Written Answers of 21 October 1993

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what effects the reduction in the number of cases coming before the criminal courts is likely to have on the level of legal aid expenditure contained in the Supply estimates.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The 1993–94 Supply estimate provision for legal aid is £1,284 million, net of receipts. Based on figures for expenditure to the end of August, we now forecast that net expenditure for legal aid in the current year is likely to be £1,254 million. At this stage in the year, however, there is inevitably still uncertainty about the eventual outturn. The reduction in the forecast is largely related to criminal legal aid. The changes in eligibility introduced in April, the effect of which was almost entirely in relation to civil legal aid and advice and assistance, appear to be having .broadly the effect anticipated.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Environment and Development Conference
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution was made by the Overseas Development Administration to the Partnerships for Change conference on environment and development held by Her Majesty's Government in Manchester on 20 to 22 September; and if he will make a statement on the support given by his Department to the participating countries.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Overseas Development Administration was actively involved in preparations for the conference with the Department of Environment, which had responsibility for organising the event. The ODA was also represented at the conference.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what investigations are currently being made by Her Majesty's Goverment or the EC into possible widespread incidence of epidemic disease and illness in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as a result of the effects of implementation of economic and diplomatic sanctions; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he received the report prepared for the European Community by the Belgian ambassador to Belgrade on 17 September regarding the effects on humanitarian and medical provisions in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as a result of economic and diplomatic sanctions; and if he will make a statement;
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  (3) what reports he has received into the medical and humanitarian situation in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as a result of the implementation of economic and diplomatic sanctions; what assessment he has made of the effect on medical and humanitarian services and facilities as a resuslt of such sanctions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The incidence of epidemic disease and illness throughout the former Yugoslavia, including Serbia and Montenegro, is the subject of frequent investigation by the World Health Organisation which is responsible for co-ordinating the international relief effort. We have made a substantial contribution including a further £10 million in medical assistance announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development on 26 August. Our total contributions, directly and through the European Community, is £141 million. Although we have not received a report prepared by the Belgian ambassador, we have received a great many reports from other sources, including that prepared by the all-party parliamentary group about humanitarian aid and UN sanctions.

  Sanctions applied to Serbia and Montenegro under UN Security Council resolutions Nos. 757 and 820 specifically exclude foods and medicines, subject to notification procedures in the United Nations sanctions committee. We have worked hard in this committee to ensure that genuine humanitarian shipments are expedited.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will support moves lo allow the Federal Yugoslav authorities to fly humanitarian and medical support directly into Belgrade airport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd: We recognise the importance of providing rapid humanitarian and medical support to those most in need, in the former Yugoslavia regardless of their origins.

  The Belgrade authorities have made no applications to fly humanitarian supplies directly into Belgrade. The UN sanctions committee would need to decide whether this would be permitted under existing UN resolutions.

PRIME MINISTER

  Community Care
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to develop an overall assessment of community care housing needs for the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  The assessment of housing needs associated with care in the community is for local housing authorities, in consultation with social services authorities, as they develop their housing strategy statements; these are intended to address all housing needs in their areas.

  Office Running Costs
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the cost of running his Office during the last 12 months; and what was the cost at today's prices(a) five and (b) 10 years ago.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.
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  Comparative information is available only for complete financial years. The costs, at 1993–94 prices, of running my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's Office in 1983–84 and 1988–89 and the budget for 1993–94 are as follows:

  £000

  1983–84

  5,114

  1988–89

  8,558

  1993–94

  110,710

  1 Budget.

  Notes:

  1. The figures represent the cost of 10 Downing Street and Chequers borne on the Votes of the Cabinet Office (OPSS) and its predecessors. Over the period in question the following changes have occurred to the basis of the costs:
  in 1983–84 the then Property Services Agency introduced charges for buildings and services;
  in 1984–85 charges were introduced for the Government Car Service and the Service personnel at Chequers; and
  in 1986–87 the cost of office services was included for the first time.

  2. Costs are shown in the year in which the expenditure was made. Because of billing delays this is not always in the financial year in which the goods or services were provided.

  THORP
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 16 July,Official Report, column 687, if he has yet had the opportunity to reply to the letter handed to him on 15 June by a Japanese group in respect of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant; if he will send a copy of his reply to the hon. Member for Don Valley; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  My hon. Friend the Minister for Energy replied on 22 September on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  Overseas Staff and Premises
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the cost for the current financial year of his Department having(a) premises and (b) personnel overseas; and what were the comparable figures for (a) 12, (b) 24, (c) 36 and (d) 48 months ago.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  The office of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister maintains neither premises nor staff overseas.

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 21 October.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 21 October.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Cyprus.

  United States-United Kingdom Relations
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on present relations between the United States of America and the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.
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  The United Kingdom and the United States have a strong and fruitful relationship at all levels.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Mr. Patrick Doyle
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish a list of all meetings held and correspondence exchanged in the past year between his Department and Mr. Patrick Doyle, now of AST Training; what was the nature of such meetings or correspondence; what plans he has to meet Mr. Patrick Doyle; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Since the Office of Public Service and Science was established in April 1992 I have not met Mr. Patrick Doyle and I have no plans to meet him. My Department has no record of any correspondence received from Mr. Doyle or of any meetings with him.

  Technology Foresight Programme
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent contributions have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the OECD Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy's project on the responsiveness of scientific and technological institutions to environmental change.

  Mr. Davis
  The United Kingdom offered staffing support for this review which concluded with a report in 1991. The United Kingdom continues to support the work of the OECD Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy in its current programme of work.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  European Court (Phone Calls)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee, pursuant to his answer of 17 February,Official Report, column 217, what steps have been taken to ensure that hon. Members are not charged for telephone calls to the European Court of Justice; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  The European Court of Justice is now an authorised destination which hon. Members may dial direct at no cost to themselves. I have asked the Serjeant at Arms to ensure that an amended list of directly dialled numbers to European destinations is made available to Members.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  VAT
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the imposition of VAT on food upon the food consumption, nutritional intake and health of low-income families.

  Sir John Cope
  It would not be appropriate to comment before the Budget on 30 November.

  Accountants
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will set out the criteria applied by the Government in considering whether Government Departments or public sector bodies should consider doing business with private sector accountants where there is a potential conflict of interest;

  (2) on what grounds his Departments and public sector bodies decline to do business with certain partners of accountancy firms; what further plans he has to exclude particular accountancy firms from Government business; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  The grounds on which Departments decide to do business with any accountancy firm will depend upon the individual circumstances of each appointment.

  In general, Departments seek to ensure that there are no matters which could reduce a firm's effectiveness in performing the services for which it is to be appointed and that there are no matters which make it inappropriate for Government to have business dealings with the firm.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the total number of audit appointments awarded by Government Departments to private accountancy firms; what is the total for the period of the last 12 months; what is the number in each Government Department; what proportion of these audit appointments were(a) held by the six largest accountancy firms, and (b) by other accountancy firms, again divided by Department; what proportion and total number of audit appointments carrying fees in excess of £25,000 is held by (i) the six largest accountancy firms and (ii) other accountancy firms; and if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on awarding audit appointments to firms other than the six largest accountancy firms;

  (2) what is the total number of consultancy appointments awarded by Government Departments to private accountancy firms; what is the total for the period of the last 12 months to date; what is the number in each Government Department; what proportion of these consultancy appointments were (a) held by the six largest accountancy firms and (b) by other accountancy firms, again divided by Department; what proportion and total number of consultancy appointments carrying fees in excess of £25,000 is held by (i) the six largest accountancy firms and (ii) other accountancy firms; and if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on awarding consultancy appointments to firms other than the six largest accountancy firms.

  Sir John Cope
  The information sought on such appointments awarded by Government Departments to private sector accountancy firms is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  The Government's policy on awarding these appointments is that firms are considered on their merits for the work involved in each appointment.

  Touche Ross
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the quality of consultancy work done for Government Departments by Touche Ross; if he will list the major commissions 270
  currently being undertaken by that firm for the Government; and what plans he has to review advice purchased from Touche Ross in the past.

  Sir John Cope
  The information sought on consultancy work is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisoner Transfers
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners from England and Wales have applied for transfer to Northern Ireland prisons in the last 12 months;

  (2) how many prisoners have been transferred permanently from prisons in England and Wales to prisons in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months;

  (3) how many prisoners have been transferred temporarily from prisons in England and Wales to prisons in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months;

  (4) how many prisoners transferred on a temporary basis to Northern Ireland from England and Wales in the last 12 months have since been made permanent transferees.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In the 12 months to 30 September 1993, 50 prisoners applied for transfer to prisons in Northern Ireland. Of these, one prisoner was transferred on a permanent basis; four prisoners were temporarily transferred and four prisoners' requests were either refused or withdrawn. None of the prisoners temporarily transferred in this time subsequently had their transfers made permanent. However, four prisoners previously temporarily transferred were granted further temporary transfers and two prisoners previously transferred were granted permanent transfers.

  Mr. A. C. S. Benton
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in the last three years over the case of Mr. A. C. S. Benton, of Bloxwich, Walsall, when it is likely he will be able to decide on whether the conviction should be referred to the Appeal Court; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Mr. Benton has made numerous representations over the past three years. The hon. Member was advised in June 1992 that no grounds could be found for referring Mr. Benton's conviction to the Court of Appeal. Since then further representations have been received. These are the subject of current police inquiries. When the police report is to hand, my right hon. and learned Friend will consider whether there are grounds on which it would be right for him to take any action in respect of Mr. Benton's conviction.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to hear from the West Midlands police on the case of Mr. A. C. S. Benton of Bloxwich, Walsall.

  Mr. Maclean
  The inquiries which are being made by West Midlands police into Mr. Benton's case are taking longer than expected, but I understand from the chief constable that they will be completed shortly.
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  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he sent on Dr. Candy's report on the case of Mr. A. C. S. Benton of Bloxwich, Walsall to the West Midlands police; and when he expects to have a response to the report.

  Mr. Maclean
  Dr. Candy's report was received in the Home Office on 11 August and sent on to West Midlands police the following day. I expect to receive a response once the West Midlands police have considered Dr. Candy's report in the light of a further expert report which they are awaiting.

  Electoral Registration
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what efforts his Department is making to encourage voters to enrol on the electoral register; what specific measures are planned to encourage more women to ensure they are on the register; and if there are any plans to target lone-parent mothers.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have undertaken a national television advertising campaign in support of electoral registration for the first time this year at a cost of £620,000. The advertising was targeted particularly at groups of the population, such as young people and ethnic minorities, shown by research to be less likely to register to vote. We have no evidence to suggest that women or single-parent families are among these groups and we have no plans to target them.

  Sheehy Inquiry
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to announce his decision on the implementation of the Sheehy inquiry into police responsibilities and awards.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to make an announcement shortly.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in full the terms of reference of the Sheehy inquiry.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The terms of reference of the inquiry into police responsibilities and rewards were announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Clarke) on 6 July 1992, cols. 43–44.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what inspections are carried out by his Department on establishments using animals to test impact consequences on aero-engines.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  None. I understand that the animals in question are humanely killed before the tests take place. Such work therefore falls outside the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, which is concerned only with experiments using living animals.

  Wymott Prison
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the report of the inquiry by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons into the recent disturbance of HM prison Wymott will be published.
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  Mr. Howard
  The report by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons of his inquiry into the disturbance at Wymott prison is being published today. A copy of the report is being placed in the Library.

  Victim Support
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the Government have committed to victim support in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Maclean
  Home Office funding of the national charity, Victim Support, in the last five years is set out in the table:

  Financial year

  Home Office grant (£ million)

  Percentage increase over previous year

  1989–90

  3·910

  43

  1990–91

  4·735

  21

  1991–92

  5·670

  20

  1992–93

  7·260

  28

  1993–94

  8·375

  15

  Security Forces' Equipment
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what research has been carried out into the use and possible side-effects of electroshock equipment within the United Kingdom;

  (2) what official guidelines or regulations are applicable for the use of (a) electroshock equipment by the police, prison and security forces, (b) the tear gas agent oleoresin capsicum, (c) Frag 12 exploding ammunition and (d) dum dum bullets in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  In 1990 the Forensic Science Service published a theoretical assessment of the effects of electric shock weapons.

  None of these devices or substances is used against the general public, suspects or offenders, by the police, prison services or the security forces in the United Kingdom.

  Ministerial Broadcasts
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the occasions on which he has spoken on the BBC Radio 4 programme "Today", and the topics in each case.

  Mr. Howard
  I receive numerous requests for interviews from the media, covering the whole range of my Department's responsibilities. I accept many of them, including requests from "Today".

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Moated Sites
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what action his Department is currently taking to record and preserve moated sites of archaeological interest in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  English Heritage's monuments protection programme is evaluating all known archaeological remains
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  in England, including moated sites, and identifying those which may be suitable for scheduling. This exercise is expected to result in a very significant increase in the number of scheduled monuments.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is responsible for the scheduling of monuments in Wales.

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

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 20 October 1993]: My Department has incurred expenditure of £40,759 on official hospitality during the financial year 1992–93. This total includes official hospitality expenditure incurred by the royal parks and the Historic Royal Palaces Agency.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent Her Majesty's Government endorse the contents of the address given by the Chief Minister of Gibraltar to the United Nations Committee of 24 on 14 July.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We shall continue to fulfill our obligations to non-self-governing territories under chapter XI of the United Nations charter. The situation in Gibraltar is, however, complicated by historical realities, particularly the treaty of Utrecht. We stand by our commitment to the people of Gibraltar enshrined in the constitution.

  Saudi Arabia
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Saudi Government about the religious persecution of Florencio Madriaga and Roque Atilon.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are aware of these cases but have no specific information about them. We and our EC partners seek opportunities to discuss human rights, including freedom of worship, with the Saudi authorities, who can be in no doubt of the strength of our views on this issue. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs last did so during his visit to Saudi Arabia last month.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Rabies
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on current measures to prevent rabies from entering the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) by my right hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk Coastal (Mr. Gummer) on 16 June 1992,Official Report, column 455–56.

  Fish Farms
  Mr. Hoon
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions her Department has had on the implications of siting fish farm enterprises close to environmentally sensitive locations; and whether she will issue written guidance.

  Mr. Jack
  The siting of fish farms in inland waters is regulated by the town and country planning system, for which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is responsible.

  Mr. Hoon
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what business opportunities her Department's delegation that visited Turkey from 9 to 12 May identified in the fish farming sector.

  Mr. Jack
  During his visit to Turkey from 9 to 12 May this year my right hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, Coastal (Mr. Gummer) was accompanied by a team of businessmen including a representative from the fish farming industry. I understand that a number of potential opportunities were identified including in particular joint ventures for the development of fish farms. These have been notified to the industry. The fish farming sector in Turkey is at an early stage of development and the potential for business exists in the medium and long term.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will meet the Countryside Commission to discuss its programme of assessing the impact of renewable energy technologies on farmland and agriculture.

  Mr. Jack
  While I am always willing to meet the Countryside Commission to discuss matters of mutual interest, I understand that its research into the broader implications of renewable energy for the countryside has only recently been commissioned. I shall be pleased to consider the Commission's advice when that research is complete.

  School Milk
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations she has received regarding European Commission proposals to cut the subsidy on school milk; and what discussions have taken place on the matter in the EC Agriculture Council.

  Mr. Jack
  The Department received a number of representations from the dairy trade and local authorities opposing the Commission's proposal for a 50 per cent. cut in the rate of school milk subsidy. At the Agriculture Council on 20 to 21 September the United Kingdom, supported by several other member states, argued that the Commission's proposal was too drastic a measure for achieving budgetary savings and would threaten the viability of a popular scheme which had played an important role in encouraging consumption of milk and milk products. In the light of these arguments the Council agreed to limit the reduction in subsidy to 25 per cent. and to find the balance of the necessary savings by making technical adjustments aimed at improving the cost-effectiveness of the scheme. The Government are satisfied
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  that this represents a sensible compromise which safeguards the viability of the scheme while at the same time taking account of the severe pressure on the Community budget.

  Environmental Statistics
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how her Department was represented at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe meeting on methodological issues of environmental statistics, held in Geneva on 20 to 23 September.

  Mr. Jack
  My Department's interest was represented by a member of the Government Statistical Service at a meeting on 20 to 23 September 1993 for a joint UN/ECG and Eurostat work session on specific methodological problems in environmental statistics. The meeting was held in Bratislava.

  Equine Viral Arteritis
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures her Department has taken to establish which countries would be willing to accept United Kingdom exports of equidae vaccinated for equine viral arteritis; and if she will list those countries which(a) will and (b) will not grant access.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Ministry's Chief Veterinary Officer has written or is about to write to his counterparts in a number of third countries inquiring as to the animal health conditions which would have to be met to enable equidae vaccinated against equine viral arteritis to be eligible for import into those countries.

  Current bilateral agreements with Australia and Barbados preclude the export to those countries of equidae vaccinated against EVA. The United States of America will accept vaccinated horses.

  Cetaceans
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will give details of the survey on the abundance and distribution of small cetaceans in the North sea; and which other countries are involved.

