water. Our privatised companies are already investing £3 billion a year to this end. Their charges are low compared with elsewhere in Europe.

  Charges will have to rise to finance further improvements. But they must also be sustainable. We expect that the water companies will continue to make significant efficiency improvements, and the law requires the Director General to be rigorous in identifying the scope for reduced costs.

  But we must also strike the right balance between the pace of quality improvements and costs, so that people do not face excessive increases in bills in the short term. In Europe and at home, we have to ask whether our priorities are right, whether benefits justify costs, and whether today's consumers are being asked unnecessarily to pay for long-term benefits.

  For our part, we shall look hard at costs in deciding how and when we place further obligations on water companies. We propose to make it a duty for the Environment Agency to do this. Meanwhile we expect the National Rivers Authority and the drinking water inspectorate to do so when they are not legally precluded from taking costs into account.

  The Government are also inviting their EC partners to re-examine priorities, for example, in the detailed implementation of the urban waste water treatment directive, so as to focus on the most immediate environmental concerns. The European Commission has already begun a much-needed review of the drinking water directive and we welcome its assurance that its proposals will be fully costed in relation to the likely benefits.

  The Director General sought certainty about the obligations that water companies would have to meet in the period 1995–2005. Such certainty facilitates efficiency and cost-reduction. But it is not reasonable to expect society to place itself under a 10-year moratorium on health, safety and environmental improvements: if, for example, a serious risk to health comes to light, we could not take
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  immediate action. But price limits do not need to take account of possible obligations which have not yet been decided upon.

  A copy of the response has been placed in the Library.

DEFENCE

  Gulf Battle Honours
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Gravesham (Mr. Arnold) of 24 February,Official Report, columns 657–58, if he will make a statement as to, which regiments and corps of the Army and squadrons of the RAF will be able to include the Gulf campaign in their battle honours.

  Mr. Hanley
  Her Majesty the Queen has graciously approved the award of the theatre honour "Gulf 1991" and the battle honours "Wadi al Batin" and "Western Iraq" to the Army regiments and corps listed. Her Majesty has also approved the emblazonment of the theatre honour "Gulf 1991" on the colours, standards, or guidons of those regiments and corps awarded this honour.

  Her Majesty the Queen has also graciously approved the award of the battle honour "Gulf 1991" to the squadrons of the Royal Air Force listed. Squadrons which were involved in direct confrontation with the enemy and demonstrated gallantry and spirit under fire have been awarded the battle honour "Gulf 1991" with the right to emblazon the honour on their standards. Squadrons which operated in theatre and contributed to operations against the enemy have been awarded the battle honour "Gulf 1991" without the right to emblazon the honour on their standards.

  Her Majesty the Queen has also graciously approved the retrospective award of the theatre honour "Falkland Islands 1982" to the Army Air Corps for its part in the Falklands campaign.

  Army Regiments and Corps awarded the Theatre Honour "Gulf 1991" with the right of Emblazonment

  The Life Guards

  1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards

  The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys)

  The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars

  14th/20th King's Hussars

  16th/5th The Queen's Royal Lancers

  Grenadier Guards

  Coldstream Guards

  Scots Guards

  The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)

  The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

  The Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment)

  The King's Own Scottish Borderers

  The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's)

  Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons)

  Special Air Service Regiment

  Army Air Corps

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  Army Regiments and Corps awarded the Battle Honour "Wadi al Batin"

  The Life Guards

  1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards

  The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys)

  The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars

  14th/20th King's Hussars

  16th/5th The Queen's Royal Lancers

  Grenadier Guards

  The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)

  The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

  The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's)

  Army Air Corps

  Army Regiment awarded the Battle Honour "Western Iraq"

  Special Air Service Regiment

  Royal Air Force Squadrons awarded the Battle Honour "Gulf 1991", with the right of Emblazonment

  Number 1 Squadron

  Royal Air Force Regiment

  Scorpion/Spartan

  Number 2 Squadron

  Tornado GR1a

  Number 6 Squadron

  Jaguar

  Number 7 Squadron

  Helicopter SF

  Number 9 Squadron

  Tornado GR1

  Number 12 Squadron

  Buccaneer

  Number 13 Squadron

  Tornado GR1a

  Number 14 Squadron

  Tornado GR1

  Number 15 Squadron

  Tornado GR1

  Number 16 Squadron

  Tornado GR1

  Number 17 Squadron

  Tornado GR1

  Number 18 Squadron

  Helicopter SH

  Number 20 Squadron

  Tornado GR1

  Number 27 Squadron

  Tornado GR1

  Number 31 Squadron

  Tornado GR1

  Number 33 Squadron

  Helicopter SH

  Number 41 Squadron

  Jaguar

  Number 54 Squadron

  Jaguar

  Number 208 Squadron

  Buccaneer

  Number 230 Squadron

  Helicopter SH

  Number 617 Squadron

  Tornado GR1

  Royal Air Force Squadrons awarded the Battle Honour "Gulf 1991", without the right of Emblazonment

  Number 10 Squadron

  VC10 AT

  Number 20 Squadron

  Royal Air Force Regiment

  Rapier

  Number 24 Squadron

  Hercules AT

  Number 26 Squadron

  Royal Air Force Regiment

  Rapier

  Number 29 Squadron

  Tornado F3

  Number 30 Squadron

  Hercules AT

  Number 32 Squadron

  AT/Comms

  Number 34 Squadron

  Royal Air Force Regiment

  Field/Ground Defence

  Number 42 Squadron

  Nimrod Maritime

  Number 43 Squadron

  Tornado F3

  Number 47 Squadron

  Hercules AT

  Number 51 Squadron

  Nimrod (R)

  Number 51 Squadron

  Royal Air Force Regiment

  Field/Ground Defence

  Number 55 Squadron

  AAR

  Number 58 Squadron

  Royal Air Force Regiment

  Field/Ground Defence

  Number 66 Squadron

  Royal Air Force Regiment

  Rapier

  Number 70 Squadron

  Hercules AT

  Number 101 Squadron

  AAR

  Number 120 Squadron

  Nimrod Maritime

  Number 201 Squadron

  Nimrod Maritime

  Number 206 Squadron

  Nimrod Maritime

  Number 216 Squadron

  AT/AAR

TRANSPORT

  Manchester Airport Rail Link
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has had from the chairman of the Greater Manchester passenger transport 200
  authority in regard to the Manchester airport rail link-southern spur; what reply he is sending; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have had a number of discussions with Councillor Clarke about the funding of this scheme. I understand that Manchester airport has now agreed to underwrite the expenditure needed for the scheme to go ahead.

  M1/M62 Link Road
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the proposed M1/M62 link road.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Public consultation on proposals for an M1/M62 link road was held between February and June 1992. From the responses it became clear that earlier concern to achieve the economic benefits which were expected to derive from the introduction of a new road into the corridor was no longer a predominant local concern.

  At the same time I have been making it clear that the road programme should, wherever possible, be concentrated on widening and improving the existing network rather than building new motorways. Each scheme has to be judged on its merits but here there is opportunity to pursue a solution which avoids driving a new route through green fields.

  I have therefore decided not to proceed with development of plans for a new road but to investigate the possibilities for increasing the capacity of the relevant lengths of the two motorways.

  Docklands Light Railway
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when a start will be made on construction of the docklands light railway extension to Greenwich and Lewisham.

  Sir George Young
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Department of the Environment is responsible for the docklands light railway. While the private sector has already shown a welcome interest in building and running the Lewisham extension, we must ensure that proposals are consistent with our manifesto pledge to consider the best means of privatising the DLR as a whole.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each relevant tax year the revenue he has derived from VAT relating to(a) building repairs, (b) non-domestic building and (c) civil engineering projects, with any convenient breakdown into category; and what is his estimate in each case of the consequential increase in price to the immediate client or consumer, and the approximate and total effect of such charges on (i) the retail price index and (ii) the rate of inflation.

  Sir John Cope
  When the tax regime for construction, buildings and land was revised on 1 April 1989 the increase in revenue was calculated to be £310 million in 1989–90 and £400 million in 1990–91. Since then no further revenue calculations have been made. The
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  assumption made at the time was that changes in VAT would have been fully passed on to clients. Since the clients affected by the tax changes were businesses the direct effect on the RPI and therefore on the rate of inflation would have been negligible and in any case is not possible to calculate.

