Written Answers of 20 October 1993

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Dining Rooms
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee if he will publish a list of those organisations which have used dining rooms A, B and C in the past six months.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  No.

  Office Accommodation
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee how many hon. Members currently share an office.

  Mr. Ray Powell
  One hundred and thirty-six hon. Members are accommodated in double rooms, 27 in treble rooms and 12 in rooms of four Members. Twenty-one have desks in open plan accommodation in the Cloisters.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee if he will issue a questionnaire to hon. Members to discover their office accommodation needs and their level of satisfaction with current office accommodation.

  Mr. Ray Powell
  It has been the objective of successive Select Committees responsible for Members' accommodation to work towards a situation where every Member who so wishes is able to have a room of his or her own. Progress towards that goal is a high priority for the Accommodation and Works Committee in consultation with the Serjeant at Arms and the Parliamentary Works Directorate. I shall therefore arrange for my hon. Friend's suggestion to be considered.

  Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee in what circumstances the premises of the United Kingdom branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association would have to vacate its office at short notice to make way for a military guard of honour; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  Matters relating to Westminster Hall are the joint responsibility of the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Speaker and the Lord Chancellor.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how much was spent on official hospitality in his Department in the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Newton
  The Privy Council Office, which includes the private office of the Lord Privy Seal and Lord President as well as the Judicial Committee and Privy Council proper, spent £10,885 in financial year 1992–93 on official hospitality.
  234

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much was spent on official hospitality in his Department in the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  In 1992–93 expenditure on official hospitality in the Lord Chancellor's Department was £20,697.44p.

WALES

  Transport Funding
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give all details of European regional development funds which have been allocated for transport initiatives in the last 12 months and which are proposed for the next 12 months.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  No ERDF funds have been allocated to specific transport initiatives, but ERDF grant has part-financed various transport measures including provision of park and ride facilities, bus routes and new passenger rail services. It is too soon to indicate what schemes or initiatives might be submitted for approval in 1994.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent on official hospitality in his Department in the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Redwood
  The amount spent by the Welsh Office on official hospitality in 1992–93 was £38,382.

  Valleys Programme
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when details of the latest programme for the valleys will be published.

  Mr. Redwood
  Details of the new programme for the valleys, launched by my predecessor on 1 April are set out in a brochure which I have published today. Copies have been sent to those Members in valleys constituencies. I have also placed copies in the Library of the House.

  Under the previous programme for the valleys, launched in June 1988, 2,000 acres of derelict land were cleared in the biggest venture of its kind in Europe, 2.6 million sq ft of industrial floor-space was provided and £700 million of private sector investment was generated. In addition, 24,000 jobs were created or safeguarded.

  My aim for the new programme will be to build on this success, to complete the process of restoring prosperity to the valleys area and to fulfil the aspirations of its people. The new programme has five key aims:

  to create more, better quality jobs;

  to improve training, education and transport;

  to improve the environment;

  to improve people's health;

  to improve the quality and choice of housing.

  I expect total public expenditure under the new programme to exceed £1 billion.

HEALTH

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on official hospitality in her Department in the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Sackville
  In 1992–93, the Department of Health spent £246,374 on hospitality.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on official hospitality in his Department in the financial year 1992–93.

  Sir John Wheeler
  £535,299.

  Audit Review Group
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make available copies of the follow-up report of the audit review group.

  Sir John Wheeler
  I have arranged for copies of the report to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

TRANSPORT

  Railtrack
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the Government's intention with regard to the time scale for the privatisation of Railtrack.

  Mr. Freeman
  As we said in the White Paper "New Opportunities for the Railways", Cm 2012, the Government would like to see the private sector owning as much as possible of the railway in the longer term. No target date has been set for the transfer of Railtrack to private sector ownership.

  Relief Road, Manchester
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what procedures he intends to implement in order to assess the environmental impact of the proposed Greater Manchester western and northern relief road.

  Mr. Key
  If the scheme goes ahead following the public consultation, the proposals will be assessed in terms of the impact on existing communities, air and water qualities, the landscape, agriculture, nature conservation, heritage values and recreation. An environmental statement, describing those impacts and the measures we intend to take in mitigation, will be published in accordance with EC directive 85/337.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent on official hospitality in his Department in the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department of Transport, excluding its agencies, spent £231,547 on official hospitality during 1992–93.

  Exhaust Pollution
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies have been done by his Department on the linkage of asthma and bronchial disorders to exhaust pollution in London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 18 October 1993]: I have been asked to repy.

  The Department is funding a research project which will examine the effects of the December 1991 air pollution episode in London when the highest recorded peak of nitrogen dioxide occurred.

  In addition, the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants which was established by the chief medical officer last year has set up a sub-group on asthma which will make recommendations on research relating to asthma and air pollution.

  The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 10 March at column 616, which stated that the MRC is sponsoring some research into factors contributing to the rise in asthma and has set up a working party to examine the aetiology of asthma under the chairmanship of Professor A. J. Newman Taylor. It is considering a range of possible contributory factors to current levels of asthma, including air pollution. The Department is represented on the working party and on the MRC committee on toxic hazards in the workplace and the environment, both of which will consider areas of need for further research.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much was spent on official hospitality in his Department in the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The expenditure by my Department, excluding expenditure in respect of the Prime Minister's office, on official hospitality in the financial year 1992–93 was £33,320.

  Initiatives Programme
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what arrangements he has made for making payments to projects approved under the Office of Science and Technology's White Paper initiatives programme.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Payments associated with such initiatives began earlier this month. Parliamentary approval to this new expenditure will be sought in a supplementary estimate for the Cabinet Office: Office of Public Service and Science: science vote—class XVIII, vote 2. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure of up to £400,000 for agreed projects is being met by a repayable advance from the contingencies fund.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Blakenhurst Prison
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many disturbances have occurred at Blakenhurst since it opened; and if he will provide details.

  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 18 October 1993:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about disturbances at HM Prison Blakenhurst.
  The Prison Service does not classify incidents as 'disturbances', but records a range of different types of incident which disrupt the smooth running of establishments.
  Since Blakenhurst began receiving prisoners on 26 May 1993, there have been four incidents of concerted indiscipline, and two rooftop demonstrations; all six incidents were passive throughout. These are the details:—
  9 August 1993: 50 prisoners refused to return to their cells at the end of evening association. They were protesting about the quality of the food and about the imminent transfer to training prisons of a number of prisoners. They returned to their cells after 3½ hours.
  13 September 1993: 62 prisoners refused to return to their cells after evening association. Their complaints included the timing of meals, lack of available work, poor choice of video entertainment and new restrictions on access around the houseblocks. The incident was resolved after 3½ hours.
  20 September 1993: 60 prisoners refused to return to their cells at the end of evening association; they did so after one hour.
  23 September 1993: a prisoner climbed onto the roof of the segregation unit to protest about his location in the unit. He remained there for 4 hours. No damage was caused.
  24 September 1993: another prisoner climbed onto the roof of the segregation unit to protest about his location in the unit. He surrendered after 3 hours 50 minutes.
  9 October 1993: ten prisoners refused to return to their cells after evening association. Four of the prisoners were due to be relocated in the segregation unit following an alleged assault on two staff members. The situation was resolved after 2½ hours.

