Written Answers of 29 October 1993

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what has been the number of people who have received legal aid in each of the last three years.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The number of acts of assistance provided under the legal aid scheme between 1990–91 and 1992–93 was 2.6 million, 3 million and 3.3 million respectively.

  Land Registry
  Sir Anthony Durant
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for what reason survey work in Her Majesty's Land Registry's current market testing exercise has been awarded to Ordnance Survey; and what consideration was given to private sector bids.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Ordnance Survey bid for the whole of England and Wales represented the best value for money when compared with any other combination of bids. Her Majesty's Land Registry gave full and proper consideration to all the bids received from the private sector, and the evaluation process observed scrupulously the principles of fair trading and good management practice.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Predatory Birds
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications his Department has received in the past six months for licences to control the threat to fisheries from cormorants and similar predatory birds.

  Mr. Soames
  From 1 April to 30 September 1993, 34 such licence applications were received.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much has been allocated by her Department in each of the last 10 years for monitoring and inspecting levels of pesticide residue in food.

  Mr. Soames
  The costs of monitoring for pesticide residues carried out by the Government's working party on pesticide residues over the last 10 years are as follows:

  £ million

  1992–93

  2·1

  1991–92

  1·9

  1990–91

  1·8

  798

  £ million

  1989–90

  1·5

  1988–89

  0·9

  1987–88

  0·7

  1986–87

  0·55

  1985–86

  10·5

  1984–85

  10·5

  1983–84

  10·5

  1 Approximately

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make it her policy to adopt a target for reducing pesticide use in the United Kingdom by 50 per cent. by 2,000.

  Mr. Soames
  No. Government policy is to ensure that pesticide use is limited to the minimum necessary for the effective control of pests compatible with the protection of human health and the environment. As I informed the hon. Member in my answer of 26 May 1993, columns 597–98, this policy is pursued through the approvals process and our research programme. The tonnage of pesticide applied in England and Wales between 1980 and 1990 fell by 21 per cent. There is also increasing evidence that users are seeking to use reduced application rates where possible, building on the results of research findings.

  Sheep and Cattle Farms
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the net farm income for mainly sheep and sheep and cattle farms in severely disadvantaged areas in England and Wales, in both nominal and real terms for each year since 1978.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The statistical information used in the autumn review of hill livestock compensatory allowances will be placed in the Library of the House when the outcome of the review is announced on 30 November.

  Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many producers in England and Wales are entitled to hill livestock compensatory allowances; and what proportion of those are located in(a) severely disadvantaged areas and (b) disadvantaged areas.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Some 30,000 producers in England and Wales are currently entitled to claim hill livestock compensatory allowances; of these about 22,000 farm either wholly or in part within the severely disadvantaged area and the remaining 8,000 farm either wholly or in part within the disadvantaged area and land outside the less-favoured area.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers in England and Wales were in receipt of hill livestock compensatory allowances in the severely disadvantaged areas according to the most recent figures for each year since 1978.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Precise annual figures covering this period are not available but the number of claimants paid each year under the hill livestock compensatory allowances scheme to farmers with holdings located either wholly or partially within the severely
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  disadvantaged area, or the corresponding area prior to the extension of the less-favoured areas in 1985, has risen slightly from about 20,700 in 1980 to 21,300 in 1992.

  Ewe and Cow Premiums
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will give the figures for England and Wales relating to 1993 for the value of the ewe premium and suckler cow premium per head distinguishing the value of any supplements if applicable.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The rate of sheep annual premium in England and Wales for the 1993 marketing year is fixed only after the end of the year. To date, Commission regulations provide for payments of two advances totalling £12.55 per eligible ewe and a supplement in less-favoured areas of £5.16 per eligible ewe. The final rate of premium and supplement due in spring 1994 will reflect the level of market prices and green rates operating in each member state throughout the marketing year.

  The 1993 suckler cow premium rate per head is £65.73 in England and Wales. In addition a payment of £28 17 per head can be made if the stocking density on a holding is less than 1.4 livestock units per hectare of eligible forage area.

  Aujeszky's Disease
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement about the arrangements for the use of the surplus levy funds from the Aujeszky's disease eradication fund.

  Mr. Soames
  We have held discussions with the Pig Disease Eradication Fund Ltd. and have drawn up an arrangement for the use of the accrued interest on the surplus levy funds. Starting in this financial year, for three years the accrued interest will be used to offset some of the costs of the monitoring work carried out by the state veterinary service to maintain Great Britain's internationally recognised health status. The capital sum will remain untouched by this arrangement. At the end of the three years we will carry out a further review with the Pig Disease Eradication Fund, in the light of the developments regarding pig disease in the United Kingdom and EC. I am pleased that the Pig Disease Eradication Fund Ltd. accepts this arrangement.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Mr. Siemion Serafimowicz
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what inquiries have been received from overseas Governments regarding Siemion Serafimowicz, now living in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 28 October 1993]: None.

  Immigration
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long it takes on average for replies to be sent to legal representatives dealing with deportation and immigration cases; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr Charles Wardle
  The information is not available.

DEFENCE

  AWE, Aldermaston
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether red commissioning has commenced on the A90 complex at AWE, Aldermaston.

  Mr. Aitken
  No.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all modifications made to the liquid and solid waste treatment plants at AWE, Aldermaston, following the publication of the Pochin report.

  Mr. Aitken
  Details of the large number of modifications carried out for liquid waste treatment are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs. However, significant modifications have been made in the following areas:

  Effluent collection system

  Effluent treatment

  Sludge solidification

  Treated effluent discharge

  Change room access to plants

  Solid waste is not treated on site.

  Dangerous Flying
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what sanctions are available to discipline pilots of military aircraft who have been guilty of dangerous flying and who have left the service before the institution of disciplinary proceedings under service regulations.

  Mr. Hanley
  The disciplinary codes of all three services make provision for court-martial action to be taken against former service pilots who have committed an offence, provided the trial begins within six months of their ceasing to be subject to service discipline. These provisions would cover the offences of dangerous and low flying.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will introduce legislation to make dangerous flying in military aircraft over the United Kingdom an offence.

  Mr. Hanley
  Existing legislation deals adequately with occurrences of dangerous flying. I refer the hon. Member to section 20 of the Navy Discipline Act 1957, section 49 of the Army Act 1955 and section 49 of the Air Force Act 1955.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the RAF police investigation of the low-flying incident over Gullane on 16 September 1992 included(a) an interview with the rear-seat passenger in the Tornado or (b) interviews with or attempts to find witnesses on the ground apart from the original complainer.

  Mr. Hanley
  The RAF police investigation of the low-flying incident over Gullane on 16 September 1992 did not include an interview with the rear seat passenger of the aircraft or interviews with or attempts to find witnesses on the ground other than the original complainant.
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  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the established procedure to be followed if a Tornado navigator feels unwell during a low-level sortie.

  Mr. Hanley
  No specific procedures apply if a Tornado navigator feels unwell during a low level sortie. The pilot will decide appropriate action, which may range from carrying on with the original purpose of the flight in the case of a temporary incapacity to terminating the sortie, in the light of the particular circumstances.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the regulations for low-level familiarisation flights in Tornado aircraft; what are the criteria for weather at base and operating area, and the minimum altitude and maximum speed; whether such flights can include low passes or simulated attacks either on planned targets or targets of opportunity; what are the limits on bank angle and G pull on such flights.. what specific manoeuvres are prohibited in such flights; and whether such flights are permitted in operational GRI and GRIA variants.

  Mr. Hanley
  The weather criteria for a low-level Tornado familiarisation sortie are visibility of 5 km and 1,500 m horizontal and 500 ft vertical separation from cloud. These are the standard criteria for military low flying. The weather at the base airfield must also meet the standard criteria for take off and landing of 800 m visibility and a minimum cloud base of 200 ft. The minimum altitude permitted during the sortie is 250 ft minimum separation distance; and the maximum speed permitted would normally be 480 knots, although an absolute maximum speed overland of 550 knots may be permitted for very short time periods. Low passes and simulated attacks would be permitted. There are no limits placed on the angle of bank, and the maximum G would be dictated by the limits placed on the aircraft unless the passenger's medical clearance specified a lower limit. No specific manoeuvres are prohibited but the involvement of passengers in the operation of weapon release equipment or switches is not permitted. Such sorties may be flown in operational variants of the Tornado GR1 and GR la. All such sorties must be properly authorised, and the pilot of the aircraft must meet minimum experience and qualification standards before being permitted to fly passengers.

  Laser-guided Bombs
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on his plans for procuring precision-guided munitions to fulfil staff requirement 1242; and what is the timetable for this procurement;

  (2) if it is his intention to exclude non-European participation from competition for SR 1242.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr. Luff) on 4 May 1993, columns 18–19. Twelve ompanies in the United Kingdom, United States and Europe were invited to tender by 4 August 1993. Three companies responded—one each in the United Kingdom, United States and France. We are currently considering these in detail but I do not expect to be able to announce the results of the competition until the new year.

  Military Flights
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the southerly directional flow control was introduced for military flights over the Gullane/ Aberlady area.

  Mr. Hanley
  The flow controls north of East Fortune airfield were introduced on 1 June 1992.

  Nuclear Weapons Accidents
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the maximum area that might have to be(a) evacuated and (b) subjected to restrictions in a worst case scenario nuclear weapons transport accident; and what are the maximum arc and distance that would be involved in the most unfavourable weather conditions;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the extent of nuclear weapon plutonium dispersion hazards.

  Mr. Hanley
  Because of the stringent safety precautions observed, a nuclear weapon transport accident that posed a real hazard to the public would be an extremely unlikely event. The worst scenario would involve the crash of a military aircraft transporting nuclear weapons which then subsequently produced a release of respirable particles of plutonium.

  The MOD document for local authorities and emergency services, issued in December 1992, does address this scenario, and gives general guidance on the measures that should be taken promptly to protect the public. A copy of the document is already available in the Library of the House. The document makes clear that further specific advice would be given by the MOD for the particular circumstances of an accident.

  Joint Direct Attack Munition
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the decision by the US Defense Department to exclude foreign participation at prime contractor level from the completion for a joint direct attack munition.

  Mr. Aitken
  Despite representations by the Ministry of Defence, the US Department of Defense has decided to exclude foreign participation at prime contractor level in its joint direct attack munition programme because of US national security constraints. However, foreign firms may participate as sub-contractors and United Kingdom companies will no doubt pursue any opportunities in this area.

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

  Mr. Hanley
  The overall probability of any accident resulting in even a small release is very low indeed. Nevertheless it remains prudent to develop contingency plans to respond to the possibility of an accident which
  803
  might result in a radioactive hazard. The risk of an accident which would require the application of public protection measures such as shelter, evacuation or taking potassium iodate tablets from any accident location is no more likely than about one in 1 million in any one year, even assuming a reactor is operating continuously at that particular location.

  Personnel Statistics
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a breakdown by section, agency or function of the numbers of civil servants, civilian and non-military personnel employed by his Department.

  Mr. Aitken
  The information requested is published in Defence Statistics 1993 tables 2.3 and 2.27, a copy of which is held in the House of Commons Library.

  Pilot Training
  Dr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual cost of the RAF pilot training operations, Bristol university air squadron and No. 3 Air Experience Flight, at Colerne airfield, Wiltshire.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Bristol university air squadron and No. 3 Air Experience Flight, which commenced operations at Colerne airfield in April have budget allocations for the current financial year of £758,000 and £329,000 respectively.

  Dr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many young people are currently being trained to fly at Colerne airfield; and how many of these trainees are expected to join the RAF as pilots.

  Mr. Hanley
  Forty-three young people are currently being trained to fly at Colerne airfield with the Bristol university air squadron. From experience, we would expect about 70 per cent. to join the RAF as pilots.

  Seawolf Missiles
  Mr. James Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about orders for vertical launch Seawolf missiles.

  Mr. Aitken
  I am pleased to announce that we have awarded a contract for a second production order of 450 vertical launch Seawolf missiles to British Aerospace Defence Ltd., Dynamics Division. These will provide 24-hour protection for the Royal Navy's type 23 frigates against aircraft and anti-ship missiles.

