Written Answers of 14 April 1994

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Mr. Asil Nadir
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many charges were originally brought against Mr. Asil Nadir; and how many have been dismissed by the courts or withdrawn by the relevant authority.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Mr. Nadir was indicted on 58 counts of theft and eight counts of false accounting. None have been dismissed or withdrawn. He has yet to be tried.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many joint charges were originally brought against Mr. John Turner and Mr. Asil Nadir; how many have been dismissed by the courts or withdrawn by the relevant authority; and to whom and what amount of costs have been awarded.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Mr. Turner and Mr. Nadir were not jointly charged with any of the offences. Mr. Turner pleaded not guilty to the offences with which he was charged, verdicts of not guilty were entered by the court as the prosecution offered no evidence, and he was subsequently discharged. He obtained a defendant's costs order and I understand that his legal representatives have yet to submit their bill of costs for determination.

  Northern Cyprus
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the Lord Chancellor met the President of the Republic of Northern Cyprus; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor met the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community on 6 May 1993. Mr. Denktash set out his views in relation to the political situation in Northern Cyprus. In addition, the position of Asil Nadir was discussed. The Lord Chancellor also met Mr. Denktash, together with the President of Cyprus, on 7 May 1993 at a function organised on the occasion of the Commonwealth law conference.

  Child Witnesses
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what measures are being taken by courts in Cleveland to protect child witnesses with particular reference to the use of screens, television link equipment, and pre-recorded interviews; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Television links and video playback equipment are in place in the Crown court sitting at Teesside combined court centre. Screens are also available if required by both criminal and civil cases heard 236
  there. All magistrates courts in Cleveland have video playback equipment, and can arrange the provision of screens if necessary. Arrangements can be made for screens to be available for child witnesses at the family hearing centres at Hartlepool and Stockton county courts.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidance has been issued to judges relating to wigs and gowns in court during proceedings of cases of alleged child abuse.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  There is no specific guidance issued to the judiciary relating to the wearing of wigs and gowns in cases of alleged child abuse. However judges have the discretion to remove wigs and gowns when they consider it appropriate.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which courts in Cleveland have child liaison officers to protect child witnesses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  There is a designated child liaison officer for every Crown court centre, including the one at Teesside combined court centre, in Cleveland.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, further to his answer of 17 March,Official Report, column 759, if he will make it his policy to collate information in the future on the number of cases in which judges have been asked to consider a public interest immunity certificate.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I have no plans to collate information about applications to courts arising out of public interest immunity certificates.

  Local Government Legislation
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the Acts of Parliament and consolidation Acts that affect local government that have been introduced by his Department since 1990.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor's Department has introduced 33 Acts of Parliament, including consolidation Acts, which have received Royal Assent since 1990. Of those, the following Acts contain specific references to local authorities:

  Capital Allowances Act 1990 (c.1)

  Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (c.8)

  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (c.9)

  Planning (Hazardous Substances) Act 1990 (c.10)

  Planning (Consequential Provisions) Act 1990 (c.11)

  Water Industry Act 1991 (c.56)

  Water Resources Act 1991 (c.57)

  Land Drainage Act 1991 (c.59)

  Water Consolidation (Consequential Provisions) Act 1991 (c.60)

  Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c.5)

  Social Security (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992 (c.6)

  Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c.8)

  Social Security (Consequential Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c.9)

  Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 (c.12)

  Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (c.52)

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  Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993 (c.8)

  Charities Act 1993 (c.10)

  Clean Air Act 1993 (c.11)

  Radioactive Substances Act 1993 (c.12)

  Health Service Commissioners Act 1993 (c.46)

  Probation Service Act 1993 (c.47)

  Pension Schemes Act 1993 (c.48)

  Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993 (c.49)

  Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1993 (c.50)

  Other Acts of Parliament introduced by the Lord Chancellor's Department may affect local government in the same way as other bodies and individuals may be affected.

ENVIRONMENT

  Right to Buy
  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council properties were sold in the Breckland district council area under the right to buy legislation in each year of its operation.

  Sir George Young
  Tables showing the available information on total right-to-buy sales for each English local authority and every financial year since 1980, with a cumulative total to December 1993, are in the Library.

  In addition to some 2,500 dwellings sold under the right-to-buy legislation in Breckland district council since 1980, about 6,700 properties in full ownership were transferred from the authority to the Peddars Way housing association in March 1993, by way of large-scale voluntary transfer. Over the last 15 years, approximately 1,200 other voluntary sales were completed in Breckland; these are also shown in the tables.

  Environmental Measures
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Government's plans to support emerging environmental industries and clean processes in British business and industry.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Government already provide considerable support and encouragement to the development of the United Kingdom's emerging environmental industries. For example, my Department and the Department of Trade and Industry established the joint environmental markets unit in December 1992 to assist and encourage United Kingdom firms to exploit the expanding opportunities in the world market for environmental goods and services. A growing number of firms are now taking advantage of the unit's services.

  The President of the Board of Trade announced on 7 December that the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of the Environment would jointly run a new environmental technology best practice programme. This will find and present to industry examples of how firms can reduce costs and pollution at one and the same time. The programme's main objective will be to encourage user companies to adopt environmentally favourable technology and best practice in environmental management. It will also encourage suppliers to develop such technology and techniques.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons funding for the 238
  environmental technology innovation scheme and the environmental management options scheme has been reduced.

  Mr. Atkins
  Both the environmental technology innovation scheme and the DTI's environmental management options scheme were three-year programmes which were open to grant applications between October 1990 and September 1993. Funding continues to be paid to on-going projects under the schemes and for disseminating their results.