SCOTLAND

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will meet the regional council directors of police and fire services to discuss the implications for police and fire services arising out of the reorganisation of Scottish local government; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 October 1993]: While my right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to meet officials of police and fire authorities to discuss the implications of local government reorganisation for these services, my noble and learned Friend the Minister of State has discussed the question of reorganisation with representatives of police authorities and forces at a meeting of the Police Advisory Board for Scotland. Scottish Office officials meet chief constables and firemasters regularly to discuss police and fire service matters. The existing number of police forces and fire brigades will be retained after reorganisation.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Security Equipment
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the guidelines or regulations applying to imports and exports of electro shock equipment.

  Mr. Needham
  The only export regulation for which I am responsible which applies to what might be regarded as "electro shock" equipment is the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1992. Under head 5001(d) export without a licence is prohibited in respect of portable anti-riot devices for administering an electric shock or an incapacitating substance, and specialised components therefor. Under head 5001 (f) there is a similar prohibition in respect of riot control vehicles which have been specially designed or modified to be electrified to repel boarders. So far as imports are concerned, any weapon which is designed or adapted to emit an electric shock against another person would be regarded as a prohibited weapon under section 5(1) (b) of the Firearms Acts 1968–1992. Import of such weapons is restricted to those persons legally authorised to hold them in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what guidelines or regulations are applicable to exporters in respect of(a) manufacture and export of dum dum bullets, (b) export of tear gas, (c) design and construction of prisons for overseas Governments, (d) security equipment such as vehicles for overseas Governments and (e) Frag 12 exploding ammunition; and what particular guidance is given in respect of (i) Israel, (ii) other middle east Governments, (iii) Pakistan and (iv) Thailand.
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  Mr. Needham
  Under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1992, the export to any destination of ammunition, tear gas and certain vehicles and related equipment for military or paramilitary police use is prohibited without a licence from the Secretary of State. I have no responsibility for regulations in respect of the design and construction of prisons for overseas Governments, other than where goods controlled by the order are to be exported from the United Kingdom as part of such projects. In terms of these export controls my Department gives no specific guidance in respect of the countries mentioned by the hon. Member: guidance in respect of weapons of mass destruction is available in a booklet "Non-Proliferation Controls", a copy of which is in the Library of both Houses. Each export licence application is considered on its merits.

  Compliance Cost Assessments
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements have been made to publish compliance cost assessments to show the cost impact on business of complying with proposals for legislation.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  It has been the Government's standard practice since 1 April to prepare and publish compliance cost assessments (CCA) for all legislative proposals which impact on business. We have now agreed formal procedures with the House authorities for doing so as follows:In the case of primary legislation the CCA will form part of the explanatory memorandum to the Bill.
  In the case of statutory instruments laid in draft before the House the CCA will form part of the published text of the draft instrument as a separate annex.
  In the case of statutory instruments made without having been laid in draft the CCA will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses when the instrument is laid after having been made and a note that a CCA is available and where it can be obtained from included in the explanatory note.
  In the case of private Members' Bills, where the Government consider it is appropriate to prepare a CCA it will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
  In the case of private Bills the Government are still considering how the system can be extended to such Bills.

  Patent Office
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out the arrangements he made for in-house bids for the market-testing programme at the Patent Office.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The terms of reference of the market test were set out in a notice to all staff on 6 November 1992, following consultation with the local trade unions. this drew specific attention to the opportunity for making in-house bids.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Redundant Churches
  Mr Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will enable denominations to dispose of redundant places of worship to suitable charities for less than full consideration.

  Mr. Sproat
  My right hon. Friend has today made a direction to this effect under section 4(11) of the Redundant Churches and Other Religious Buildings Act 1969 in favour of the Friends of Friendless Churches. He
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  made a similar direction in May in favour of the Historic Chapels Trust. Copies of the directions have been placed in the Library and I will arrange for this to be done also for any further such directions that he may make.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Veterinary Medicines Directorate
  Mr Spring
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the annual report and accounts for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate is due to be published.

  Mr. Gillian Shepherd
  The Veterinary Medicines Directorate annual report and accounts for 1992–93 was published on 29 July 1993. Copies are available in the House Library.

  The report charts the continuing progress and success of the directorate as a next steps agency, and I would like to congratulate the chief executive and his staff on their considerable achievements during the year.

  Habitat Creation Schemes
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if land put into habitat creation schemes can count towards set-aside quotas.

  Mr. Jack
  Current EC rules for the arable area payments scheme do not allow land withdrawn from production under any other scheme to count towards a producer's set-aside obligation. However, we are pressing for the rules to be changed to allow arable land which is in future withdrawn from production under agri-environment or forestry schemes to count towards set-aside. This would include land entered into the proposed 20-year habitat scheme and the proposed new nitrate-sensitive areas scheme, as well as the farm woodland premium scheme.

EDUCATION

  Centre for Young Musicians
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 16 July,Official Report, column 673, what steps he is taking to ensure that children from all inner London boroughs have equal access to the Centre for Young Musicians regardless of parental means.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department is supporting the central costs of the Centre for Young Musicians at a cost of £100,000 a year for the years 1993–1996. The issue of access is a matter for the centre, relevant local education authorities, self-governing schools and city technology colleges, and parents.

PRIME MINISTER

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 19 October.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 19 October.
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  The Prime Minister
  This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he received from Mr. Vuk Draskovic during their recent meeting on the question of(a) sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and (b) Kosovo and its status as part of Serbia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I saw Mr. Draskovic during his visit. There was an exchange of views at both meetings about matters relating to the former Yugoslavia, including Kosovo and the effect of sanctions on Serbia and Montenegro.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what basis Her Majesty's Government issued an invitation to Mr. Vuk Draskovic to visit the United Kingdom recently; in what capacity Mr. Draskovic was invited; what was the cost to United Kingdom public expenditure of the visit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Mr. Draskovic was invited to the United Kingdom in his capacity as leader of the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO). This was an officially sponsored visit which included Mrs. Draskovic and his private secretary, who is also an SPO deputy. Costs for the visit, excluding air fares which are yet to be finalised, come to £5,688.26.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how often the British embassy in Belgrade checks the purity of tap water; what is the reason for these checks; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The British embassy in Belgrade does not carry out tests on the purity of tap water, but consults the Canadian and United States embassies, which co-ordinate purity reports from the local department of public health. On every occasion these reports have indicated that the water is drinkable.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what precautions British citizens living in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia are advised to take to avoid hazards that arise out of the consumption of tap water contaminated as a result of the breakdown in purification processes.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None. The British embassy in Belgrade assesses that local water purification processes are functioning normally and has therefore issued no advice to British citizens.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans Her Majesty's Government have to invite elected members of the Opposition or Government of Yugoslavia to Britain in an official capacity.
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  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We hope that the Montenegrin Foreign Minister, Mr. Miodrag Lekic, will pay a short visit to London on 24 and 25 October. There are no plans at present for further visits.

  Council of Europe
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the issues discussed and decisions taken at the Council of Europe Special Assembly held in Vienna in early October; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the United Kingdom submission to the Vienna meeting.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The agenda for the Council of Europe summit meeting in Vienna on 8 to 9 October had two broad themes: (I) The role of the Council of Europe in the new Europe and (II) action relating to the strengthening of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law.

  I shall arrange to place in the Library a copy of the speech made by my right honourable noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor who led the British delegation.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on issues discussed and matters decided at the annual conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, in regard to nuclear safeguards and proliferation; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the United Kingdom documents submitted to the meeting.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency had a wide-ranging agenda covering all its activities. The Conference passed resolutions on a number of matters relating to safeguards and non-proliferation including the implementation of the safeguards agreement between the agency and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolutions 687, 707 and 715 relating to Iraq. A copy of the statement delivered to the plenary by the United Kingdom representative has been deposited in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response Her Majesty's Government have made to the proposals put forward by President Clinton on 27 September concerning the halting by the acknowledged nuclear weapons states of further production and stockpiling of plutonium and highly enriched uranium for military purposes.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A preliminary meeting has been held at official level with the United States at which they set out their proposal. We shall naturally wish to consider very carefully the implications for our nuclear deterrent of the proposal for a cut-off convention. But we recognise the potentially valuable contribution which a multilateral convention prohibiting the production of plutonium and highly enriched uranium for explosive purposes could make to non-proliferation, and we will want to explore these potential benefits fully and positively in our approach to the issue. We are hopeful of being able to work towards a multilateral agreement of the kind proposed by the United States.
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  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response Her Majesty's Government have made to the conduct by China of a nuclear test on 5 October.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Chinese nuclear test on October 5 confirms our belief that the most effective way of restraining nuclear testing is through negotiated and verifiable agreement. We have made clear we do not believe the Chinese test necessarily clouds the prospect for a successful conclusion to comprehensive test ban negotiations, in which we shall seek to play a full and constructive part.