  The value of the order is more than £100 million. Work will be centred at the company's Lostock and Filton sites. It will sustain some 100 jobs within the company, and many more at sub-contractors throughout the country.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Konver Programme
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the Commission rules for funding under the Konver programme apply only to small and medium-sized enterprises; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Ms Anderson) on 27 October,Official Report, column 643.

  Methane
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the potential contribution of coal-bed methane to United Kingdom energy resources; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Coalbed methane is still in the exploration phase in the United Kingdom, determining if production is viable. No estimate has therefore been made.

  Although the coal fields are well defined, it is necessary to find out the parameters that will govern the rate and extent of release of methane from United Kingdom coals and to adapt the production technique for United Kingdom conditions.

  Iron and Steel Readaptation Benefit
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the future of the iron and steel readaptation benefits scheme.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The scheme was set up in 1974 since when many improvements have been made to the arrangements for helping unemployed people. ISERBS is not very effective in assisting redundant steel workers to re-enter the labour market and has not proved good value for money. Further large-scale restructuring in the United Kingdom steel industry is no longer anticipated. Redundant steel workers should henceforth be treated in the same way as most other redundant workers. ISERBS will therefore be terminated.

  The termination will apply in respect of closures, capacity cuts or changes in activities at steel companies which take place from today. However, it is important that appropriate transitional arrangements are put in place which are as fair as possible. Accordingly I am today also issuing a consulation paper and inviting comments by 10 December 1993 on those arrangements in respect of such events which I am satisfied are imminent.

  Eco-management and Audit Regulation
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the result of the consultation exercise in relation to the accreditation arrangements relating to the EC Eco-management and audit regulation and British Standard BS 7750.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The consultation exercise showed clear support for the appointment of the National Accreditation Council for Certification Bodies as accreditation body for both the EC regulation and BS7750. NACCB is being asked to start work immediately so that it has the maximum possible time to develop accreditation arrangements which will include the necessary environmental dimension and to streamline procedures so that both regulation and standard may be as accessible as possible, to small firms in particular. We are actively considering the formal separation of NACCB from BSI and a further announcement will be made in due course. A further announcement will also be made in due course on the appointment of a competent body under the terms of the regulation.

  Accounts Services Agency
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the review of options for the future of DTI's Accounts Services Agency.
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  Mr. Eggar
  The Department has received a proposal for a management led employee buy out from members of the agency's management. I very much welcome this initiative.

  In view of this proposal and of the very good progress the Accounts Services Agency has made in developing a more commercial approach since it became an agency in October 1991, I have decided to commission a review to consider the options for the future of the agency.

  PA Consulting Group has been appointed to assess the commercial position and prospects of the agency; to assess the current and potential developments in the markets in financial and management accounts services, and the opportunities and threats these may present to the agency; and to consider alternative possible forms of ownership and management. The consultants will assess the advantages and disadvantages to the Department, the agency, its customers and staff of all options.

  In assessing the options the consultants will need to take account of the requirement to ensure that the Department continues to receive essential accounting services. The Department is reviewing its requirements for these services, and the scope for them to be met from the private sector, in parallel with the review by consultants.

  In undertaking their review the consultants will take account of the proposal for a management-led employee buy-out.

  EC Trade Mark Office
  Mr. Mills
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations he has received about the economic and employment effect of locating the proposed European Community trade mark office in London; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 28 October 1993]: The Government have received two letters about the proposed Community trade mark office since January this year.

  The location of CTMO has been linked to the question of the seats of other Community bodies. The Government's priority has always been to get the best deal for the United Kingdom. Our bid for the CTMO remains on the table.

  Press Advertising
  Sir Michael Grylls
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much Companies House has spent on press advertising in the years 1991–92, 1992–93 and so far in 1993–94.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  [holding answer 27 October 1993]: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the chief executive of Companies House Executive Agency for which my Department is responsible. I have therefore asked Mr. David Durham to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from David Durham to Sir Michael Grylls, dated 29 October 1993:
  On 21 October you tabled the following Parliamentary Question:—
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how much Companies House has spent on Press advertising in the years 1991–92, 1992–93 and so far in 1993–94.
  Following the answer given by the President of the Board of Trade, I am replying as Chief Executive of Companies House.
  In 1991–92 Companies House spent £106,399 on display advertising in national and regional newspapers, trade and professional press. In 1992–93 the figure was £232,744 and in the current financial year Companies House has spent £39,178 with a further £47,476 committed.
  These figures exclude VAT. They cover advertising paid for directly by Companies House as well.as advertising funded by the Department of Trade and Industry.
  I hope this information is helpful to you.

TRANSPORT

  Trans-Pennine Study
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the Government's response to the public consultation on the trans-Pennine study.

  Mr. Key
  I shall make my response when all replies to the public consultation have been fully considered.

  Vehicle Operator Licensing
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list details of road checks on light goods vehicles and passenger-carrying vehicles carried out by vehicle inspectorate staff during 1992; and how many vehicles were issued with defect notices or prohibition notices.

  Mr. Key
  The vehicle inspectorate collects information on a financial rather than a calender year basis. The figures below relate to the financial year 1992–93.

  Number

  Roadworthiness checks

  LGVs1

  Number of vehicles checked

  134,382

  Number of prohibitions issued

  18,786

  Number of defect notices issued

  18,379

  PCVs2

  Number of vehicles checked

  29,542

  Number of prohibitions issued

  2,366

  Number of defect notices issued

  4,275

  Vehicles examined

  LGVs

  295,124

  PCVs

  40,508

  Vehicles weighed or prohibited

  LGVs

  Number weighed

  124,004

  Number prohibited

  6,987

  1 Large goods vehicle

  2 Passenger carrying vehicle

  These figures include 8,012 and 4,647 special partial checks on headlights and exhaust emissions on LGVs and PCVs respectively.

  VI issues advisory defect notices only as part of its roadworthiness checks.

  Traffic enforcement checks (checking driver hours and operator, vehicle and driver licences)

  M20
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was(a) the agreed cost, (b) the final cost, (c) the estimated time for and (d) the actual time taken, of the construction and widening of the M20 motorway between junctions 5 and 8.

  Mr. Key
  (a) The accepted tender for widening the M20 between junctions 5 and 8 is £69.5 million.

  (b) The final cost is not yet known.

  (c) Work started on 29 July 1991. The original contract completion date was 15 February 1993 but extensions of time have been granted under the terms of the contract.

  (d) The works are still under construction.

  Motorway Network
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those links on the national motorway network which(a) are to dual four-lane specification and carry average daily traffic volumes in excess of 120,000 vehicles, (b) are to dual four-lane specification and carry average daily traffic volumes between 100,000 and 120,000 vehicles., (c) are to dual three-lane specification and carry average daily traffic volumes in excess of 80,000 vehicles, (d) are to dual three-lane specification and carry average daily volumes between 65,000 and 80,000 vehicles, (e) are to dual two-lane specification and carry average daily traffic volumes in excess of 50,000 vehicles and (f) are to dual two-lane specification and carry average daily traffic volumes between 40,000 and 50,000 vehicles.

  Mr. Key
  This information is not immediately available, but I will write to the hon. Member in due course.

  Bicycles
  Mr. Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents were recorded in the last 12 months involving pedestrians and bicycles.

  Mr. Key
  Latest available data show that there were 24,962 pedestrian accidents and 49,767 bicycle accidents during the 12 months of 1992.

  Mr. Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce regulations making it compulsory for bicycles to carry a warning device to warn pedestrians of their approach.

  Mr. Key
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 11 May by my hon. Friend the Member for Lincoln (Mr. Carlisle), to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Monmouth (Mr. Evans),Official Report, 12 May 1993, column. 380.

  A38
  Mr. Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if it is his intention to give further consideration to a route option to the south of Landrake as part of the consultation procedures for the A38 trunk road improvement between Saltash and Trerulefoot; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  We are considering all the responses to the recent public consultation, including suggestions for an alternative to the south of Landrake.

  Mr. Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when work will commence on the installation of speed control cameras and the construction of a footbridge over the A38 trunk road at Landrake; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  We are arranging for the provision early in the new year of the necessary electrical and other work which will enable the police to install a speed enforcement camera at Landrake on the A38 trunk road.

  Construction of a footbridge over the A38 in the village requires the acquistion of privately owned land. We have yet to settle whether this land can be acquired by agreement, permitting construction in 1994–95, or whether compulsory purchase powers will have to be used, which would lead to later construction.

  Transport Research Laboratory
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the benefits that have arisen for safety of drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists from the innovations and work of the transport and road research laboratory in the last 10 years; and what plans he has to ensure that further progress in this field is maintained by commercial contact with bodies other than his own Department.

  Mr. Key
  The Transport Research Laboratory has been responsible for many research projects which have made important contributions to the safety of road users. For example, work on vehicle standards has provided benefits for both vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users, research on urban safety has resulted in the implementation of low cost engineering schemes showing significant casualty reductions and work on skidding accidents has led to a new road surface standard which has again significantly reduced casualties.

  The Department intends to continue with a major programme of research in road and vehicle safety at TRL, and expects to place contracts both with TRL and with other researchers. TRL for its part is also seeking work in these fields from bodies other than the Department.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the benefits obtained for his Department and the nation since the Transport Research Laboratory, Crowthorne became an executive agency in April 1992; and if he will list the possible further benefits and disbenefits he expects to raise from its full privatisation

  Mr. Key
  Benefits have been obtained through the Transport Research Laboratory's good performance against the challenging annual efficiency and quality targets set by my right hon. Friend; and through its high-quality research output, which has informed a range of policy decisions. The possible benefits and disbenefits of transferring the laboratory to the private sector are currently being studied by external consultants.

  Union Railways
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive a comprehensive report from Union Railways concerning the route of its proposed fast link, its costs, finance, operating capacity, international traffic forecasts, and forecasts of passenger traffic generated from any intermediate station; and when the report will be made available to the public.

  Mr. Freeman
  I received today a report from Union Railways which, apart from commercially sensitive information, will be published when the Government's decisions are announced.

  Office Costs
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated amount to be spent in 1993–94 on rent and other costs associated with the offices of his Department at 2 Marsham street, London.

  Mr. Norris
  The estimated expenditurre on rent and other associated accommodation costs for the Department's offices at 2 Marsham street, London, is £10,156,641 in 1993–94.

  Jubilee Line Extension
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current position on the proposed extension to the Jubilee line to Stratford via Canary Wharf; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The High Court today discharged the relevant Olympia and York companies from administration; accordingly I shall today be giving the chairman of London Regional Transport my approval for London Underground Ltd. to let contracts for the construction and equipment of the Jubilee line extension. This reflects the fact that, in anticipation of their release from administration, and with the permission of Court, Olympia and York as the developers of Canary Wharf have entered into agreements to make a contribution of some £400 million towards the cost of the extension, a previously envisaged. The first contribution, of some £100 million, will be made forthwith, finance having been made available by the European Investment bank.

  London Underground Ltd. will start letting contracts for the extension at once. The total cost of the project is put at £1.9 billion, with the creation of over 22,000 jobs in the United Kingdom. London Underground Ltd. envisage completion of the extension in the first half of 1998. The 10-mile line will have 11 stations, including one at Westminster.

  I warmly welcome this successful outcome. The new line, assisted by private sector finance, will be of major benefit to London and its transport system, and in particular to the development of docklands.

  Director and Co-ordinator of Transport Security
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he will publish the 1992–93 annual report of the Director and Co-ordinator of Transport Security.

  Mr. John MacGregor
  I am today placing copies of this report in the Library of the House.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Members Dining Room
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee what plans he has to improve the ventilation in the Members' Dining Room.

  Mr. Ray Powell
  Although there are no current plans specifically to improve ventilation in the Members' Dining Room, I understand that this matter forms part of the Catering Committee's comprehensive investigations into options for the modernisation of the Refreshment Department.

  Chamber (Seating)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will introduce proposals to arrange for the Chamber to be so arranged as to provide seating for every hon. Member; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I have no plans to do so.