  Cautions
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were cautioned by the police in(a) 1990, (b) 1991 and (c) 1992, (1) in total, (2) for indictable offences, (3) for indictable only offences, (4) for either way offences or (5) for summary offences.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested for the years 1990 to 1992—which is provisional—is given in the table.

  Notifiable offences of theft and handling stolen goods recorded by the police 1979–92

  England and Wales

  Number of offences

  Year

  Total

  Theft from shops

  Handling stolen goods

  Other theft

  1979

  1,416,143

  203,122

  45,290

  1,167,731

  1980

  1,463,469

  206,175

  38,815

  1,218,479

  1981

  1,603,151

  225,342

  40,793

  1,337,016

  1982

  1,755,853

  242,304

  43,589

  1,469,960

  1983

  1,705,924

  235,512

  44,871

  1,425,541

  1984

  1,807,981

  248,792

  45,046

  1,514,143

  1985

  1,884,069

  281,557

  45,336

  1,557,176

  1986

  2,003,873

  255,463

  41,497

  1,706,913

  1987

  2,052,005

  247,064

  45,968

  1,758,973

  1988

  1,931,274

  216,242

  49,262

  1,665,770

  1989

  2,012,760

  222,974

  44,867

  1,744,919

  1990

  2,374,409

  250,301

  46,822

  2,077,286

  238

  Number of persons cautioned by type of offence 1990 to 19921England and Wales

  1990

  1991

  11992

  All offences

  269,112

  278,765

  321,294

  Total indictable

  166,349

  179,885

  216,163

  Indictable only

  1,703

  1,577

  1,736

  Triable either way

  164,646

  178,308

  214,427

  Summary offences (excluding motoring)

  102,763

  98,880

  105,131

  1 Provisional.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what number and percentage of people cautioned in 1990, 1991 and 1992 had(a) no previous cautions, (b) one previous caution, (c) two previous cautions, (d) three previous cautions, (e) four previous cautions, (f) five previous cautions or (g) six or more previous cautions.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is not available in the form requested. The latest available information on previous cautioning history of persons cautioned in England and Wales is shown in the table.

  The past cautioning history of a sample1 of 2,787 offenders cautioned in England and Wales in 1991

  The number of previous cautions

  Percentage of the sample

  None

  79·9

  1

  12·8

  2

  4·3

  3

  1·2

  4

  0·8

  5

  0·2

  6 or more

  0·8

  1 The sample was based on returns from all police forces in England and Wales for all offenders cautioned between 25 and 29 November 1991.

  Theft
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a table showing for each of the years 1979 to 1992 the total number of offences in the category of theft and handling stolen goods; and how many in each year were(a) shoplifting, (b) handling and (c) other categories of theft.

  Mr. Maclean
  The requested information is contained in the following table:
  239

  Year

  Total

  Theft from shops

  Handling stolen goods

  Other theft

  1991

  2,761,119

  281,276

  51,495

  2,428,348

  1992

  2,851,638

  288,672

  49,836

  2,513,130

  Bail Statistics
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people(a) were released on bail in (i) 1990, (ii) 1991 and (iii) 1992, (b) reoffended on bail and (c) were bailed again by the courts.

  Mr. Maclean
  The estimated number of persons remanded on bail at magistrates courts in England and Wales is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales". Table 8.5 shows that 441,900 people were remanded in 1990: 452,500 in 1991 and 458,700 in 1992. Information on numbers offending while on bail and on those bailed again is not collected centrally.

  A Home Office research report—RPU report 65 "Offending while on bail; a survey of recent studies"—gives some information about recent studies relating to offences while on bail. The survey concludes that, on average, between 10 and 12 per cent. of defendants on bail are subsequently convicted of an offence committed on bail and nowhere was the figure more than 17 per cent. A copy of this report is available in the Library of the House.

  Offences Statistics
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many notifiable offences were recorded by the police in the year ended June 1993.

  Mr. Maclean
  The requested information is not yet available.

  Asylum
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current average waiting time for asylum applications, from receipt of application to determination.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The estimated average length of time between the receipt of an asylum application and the decision, for cases decided in the second quarter of 1993, was 18 months. This figure reflects work on the resolution of older and more complex cases, as a result of the increase in staffing in the asylum and special cases division. Following the implementation of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 on 26 July, priority has been given to cases received after that date, with the aim of resolving the majority within three months. However, comprehensive information on the average decision times since implementation of the Act is not yet available.

  Political Conferences
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the total policing costs associated with the 1993 annual conferences of(a) the Liberal Democrats, (b) the Labour party and (c) the Conservative party.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I understand from the chief officers of the forces concerned that the estimated costs are:
  240

  £

  (a) Liberal Democrat (Devon and Cornwall)

  14,500

  (b) Labour (Sussex)

  31,000

  (c) Conservative (Lancashire)

  1,500,000

  Juvenile Offenders
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what work his Department has undertaken to establish the number of persistent juvenile offenders; and what is his estimate of the number of such offenders at the present time.

  Mr. Maclean
  A survey of police forces and local authority social services departments last year identified 106 juveniles who met the criteria for persistent offenders specified in that survey. It was immediately recognised that this figure was a significant underestimate: not all respondents—including two of the largest police forces —held their information in a way which allowed them to produce precise numerical data. Consequently, further research on persistent juvenile offending was commissioned by the Home Office. The report is expected to be available in the near future.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on official hospitality in his Department in the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Howard
  My Department's expenditure on official hospitality in the financial year 1992–93 was £21,651.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Bosnia
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Blackpool, North (Mr. Elletson) of 6 July,Official Report, column 85, what steps Her Majesty's Government took, before co-sponsoring United Nations Security Council resolution 816, to verify allegations of a breach of the no-fly zone over Gladovici on 13 March other than consideration of the UNPROFOR press notice.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers which my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office gave to his written question of 18 October,Official Report, columns 83–84. We are satisfied with the standard of United Nations reporting on the observance of the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzogovina, including the information provided about the breach over Gladovici on 13 March.

  Ivory
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of all countries for which ivory export permits have been
  241
  issued by the authorities in Hong Kong since the entering of the reservation in respect of the ivory trade; and if he will provide full details of the ivory exported.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Since the entering of the reservation and up to 14 October 1993, details of commercial ivory exported from Hong Kong are as follows:

  Importing country

  Nature and quantity

  China

  7946.70 kg raw ivory

  Korea

  273.60 kg worked ivory

  Taiwan

  24.20 kg worked ivory

  Mexico

  195.20 kg worked ivory

  Saudia Arabia

  8.80 kg worked ivory

  Andorra

  112.60 kg worked ivory

  Australia

  8.00 kg worked ivory

  USA

  0.73 kg worked ivory

  United Kingdom

  0.85 kg worked ivory

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much ivory has been confiscated by the Hong Kong authorities since 1 February 1991; and how many prosecutions for illegal export have been initiated since that date.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Between 1 February 1991 and 14 October 1993, the Hong Kong authorities confiscated 1,210.9 kg of ivory and initiated two prosecutions for illegal export.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many exports of ivory have been authorised from Hong Kong since midnight on 17 July 1990.