  Mr. Jack
  In 1993–94 my Department will contribute some £167,000 towards five cetacean research projects. The projects are:

  1. Population biology of cetaceans

  2. The effects of environmental change on whale populations

  3. Interaction between cetaceans and man

  4. ASCOBANS survey of cetaceans in the North sea and Baltic

  5. Enhancing the acoustic detectability of fishing nets.

  England

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  Scotland non-LFA

  Scotland LFA

  United Kingdom

  Main scheme:

  Cereals

  2,174,093

  14,062

  5,507

  277,429

  40,134

  2,511,225

  Oilseeds

  307,340

  1,353

  498

  56,731

  4,945

  370,867

  Proteins

  198,071

  816

  43

  4,101

  49

  203,080

  Vining peas1

  20,302

  —

  —

  2,795

  198

  23,295

  Linseed

  151,897

  2,250

  230

  1,415

  —

  155,792

  Set-aside of which:

  481,069

  3,028

  1,193

  61,617

  8,725

  555,632

  Growing non-food crops

  51,084

  151

  —

  2,448

  56

  53,739

  Whales
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the purpose of the meeting held in London on or around 11 October between the British Commissioner to the International Whaling Commission and other commissioners; which countries were represented; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Jack
  The United Kingdom Commissioner to the International Whaling Commission held talks in London on 11 October with colleagues from Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the United States of America. These were informal, and concentrated on the forthcoming plans of the IWC to hold an intersessional meeting next February on the establishment of a southern ocean sanctuary, in preparation for decisions at the 46th annual meeting of the commission.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information the International Whaling Commission has regarding the export of whale meat from Norway to Japan; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The International Whaling Commission has no information on the commercial export of whale meat from Norway to Japan. However, I understand there has been a recent attempt to smuggle whale meat out of Norway which was discovered by the Norwegian authorities. Our embassy in Oslo confirms that this matter is currently under police investigation and we await reports from the Norwegian Government. The Government have made their views crystal clear on Norway's decision to resume commercial whaling activity and to proceed with their lethal scientific programme. We have pressed the Norwegian Government at the highest levels to reconsider their position and will continue to do so. Nobody should doubt that this is a matter of considerable concern to the Government.

  Arable Area Payments Scheme
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the area figures in hectares on a county basis for(a) applications under the main scheme of the arable area payments scheme in 1993 apportioned to (i) cereals, (ii) oilseeds, (iii) protein crops and (iv) set-aside and (b) applications under the simplified scheme of the arable area payments scheme in 1993 apportioned to (x) cereals, (y) oilseeds and (z) protein crops.

  Mrs. Shephard
  The following table gives provisional figures for the five separate yield regions. Because applicants had to submit a single area aid application in respect of all their land, it is not possible to provide accurate figures on a county basis. I will, however, let the hon. Member have area figures related to the county in which the applicant's main holding is based as soon as they are available.
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  England

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  Scotland non-LFA

  Scotland LFA

  United Kingdom

  Simplified Scheme:

  Cereals

  205,825

  22,184

  225,587

  21,213

  35,229

  310,038

  Oilseeds

  1,258

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,258

  Proteins

  2,323

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2,323

  1 Not eligible in 1994.

  2 Includes a small area of oilseeds which cannot be identified separately for reasons of confidentiality.

  Fisheries Council
  Sir Patrick McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Fisheries Council held in Luxembourg on 20 October; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  I represented the United Kingdom at the Council of EC Fisheries Ministers on 20 October, together with my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Since accession, fishing by Spanish and Portuguese vessels in Community waters has been under arrangements which limit their numbers and the waters to which they have access. Under the Fisheries Section of the Act of Accession for Spain and Portugal, any decisions to change the arrangements for these countries would have to be made by the end of 1993.

  At the Council, the Commission put forward a proposal for a Council regulation.

  In substance, the proposal would give all EC member countries access to Community waters within the confines —endorsed at the June Council—of no change to the requirements of no increase in fishing effort and the preservation of relative stability. The document did not deal with the constraints which would be applied to Spain and Portugal under these proposals. Effectively, we were being asked to sign a blank cheque.

  I said this was unacceptable and requested that Council should deal with all aspects of this matter together. I would need to be satisfied on the arrangements to apply in the Irish box and the North sea; on how fishing effort would be capped at the present level; and on how member states' shares of available quotas—"relative stability"—would be respected. Other member states made similar points.

  The Commission presented a proposal which specifies the minimum information needed in fishing vessel licences throughout the Community. This should prove a useful tool in ensuring common standards of enforcement but it must not encroach on existing national licensing rules.

  The Council discussed the market situation for fish and asked the Commission to review the existing minimum import price arrangements for each fish species and, as appropriate, to use its powers to continue these temporary measures until the end of the year or to adjust them. The Council will return to the question of the market situation at its December meeting.

  I raised the question of industrial fishing. Currently there is considerable concern about its possibly harmful effects on the marine environment and the marine food chain and the consequences for fish stocks and sea birds. I am pleased to say that the Commissioner endorsed the importance of this issue and agreed that the Council should discuss it further.

  No matter on the agenda was listed for a vote and no vote was taken.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Russian Elections
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if arrangements are to be made for the Russian elections in December to be observed by hon. Members.

  Mr. Newton
  We shall be responding positively to the Russian Government's invitation to send observers to monitor the parliamentary elections in Russia in December. The arrangements are under discussion.

ENVIRONMENT

  Contaminated Land
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent meetings his Department has had with the Institute of Waste Management on inherited liabilities and prospective restoration of contaminated land.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Department liaises regularly with the Institute of Waste Management to discuss a wide range of environmental and waste management issues. However, the subject of inherited liabilities and prospective restoration has not been discussed in recent meetings.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library the paper on civil liability and contaminated land by his Department's contaminated land and liabilities division, presented to the third environmental insurance conference held in London on 15 October.

  Mr. Yeo
  I have placed a copy in the Library along with a copy of a speech on the same subject which I delivered to the British Bankers Association on 13 October 1993.

  Rural Development
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the review of the priority areas of the Rural Development Commission announced on 30 July.

  Mr. Yeo
  I look forward to receiving the Rural Development Commission's recommendations shortly and expect it to make an announcement of the new rural development areas thereafter.

  Noise Abatement Zones
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions he has reached on consideration of the Building Research Establishment's report in relation to noise abatement zones; and if he will make a statement.
  279
  Mr. Yeo
  My Department is considering the effectiveness of noise abatement zones in the light of the findings of the Building Research Establishment's "Review of Noise Abatement Zones in England and Wales 1976–1992". The review showed that the procedure for establishing and monitoring NAZs was complex and resource intensive for all the parties involved. In reaching conclusions, we must balance the need to limit the regulatory burden on businesses with the continuing need to deal effectively with noise pollution.

  Open University
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will meet educationists at the Open university to discuss the benefits to environmental communication of and future developments to the new Open university course on enterprise and the environment.

  Mr. Yeo
  My Department would be interested to see any assessment of the impact of the Open university's course on enterprise and the environment.

  EC Law
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the European Commission's 10th annual report on the monitoring of the application of Community law, Com (93) 320 final, so far as it refers to matters for which his Department has responsibility.

  Mr. Yeo
  We welcome the environment section of the Commission's report and look forward to debating it in the Environment Council in due course, as agreed on a United Kingdom initiative during our presidency.

  Mortgage Interest Relief
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has regarding the number of first-time buyers receiving tax relief on mortgage interest; what percentage of mortgage holders they represent; what percentage of mortgage advances in cash terms they represent; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  According to the 1991 Labour Force Survey, 3.5 million first-time buyer households in England were purchasing their property with a mortgage. They represent 42 per cent. of all mortgage holders.

  The Labour Force Survey does not provide information on the amount of mortgage finance borrowed by first time buyers. However, using information collected by the Department from building societies and banks it is estimated that in 1992 first time buyers' mortgage advances accounted for 45 per cent. of all such advances.

  EC Environment Institute
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what benefits accrue to the United Kingdom from resources committed to the European Commission's Environment Institute in Ispra.

  Mr. Yeo
  The nature of the work undertaken within the various component institutes of the Commission's joint research centre, including the Environment Institute, is such that the resultant benefits are designed to accrue broadly to the European Community as a whole. As a280
  consequence, the benefits that flow from Community resources committed to these activities are shared by all 12 member states, including the United Kingdom. The specific benefits of the JRC institutes' activities accruing to any one member state are, however, not easy to isolate and are not routinely assessed.

  Housing
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proposals he has t6 make changes to(a) section 58, (b) section 59(1), (c) section 60, (d) section 62, (e) section 64 and (f) section 65 of the Housing Act 1985;

  (2) what plans he has to introduce new legislation on amendments to existing legislation relating to the provisions of part III of the Housing Act 1985.

  Sir George Young
  In order to ensure fairer access to permanent social housing for those who need it, the Government propose to reform the homelessness provisions in the Housing Act 1985. We want to restore confidence in the housing waiting list, and to get away from the present position where, in some areas, the only route in to social housing may be to become statutorily homeless. We will be consulting on our proposals in due course, which will cover steps local authorities can take to prevent people from becoming homeless, and to increase the supply of rented housing in co-operation with private landlords.

  Climate Change
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress made at the negotiations held in Geneva in September on(a) financing and (b) ratification of the United Nations convention on climate change.

  Mr. Yeo
  At the international negotiating committee meeting in August, good progress was made towards preparing for the first conference of parties to the convention, which is expected to take place in Berlin early in 1995. On financing, detailed preliminary discussions took place on support for developing countries through the global environment facility, the interim financial mechanism of the convention. Thirty-six countries have now ratified the convention. Fifty ratifications are needed to bring the convention into force. The United Kingdom has undertaken, along with our G7 and EC partners, to ratify by the end of 1993.

  Annual Environmental Review
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for The Environment what was the original publication date of the annual environmental review; when he now expects the review report to be published; and what is the reason for the delay.

  Mr. Yeo
  We will publish the third year report in the series of White Papers on the Environment in the new year. This will allow us to take account both of the outcome of the annual public expenditure survey and production of the United Kingdom strategy for sustainable development. We had no other date in mind and there has been no delay.

  Noise
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many complaints relating to noise have been(a) reported to local authorities and (b) investigated by local authorities under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Department of the Environment "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics" HMSO 1992 indicates that during 1990–91, 136,609 complaints about noise were received by local authorities, relating to the Control of Pollution Act 1974 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Of these, 31,721 were considered to be justified as statutory nuisances and in 6,113 cases abatement notices were served.

  The 1990 Act came into operation on 1 January 1991 and separate figures for the number of complaints investigated under that Act in 1990–91 are not available.

  Community Care Programme
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of dwelling units which need to be built or converted each year, for the next three years, in order to provide accommodation to meet the requirements of the community care programme; and what is his estimate of the cost of this provision.

  Sir George Young
  Community care policy came into full operation earlier this year; its impact on housing demand is expected to be gradual and progressive. Local authorities include information about community care in their housing strategy statements, which inform local decision-making about resource allocation.

  Environmental Programmes
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the third year report on the Government's environmental strategy set out in the 1990 White Paper, "This Common Inheritance".

  Mr. Yeo
  The Government will publish the third year report on the White Paper, "This Common Inheritance' in the new year.

  Valuation Offices
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the reasons why he has asked his Department's valuation offices to ask their tribunal members if they are currently parish or town councillors.

  Mr. Baldry
  From time to time, the Department seeks information about trends in the composition of the

  Dwellings on valuation lists held by English local authorities on 7 June 1993

  Thousands

  A

  B

  C

  D

  E

  F

  G

  H

  Total

  Dwellings on lists

  5,258

  3,842

  4,388

  2,923

  1,819

  986

  751

  121

  20,089

  Exempt dwellings

  192

  110

  104

  60

  32

  18

  14

  4

  533

  Dwellings subject to disabled reduction

  —

  19

  23

  17

  12

  7

  7

  2

  87

  Diplomats dwellings

  0·1

  0·3

  0·2

  0·3

  0·3

  0·3

  0·8

  0·6

  2·4

  Dwellings entitled to a single discount

  2,155

  1,261

  1,223

  695

  366

  168

  114

  18

  6,000

  Dwellings entitled to two discounts

  150

  90

  97

  64

  44

  29

  32

  13

  519

  282
  membership of the valuation tribunal service. In this case, the question related to membership of all local authorities, not just parish or town councils.

  Kirkstall Valley, Leeds
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will immediately call in the proposals by Berkshire Properties to develop the Kirkstall valley i n Leeds and order a public inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Should they be minded to grant planning consent for the proposed development in the Kirstall valley, the Leeds development corporation has assured my Department that the planning application will be referred to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State so that he can decide whether or not it should be called-in for public inquiry.

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he had received in the consultation excercise on THORP before 4 October; how many of these were in favour of THORP going ahead; and how many against.

  Mr. Yeo
  Over 40,000 responses were received during the consultation exercise, of which more than half arrived in the last two days of the consultation. The responses are still being counted and assessed. More detailed figures will be made available once all the responses have been considered.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his latest estimate of the total number in each council band in England of(a) dwellings, (b) exempt dwellings, (c) chargeable dwellings, (e) chargeable dwellings entitled to a single discount for the purposes of council tax, (f) chargeable dwellings that are entitled to two discounts for the purposes of council tax and (g) total equivalent number of dwellings after discounts, exemptions, and disabled relief;

  (2) what is his latest estimate number of band D equivalents in each council tax band in England;

  (3) what is his latest estimate of the number of dwellings on the valuation list in England that were exempt in each class A to Q.

  Mr. Gummer
  pursuant to the answer, 22 July 1993, Official Report, column 346: The information requested is as follows:
  283

  A

  B

  C

  D

  E

  F

  G

  H

  Total

  Equivalent number of dwellings after discounts, exemptions and disabled relief

  4,472

  3,376

  3,924

  2,652

  1,668

  911

  687

  104

  17,794

  Number of Band D equivalents1

  2,981

  2,626

  3,488

  2,652

  2,039

  1,316

  1,145

  207

  16,454

  1 Excluding contributions in lieu in respect of Class O dwellings.

  Exempt dwellings on valuation lists held by English local authorities on 7 June 1993, by class

  (thousands)

  Class and description

  Number of exempt dwellings

  A

  Empty dwellings where works are required, under way or recently completed

  73

  B

  Empty dwellings owned by charities

  1

  C

  Dwellings left empty and unfurnished

  183

  D

  Dwellings left empty by prisoners

  1

  E

  Dwellings left empty by patients in hospital and care homes

  30

  F

  Dwellings left empty by deceased persons

  48

  G

  Dwellings which are unfit etc.

  8

  H

  Empty clergy dwellings

  1

  I

  Dwellings left empty by people receiving care

  5

  J

  Dwellings left empty by people providing care

  1

  K

  Dwellings left empty by students

  2

  L

  Repossessed dwellings

  36

  M

  Halls of residence

  7

  N

  Dwellings occupied solely by students or school leavers

  61

  O

  Aimed forces' accommodation

  60

  P

  Visiting forces' accommodation

  15

  Q

  Dwellings left empty by bankrupts

  —

  Total exempt dwellings

  533

EDUCATION

  Primary Schools
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will provide for all local education authorities the percentage of total schools expenditure allocated to primary schools for the latest year for which figures are available and list them in rank order.

  Mr. Forth
  The table sets out, for each local education authority, the percentage of the aggregated schools budget allocated to primary schools for the financial year 1993–94, and is derived from budget statements available to the Department as at 7 July.

  1993–94 budgets: Percentage of aggregated schools budget allocated to primary schools

  Local education authority

  Rank order

  Percentage of ASB

  City of London

  1

  100·00

  Wandsworth

  2

  79·66

  Hillingdon

  3

  74·04

  Baling

  4

  72·42

  Bromley

  5

  69·19

  Lambeth

  6

  67·28

  Sutton

  7

  65·79

  Southwark

  8

  63·62

  Gloucestershire

  9

  63·47

  Kensington/Chelsea

  10

  63·11

  Islington

  11

  62·93

  Harrow

  12

  62·87

  Croydon

  13

  61·88

  Surrey

  14

  61·85

  284

  Local education authority

  Rank order

  Percentage of ASB

  Merton

  15

  60·49

  Hackney

  16

  60·40

  Warwickshire

  17

  60·01

  Brent

  18

  59·78

  Essex

  19

  59·73

  Buckinghamshire

  20

  59·24

  Haringey

  21

  59·02

  Tower Hamlets

  22

  58·13

  Hampshire

  23

  57·98

  Manchester

  24

  57·88

  Hammersmith/Fulham

  25

  57·69

  Knowsley

  26

  57·50

  Tameside

  27

  57·47

  Salford

  28

  57·05

  Lewisham

  29

  57·01

  Birmingham

  30

  56·94

  Waltham Forest

  31

  56·88

  Cambridgeshire

  32

  56·77

  Lincolnshire

  33

  55·73

  Dudley

  34

  55·71

  Sandwell

  35

  55·71

  Kingston

  36

  55·43

  Trafford

  37

  55·26

  Kent

  38

  55·07

  Humberside

  39

  55·04

  Norfolk

  40

  54·85

  Calderdale

  41

  54·82

  Cumbria

  42

  54·49

  Bury

  43

  53·91

  Wolverhampton

  44

  53·89

  Barnsley

  45

  53·80

  South Tyneside

  46

  53·77

  Newham

  47

  53·52

  Hounslow

  48

  53·09

  Sheffield

  49

  52·99

  Derbyshire

  50

  52·86

  Rochdale

  51

  52·60

  Greenwich

  52

  52·58

  Bolton

  53

  52·53

  Cleveland

  54

  52·51

  Lancashire

  55

  51·98

  Sunderland

  56

  51·90

  Liverpool

  57

  51·83

  Barnet

  58

  51·81

  Leeds

  59

  51·81

  Gateshead

  60

  51·57

  Richmond

  61

  51·51

  Kirklees

  62

  50·69

  Stockport

  63

  50·61

  Coventry

  64

  50·34

  Westminster

  65

  50 19

  Durham

  66

  50·18

  Solihull

  67

  50·17

  Wirral

  68

  50·14

  Avon

  69

  50·12

  Leicestershire

  70

  49·94

  Shropshire

  71

  49 81

  Staffordshire

  72

  49·80

  Wakefield

  73

  49·74

  Devon

  74

  49·74

  East Sussex

  75

  49·72

  Hertfordshire

  76

  49·57

  Wai sail

  77

  49·45

  Berkshire

  78

  49·41

  St· Helens

  79

  49·27

  Oldham

  80

  49·13

  Wiltshire

  81

  49·12

  Nottinghamshire

  82

  49·02

  285

  Local education authority

  Rank order

  Percentage of ASB

  Rotherham

  83

  48·76

  Dorset

  84

  48·73

  West Sussex

  85

  48·70

  Cheshire

  86

  48·55

  Wigan

  87

  48·40

  Cornwall

  88

  48·40

  Northamptonshire

  89

  47·97

  Bexley

  90

  47·91

  Enfield

  91

  47·56

  Sefton

  92

  47·20

  Somerset

  93

  47·15

  Newcastle

  94

  46·87

  Doncaster

  95

  46·46

  Havering

  96

  45·97

  Oxfordshire

  97

  45·44

  Bedfordshire

  98

  45·27

  Hereford/Worcester

  99

  44·85

  Redbridge

  100

  44·22

  North Tyneside

  101

  44

  Camden

  102

  42·45

  286

  Local education authority

  Rank order

  Percentage of ASB

  Bradford

  103

  40·62

  Suffolk

  104

  39·43

  Northumberland

  105

  34·77

  Isle of Eight

  106

  34·14

  Barking

  107

  n/a

  Isles of Scilly

  108

  n/a

  North Yorkshire

  109

  n/a

  Notes to Table

  (1) "n/a" denotes either that no budget statement was available at 7 July, or that Part 1 of the authority's statement did not provide a primary/secondary breakdown of the Aggregated Schools Budget.