  Foreign Affairs Council
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council held on 4 and 5 October.

  Mr. Hurd
  I attended the Foreign Affairs Council on 4 October. My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs also attended.

  The Council discussed the Presidency's proposal for a new inter-institutional agreement (IIA) on budget discipline. After addressing the concerns of several delegations, they reached a favourable opinion on the text and joint declarations, and agreed further Council statements. The IIA will be submitted to ECOFIN for confirmation of the Council's agreement.

  The Council reached general agreement on detailed arrangements to allow citizens of the union living in a member state of which they are not a national to vote and stand in European elections under the same conditions as nationals of that member state. These arrangements will be finally approved once the Maastricht treaty enters into force.

  Sir Leon Brittan reported on his discussions in Washington on 27 September and on progress in the Uruguay round negotiations in Geneva. The Council discussed in detail a number of the non-agricultural dossiers in the negotiations, including textiles, subsidies, steel, civil aircraft, services, including audio-visual services, and the proposed Multilateral Trade Organisation. The Council agreed that the Commission's negotiating position took account of member states' concerns, and invited the Commission to continue with the negotiations. The Council also discussed the Community's trade policy instruments—the Commission is to make proposals for speeding up and making more transparent anti-dumping and countervailing procedures.

  Lord Owen and Mr. Stoltenberg briefed Ministers on latest developments in former Yugoslavia following the Bosnian Parliament's rejection of the peace plan. Ministers agreed that the EC should urge all the parties to return to the negotiating table, while preserving those elements of the peace plan already agreed. Ministers also discussed Community assistance to the middle east peace process, on the basis of Commission proposals for a package of medium-term assistance to the region and for an updated agreement with Israel. Ministers agreed that both proposals should be remitted for expert-level study.

  The Council discussed the Commission's opinions on the applications of Malta and Cyprus to join the Community. The Council broadly endorsed the opinions'

  207
  conclusions, and in particular the Commission's plans to begin talks with Cyprus and Malta to help them prepare for accession negotiations.

  The Council again considered the draft regulation on dual-use goods—those goods which could have either a civilian or a military purpose. Ministers reiterated their wish to see progress made which accommodated member states' concerns, and asked officials to undertake further work.

  Ministers signed new association agreements with the Czech Republic and Slovakia. These replace the association agreement signed with the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic in December 1991.

  The situation in Russia was also discussed, and the Council issued a statement of support for President Yeltsin.

  The Commission presented a paper on the Community's future relations with Switzerland. It was agreed that this would be discussed at the next Foreign Affairs Council in November.

  Meetings were held with Austria, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The meeting registered agreement on a range of issues and took stock of progress so far. There will be further ministerial meetings with all four applicants next month.

  Ministers also confirmed their decision made informally in New York earlier in the week in response to Nelson Mandela's call for the easing of sanctions, to lift some sanctions against South Africa. The Community will keep remaining sanctions under review.

  The Commission formally presented to Ministers the first draft mandate for negotiations with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries on the mid-term review of the Lomé convention, which governs aid and trade with much of the developing world. The Community will consider its position over the next few months, before entering negotiations with the beneficiary countries in early 1994.

  The Council also approved the Commission's negotiating mandate for an EC trade and co-operation agreement with Vietnam.

  The Council agreed arrangements for publishing Council votes to follow up the Edinburgh European Council's decisions on openness. Specifically, the Council decided, by seven votes to five—United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg and the Netherlands—on a procedure which requires that decisions to publish are proposed by a member state and that a simple majority is required to block publication.

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of people becoming unemployed return to employment within a month, three months, and six months, according to the latest available figures.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Of those becoming claimant unemployed about a quarter leave unemployment within a month, almost half within three months and nearly two thirds within six months. The majority leaving claimant unemployment go into jobs.
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  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of(a) men and (b) women registered as unemployed in the Greater London area on 1 October.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Claimant unemployment figures for 14 October will be published on 18 November.

  Jobplan Workshops
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the operation of jobplan workshops.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The jobplan programme was launched in March of this year. By the 24 September 131,842 people had completed a jobplan workshop. More than 90 per cent. are leaving with a positive course of action to follow.

  Enterprise Allowance
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people benefited from the enterprise allowance in 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The enterprise allowance scheme was replaced by the business start-up scheme in April 1991. In Great Britain, in 1992–93 some 41,000 people were helped to start a business.

  Public Sector Recruitment
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to rationalise recruitment services in jobs in the public sector.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Department has no plans for such rationalisation at present.

  Manufacturing Industry, Wales
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were employed in manufacturing industry in Wales in 1983 and at the latest available date.

  Miss Widdecombe
  There were 213,000 employees in employment in manufacturing industry in Wales in June 1983 and 203,000 in June 1993.

  Wage Levels
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers in the east midlands earn half or less than half of the male median wage.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  We estimate that there are about 288,000 such workers.

  Working Week
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what recent representations his Department has received on the EC proposals for a 48-hour week.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Since the Social Affairs Council reached a common position on the working time directive in June, my Department has received many representations
  209
  welcoming the important improvements that we have secured, while supporting the Government's decision to challenge the basis of the directive in the European Court of Justice.

  Jobclubs
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to extend the jobclub scheme in the north West; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There are currently 188 jobclubs in the North West. The number of people helped through jobclubs in the North West in 1992–93 was 31,530. There are 35,235 jobclub places available in 1993–94. Plans have not yet been made for 1994–95.

  Casual Workers
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many casual workers he estimates there are in each of the standard regions of the United Kingdom.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Labour Force Survey provides quarterly estimates of the numbers of employees in casual employment. The latest available figures are shown in the following table:

  Number of employees in casual jobs Spring 1993 (not seasonally adjusted)

  Thousands

  Standard Regions

  Casual employment

  South East

  95

  Greater London

  29

  Rest of South East

  67

  East Anglia

  12

  South West

  21

  West Midlands

  28

  East Midlands

  20

  Yorks and Humberside

  27

  North West

  23

  North

  14

  Wales

  15

  Scotland

  19

  Northern Ireland

  1—

  United Kingdom

  279

  Source: Labour Force Survey.

  1 Estimates below 10,000 not shown.

  Northern Region
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to increase employment in the Northern region.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Department's aim is to promote a free and flexible labour market to encourage employment in the Northern region as elsewhere. The Employment Service and the five Northern training and enterprise councils deliver a wide range of employment, enterprise and training programmes to help unemployed people in the Northern region find the best and quickest route back to employment.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress he has made on achieving equality of opportunity in employment regardless of gender or ethnic background.
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  Miss Widdecombe
  The Government are committed to equality of opportunity. The best employers already recognise the case for employing a work force which reflects the composition of the wider community. The Department continues to encourage all employers to make full use of the skills and potential of all sections of the working population.

  Company Agreements
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from trade unions concerning decisions of major firms to abrogate previous agreements.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government believe that employers must be free to decide, in the light of the circumstances and needs of their business, whether to bargain with a trade union. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received a number of representations on this subject. We remain convinced that the voluntary approach is best.

  School Leavers
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many 1993 school leavers within the Greater London area are currently unemployed; how many 1992 school leavers are still unemployed; and what percentage each represents of the total number of school leavers each year.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information is available only for 1992 and shows that while 7 per cent. of 16 and 17-year-old school leavers in Greater London became unemployed, more than 90 per cent. went into further education or employment.