  Mr. Goodlad
  No commercial exports of ivory have been authorised from Hong Kong between midnight on 17 July 1990 and 14 October 1993 except for seven shipments of pre-convention specimens of worked ivory totalling 1.58 kg.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many spot checks have been made by the Hong Kong authorities of ivory holding premises since 1 February 1991; and if any irregularities were discovered.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The Hong Kong authorities have made 778 spot checks on ivory holding premises between 1 February 1991 and 14 October 1993. No irregularities were discovered.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current stock of all ivory known to be held in Hong Kong; and on what date it was last assessed.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The total commercial ivory stock held in Hong Kong on 17 July 1990 was 463 tonnes, to the nearest tonne. No commercial exports of ivory, except pre-convention specimens of worked ivory, have been authorised since then.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current number of possession licences issued to holders of ivory stocks in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Goodlad
  As at 14 October 1993, there were 899. possession licences held by commercial ivory stock holders in Hong Kong.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent on official hospitality in his Department, including the Overseas Development Administration, in the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Expenditure on official hospitality by both wings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1992–93 is estimated at £6,946,298.

  In addition, the FCO availed itself of part of the £1,141,600 grant-in-aid to the Government hospitality fund, but the exact figure is not available.

  Endangered Species
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of items from endangered species seized by the Hong Kong authorities in the years 1991, 1992 and the first half of 1993; and what prosecutions arose from the seizures.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The Hong Kong authorities made 276 seizures of items from endangered species in 1991, 256 seizures in 1992 and 120 seizures in the first half of 1993. A total of 341 prosecutions for the two and a half year period arose from these seizures.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the ivory exported from Hong Kong since 25 March 1991 in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species requirements.

  Mr. Goodlad
  No commercial exports of ivory have been authorised by the Hong Kong authorities since 25 March 1991 except for six shipments of pre-convention specimens of worked ivory totalling 1.48 kg.

  Special Operations Executive
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to release the records of the wartime Special Operations Executive.

  Mr. Hurd
  I said in my answer on 26 November 1992,Official Report, column 766, that work had started on reviewing the SOE archives. A first batch of files, covering SOE activities in the far east have been transferred to the Public Record Office and will be available to the public from 21 October. The next batches will cover Scandinavia and Africa and will be released as soon as possible after mid-1994.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Ethiopia
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on future British aid to Ethiopia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have agreed to commit £10 million of bilateral development assistance to support projects in Ethiopia in the period 1993 to 1995. In addition, during her recent visit to Ethiopia, my right hon. Friend
  243
  Baroness Chalker of Wallasey agreed to provide £5 million balance of payments support during United Kingdom financial year 1993–94 to support Ethiopia's economic reform programme.

  Natural Resources Institute
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about recent discussions between the Natural Resources Institute and the university of Greenwich.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Natural Resources Institute —NRI—has been reviewing the scope and orientation of its work in the light of a changing market for its services and of the White Paper on science and technology, Cm 2250. The institute has concluded that it has surplus accommodation on its Chatham maritime site. At the same time, it wishes to strengthen links with centres of higher education and research.

  The NRI has, therefore, agreed with the university of Greenwich that its school of earth sciences will be based at Chatham from the autumn of 1994. The university is considering whether to relocate other operations—notably its school of engineering—to Chatham as part of a wider plan to rationalise its estate and to expand the provision it offers in Kent. The NRI and the university intend to develop substantive links in research, teaching and consultancy. This association between NRI and the university is a welcome and constructive initiative, which will also give added impetus to the development of the Chatham maritime site and the Medway towns and will make an important contribution to the regeneration of the east Thames corridor.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of(a) the percentage fall in the volume of book purchases if VAT at 17.5 per cent. were imposed on books and (b) on the consequential loss in corporation tax, income tax and national insurance contributions.

  Sir John Cope
  Research carried out by the Institute for Fiscal Studies suggests that imposing the standard rate of VAT on books would reduce book sales by approximately 10½ per cent. The consequential loss in corporation tax, income tax and national insurance contributions would depend on the behaviour of individual companies.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated effect on the retail prices index of the imposition of VAT at 17.5 per cent. on books.

  Sir John Cope
  Imposing VAT at the standard rate would increase the RPI by around 0.08 per cent., assuming the tax is fully passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue he estimates would be raised if VAT at 17.5 per cent. were applied to books.

  Sir John Cope
  The Treasury publication "Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Reliefs" shows the estimated cost of 244
  applying a zero rate of VAT to books, newspapers and magazines as being £1,100 million in 1993–94. Revenue from books alone would be around 30 per cent. of this figure. This estimate makes no allowance for the likely behavioural response to applying VAT at the standard rate.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent on official hospitality in his Department in the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Nelson
  Expenditure on official hospitality in 1992–93 was £287,195. This is significantly higher than expenditure in 1991–92 reflecting two large one-off events; the annual conference of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions for which the United Kingdom was host in July 1992; and the informal ECOFIN meeting in September 1992 which was held as part of the United Kingdom presidency. If these two items are excluded, expenditure was £84,904.

  No. 11 Downing Street
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 27 July,Official Report, column 876, in respect of No. 11 Downing street, on what floor and room the old carpet was relaid; where the carpet already in that room is now located; what adjustments had to be made to the old carpet before it was relaid; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  The old carpet was relaid on the back staircase between the ground and second floors. The carpet had to be cut to fit this previously uncarpeted staircase.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Computer Exports
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the co-ordinating committee on multilateral export control was notified of the United States decision announced on 26 August to lift existing restrictions on export of computer equipment to China and eastern European countries; and if he will make a statement on the implications of the decision on British export policy for computers to these countries.

  Mr. Needham
  My officials were present at the meeting of COCOM—the Co-ordinating Committee for Multilateral Strategic Export Controls—on 30 September 1993 when the US delegation presented its proposals for amending the agreed level of controls on computer equipment by all COCOM members including the US to proscribed destinations, including China and eastern Europe. Agreement to decontrol was reached at a further meeting held on 5 October.

  Like our counterparts in the US and other COCOM member states, we are considering the practical issues of implementing in the United Kingdom this more relaxed export control policy. We expect to introduce new measures soon.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much was spent on official hospitality in his Department in the financial year 1992–93.
  245
  Mr. Eggar
  My Department spent £526,447 on entertainment in the 1992–93 financial year.

  British Aerospace
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he has had with British Aerospace concerning launch aid for the Jetstream plant at Prestwick; what action he has taken as a result; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  British Aerospace has had initial discussions with officials about launch aid for Jetstream. No application has yet been made.

  Nuclear Industry
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations his Department has received from the nuclear installations inspectorate concerning the safety of computer software to be used in the Sizewell B power station.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have received no such representations. I understand that the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate has not yet completed its assessment of Nuclear Electric's safety case for the computerised primary protection system proposed for Sizewell B.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he plans to announce the timetable and the terms of reference of the 1993 nuclear review.