  (2) The primary sector's percentage share of a local education authority's Aggregated Schools Budget will be heavily influenced by a variety of factors, including the respective numbers of primary and secondary grant maintained schools in the authority's area: the respective contributions made by schools and further education institutions to the totality of provision for the age-range 16–18: and (in the case of the authorities marked1) the inclusion of special schools' funding within the Aggregated Schools Budget.

EDUCATION

  Hasmonean Preparatory School
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to make a decision on the application by Hasmon6an preparatory school to become a voluntary-aided school.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  A decision will be made as soon as possible.

  Technology Colleges
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his Department's proposed budget for the technology college programme for 1994–95 and 1995–96; and how many schools it is proposed will become technology colleges in September 1994.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  We have not set any budget for the technology colleges programme in 1994–95 or 1995–96, nor have we set a target for the number of schools to begin operating as technology colleges from September 1994. The budget will depend on the number of schools that apply to become technology colleges and their individual needs, and on the outcome of the public expenditure survey.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list by local education authority those secondary schools which have received funds under the technology schools initiative, stating in each case,(a) the level of funding received and (b) whether the school is a county, voluntary-aided or grant-maintained school.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is set out in the table. For schools which have been allocated support in the current financial year, 1993–94, expenditure may not yet have been incurred, and grant or supplementary credit approval may not yet have been claimed from the Department.

  Local education authority and school

  TSI award £ thousands

  Status

  Avon

  Chew Valley School

  250

  County

  Culverhay Boys School

  250

  County

  Barking and Dagenham

  Barking Abbey School

  185

  County

  Bamet

  Mill Hill GM High School

  130

  Grant maintained

  Ravenscroft School

  163

  County

  Whitefield School

  107

  County

  Bamsley

  St. Michael Secondary School

  100

  Voluntary assisted

  The Dearne High School

  250

  County

  Bedfordshire

  Manshead School

  252

  Grant maintained

  Mark Rutherford Upper School

  250

  County

  Stratton Upper School

  190

  County

  Berkshire

  Bulmerse School

  205

  County

  Denbigh High School

  251

  County

  Desborough Comprehensive School

  465

  Grant maintained

  Highdown School

  190

  County

  Reading School

  630

  Grant maintained

  Theale Green School

  222

  County

  288

  Local education authority and school

  TSI award £ thousands

  Status

  Bexley

  Bexleyheath School

  149

  County

  Birmingham

  Arthur Terry School

  200

  County

  Great Barr School

  700

  Grant maintained

  Sheldon Heath School

  207

  County

  Small Heath School

  211

  Grant maintained

  St. John's Wall RC School

  20

  Voluntary assisted

  Bradford

  Greenhead School

  256

  County

  Queensbury School

  190

  County

  Wyke Manor School

  140

  County

  Brent

  Claremont High School

  250

  Grant maintained

  John Kelly Schools

  180

  County

  Preston Manor High School

  250

  County

  Queens Park Community School

  205

  Grant maintained

  St. Gregory's RC High School

  30

  Voluntary assisted

  Bromley

  Bullerswood School for Girls

  375

  Grant maintained

  Kemnal Manor School

  250

  County

  Ravens Wood School for Boys

  244

  Grant maintained

  Buckinghamshire

  Beaconsfield High School

  750

  Grant maintained

  John Hampden Grammar School

  193

  County

  Calderdale

  Brooksbank School

  250

  County

  Calder High School

  250

  County

  Ryburn Valley School

  170

  County

  Cambridgeshire

  Deacons School

  300

  Grant maintained

  The King's School

  100

  Grant maintained

  Witchford College

  166

  County

  St. Peter's School

  274

  Grant maintained

  Camden

  Hampstead School

  257

  County

  Cheshire

  Tarporley County High School

  198

  County

  Cleveland

  Bassleton School

  181

  County

  English Martyrs School

  11

  Voluntary assisted

  Manor County Secondary School

  190

  County

  Cleveland

  Northfield County School

  217

  County

  Cornwall

  Falmouth Community School

  210

  County

  Helston Community School

  263

  County

  Saltash School

  250

  County

  Coventry

  Coundon Court School

  260

  County

  Woodway Park Secondary School

  248

  County

  Croydon

  Archbishop Tennison's School

  350

  Voluntary aided

  Lanfranc High School

  265

  County

  Norbury Manor High School for Girls

  250

  County

  Cumbria

  St. Benedict's RC School

  175

  Voluntary assisted

  Victoria High School

  185

  County

  Whitehaven School

  250

  County

  Derbyshire

  289

  Local education authority and school

  TSI award £ thousands

  Status

  Wyndham School

  250

  County

  Ecclesboume School

  780

  Grant maintained

  High View School

  207

  County

  Nertherthorpe School

  300

  Grant maintained

  Devon

  Bideford College

  220

  County

  Exmouth Community College

  254

  County

  Plymstock School

  250

  County

  Sidmouth College

  230

  County

  St. Thomas High School

  203

  County

  Doncaster

  Hayfield School

  230

  County

  Dorset

  Bournemouth School

  546

  Grant maintained

  Ridgewood School

  208

  County

  Dudley

  The Pensnett School

  250

  County

  Durham

  Tanfield School

  221

  County

  Ealing

  Northolt High School

  200

  Grant maintained

  East Sussex

  Tideway School

  205

  County

  Essex

  Helena Romanes School

  241

  County

  Mark Hall School

  271

  County

  Sir Charles Lucas School

  170

  County

  The Hylands School

  250

  County

  Thomas Lord Audley School

  250

  County

  Westcliffe High School for Boys

  280

  Grant maintained

  Gloucestershire

  Beaufort School

  185

  County

  Farmors School

  250

  County

  Saintbridge Technology School

  135

  Grant maintained

  The Crypt School

  250

  Grant maintained

  Hackney

  Kingsland School

  151

  County

  Skinners Company Upper Girls School

  50

  Voluntary assisted

  Hampshire

  Applemore School

  250

  Grant maintained

  Connaught School

  141

  County

  Haringey

  SS David & Katherine's School

  27

  Voluntary assisted

  White Hart Lane School

  200

  County

  Harrow

  Canons High School

  250

  County

  Park High School

  210

  County

  Whitmore High School

  250

  County

  Hereford&Worcester

  Minster High School

  186

  County

  Hertfordshire

  Beaumont School

  500

  County

  Bishops Stortford School

  175

  Grant maintained

  Rickmansworth School

  250

  Grant maintained

  Watford Grammar School for Boys

  180

  Grant maintained

  Watford Grammar School for Girls

  400

  Grant maintained

  Westfield School

  200

  County

  Hillingdon

  Northwood School

  400

  Grant maintained

  Swakeleys School

  203

  County

  290

  Local education authority and school

  TSI award £ thousands

  Status

  Hounslow

  Heston Community School

  147

  County

  Humberside

  Headlands School

  200

  County

  St. Bede's RC School

  240

  Voluntary assisted

  The Immingham School

  230

  County

  Whitgift School

  195

  County

  Isle of Wight

  Cowes County High School

  175

  County

  Islington

  Elizabeth G Anderson School

  122

  County

  Kent

  Aylesford School

  380

  Grant maintained

  Cranbrook School

  438

  Grant maintained

  Dartford Grammar School

  260

  Grant maintained

  Homewood School

  176

  Grant maintained

  Northfleet School

  170

  County

  Sir William Nottidge School

  219

  County

  Southlands Comprehensive School

  223

  Grant maintained

  The Cornwallis School

  207

  Grant maintained

  Kingston on Thames

  Hollyfield School

  200

  County

  Tolworth Girls School

  200

  County

  Kirklees

  Almondbury High School

  250

  County

  Batley Boy's High School

  250

  County

  Howden Clough School

  155

  County

  Knowsley

  Brookfield Community School

  114

  County

  Lambeth

  La Retraite High School

  750

  Grant maintained

  Lancashire

  Archbishop Temple School

  251

  Grant maintained

  Baines School

  205

  Grant maintained

  Billinge High School

  235

  County

  Edge End High School

  163

  County

  Lancaster Royal Grammar School

  124

  Grant maintained

  Walton County High School

  163

  County

  Leeds

  Bruntcliffe Manor School

  205

  County

  Garaforth Community College

  175

  County

  Horsforth School

  200

  County

  Parklands High School

  250

  County

  Roundhay High School

  250

  County

  Liecestershire

  Burleigh College

  201

  County

  Vale of Catmose College

  230

  County

  Lewisham

  Sydenham School

  180

  County

  Lincolnshire

  Caister School

  287

  Grant maintained

  Lincoln School of Science and Technology

  250

  County

  St Georges School

  500

  Grant maintained

  Manchester

  South Manchester High School

  200

  County

  Newham

  Sarah Bonnell School

  273

  County

  Stratford School

  300

  Grant maintained

  Newcastle

  Benefield Comprehensive School

  225

  County

  291

  Local education authority and school

  TSI award £ thousands

  Status

  Norfolk

  Gosforth High School

  240

  County

  Earlham High School

  213

  County

  Oriel High School

  206

  County

  North Tyneside

  Wymondham College

  200

  Grant maintained

  Norham High School

  250

  County

  Willington High School

  170

  County

  North Yorkshire

  Huntingdon School

  232

  County

  Lady Lumley's School

  218

  County

  Rossett High School

  152

  County

  Northamptonshire

  Campion School

  224

  County

  Danetre School

  180

  County

  Kingswood School

  330

  Grant maintained

  Moulton School

  210

  County

  Northampton School for Boys

  250

  Grant maintained

  Rothwell Montsaye School

  199

  County

  Northumberland

  Coquet High School

  237

  County

  Cramlington Community School

  274

  County

  King Edward VI School

  200

  County

  Oldham

  Grange Secondary School

  180

  County

  The Radclyffe School

  250

  County

  Oxfordshire

  Peers School

  145

  County

  Redbridge

  Loxford High School

  193

  County

  Woodford High School

  184

  County

  Rochdale

  Heywood Community School

  200

  County

  Middleton High School

  250

  County

  Rotherham

  Dinnington School

  180

  County

  Salford

  Moorside High School

  150

  County

  Sandwell

  Warley High School

  210

  County

  Woodenborough High School

  185

  County

  Sefton

  Chesterfield High School

  200

  County

  Maghull High School

  85

  County

  Sheffield

  Handsworth Grange School

  200

  County

  High Storrs School

  210

  County

  Shropshire

  Adam's Grammer School

  470

  Grant maintained

  Lacon Childe School

  250

  County

  Rhyne Park School

  140

  County

  Somerset

  Sir John Talbots School

  198

  County

  Court Fields Community School

  250

  County

  The Wells Blue School

  284

  County

  St. Helens

  Cheslyn Hay High School

  150

  County

  Haydock High School

  165

  County

  Penkford School and Special Needs Centre

  171

  County

  292

  Local education authority and school

  TSI award £ thousands

  Status

  Stockport

  Kingsway School

  299

  County

  Reddish Vale School

  235

  County

  Suffolk

  Great Comard School

  215

  County

  Samuel Ward County School

  200

  County

  Thurleston High School

  250

  County

  Thurston Upper School

  250

  County

  Sunderland

  St. Robert of Newminster School

  205

  Voluntary assisted

  Surrey

  Bishop Reindorp School

  170

  Voluntary assisted

  Heath End School

  160

  County

  The Beacon School

  185

  Grant maintained

  The Glyn School

  350

  Grant maintained

  Therfield School

  238

  County

  Sutton

  Nonsuch High School for Girls

  700

  Grant maintained

  Tameside

  Hyde Community High School

  205

  County

  West Hill Boys School

  250

  County

  Trafford

  Sale Moor High School

  220

  Grant maintained

  Wakefield

  Outwood Grange High School

  188

  County

  Walsall

  Brownhills School

  250

  County

  Waltham Forest

  McEntee School

  165

  County

  Walthamstow Girls School

  210

  County

  Wandsworth

  Battersea Technology College

  250

  County

  Burntwood School

  553

  Grant maintained

  Graveney School

  300

  Grant maintained

  Warwickshire

  Ashlawn School

  200

  County

  Wigan

  Golbourne School

  144

  County

  Shevington High School

  170

  County

  Wiltshire

  The George Ward School

  103

  County

  Wirral

  Meadowside School

  160

  County

  Wolverhampton

  Mosley Park School

  730

  Grant maintained

  Parkfield School

  224

  County

  St. Peter's Collegiate School

  188

  Voluntary assisted

  Wednesfield School

  196

  County

  Wolverhampton Girls High School

  450

  Grant maintained

  School Inspections
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what criteria Her Majesty's inspectorate are using in its inspections of(a) individual primary schools and (b) individual secondary schools;

  (2) what measures Her Majesty's inspectorate are taking to ensure that its criteria for inspecting schools are

  293
  available to (a) parents, (b) staff, (c) parents of potential pupils and other interested members of the local community and (d) governors;

  (3) how the criteria for inspecting schools differ from those used by Her Majesty's inspectorate before the new arrangements were introduced following the Education (Schools) Act 1992.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The arrangements for inspecting schools under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 are a matter for Ofsted—The Office of Standards in Education.

  I have asked Professor Sutherland to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Patrick Doyle
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish a list of all meetings held and correspondence exchanged in the past 10 years between his Department and Mr. Patrick Doyle, now of AST Training;

  Maintained secondary schools in each Local Education Authority in England

  LEA

  19921

  19932

  County2

  Voluntary aided2

  Self-Governing

  Self-Governing

  Schools

  Pupils

  Schools

  Pupils

  Schools

  Pupils

  Schools only

  Corporation of London

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Camden

  5

  4,860

  6

  5,381

  0

  0

  2

  Greenwich

  10

  10,363

  4

  2,555

  0

  0

  0

  Hackney

  6

  4,719

  4

  3,069

  0

  0

  0

  Hammersmith

  4

  2,341

  4

  2,463

  1

  1,197

  1

  Islington

  6

  5,468

  3

  2,264

  0

  0

  0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1

  1,506

  2

  1,201

  1

  622

  1

  Lambeth

  5

  3,244

  3

  1,755

  1

  605

  5

  Lewisham

  8

  7,572

  4

  2,171

  0

  0

  0

  Southwark

  8

  5,017

  6

  3,659

  1

  389

  4

  Tower Hamlets

  8

  5,877

  3

  2,479

  1

  879

  1

  Wandsworth

  6

  5,042

  3

  1,837

  2

  2,709

  6

  Westminster

  3

  3,855

  4

  2,945

  0

  0

  0

  Barking

  7

  8,125

  1

  1,039

  0

  0

  0

  Barnet

  11

  9,724

  8

  6,774

  2

  1,954

  7

  Bexley

  14

  12,193

  3

  2,157

  0

  0

  4

  Brent

  10

  8,129

  1

  790

  1

  976

  8

  Bromley

  9

  8,471

  2

  1,511

  6

  6,039

  11

  Croydon

  14

  10,132

  7

  4,589

  1

  958

  4

  Baling

  11

  8,874

  2

  2,228

  0

  0

  5

  Enfield

  11

  11,379

  5

  4,297

  0

  0

  4

  Haringey

  7

  6,787

  2

  1,992

  0

  0

  0

  Harrow

  8

  6,658

  3

  1,468

  0

  0

  1

  Havering

  14

  11,322

  5

  4,601

  0

  0

  4

  Hillingdon

  8

  4,896

  2

  2,100

  7

  6,398

  11

  Hounslow

  9

  8,709

  3

  2,824

  0

  0

  2

  Kingston upon Thames

  7

  5,209

  1

  597

  0

  0

  4

  Merton

  7

  3,777

  3

  2,116

  0

  0

  0

  Newham

  11

  11,169

  2

  1,878

  1

  574

  1

  Redbridge

  12

  11,903

  1

  1,309

  0

  0

  1

  Richmond upon Thames

  7

  6,538

  1

  633

  0

  0

  0

  Sutton

  10

  7,341

  1

  879

  3

  2,407

  8

  Waltham Forest

  16

  10,292

  1

  903

  1

  1,058

  2

  Birmingham

  59

  46,202

  15

  10,331

  4

  4,827

  13

  Coventry

  15

  14,282

  3

  2,962

  0

  0

  0

  Dudley

  .19

  15,156

  2

  1,712

  I

  564

  6

  Sandwell

  22

  16,622

  1

  681

  1

  652

  1

  Solihull

  13

  12,108

  2

  2,098

  0

  0

  0

  Walsall

  17

  14,563

  5

  4,133

  0

  0

  6

  Wolverhampton

  15

  11,527

  3

  2,296

  2

  1,777

  2

  Knowsley

  7

  5,865

  4

  3,041

  0

  0

  1

  Liverpool

  17

  14,480

  18

  13,454

  1

  1,043

  2

  St. Helens

  8

  8,401

  4

  3,269

  0

  0

  0

  Sefton

  16

  12,465

  5

  4,365

  0

  0

  0

  Wirral

  20

  18,238

  3

  2,831

  0

  0

  2

  Bolton

  12

  10,823

  4

  4,219

  1

  717

  3

  Bury

  11

  7,283

  4

  3,076

  0

  0

  0

  Manchester

  19

  14,979

  11

  8,645

  0

  0

  0

  Oldham

  11

  11,908

  4

  3,926

  0

  0

  0

  Rochdale

  11

  9,768

  3

  2,771

  0

  0

  1

  294
  what was the nature of such meetings or correspondence; what plans he has to meet Mr. Patrick Doyle; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  There have been no recent meetings or correspondence between Mr. Patrick Doyle and this Department.