  Training for Work
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a further statement on the implementation of training for work.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Training for work began on 29 March and was warmly welcomed by TECs for the flexibilities that it gives them in helping long-term unemployed people. The programme provides attractive training opportunities and at July there were 137,000 taking part.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many women workers in the west midlands earn half or less than half of the male median wage.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  We estimate that there are around 245,000 such workers.

  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the training for work programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The national follow-up survey shows significant increases in the proportions of employment training leavers going into jobs and gaining qualifications. These improved results, together with the additional flexibilities we have built into training for work, show that our adult measures are effective.

  Sellafield
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the latest health and safety report on Sellafield.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The latest report published on health and safety at Sellafield was about an investigation into a higher than normal aerial discharge of radioactivity from the B204 ventilation stack. The report concludes that the potential doses to the public were very low.

  Employment Service
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has completed his review of the Employment Service's framework document; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Employment Service has been a next steps agency since 2 April 1990. My Department recently completed a review of the agency's existing framework document, in accordance with the Government's commitment to evaluate next steps agencies. The new framework document was published on 1 October and I placed copies in the Library on that date.

  Social Affairs Council
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EC Social Affairs Council held on 12 October.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I and the Minister of State for Employment attended the meeting of the Labour and Social Affairs Council on 12 October in Luxembourg.

  The main discussion took place on the draft directive on the protection of young workers. I made it clear that, while the United Kingdom already has strict regulation to protect the health and safety of young workers, the Government could not accept unnecessary restrictions which would prevent the continuation of well-established and harmless patterns of work for young people below minimum school leaving age such as paperboys and girls. Nor could we accept special restrictions on the working hours of 16 and 17-year-olds which were not related to genuine health and safety needs.

  In the event, the Council reached agreement at a political level on significant changes to the draft directive to reflect the United Kingdom's concerns. The United Kingdom Government will not be required to implement key parts of articles 8 and 9 of the draft directive dealing with daily and weekly hours of work, and restrictions on night work, for 16 and 17-year-olds for a period of four years after the directive is implemented—that is, a total of six years from final adoption. This exemption is renewable at the end of this period by a Council decision on the basis of a report from the Commission. The agreement reached also ensures that young people below school leaving age can continue, as now, to undertake light work such as newspaper deliveries from the age of 13.

  This settlement is a satisfactory one for the United Kingdom, reflecting recognition by the Community of our high standard of health and safety provision overseen by the Health and Safety Commission and our particular national traditions.

  The Council also discussed the draft directive on European Works Councils for which unanimity is required.
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  We made it clear that the United Kingdom Government would, if necessary, vote against the text under discussion which is opposed by employers throughout Europe as being unnecessary, unworkable and damaging to European competitiveness. The Belgian Presidency noted that the draft directive would be taken forward by the other 11 member states under the social protocol provisions of the Maastricht treaty once these are in force.

  There was also a brief discussion on the draft directive on non-standard employment, which requires unanimity. It was apparent that a number of member states had problems with the existing text and the Presidency decided that further consideration needed to be given to the draft directive before it could be further considered by the Council.

  Finally, Commissioner Flynn made a brief presentation on the contents of his forthcoming Green Paper on the Future of European Social Policy and outlined a Commission proposal for a decision on a programme to combat social exclusion.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Employment Rights
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further steps he will adopt to create equality of opportunity between the two main religious traditions in employment in the light of the report from the census 1991.

  Mr. Atkins
  Equality of opportunity in employment is a central objective of the Fair Employment Act (NI) 1989 which established the Fair Employment Commission and the Fair Employment Tribunal. A comprehensive review of employment equality is to be undertaken in 1995 by the Central Community Relations Unit and the consultation process has already begun. It would be premature to draw firm conclusions on the findings of the religion report of the census 1991 which are still being analysed.

  Eastern Health and Social Services Board
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total expenditure, less capital expenditure, of the Eastern health and social services board in each of the past five years; and what proportion of this expenditure was for management and administration in each year.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:

  Year

  Total revenue expenditure £

  Administration as percentage of revenue expenditure

  1987–88

  391,887,667

  4·76

  1988–89

  427,129,689

  4·80

  1989–90

  451,324,493

  5·15

  1990–91

  503,603,666

  5·59

  1991–92

  539,250,381

  6·55

  Roads
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to improve the roads structure in the constituency of South Down with particular reference to the A class roads and the B8—Castlewellan to Newry road; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  In addition to a substantial programme of maintenance work, a number of minor improvement schemes will be completed on the A2, A22, A24, A25 and B8 during the 1993–94 and 1994–95 financial years. Work on the Church street-Scotch street scheme in Downpatrick is currently programmed to start in 1997–98 financial year subject to the completion of the statutory processes and the availability of the necessary funds.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Category A Prisoners
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been made to the written criteria for selecting prisoners for security category A since 1991; and on what grounds the criteria have been changed.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated October 1993:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about changes to the criteria for selecting prisoners for security category A since 1991.
  The Hadfield/Lakes report of the security audit of custody arrangements for category A prisoners and of an inquiry into DOC1 division noted that only some 20 per cent. of prisoners notified from prisons to Prison Service headquarters as potential category A prisoners were subsequently designated category A. The report concluded that Prison Service headquarters were applying a rigorous selection process but too many prisoners were being submitted by prisons for consideration. They recommended that the referral criteria be reviewed.
  This recommendation was accepted. Fresh guidance has been included in the Prison Service manual on security to assist prison staff to identify more readily and selectively those prisoners who, because of the nature and circumstances of their offences or alleged offences, need to be notified to headquarters for consideration for category A.

  Prisons
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to establish a more austere regime in prisons.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Prison Service remains committed to the policy on regimes set out in the White

  Prison

  Location

  Date of opening

  Estimated total cost (includes capital costs, claims and property services agency's resource costs) (£K)

  Main construction contractor

  Wayland

  Thetford, Norfolk

  January 1985

  22,365

  Carters of Norwich

  Stocken

  Oakham, Leicestershire

  June 1985

  17,182

  Miller Construction

  Thorn Cross

  Warrington, Cheshire

  July 1985

  13,014

  Shepherd Construction

  214
  Paper "Custody, Care and Justice". Our aims are to require sentenced prisoners to participate in a demanding, constructive and disciplined regime centred on work training and essential education; to challenge prisoners to confront their offending behaviour and to work with them to reduce the likelihood of their re-offending.

  The programme of work to achieve these objectives set out in the corporate and business plans for the Prison Service, copies of which are in the House of Commons library. These include substantial development of regime activities and a continuing programme to improve the physical conditions in prisons.

  New Prisons
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) where the six new prisons, recently announced at Blackpool, will be located;

  (2) what is his timetable for opening six new prisons; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for these matters has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Alun Michael, dated October 1993:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the proposals to build six new prisons and the new prison building programme.
  The six new prisons to which the Home Secretary referred on 6 October are in addition to the current new prison building programme. The construction of the first two of these prisons was announced in the Autumn statement last year. On 2 September 1993 the Home Secretary announced that the design, construction, management and potential financing of the prisons would be contracted out to the private sector. I expect that the further four prisons which were announced on 6 October will be procured in the same way.
  Sites at Fazakerley in Merseyside and at Bridgend in South Wales have been identified for the first two prisons. The proposal to build a prison on the Fazakerley site is the subject of a non-statutory public local inquiry beginning on 26 October 1993. We will be shortly submitting to the local planning authority a Notice of Proposed Development seeking outline planning clearance to build a prison on the site at Bridgend. Work is currently in progress to identify suitable sites for the other four prisons.
  If we obtain planning clearance for new prisons on the sites of Fazakerley and Bridgend we expect that the two prisons would open in 1997–98. It is too early to indicate a timetable for the other four prisons.
  It is also too early to indicate the cost of six prisons which will be assessed on the basis of value for money obtained for the complete financial package comprising both capital and operating costs. Outline proposals and expressions of interest in the first two prisons will be invited shortly.
  Twenty new prisons have opened since 1983 and Doncaster prison is due to open next year. The attached table shows the total cost of constructing each establishment and the main construction firm.
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  Prison

  Location

  Date of opening

  Estimated total cost (includes capital costs, claims and property services agency's resource costs) (£K)