  Mr. Eggar
  The terms of reference and the format of the forthcoming review of the future prospects for nuclear power in the United Kingdom are under consideration within Government. It remains the Government's intention, as set out in the White Paper "The Prospects for Coal", to make an announcement later this year.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he plans to publish his Department's renewable energy strategy document.

  Mr. Eggar
  I expect to publish a new and renewables strategy document this year.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when potential bidders will be informed whether they have been successful in obtaining support under the third renewables order of the non-fossil fuel obligation.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Non-Fossil Purchasing Agency expects to be able to inform bidders whether they have been successful around October 1994.

  Regional Development Funds, Merseyside
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress is being made to enable funds to be allocated to Merseyside as a result of its designation within objective 1 status; what is the total amount to be allocated; what changes have taken place in the allocated amount; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 18 October 1993]: The objective 1 funds to be allocated to Merseyside are 840
  246
  mecu at 1992 prices, as I announced in my written answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Sir J. Hannam) on 27 July, Official Report, column 948.

  A regional development plan is currently being prepared by the Government in consultation with local interests as required by the regulations and will shortly be transmitted by the Government to the Commission.

  Swan Hunter
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to obtain the approval of the European Commission to the making of intervention funding available for merchant shipbuilding at Swan Hunter.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 19 October 1993]: Following my initial approach to Vice President van Miert in May, applying for the shipbuilding intervention fund for British warship yards, I have submitted to the Commission a detailed case in writing. Since then I have met with Mr. van Miert in Brussels to urge approval of our application and I have pursued this in correspondence and on the telephone, most recently today. Negotiations between officials continue to take place and a further official level meeting is scheduled for Monday 25 October. I will continue to maintain a close involvement in this issue.

DEFENCE

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on official hospitality in his Department in the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Hanley
  In the financial year 1992–93, my Department spent £4,950,000 on official entertainment and refreshments, and on protocol entertainment. This figure includes expenditure incurred by the Ministry of Defence itself, by formations and establishments of the armed forces at home and abroad, and by individual officers occupying command and international appointments for which entertainment allowances are payable.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Sick Notes
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidance is given to Benefit Agency officers regarding the period of notice given to claimants when the sick note reminder form BF6OB is sent out.

  Mr. Scott
  The issue of form BF6OB is a procedural matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. James 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 guidance is given to Benefit Agency officers regarding the period of notice given to customers when sick note reminder form BF6OB is sent out.

  247
  Guidance to Benefit Agency staff does not specify how much notice a customer should be given about the expiry of their medical statement. Normally form BF6OB is issued whenever an order book is issued to a customer which runs on beyond the expiry date of the medical statement. Notice to customers of expiry of medical statements would normally be in the range of 1 to 20 weeks.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Official Cars
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many official cars are currently at the disposal of his Department.

  Mr. Hague
  There are currently 2,188 official vehicles in use on the Department's business.

  Official Travel
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much was spent by his Department on travelling abroad by(a) Ministers and (b) officials in each of the last three financial years; and which countries were visited.

  Mr. Hague
  Information for financial years prior to 1992–93 is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The sum spent in the financial year 1992–93 on the cost of travelling abroad was £403,600. Countries visited in that period were:
  Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, USA and Zimbabwe.

  Separate figures for Ministers and officials are not available.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much has been spent by his Department in each of the last three financial years on costs for officials travelling to France.

  Mr. Hague
  Information on costs for officials travelling to France in years prior to 1992–93 is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The sum spent in the financial year 1992–93 on the cost of travel to France by officials was £26,735.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much was spent on official hospitality in his Department in the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Hague
  Departmental expenditure on official hospitality in the financial year 1992–93 was £175,901.

SCOTLAND

  Sheep Annual Premium
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many application forms were received after the deadline for sheep annual premium; how many were accepted late; what were(a) the reasons for late
  248
  applications and (b) the percentage of applications received by the deadline; what his Department regards as exceptional circumstances; how many applications were accepted because of exceptional circumstances; if he will give details of each case; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Thirty-eight applications were received after the closing date for applications for the 1993 sheep annual premium scheme. The EC regulations which govern the scheme provide that only those late applications which can be attributed to "force majeure" can be accepted. For this purpose, on the basis of guidance from the European Commission, "force majeure" means abnormal or unforeseeable circumstances beyond the control of the applicant. The 38 applications in question were late for a variety of reasons, but none of them fell in the "force majeure" category.

  A total of 17,027 applications—99.8 per cent.—were received by the deadline.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements he proposes for the election, operation and financing of community councils in his plan for reorganisation of local government in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  Our White Paper, published last July, "Shaping the Future—The New Councils" restated our commitment to community councils. We are currently examining responses and will announce our conclusions in due course.

EMPLOYMENT

  Environmental Training
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representation his Department will have at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre meeting on training and education for business and the environment, to be held in Seville on 8 to 12 November.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Joint Research Centre's Eurocourse on business and the environment, originally planned for November in Seville, has been postponed until some tune next year.

  Restricted Reporting Orders
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by what methods a journalist or newspaper editor may challenge or apply to vary a restricted reporting order made under the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None, unless they are a party to the case.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much was spent on official hospitality in his Department in the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In 1992–93, the amounts spent on official entertainment by the Employment Department, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, the
  249
  Health and Safety Executive/Commission, the Employment Service and the Office of Manpower Economics were £39,000, £8,000, £20,000, £21,000 and £10,000, respectively.

ENVIRONMENT

  Raw Materials
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans Her Majesty's Government have to reduce United Kingdom consumption of non-renewable raw materials.

  Mr. Yeo
  The consumption of non-renewable raw materials will be one of the issues raised in the United Kingdom strategy for sustainable development, which the Government are currently preparing.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are Her Majesty's Government's policies for sustainable development.

  Mr. Gummer
  The United Kingdom has taken a leading role in establishing the world strategy on sustainable development. We shall be publishing our strategy in the very near future, following the wide consultation which we have already undertaken.

  Eco-labelling
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about eco-labelling.

  Mr. Yeo
  The eco-labelling scheme was formally launched by the European Commission at the end of June 1993. The Commission has also approved the first ecological criteria, those for washing machines and dishwashers which were developed by the United Kingdom Ecolabelling Board. Manufacturers of these products are now able to apply for an ecolabel for products which meet the published environmental criteria and we expect the first labels to be awarded at the turn of the year. We hope that agreement will soon be reached on a range of other criteria including those for light bulbs, hairsprays, tissue products and soil improvers.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the services which councils may put out to tender.

  Mr. Curry
  Local authorities can voluntarily put out to tender any services they think it appropriate. An increasing number of councils recognise the benefits of competition and, in addition to the services already subject to compulsory competitive tendering, have their own voluntary tendering programmes.

  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in his plans to extend CCT to a council's professional services.