  Schools
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the number of(a) county, (b) voluntary-aided and (c) grant-maintained secondary schools for each local education authority; and, in each case, what is the total number of pupils in each category.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information on county, voluntary aided and self-governing secondary schools and pupils in January 1992, the latest date for which comparable information is available, is shown in the table. For completeness, the table also shows the number of schools currently operating as self-governing.
  295

  LEA

  19921

  19932

  County2

  Voluntary aided2

  Self-Governing

  Self-Governing

  Schools

  Pupils

  Schools

  Pupils

  Schools

  Pupils

  Schools only

  Salford

  14

  9,883

  6

  2,595

  0

  0

  0

  Stockport

  14

  15,529

  3

  1,845

  0

  0

  0

  Tameside

  16

  11,561

  3

  1,748

  1

  794

  3

  Trafford

  14

  10,044

  1

  415

  0

  0

  4

  Wigan

  14

  11,335

  6

  6,268

  0

  0

  0

  Bamsley

  13

  10,742

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Doncaster

  32

  19,080

  2

  1,590

  0

  0

  0

  Rotherham

  15

  16,144

  1

  545

  0

  0

  0

  Sheffield

  30

  22,069

  2

  1,802

  0

  0

  2

  Bradford

  76

  38,465

  8

  4,190

  1

  938

  6

  Calderdale

  12

  8,953

  2

  1,554

  2

  1,339

  4

  Kirklees

  31

  21,709

  1

  996

  2

  1,192

  2

  Leeds

  79

  41,715

  16

  7,585

  0

  0

  1

  Wakefield

  32

  16,939

  3

  1,758

  0

  0

  0

  Gates head

  11

  9,731

  2

  1,827

  0

  0

  0

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  19

  13,569

  3

  2,929

  0

  0

  0

  North Tyneside

  27

  14,065

  1

  901

  0

  0

  0

  South Tyneside

  9

  7,383

  2

  1,669

  0

  0

  0

  Sunderland

  14

  15,159

  3

  3,409

  0

  0

  0

  Isles of Scilly

  1

  112

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Avon

  50

  45,478

  5

  3,527

  2

  1,455

  2

  Bedfordshire

  61

  37,996

  6

  3,741

  1

  774

  10

  Berkshire

  43

  34,939

  6

  2,875

  6

  5,251

  10

  Buckinghamshire

  35

  25,963

  2

  1,123

  3

  3,069

  8

  Cambridgeshire

  39

  34,681

  3

  1,879

  0

  0

  16

  Cheshire

  58

  52,636

  10

  7,465

  1

  528

  3

  Cleveland

  40

  31,245

  11

  7,350

  0

  0

  0

  Cornwall

  32

  28,925

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cumbria

  32

  21,833

  4

  2,997

  2

  1,417

  11

  Derbyshire

  49

  44,717

  5

  3,589

  2

  1,921

  13

  Devon

  61

  51,913

  5

  3,273

  1

  499

  5

  Dorset

  39

  25,470

  6

  3,973

  3

  2,627

  9

  Durham

  40

  32,644

  5

  4,377

  0

  0

  0

  East Sussex

  34

  30,576

  -3

  2,801

  0

  0

  0

  Essex

  91

  83,656

  9

  6,553

  3

  3,445

  53

  Gloucestershire

  33

  24,788

  2

  1,781

  4

  2,821

  22

  Hampshire

  91

  73,137

  6

  4,575

  4

  2,986

  IS

  Hereford and Worcester

  58

  35,527

  7

  5,185

  0

  0

  5

  Hertfordshire

  68

  49,230

  12

  9,707

  5

  4,486

  18

  Humberside

  55

  51,368

  5

  2,892

  0

  0

  0

  Isle of Wight

  17

  8,769

  2

  752

  0

  0

  0

  Kent

  97

  67,676

  13

  10,162

  16

  12,877

  54

  Lancashire

  69

  52,632

  22

  16,508

  4

  3,183

  7

  Leicestershire

  73

  50,626

  4

  3,307

  1

  364

  5

  Lincolnshire

  41

  22,826

  3

  1,328

  10

  6,719

  22

  Norfolk

  47

  34,718

  2

  1,528

  1

  878

  12

  North Yorkshire

  49

  35,476

  8

  5,155

  0

  0

  0

  Northamptonshire

  52

  35,875

  7

  4,005

  5

  2,990

  12

  Northumberland

  52

  25,167

  4

  1,397

  0

  0

  1

  Nottinghamshire

  73

  53,513

  10

  7,302

  0

  0

  3

  Oxfordshire

  37

  28,274

  3

  1,661

  0

  0

  0

  Shropshire

  32

  21,364

  2

  1,200

  1

  481

  5

  Somerset

  31

  21,773

  1

  623

  1

  391

  1

  Staffordshire

  71

  58,730

  9

  6,264

  0

  0

  5

  Suffolk

  68

  42,833

  4

  1,763

  0

  0

  0

  Surrey

  43

  31,804

  7

  5,295

  5

  4,137

  12

  Warwickshire

  27

  18,799

  6

  3,357

  3

  1,303

  8

  West Sussex

  31

  31,192

  9

  5,530

  0

  0

  0

  Wiltshire

  32

  24,945

  2

  1,210

  1

  540

  8

  England

  2,989

  2,274,063

  486

  351,910

  130

  105,750

  511

  1 Information collected in January 1992 Schools' Census

  2 Includes some secondary schools operating as self-governing in October 1993

  Parental Ballots
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many parental ballots on grant-maintained status were held in(a) September 1992 and (b) September 1993; and, in each case, how many resulted in a majority of parents voting (i) yes and (ii) no.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is given in the table:296

  "Yes" votes

  "No" votes

  Total ballots

  September 1992

  15

  1

  16

  September 1993

  3

  6

  9

  Note: Overall, of the 1,280 ballots so far held on grant-maintained status, 77 per cent. have resulted in a yes vote.

  Overseas Staff and Premises
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the cost for the current financial year of his Department having(a) premises and (b) personnel overseas; and what were the comparable figures for (a) 12, (b) 24, (c) 36 and (d) 48 months ago.

  Mr. Boswell
  No cost accrues to this Department. It has no overseas premises and no staff working abroad.

TRANSPORT

  Transport Council
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the result of the Transport Council held in Brussels on 28 September.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Transport Council met in Brussels on 28 September. My noble Friend Lord Caithness and I represented the United Kingdom.Political agreement was reached on the text of the directive on road haulage taxation and charging, and the regulation on road haulage cabotage to give effect to the conclusions reached at the Council in June.
  The Council reached agreement on the regulation amending the regulation on a code of conduct for computer reservation systems; formal adoption will follow shortly. The regulation deals with a range of practical and competition issues which have become apparent since the original regulation was adopted. In particular it aims to remove the scope for anti-competitive behaviour which might result if an airline were allowed to run a commercially available CRS system in close conjunction with its own in-house computer.
  The Council discussed the Commission's communication on road safety. We stressed the considerable success the United Kingdom had achieved by action at local and national level and argued that Community action should be directed at improving vehicle safety standards rather than at harmonisation of speed and blood alcohol limits which took no account of differing road conditions and national attitudes.
  The Council agreed to a general discussion of relations with Switzerland at the October General Affairs Council prior to consideration of negotiating mandates on air and road transport at the Transport Council in November.
  In view of the significant restructuring taking place in some member states the Council agreed that a debate on community rail policy should be held at the Transport Council in November. We explained that the reforms in the United Kingdom would separate rail infrastructure from services, and encourage the involvement of the private sector. We stressed the importance of implementation of the 1991 access directive by all member states, which the United Kingdom has implemented, and asked the Commission to examine the directive to consider how it would fit with the new industry structures.
  The Council reached political agreement on slight modifications to the guidelines for Community trans-European networks for combined transport, roads and inland waterways agreed at the Council in June. Formal adoption awaits the opinion of the European Parliament.

  There were no votes taken.

  British Rail Telecommunications Ltd.
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in privatising British Rail Telecommunications Ltd.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Government and British Rail intend to privatise British Rail Telecommunications Ltd. by the end of 1994. They wish to involve the private sector 298
  to the maximum extent possible in the management, maintenance and exploitation of the British Rail telecommunications network. The network provides two types of service to BR at present: operational—especially communications relating to signalling—and business services. There is also some spare capacity on the network which could be exploited for external telecommunications customers.

  BRT is to be restructured by April 1994 with new management. BR will be devising appropriate commercial arrangements to be put in place between BRT and the railway before these activities are privatised. These matters and others will be detailed in an information memorandum which is expected to be issued during the first half of next year. Railtrack will have a major role to play because of its responsibility for safety and as a customer.

  The Government and BR believe that there are excellent opportunities for private sector involvement in rail telecommunications while safeguarding operational requirements. BR will consult the private sector about the details of the privatisation of BRT.

  Transport Ministers' Meeting
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the outcome of the informal meeting of EC Transport Ministers on 27 September.

  Mr. MacGregor
  EC Transport Ministers met on the day before the September Transport Council at the request of the presidency to hear presentations from the European airline associations. In the ministerial discussion which followed, I stressed that the success of British airlines was founded on commercial, private sector management and emphasis on the customer. I emphasised that there should be no going back on the liberalising third aviation package and that Governments and the Community should limit themselves to areas where only they could take action, that the Community should tackle over-regulation and that urgent action should be taken on state aids and ground-handling monopolies. This was supported by much of the evidence given by the associations.

  Given the informal nature of the meeting, no decisions were taken, but a useful discussion took place.

  Biodiesel Trials
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been learnt from the emissions tests carried out on one of the buses used in the Reading Buses biodiesel fuel trial.

  Mr. Freeman
  The conclusions of tests carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory are that changes in most emission rates are small and not clearly attributable to the type of fuel. The exceptions are visible smoke which was significantly lower with biodiesel, and particulate which, contrary to the reported results of others, was substantially higher. A copy of the TRL report has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Motorway Service Areas (Disabled Persons)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what surveys his Department has conducted of the provision of(a) night-time services and (b) 24-hour facilities for the disabled at motorway service areas; and if he will make a statement.
  299
  Mr. Key
  The Department requires the operators of all motorway service areas in England to provide a range of facilities, including free short-term parking, toilets, fuel and food and drink, 24 hours a day every day of the year. These facilities must be available to all motorway users including the disabled.

  The Department does not use surveys to ensure compliance with its requirements, but pursues any complaints received with the operators concerned. If the hon. Member has a particular difficulty in mind, perhaps he would write to me.

  European Regional Development Funds
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give 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.

  Mr. MacGregor
  European regional development fund resources are allocated to multi-annual regional programmes, and are administered locally by regional committees which decide priorities and assess potential schemes. For 1993–94 my Department estimate that transport schemes will attract £33 million in support from the ERDF. Plans for 1994 to 1996 have not yet been finalised.

  Hazardous Goods
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the new labelling system for hazardous goods in transit published by the Health and Safety Commission.

  Mr. Key
  The Health and Safety Commission published in June a consultative document, CD63, on proposals for new regulations on the classification, packaging and labelling of goods for carriage by road and rail in preparation for the opening up of rail freight services to private sector operators and in order to harmonise the rules for the carriage of dangerous goods by rail and road in line with the United Nations recommendations. A copy of the consultative document is in the Library. The Health and Safety Executive is now considering responses to it and I expect to receive the Commission's recommendations and draft regulations at the end of the year.

  Bus Deregulation
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all the local bus companies that operate services in south Yorkshire that replied to his consultation document in respect of how the 1985 deregulation of service arrangements are working; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The only bus company based in South Yorkshire that responded was South Riding. In total some 160 replies were received. I am considering these and expect to announce the results shortly.

  London Underground
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he hopes to make a statement in respect of his quasi-judicial role in London Underground Ltd.'s intention to seek closure of the Central line service between Epping and Ongar; and how far negotiations have proceeded to date.
  300
  Mr. Freeman
  Following receipt of objections to London Underground Ltd.'s proposed closure of the Epping to Ongar service, the London Regional Passengers Committee is to hold a public hearing at Ongar on Monday 8 November, in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Transport Act 1962. The committee will then report to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State will make his decision on the closure proposal once he has considered this report and any other material factors.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Health and Safety
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish dates of all meetings with outside persons or bodies and titles of all non-departmental briefing papers or any associated material concerning the possible amendment of sections 1(1), 1(2) or 15(1) of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974; what plans he has to amend sections 1(1), 1(2) or 15(1) of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 in respect of matters relating to his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The seven deregulation task forces, established earlier this year by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, have all considered health and safety matters to varying degrees in sector specific or cross sectoral ways. Details of all task force meetings, consultations or papers could not be provided except at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table listing(a) all regulations suggested by his Department to the Health and Safety Commission or by the Health and Safety Commission to his Department as candidates for revocation as part of the deregulation initiative, (b) the purpose and function of each of these regulations, (c) whether it is suggested that the regulations be (i) amended, (ii) abolished, (iii) replaced with self-regulation or (iv) replaced with other regulation; whether, for each regulation, revocation without replacement or with self-regulation would require amendment of section 1(1), 1(2) or 15(1) of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Possible sector-specific and cross-sectoral candidates for administrative simplification and reform by the Health and Safety Commission are currently being considered by the seven deregulation task forces, established earlier this year by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. The task forces have not yet completed their work, but their proposals will be submitted to the Government in due course for consideration.

  Further possible proposals for reform by the HSC may be identified by the HSC's own task groups which have been asked to complete their work by April next year.

  Overseas Staff and Premises
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the cost for the current financial year of his Department having(a) premises and (b) personnel overseas; and what were the comparable figures for (a) 12, (b) 24, (c) 36 and (d) 48 months ago.

  Mr. Eggar
  The costs to this Department of its personnel temporarily based overseas in 1993–94 are
  301
  estimated to be in the region of £1.3 million, on the basis of expenditure in the first half of the current financial year. This Department does not have to meet the costs of any overseas premises.

  Precise figures for earlier years are not readily available, but are likely to have been broadly similar to the current year in real terms.

  EC Public Utilities
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps are being taken to ensure that public utilities in other EC countries actively encourage suppliers from the United Kingdom to participate in their contracts.

  Mr. Needham
  Under the Utilities Directive 90/531/ EEC contracting bodies are, in most cases, obliged to publish calls for competition in the Official Journal of the European Communities, through periodic notices of planned procurement, notices of qualification systems or specific contract notices. These notices can also be accessed on the tenders electronic daily database. Since I January 1993 contract notices have been published in the Official Journal by utilities in all the major member states and even some by utilities in Greece, Portugal and Spain who do not yet have to implement the directives.

  My Department actively supports United Kingdom suppliers in EC markets and I have appointed an export promoter on loan from industry to focus specifically in this area. My Department is also mounting a campaign to bring public procurement opportunities in the Community to the attention of United Kingdom industry, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.

  Finally, I have just initiated a review to identify problems faced by United Kingdom businesses trying to sell to public purchasers in other EC member states, including those included within the scope of directive 90/531/EEC. My Department will ensure that everything possible is done to solve specific problems and will provide feedback to the EC Commission as necessary. This review is expected to be completed early next year and the results will be used in my Department's work supporting British exporters.

  European Community Public Procurement Directive
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he is taking to encourage the EC to ensure that European Community public procurement directive (90/531/EEC) is equally implemented by all relevant member states; and with what results.