  University College, Swansea
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what plans he has to publish the report carried out by Sir Michael Davies last year in respect of three philosophy lecturers at University college, Swansea; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Swansea, West (Mr. Williams) on 6 July 1993, column.114.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many parliamentary questions have been answered on or since 18 October with the statement that the answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Newton
  The number of answers given to parliamentary questions from 18 to 25 October 1993 recorded in the POLIS database as including a reference to part or all of the information being available only at disproportionate cost was 13. The total number of POLIS entries for written answers in that period was 1,374.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Overseas Aid
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidelines are used in evaluating whether or not to grant support for projects under the Overseas Development Administration's aid and trade provision.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The criteria used in evaluating aid and trade provision cases are set out in the ATP "Guidelines for Applicants" booklet, copies of which are in the Libraries of the House. This is currently being revised to take account of the new OECD rules governing tied aid which came into force in 1992 and the revised arrangements for ATP announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development in another place on 17 June. Copies of the revised guidelines will be placed in the Libraries of the House when available.

  Commonwealth Institute
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he received from his Commonwealth counterparts at the Commonwealth conference in Cyprus in regard to the decision to withdraw Government funding for the Commonwealth Institute in London.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Commonwealth Secretary General reminded my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State of the Secretary-General's statement of 22 September regretting the decision. There were no other representations.

  Overseas Aid (Efficiency)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria the Government use to judge the efficiency of overseas aid; and if he will make a statement.
  812
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of United Kingdom aid has the highest priority. The ODA's departmental report 1993, Cm 2202, sets out the Government's approach to these issues.

  Pakistan and India
  Mr. Bates
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the amount of British aid given to Pakistan and India in 1992–93.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The provisional figures for gross bilateral aid to India and Pakistan in 1992–93 are £114.7 million and £34.5 million respectively. The final figures will be available in "British Aid Statistics", due to be published later this year.

  UNICEF Progress
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the ODA has to meet representatives of UNICEF-UK to discuss the implications for United Kingdom overseas aid policy of the findings of the UNICEF report "The Progress of Nations".

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Overseas Development Administration officials are in regular contact with UNICEF-UK on all UNICEF related matters. My officials attended a briefing meeting with UNICEF staff as well as the press launch last month of the progress of nations report.

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

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Following United Nations Security Council resolution 864 and the introduction of limited sanctions against UNITA the movement has declared a unilateral ceasefire and agreed to return to negotiations based on the 1991 Bicesse peace accords. "Proximity talks" involving the Government of Angola and UNITA, chaired by the United Nations Secretary General's special representative, Mr. Beye, began in Lusaka on 25 October. We hope that these will result in direct talks. We shall continue actively to support the Secretary General's efforts to bring about a nationwide ceasefire and a negotiated settlement.

  Aid Projects
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since October 1989 he has overruled the advice of his Department's accounting officer that a project being considered for aid funds should not be supported in each case, giving the reasons for his decision.

  Mr. Hurd
  I have given a ministerial directive to ODA's accounting officer on one occasion. I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him yesterday on the Pergau hydro-electric project.

EDUCATION

  Literacy
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of(a) school leavers and (b) 16 to 19-year-olds have poor literacy skills; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  A recent survey by the Government-funded adult literacy and basic skills unit suggested that more than 40 per cent. of students entering further education colleges needed help with basic literacy in order to achieve a good qualification. The raising of literacy standards is a top priority for the Government's policies for education.

  Sex Education
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to ensure that boys are being taught moral responsibility in sex education.

  Mr. Forth
  In the new draft guidance which will be issued shortly, schools will be reminded of the requirement that sex education should be provided in such a manner as to encourage pupils to have due regard to moral considerations and to the value of family life. The guidance will emphasise the need for schools to foster in both sexes responsible sexual attitudes and behaviour.

  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he will take to encourage the work of the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority in sex and moral education.

  Mr. Forth
  Under section 1 of the Education Reform Act 1988 all maintained schools are required to offer a curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society. The School Curriculum and Assessment Authority will be carrying out its work within this framework.

  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will issue guidance to education authorities advising them not to use the Family Planning Association's primary school workbook on sex education for four-year-olds; and what is his policy on the use of explicit teaching materials for sex education in primary schools.

  Mr. Forth
  The law does not require primary schools to teach about sex. It does, however, require that where there is such teaching it should encourage pupils to have due regard to moral considerations and to the value of family life. My right hon. Friend has made clear his view that education about sex should begin in the home, as should all education. Governors of all schools should keep closely in touch with parents on this sensitive subject.

  School Inspections
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the number of people trained by the Office for Standards in Education for inspection; and for which categories they have been trained.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The arrangements for inspecting schools under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 are a matter for Ofsted.
  814
  I have asked Professor Sutherland to write to the hon. Member.

  First-Degree Arts Courses
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the saving to public funds that could be achieved by a reduction to two years in the time taken for first-degree arts courses at universities in England and Wales.

  Mr. Boswell
  Average public funding per student through Funding Council grant, mandatory awards and student loans for a funded student place on a classroom-based course in 1993–94 is around £5,000. If all such courses were of the conventional length of three years full time, a reduction to two years would lead to recurrent savings of some £560 million in 1993–94 prices when the change was fully implemented.

  If the length of first degree courses were reduced with no corresponding increase in the amount of teaching per year, curriculum coverage would be reduced. The Higher Education Funding Council for England is funding a pilot scheme of accelerated degree courses, which provide for more intensive teaching over two years. Direct comparisons with the costs of conventional three year degrees are not possible since the pilot courses attract special funding from the HEFCE and students are eligible for additional maintenance payments. The Government believe that such accelerated courses are likely to appeal mainly to some mature students.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education under what statutory power he intends to provide a grant to the Grant-maintained Schools Centre to enable it to set up four regional offices to provide information on grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend is making grant available to the Grant-maintained Schools Centre pursuant to regulation 15 of the Education (Grant) Regulations 1990 (SI 1990/1989).

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the total cost to the Exchequer of the reduction in the special purposes grant-paid to grant-maintained schools to compensate for their reduced liability to pay council tax—uniform business rate—for the years 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  No cost to the Exchequer arises in this manner.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the special purposes grants given to each grant-maintained school in Devon for each financial year since 1991–92, including the current financial year.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The following self-governing schools in Devon have received special purpose grants (SPGs):

  Amounts paid (£) for each financial year

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  School

  COLYTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL SPG (Development)

  17,450

  19,635

  22,695

  815

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  SPG (VAT)

  7,723

  —

  2,164

  SPG (Premises)

  2,303

  2,495

  2,082

  KNOWLES HILL SCHOOL

  Transitional Grant

  —

  —

  53,849

  SPG (Development)

  —

  —

  19,759

  ST. BONIFACE'S COLLEGE

  Transitional Grant

  –

  –

  51,660

  SPG (Development)

  –

  –

  31,068

  SPG (VAT)

  –

  –

  40,700

  SPG (Restructuring)

  –

  –

  8,627

  SPG (Premises)

  –

  –

  4,197

  TEIGN SCHOOL

  Transitional Grant

  –

  34,620

  21,930

  SPG (Development)

  —

  —

  37,612

  SPG (VAT)

  —

  —

  8,162

  SPG (Restructuring)

  —

  —

  17,883

  SPG (Premises)

  —

  —

  5,602

  TORQUAY BOYS' GRAMMAR SCHOOL

  Transitional Grant

  —

  56,460

  —

  SPG (Development)

  —

  9,276

  37,825

  SPG (VAT)

  —

  —

  9,680

  SPG (Premises)

  —

  —

  6,000

  UFFCULME SCHOOL

  Transitional Grant

  —

  —

  50,520

  SPG (Development)

  —

  —

  7,799

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to increase the grant to the Grant-Maintained Schools Centre.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend announced on 16 March,Official Report, column 143, that he was making funds available to the Grant-maintained Schools Centre to support the dissemination of factual information about grant maintained status. The grant to the Grant-maintained Schools Centre for 1993–94 is likely as a consequence of this announcement to increase to around £790,000. The precise figure is yet to be finalised.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will place in the Library a copy of the 1992–93 audited accounts for the Grant-Maintained Schools Centre.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Yes, as soon as they are available.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what amount was given to each grant-maintained school under section 11 funding for each financial year since 1991–92, including the current financial year.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The table shows the section 11 grants paid by the Department direct to grant-maintained schools for each of the years in question. Payments for the current financial year are those paid to date. The table excludes payments in respect of those grant-maintained schools which have elected to remain part of approved projects within their former maintaining local education authority, as these payments are not made by the Department.

  Section 11 payments

  School

  £

  1991–92

  Ash Green School

  4,384·00

  Avon Valley School

  4,837·00

  Burntwood School

  20,564·00

  816

  School

  £

  Claremont High School

  8,541·00

  Francis Bacon School

  29,856·00

  Hendon School

  28,097·00

  London Oratory School

  18,752·00

  Moseley Park GM School

  8,413·00

  Small Heath School

  41,637·00

  Southlands School

  6,234·00

  Stratford School

  18,419·00

  TOTAL

  189,734·00

  1992–93

  Ash Green School

  5,496·20

  Avon Valley School

  15,069·76

  Bridgewater Hall School

  8,328·00

  Brindley Hall School

  1,130·00

  Burntwood School

  32,327·25

  Claremont High School

  12,991·66

  Copeland Community School

  36,720·86

  Desborough School

  1,580·00

  Francis Bacon School

  36,353·00

  Graveney School

  69,687·29

  Greenford High School

  30,475·45

  Hendon School

  26,170·43

  Holy Trinity CE School

  2,344·00

  London Oratory School

  37,010·00

  Moseley Park GM School

  818·00

  Myton School

  19,898·78

  Northampton School

  26,706·00

  Northolt High School

  1,844·25

  Oldfield School

  1,629·00

  Raine's Foundation School

  26,167·00

  Robert Napier School

  395·86

  Small Heath School

  48,068·75

  Southlands School

  11,802·25

  Stratford School

  56,208·53

  TOTAL

  509,222·35

  1993–94

  Ashcroft High School

  1,097·35

  Avon Valley School

  3,878·75

  Beechview School

  2,385·51

  Bridgewater Hall School

  4,329·71

  Burntwood School

  18,780·00

  Copeland Community School

  10,792·00

  Deacons School

  6,489·00

  Greenford High School

  11,574·99

  Greenwood Dale School

  8,647·25

  Hall Green School

  2,355·00

  Hamilton Combined School

  13,695·08

  Hendon School

  9,119·18

  Holy Trinity CE School

  2,318·25

  London Oratory School

  12,570·25

  Northampton School

  6,834·75

  Oldfield School

  1,176·75

  Radcliffe School

  3,467·40

  Raine's Foundation School

  9,014·81

  Robert Napier School

  413·00

  Small Heath School

  16,308·00

  Stratford School

  18,094·43

  Wrenn School

  8,997·14

  TOTAL

  172,338·60

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will place in the Library a copy of the business plan drawn up by Coopers Lybrand for the Grant-Maintained Schools Centre.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  No. The business plan which Coopers and Lybrand helped prepare covers the full range of activities of the Grant-maintained Schools Centre. More than half these are not grant-aided and the information on them is commercial-in-confidence.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Cereal Stores
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the amounts of cereals in storage in each region of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Ancram
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Intervention Board Executive Agency under its chief executive, Guy Stapleton. I have asked him to provide the information requested.

  Letter from Guy Stapleton to Rev. William McCrea, dated November 1993:

  CEREALS IN STORAGE
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me to reply to your written Parliamentary Question (1235) tabled for answer on 29 October 1993:—
  "To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what are the amounts of cereals in storage in each region of the United Kingdom."
  The information you request is set out below. All figures are in thousands of tonnes and represent stocks at the end ofSeptember 1993.

  Region1

  Feed-Wheat

  Wheat B

  Barley

  Total

  East

  90

  —

  217

  307

  South West

  10

  —

  157

  167

  Midlands

  17

  1

  392

  410

  North

  35

  —

  172

  207

  England

  152

  1

  938

  1,091

  Scotland

  140

  —

  499

  639

  Total United Kingdom

  292

  1

  1,437

  1,730

  1 HGCA regions of England

  There are no stocks of intervention cereals in Northern Ireland or Wales.

  I am sending a copy of this letter to the House of Commons Library and the Public Information Office.

  Government Offices
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Government offices there are in Northern Ireland.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The number of Government offices in Northern Ireland housing Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland civil service staff is 322.