  Mr. Curry
  We are continuing to consult the local authority associations and professional institutions on all 250
  aspects of the Government's proposals for extending CCT to local authority professional services, and have made considerable progress. Secondary legislation for legal and construction-related services, the first services to be introduced in the phased programme, will be circulated in draft for consultation in December and laid before Parliament thereafter. Legislation for the other services will follow.

  Local Government Finance
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about his review of the formulae for calculating grants to local authorities.

  Mr. Gummer
  Work on the review of standard spending assessments for 1994–95 is now complete. I discussed the findings of the review with the local authority associations at the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance last week. Proposals for 1994–95 will be announced later this year.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has made to alter, amend and improve standard spending assessments.

  Mr. Gummer
  Work has now finished on the review of standard spending assessments for 1994–95. The primary aim of the review was to incorporate data from the 1991 census into the underlying standard spending assessment formulae. Proposals for 1994–95 will be announced later this year.

  Energy Conservation
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to develop energy conservation projects both in domestic and business buildings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  To encourage energy efficiency at home so as to reduce the threat of global warming, my right hon. Friend will tomorrow launch the Helping the Earth week.

  At the same event, the Energy Saving Trust will launch a pilot trial of local energy advice centres which is partly funded by the Government.

  Council Property (Repairs)
  Mr. Stephen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure that councils repair properties promptly.

  Sir George Young
  We are introducing an improved right to repair scheme from 1 April 1994 which will ensure that council tenants have a simple and reliable way of getting urgent repairs carried out promptly and paid for by the council.

  Council Rents
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what change has occurred in the current rent for council houses and flats in England between 1979 and the most recent date for which figures are available.

  Sir George Young
  The estimated average weekly unrebated rent for local housing authority dwellings in April 1979 was £6.41. In April 1993, it was £33.50.

  Estate Action
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources have been made available under the estate action scheme since its introduction.

  Mr. Baldry
  Provision for estate action, from the inception of the programme to 1993–94, amounts to over £1.5 billion.

  Council House Sales (Receipts)
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the implementation of his policies in relation to allowing local authorities to spend capital receipts from past sales of council houses.

  Sir George Young
  We have recently widened the scope for debt-free local authorities to spend their reserved capital receipts. Other authorities can spend their reserved receipts provided that they use a credit approval. We have no plans to alter these arrangements.

  Empty Properties, Liverpool
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many public and private sector properties are currently standing vacant in Liverpool.

  Mr. Baldry
  Local authorities report the number of their own dwellings which were vacant and estimates of the numbers of vacant dwellings owned by housing associations, by other public sector landlords and in the private sector in their annual housing investment programme—HIP1—returns. "Other public sector" includes dwellings owned by another local authority.

  The latest available figures, for 1 April 1993, are shown in columns A71, A72, A73 and A74 respectively of Liverpool city council's HIP1 return, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Bathing Water
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next expects to meet representatives from North West Water plc to discuss bathing water cleanliness; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State visited North West Water earlier this month to learn of progress on their schemes to improve bathing water quality at Southport, Blackpool and elsewhere. He has no immediate plans for further discussions, but he will continue to take a close interest in the improvements now under way.

  London Docklands
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has received or plans to make concerning de-designation of any area currently within the statutory curtilage of the London Docklands development corporation.

  Mr. Baldry
  Detailed discussions have been taking place between the London Docklands development corporation and the London boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets and Southwark about the progressive withdrawal 252
  of the LDDC from parts of the urban development area. The Department has been kept in touch with the progress of these discussions.

  Council House Sales
  Sir David Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses have been sold to sitting tenants in England since May 1979.

  Sir George Young
  Between April 1979 and June 1993, about 1.35 million tenants bought their homes from English local authorities and new towns.

  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for the improvement of home ownership opportunities for those living in council homes.

  Sir George Young
  The new rent-to-mortgage scheme came into operation on 11 October. It provides a new route into home ownership for council tenants who pay full rent and are financially secure, but who find the full right-to-buy purchase price is still beyond their reach.

  Urban Policies
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his current urban policies.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government will continue to support the regeneration of urban areas through their main programmes and special measures. These measures include bringing together English Estates, derelict land grant and city grant into a single Urban Regeneration Agency which will be a major engine of renewal; supporting the urban development corporations which have already attracted some £12 billion in private investment; and encouraging local regeneration through city challenge.

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to come to a decision on the commissioning of THORP.

  Mr. Yeo
  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food have granted British Nuclear Fuels plc's existing authorisations to discharge liquid and gaseous radioactive wastes from Sellafield, to permit the testing of the company's thermal oxide reprocessing plant with natural and depleted uranium. The variations came into effect on 2 September 1993.

  The grant of the variations is without prejudice to consideration of the company's main applications for authorisation to operate THORP, currently being undertaken by the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. If the decisions on the main applications do not permit THORP to operate, the variations would require the company to stop testing and decontaminate the plant.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 28 June,Official Report, column 388, if he will set out the technical areas in which RWMAC has been asked to do further work and the timescale set for it to submit its report.
  253
  Mr. Yeo
  Last year, the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee—RWMAC—produced a first report on the proposals by British Nuclear Fuels plc —BNFL—to offer waste substitution to those foreign customers with whom its contracts provide for the return of waste. Under its proposals, BNFL would return an equivalent amount of high-level radioactive waste in place of intermediate and low-level waste arising from the reprocessing of their spent fuel.

  British Nuclear Fuels plc has proposed the integrated radiological toxic potential—ITP—system for comparing the radiological equivalence between different waste streams. I have written to the chairman of RWMAC requesting the advice of the committee on whether ITP is a suitable basis for determining radiological equivalence, whether there are any limitations to its application and whether, in the committee's opinion, BNFL's proposals are on this basis broadly neutral. The committee has also been asked to identify the environmental implications resulting from substitution and to advise in what circumstances these may be significant.

  The committee's advice is expected early next year.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Milligan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people were accepted as homeless in the most recent two quarters for which figures are available.

  Sir George Young
  The number of households accepted as homeless by local authorities in England in the quarter ending June 1993 is estimated at 34,410. This is some 1,700–5 per cent.—less than the 36,120 accepted in the previous quarter.

  This is the fourth quarter in succession in which the number of homelessness acceptances has fallen.

  Ozone Depletion
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action the United Kingdom is taking to phase out the production of substances damaging the ozone layer.

  Mr. Yeo
  Under the EC regulation that implements the Montreal protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer, United Kingdom production of halons must cease at the end of this year, chlorofluorocarbons and carbon tetrachloride at the end of next year and 1,1,1 trichloroethane at the end of 1995. Controls on hydrochlorofluorocarbons—HCFCs—and methyl bromide were added to the protocol last year, and a new regulation which would apply them within the EC is currently under discussion. In those discussions, the United Kingdom is pressing for the Community to agree to tighter controls than the protocol contains on both HCFCs and methyl bromide.

  Single Mothers
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has relating to provision of local authority accommodation for single mothers; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  In my answer today to the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Raynsford), I have indicated 254
  that we will be consulting interested organisations in due course about our proposals to reform the homelessness legislation, with the aim of ensuring fairer access to permanent social housing for everyone who needs it. I will consider what further accommodation provision may be needed for single mothers in that context.