  Main construction contractor

  Full Sutton

  Full Sutton, Yorkshire

  September 1987

  40,020

  Monk Construction

  Littlehey

  Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire

  January, 1988

  34,002

  Bovis Construction

  Mount

  Bovingdon, Hertfordshire

  March 1988

  28,185

  Wimpey Construction

  Garth

  Leyland, Lancashire

  July 1988

  45,110

  Tarmac

  Swaleside

  Isle of Sheppey, Kent

  May 1990

  33,539

  Mowlem

  Belmarsh

  South East London

  April 1991

  161,273

  Wimpey Construction

  Moorland

  Hatfield Woodhouse, South Yorkshire

  July 1991

  55,219

  Higgs and Hill

  Whitemoor

  March, Cambridgeshire

  September 1991

  54,100

  Monk Construction

  Brinsford

  Featherstone, Staffordshire

  November 1991

  45,563

  Taylor Woodrow

  Elmley

  Isle of Sheppey, Kent

  February 1992

  82,782

  Mowlem

  Bullingdon

  Bicester, Oxfordshire

  March 1992

  64,339

  Kier Construction

  Wolds

  Brough, North Humberside

  April 1992

  36,880

  UK Detention Contractors (Consortium: Mowlem and Sir Robert McAlpine)

  Holme House

  Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland

  May 1992

  66,184

  Sir Robert McAlpine

  Woodhill

  Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

  July 1992

  117,753

  Higgs and Hill

  High Down

  Banstead, Surrey

  August 1992

  91,058

  Alfred McAlpine

  Lancaster Farms

  Lancaster

  March 1993

  73,150

  AMEC

  Blakenhurst

  Redditch, Worcestershire

  May 1993

  80,432

  Tarmac

  Doncaster

  South Yorkshire

  April 1994

  94,730

  Shepherd Construction

  Parish Constables
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for implementing his proposal for parish constables; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  It is our intention that 20 pilot schemes should be up and running by Christmas. Costs in this financial year should be de minimis. No estimate can be made about future costs at this stage.

  Police Paperwork
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for the implementation of each of his 16 recommendations into cutting police paperwork.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend will publish the consultants' report and recommendations on 20 October. He is keen to see the recommendations in this area implemented as quickly as possible and expects to see substantial progress made in a matter of months. A fuller and more detailed timetable for implementation will require wider discussion between criminal justice system agencies.

  DNA Testing
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for implementing his proposal for new rules on DNA samples; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend intends to introduce legislation to implement these proposals as soon as a suitable opportunity arises. The timetable thereafter will depend upon the speed of progress which such legislation makes. It is too soon to offer reliable estimates of the costs and savings to which the proposals will give rise.

  Cautioning
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will give details of his plans to limit repeat cautioning; what rules will apply; what type of offences will be affected; and what criteria will govern decisions by the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to prosecution or caution;

  (2) what is his timetable for implementing his proposal on repeat cautioning and cautioning for indictable offences; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

  Mr. Maclean
  I intend to publish supplementary guidance to the police later this month and to allow interested parties two months in which to comment on it. I shall send a copy of the draft guidance to the hon. Member.

  The guidance will leave the police with their existing discretion on whether to caution or prosecute, but it will strongly discourage, save in exceptional circumstances, the use of cautions for the most serious offences or for offenders who have been cautioned previously. In cases of doubt, it will continue to be open to the police to seek advice from the Crown Prosecution Service, whose decision whether prosecution is warranted will be governed by the code for Crown prosecutors.

  It is too soon to offer a reliable estimate of the cost implications of these changes.

  Police Bail
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his timetable for implementing the proposal for police to be allowed to attach conditions to police bail; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95;

  (2) what is his timetable for implementing his proposal for automatic custody for anyone convicted of serious offences who is subsequently accused of the same category of crime; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95;
  217
  (3) what is his timetable for implementing a new power of arrest for breach of police bail; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95;

  (4) what is his timetable for implementation of the proposal to allow courts to revoke bail when new information comes to light; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

  Mr. Maclean
  We intend to introduce legislation to implement these proposals as soon as a suitable opportunity arises. The timetable thereafter will depend upon the speed of progress which such legislation makes. It is too soon to offer a reliable estimate of the costs and savings to which the proposal will give rise.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the White Paper on the criminal injuries compensation scheme.

  Mr. Maclean
  It is intended that a White Paper setting out the Government's plans for the new tariff scheme will be published later this year.

  Community Sentence Review
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to announce the conclusions of the review on community sentences.

  Mr. Maclean
  This review, originally expected to be concluded at the end of 1994—beginning of 1995, has been expedited for completion by summer 1994. In the meantime, further guidance will be issued to the probation service as and when conclusions are reached on significant matters which need not await full formal publication of the revised standards themselves.

  Safer Cities Project
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to announce his decision on the next phase of the safer cities project; and how much it is intended to give to each of the cities named in the new phase.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Ten local authority areas have been shortlisted for the first group of new projects in the second phase of the safer cities programme:

  Blackburn

  Burnley

  Greenwich

  Lambeth

  Leeds

  Manchester

  Newcastle

  Merthyr Tydfil

  Plymouth

  Sheffield

  We plan to set up at least six new projects before the end of 1993–94.

  Organisations with appropriate experience have been invited to bid to manage two or more of these projects. Tenders were invited in response to this invitation on 5 October and are currently being evaluated. My right hon. and learned Friend expects to be in a position to announce decisions about the areas chosen and the successful contractors to run the projects before the end of the year.

  The running costs of individual projects will be met by payments to contractors under the terms of the invitation to
  218
  tender and are subject to the outcome of the evaluation. The size of the grant budget available to these projects for local crime prevention activity has not yet been determined.

  Squatters
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for implementing his proposal for faster court proceedings for evicting squatters; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

  Mr. Maclean
  I intend to introduce legislation to implement this proposal as soon as a suitable opportunity arises. The timetable thereafter will depend upon the speed of progress which such legislation makes. It is too soon to offer reliable estimates of the costs and savings to which the proposal will give rise.

  Terrorism
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his timetable for implementing his proposal for a new offence of gathering information for terrorist purposes; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95;

  (2) what is his timetable for implementing his proposal for a new offence of possession in relation to terrorist activities; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

  Mr. Howard
  I intend to take the earliest legislative opportunity to create new offences of collecting information likely to be useful to terrorists and of possessing items intended for terrorist purposes. There are no resource implications for this financial year. Thereafter they are likely to be minimal.

  Victims of Crime
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for implementing each of the 11 recommendations of the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice on victims of crime; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

  Mr. Maclean In its report the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice made 19 recommendations to help victims and other witnesses, 11 of which were specifically directed at government and have been accepted.

  Some of those recommendations relate to measures which are already in place or are being implemented, while others may require legislation. It is accordingly too soon to set a timetable for implementation or to offer reliable estimates of costs.

  New Criminal Legislation
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for ending the presumption in favour of bail for anyone accused of offending on bail; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

  Mr. Maclean
  I intend to introduce legislation to implement a proposal removing the presumption of a right to bail for those charged with serious offences which appear to have been committed while on bail as soon as
  219
  suitable opportunity arises. The timetable thereafter will depend on the speed of progress which such legislation makes. It is too soon to offer a reliable estimate of the costs and savings to which the proposal will give rise.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his timetable for allowing retrials where juries have been nobbled; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95;

  (2) what is his timetable for implementing a new offence of witness intimidation; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95;

  (3) what is his timetable for barring those on bail from serving on juries; and what is his estimate of the cost of this proposal in this financial year and in 1994–95.

  Mr. Maclean
  We intend to introduce legislation to implement these proposals as soon as a suitable opportunity arises. The timetable thereafter will depend upon the speed of progress which such legislation makes. It is too soon to offer reliable estimates of the costs and savings to which the proposals will give rise.

  Right to Silence
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for abolishing the right to silence; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

  Mr. Maclean
  We intend to introduce legislation to allow adverse inferences to be drawn from a suspect's silence as soon as an opportunity arises. The timetable thereafter will depend upon the speed of progress which such legislation makes. It is too soon to offer reliable estimates of any costs and savings to which this proposal may give rise.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many additional secure places he intends to provide(a) for 15 and 16-year-olds on remand in fulfilment of his predecessors promise in February 1991, (b) for 15 and 16-year-olds on remand in addition to (a), (c) for 15 and 16-year-olds sent to secure accommodation by a court following conviction, (d) for 10 to 14-year-olds on remand, (e) for 10 to 14-year-olds following conviction other than those sentenced to a secure training order and (f) for 12 to 14-year-olds made subject to a secure training order.