  Office Costs
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated amount to be spent in 1993–94 on rent and other costs associated with the offices of his Department in Whitehall.

  Sir John Wheeler
  A total of £1,060,362.08.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  EC Publications
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many copies of his departmental publication, "The European Community: Facts and Fairytales" have been published; at what cost; to whom and to what organisations it has been distributed(a) within the United Kingdom and (b) abroad; and if he will make a statement on its intended purpose.
  818
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A total of 30,000 copies of the booklet "European Community: Facts and Fairytales" have been published so far, at a cost of £10,787. Copies have been sent to Members of Parliament, members of the House of Lords, United Kingdom MEPs, the media, including in Brussels, chambers of commerce, information offices, consumer organisations, women's associations, EC and EFTA embassies in London, major United Kingdom posts abroad and to all individuals who have asked for copies. Some 16,000 copies have been sent out so far. The booklet is intended to help inform public opinion about the Community and, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said in the foreword, to fill in some of the gaps which occur when the facts behind the stories are not explained.

  Korea
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest situation in respect of relations between the Republic of Korea and North Korea.

  Mr. Goodlad
  There have been three rounds of talks about talks during October after a period in which the two sides had not met each other. We have been disappointed at the lack of substantive progress. We hope however that North Korea's move at the third round in tabling a draft agreement for the exchange of high-level envoys may signify a willingness on their part to work towards specific progress at a fourth round of talks scheduled for early November.

  Military Exports
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the United Nations report on military exports by country.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  This 123-page (A/48/344) report was issued by the United Nations on 11 October. It has been sent to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office by our mission to the United Nations and copies will be distributed to the Library very soon.

  New Embassy, Berlin
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans there are for the construction of a new British embassy building in Berlin.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We propose to open a new embassy in Berlin when the Federal Government move from Bonn. The project is still at pre-planning stages. Issues relating to the site of the pre-war embassy, where Her Majesty the Queen unveiled a plaque in October 1992, and the size of the future embassy, are at present under active consideration.

  Office Costs
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated amount to be spent in 1993–94 on rent and other costs associated with the offices of his Department in King Charles street, London.
  819
  Mr. Goodlad
  The main building of the FCO in King Charles street is undergoing major refurbishment extending until early 1997. During this programme approximately one quarter of the building is unoccupied. This is reflected in rent levels, and other costs for 1993–94, which are as follows:

  Running costs

  £

  Rent, including works service charge and rates

  8,195,719

  Maintenance

  475,000

  Furnishings

  700,000

  Unilities

  382,763

  Contract cleaning

  592,200

  10,345,682

  Capital costs

  Refurbishment programme

  11,732,000

  TOTAL

  22,077,682

WALES

  Environmental Education
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will issue guidelines to school inspectors on the identification of good practice in the teaching of environmental education.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The statutory responsibility for school inspections rests with Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools in Wales under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 and extended in the Education Act 1993. It is for the chief inspector to issue to school inspectors such guidance on good teaching practice as he considers appropriate.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to require each further and higher education college in Wales to develop an environmental policy and action plan for implementation by the start of the 1994–95 academic year.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I have no plans to do so at the moment. However, the report of a committee on environmental education in further and higher education was sent to all FHE institutions in Wales in February 1993. This report contained a specific recommendation that, after consultation with its staff and students, every FHE institution should formally adopt and publicise, by the beginning of the academic year 1994–95, a comprehensive environmental policy statement, together with an action plan for its implementation.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to establish a central co-ordinating agency in Wales to encourage environmental education.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  None. However, the Countryside Council for Wales is currently discussing this matter with other interested organisations.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines he has given to the training and enterprise councils in Wales with respect to accounting conventions to be used in their annual report and accounts as regards(a) income and expenditure, (b) profit and loss account, (c) surplus and retained surplus, (d) gross profit and profit on
  820
  ordinary activities after taxation, (e) turnover, (f) income and (g) chief executive and managing director level appointments and places on the board of such appointees; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The annual operating agreement between the Welsh Office and training and enterprise councils, which is available in the Library of the House, requires them to publish an audited statement of accounts. As private limited companies, the training and enterprise councils are subject to the audit requirements of the Companies Act 1985 as to the form and content of these accounts.

  The standard operating agreement also sets out the procedure each training and enterprise council must follow in appointing a chief executive or managing director.

  As private limited companies, the composition of the board of training and enterprise councils is governed by the memorandum and articles of association of each.

  Damp Housing
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has of the number of houses in Wales affected by dampness, condensation, mould growth or a combination of these.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Estimates from the 1986 Welsh House Conditions Survey show that, 22,500 households had serious mould, 95,700 had rising damp, 150,400 had penetrating damp: no information is available on the number of households with condensation or those with any combination of these factors.

  Waste Management
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of whether the regional groups of waste regulation authorities are being a adequately funded by their constituent authorities to enable them to fulfil their functions.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The functions and funding of regional groups are matters for constituent authorities to determine.

  Tinworks Site, Treforest
  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what plans he has to order an immediate investigation of reports of anthrax contamination in buildings formerly used to house large quantities of animal bones for industrial processing at the tinworks site in Treforest, Pontypridd;

  (2) if he will make it his policy that his Department will allow no development on the tinworks site in Treforest, Pontypridd until exhaustive investigations have been completed into reports that the site is contaminated with anthrax spores;

  (3) what plans he has to order an immediate tightening of security arrangements around buildings known as the tinworks site in Pontypridd until such time as investigations are complete into reports that the buildings are contaminated with anthrax spores.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The issues of development and possible contamination of this site are matters for Taff Ely borough council as the local planning and environmental
  821
  health authority. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State understands the council has made development of the site conditional on a full prior examination of possible contamination. Should evidence of any contamination be revealed, no development would be permitted until appropriate remedial measures were undertaken.

  In terms of the security of the site, my right hon. Friend has been advised that the council are following this, matter up with the developers.

  Office Costs
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated amount to be spent in 1993–94 on rent and other costs associated with the offices of his Department in Gwydyr house, Whitehall.

  Mr. Redwood
  Property and operating costs comprising rent, rates, service charge, works, maintenance, utilities, cleaning and security are estimated at £418,000 for Gwydyr house in 1993–94.

  Arable Regionalisation
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are his plans for arable regionalisation in Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  For the 1993–94 scheme year—1994–95 marketing year—I propose that Wales should be split into two regions on a parish by parish basis using the pre-1974 boundaries.

  In region 1, the notional average yield will be 5·93 tonnes per hectare, the same as in England.

  The yield in region 2 will be calculated in such a way as to give an average of 4·65 tonnes per hectare over Wales as a whole.

  A parish will be included in region 1 if:
  it contains land suitable for growing winter cereals according to parameters defined by the Soil Survey and Land Research Centre; and
  an average of at least 50 hectares of wheat and winter barley was grown in the parish in the three years in 1989–91.

  I have placed in the Library of the House a copy of the report prepared for my Department by the Soil Survey and Land Research Centre along with a list of the parishes that fulfil the above criteria according to Welsh Office records based on the location of holdings. However, if it can be demonstrated by documentary evidence that a parish in which on average 50 or more hectares of wheat and winter barley was grown in 1989–91 is not included in my region 1 list and if the parish also fulfils the land suitability criteria, I will add it to region 1.

  My officials will be writing to all cereal farmers in Wales giving details of the arrangements I am proposing. I am also inviting the views of industry representatives on them. Any comments on this proposal or representations on additions to region 1 should be made to my Department by 17 December.

  Welsh Language Board
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will announce the members of the statutory Welsh Language Board.

  Sir Wyn Roberts: The names of the members, to be formally appointed on 21 December 1993, are as follows:

  Lord Elis-Thomas (Chairman)

  Dr. Gareth Roberts

  822

  Ms Men Huws

  Mr. Godfrey Williams

  Miss Gwerfyl Pierce Jones

  Dr. Patrick Thomas

  Mr. Geraint Price Thomas

  Dr. Medwin Hughes

  Dr. Neil Caldwell

  Mr. Gwilym Owen

  Mr. Richard John Edwards

  Mr. Gwyn Griffiths

  Mr. Edward Rea

  Mr. Ron Jones

  Mrs. Elan Closs Stephens

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Angling
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what estimate he has made of the Sports Council grant available during the current financial year to the sport of angling, expressed in terms per capita of those participating actively in the sport.

  Mr. Brooke
  Sports Council grant for angling for the current financial year is not yet known. In 1992–93 Sports Council grants to the governing bodies of angling was £46,800, a sum of 1·7p on a per capita basis for the 2·7 million adults actively participating in the sport.

  Canoeing
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what estimate he has made of the grant available from the Sports Council and other public bodies in support of canoeing, expressed in terms per capita of those participating actively in this sport.

  Mr. Brooke
  In 1992–93 canoeing received grant of £344,426 from the Sports Council and a further £2,000 in awards from the Sportsmatch scheme. In total, this amounted to £3.46 per capita for those 100,000 actively participating in the sport.

  Moated Granges
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list for the last 10 years the archaeological moated grange sites that have been demolished in England and Wales.

  Mr. Brooke
  This information is not readily available for England.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is responsible for archaeological matters in Wales.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list archaeological moated grange sites that are due to be lost because of planning permission approval being granted.

  Mr. Brooke
  This information is not readily available.

ENVIRONMENT

  Stoke Council (Ombudsman's Report)
  Sir David Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding Stoke city council's refusal to implement the
  823
  recommendations contained in the report of the local government ombudsman, reference 90/B/1928; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  My right hon. Friend has received no such representations. This is a matter between the city council and the local government ombudsman. The Government have, however, made it clear that if local authorities continue to ignore the findings of the ombudsman, steps will be taken to make the ombudsman's recommendations legally enforceable.

  Oxford University (Pollution Allegations)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the results of the investigation carried out recently by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution into alleged offences under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 at Oxford university; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  The investigation concluded that alleged offences by Oxford university, under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, were not proven. Limits and conditions within the authorisations granted to the University by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution had not been breached. The inspectorate will continue to pay close attention to radioactive waste management operations at Oxford university and will always investigate any complaints.

  Sour Gas
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research his Department has carried out into the(a) toxicity and (b) inflammability of sour gas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  The properties of sour gas are well known, and no research has been considered necessary by my Department.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the power stations in England and Wales which have been authorised to use sour gas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  No power stations in England and Wales have been authorised to burn sour gas.

  Member

  Sector/Expertise

  Position

  Dr. Elizabeth Nelson (Chairman)

  Market research

  Former Chairman of Taylor Nelson A. G. B. plc

  Professor Roland Clift

  Environmental Science

  Professor of Environmental Technology and Director of the Centre for Environmental Strategy, University of Surrey

  Ms Anne Foster

  Consumer affairs

  Director of the Scottish Consumer Council

  Ms Julia Hailes

  Environmental consultancy

  Director of Sustainability Ltd, author of "Green Consumer guide"

  Dr Keith Humphreys

  Manufacturing

  Chairman and Managing Director, Rhone-Poulenc Ltd.

  Ms Pippa Hyam

  Environmental consultancy

  Senior Associate, PDA International

  Mrs. Harriet Kimbell

  Consumer affairs and Law

  Consumer lawyer and law lecturer.

  Mr. Kenneth Miles

  Advertising

  Director General, Incorporated Society of British Advertisers Ltd.

  Miss Jyoti Munsiff

  Law

  Company Secretary, Shell Transport and Trading

  Mr. Derek Norman

  Manufacturing

  Director of Environmental Affairs, Pilkington plc

  Dr Richard Pugh

  Retailing

  Director, Tesco plc

  Mr. Lew Scott

  Manufacturing

  Manufacturing Director Hoover, Ltd.

  Miss Catherine Whitehead

  Trading Standards

  County Trading Standards Officer, Staffordshire County Council

  Mr. Nigel Whitaker

  Retailing

  Executive Director Kingfisher, plc

  Waste Incineration
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to require that all staff operating incineration plants in the United Kingdom are in receipt of formal qualifications by the year 1997.

  Mr. Yeo
  No.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to produce periodic revised guidelines on pollution control standards in incineration plants to reflect best available technology.