  Multiple Occupation Houses
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of multiple occupation houses are classed as(a) unfit for human habitation and (b) substandard.

  Sir George Young
  The 1991 English house condition survey found 28 per cent. of multiple occupation houses, defined as dwellings in which facilities are shared by more than one household, unfit under section 604 of the Housing Act 1985, as amended by schedule 9 to the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Information on the percentage unfit under section 352 of this Act is not available.

  Docklands Light Railway
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Bow and Poplar (Ms Gordon) of 26 July,Official Report, column 580, when he intends to make an announcement on the construction of the docklands light railway extension to Greenwich and Lewisham.

  Mr. Baldry
  An announcement will be made soon, once the structure of the project has been fully assessed to take into account the interests of both the public and the private sectors. Studies are under way to scrutinise the capital costs of building the railway's extension to Lewisham and to assess the best means of providing for private financing of its construction.

  Climate Change
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the implications for Her Majesty's Government's policy on global warming and climate change of the findings of the Natural Environment Research Council's terrestrial initiative in the global environmental research project released on 31 August; and what further funding will be made available to the project to follow up the research findings published to date.

  Mr. Yeo
  Work under the Natural Environment Research Council's terrestrial initiative in global environmental research—TIGER—will help to improve predictions of climate change and its impacts. The results will be part of the scientific evidence supporting the implementation of the framework convention on climate change under which the United Kingdom will be committed to take actions aimed at returning CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2000.

  Funding of the programme is a matter for the Natural Environment Research Council. The Department will continue to support TIGER by facilitating joint work with the Hadley Centre climate prediction programme and through the climate impacts link project at the climatic research unit, university of East Anglia.

  Housing
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to issue further guidance, and to amend existing guidance, to relevant authorities under the powers contained in section 71 of the Housing Act 1985.

  Sir George Young
  The Government have consulted local housing authorities and other interested parties on proposals(a) to revise the third edition (1991) of the "Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities" in the light of the Court of Appeal's judgment in the case of R-v-Secretary of State for the Environment ex parte London borough of Tower Hamlets, and (b) to supplement the code by providing guidance on the housing provisions of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993. I intend to issue a revision of the code and a supplement to it in due course, taking account of the consultation responses.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to use his powers under section 59(2) of the Housing Act 1985 to vary the categories of persons defined as having a priority need for accommodation.

  Sir George Young
  We have no plans to amend section 59(2) of the Housing Act 1985 by order.

  First-time Home Buyers
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce new measures that will help first-time home buyers; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  The most important way in which first-time buyers, and indeed all home buyers, will be helped is through continued improvement in the general economy. Measures that my Department is taking to encourage home ownership include the new rent-to-mortgage scheme, which will enable secure tenants of local authorities and certain other bodies to buy their homes on a mortgage that costs no more than their rent.

  Environmental Programmes
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to meet representatives of(a) the Business Council for Sustainable Development and (b) the World Industry Council for the Environment to discuss their respective programmes in regard to United Kingdom environmental policy.

  Mr. Yeo
  None. Officials are, however, in touch with both organisations.

  Capital Receipts
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the total accumulated capital receipts held by local authorities which are not available for investment.

  Mr. Baldry
  Local authorities are not required to account for the reserved part of capital receipts separately from other amounts set aside as provision to meet credit liabilities—PCL.

  At 31 March 1992, the total balance held by local authorities as PCL was around £6.5 billion. Amounts held
  256
  as PCL may be used to repay debt, to meet liabilities in respect of credit arrangements, or, with the authority of a credit approval, to meet capital expenditure. In the interim, such amounts would generally be represented by financial investments.

  Building and Construction
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of activity in the building and construction industry since last year's autumn statement to date.

  Sir George Young
  Total output in the building and construction industry in Great Britain fell by 2.5 per cent. between the third quarter of 1992 and the second quarter of 1993. This change is at constant 1985 prices and adjusted to exclude normal seasonal variation.

  Council Services
  Mr. Legg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many councils have put services out to tender on a voluntary basis.

  Mr. Baldry
  This information is not held centrally.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was spent on official hospitality in his Department in the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Gummer
  Total expenditure by my Department, including the Building Research Establishment agency, the Planning Inspectorate agency, the Buying Agency and the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre agency, was £138,000 in 1992–93.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by Government Departments towards their 15 per cent. energy efficiency target.

  Mr. Yeo
  Energy management in individual Government Departments is a matter for the Ministers responsible for those Departments. The Energy Efficiency Office of my Department provides information on good practice and monitors progress towards the target agreed in 1990 of a 15 per cent. improvement in energy efficiency over the five years ending 1995–96. The progress of Departments towards the target during 1992–93 is shown in the tables. Green Ministers reviewed the results at their meeting on 13 October; they noted an improvement in 1992–93 over 1991–92, but agreed that further improvement was required.

  I am pleased to note that in the first two years of the campaign my Department has reduced weather-corrected energy expenditure per sq m by 5 per cent. Performance indicators expressing performance in terms of carbon dioxide per sq m and total carbon dioxide emissions indicate that my Department has reduced the former by 16 per cent. and the latter by 20 per cent. during the same period.
  257

  Table 1: Departmental expenditure, investment and percentage progress on the standard performance indicator (£ metre2) relative to 1990–91

  Energy expenditure

  Own investment in energy efficiency

  £ metre2 Percentage progress on £ metre2 relative to 1990–91

  Department

  1992–93 (£ million)

  1992–93 (£'000)

  1991–92

  1992–93

  MAFF—Main Estate

  3.9

  417

  (4)

  (6)

  —Buffer Depots

  0.1

  0

  0

  21

  Cabinet Office

  0.5

  40

  (18)

  (4)

  Customs

  3.6

  650

  2

  13

  Defence—Civil

  n/a

  n/a

  (10)

  n/a

  —Royal Navy

  n/a

  2,800

  n/a

  n/a

  —Army

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  —RAF

  n/a

  2,300

  n/a

  n/a

  —Procurement Executive

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  —Defence Research Agency

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  —Total

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Education

  0.5

  n/a

  (21)

  (83)

  Employment

  9.8

  1,175

  (7)

  (1)

  Environment

  2.0

  208

  2

  5

  FCO

  1.0

  165

  (3)

  7

  Health

  0.8

  421

  (14)

  (1)

  Home Office—non-Prisons

  2.6

  0

  (17)

  (21)

  —Prisons

  24.4

  1,500

  (1)

  (2)

  Inland Revenue

  12.7

  1,631

  1

  1

  Lord Chancellor's

  6.4

  650

  1

  3

  ODA

  0.7

  n/a

  —

  (4)

  National Heritage

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  National Savings

  1.3

  84

  4

  8

  Northern Ireland Office

  10.4

  729

  5

  5

  Scottish Office

  1.0

  416

  3

  (2)

  Scottish Courts

  1.0

  20

  —

  4

  Scottish Prisons

  3.3

  n/a

  (2)

  (5)

  Social Security

  15. 6

  843

  (6)

  0

  Trade and Industry

  5.5

  n/a

  1

  1

  Transport

  4.3

  368

  7

  7

  Treasury

  0.3

  4

  2

  4

  Welsh Office

  0.6

  121

  0

  2

  Total (excl. MOD, ODA and Scots Courts)

  112.3

  9,442

  (0.8)

  0.2

  For ODA and Scottish Courts 1991–92 is the base year. Therefore these departments' contributions have not been included in the 'Progress' totals.