  Mr. Maclean
  The provision of local authority secure accommodation is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. A programme is currently under way to create an additional 60 to 65 places in local authority secure units. This represents the number of new places estimated to be necessary to end the remands of 15 and 16-year-old boys to Prison Service establishments. The estimate is being kept under review.

  Courts have no powers to send 15 or 16-year-old juveniles directly to local authority secure accommodation on conviction—although, if the appropriate criteria are met, they may send boys in this age group directly to young offender institutions run by the Prison Service, for whom no additional accommodation is presently required. Similarly, they have no powers to direct the removal of 10 to 14-year-olds to secure accommodation either on remand or following conviction.
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  The intention is that places in which the custodial element of the proposed secure training order for 12 to 14-year-olds should be served should be provided by agreements with suitable public, voluntary or private organisations. No final decision has been taken on the number of such places to be provided.

  Parish Constables
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will outline his job description for a parish constable; what qualifications will be required; and what is the proposed level of pay for the job.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Pilot schemes currently under development will be based on the two most common "blueprints" for parish constables which the publish have suggested. In the "parish special constable" scheme, the parish special constable, like other special constables, will have the power and authority of a police constable and will be expected to provide assistance to the regular police. He or she will be under the operational control of the chief constable, but the parish or local council—or councils, if groups of small parishes are involved—will be consulted on some of the constable's duties through a service agreement between the parish and the chief constable. At this stage we do not propose that the selection criteria, training arrangements and employment conditions of the parish special constables will differ from those already provided for special constables.

  In the "parish warden" scheme local parish or town councils will be asked to authorise a volunteer to assist both the community and the police by dispensing crime prevention advice, encouraging local watch schemes, and by acting as a channel for information, warnings and advice. The duties and qualifications of parish wardens will be resolved through discussion between the parish, the volunteer, and the local people.

  Stop and Search
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for implementing his proposal for new stop and search powers for the police to stop terrorists; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

  Mr. Howard
  I intend to seek new powers for the police to stop and search vehicles for counter-terrorist purposes at the earliest legislative opportunity. There are no cost implications for this financial year. Thereafter they would depend upon how the powers were exercised by the police but are unlikely to be significant within the overall budget of police forces.

  Criminal Cases Review Authority
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for the setting up of a Criminal Cases Review Authority; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government have accepted the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice for the establishment of a Criminal Cases Review Authority. We have put in hand the detailed preparatory work which will be necessary before the new system can
  221
  be put into place. At this stage, however, it is not possible to offer a precise timetable for the introduction of the new arrangements.

  The costs of a new authority are one of the matters which are still being considered and it would be premature to offer an estimate of the financial resources that might be required in a particular financial year.

  Police Bail
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the type of condition he intends police may apply to police bail.

  Mr. Maclean
  Under the Bail Act 1976 a court may attach conditions to the grant of bail if it considers that is necessary in order to ensure that, for example, a defendant surrenders to custody, does not commit an offence while on bail, and does not interfere with witnesses or otherwise obstruct the course of justice. I intend the police to be able to attach conditions for similar purposes to bail which they grant. I do not consider it appropriate to specify the precise nature of such conditions, which will vary according to the circumstances of the individual case.

  Prisons (Drug Tests)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for introducing urine testing for drugs in prison; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Alun Michael, dated 19 October 1993:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about drug urine testing in prisons.
  Detailed plans, including a timetable, for the introduction of drug urine testing are still being developed. There has been no estimate of the cost.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to alter the ruling that people who have had previous convictions for unrelated matters can have their award for compensation from the criminal injuries compensation scheme reduced or refused.

  Mr. Maclean
  Details of the rules of the new tariff scheme will be given in a White Paper to be published later in the year. It is expected that the basic rules for eligibility will remain largely as before.

  Lenient Sentences
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for extending the Attorney-General's right of appeal for lenient sentences; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

  Mr. Maclean
  We shall lay the necessary order before Parliament at the earliest appropriate opportunity. Our preliminary estimate is that the number of additional cases likely to justify referral to the Court of Appeal, and any additional costs, will be low.

  Drugs
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the findings of research carried out for his Department by Sheffield university on drug use by young people.

  Mr. Maclean
  We intend to publish the report by Sheffield university by the end of this year.

  Trespassers
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for implementing his proposal for new powers for the police to stop trespassers disrupting lawful activities; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  We intend to introduce legislation to implement these proposals as soon as a suitable opportunity arises. The timetable thereafter will depend upon the speed of progress which such legislation makes. It is too soon to offer reliable estimates of the costs and savings to which the proposals will give rise.

  Rape Trials
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when, and through what process, he intends to abolish the judge's mandatory warning to juries in rape trials about the truthfulness of women; and from what date he intends the changes to apply.

  Mr. Maclean
  We intend to introduce legislation to abolish this requirement as soon as a suitable opportunity arises. The commencement date will, of course, depend upon the progress which such legislation makes.

  British Citizenship
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to grant British citizenship to the wives and widows of service men who served in the defence of Hong Kong during the second world war; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  I have no power to grant British citizenship to this group of people unless they meet the residence requirements of the British Nationality Act 1981 or quality under the Hong Kong selection scheme; and I do not think that I would be justified in bringing forward legislation to dispense with the normal statutory provisions in their case. The Government have on many occasions given an assurance that these wives and widows may come to the United Kingdom with a view to settlement at any time. I readily repeat that assurance. It would then be open to them to apply in the normal way to be registered or naturalised as British citizens when they met the statutory requirements.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pensions
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has as to the percentage of gross domestic product spent on pensions in each EC country.
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  Mr. Hague
  The latest information available on pensions expenditure in each member state of the EC is contained in the Eurostat publication "Digest of Statistics on Social Protection in Europe, Volumn 1: Old Age". This publication covers the years 1980–1988 and covers questions of definition and incomplete information which are important in interpreting the data.

  The Eurostat study "Social Protection Expenditure and Receipts 1980–1991" includes revised and more recent information on that part of social protection expenditure which is directed to the elderly, but it does not allow the identification of expenditure on pensions.

  Copies of both publications are in the House of Commons Library.

  National Insurance
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps will be taken to ensure that the national insurance scheme will provide the same range of benefits to widowers and widows; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hague
  We have no plans to extend the current widows' benefits provisions to widowers, but we will keep the position under review.

  Benefit Investigations
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants have had their benefit stopped for investigations; and how many were subsequently reinstated in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Hague
  The administration of benefit fraud is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. I understand that he has written to the hon. Member about this matter.

  Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Mike Gapes, dated 12 August 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking, how many claimants have had their benefit stopped for investigations; and how many were subsequently reinstated in each year since 1987.
  I regret that on this particular occasion I am unable to answer your question as the Sector Fraud organisation does not record information in this way.
  I am able to say, however, that it is not general practice to "stop" a customer's benefit until it is certain that it is correct to do so. The decision to withdraw benefit has to be made by an Adjudication Officer and, as such, is not within the remit of any officer connected with the investigation of alleged fraud.
  I must also point out that only a very small percentage of the Benefit Agency's customers will ever have any dealings with a member of the Sector Fraud organisation as the vast majority of customers are honest and trustworthy.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many invalidity benefit claims were referred to the Benefits Agency medical service less than six months after winning an appeal against disqualification in(a) April, May and June 1992 and (b) April, May and June 1993;

  (2) how many invalidity benefit recipients who were carrying out voluntary work activities were referred to the
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  Benefits Agency medical service in April, May and June, broken down by (a) numbers disqualified and (b) numbers found incapable of work.

  Mr. Scott
  I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that the information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Supplementary Benefits
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what savings his Department has made as a result of the abolition of single payments in the former supplementary benefit system, for each year since 1988.

  Mr. Scott
  The supplementary benefit scheme was replaced in 1988 by income support and the social fund. The different nature and scope of the schemes means that direct comparisons cannot be made between them.