  Mr. Yeo
  The guidance notes which the Secretary of State and the chief inspector of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution have published, regarding best available techniques for controlling polluting releases from incinerators, will be reviewed at least every four years.

  Ecolabelling Board
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to change the balance of interests represented by the composition of the United Kingdom Ecolabelling Board.

  Mr. Yeo
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to change the range of expertise originally available on the board. However, following the resignation of Miss Tessa Robertson in the summer, we are considering how to replace the expertise she brought to the board, in particular, her knowledge of the views of environmental nongovernmental organisations. I hope we will be able to make an announcement shortly.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the members of the United Kingdom Ecolabelling Board showing what sector or company they come from.

  Mr. Yeo
  The members of the United Kingdom Ecolabelling Board are appointed in a personal capacity and not as representatives of their organisations. They bring with them expertise in a range of relevant fields. The current Chairman and members are:

  Asylum
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list those authorities which have accepted(a) more than 200, (b) 150 to 199, (c) 100 to 149 and (d) 50 to 99 asylum-seeking or refugee households in the last year;

  (2) what is the estimated average cost of housing a refugee and asylum-seeking family of four in (a) local authority temporary accommodation and (b) local authority permanent accommodation in (i) the London borough of Westminster, (ii) Birmingham, (iii) Manchester and (iv) Uttlesford;

  (3) how many refugees or asylum seekers were provided with (a) local authority temporary accommodation, (b) local authority permanent accommodation and (c) private sector accommodation in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Sir George Young
  In the year ending 30 June 1993, 13 local authorities in England reported accepting responsibility to secure permanent accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1985 for 50 or more households where the reason for the loss of their last settled home was "refugee or asylum seeker". The authorities concerned and the numbers accepted are set out in the table. Other authorities which did not provide returns for all quarters may also have accepted 50 or more refugees or asylum seekers.

  50 to 99 acceptances

  100 to 149 acceptances

  150 or more acceptances

  Brent

  Camden

  None

  Enfield

  Lambeth

  Greenwich

  Hackney1

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  Harrow

  Hounslow

  Kensington and Chelsea1

  Newham

  Waltham Forest

  Westminster

  1 Based on returns covering nine months only.

  Source: Quarterly PIE returns.

  Information is not available centrally, and my Department has no estimates, on the types of accommodation provided to refugees and asylum seekers, nor on the average costs of housing them.

  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how the costs to local authorities of rehousing refugees and asylum seekers are reflected in the standard spending assessment calculaltions.

  Mr. Baldry
  The costs of rehousing refugees and asylum seekers are reflected through the use of information about the numbers of pupils, estimates of the resident population, the numbers of children of income support claimants and the social characteristics of local areas as measured by the latest population census. Authorities where refugees and asylum seekers tend to concentrate have above average standard' spending assessmentts to reflect these and other unusual spending pressures.

  The review of standard spending assessments for 1994–95 has considered the relevance of including an indicator of homelessness in addition to incorporating 1991 census information. This would be of some benefit to
  826
  local authorities where refugees and asylum seekers qualify for permanent housing. Work on the review has now finished and my right hon. Friend will announce the outcome later in the autumn as part of his proposals for revenue support grant for 1994–95.

  Tributyl Tin
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research has been conducted by his Department on the effect of tributyl tin used as an anti-fouling marine biocide on ship hulls upon the marine environment with particular reference to the shellfish population.

  Mr. Yeo
  My Department funded research into the impact of tributyl tin—TBT—on dog whelks,Nucella lapillus, which exhibit effects at very low concentrations. This led to such effects being used as a biological indicator for a survey of TBT in the North sea reported upon in 1992. Current research is using the biological indicator to monitor recovery of the marine environment since the 1987 ban on TBT use on vessels of less than 25 m long and in assessing the implications of TBT use on vessels over 25 m.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress achieved in the design and construction of the intermediate level radioactive waste conditioning plant at Harwell; and when it will become operational.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have been asked to reply.

  The main structure of the intermediate level waste vault store at Harwell has now been completed to schedule and below budget. Delivery and installation of plant and equipment is proceeding to programme. The store is on schedule to commence operation in 1996.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what request he has made to the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee for the committee to advise on the validity of calculation methods for radiation doses in regard to radioactive waste management.

  Mr. Yeo
  The committee has been asked to give its views on the usefulness of collective dose assessments and the validity of presenting such impacts in terms of numbers of fatalities.

  Water Charges (Prepayment)
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment with which water companies the Office of Water Services has had discussions over the installation of prepayment devices.

  Mr. Yeo
  This is a matter for the Director General of Water Services.

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which Governments of European Community member states responded to the second public consultation period for the thermal oxide reprocessing
  827
  plant at Sellafield; and if he will indicate whether their submission was for or against THORP being commissioned.

  Mr. Yeo
  Responses to the consultation are still being assessed. Detailed information about the responses will be made available once they have all been considered.

  Water Quality
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to seek a review of the EC water quality directive.

  Mr. Yeo
  As part of its programme of work following the Edinburgh summit, the European Commission is already reviewing the drinking water directive—80/778/ EEC—and should make its recommendations next year. We have already made clear to the Commission the changes that we believe are required.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what consideration he is giving in his review of standard spending assessments to include as factors(a) unemployment, (b) health indicators, in particular standard morbidity rates, and (c) disability indicators;

  (2) what plans he has to measure economic deprivation as part of his review of the standard spending assessment system; and what alternative measures he has so far considered in this regard;

  (3)what conclusions he has reached on representations made to him concerning the use of health variables as a reflection of the differing social needs of an area, in place of the measures currently used;

  (4)what conclusions he has reached on representations he has received concerning the extent to which the weighting within the current standards spending assessment system placed on the very elderly discriminates against those areas which have significant health problems but in which industrial traditions have lead to deaths at an earlier age.

  Housing investment programme (HIP) allocations12 by area

  £thousand

  1979–80

  1982–83

  1985–86

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Non Metropolitan D.C.

  1,009,252

  958,581

  690,813

  525,707

  426,030

  847,373

  847,477

  818,398

  865,132

  County Councils3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Metropolitan D.C.

  648,540

  602,396

  427,151

  377,511

  339,386

  502,755

  485,552

  460,156

  492,922

  London Boroughs4

  885,894

  630,241

  487,083

  427,141

  329,244

  538,164

  527,396

  547,553

  561,412

  City of London

  706

  720

  417

  281

  214

  708

  668

  605

  679

  England

  2,544,392

  2,191,938

  1,605,463

  1,330,640

  1,094,874

  1,889,000

  1,861,093

  1,826,712

  1,920,145

  1 Allocations for the years up to and including 1989–90 are final allocations, ie the initial allocation plus any increases to the initial allocation made in-year. The allocations figures for 1990–91 and subsequent years are the HIP allocations (housing annual capital guidelines plus specified capital grants) issued prior to the start of the financial year. These figures do not include any supplementary credit approvals issued during the year.

  2 From 1990–91, under the new capital finance system, the HIP allocation is an assessment of relative need for housing capital expenditure rather than a directly borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now conveyed by the single, all service, basic credit approval.

  3 County councils are not allocated any monies through the Housing Investment Programme as they have no housing stock.

  4 Allocations for the Greater London Council up to and including 1985–86 are included in the figures for the London boroughs.

  828
  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 28 October 1993]: The review of standards spending assessments has considered a wide range of issues including the potential use of indicators of health, disability, unemployment, homelessness and economic deprivation. The underlying statistical analysis has been discussed in detail with the local authority associations. Work on the review has now finished and my right hon. Friend will announce the outcome of the review later in the autumn as part of his proposals for revenue support grant for 1994–95.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will as part of the standard spending assessment review consider incorporating factors which are of direct relevance to service provision rather than factors which are proxies for real needs.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 28 October 1993]: The calculation of standard spending assessments uses factors which are considered to be relevant to the provision of the service in question and cannot be directly influenced by local policy decisions. Inevitably this means that in a number of cases it is necessary to use factors which act as proxies for the underlying need to spend. The review of standard spending assessments has considered the incorporation of 1991 census data and the relevance of existing and other possible new factors.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the national total of capital allocations for housing to local authorities in England for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1982–83, (c) 1985–86 and (d) each year since 1988–89; and if he will give the breakdown of the total between (i) non-metropolitan district councils, (ii) county councils, (iii) metropolitan district councils, (iv) London boroughs and (v) the City of London.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 28 October 1993]: Information on housing investment programme allocations is given in the table. The figures for 1990–91 and subsequent years are not directly comparable with those for earlier years because of the revisions to the capital finance system introduced in April 1990.

  Water Disconnections
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households have been disconnected from their water supply for non-payment of sewerage charges each year since privatisation.
  829
  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 28 October 1993]: Condition H of the instrument of appointment of each water or water and sewerage undertaker states that disconnection of a water supply can only be made for the non-payment of charges due to the water undertaker for the supply of water.

  Capital Allocations
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the regional total of capital allocations for housing to the local authorities in England for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1982–83, (c) 1985–86 and (d) each year since 1988–89 for each standard English region.

  Housing Investment Programme (HIP) allocations12 by standard statistical region

  £ thousand

  Statistical region

  1979–80

  1982–83

  1985–86

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  North (including Cumbria)

  180,000

  145,740

  92,060

  85,019

  72,469

  112,587

  111,920

  103,243

  116,867

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  216,000

  214,813

  140,326

  123,706

  106,288

  171,199

  169,217

  162,516

  179,570

  East Midlands

  159,872

  152,916

  96,812

  72,983

  60,687

  104,420

  111,815

  117,693

  128,238

  East Anglia

  57,414

  65,351

  53,093

  34,443

  26,394

  61,446

  61,506

  58,666

  54,969

  Greater London

  886,600

  630,961

  487,500

  427,422

  329,458

  538,872

  528,064

  548,158

  562,091

  South East (excluding London)

  338,075

  299,516

  237,092

  163,716

  122,805

  297,616

  285,156

  265,778

  280,645

  South West

  125,000

  138,691

  101,021

  79,033

  62,319

  153,269

  155,399

  140,473

  145,607

  West Midlands

  248,000

  204,601

  165,767

  142,301

  127,808

  198,040

  204,137

  201,916

  204,557

  North West (excluding Cumbria)

  333,431

  339,349

  231,792

  202,017

  186,647

  251,551

  233,879

  228,269

  247,601

  England

  2,544,392

  2,191,938

  1,605,463

  1,330,640

  1,094,874

  1,889,000

  1,861,093

  1,826,712

  1,920,145

  Notes:

  1 Allocations for the years up to and including 1989–90 are final allocations, ie the initial allocation plus any increases to the initial allocation made in-year. The allocations figures for 1990–91 and subsequent years are the HIP allocations (housing annual capital guidelines plus specific capital grants) issued prior to the start of the financial year. These figures do not include any supplementary credit approvals issued during the year.

  2 From 1990–91, under the new capital finance system, the HIP allocation is an assessment of relative need for housing capital expenditure rather than a directly borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now conveyed by the single, all service, basic credit approval.

  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the capital allocation for housing for each local authority in England for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1982–83, (c) 1985–86 and (d) each year since 1988–89.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 28 October 1993]: Information on housing investment programme allocations since 1978–79 for each local authority in England is available in the Library of the House.

  Housing, Lancashire
  Mr.Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number and value of home improvement grants paid to private owners and for tenanted properties, in Lancashire since 1989.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 22 October 1993]: Information about the total number and value of home improvement grants paid in Lancashire is shown in the table.

  Home improvement grants paid: number and amount of grants:

  Lancashire1

  Grants paid under the Housing Act 1985

  Grants paid under the Local Government and Housing Act 19892

  Financial year

  Number

  Amount(£000s)

  Number

  Amount(£000s)

  1989–90

  3,721

  13,813

  —

  —

  1990–91

  2,929

  12,213

  231

  808

  1991–92

  897

  4,294

  1,848

  14,201

  1992–93

  78

  571

  2,401

  22,413

  1 Including estimated figures for local authorities not providing statistical returns about home improvement grants.

  830
  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 28 October 1993]: Information on housing investment programme allocations is given in the table. The figures for 1990–91 and subsequent years are not directly comparable with those for earlier years because of the revisions to the capital finance system introduced in April 1990.