  Table 2: Departmental percentage progress on CO2/metre2 relative to 1990–91

  Department

  Percentage progress on CO2/metre2 relative to 1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  MAFF—Main Estate

  (1)

  (1)

  —Buffer Depots

  3

  25

  Cabinet Office

  (8)

  1

  Customs

  1

  15

  Defence—Civil

  (7)

  n/a

  —Royal Navy

  n/a

  n/a

  —Army

  n/a

  n/a

  —RAF

  n/a

  n/a

  —Procurement Executive

  n/a

  n/a

  —Defence Research Agency

  n/a

  n/a

  —Total

  n/a

  n/a

  Education

  (16)

  (58)

  Employment

  (6)

  3

  Environment

  7

  16

  FCO

  0

  13

  Health

  (11)

  3

  Home Office—non-Prisons

  (15)

  (17)

  —Prisons

  1

  3

  Inland Revenue

  3

  7

  Lord Chancellor's

  2

  8

  ODA

  —

  (2)

  National Heritage

  n/a

  n/a

  National Savings

  6

  13

  Northern Ireland Office

  6

  6

  Scottish Office

  2

  6

  Scottish Courts

  —

  6

  Scottish Prisons

  1

  (2)

  258

  Department

  Percentage progress on CO2/ metre2 relative to 1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Social Security

  (3)

  5

  Trade and Industry

  5

  9

  Transport

  10

  13

  Treasury

  23

  19

  Welsh Office

  1

  7

  Total (excl. MOD, ODA and Scots Courts)

  3

  6

  For ODA and Scottish Courts 1991–92 is the base year. Therefore these departments' contributions have not been included in the 'Progress' totals.

  Table 3: Departmental percentage progress on total CO2 emissions relative to 1990–91

  Department

  Percentage progress on CO2 relative to 1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  MAFF—Main Estate

  (1)

  (6)

  —Buffer Depots

  3

  24

  Cabinet Office

  (22)

  (13)

  Customs

  (56)

  (38)

  Defence—Civil

  (6)

  n/a

  —Royal Navy

  2

  (3)

  —Army

  (3)

  1

  —RAF

  (2)

  (2)

  —Procurement Executive

  n/a

  n/a

  —Defence Research Agency

  n/a

  n/a

  —Total

  n/a

  n/a

  259

  Department

  Percentage progress on CO2 relative to 1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Education

  (34)

  (7)

  Employment

  (8)

  3

  Environment

  5

  20

  FCO

  (2)

  7

  Health

  (50)

  0

  Home Office—non-Prisons

  (15)

  (17)

  —Prisons

  (5)

  (8)

  Inland Revenue

  0

  4

  Lord Chancellor's

  (12)

  (6)

  ODA

  —

  (2)

  National Heritage

  n/a

  n/a

  National Savings

  6

  13

  Northern Ireland Office

  3

  1

  Scottish Office

  (12)

  (8)

  Scottish Courts

  —

  (7)

  Scottish Prisons

  (1)

  (2)

  Social Security

  (3)

  (10)

  Trade and Industry

  7

  17

  Transport

  10

  12

  Treasury

  13

  31

  Welsh Office

  2

  17

  Total (excl. MOD, ODA and Scots Courts)

  (3)

  (2)

  For ODA and Scottish Courts 1991/92 is the base year. Therefore these departments' contributions have not been included in the 'Progress' totals.

  Notes to Tables

  1. Progress by departments under each of the Performance Indicators (PIs) is expressed as a percentage reduction relative to the base year value of the PI in question, with 15 per cent. improvement on £/metre2 after five years as the campaign target. Numbers in parentheses denote regress rather than progress.

  2. Some departments have revised earlier years' figures, which explains some differences from last year's published results. Equally, some of this year's figures may be subject to revision.

  3. Base year figures for Customs and Excise on expenditure, consumption and floor area were all considerably understated, at least partly because the department is a minority tenant occupier in many buildings, with energy bills often paid as part of the service charge, and not separately identifiable. This situation was largely altered after the base year, hence the apparent increase in the figures. For this reason, improvement relative to 1991–92 is a more reliable indicator of progress.

  4. Floor area figures are not available for most of the MOD estate. An alternative assessment method to £/metre2 has been agreed whereby base year consumption figures will be adjusted up or down to allow for the addition or loss of buildings to MOD's estate during the campaign; this will also apply to CO2/metre2. For total CO2, since no allowance is made for estate changes to any other department, unadjusted figures will be used for MOD. At the moment, adjustments have not yet been made to MOD's data, so equivalent £/metre2 and CO2/metre2 are not yet available.

  5. DFE's consumption is dominated by the HQ building, and this changed from a largely naturally ventilated building in the base year to a completely air-conditioned one, with a much smaller floor area, last year. This is the explanation for their large increase in £/metre2.

  6. Investment figures for departments do not include investment made by Property Holdings on their behalf.

  Housing, London
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of housing starts in London for 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93 and expected for 1993–94 by(a) local authority, (b) housing associations and (c) private sectors.
  260
  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 18 October 1993]: Estimates are shown in the table of the total numbers of housebuilding starts by sector in Greater London for financial years 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93 and the first five months of 1993–94.

  Financial Year

  Private Enterprise

  Housing Associations

  Local Authorities

  Total

  1990–91

  6,900

  3,000

  100

  10,000

  1991–92

  7,800

  3,500

  100

  11,400

  1992–93

  7,200

  5,900

  200

  13,300

  1993–942

  3,500

  2,800

  —1

  6,400

  1 Less than 100.

  2 April to August.

  The Department does not prepare forecasts of housebuilding activity.

  Birds
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in relation to the Marismas de Santoña judgment—C355/90—in the European Court of Justice on 2 August; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 18 October 1993]: I have received a copy of the representations made by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales. A response to these representations was sent on 12 October.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  THORP
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps were taken to publicise the second consultation period on the thermal oxide reprocessing plant; how many sets of consultation documents were distributed and to whom; what criteria were adopted in deciding the scope of distribution of relevant documents; how many responses were received; and if she will give a breakdown of those(a) in favour of and (b) opposed to the opening of THORP, based on the responses.

  Mr. Jack
  The second consultation in connection with British Nuclear Fuels plc's application for authorisations for Sellafield, including THORP, was publicised by a public notice in the national press and in local newspapers within the Sellafield area. Some 250 sets of the consultation documents were issued to those local authorities, public bodies, environmental and other interest groups who were previously consulted by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. In excess of 40,000 responses have been received and these are still being assessed. More detailed figures will be made available once all the responses have been considered.