  Mr. Needham
  The European Commission continues to put pressure on all member states to eliminate any delays in implementing single market measures, including public procurement directive 90/531/EEC. It regularly produces a table showing the state of transposition of such measures by EC member states which it presents to ministers at meetings of the Internal Market Council. It also holds meetings as appropriate on a bilateral basis with the authorities of member states to discuss specific difficulties on transposition. In addition, the Commission has three advisory committees to discuss its proposals for monitoring the application and effectiveness of the public procurement directives.

  Directive 90/531/EEC, which is designed to open up supplies and works contracts for utilities in the water, energy, transport, and telecommunications sectors to
  302
  Community-wide competition, is required to have entered into force on 1 January 1993 with derogations for Spain —1 January 1996—and for Greece and Portugal—1 January 1998. The Commission's latest report indicates that six member states, including the United Kingdom, have so far implemented the directive, Belgium has drafted the necessary domestic legislation and Germany and Italy have yet to notify any implementation measures. The Government will continue to take a close interest in progress towards proper implementation by all member states.

  Atomic Energy Authority
  Mr. Milligan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what financial target and capital expenditure limit have been set for the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority for 1993–94.

  Mr. Eggar
  The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's financial target for 1993–94 has been set as a 12.1 per cent. return on average capital employed, calculated according to the current cost convention. The target is based on the profit earned on ordinary activities before long-term interest is payable. I have also approved the AEA's capital expenditure programme for the year at £18.9 million.

  Reinsurance (Acts of Terrorism) Act 1993
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what agreements have been laid before Parliament under the Reinsurance (Acts of Terrorism) Act 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The agreement with Pool Reinsurance Company Ltd. was concluded, with the consent of the Treasury, on 30 July and was laid before Parliament on 30 July. Updated versions of schedules 5, 6 and 7 to the agreement—the forms of the legal contracts between Pool Reinsurance Company and its members—were laid before Parliament today. The changes are not substantive but serve to simplify the administrative arrangements between Pool Reinsurance Company Ltd. and its members.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is also undertaking, with the consent of the Treasury, to guarantee a credit facility which has been obtained by Pool Reinsurance Company Ltd. from a group of banks to ensure the financing of the arrangements. The guarantee together with a copy of the credit facility was also laid before Parliament on 30 July.

  Following the conclusion of the agreement, Pool Reinsurance Company Ltd. was authorised on 30 July to carry on reinsurance business in accordance with the Insurance Companies Act 1982.

  The authorisation of the company, the conclusion of the agreement and the granting of the guarantee, together with the credit facility, mark the completion of the establishment of the arrangements announced by my right hon. Friend on 21 December. The arrangements established enable the Secretary of State to act as reinsurer of last resort are effective from 1 January 1993. Industry and commerce in Great Britain can now be confident that firm arrangements exist to provide for insurance against terrorist damage, provided they take out such insurance.

  Nuclear Exports
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to support the export activities of the United Kingdom nuclear industry since 1979.

  Mr. Eggar
  In association with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Embassies overseas, my Department provides general support for the export activities of the nuclear industry, subject to necessary regulation in the areas of non-proliferation, safety and environmental protection. Where specifically requested, umbrella co-operation agreements have been negotiated between Governments. In addition, the industry can make use of the comprehensive package of assistance offered to all exporters by my Department.

  EC Law
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many responses he received to his consultation document reviewing the implementation and enforcement of EC law in the United Kingdom; how many copies of the document were printed; how many were(a) sold and (b) otherwise distributed; and if he will place in the Library copies of the responses.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To date, over 70 submissions have been received in response to the call for comments on the review of the implementation and enforcement of EC law in the United Kingdom. A total of 1,500 copies of the review were printed. Approximately 500 copies have been sold to date. A further 440 complimentary copies were distributed to those individuals, businesses, trade associations and representative organisations which assisted in the review and to the press, parliamentarians and others.

  I am not at liberty to place copies of the responses in the Library of the House. Publications of respondents' comments is a matter for them. However, in line with recommendation 9 of the review and subject to the confidentiality which respondents have a right to expect, a summary of responses is being prepared for distribution to all those who contributed to the consultation exercise. I will place a copy of this, together with a list of respondents, in the Library of the House as soon as all the responses have been analysed.

  Defence Industry Diversification
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out the criteria used by Her Majesty's Government in compiling the United Kingdom bid to the EC KONVER fund on defence industry diversification; which regional organisations were consulted in preparation of the KONVER bid; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The United Kingdom's proposal for a KONVER programme is based on the European Commission's letter of 28 May to the permanent representative of the United Kingdom to the European Communities which is available in the House of Commons Library. The United Kingdom programme proposes eight selection criteria to be used to select projects for grant assistance. Projects to be given priority are those which:

  (i) accelerate diversification, where possible, so as to render such areas less dependent on this sector;

  304

  (ii) encourage the development of commercially viable businesses in any sector;

  (iii) demonstrate good value for money and include quantifiable and measureable targets to be monitored;

  (iv) involve an integrated approach to regeneration which will benefit the whole of the area which is the subject of the application;

  (v) involve a high degree of leverage, of finance from other public and private sector sources;

  (vi) are innovatory;

  (vii) complement existing schemes and services provided under relevant CSFs, Community initiatives and national measures.

  In compiling the programme the following bodies were consulted:

  Training and Enterprise Councils

  Local Enterprise Companies

  Association of Metropolitan Authorities

  Association of County Councils

  Association of District Councils

  Association of Local Authorities of Northern Ireland

  Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

  Council of Welsh Districts

  Assembly of Welsh Counties

  Scottish Enterprise

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise

  Northern Ireland Industrial Development Board

  Local Government International Bureau

  National Council for Voluntary Organisation (England and Wales)

  Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action

  Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

  National Council for Industry Training Organisations

  London Boroughs Association

  Association of London Authorities

  Rural Development Commission

  Industrial Common Ownership Movement.

  Mining Industry
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for the past five years in both British Coal and United Kingdom private licensed mines(a) the fatality rate per 100,000 manshifts and (b) the total number of fatalities.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 20 October 1993]: The information requested, which has been provided by the Health and Safety Executive, is as follows:

  British coal mines1

  Private licensed mines

  Year

  Fatality per 100,000 manshifts

  Total fatalities

  Fatality per 100,000 manshifts

  Total fatalities

  21992–93

  0·03

  3

  n/a

  3

  1991–92

  30·07

  10

  n/a

  2

  1990–91

  0·07

  11

  n/a

  1

  1989–90

  0·10

  18

  n/a

  1

  1988–89

  0·08

  18

  n/a

  2

  1 Covers injuries to British Coal Corporation employees and contractors.

  2 Provisional figures.

  3 Revised August 1993 to take account of contractors shifts worked. n/a=Not available.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what comparison his Department has made of the safety record of British Coal's deep mine operations with those in the United States of America and elsewhere.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 20 October 1993]: Meaningful comparisons are generally not possible because of the different mining conditions and the different bases on which such information is recorded in each country.
  305
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table showing the amount of deep-mined coal produced in the United Kingdom, from 1982 to 1992, distinguishing between categories used for household, coking, industrial boilers, and electricity power generation, which were produced, using domestically

  Thousand tones

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Deep-mined

  106,161

  101,742

  35,243

  75,289

  90,366

  85,957

  83,762

  79,628

  72,899

  73,357

  65,800

  Opencast

  15,266

  14,706

  14,306

  15,569

  14,275

  15,786

  17,899

  19,442

  18,880

  19,356

  18,435

  Other1

  3,284

  2,806

  1,633

  3,253

  3,458

  2,790

  2,405

  1,535

  1,729

  2,208

  639

  Total production

  124,711

  119,254

  51,182

  94,111

  108,099

  104,533

  104,066

  100,605

  93,508

  94,921

  84,874

  Exports

  7,447

  6,561

  2,293

  2,432

  2,677

  2,353

  1,822

  2,049

  2,533

  1,672

  668

  Stock changes2

  +10,124

  +5,583

  -21,412

  -1,569

  +3,502

  -5,235

  +2,920

  +3,078

  -1,484

  +5,561

  +3,886

  Statistical difference3

  +205

  +91

  +1,886

  +594

  -1,760

  +1,302

  -489

  +34

  -1,014

  -214

  +50

  Consumption of UK coal

  106,935

  107,019

  68,415

  92,654

  103,680

  106,113

  99,813

  95,444

  93,473

  87,902

  80,270

  Of which: Domestic

  7,860

  7,199

  3,742

  6,299

  6,257

  5,679

  4,561

  3,504

  3,869

  3,323

  2,187

  Coke ovens

  7,827

  8,092

  2,774

  4,069

  4,865

  4,967

  4,612

  3,594

  2,238

  871

  646

  Industry

  7,152

  7,227

  6,944

  8,244

  7,575

  5,414

  5,184

  5,091

  4,983

  4,344

  3,356

  Electricity generators

  79,422

  80,225

  53,359

  71,284

  81,465

  86,602

  82,285

  80,623

  80,059

  77,090

  72,422

  Other

  4,674

  4,275

  1,596

  2,758

  3,518

  3,451

  3,171

  2,632

  2,324

  2,274

  1,659

  Imports4

  4,063

  4,456

  8,894

  12,732

  10,554

  9,781

  11,685

  12,137

  14,783

  19,611

  20,373

  Of which: Domestic

  553

  605

  1,667

  1,516

  1,164

  855

  1,180

  1,544

  370

  1,455

  1,991

  Coke ovens

  2,579

  2,356

  5,472

  7,053

  6,257

  5,892

  6,290

  7,198

  8,614

  9,140

  8,385

  Industry

  32

  33

  62

  67

  1,703

  1,410

  1,945

  1,139

  767

  1,607

  2,727

  Electricity generators

  806

  1,340

  52

  2,656

  1,187

  1,358

  1,973

  1,963

  4,488

  6,927

  6,586

  Other

  93

  122

  1,641

  1,440

  243

  266

  297

  293

  544

  482

  684

  £ per tonne

  Average cost of imported coal5

  78·61

  80·26

  85·42

  80·47

  61·01

  52·20

  46·47

  46·96

  46·77

  38·43

  35·57

  1 Estimates of slurry etc. recovered and disposed of other than by British Coal from dumps, ponds, rivers, etc.

  2 Stock fall (-), stock rise(+).

  3 Supply greater than (+) or less than (-) recorded demand.

  4 Though data is available on total imports and on consumption by fuel producers, there is only very limited direct information on consumption of imported coal by final users. The allocation of imports to individual sectors has therefore been estimated.

  5 Cash figures adjusted to 1993 price levels by excluding the effect of general inflation as measured by the GDP deflator.

  Source: Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 1993.

  My officials are seeing whether further information, which separately identifies the use of deep-mined coal and opencast coal, is available. If it is, I will write to the hon. Member when the details have been extracted.

HEALTH

  Unemployment
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged(a) 16 or 17 years and (b) 18 to 24 years living in (i) York parliamentary constituency, (ii) North Yorkshire, (iii) Yorkshire and Humberside and (iv) Great Britain were unemployed according to the 1991 census.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.
  306
  exported and imported coal, respectively, together with the comparable production and use of opencast-produced coal; and what was the cost of imported coal at 1993 prices for each year shown in the table.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 18 October 1993]: The information readily available is as follows:

  Number of residents recorded in 1991 Census as unemployed

  Area

  Age

  16

  17

  18–24

  York Parliamentary Constituency

  83

  87

  1,082

  North Yorkshire

  343

  471

  4,904

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  4,234

  5,413

  62,424

  Great Britain

  43,255

  61,494

  657,848

  Source: 1991 Census for Great Britain (part 1), Table 8; and County Report for North Yorkshire (Part 1), Table 8.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of ambulances in each service in England responded within(a) eight minutes and (b) 14 to 20 minutes to emergency calls in (i) 1992–93 and (ii) the first half of 1993–94.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information for 1992–93 is shown in the table. This information is collected annually and, therefore, no figures are available for the first half of 1993–94.
  307

  Patient transport services Emergency calls: Response times 1992–93

  England

  Ambulance authority

  Total number of emergency calls resulting in ambulance arriving at scene of incidents (thousands)

  Response within 8 minutes (per cent.)

  Response within 19 minutes (rural) 14 minutes (urban) (per cent.)

  Rural authorities

  Cumbria

  15·3

  55·6

  91·2

  Durham

  30·3

  51·6

  97·1

  Humberside

  43·0

  72·8

  99·2

  Northumbria (NHS Trust)

  77·6

  67·8

  99·0

  North Yorkshire

  23·1

  58·8

  95·4

  Derbyshire

  35·2

  46·6

  95·7

  Leicestershire

  32·6

  54·4

  97·f0

  Lincolnshire (NHS Trust)

  17·8

  62·2

  95·3

  Nottinghamshire

  54·7

  57·9

  97·7

  Cambridgeshire

  19·1

  40·9

  94·2

  Norfolk (NHS Trust)

  27·5

  57·5

  96·7

  Suffolk

  11·9

  53·2

  92·1

  Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

  59·6

  54·3

  96·9

  Essex (NHS Trust)

  66·1

  57·8

  98·6

  East Sussex

  36·9

  67·7

  97·7

  Kent

  57·8

  55·2

  96·4

  West Sussex

  26·8

  65·6

  97·3

  Dorset

  27·8

  54·6

  96·1

  Hampshire

  46·7

  55·9

  97·4

  Wiltshire

  15·1

  60·7

  95·9

  Isle of Wight

  4·3

  59·5

  97·9

  Berkshire

  28·4

  58·9

  99·0

  Buckinghamshire

  22·1

  62·0

  97·0

  Northamptonshire

  17·8

  68·0

  98·2

  Oxfordshire

  16·1

  51·8

  94·2

  Cornwall (NHS Trust)

  16·5

  41·2

  90·0

  Devon (NHS Trust)

  38·4

  60·2

  98·5

  Gloucestershire (NHS Trust)

  13·5

  57·8

  96·8

  Somerset

  11·8

  58·9

  94·7

  Hereford and Worcester

  21·3

  61·9

  97·1

  Shropshire

  12·7

  51·1

  96·0

  Staffordshire (NHS Trust)

  39·6

  53·4

  95·3

  Warwickshire

  14·4

  49·4

  95·3

  Lancashire

  69·8

  65·9

  98·7

  Urban authorities

  Cleveland (NHS Trust)

  24·2

  73·0

  97·0

  West Yorkshire

  108·2

  55·0

  94·0

  South Yorkshire (NHS Trust)

  56·4

  46·6

  89·9

  Surrey

  44·0

  55·1

  94·8

  London Ambulance Service

  474·5

  11·3

  58·5

  Avon (NHS Trust)

  37·0

  55·5

  90·0

  West Midlands

  140·7

  45·2

  91·1

  Mersey (NHS Trust)

  147·7

  68·1

  95·4

  Greater Manchester

  165·4

  60·5

  97·4

  Clothier Inquiry
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she plans to publish the findings of the Clothier inquiry.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The independent inquiry into incidents at Grantham and Kesteven general hospital by Sir Cecil Clothier and his team is likely to report its findings in January 1994. The report will be published in full.

  Operations
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest estimate available to her of the annual number of operations in(a) NHS hospitals and (b) private hospitals in England for (i) hip replacement, (ii) cataract and (iii) varicose veins.

  Mr. Sackville
  We do not collect information on activity in private hospitals. For national health service hospitals the latest available information through the hospital episode statistics is shown in the table.
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  Estimated number of finished consultant episodes in national health service hospitals, England, 1989–90

  Operation

  Number of completed episodes

  Operations for removal of cataract

  92,184

  Operation on varicose vein of leg

  63,320

  Hip operations

  50,790

  National Health Service Chief EN0
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to appoint a successor to Sir Duncan Nichol as NHS chief executive.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Early in 1994.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will withdraw the letter on deregulation, residential care homes, private nursing homes and hospitals issued by her Department on 3 August; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  No. While I have no intention of withdrawing or weakening any regulation which protects people in residential and nursing homes, it is entirely proper to consult home owners and managers as to the appropriateness and complexity of regulations affecting such homes.

  Ministerial Visit
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many civil servants were engaged in her visit to Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and Hong Kong from 7 to 17 September; and what was the cost of the visit.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Four. The trade mission was not supported financially by any Government Department. The cost to the Department of Health was £31,000, comprising travelling and subsistence expenses for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and accompanying officials. The companies involved paid their own expenses and also met the cost of local transport, receptions and seminars for the whole party.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the benefits accrued to the NHS, and the value of them, during her visit to Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and Hong Kong; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  My right hon. Friend's trade mission to Australia and the far east was organised by the Association of British Healthcare Industries in order to develop existing trade relationships and seek out new opportunities for partnerships, exports and local investment.

  The visit did much to expand the export drive of the British health care industry, which, like that of our other industries, is vital to sustain the economic foundations on which our health and social care system is based.

  The United Kingdom national health service is a much-admired model of health care and an international benchmark for comparison. Through National Health
  310
  Service Overseas Enterprises, the official marketing arm of the NHS in England, many of the skills and services which are available in the United Kingdom health service can be marketed overseas. Profits from these activities come back to the NHS.

  As a result of the mission both the NHSOE and the representatives of the British health care industry were able to strengthen their position in each of the countries visited through new and important trade and manufacturing links, including some specific business opportunities.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice has been issued by her Department to NHS trusts regarding the need for those appointed as chief executive to have experience of working in the national health service.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list, by wave, the end of year financial position of each self-governing trust for 1992–93.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is contained in the 1992–93 annual accounts of national health service trusts. We are assembling and summarising these accounts in accordance with statutory deadlines. Comprehensive information will be available at the end of November 1993.