  No precise estimate of any savings resulting from the abolition of supplementary benefit single payments can therefore be made.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals against disqualification from invalidity benefit were heard in(a) April, May and June 1992 and (b) April, May and June 1993; and how many were successful.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is not available in the form requested. However, in April, May and June 1992 a total of 1,311 appeals were heard against a variety of invalidity benefit decisions. Of these, 681 were decided in the appellant's favour. Information for the later period is not available.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for invalidity benefit were received from people previously in receipt of(a) sickness benefit, (b) income support and (c) statutory sick pay in the year 1992–93.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is not available. Such information as is available is in the table. Information about invalidity benefit recipients previously receiving income support is not available.

  Spells of invalidity benefit commencing in the period 2 April 1990 to 30 March 1991 immediately in continuation of entitlement to:

  Recipients

  Sickness benefit

  87,000

  Statutory sick pay

  128,000

  Notes:

  (i) Based on a 1 per cent. sample of claimants, rounded to the nearest thousand.

  (ii) 30 March 1991 is the latest date for which figures are available.

  (iii) Figures exclude cases where there has been a break in incapacity of eight weeks or less.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list changes made to benefits for long-term sick and disabled people, since April 1988 together with an estimate for each year to 2000 of the cost or savings for each change.

  Mr. Scott
  For a list of changes I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Bristol, East (Ms Corston) on 26 July, c.715–16.
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  An estimate of the costs and savings in each case as requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants were in receipt of invalidity benefit in(a) Edinburgh, (b) Scotland and (c) the United Kingdom in each of the past five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Scott
  I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, that the information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  For such information as is available I refer the hon. Member to the reply to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. McAllion) on 20 July at columns 280–81.

  Community Action
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what national insurance arrangements have been made for community action participants.

  Mr. Hague
  Community action which was announced in the Budget statement on 16 March will commence on 27 July. Participants will not be liable to pay national insurance contributions while they are taking part in this new work experience project. Furthermore, their future contributory benefit entitlement will normally be protected by the award of "approved training" credits.

  Income-related Benefits
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has plans to change the way contributions to personal pension schemes are taken into account in income-related benefits; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State plans to lay before Parliament amendments to the regulations on the treatment of such contributions in the income-related benefits. It has been the intention since 1988 that when assessing earnings for the income-related benefits a deduction should be made of half of any contributions to a private pension scheme, and administrative practice has been in line with this. But the current regulations do not correctly reflect this policy. In consequence awards have been made since July 1988 which are incorrect in law at a total cost of £8 million. Amendments to the income-related benefits regulations will be introduced to bring the legislation fully into line with existing policy and administrative practice.

  Income Support
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what steps his Department is now taking to review the entitlement to income support of claimants in the light of the Court of Appeal's decision in the case of Percival White v. Chief Adjudication Officer; and what guidance has been issued to those adjudicating claims for income support in relation to inquiries initiated or procedures adopted in view of the court's ruling;

  (2) what steps he has taken to assure nursing home residents, their relatives, and the proprietors of homes in which they reside affected by the judgment of the Court of
  226
  Appeal in the case of the Percival White v. Chief Adjudicating Officer that, if income support claims are reviewed and payments discontinued alternative payments will be made by the district health authority responsible for providing the resident with in-patient treatment and care.

  Mr. Burt
  When the decision of the Court of Appeal has been published it will be studied carefully to ascertain whether any income support claimants, other than those involved in the case, will be affected. The decision confirms the existing policy and it is, therefore, expected that the number of people affected will be small. Most people whose care in a nursing home has been arranged by a health authority are already being assessed as patients. However, the vast majority of people in nursing homes are private residents and there is no question of their being regarded as in-patients.

  General guidance can only be issued when the decision has been studied in detail. However, the Central Adjudication Services will give advice to adjudication officers who require assistance with similar cases.

  I understand that the Department of Health issued advice to regional and district health authorities in 1991 on their responsibilities in this area.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by premium the deductions made from the income support of claimants who are also subject to a deduction for voluntary unemployment.

  Mr. Burt
  Only recipients of the family premium were found to have deductions when benefit was reduced because of voluntary unemployment, but the numbers in the sample are too small to give a reliable estimate.

  Source: Income Support Statistics Annual Enquiry, May 1992.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how long the figure set as the level of fuel debt which leads to a deduction from and direct payment of income support has been in operation;

  (2) what is the basis for the figure set as the level of fuel debt which can lead to a deduction from and direct payment of income support.

  Mr. Burt
  The minimum amount of fuel debt which can lead to direct payment to the fuel company is set at the level of the personal allowance for a single claimant aged not less than 25 years old.

  The figure has been set since the introduction of income support in April 1988.

  Child Maintenance
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many applications for child maintenance have been made by parents with care who(a) are or (b) are not in receipt of income support or family credit;

  (2) in how many cases of the child support maintenance application forms returned to Child Support Agency centres, the parent with care has refused to authorise him to collect maintenance;

  (3) if he will make a statement on the work of the Child Support Agency in its first three months at each of the four Child Support Agency centres presently operating;

  (4) what was the average time taken by each Child Support Agency centre, during the first three months, to complete a maintenance assessment, from the date of maintenance inquiry form being sent to the absent parent;
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  (5) how many maintenance assessments have been carried out by each child support centre since the launch of the Child Support Agency in April;

  (6) how many (a) maintenance application forms and (b) maintenance inquiry forms have been sent out by the Child Support Agency at each of the Child Support Agency centres; and how many in each case have been returned:

  (7) how many of the maintenance assessments prepared by the Child Support Agency since April relate to children living with parents who are on income support and family credit.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Mrs. Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Ms R. Hepplewhite to Mr. Keith Bradley, dated 26 July 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking about various aspects of the work of the Child Support Agency in its first three months of operation.
  I have attached as an annex to this letter a table providing information about the number of maintenance application and maintenance enquiry forms which have been issued, the number of these which have been returned and the number of maintenance assessments which have been completed.
  You asked also for a breakdown of the number of applications and assessments made in relation to parents who are in receipt of benefit. As you will be aware, Alistair Burt, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security, pointed out in his reply of 13 July to a question from Frank Field MP reported at Column 482 of the Official Report that, after only three months' operation, it is too early to provide such a breakdown which is reliable enough for publication, and we do not currently collect information about the number of maintenance assessments made in relation to this group. It is also too early to provide reliable information on average clearance times, such as that which you have requested.
  You asked also about the number of applications received where the parent with care has refused to provide authority for the collection of maintenance. Whilst information is not available in this form, you may wish to know that some 2,300 have so far been referred for interview in connection with the requirement to co-operate.
  Although it is too early to draw any overall conclusions from the data so far available my view is that the Agency has made a steady start in introducing the new arrangements for ensuring that parents meet their responsibilities for child maintenance whenever they are able to do so.
  I hope you will find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Annex
  The number of Maintenance Application/Maintenance Enquiry Forms sent out by the Agency at each Agency Centre, the number returned and the number of assessments in the period 5 April to 30 June are as follows:

  Maintenance Application Forms

  Issued

  Returned

  Hastings

  51,000

  24,500

  Falkirk

  37,000

  18,000

  Dudley

  54,000

  29,000

  Belfast

  35,000

  18,500

  TOTAL

  177,000

  90,000

  228

  Maintenance Enquiry Forms and assessments completed

  Issued

  Returned

  Assessments made

  Hastings

  9,500

  3,500

  920

  Falkirk

  7,000

  3,000

  780

  Dudley

  14,500

  6,500

  1,900

  Belfast

  7,500

  3,000

  400

  TOTAL

  38,500

  16,000

  4,000

  Notes:

  (i) These figures have been rounded and are provisional, so may be subject to amendment.

  (ii) Birkenhead and Plymouth Centres are not yet operational and their caseloads are currently handled by Dudley and Hastings respectively.