  2 Includes mandatory and discretionary grants; covers renovation grants, disabled facilities grants, HMO grants and common parts grants; excludes minor works assistance.

  The available information about the numbers of grants paid to owner occupiers and paid for tenanted properties is shown in the table. Figures about the amount of grant paid to each group are not available.

  Number of grants paid: by group receiving grant: Lancashire:

  (a)Grants paid under the Housing Act 19851

  number

  Financial Year

  Owner occupiers grants

  Other grants

  Total grants

  1989–90

  3,101

  620

  3,721

  1 This information was not collected after 1989–90.

  (b)Grants paid under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989

  number

  Financial Year

  Owner occupier grants

  Other grants

  Total grants

  1990–91

  182

  49

  231

  1991–92

  1,696

  152

  1,848

  2 The information for 1992–93 is currently in preparation and is not yet available.

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

  Sir George Young
  [pursuant to his reply, 19 October 1993]: The Government have been ready to provide a contribution to the costs of an advisory service since the Act received Royal Assent on 20 July, through the special grants programme. Normally up to 50 per cent. of the cost can be met by public funds.

  A formal bid was received on 7 October. This showed a low level of initial contributions from private sector bodies, many of whom might expect to be closely involved in the enfranchisement procedures. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment has, therefore, written to a number of institutions seeking further support before final decisions are made about the agency's budget.

  I remain confident that the service will be in operation very soon. In the meantime, there is a considerable effort being put into disseminating information about the new legislation. My Department has issued 60,000 leaflets so far, and demand remains high. Several books are being published, and a number of solicitors and valuers have published their own guides. Several conferences are also being organised, in which my Department is playing a full part.

SCOTLAND

  Government Offices
  Sir Nicholas Fairbairn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the(a) original estimated cost and (b) actual cost of (i) the new courts and offices in Parliament house, Edinburgh, (ii) the proposed new Scottish Office building in Leith and (iii) the cost of moving thereto and moving other Government Departments into the offices so vacated in St. Andrew's house.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 25 October 1993]: The estimated cost at tender stage of the extension to Parliament house was £14·16 million. The estimated final cost is in the range £15·5 million to £16 million. This takes account of inflationary costs allowed under the contract, covers significant foundation difficulties experienced during construction and an increase in VAT during the contract, and includes an allowance for a contractual claim which is under negotiation with the main contractor.

  The new building for the Scottish Office in Leith is being acquired by Property Holdings from the developers for a fixed price of £47·5 million. The rental which the Scottish Office will pay to Property Holdings for the new building will represent a saving on rental payable on three buildings which are being given up including New St. Andrew's house, which is being vacated because of the widespread incidence of asbestos there.

  The capital costs associated with the new building which will fall to the Scottish Office cover occupational
  832
  service works and furniture and are estimated at £9·8 million. The cost of moving staff from existing buildings to the new building is estimated to be £0·1 million.

  Lost Working Days
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the number of working days lost due to(a) ill health, (b) industrial injuries and (c) industrial action for each year since 1988.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 27 October 1993]: The number of working days lost as a result of ill health and industrial injury is not available for Scotland. The number of days lost in Scotland in each year since 1988 as a result of industrial action is set out in the table:

  Number of days lost in Scotland as a result of industrial action

  Year

  Number

  1988

  205,000

  1989

  541,000

  1990

  122,000

  1991

  121,000

  1992

  55,000

  Overseas Staff and Premises
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the cost for the current financial year to his Department of 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. Lang
  [holding answer 27 October 1993]: My Department has no premises overseas. The cost to my Department of having personnel overseas is expected to be around £317,000 in the current financial year and was £230,000 in 1992–93. Details are not available for previous years.

  Strategic Land Use
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his proposals for strategic land use planning following the reform of local government in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 28 October 1993]: Our proposals are set out in paragraphs 3·18–20 of "Shaping the Future—The New Councils" (Cm. 2267).

  Office Costs
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated amount to be spent in 1993–94 on rent and other costs associated with the offices of his Department at Dover house, Whitehall.

  Mr. Lang
  The estimated cost, including fuel and utilities and maintenance, for Dover house for 1993–94 is £956,982.

  Severely Disadvantaged Areas
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farmers were in receipt of hill livestock compensatory allowances in the severely disadvantaged areas according to the most recent figures for each year since 1978.
  833
  Sir Hector Monro
  The number of farmers in receipt of hill and livestock compensatory allowances in the severely disadvantaged areas in each year since 1978 is set out in the table.

  Year

  Number of Farmers

  1978

  19,802

  1979

  19,485

  1980

  19,198

  1981

  19,072

  1982

  18,760

  1983

  18,610

  1984

  18,343

  1985

  18,203

  1986

  17,889

  1987

  17,852

  1988

  17,768

  1989

  17,630

  1990

  17,537

  1991

  17,403

  1992

  17,260

  11993

  16,827

  1 to date.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many producers are entitled to hill livestock compensatory allowances; and what proportion of those are located in(a) severely disadvantaged areas arid (b) disadvantaged areas.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Based on the 1992 HLCA scheme, the latest complete scheme for which figures are available, of 17,893 claims received 17,260 were from producers located in severely disadvantaged areas and 633 from producers located in disadvantaged areas.

  Ewe and Suckler Cow Premiums
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the figures relating to 1993 for the value of the ewe premium and suckler cow premium per head distinguishing the value of any supplements if applicable.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The rate of sheep annual premium in Scotland for the 1993 marketing year is fixed only after the end of the year. To date, European Commission regulations provide for payments of two advances totalling £.12·55 per eligible ewe and a supplement in less favoured areas of £5·16 per eligible ewe. The final rate of premium and supplement due will be fixed by the Commission in spring 1994.

  The 1993 suckler cow premium rate per head in Scotland is £65·73. In addition a payment of £28·17 per head can be made if the stocking density on a holding is less than 1·4 livestock units per hectare of eligible forage area.

HEALTH

  Community Care
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial provision she intends for community care.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I announced last year that the special community care transitional grant to local social services authorities in England would be 834
  £716 million for 1994–95 and £618 million for 1995–96. The grant will be increased by £20 million to £736 million in 1994–95 and by £30 million to £648 million in 1995–96. These increases will help local social services authorities to arrange for more home care and respite care. The special transitional grant is additional to the resources in general local government settlements which will be announced in due course. The grant will be phased out in 1996–97. In that year a further £418 million will be made available to local social services authorities to reflect the continued development of their community care responsibilities. The cumulative extra finance then available for local authorities' new community care responsibilities will exceed £2·2 billion in England.

  Hospital Services
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the new services that have been provided by the increase in the hospital and community services budget in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Sackville
  Government spending on hospital and community health services has risen by 13·8 per cent. in real terms since 1990–91. Over this period there have been significant improvements in the level and quality of services provided to patients. General and acute activity is forecast to be 16 per cent. higher this year than in 1990–91. Since December 1992, no patient in the regions has been waiting longer than two years for in-patient or day case treatment, compared with 51,053 at March 1991. The patients charter has raised the standard of services for patients. The national health service has at the same time taken forward the "Health of the Nation" strategy for preventing premature death and avoidable ill health. With local authorities, health authorities and trusts have successfully introduced our community care reforms, which are designed to provide more flexible and local services to people in the community. We shall continue to build on this progress and improve services still further.

  Depleted Uranium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what collaborative studies her Department has conducted with the authorities of the United States on risks from inhalation of depleted uranium dust particles.

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the waiting time for hospital in-patient treatment in each of the regional health authorities which cover the Greater London area.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is given in "Hospital Waiting List Statistics: England". The latest published figures are for March 1993 and are available in the Library. The Greater London area is covered by the figures for the four Thames regional health authorities.

  Junior Doctors
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of junior doctors are currently working more than their contracted hours.
  835
  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available centrally.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made as to the implications for the health service of the EC 48-hour working week directive with particular reference to junior doctors; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The directive on working time has not yet been adopted finally by the European Community Council. However, at the start of negotiations, an assessment was made of the impact of the proposals on the working arrangements of junior doctors within the health service in the light of existing initiatives. On the basis of this assessment we obtained an exclusion from the draft directive for doctors in training.

  Abortion
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total cost to the NHS of termination of pregnancy operations in England and Wales in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what proportion of total NHS expenditure this represented; and what were the corresponding figures for each of the previous five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The annual cost to the national health service of termination of pregnancy is not available centrally. The cost of this treatment varies according to factors such as gestation and length of stay. The estimated average cost of a surgical abortion in a NHS hospital is £140 for a day case and £270 for a straightforward in-patient case, at 1990–91 figures. In 1991, there were 54,602 residents of England and Wales treated in the NHS on a day care basis and 20,570 as in-patients.

  Food Safety Law Enforcement
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times since the Food Safety Act 1990 came into force his Department has investigated cases where there has been a suggestion that the law has been applied in an over-zealous way by a local authority; and with what results.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department started keeping a record of investigations in 1992. Of the 32 cases it has investigated the Department considered eight complaints to be justified. During 1992 the total number of hygiene inspections and other visits carried out under the Food Safety Act 1990 was 542,855.

  Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scanner, Greenwich
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health who authorised the payment by South-East Thames regional health authority of a deposit for the purchase of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner; for what purpose and on what date; whether the deposit was refundable or non-refundable; on what date Greenwich Healthcare Trust agreed to purchase the scanner and pay the balance of the costs; on what date Greenwich Healthcare Trust took delivery of the scanner; and on what date it was brought into operational use.

  Mr. Sackville
  The purchase of equipment to support health care is a matter for managers and clinicians in trust 836
  hospitals; for the remaining directly managed units it is the responsibility of health authorities. The hon. member may wish to write to the chairman of the Greenwich Healthcare Trust, Mr. Neville Thompson, about the financing and installation of medical equipment at the Brook and Greenwich hospitals.

  Bed Closures and Cancelled Operations
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give details of the number of beds closed and operations cancelled for financial reasons since 1 January for each of the district health authorities for England.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  NHS Management
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral statement of 21 October,Official Report, columns 398–400, on managing the new NHS, what mechanisms will be established to enable the new regional offices to monitor and promote sub-regional equity.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Following the proposed abolition of regional health authorities, the allocation of resources to district health authorities, family health services authorities and general practitioner fundholders would be handled by the National Health Service Management Executive, of which the regional offices will be part, within the policies and financial strategy set by Ministers.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral statement of 21 October,Official Report, columns 398–400, on managing the new NHS, (1) how the regional function related to the implementation of the "The Health of the Nation" strategy will be managed;

  (2) how the regional research and development function will be managed;

  (3) how the regional clinical audit function will be managed.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The main functions carried out in the national health service above the level of purchasers and providers are described in the background document "Managing the new NHS", copies of which are available in the Library. The detailed allocation of functions to the NHS Management Executive headquarters and regional offices, and the arrangements for discharging those functions, have not yet been decided. The Government remain committed to the "Health of the Nation" strategy, the research and development strategy and the development of clinical audit.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what actions she intends to take to enable the NHS Management Executive to take on a clearer identity as the headquarters of the national health service.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The National Health Service Management Executive is to be streamlined and reorganised to include eight regional offices, each headed by a regional director. This will focus it on the key functions which it needs to perform as the headquarters of the NHS, with a strategic rather than operational role. Work will be undertaken to define clearly the respective roles and responsibilities of the NHS Management Executive and the wider Department of Health.
  837
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her latest estimate of the number of NHS staff who will be made redundant as a result of the proposed abolition of regional health authorities and NHS Management Executive outposts; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No estimate has been made. Future manpower requirements for the National Health Service Management Executive will be determined in the light of the functions which are to be discharged by the headquarters and the regional offices.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guarantees of terms of employment she intends to implement for NHS staff transferring from regional health authorities to other NHS bodies.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Our intention is that, so far as the law allows, all staff who transfer from regional health authorities to other national health service bodies will have their terms of employment determined as though the provisions of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 apply. This will mean that staff transferring will generally be able to preserve their continuity of service in the NHS. Staff who transfer between health authorities in the circumstances provided by the NHS (Transfer of Officers Regulations) (No. 2) Regulations, 1986 are already assured of continuity of service.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish a table showing how many national health service trusts fall into(a) band 1, (b) band 2 and (c) band 3 according to unit turnover.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Minister for Health gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 23 February at columns 550–55.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral statement of 21 October,Official Report, columns 398–400, on the new NHS, what role she is planning for community health councils within the new NHS structure; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Community health councils have an important role in representing, from an independent viewpoint, the voice of individuals and communities, and this will continue. Arrangements for the establishment and funding of community health councils after the proposed abolition of regional health authorities will be discussed with representatives of the Association of Community Health Councils of England and Wales as legislation is prepared.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral statement of 21 October,Official Report, columns 398–400, on managing the new NHS, what plans she has to ensure (a) that a public health function remains at the intermediate tier and (b) that those succeeding regional directors of public health retain their ability to make independent statements.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The background document "Managing the New NHS", which provides further information in support of the decisions announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 21 October,838
  states that the major public health responsibilities currently undertaken by regional health authorities will be incorporated in the regional offices of the National Health Service Management Executive, and that the professional accountability for public health issues will remain unaltered. Copies of the background document are available in the Library.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations were received by those conducting the NHS functions and manpower review from representatives of community health councils.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None. The deputy chief executive of the National Health Service Management Executive discussed issues relating to the functions and manpower review at a meeting with representatives of the Association of Community Health Councils of England and Wales in September.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will publish a table showing how many family health service authorities fall into(a) band 1, (b) band 2 and (c) band 3 according to the population of the area covered by the authority;

  (2) if she will publish a table showing how many district health authorities fall into (a) band 1, (b) band 2 and (c) band 3 according to revenue budget.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available centrally.