  NHS Review
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she plans to publish her review of the structure arid management of the NHS.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will be making a statement to the House today. Copies of "Managing the new NHS", a background document which provides further information in support of the decisions she will be announcing, are available in the Library.

  Nursing Homes
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will list, by local authority, the average time it takes to find nursing home places for elderly people transferring from hospitals;

  (2) if she will list for each London borough the number of specialist nursing home places for each year from 1990; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available centrally.

  Health Services, Ealing
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions she has had with the London borough of Ealing and Ealing NHS hospital trust.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We have had no direct discussions but a number have taken place locally with officials from the North West Thames regional health authority.

  Jarman Index
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to update the Jarman index.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This is not a matter for which Ministers have responsibility.

  Northumbria Ambulance Service Trust
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with officials of the Northumbria Ambulance Service NHS trust on the subject of accounting procedures.

  Mr. Sackville
  Officials have reminded the Northumbria Ambulance Service NHS trust of the statutory accounting procedures for NHS trusts. These procedures are contained in the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 and in the NHS "Trusts Manual For Accounts", copies of which will be placed in the Library.

  Nurses (Clothing and Equipment)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what items of work clothing and equipment are issued as standard to every NHS hospital nurse; and what is the cost to the NHS of one of each item.

  Mr. Sackville
  There is no standard clothing issued by all hospitals. It is a local purchasing decision for the hospital concerned and the price is dependent on size, quality and colour of uniform.

  London Ambulance Service
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to ensure the stability of the London ambulance service.

  Mr. Sackville
  South West Thames regional health authority is responsible for the effective functioning of the London ambulance service. We understand that it is making progress in implementing the recommendations of the inquiry into the LAS, introducing new accountability arrangements and improving the authority's oversight of the LAS. We further understand that the LAS has developed a financial plan for discussion with purchasing authorities and has received transitional funding to assist in handling the loss of some of its patient transport service contracts. Ministers remain committed to the LAS as a Londonwide service, matching where possible health authority, police and fire service boundaries.

  January 1992 to October 1993

  Title

  Cost £

  Distribution

  Patient's Charter News Issue 3

  1,679

  National Health Service Managers

  Patient's Charter News Issue 4

  2,923

  National Health Service Managers

  Patient's Charter News Issue 5

  3,185

  National Health Service Managers

  Patient's Charter News Issue 6

  3,345

  National Health Service Managers

  Patient's Charter News Issue 7

  4,830

  National Health Service Managers

  Patient's Charter News Issue 8

  5,161

  National Health Service Managers

  Patient's Charter News Issue 9

  4,356

  National Health Service Managers

  Patient's Charter News Issue 10 (including Regional Round Up)

  9,296

  National Health Service Managers

  IMG News Issue No. 14 (Information Management Group)

  2,184

  National Health Service Managers

  IMG News Issue No. 15

  2,633

  National Health Service Managers

  IMG News Issue No. 16

  2,890

  National Health Service Managers

  IMG News Issue No. 17

  3,134

  National Health Service Managers

  This is the IMG1

  2,350

  National Health Service Managers

  312
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what qualitative guidance her Department has given South West Thames regional health authority on the procurement of information technology for the London ambulance service.

  Mr. Sackville
  The National Health Service Supplies Authority issued new guidance on information technology procurement in July this year. A copy of this guidance, "Procurement of Information Systems Effectively", is available in the Library.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with South West Thames regional health authority concerning proposals for computer systems for the London ambulance service.

  Mr. Sackville
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State receives regular reports from South West Thames regional health authority on the progress of the London ambulance service on the implementation of the recommendations of the inquiry report, which includes directions on the implementation of any future computer-aided dispatch system.

  Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration she has given to compensating those patients and their families who had treatment that could have infected them with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

  Mr. Bowis
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, South (Mr. Yeo) to my hon. Friend the Member for Faversham (Sir R. Moate) on 27 May at column 671.

  NHS Management Executive
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pamphlets the national health service management executive published from January 1992 to January 1993 and from January 1993 to October 1993; if she will list the title, the recipients and the cost; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  During the period January 1992 to October 1993, the national health service management executive issued 61 pamphlets, leaflets and brochures. The table gives the description, cost and to whom they were sent. Copies of the documents will be placed in the Library.
  313

  Title

  Cost £

  Distribution

  Data Quality Review No. 4

  1,308

  National Health Service Managers

  Good Practice and Innovation in Contracting

  5,288

  National Health Service Managers

  Assessing Effects of Health Technologies

  17,201

  National Health Service Managers

  Nursing Research Taskforce Report

  10,520

  National Health Service Managers

  Specification of National Indicators Booklet

  23,021

  National Health Service Managers

  London Health No. 1

  12,706

  National Health Service Staff (London)

  London Health No. 2

  12,658

  National Health Service Staff (London)

  London Health No. 3

  19,347

  National Health Service Staff (London)

  London Health No. 4

  18,419

  National Health Service Staff (London)

  Community Care Booklet for Nurses

  53,961

  RCN Members, Directors of Social Services, National Health Service Managers

  ME News January 1993

  8,196

  National Health Service Managers

  ME News February 1993

  13,398

  National Health Service Managers

  ME News March 1993

  9,510

  National Health Service Managers

  ME News April 1993

  18,666

  National Health Service Managers

  ME News May 1993

  19,466

  National Health Service Managers

  ME News June 1993

  9,110

  National Health Service Managers

  ME News July 19931

  13

  National Health Service Managers

  ME News August 19931

  2,058

  National Health Service Managers

  ME News September 19931

  2,153

  National Health Service Managers

  Quality Compendium1

  368,000

  National Health Service Staff

  Fundholding News1

  4,010

  GP Fundholders

  Childcare Initiative Booklet

  13,280

  National Health Service Staff

  A Study of Midwife GP-led Maternity Units

  5,290

  National Health Service Managers

  Health Service Indicators Handbook 1993

  28,731

  National Health Service Managers

  Primary Care Opportunity 20001

  35,500

  National Health Service Staff

  Patient's Charter Distance Learning Pack

  68,009

  National Health Service Managers

  Purchasing for Health No. 21

  4,000

  National Health Service Managers

  VFM Update (Value for Money)

  2,764

  National Health Service Managers

  Named Nurse, Midwife and Health Visitor1

  30,000

  National Health Service Staff

  Patient's Charter Monitoring Practice Guide1

  35,000

  National Health Service Managers

  Purchasing for Health No. 31

  7,687

  National Health Service Managers

  Ethnic Minority Health

  45,015

  National Health Service Staff

  HOTN—Local Target Setting1 (Health of the Nation)

  25,000

  National Health Service Managers

  Research for Health Vol. 2

  63,499

  National Health Service Managers

  HSI Publicity—Prices Leaflet

  987

  National Health Service Managers

  Nursing Research Report

  4,030

  National Health Service Managers

  Patient's Charter1

  10,000

  GP Staff

  NHSME Chief Executive Award1

  10,000

  National Health Service Staff

  Day Surgery Task Force "Tool Kit"

  28,996

  Royal Colleges, National Health Service Managers, GPs, Nurse Trainers

  HOTN Local Target Setting Paper

  8,005

  National Health Service Managers

  Study of Midwifery and GP-led Maternity Units

  5,290

  National Health Service Managers

  Schools Out-Childcare booklet

  13,280

  National Health Service Managers

  New World New Opportunities

  3,450

  National Health Service Managers

  Research for Health

  49,016

  National Health Service Managers

  Value for Money

  2,764

  National Health Service Managers

  1 Estimated

  Traffic Casualties
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each year since 1979 the amount of money collected by the national health service in respect of payment for ambulance services to traffic casualties.

  Mr. Sackville
  No charge is made for the national health service emergency ambulance service.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each year since 1979 the amount of money collected by the national health service in respect of payment for hospital treatment of traffic casualties.

  Mr. Sackville
  Income received from Road Traffic Act charges for each year from 1979–80 to 1990–91 in cash terms for England, is set out in the table.
  314

  £000

  1979–80

  1,438

  1980–81

  2,722

  1981–82

  4,198

  1982–83

  5,894

  1983–84

  6,950

  1984–85

  7,324

  1985–86

  7,916

  1986–87

  7,871

  1987–88

  8,687

  1988–89

  8,748

  1989–90

  9,256

  1990–91

  9,080

  Note: The information for subsequent years is not collected centrally.

  Clinical Grading Appeals
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list, by region of origin, the number of outstanding clinical grading appeals at(a) district, (b) regional and (c) national level.
  315
  Mr. Sackville
  Of the 20,000 appeals outstanding in March 1993 there are now just over 6,000 outstanding. The details requested are shown in the table.

  Outstanding clinical grading appeals:1situation as at 30 September 1993

  Region

  Employing authority level

  Regional level

  National level

  Total

  North Western

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  956

  Mersey

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  890

  West Midlands

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  711

  Trent

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  691

  South Western

  0

  525

  102

  627

  North West Thames

  46

  464

  27

  537

  Yorkshire

  31

  272

  79

  382

  North East Thames

  20

  280

  22

  322

  Wessex

  0

  197

  70

  267

  South West Thames

  0

  0

  210

  210

  South East Thames

  0

  161

  40

  201

  Oxford

  0

  10

  158

  168

  East Anglian

  0

  82

  80

  162

  Northern

  2

  121

  34

  157

  Total

  6,281

  1 The table has been put together based on information supplied by Regional Health Authorities.

  Smokers (Health Care)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to introduce guidelines to ensure equality of access to health care for smokers and non-smokers.

  Mr. Sackville
  A fundamental principle of the national health service, which is enshrined in the patients charter, is that clinical need continues to be the basis on which the NHS provides care to all. Decisions on the treatment of individual patients are properly a matter for clinical judgment by the clinicians responsible for their care, taking account of factors such as the likely success of that treatment. We have no plans to introduce further guidance in this area.

  NHS Supplies Authority
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to privatise any of the services provided by the NHS Supplies Authority ; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Some services provided by the National Health Service Supplies Authority are already contracted out and the authority plans to expand the use of private sector partners where there is added value to services in doing so. Further development of these plans will be kept under review and discussed between the NHS Management Executive and the NHS Supplies Authority as part of the normal management review process.

  Depo-medrone
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether she will establish an immediate investigation into the level of the use of the drug Depo-medrone in epidural therapy within the NHS;

  (2) what advice has been issued by her Department to NHS doctors regarding possible side effects of using the drug Depo-medrone in epidural therapy;
  316
  (3) what representations have been received by her Department regarding the possible side-effects of the use of the drug Depo-medrone in epidural therapy.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department has received a small number of inquiries from doctors on the side-effects of Depo-medrone when used by the epidural route and from patients who have received Depo-medrone epidurally.

  Depo-medrone is not licensed for epidural administration. The Department has issued no specific advice to doctors on this issue. The data sheet produced by the manufacturer and authorised by the Licensing Authority carries a clear warning that Depo-medrone should not be used for epidural administration. In addition, the data sheet contains warnings of the side-effects associated with the use of Depo-medrone when administered via non-licensed routes.

  Departmental officials are in discussion with relevant medical professional bodies about current clinical practice.

  Adoption
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she plans to publish a White Paper on adoption.

  Mr. Bowis
  Shortly.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those self-governing trusts that have filed their current accounts, indicating what percentage of the total this represents.

  Mr. Sackville
  All national health service trusts have produced annual accounts for 1992–93. A small number are still subject to audit.

  Health Services, London
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effects of the Tomlinson proposals to close accident and emergency departments in central London on(a) the London ambulance service and (b) other central London casualty units; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Proposals for changes in the pattern of accident and emergency provision in inner London are being considered in the context of the overall changes to London's health services. As part of this process account is being taken of studies carried out by the London ambulance service. Additionally, the London implimentation group is taking other expert advice to ensure the implications of specific proposals are assessed fully.

  Camden and Islington Health Authority
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with Camden and Islington health authority concerning its contracting decisions.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None. Camden and Islington health authority is responsible for commissioning health care for its residents. We understand the authority has issued for public consultation its proposals for contracting from next year.

  Pensioners (NHS Services)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest available estimate of the full cost to the Exchequer of introducing(a) free national health service sight tests and (b) free national health service dental examinations for all people over the state retirement age.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The estimated costs of extending free national health service sight tests and free national health service dental examinations to all people above the state retirement age who are not currently eligible on other grounds are about £30 million and £10 million, respectively, in 1993–94.

  NHS Staff (Attacks)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what figures have been collected by her Department in relation to physical attacks on staff in national health service hospitals for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. These figures are not available centrally.

  Bloomfield Report
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she intends to respond to the Bloomfield report.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We will announce proposals for the future system of remuneration in the general dental services in due course.

  NHS Sight Tests
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of national health service sight tests paid for by the general ophthalmic services for each six-monthly period since October 1990.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The numbers of national health service sight tests paid for in each six-monthly period since October 1990 in England are shown in the table.

  Numbers of national health service sight tests by financial year England

  Six monthly period

  Millions

  October 1990 to March 1991

  2·129

  April 1991 to September 1991

  2·411

  October 1991 to March 1992

  2·569

  April 1992 to September 1992

  2·695

  October 1992 to March 1993

  2·832

  Dentistry
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the latest figures for estimated annual income from NHS dental examination charges.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The estimated income from dental examination charges is £63 million in 1993–94.

  Hospital Doctors (Clothing and Equipment)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what items of work clothing and equipment are issued as standard to every NHS hospital doctor; and what is the cost to the NHS of one of each item.
  318
  Dr. Mawhinney
  No standard clothing is issued to doctors by all hospitals, and no items of equipment are issued as standard: these are matters for local determination.

  Drugs
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether NHS patients who are to be treated using a drug in a manner which runs contrary to the advice of the manufacturer of that drug have a formal right to be informed of this fact.

  Mr. Sackville
  Under the terms of the Medicines Act, if a doctor believes that an unlicensed drug, or the use of a licensed drug for an unlicensed indication or unlicensed route of administration, is the only one suitable for a patient, he or she may supply or administer the drug. It is for doctors to use their training, knowledge and experience to weigh carefully the likely benefits of a drug against the anticipated risks before choosing the most appropriate treatment for a particular patient. If a doctor wishes to use an unlicensed drug, or a licensed drug for an unlicensed route of administration or unlicensed indication, it is entirely his or her own responsibility and he or she will be answerable to the consequences. The patients charter emphasises the right of national health service patients to be given a clear explanation of any treatment proposed, including any risks and alternatives, before deciding whether to agree to the treatment. It remains for the doctor concerned, in the exercise of clinical judgment, to decide the precise information a patient should receive and the terms in which the warning of risks should be given.

  National Health Service Buildings, Leeds
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list(a) those buildings in Leeds currently used by NHS management executive staff and (b) the date at which the office space was bought or leased.

  Mr. Sackville
  National Health Service Management Executive staff in Leeds are all housed in Quarry house. Quarry house was built as a crown building. It first came into use on 6 July 1992.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received from medical practitioners in Northern Ireland on the closure of hospitals in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  Several GPs have written to the Department of Health and Social Services about particular hospitals—for example, the Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast, the Moyle hospital, Larne and the maternity unit at Tyrone county hospital, Omagh. The views of 43 GPs in the Downpatrick area about hospital services there were included in a report which was sent to the Department by the Downpatrick Community Health Committee.

  Inter-party Talks
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he next hopes to meet together the leaders of the Northern Ireland political parties.
  319
  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I have frequent contact with each of the leaders on a range of issues but have no immediate plans to meet them together.

  Belfast Airport
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received from Northern Ireland Airport employees at Belfast international airport regarding privatisation; arid if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have received representations from the airport constabulary which I have discussed with them.

  Voluntary Organisations
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met representatives of the Northern Ireland Council of Voluntary Organisations to discuss the role of voluntary organisations in the determination of the distribution of European Community structural funds; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Wheeler
  On 1 February my right hon. and learned Friend discussed with representatives of the council a range of issues, including the next round of EC structural funds, and on 16 June gave the opening address at a conference organised by NICVA on "The Voluntary Sector and Europe". My own discussions with the Council on 30 September also covered structural funds issues.

  Surface Links with Scotland
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received from bodies and individuals in Northern Ireland concerning the surface links with Scotland.

  Mr. Atkins
  During consultations for the preparation of the transportation programme Northern Ireland 1994–1999 21 bodies made representations on surface links with Scotland.

  IRA Funding
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures he is taking to limit the funding of the IRA.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The RUC has primacy in investigating, arresting and securing the prosecution of terrorist racketeers and financiers and the Government are giving them every assistance in their efforts. A terrorist finance unit has been set up within the Northern Ireland Office and works closely with the RUC in investigations and in designing effective countermeasures against terrorist fundraising activities. The Government have introduced special investigative powers for terrorist finances, backed up by criminal penalties and increased sentences for terrorist offences.

  Anglo-Irish Talks
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress he is making in facilitating an agreement between the interested parties involved in the Northern Ireland peace process.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for the future government of Northern Ireland.
  320
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the latest position on talks over constitutional issues in Northern Ireland.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes).

  Health Care, Down
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representatives he has received from Down community health committee on matters relating to health care in Down district.

  Mr. Ancram
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Olner) earlier today.

  Housing Site Applications
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what co-ordination takes place between the planning and environmental interests when new housing site applications are being considered.

  Mr. Atkins
  Every planning application is subject to a range of consultations, which include environmental interests in appropriate cases.