  Recovery of Payments
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to improve the performance of his Department in the recovery of overpayments of social security benefits.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of benefits 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 Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Keith Bradley, dated 27 July 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what plans he has to improve the performance of his Department in the recovery of overpayments of social security benefits.
  The report of the Efficiency Scrutiny into the Management of Departmental Debt in December 1989 identified a number of key issues concerning recovery of money owed to the Department, the major concern was the priority given in the Department to benefit delivery over revenue collection. In order to take forward the recommendations of the Efficiency Scrutiny an Information Study was conducted over a 6 month period ending in June 1991.
  Following the recommendations made in the above reports various initiatives have been implemented in the overpayment recovery field. An Income Support recovery yield target for the financial year 1992–93 of £30 million was issued in August 1992. This was a 45 per cent. increase over the amount collected in 1991–92 and yet it was exceeded, the total recovery being £38.2 million. Further targets have been introduced for 1993–94 amounting to £54 million with recovery on non Income Support overpayments also being included.
  The BA are actively pursuing the establishment of a Central Recovery Group to collect outstanding overpayments of Income Support where the customer is no longer in receipt of benefit.
  In addition to the above BA staff have been issued with revised training material and a good practice guide aimed at assisting in the identification, calculation and recovery of overpaid benefit. The Overpayment Recovery Guide, a manual which assists staff in their recovery work, has been comprehensively rewritten and the letters which notify customers of overpayments and request repayment have been drafted in plain English. The procedure for referring cases for civil action, should recovery break down, has also been streamlined and is showing positive results.
  Work is also proceeding to develop Information Technology to assist in the overpayment process.
  I hope you will find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also appear in the Library.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases in each of the last five years civil enforcement action has been taken in either the county court or the sheriffs court to recover sums owed by way of social security benefits.
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  Mr. Burt
  The administration of social security benefits is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member shortly and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Keith Bradley, dated 29 July 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking in how many cases, in each of the last five years, civil enforcement action has been taken in either the County Court or the Sheriffs' Court to recover sums owed by way of Social Security benefits".
  The information you have requested is shown below.

  Year ending 31 March

  County court

  Sheriff's court

  1989

  311

  113

  1990

  250

  84

  1991

  249

  57

  1992

  612

  260

  11993

  6,657

  1,235

  1 The reasons for the 1993 figures being higher than previous years are that the work has been devolved from a central location to Area Offices which has led to increased efficiency. In addition, in July 1992, the process for referring cases was streamlined and the proceedings limit was reduced from £300 to £50.

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

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide a breakdown by benefit of the number of recipients of benefits other than income support, where deductions are being made for the recovery of overpayments under section 71 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992.

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

  Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Keith Bradley, dated 27 July 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking for a breakdown by benefit of the number of recipients of benefits, other than Income Support, where deductions are being made for the recovery of overpayments under section 71 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992.
  I regret that I am unable to provide the exact information you requested. Overpayments are recovered by virtue of both sections 71 and 74 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992. The relevant section is noted on individual claims to assist in the adjudication process only. These details are not collated locally and therefore no central records can be maintained. Obtaining the information you requested could be done only at disproportionate cost.
  However, you may be interested to know that recovery by deduction from non Income Support benefits to recover overpayments is currently being made on 21,142 claims. These overpayments are being recovered by virtue of both sections 71 and 74 of the 1992 Administration Act. I can advise that of these, 15,494 are for benefits administered by our District Offices with the following details for those benefits administered centrally;
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  Number

  Attendance Allowance

  607

  Family Credit

  607

  Invalid Care Allowance

  3,146

  Mobility Allowance/Disability Living Allowance

  740

  Disability Working Allowance

  6

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

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what amounts have been recovered by way of overpayments of benefit in each of the last five years.

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

  Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Keith Bradley, dated 27 July 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what amounts have been recovered by way of overpayments of benefit in each of the last five years.
  I regret that I am unable to provide the information you requested for the last five years. Centrally collected information on Income Support overpayments is held only from April 1991, when the first central target was set for Income Support recoveries. Information for all the other non-Income Support Benefits is being kept from April 1993 and recovery performance will not be known until April 1994.
  In 1991/92, £24.2m was recovered from overpayments of Income Support, against a target of £18m. This figure rose to £38.2m in 1992/93, against a target of £30m. A target of £54m has been set for 1993/94 for recovery of all benefits and the current year end outlook shows that this target will be exceeded.
  I hope that you find this reply helpful. A copy of this letter will appear in the Official Report and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many invalidity benefit recipients were found(a) medically incapable of work, after examination, (b) capable of work, after examination, or (c) medically capable of suitable alternative work (i) in April, May and June 1992 and (ii) in April, May and June 1993;

  (2) how many invalidity benefit recipients were referred to the Benefits Agency medical service (a) in April, May and June 1992 and (b) April, May and June 1993.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of invalidity benefit is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Keith Bradley, dated 27 July 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for social security asking (i) how many invalidity benefit recipients were referred to the benefit agency Medical Service (a) in April, May and June 1992 and (b)

  231
  April, May and June 1993 and (ii) how many invalidity benefit recipients were found (a) medically incapable of work, after examination, (b) capable of work after examination, or (c) medically capable of suitable alternative work (i) in April, May and June 1992 and (ii) in April, May and June 1993.
  >The complete range of information requested is not available. This is because for operational reasons, figures for Scotland and Wales are not available. The full range of information will be available from April 1994. The figures available also include sickness benefit recipients as separate figures are not held. The figures below therefore relate to England only.

  (1a) Sickness benefit/invalidity benefit referrals to BAMS in April, May and June 1992 = 172,637.

  (b) Sickness benefit/invalidity benefit referrals to BAMS in April, May and June 1993 = 170,788.

  (2a) Sickness benefit/invalidity benefit recipients found medically incapable of work after examination:

  (i) in April, May and June 1992 = 33,847

  (ii) in April, May and June 1993 = 28,275

  (b) Sickness benefit/invalidity benefit recipients found capable of work after medical examination:

  (i) in April, May and June 1992 = 5,148

  (ii) in April, May and June 1993 = 3,280

  (c) Sickness benefit/invalidity benefit recipients found medically capable of suitable alternative work after medical examination:

  (i) in April, May and June 1992 = 11,442

  (ii) in April, May and June 1993 = 14,586

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

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the districts of the Benefits Agency which have not received the equal opportunities validation symbol; and what are the reasons for their failure in each case.

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

  Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Win Griffiths, dated 26 July 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am, therefore, replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking if he will list the Districts of the Benefits Agency which have not received the equal opportunities validation symbol; and what are the reasons for their failure in each case.
  The Disability symbol of 2 ticks and 2 dots was introduced by Employment Services for use by employers who wished to show
  232
  their commitment to employing people with disabilities. All Districts within the Benefits Agency were encouraged to use the symbol and many in fact did so.
  In June this year, the symbol was revised and criteria for its use were introduced. The Benefits Agency, in common with other Government Departments and Agencies, is currently looking at the implications of using the new symbol and complying with the criteria. This in no way affects the way we treat disabled people and our policies and procedures are in line with best practice and Civil Service policy on the employment of people with disabilities.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Sick Notes
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps are taken to ensure that sick note reminder forms BF6OB are sent to claimants prior to the expiry date of the existing sick note.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of sickness and invalidity benefit are matters for Mr. Michael Bichard the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Jim Wallace, dated 27 July 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what steps are taken to ensure that sick note reminder forms BF6OB are sent to customers prior to the expiry date of the existing sick note.
  Guidance to Benefit Agency staff is that form BF6OB should be issued if the current medical statement expires before the order book runs out. In both Lerwick and Kirkwall Benefit Offices, which deal with customers in your constituency, form BF6OB would be issued to a customer at the same time as the renewal order book where the medical statement expires during the currency of that order book.
  The computerisation of incapacity benefits is still developing. The latest improvement to the system, introduced on a rolling programme to District Offices from May 1993 to January 1994, will automatically issue form BF6OB whenever an order book is issued that extends beyond the date of the current medical statement.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL, 4th AND 5th OCTOBER
  FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL, 4th AND 5th OCTOBER
  HARBEL, LIBERIA, MASSACRE: REPORT
  HARBEL, LIBERIA, MASSACRE: REPORT
  MR KEVIN COLLINS
  MR KEVIN COLLINS
  CYCLING
  CYCLING
  M.4 MOTORWAY: CLOSURES
  M.4 MOTORWAY: CLOSURES
  BATTLE HONOURS
  BATTLE HONOURS
  VETERINARY MEDICINES DIRECTORATE: ANNUAL REPORT
  VETERINARY MEDICINES DIRECTORATE: ANNUAL REPORT