  Agriculture Council
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Luxembourg on 18 and 19 October; and if she will make a statement.
  261
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  This Council, at which I represented the United Kingdom, considered a proposal from the Commission for changes in the agri-monetary system, made in response to pressure, mainly from Germany, at the previous meeting. Following the changes in the exchange rate mechanism in August, the appreciation of any Community currency beyond a defined limit results in an automatic revaluation of the green rate of the member state concerned and a consequent fall, in terms of that currency, in prices and amounts set under the common agricultural policy. The Commission's proposal would slightly widen the margin within which a currency can appreciate without triggering such a revaluation. I argued that there was no need to alter the existing rules. Germany continued to press for the extension of the "switchover" mechanism to floating currencies, whereby prices in all other member states would be increased in order to avoid a reduction in one.

  The Council will return to this issue at its next meeting. Meanwhile, the Commission indicated that it would continue to freeze green rates at their current level. I objected to this, on legal grounds and because farmers and traders had a right to expect that existing rules would not be arbitrarily suspended.

  The Council had an inconclusive discussion of the Commission's proposals for changes to the detailed arrangements for arable area payments, including set-aside, and for implementing the agreement on oilseeds reached between the Community and the United States. These proposals will similarly be considered again at the Council's next meeting.

  The Agriculture Commissioner, Mr. Steichen, reported on his discussions with the United States trade representative, Mr. Kantor, on the agricultural aspects of the Uruguay round tariff negotiations.

  The Council adopted two decisions by qualified majority vote, one establishing a draft supplementary and amending budget for the Community for 1993, and the other authorising the Commission to negotiate with certain banana exporting countries about their rights under the general agreement on tariffs and trade in relation to the changes in the Community's arrangements for bananas agreed last December.

  Non-departmental Public Bodies
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 6 July,Official Report, columns 111–12, whether the interests declared by chairpersons of members of the boards of executive NDPBs sponsored by her Department are maintained in a register of interests available for inspection.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 27 July 1993]: There is no register of interests for members of NDPBs and none of the NDPBs for which my right hon. Friend is responsible maintains a register of interests available for inspection. Details of those filling many posts are published, or are available at the time of appointment.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many animals confirmed as having BSE were born between(a) August 1988 and December 1988, (b) January 1989 and June 1989, (c) July 1989 and
  262
  December 1989, (d) January 1990 and June 1990, (e) July 1990 and December 1990, (f) January 1991 and June 1991, (g) July 1991 and December 1991, (h) January 1992 and June 1992 and (i) July 1992 and December 1992.

  Mr. Soames
  The details of confirmed cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle born in Great Britain relative to the periods referred to are as follows:

  Period of birth

  Cases of BSE confirmed

  August to December 1988

  3,499

  January to June 1989

  375

  July to December 1989

  397

  January to June 1990

  3

  July to December 1990

  3

  Note: There have been no cases of BSE confirmed in cattle born after December 1990.

EDUCATION

  Student Unions
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he has met leaders of the National Union of Students to discuss charitable status for student unions.

  Mr. Boswell
  My discussions with the president of the NUS have covered the position of student unions as charities, on which the Attorney-General, in his role as protector of charities, issued guidance in 1983.

  Press and Public Relations
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list for each financial year since 1990–91 his Department's expenditure on press and public relations, together with the budget for those items for 1993–94 and 1994–95.

  Mr. Boswell
  The figures for Department of Education expenditure on press and publicity, including staff costs and relevant administrative expenditure, for the financial years 1990–91 to 1993–94 are given in the table. Figures for 1994–95 have not yet been agreed. The Department does not incur expenditure on public relations.

  Year

  £000

  1990–91

  5,275.6

  1991–92

  9,006.2

  1992–93

  8,036.9

  1993–94

  110,122.6

  1 Estimated.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much was spent on official hospitality in his Department in the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Boswell
  In 1992–93, the Department spent £96,000 of its administration budget on providing official hospitality.

  Student Lodgings
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if students lodging in private houses are protected by regulations governing homes in multiple occupation.

  Mr. Boswell
  The type of private rented accommodation in which most students are likely to live may be classified as a house in multiple occupation—HMO. An HMO is identified in the Housing Act 1985 as a house which is occupied by persons who do not form a single household and this may cover a range of shared accommodation, bedsits and hostels. Local authorities have wide ranging powers under the Housing Act 1985 to control the standards in HMOs.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will consult vice-chancellors on a code to protect students in lodgings from fire and from faulty gas appliances.

  Mr. Boswell
  Where students live in accommodation which can be classified as a house in multiple occupation, which is a house occupied by persons who do not form a single household, local authorities have wide-ranging powers to control standards under the Housing Act 1985.

  In addition the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1984 put a duty on those who install and service
  264
  gas appliances. The Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1984 places a duty on a person who runs a business to ensure that any persons not in his employment are not exposed to risk to their health or safety.

  Access Funds
  Mr. Haselhurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will review the announced split between the postgraduate and undergraduate access funds allocated in England for 1993–94, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  Further to my announcement on 14 June,Official Report column 421, at the request of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, I have agreed a reapportionment of the £18.98 million available in access funds for distribution to institutions in England. The revised allocations, which take account of the relatively greater increase in undergraduate student numbers, areas follows:

  £million

  Undergraduate

  13.34

  Postgraduate

  5.30

  Further education

  0.34

  Total

  18.98

  NATURAL RESOURCES INSTITUTE AND GREENWICH UNIVERSITY
  NATURAL RESOURCES INSTITUTE AND GREENWICH UNIVERSITY
  ETHIOPIA: ASSISTANCE
  ETHIOPIA: ASSISTANCE
  RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS: MONITORING
  RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS: MONITORING
  GREECE AND TURKEY: NATO WEAPONS TRANSFER PROGRAMME
  GREECE AND TURKEY: NATO WEAPONS TRANSFER PROGRAMME
  GREECE AND TURKEY: WEAPONS BUILD-UP
  GREECE AND TURKEY: WEAPONS BUILD-UP
  EC BODIES' MEETINGS: PUBLIC ACCESS
  EC BODIES' MEETINGS: PUBLIC ACCESS
  EC MEASURES: THE QUALIFIED MAJORITY SYSTEM AND THE UK
  EC MEASURES: THE QUALIFIED MAJORITY SYSTEM AND THE UK
  AGRICULTURE COUNCIL, LUXEMBOURG, 18TH AND 19Th OCTOBER
  AGRICULTURE COUNCIL, LUXEMBOURG, 18TH AND 19Th OCTOBER
  CROATIA: FRESH MEAT EXPORTS TO EC
  CROATIA: FRESH MEAT EXPORTS TO EC
  CEREALS AND TOBACCO: EC SUBSIDIES
  CEREALS AND TOBACCO: EC SUBSIDIES
  DEER IN VELVET: TRANSPORT CONDITIONS SUPERVISION
  DEER IN VELVET: TRANSPORT CONDITIONS SUPERVISION
  WANDSWORTH: ROADWORKS
  WANDSWORTH: ROADWORKS
  CIVIL SERVANTS: AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT STAFF
  CIVIL SERVANTS: AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT STAFF
  WATER CHARGES
  WATER CHARGES