  Anglo-Irish Agreement
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has held with political parties regarding the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  My colleagues and I have been maintaining contacts with the main constitutional political parties in Northern Ireland and the Irish Government over the past weeks to establish how best we can make political progress. A new and more broadly based agreement or structure could be one of the outcomes of the talks process, arrived at through direct discussions between those concerned.

  Dublin Bombings
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with(a) the RUC and (b) Ministers or officials of the Irish Republic regarding the 1973 Dublin bombings.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Any such discussions would be confidential.

  Higher Education
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the number of students entering higher education in 1993–94.

  Mr. Ancram
  An estimated 8,070 students will enter full-time higher education in Northern Ireland institutions in 1993–94. This represents an estimated increase of 2 per cent. on 1992–93 and a 41 per cent. increase since 1988–89. Information is not yet available on the numbers of part-time students, postgraduate students, or those commencing higher education courses outside Northern Ireland.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last discussed with members of the Eastern health and social services board the question of the closure of hospitals in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mrs. Jackson) earlier today.

  Cross-border Talks
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he next hopes to meet the Irish Foreign Minister to discuss cross-border issues.

  Sir John Wheeler
  I look forward to meeting the Irish Foreign Minister, Mr. Dick Spring, within the next few weeks at the next meeting of the Anglo-Irish intergovernmental conference.

  Security
  Mr. Molyneaux
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.

  Sir John Wheeler
  I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath (Mr. Townsend).

  Electricity Charges
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will further consider the need to protect Northern Ireland industrial, commercial and domestic electricity consumers against increased charges beyond the period of the present transitional relief period; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have no plans to extend the existing substantial transitional relief arrangements further.

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

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:

  Number

  30 September 1990

  584·50

  30 September 1991

  587·50

  30 September 1992

  585·51

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the percentage of ambulances in

  Minutes

  50 Per cent. within

  95 Per cent. within

  Urban areas (Population density: more than 3 persons per acre)

  7

  14

  Rural areas (Population density: between 3 and 0.5 persons per acre)

  8

  18

  322
  each service in Northern Ireland which responded within (a) eight minutes and (b) 14 to 20 minutes to emergency calls in (i) 1992–93 and (ii) the first half of 1993–94.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:

  1992–93 per cent.

  11993–94 per cent.

  Per cent, responded to within 8 minutes

  Northern Health and Social Services Board

  55

  56

  Southern Health and Social Services Board

  60

  60

  Western Health and Social Services Board

  62

  58

  Eastern Health and Social Services Board

  60

  253

  Per cent, responded to in 18 to 21 minutes3

  Northern Health and Social Services Board

  95

  97

  Southern Health and Social Services Board

  96

  96

  Western Health and Social Services Board

  96

  93

  Eastern Health and Social Services Board

  95

  291

  Notes:

  1 First quarter only-second quarter figures are not available.

  2 Eastern Ambulance Service Health and Social Services Trust.

  3 Figures on the percentage of calls responded to between 14 and 20 minutes are not available as the Charter standards in Northern Ireland are set at 18 to 21 minutes.

  Mr. Patrick Doyle
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a list of all meetings held and correspondence exchanged in the past 10 years between his Department and Mr. Patrick Doyle, now of AST Training; what was the nature of such meetings or correspondence; what plans he has to meet Mr. Patrick Doyle; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  There are no records of any meetings held or correspondence exchanged in the last 10 years between the Northern Ireland Office or the Northern Ireland Departments and Mr. Patrick Doyle. There are no plans to meet Mr. Patrick Doyle.

WALES

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the percentage of ambulances in each service in Wales that responded within(a) eight minutes and (b) 14 to 20 minutes to emergency calls in (i) 1992–93 and (ii) the first half of 1993–94.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The ambulance service classifications in Wales and their standards for emergency call response times are:
  323

  Minutes

  50 Per cent. within

  95 Per cent. within

  Sparsely populated areas (Population density: less than 0.5 persons per acre)

  8

  21

  Population density more than 3 persons per acre

  1992–93

  April to June 1993

  Percentage arriving within

  Percentage arriving within

  7 minutes

  14 minutes

  7 minutes

  14 minutes

  South Glamorgan

  54

  91

  59

  93

  Population density between 3 and 0.5 persons per acre

  1992–93

  April to June 1993

  Percentage arriving within

  Percentage arriving within

  8 minutes

  18 minutes

  8 minutes

  18 minutes

  Clwyd

  61

  97

  62

  97

  Gwent

  54

  96

  53

  97

  Mid Glamorgan

  61

  98

  51

  93

  West Glamorgan

  61

  95

  56

  90

  Population density less than 0.5 persons per acre

  1992–93

  April to June 1993

  Percentage arriving within

  Percentage arriving within

  8 minutes

  21 minutes

  8 minutes

  21 minutes

  East Dyfed

  59

  94

  59

  93

  Gwynedd

  57

  96

  58

  96

  Pembrokeshire

  42

  88

  46

  90

  Powys

  47

  89

  44

  88

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of ambulance staff in Wales employed by the NHS in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The whole-time equivalent number of ambulance staff in post at 30 September each year was as follows:

  Number

  1990

  1,548

  1991

  1,565

  1992

  1,547

  1993

  1,538

  The figures include ambulancemen and women, ambulance officers and control assistants.

  Medicines Evaluation Agency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had in relation to the case for designating Cardiff as the location for the proposed European medicines evaluation agency and the benefits that would be created by the presence of the staff of the agency being employed in Wales.
  324
  Information is not yet available for the quarter ended 30 September 1993. Figures for 1992–93 and the first quarter of 1993–94 are shown in the following table:

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  After extensive consideration the Government decided that the United Kingdom's bid for the European medicines evaluation agency would best be led by the pharmaceutical industry. A strong bid is being mounted by the industry, based on a site in the London area. The Government fully support the industry's bid.

  Mr. Patrick Doyle
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a list of all meetings held and correspondence exchanged in the past 10 years between his Department and Mr. Patrick Doyle, now of AST Training; what was the nature of such meetings or correspondence; what plans he has to meet Mr. Patrick Doyle; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I have no plans to meet Mr. Doyle. Following a check on centrally held records of correspondence to Welsh Office Ministers, which would include requests for meetings, no correspondence from Mr. Doyle has been found.

  Caerphilly Town Centre
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to announce his response to the current application for urban investment grant in respect of the Caerphilly town centre redevelopment proposal.
  325
  Mr. Redwood
  I am currently considering the recommendations of my independent panel of assessors and hope to make an announcement shortly.

DEFENCE

  Depleted Uranium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies have been undertaken by his Department into the nephrotoxicity of soluble depleted uranium used in armour piercing shells by the Army.

  Mr. Hanley
  The testing and use of armour-piercing shells by the Army does not produce soluble depleted uranium and therefore my Department has not conducted studies in this area.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will detail the total number of casualties amongst British Forces serving in Bosnia-Herzegovina since deployment.

  Mr. Hanley
  There has been one death, that of Lance Corporal Edwards on 13 January this year, and 17 injuries sustained by British soldiers in the course of their duties with UNPROFOR in Bosnia-Herzegovina, from causes which include gunshot wounds, mine blast injuries and shrapnel wounds.

  D-Notices
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the operation of the new D-notice arrangements since the establishment of the defence advisory notice system on 1 August.

  Mr. Hanley
  Copies of the six defence advisory notices which replace the former eight D-notices have been widely distributed within the media and to those members of the public who have asked for them. Altogether some 800 copies have been issued. I understand that, since they came into effect on 1 August, the defence advisory notices have been used on a number of occasions to help editors, producers and publishers on issues of national security when they are considering what to publish.

  Air Force Targets
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if simulated attacks on civil airfields are included in the training syllabus for Royal Air Force Tornado F3 operational squadrons.

  Mr. Hanley
  No.

  Maralinga Test Site
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to exchange notes with representatives of the Federal Government of Australia about an agreement over the ex-gratia payment to be made by Her Majesty's Government in respect of the clearing of the former United Kingdom atomic bomb test site at Maralinga, South Australia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  On 14 July 1993 the United Kingdom Government agreed in principle to make an ex-gratia 326
  payment to the Federal Government of Australia as a contribution to the cost of the further clean-up of the Maralinga site. Preparation of the legal documents giving effect to this agreement is at an advanced stage.

  Ministry Police
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names and titles of the Ministry of Defence Police Committee.

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 18 October,Official Report, columns 64–65.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the reasons for and extent of the changes he is proposing for the Ministry of Defence Police Committee; and when he intends to table the statutory instrument giving effect to those changes.

  Mr. Hanley
  From time to time the composition of the Ministry of Defence Police Committee needs to change to reflect departmental reorganisations. Two such changes are set out in the answer I gave the hon. Member on 18 October,Official Report, columns 64–65. In addition, to reflect the strategic management board arrangements for the Ministry of Defence Police when it becomes a Defence Agency and to avoid having two committees, we are proposing to augment the police committee by conferring full member status on the chief constable, the deputy chief constable and head of the secretariat, subject to satisfactory legal opinion. The statutory instrument will be tabled shortly after legal advice has been given.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make it his policy to permit the Ministry of Defence Police Federation to send observers to those parts of the meetings of the Ministry of Defence Police Committee which do not relate to individual cases, or pay negotiations, and whose business is comparable to those agenda items of county police committees that would normally be considered in public under part I of the agenda;

  (2) when the Ministry of Defence Police Federation were last invited to attend a meeting of the Ministry of Defence Police Committee.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Ministry of Defence Police Committee is different from a county police committee. While it is not considered appropriate that observers from the Ministry of Defence Police Federation should attend on a regular basis it has been acknowledged that there many be occasions when, at the discretion of the chairman and committee members, the Defence Police Federation could be invited to attend should it be considered appropriate..

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects Sir John Blelloch's committee of inquiry into the Ministry of Defence police to commence its work; and when he expects it will make its report.

  Mr. Hanley
  I expect the committee to begin its work as soon as terms of reference and membership have been finalised and after my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary has announced the Government's response to Sir Patrick Sheehy's committee's report on police responsibilities and rewards. The committee is expected to report as soon as it has completed its work.
  327
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the report of the committee of inquiry into the Ministry of Defence police will be published.

  Mr. Hanley
  Yes, although it is too soon to speculate on the form this will take.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name and give the background of members of the Blelloch committee of inquiry into the Ministry of Defence police together with the name and address of the committee's secretary.

  Mr. Hanley
  No. The committee secretary has yet to be appointed, but meanwhile any submissions to the review team may be addressed through the chief constable, Ministry of Defence police.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he proposes to set up the Ministry of Defence police agency.

  Mr. Hanley
  As I announced to the House on 19 October,Official Report, column 171, our plans envisage the Ministry of Defence police being the next support organisation to become a defence agency.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultation there has been with the Ministry of Defence Police Federation about(a) the contents of the draft statutory instrument relating to the proposed amendments to the police committee's constitution and (b) the membership and terms of reference of the Blellock committee of inquiry into the Ministry of Defence police.

  Mr. Hanley
  No consultation with the Ministry of Defence Police Federation has taken place on the contents of the draft statutory instrument relating to the proposed amendments to the police committee's membership; nor is it appropriate. My Department wrote to the Ministry of Defence Police Federation last month about the committee of inquiry and the draft terms of reference will be discussed with it before finalisation.

  Animal Testing
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what animal species(a) have been used and (b) are currently used by his Department and defence contractors to test impact consequences on aero-engines.

  Mr. Aitken
  Animal impact tests on aero-engines are usually carried out by the engine manufacturer. Commonly, dead chickens or ducks are used for these tests. No work of this type is currently undertaken within my Department.

  Cetaceans
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent Royal Navy vessels are currently involved in projects to ascertain the abundance and distribution of cetaceans.

  Mr. Hanley
  Royal Navy vessels keep a record of sightings of marine natural phenomena of special scientific interest. This includes all sightings of cetaceans. These records are then made available to interested scientific bodies.
  328
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research projects are currently under way in his Department on echo location used by cetaceans.

  Mr. Aitken
  There are no research projects currently under way in, or sponsored by, my Department on echo location used by cetaceans.

  Surface Ship Command System
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when it was decided not to fit the surface ship command system in RFA Fort Victoria and RFA Fort George; why the decision was taken; what are the financial consequences; what adaptations are required as a result and at what cost; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  The decision not to fit the previously intended surface ship command system to the AORs was taken during financial year 1992–93 following the decision not to fit the ships with the vertical launch Seawolf defence system. The latter decision means that a less sophisticated command system is now appropriate with a consequent saving to the defence budget. We do not expect any adaptations as a result of this decision.

  5 Airborne Brigade
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many light strike vehicles it was originally proposed to purchase for 5 Airborne Brigade; of what type and at what cost; what vehicles were to be replaced as a result; when and why this order was postponed; what are the operational implications for the brigade's tactical mobility; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  We have never had any plans to place an order for a light strike vehicle for 5 Airborne Brigade.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Retirement Pensions (Women)
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many married women reached pensionable age in each of the years 1979 to 1992 and made full class one contributions which were one, two or three years, respectively, short of the requisite number of qualifying years for a 25 per cent. pension.

  Mr. Hague
  The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many married women qualified for a category B retirement pension in each year since 1979; and what information he has as to age at the time they first qualified.

  Mr. Hague
  Not all the information in the form requested is available. Such information as is available is in the tables.
  329

  Awards of category B retirement pension to married women

  6 months ending 6 April 1979

  8 months ending 30 November 1979

  6 months ending 31 May 1980

  13 months ending 30 June 1981

  5 months ending 30 November 1981

  6 months ending 31 May 1982

  4 months ending 30 September 1982

  All ages

  51,660

  104,910

  90,000

  164,510

  56,380

  71,044

  44,360

  Age 60

  14,730

  30,170

  33,190

  52,270

  20,690

  24,630

  16,600

  Age 61

  3,910

  7,990

  6,420

  18,270

  4,920

  5,420

  3,180

  Age 62

  5,430

  9,220

  6,770

  12,490

  4,310

  6,360

  4,440

  Age 63

  5,620

  11,560

  8,660

  13,730

  5,120

  6,280

  3,530

  Age 64

  6,190

  11,570

  8,580

  15,240

  4,850

  6,160

  3,950

  Age 65

  5,400

  10,840

  8,670

  15,800

  5,290

  6,820

  3,700

  Age 66

  3,040

  6,820

  5,140

  11,220

  3,050

  4,630

  2,190

  Age 67

  2,280

  4,780

  3,530

  7,220

  2,210

  2,830

  1,190

  Age 68

  1,300

  3,620

  2,440

  5,540

  1,690

  2,410

  1,340

  Age 69

  1,220

  2,530

  1,870

  3,750

  1,170

  1,670

  1,050

  Age 70 to 74

  2,280

  5,180

  4,090

  7,570

  2,710

  3,445

  2,170

  Age 75 to 79

  260

  530

  520

  1,280

  310

  238

  250

  Age 80 and over

  —

  100

  120

  130

  60

  147

  50

  6 months ending 31 March 1982

  6 months ending 30 September 1983

  6 months ending 31 March 1984

  12 months ending 31 March 1985

  6 months ending 30 September 1985

  6 months ending 31 March 1986

  12 months ending 30 September 1986

  All ages

  50,710

  54,430

  53,220

  103,630

  59,380

  60,340

  113,540

  Age 60

  21,180

  22,230

  20,150

  39,640

  21,830

  23,600

  45,250

  Age 61

  3,570

  3,090

  3,350

  5,760

  4,150

  4,570

  9,470

  Age 62

  4,270

  4,230

  4,360

  7,480

  4,510

  4,250

  7,600

  Age 63

  4,140

  5,420

  4,930

  8,960

  5,350

  4,860

  8,280

  Age 64

  4,090

  4,250

  4,480

  10,070

  5,700

  5,250

  9,050

  Age 65

  3,760

  4,260

  4,930

  10,030

  6,020

  6,050

  10,220

  Age 66

  2,420

  2,730

  2,480

  5,560

  2,750

  3,230

  7,450

  Age 67

  1,880

  2,160

  2,180

  4,050

  2,110

  2,210

  3,960

  Age 68

  1,530

  1,510

  1,790

  3,280

  1,840

  1,480

  3,170

  Age 69

  1,160

  1,430

  1,460

  2,680

  1,360

  1,370

  2,470

  Age 70 to 74

  2,230

  2,650

  2,620

  5,170

  3,210

  2,820

  5,370

  Age 75 to 79

  410

  390

  430

  790

  480

  600

  1,080

  Age 80 and over

  70

  80

  60

  160

  70

  50

  170

  12 months ending 30 September 1987

  6 months ending 31 March 1988

  6 months ending 30 September 1988

  6 months ending 31 March 1989

  All ages

  94,110

  45,860

  43,380

  42,440

  Age 60

  41,980

  21,870

  20,960

  20,320

  61

  7,020

  3,200

  2,960

  3,080

  62

  7,150

  3,570

  3,540

  3,240

  63

  7,220

  3,560

  3,590

  3,420

  64

  6,860

  2,830

  3,120

  3,260

  65

  7,580

  3,550

  2,950

  3,150

  66

  4,540

  1,800

  1,570

  1,330

  67

  3,470

  1,470

  1,220

  1,120

  68

  2,090

  1,170

  1,140

  1,030

  69

  1,450

  780

  500

  680

  70 to 74

  3,870

  1,650

  1,410

  1,430

  75 to 79

  730

  400

  360

  350

  80 and over

  150

  10

  60

  30

  Occupational Pensions Review
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to extend the review of occupational pensions undertaken by the Pension Law Review Committee to consider problems and issues concerning private pensions.