  Fact-finding Trips
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with officials from(a) Worcester royal infirmary or (b) Worcester district health authority regarding levels of expenditure within the district on fact-finding trips.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of Worcester and district health authority, Mr. Prescott, for details.

  Read Coding
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation has been made of the ability of Read coding to map to other classification systems.

  Mr. Sackville
  A report published in 1988 by the joint computing group of the Royal College of General Practitioners and the General Medical Services Committee of the British Medical Association1, confirmed that the Read codes were compatible with the World Health Organisation's International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Injuries and Causes of Death (ninth revision) (Injuries and Causes of Death-9), and with the Classification of Surgical Operations and Procedures produced by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS).

  In 1992 the Read codes were the subject of a report produced by the OPCS diagnostic support service2. This is the World Health Organisation's London collaborating centre for the classification of diseases. The report described an exercise to validate the cross-referencing of the Read codes to ICD-9. The report's recommendations have now been implemented.

  Copies of both reports will be placed in the Library.
  839
  1 "The Classification of General Practice Data": GMSCRCGP Joint Computing Group Technical Working Party. JCG 20 1987–88.

  2 "Report on the Validation of the Cross-Referencing of NHSCCC-5 Codes to ICD-9": OPCS Diagnostic Support Service and WHO London Collaborating Centre for the Classification of Diseases.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health who owns the intellectual property rights to the Read codes.

  Mr. Sackville
  The intellectual property rights to the Read codes were purchased on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health in 1990 thereby making the Read codes Crown copyright.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms have been put in place to ensure that the NHS will have the appropriate analytic and interpretive skills to make use of Read codes.

  Mr. Sackville
  The analytical and interpretive skills to use Read codes are no different from those currently exercised by clinicians, clinical coders and others in using other coding and classification systems.

  However, the National Health Service Management Executive's information management group will be providing training packages in the use of Read codes, tailored to the needs of various professional groups in the NHS.

  The specialty working groups developing Read codes are keeping clinicians informed: within the last 18 months they have produced over 100 publications and given 200 presentations.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the National Health Service Management Executive regarding the use of Read codes within the national health service.

  Mr. Sackville
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has agreed with the National Health Service Management Executive that, with the acknowledged support of the medical profession, it should promote and facilitate the use of Read codes within the NHS.

  The NHS Management Executive's information management and technology strategy, launched by Ministers in December 1992, has the Read codes as one of its key elements. Copies of the strategy are available in the Library.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish details of the financial terms under which the clinical coding centre at Loughborough was taken into ownership by the NHS.

  Mr. Sackville
  The national health service for coding and classification was created following the purchase in 1990 of the intellectual property rights for the Read codes. The financial terms of the purchase are commercially confidential.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial arrangements exist for national health service organisations and others wishing to adopt the Read coding system.

  Mr. Sackville
  A recent executive letter, EL(93)87, copies of which are available in the Library, has announced 840
  changes in the forms of Read code licence now available to secondary care users in the national health service. Licences are available for individual providers, groups of providers and for all secondary care users within the NHS regions, at increasing levels of discount.

  At present a different mechanism applies to general medical practitioners. The suppliers of GP computer systems pay a licence fee in order to include Read codes in their systems: that cost is recovered in the charges paid by GPs to use one of those systems.

  Medical Records
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she is taking to guarantee the confidentiality of medical records; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The confidentiality of personal health information is protected by the common law, the ethical obligations of health professionals and, where the information is held in computerised form, by provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984.

  The National Health Service Management Executive issued guidance in September 1992, EL(92)60, which advised the NHS of the need to secure the confidentiality of personal information in the context of contracting, and which also reminded the NHS of the importance of safeguarding the security of its information systems. In addition, the Department plans to issue for consultation draft guidance to the NHS on the confidentiality, use and disclosure of personal health information. Copies of the guidance, EL(92)60, are available in the Library.

  NHS Policy Board
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the full membership of the present NHS Policy Board, with the professional status of each member.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is as follows:

  The Rt. Hon. Virginia Bottomley, JP, MP

  Secretary of State for Health (Chairman)

  Sir Roy Griffiths

  Company Director (Deputy Chairman)

  Mr. John Bowis Esq., OBE, MP

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

  Dr. Kenneth Calman

  Chief Medical Officer

  Professor Cyril Chantler

  Professor in Paediatric Nephrology

  Sir Tim Chessells

  Businessman and Accountant

  The Baroness Cumberlege, CBE

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

  Mr. Peter Gummer

  PLC Chairman and Chief Executive

  Mr. Graham Hart

  Permanent Secretary, Department of Health

  Ms Kate Jenkins

  Independent Management Consultant

  Dr. Brian Mawhinney, MP

  Minister of State for Health

  Ms Sheila Masters

  Chartered Accountant

  Mrs. Yvonne Moores

  Chief Nursing Officer

  Sir Duncan Nichol

  Chief Executive, NHS Management Executive

  The Hon. Tom Sackville, MP

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

  Oral Health
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to announce details of her Department's proposed oral health strategy.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In due course.

  Prescriptions
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pharmacies in(a) Pendle, (b) Lancashire, (c) the north-west and (d) England dispense fewer than 1,700 prescriptions per month.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is shown in the table:

  Total number of pharmacies

  Dispensing less than 1,700 per month

  Per cent.

  Pendle

  18

  3

  17·0

  Lancashire

  303

  35

  12·0

  North West

  838

  94

  11·0

  England

  9,763

  1,790

  18

  Notes:

  i. "Pendle" comprises the postcodes BB8 and BB9 covering Colne, Barnoldswick, Earby, Nelson. Bierfield, Trauden, Bartley. This information was obtained from the Public Enquiry Office at the House of Commons and Lancashire Family Health Services Authority.

  ii. Lancashire as per the FHSA area.

  iii. North West as per the North Western Regional Health Authority.

  iv. The source of the prescription data is Table C20 from the Prescription Pricing Authority, and includes pharmacies that operated throughout the 1992–93 financial year with closures excluded and new openers annualised. New openers' prescription numbers are "annualised" using raising factors. A factor of 12 was applied to get an approximate monthly figure.

  Dental Services, London
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had in the last six months regarding the availability of hospital dental and orthodontic services within the London area.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The London implementation group, which was established to report to Ministers on progress in carrying forward policies to improve London's health services, has met the British Dental Association, the Eastman dental hospital and the Institute of Dental Health to discuss the provision of dental services, including hospital services, in the London area. The London implementation group is now considering the need to examine the provision of these services in more detail.

  Regional Policy Board
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria will be used in the selection of the eight regional policy board members whose appointment she announced on 21 October.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 27 October at column 695.

  East Yorkshire DHA
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the contract for the construction of the new headquarters of the East Yorkshire district health authority and Humberside family health services authority was put out to tender.

  Mr. Sackville
  I understand that the contract for the construction of the new headquarters was subject to competitive tendering.

  Office Costs
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated amount to be spent in 1993–94 on rent and other costs associated with the offices of her Department at Richmond house, 79 Whitehall, London.

  Mr. Sackville
  Richmond house is a Crown building and the Department of Health pays an annual assessed rent to Property Holdings. The assessed rent for 1993–94 based on the space currently occupied by the Department of Health amounts to £5·5 million.

  Other costs directly associated with the accommodation—for example, contribution in lieu of rates, fuel—amount to £2·336 million.

  Hypothermia
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list, for each year since 1975, the number of recorded deaths from hypothermia in(a) England and Wales and (b) the United Kingdom as a whole.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information for England and Wales is shown in the table. The information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Number of deaths (a) with hypothermia as the underlying cause of death and (b) with any mention of hypothermia on the death certificate, all ages, England and Wales, 1975–1992.

  Year

  Underlying Cause

  Mentions

  1975

  25

  511

  1976

  21

  585

  1977

  14

  613

  1978

  21

  708

  1979

  435

  863

  1980

  261

  596

  1981

  276

  685

  1982

  326

  664

  1983

  221

  538

  1984

  266

  555

  1985

  440

  827

  1986

  437

  837

  1987

  269

  559

  1988

  194

  440

  1989

  166

  372

  1990

  152

  368

  1991

  249

  534

  1992

  149

  362

  Note:

  1 The figure for underlying cause between the years 1975–78 and 1979–92 are not comparable. This is due to the change from the 8th to the 9th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). The 8th revision code is assigned to ICD 788.9 while the 9th revision code is assigned to ICDs 778.3 and 991.6.

  2 For 1986 to 1992 neonatal deaths are included in the mentions but not for the underlying cause of death (neonatal deaths were not given an underlying cause of death from 1 January 1986 onwards).

  Staphylococcus Aureus
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice has been issued by her Department regarding the infectious disease multi-resistant staphylococcus aureus.

  Mr. Sackville
  Guidelines on the control of methicillinresistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were issued by professional organisations in 1985 and revised in 1990. Copies will be placed in the Library. The Department supports the advice given in these guidelines which are applicable to other multi-resistant staphylococcus organisms.

  The Department of Health issued general guidance to the national health service on hospital infection control in 1988, HC(88)33, copies of which are available in the Library. A joint Department of Health/Public Health Laboratory Service working party is currently updating this and we expect to issue revised guidance in 1994.

  The staff of the PHLS are able to offer detailed advice to the professionals involved in hospitals affected by MRSA.

  GPs (False Claims)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken by her Department to ensure that FHSAs are able to safeguard against general practitioners submitting false claims for the number of patients registered at their practice; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Family health service authorities are required to validate general practitioners' claims for fees and allowances, and where appropriate, to make payment accordingly. Regional health authorities are responsible for monitoring the performance of their FHSAs in the general discharge of their duties. The national health service central register can assist FHSAs in checking a patient's registration and the name of the previous doctor.

  Morning-after Pill
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had regarding the possibility of making the morning-after pill available without prescription.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) on 26 October at column 607.

  Northumbria Health Authorities
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has for the amalgamation of Newcastle district health authority with North Tyneside health authority.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We understand that the Northern regional health authority is planning to carry out a public consultation shortly on a proposal to merge Newcastle district health authority and North Tyneside district health authority.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Literacy
  Mr. Cormack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the impact of improved literacy levels on departmental expenditure.

  Mr. Burt
  The assessment and provision of information to the public on benefits is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Mr. Michael Bichard to Mr. Patrick Cormack, dated October 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions raised about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what assessment he has made of the impact of improved literacy levels in departmental expenditure.
  All publicity material and external claim forms are tested, at pre production stage, with representatives of the customer group, and when appropriate their advisers. This research ensures all relevant factors and considered and taken account of including any differentials in resource requirements.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many absent parents in receipt of income support are paying a contribution towards maintenance by means of deducion of benefit as a result of a reference to the Child Support Agency.