  Mr. Hague
  The Pension Law Review Committee was set up in June last year to review the whole framework of law and regulation of occupational pension schemes. This 330
  wide-ranging review covered both the private and public provision of occupational pensions. The committee reported its findings to the Secretary of State for Social Security who published the report on 30 September (CM 2432). Having fulfilled its terms of reference, the committee has now been disbanded and the Government are making a start on the detailed consideration of the committee's recommendations.

  Late Appeals
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what guidance has been issued to chairpersons of social security appeals tribunals on the issue of late appeals addressing CSIS 4/90;

  (2) what guidance has been issued to the chairpersons of social security appeal tribunals on (a) admission of late appeals following favourable commissioners' decisions and (b) an interpretation of special reasons in regulation 3(3) of the Social Security (Adjudications) Regulations; and whether such guidance is publicly available.

  Mr. Burt
  The guidance of chairmen of social security appeals tribunals is a matter for the President of the independent tribunal service, his honour Judge Thorpe, and he will be writing to the hon. Member direct on this matter.

  Single Parents (Benefits)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many single parents are(a) claiming unemployment benefit, (b) receiving income support and

  331
  (c) living in rented accommodation and receiving housing benefit; and what percentage of the recipients in each category they represent.

  Mr. Burt
  Figures for the number of single parents receiving only unemployment benefit are not available. The latest available information on single parents receiving income support with and without unemployment benefit, and receiving housing benefit with and without income support is for 1992 and is in the tables.

  Number of single parents in receipt of income support

  Number of cases

  Percentage of all income support cases

  With unemployment benefit

  3,000

  0·1

  Without unemployment benefit

  1,023,000

  18·6

  All cases

  1,026,000

  18·7

  Number of single parents in receipt of housing benefit

  Number of cases

  Percentage of all housing benefit cases

  With income support

  730,000

  28·0

  Without indomce support

  87,000

  5·0

  All cases

  817,000

  19·0

  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand. Figures may overlap as people can receive more than one of these benefits.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many representations his Department has received regarding the implementation of the Child Support Agency since its inception.

  Mr. Burt
  Between 5 April 1993 and 30 September 1993 the Department of Social Security headquarters and the Child Support Agency headquarters received in the region of 1,200 written representations covering a range of views about child support issues.

  State Pensions
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by what amount the state pension will be increased next year for(a) single and (b) married pensioners.

  Mr. Hague
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will make a statement about next year's uprating of benefits as usual in due course.

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list(a) those firms who were asked to bid for the management contract for Quarry house, Leeds and (b) the value of the contract awarded to the successful contractor.

  Mr. Burt
  The firms invited to bid were:

  P and O Total Facilities Management;

  Matthew Hall;

  Ferguson Bucknall Austin;

  Property and Facilities Management.

  It would be a breach of commercial confidentiality to disclose the value of the contract.

SCOTLAND

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he proposes to set up a committee to make recommendations for the organisation and management of the new local authorities along the lines of the Paterson committee in the previous reorganisation.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 20 October 1993]: Much of the advice contained in the Paterson report continues to serve local government well today. The Government have already made it clear in their White Paper, "Shaping the Future—The New Councils" that it is not proposed to make provision in legislation for alternative forms of local government organisation and management to replace the existing committee-based system which was endorsed by the Paterson committee. It was agreed, however, in discussions of the joint Scottish Office/Convention of Scottish Local Authorities steering group and working group, which was established last year to consider internal management issues, that there was scope for guidance on possible developments in management structures within this basic statutory framework, and that this might best be taken forward from within local government itself.

EMPLOYMENT

  European Social Fund
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will press in the Social Affairs Council for a rollover facility in the current year for grants from the European social fund into 1994.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In July, the Foreign Affairs Council reached agreement on new regulations which will govern procedures for making grants under the structural funds, including the European social fund, from 1 January 1994. The Government argued strongly for a rollover year or similar transitional arrangements during the negotiations on the new regulations, but in the absence of support from other member states was unsuccessful in securing them.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish tables showing the percentage of those people who are registered as unemployed who are aged 24 years or under, according to the latest available figures, in each parliamentary constituency in(a) Great Britain and (b) England, and if he will publish the tables in rank order.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Official unemployment rates are not available for areas smaller than the self-contained labour markets known as travel-to-work areas. Unadjusted data on claimant unemployment levels, by age, in each parliamentary constituency are available quarterly for the months of January, April, July and October from the NOMIS database in the Library.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people aged(a) 16 or 17 years and (b) 18 to 24 years living in (i) York parliamentary

  333
  constituency, (ii) North Yorkshire, (iii) Yorkshire and Humberside and (iv) Great Britain were registered as unemployed at April 1991.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is given in the following table:

  Unadjusted claimant Unemployment by Age (April 1991)

  Under 18

  18–24

  York Parliamentary Constituency

  1

  1,127

  North Yorkshire

  15

  4,712

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  285

  64,296

  Great Britain

  3,027

  632,710

  Note: Since September 1988 and coinciding with the extension of a guaranteed Youth Training Scheme now Youth Training (YT) place to all those aged under 18 not in full time education or employment, those who decline an offer of a YT place are no longer entitled to unemployment-related benefits except in cases of severe hardship.

  THORP
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what requests he has received from BNFL trade unions since 28 June for a meeting on the employment implications of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant and associated nuclear facilities upon the Cumbrian economy.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Since 28 June, we have received one request from trade unions at BNFL for a meeting on the employment and local economic implications of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant (THORP).

  Environmental Technology
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what initiatives have been taken in 1993 by training and enterprise councils, in conjunction with private industry, to promote job creation in environmental projects and manufacture of environmental technology.

  Miss Widdecombe
  This information is not generally available centrally, but I am aware of several good examples. For instance, West London training and enterprise council has a series of initiatives to help businesses to become more environmentally conscious ; Northumberland TEC is involved in a project developing business and management training with a key objective to improve the understanding of environmental issues; and Dudley TEC has piloted a project which links schools and employers in projects on environmental and amenity improvements to industrial premises using computer technology.

  Noel Employment Ltd.
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 29 June,Official Report, column 474, for what reasons his Department judged that the temporary employees of Noel Employment Ltd. were to be refused redundancy payments.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Claims from the majority of temporary workers were rejected because they were not considered to be "employees" as defined in section 153 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978. The Department examined all the relevant contract documentation which indicated that in the majority of cases there was 334
  no obligation on the company to provide work, or for the temporary workers to accept it and that the temporary workers were free to work for other agencies between engagements. Nor were there any contractual arrangements for holiday, sick pay or pay for bank holidays which would normally be associated with a contract of service.

  Two separate industrial tribunals have since upheld the Department's view that these factors were inconsistent with employee status for the purposes of the 1978 Act.

  Health and Safety
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish dates of all meetings with outside persons or bodies and titles of all non-departmental briefing papers or any associated material concerning the possible amendment of sections 1(1), 1(2) or 15(1) of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974; what plans he has to amend sections 1(1), 1(2) or 15(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act, etc. 1974 in respect of matters relating to his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There have been many discussions of a wide range of issues arising from the Health and Safety Commission's review of regulation, including those within the seven sectoral task groups. Any question of amendment of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 would take into consideration the findings of the Health and Safety Commission's review.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing for each of the past five years, the total number of each of forms OSR1, OSR7, F9, F10, F1229, F2252, F2522, F2404 and ASB5 received by the Health and Safety Executive and the total number estimated to be outstanding for each year; and what action the Health and Safety Executive took in each year to chase up outstanding forms.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information about the number of forms OSR1, F9, F10, F1229, F2252, F2522 and ASB5 received by the Health and Safety Executive is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Forms OSR7 and F2404 are not required to be sent to HSE. As part of its inspection strategy, HSE seeks out premises that are not registered. Additionally and where relevant, during the course of inspection visits HSE inspectors remind occupiers of the requirement to provide formal notification to HSE as appropriate.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing for each of the past five years, the total number of inspections made by health and safety inspectors in relation to completion by employers of each of forms F31, F32, F34, F35, F36, F44A, F47, F55, F55A, F57, F59, F60, F339, F658, F750, F751, F1327, F1952, F2032, F2067, F2197, F2198, F2346, F2351, F2362, F2525, F2526, F2527, F2530 and F2531 and the total number of inspectors available to make such inspections; what was the total number of establishments found not to have completed such forms; and what action the Health and Safety Executive took in each year to chase up outstanding forms.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  The forms listed should be completed in various circumstances under the Factories Act 1961. Forms F658, F1327 and F2362 are no longer used.
  335
  The following table shows the total number of planned inspection visits made by FI in the last five years and the number of factory inspectors in post in the field at 1 April in each year.

  Year (1 April to 31 March)

  Number of planned inspections

  Number of inspectors

  1988–89

  118,903

  514·5

  1989–90

  126,495

  527·0

  1990–91

  130,016

  558·5

  1991–92

  130,275

  577·0

  1992–93

  121,486

  608·0

  The primary purpose of planned inspection visits is to consider compliance with health and safety legislation and where necessary to give advice and guidance to employers and others. During visits inspectors consider the use of statutory forms and impress on occupiers, where appropriate, the importance of them.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing for each of the past 10 years the total number of forms(a) UB77 and UB77A and (b) UB78A and UB78B issued by the employment service, and the total numbers of cases in each case where entitlement to unemployment benefit was subsequently withdrawn or not allowed.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Frank Dobson, dated 21 October 1993:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write direct to respond to your

  July

  August

  September

  October

  Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals

  30

  14

  23

  11

  Communications and transport

  29

  1

  22

  28

  Construction

  15, 27

  19, 25

  16

  15

  Engineering industries

  21

  10, 24

  —

  4, 8

  Food, drink and agriculture

  19

  16

  24

  11

  Financial services

  22

  26

  9

  19

  Other services

  7

  11

  8

  6

  The Groups have been asked to complete their work by March 1994.

  All health and safety regulations are being considered in the review. The findings of the seven sectoral task groups will be considered by the Health and Safety Commission and reported to me. Any regulations considered suitable for reform will be subject to the usual consultation procedures established by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The work of the sectoral groups is continuing.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table listing(a) all regulations suggested by his Department to the Health and Safety Commission or by the Health and Safety Commission to his Department as candidates for revocation as part of the deregulation initiative, (b) the purpose and function of each of these regulations, (c)
  336
  Parliamentary Question to him about the total number of forms UB77, UB77A, UB78A and UB78B issued by the Employment Service in each of the last ten years, and the total number of cases where entitlement to unemployment benefit was subsequently withdrawn or not allowed. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  UB77 and UB78 forms are sent to employers to establish an individual's entitlement to unemployment benefit. Unfortunately, I am unable to provide the numbers we issue each year because this information is not collated or published.
  I am sorry I cannot be of help on this occasion.
  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a list of all correspondence sent by his Department to the Health and Safety Commission or from the Health and Safety Commission to his Department containing suggested regulations to be considered for revocation as part of the deregulation initiative, the dates on which correspondence was sent and the dates on which each of the seven Health and Safety Commission's sectoral task groups for deregulation were established, have met and plan to complete their consideration.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There has been no correspondence between the Department and the Health and Safety Commission on this issue.

  The Health and Safety Commission established seven sectoral task groups to help it to undertake its review of health and safety regulation. The appointment of the chairmen and members of each of the seven groups runs from 1 July 1993 to 30 April 1994.

  The following table gives the dates on which each of the seven sector task groups have met:

  whether it is suggested that the regulations be (i) amended, (ii) abolished, (iii) replaced with self-regulation or (iv) replaced with other regulation; whether, for each regulation, revocation without replacement or with self-regulation would require amendment of section 1(1), 1(2) and 15(1) of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  All health and safety legislation for which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment is responsible is being reviewed as part of the Health and Safety Commission's review of regulation. If, during the course of that review or at its conclusion, the Health and Safety Commission takes the view that reform of parts of the legislation would be desirable, the Health and Safety Commission will publish a consultative document containing its proposals. At the end of the
  337
  consultation period the Health and Safety Commission will put forward its proposals to us in accordance with section 11 of the Health and Safety at Work etc, Act 1974.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a list of all regulations submitted by his Department for inclusion in the deregulation unit's list of regulations affecting business together with the estimated enforcement costs and compliance costs for each separate regulation and, for those regulations for which such costs are not yet available, the target date by which he intends to submit such costs to the deregulation unit.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Details of all regulations for which the Department, including the Health and Safety Executive, is responsible, were forwarded to the deregulation unit and incorporated in the baseline-document placed in the Library on 20 April. As part of the Government's deregulation initiative, the Department is currently undertaking reviews of all its regulations. As part of these reviews we aim to assess compliance costs. The reviews will be completed by April 1994.

  Mr. Patrick Doyle
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a list of all meetings held and correspondence exchanged in the past 10 years between his Department and Mr. Patrick Doyle, now of AST Training; what was the nature of such meetings or correspondence; what plans he has to meet Mr. Patrick Doyle; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Department has found no record of any meetings or correspondence with Mr. Patrick Doyle, now of AST Training. Neither I nor any other Ministers in the Department have any plans to meet Mr. Doyle.

  Injured Trainees
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing for each of the past 10 years the total number of accident report forms CHS 76 completed by training providers and the total number of cases in which the injured trainee was deemed to be entitled to injury benefit.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The total number of accident report forms CHS 76 completed by training providers and submitted to the Department for each of the last 10 years is as follows:

  Number

  1983

  2,802

  1984

  2,278

  1985

  2,529

  1986

  2,771

  1987

  3,616

  1988

  4,039

  1989

  4,746

  1990

  3,811

  1991

  2,691

  11992

  973

  1 From April 1992 forms CHS 76 were forwarded to the Department only for those injured trainees who had been terminated from their training schemes, or who suffered a major injury as defined in the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation 1985 (RIDDOR).

  338
  The total number of cases in which the injured trainee was deemed to be entitled to injury benefit for the years 1990 to 1992 are as follows:

  Number of forms received

  Number entitled to benefit

  1990

  3,811

  1,067

  1991

  2,691

  877

  1992

  973

  592

  Figures for previous years can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing for each of the past 10 years the total number of forms DP39 received and DP40 issued by his Department.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Frank Dobson, dated 21 October 1993:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to him about the publication of a table showing the total number of forms DP39 received and DP4Os issued by his Department for each of the past 10 years. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  I regret that I am unable to provide the precise information you asked for. We do not collect statistics centrally on applications for permits under the provisions of the Quota Scheme (form DP39), or the Designated Employment Scheme (DP40).
  We do, however, collect data on the numbers of employers issued with permits (DP42) under the Quota Scheme each year. This is taken from annual returns from our Local Offices on the extent to which employers in their areas are complying with the requirements of the Scheme as at 1 June. I attach a table showing, for each of the last 10 years, the number of employers within scope of the Scheme, ie those with 20 or more employees who were not employing their full 3 per cent. quota of registered disabled people on 1 June, but who had been issued with permits during the previous 12 months.
  I hope this is helpful.
  As decided by the Administrative Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive Replies to written Parliamentary Questions will be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  Table

  Numbers ofbelow-quota employers issued with permits (DP42) 12 months to 1 June

  Number

  1983

  18,536

  1984

  18,770

  1985

  18,681

  1986

  18,840

  1987

  18,577

  1988

  18,594

  1989

  18,530

  1990

  18,038

  1991

  17,649

  1992

  15,871

  Technical and Vocational Initiative
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the level of funding for the technical and vocational education initiative provided by(a) his Department and (b) local education authorities for each financial year since its introduction.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The following table shows the Department's expenditure on the technical and vocational education initiative since its introduction in September 1983 to March 1993.

  The Department does not collate data on expenditure by local education authorities in relation to TVEI, though authorities and grant maintained schools do contribute to TVEI aims.
  340

  Employment Department expenditure on TVEI

  £million

  1983–84

  1—

  1984–85

  26

  1985–86

  39

  1986–87

  70

  1987–88

  58

  1988–89

  88

  1989–90

  129

  1990–91

  135

  1991–92

  154

  1992–93

  2143

  1 Not separately identified.

  2 Forecast Out-turn.

  LEGAL AID EXPENDITURE: FORECAST
  LEGAL AID EXPENDITURE: FORECAST
  WYMOTT PRISON DISTURBANCE: REPORT
  WYMOTT PRISON DISTURBANCE: REPORT
  RADIOTHERAPY TREATMENT CENTRES
  RADIOTHERAPY TREATMENT CENTRES
  PHARMACISTS: REMUNERATION
  PHARMACISTS: REMUNERATION
  BIODIESEL FUEL TRIAL: EMISSIONS TESTS
  BIODIESEL FUEL TRIAL: EMISSIONS TESTS
  TRANSPORT COUNCIL BRUSSELS, 28th SEPTEMBER
  TRANSPORT COUNCIL BRUSSELS, 28th SEPTEMBER
  EC TRANSPORT MINISTERS MEETING, 27th SEPTEMBER
  EC TRANSPORT MINISTERS MEETING, 27th SEPTEMBER
  LONDON UNDERGROUND ENGINEERS: MOVE
  LONDON UNDERGROUND ENGINEERS: MOVE
  BRITISH RAIL TELECOMMUNICATIONS LTD: FUTURE
  BRITISH RAIL TELECOMMUNICATIONS LTD: FUTURE
  INCOME SUPPORT: RECIPIENTS
  INCOME SUPPORT: RECIPIENTS
  ENERGY EFFICIENCY
  ENERGY EFFICIENCY