  Mr. Burt
  The latest available information, collected in August 1993, indicates that deductions from income support in place of payments of child maintenance, at the standard rate of £2.20 a week, were being made from 1,522 absent parents. This information is taken from the management information statistics collated by the Benefits Agency, and is provisional.

  Mr. Channon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the recent case in Teesside county court involving the Child Support Agency; and if he will take steps to clarify the legal position of fathers who are already making maintenance payments as a result of a court order or an agreement made between the parties concerned.

  Mr. Burt
  Under child support legislation, parents with care not on income support, family credit or disability working allowance and who have a court order or written maintenance agreement will be able to apply to the agency between April 1996 and March 1997, and not before. Where a relevant benefit is in payment, the case will be taken on by the agency before April 1996, regardless of whether there is an existing court order or written maintenance agreement.

  The case before the Teesside combined court involved a parent with care not receiving relevant benefit who had previously sought to have her existing court order revoked so that she could apply to the agency before 1996. It is for the courts to decide whether, in any particular case, it is appropriate for them to revoke an existing court order. I

  845
  welcome the court's decision and although it sets no precedent, it may discourage others from attempting to jump the queue.

  National Insurance Contributions
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate for 1993–94 or give the most recently available estimate of the number of(a) employees who pay national insurance contributions, (b) employees with earned income above the NIC ceiling, (c) employees with earnings less than the income tax threshold who pay NICs, (d) self-employed who pay class 4 NICs, (e) self-employed who pay class 2 NICs, (f) self-employed who pay class 3 NICs, (g) all self-employed people paying NICs, (h) self-employed who pay no NICs and (i) self-employed with profits above the upper profits limit for NICs.

  Mr. Hague
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) 17·7 million;

  (b) 3·0 million;

  (c) 0·5 million;

  (d) 1·9 million;

  (e) 2·4 million;

  (f) Reliable estimates are not available;

  (g) In addition to those at (e) a number of self-employed earners pay Class 3 N1Cs to make-up their contribution record or Class 1 NICs from concurrent employment as an employed earner. Reliable estimates of the numbers involved are not available;

  (h) 0·45 million;

  (i) 0·43 million;

  Note: Figures (a-e) have been rounded to nearest 0.1 million.

  Means-tested Benefits
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 25 March,Official Report, column 678, what are the figures for tax-paying households in receipt of means-tested benefits for the latest year now available.

  Mr. Burt
  Pursuant to the hon. Member's question tabled in July, I wrote to the hon. Member on 28 September 1993 and provided him with the latest available information. A copy of the letter was placed in the Library.

  Mortgage Payment Assistance
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is his latest estimate of the number of households receiving assistance with mortgage payments(a) for interest-only mortgages and (b) for endowment mortgages; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what was the number of home owners in receipt of income support at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not available in the form requested. However, according to the latest available figures, 536,000 claimants are receiving income support to help with their mortgage interest payments and a further 59,000 are receiving income support to help with their housing requirements but no help with mortgage interest.

  Housing Benefit
  Ms Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to change the housing benefit rules as they apply to 16 and 17-year-olds who are looked after by social service departments.
  846
  Mr. Burt
  Housing benefit is payable only to people who are liable to pay rent. I intend issuing further guidance to local authorities to clarify the circumstances in which housing benefit is properly payable to young people being looked after by social service departments. The local authority associations will be consulted before this guidance is issued.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the level of benefits paid to people in residential nursing homes.

  Mr. Burt
  A total of 273,000 people receive help through income support with residential care and nursing home fees at a cost of £2.5 billion1. This compares with 12,000 people who received such help in 1979 at a cost of £10 million.

  Since April 1985 practically all the income support limits for residential care and nursing homes have been increased in real terms. The limit for elderly people in residential care homes increased by 13 per cent. in real terms and the limit for elderly people in nursing homes by 36 per cent.

  These limits are reviewed each year as part of the general benefit uprating exercise and an announcement will be made as usual later this year.

  1Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry: Residential Care and Nursing Home Report November 1992.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to alter the invalidity benefit rules to disqualify people who undertake voluntary work.

  Mr. Scott
  We are reviewing invalidity benefit in the context of the fundamental review of social security expenditure. The review covers all aspects of the benefit including rules relating to the treatment of work. No decisions have yet been made.

  Benefit Claimants
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the number, age and gender of claimants without accommodation, by Benefits Agency local and district offices, and the number who are submitting sick certificates.

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

  Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will extend the right to apply for industrial injuries disablement benefit for those suffering from chronic bronchitis, emphysema or both to shipyard workers as well as miners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council advises my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on the prescription of diseases for industrial injuries disablement benefit. I understand the council has not received the necessary scientific evidence to suggest that bronchitis and emphysema should be recommended for prescription in relation to shipyard workers.
  847
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many mothers on means-tested benefits have been financially penalised for not naming absent fathers since April 1993.

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

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Jim Cunningham, dated 28 October 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking how many mothers on means tested benefits have been financially penalised for not naming the fathers since April 1993.
  To date, 22 Reduced Benefit Directions in respect of parents with care who have refused without good cause to co-operate with the Agency have been passed to the Benefits Agency to implement. The majority of these have not yet been implemented.
  I hope you will find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  VAT (Domestic Fuel)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration is being given to exempting day nurseries from VAT on fuel.

  Sir John Cope
  None. Many fee-paying day nurseries already pay VAT on their purchases of fuel. Nurseries that use small amounts of fuel and charitable providers of free day nursery care may currently buy fuel zero-rated, but such supplies will become liable to VAT at 8 per cent. from 1 April 1994 and at the standard rate from 1 April 1995.

  Ms Quin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what regional assessment of the effect of VAT on domestic heating his Department has undertaken.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 27 October 1993]: No specific regional assessment has been made. Expenditure within a region varies widely and depends on a wide range of factors.

  Office Costs
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated amount to be spent in 1993–94 on rent and other costs associated with the offices of his Department at Parliament street, London.
  848
  Sir John Cope
  The Treasury's rent and works service charges for its offices in Parliament street are estimated in 1993–94 to be:

  £

  Rent (including VAT)

  6,748,822

  Works services charge

  1,370,850

  This accommodation is on the common user estate owned by the Crown and administered by Property Holdings. In addition a contribution in lieu of rates of £1,676,655 has been made to the Crown Property Unit of the Valuation Office of the Inland Revenue.

  It is also estimated that in 1993–94 other associated Treasury costs in the Parliament street building will be as follows:

  £

  Fuel and Utilities

  280,000

  Cleaning Costs

  260,000

  Charges for maintenance and minor new works

  250,000

  Private Pensions
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what additional costs are included in departmental budgets and accounts in respect of achieving an equivalence in accounting treatment with the additional Costs incurred by private sector companies in respect of the loss of tax relief on private sector pensions above the earnings cap.

  Mr. Dorrell
  None. Departments are expected to contain any pay-related costs within their existing budgets.

  EC Contributions
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out what happens to the level of resources available to the European Community for each of the years for 1993 to 2000 on the basis of the growth rates assumed at Edinburgh and for average European growth rates of 0.25 per cent. per annum, 0.5 per cent. per annum, 1 per cent. per annum and 2 per cent. per annum less than those assumed.

  Mr. Nelson
  On the basis of the economic growth assumptions and the own resources ceilings agreed at the Edinburgh European Council, the information requested for the years 1993–1999—the period covered by the Edinburgh financial perspective—is as follows:
  849

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Own resources ceilings

  (percentage of GNP)

  1·20

  1·20

  1·21

  1·22

  1·24

  1·26

  1·27

  Own resources ceilings

  (mecu—1992 prices)

  Edinburgh economic assumptions1

  65,820

  67,272

  69,527

  71,858

  74,859

  77,968

  80,551

  Reduced real growth in Community GNP:

  -¼ per cent. per annum

  65,521

  66,799

  68,871

  71,002

  73,790

  76,667

  79,014

  -½ per cent. per annum

  65,359

  66,470

  68,364

  70,308

  72,890

  75,547

  77,669

  -1 per cent. per annum

  65,035

  65,816

  67,359

  68,935

  71,116

  73,347

  75,038

  -2 per cent. per annum

  64,387

  64,516

  65,379

  66,249

  67,672

  69,107

  70,004

  1 Edinburgh assumed real growth in Community GNP of 1·4 per cent. in 1993, 2·2 per cent. in 1994 and 2·5 per cent. a year thereafter.

  Exchange Rate Mechanism
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what review he is currently giving to membership by the United Kingdom of the ERM; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have made it clear that sterling could not join the ERM for some time ahead—possibly not in this Parliament. Re-entry cannot be considered until there is greater convergence between the monetary policies appropriate for all the Community economies and I should also need to be satisfied that the system would be operated to the benefit of all its members.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the direct revenue yield in a full year at 1993–94 levels of income from restricting(a) personal allowances, (b) relief from pension contributions and (c) other reliefs to relief at (i) 25p and (ii) 20p giving, in each case, the numbers of people affected.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Estimated full-year yields at 1993–94 income levels based on a projection of the 1991–92 survey of personal incomes and other survey data are given in the table. The figures do not take account of any behavioural effects which might result from the introduction of such changes, and show the yield from restructuring each allowance or relief separately. If two or more were restricted the total yield would be greater than the sum of the individual figures.

  Restriction to

  Basic rate

  20p

  Effect of restricting

  Yield £ million

  Numbers affected Millions

  Yield £ million

  Numbers affected Millions

  (a) Personal allowances1

  1,600

  2·9

  6,500

  25·7

  (b) Relief for pension

  530

  1·4

  1,100

  10·5

  (c) other reliefs

  200

  0·6

  2n/a

  n/a

  1 Including the married couples' and related allowances.

  2 Information on reliefs given at source is not available from the Survey of Personal Incomes so it is not possible to estimate the effect of restricting other reliefs to 20 per cent.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn), 24 February,Official Report, column 585, if he will update the estimates given to include figures for 1993–94, expressing all estimates in 1993–94 prices.
  850
  Mr. Dorrell
  The table shows the direct revenue costs in a full year compared with reintroduced tax rates of 45, 50, 55 and 60 per cent. The band widths for the tax rate schedule have been calculated by uprating the corresponding parts of the 1987–88 regime by movements in retail prices index as in the statutory indexation formula. The estimates take account of the introduction of independent taxation from 1990–91 and the restriction of mortgage interest relief to the basic rate from 1991–92.

  Estimated change in tax revenue at rates in excess of 40 per cent.

  Year

  At current prices £ billion

  At 1993–94 prices £ billion

  1988–89

  2·6

  3·4

  1989–90

  3·2

  3·9

  1990–91

  3·7

  4·1

  1991–92

  4·3

  4·5

  11992–93

  4·4

  4·5

  11993–94

  4·6

  4·6

  1 Provisional estimates.

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

  Balance of Payments
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answers to the hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson) on 17 February,Official Report, column 206, if he will update the estimates giving figures for 1994–95 and for a full year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Assuming statutory indexation in 1994–95 the basic rate limit would be £24,200. Estimated costs on yields at 1994–95 income levels compared with the indexed base are given in the table.

  Band of taxable income over which 35 per cent. rate would be charged

  Revenue cost at 1994–95 income levels from introducing a 35 per cent. rate £ million

  £

  In 1994–95

  Full-year

  24,200–26,000

  140

  190

  24,200–30,000

  380

  510

  24,200–35,000

  600

  800

  851

  Level of taxable income above which 50 per cent. rate would be charged

  Revenue yield at 1994–95 income levels from introducing a 50 per cent. Rate £ million

  £

  In 1994–95

  Full-year

  50,000

  1,450

  1,950

  60,000

  1,210

  1,620

  70,000

  1,030

  1,380

  The estimates do not allow for any behavioural effect that might result from such changes to the tax system and do not include capital gains tax.

  Coin Designs
  Mr Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans Her Majesty's Government has to issue new designs for circulating coins.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve my recommendation for a new series of designs for the reverse of the £1. coin. The designs will represent each of the four parts of the United Kingdom and will be adopted in turn during the years 1994–97.