  The 1993 White Paper "Realising our potential: a Strategy for Science, Engineering and Technology" highlighted the importance of the spread of best practice and the transfer and diffusion of technology. The new £16 million environmental technology best practice programme, which was announced by the President of the Board of Trade on 7 December, has been set up to take this forward and will build on the earlier two schemes.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent he considers that more stringent environmental regulations are necessary if British exports are to pass the environmental standards of other countries.

  Mr. Atkins
  A recent report commissioned by my Department and the Department of Trade and Industry concluded that United Kingdom firms are in a good position to exploit the rapidly expanding world market for environmental goods and services. The United Kingdom environmental industry is very competitive internationally and a highly successful exporter for the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to encourage environmental technology in British industries that would produce less waste and use fewer natural resources.

  Mr. Atkins
  A new environmental technology best practice programme, run jointly by my Department and the Department of Trade and Industry, was announced by the President of the Board of Trade on 7 December. It will make the best environmental technology and techniques more widely known to potential users and suppliers. The programme will have a strong emphasis on reducing waste at source, thereby making better use of natural resources.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to favour contractors with good environmental practices in its own purchases.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department's procurement officers have already been provided with clear guidelines to integrate environmental factors into their buying requirements. This is in accordance with the Department's green housekeeping policy statement which was updated in March 1993 and the recently published green guide for suppliers of goods and services to the Department entitled: "Selling to DOE".

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that products purchased by the Government should be tested for energy and non-renewable resource implications.

  Mr. Atkins
  Decisions on purchasing are a matter for individual Departments. However, recent Treasury
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  guidance states that specifications for goods and services should reflect the Department's environmental strategies while using competition and seeking best value for money.

  My own Department has recently published a guide entitled "Selling to DOE" which, among, other things, informs suppliers of goods and services of our requirement for products which are energy efficient and made from recycled or renewable materials. The Department has also instructed its procurement officers to give preference to such products in accordance with our green housekeeping policy statement which was first published in 1992 and updated last spring.

  My Department's energy efficiency office encourages Departments to improve all aspects of their energy efficiency, including purchasing, to assist them in achieving their target of improving their energy efficiency by 15 per cent. over five years.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to impose mandatory minimum standards on matters such as energy efficiency.

  Mr. Atkins
  Standards for the energy efficiency of new buildings already exist in the building regulations. The Government are in the process of revising the regulations which should lead to an improvement in energy efficiency of between 25 and 35 per cent. compared with the current provisions.

  The Government also support the EC proposals for energy labelling and minimum standards of appliances, provided that they can be achieved without excessive costs to consumers and manufacturers. Regulations to implement a directive setting minimum standards for the efficiency of new boilers came into force on 1 January 1994. Minimum standards requirements for the efficiency of other heating appliances await the formulation of appropriate European standards under the construction products directive.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the extent to which environmental regulations on industry could improve their competitiveness while protecting natural resources.

  Mr. Atkins
  We keep under constant review both the effectiveness and the effects of existing and possible new environmental regulations, as well as alternatives to regulations.

  Single Regeneration Budget
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total amount of unallocated funds available under the single regeneration budget and the areas for which these funds are being considered.

  Mr. Baldry
  In the current financial year—1994–95 —the funds available under the single regeneration budget will be taken up in meeting existing commitments from the programmes which have been brought together in the Budget.

  In 1995–96, on current estimates, it is expected that about £100 million will be available to support new bids from local partnerships. The budget will be available throughout England. Guidance on bidding for these funds has been published by my Department today, 14 April. Copies of the guidance have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Dartmoor National Park
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will announce his decision on the Dartmoor national park boundary variation order submitted to him by the Countryside Commission.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. Friend has today confirmed, with modifications, the order to vary the boundary of the Dartmoor national park. The Commission proposed 16 additions and 11 deletions, aimed at aligning the boundary with new trunk roads—the A30(T)—and the A38(T)—and adding small areas of common land which are subject to the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985. The modifications made to the order by my right hon. Friend retain two small areas proposed for deletion at Whistley Cottage and Cheriton Bishop. In the china clay area, land at Lee Moor will be deleted and at Shaugh Moor added, thereby retaining within the park those areas subject to the order which are presently unworked and whose landscape remains of national importance.

  English Partnerships
  Mr. Bendall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to issue guidance to English Partnerships, following his consultation last August; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I am pleased to announce that, following careful consideration of over 200 responses to the consultation draft, my right hon. Friend has today issued guidance to English Partnerships. Copies are available in the Library of the House. English Partnerships is required to have regard to this guidance in deciding which land is suitable for regeneration or development; which function it is to exercise for securing the regeneration or development of any particular land; and how it is to exercise those functions. The guidance will be kept under review and can be amended later if necessary.

  Housing Stock
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities are considering the large-scale voluntary transfer of housing stock.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 12 April 1994]: The following 12 authorities are included in the 1994–95 programme for large-scale voluntary transfers—LSVTs: Basingstoke and Deane borough council Castle Point borough council Cherwell district council Maldon district council Malvern Hills district council Mid Bedfordshire district council North Dorset district council Penwith district council Thanet district council Vale of White Horse district council Walsall metropolitan borough council and Wychavon district council.

  We encourage all authorities to consider the possibility of transfer, but it is for individual councils together with their tenants to decide whether to pursue this option. I understand that a number of authorities are considering applying for places on the 1995–96 programme. We are likely to invite applications in the autumn and I hope to announce the names of successful applicants by the end of the year.

TRANSPORT

  Drivers' Sleep Requirements
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines he has issued as to the minimum sleep requirements within 24-hour and seven-day periods for(a) airline pilots, (b) train drivers, (c) lorry drivers and (d) coach drivers.

  Mr. Key
  The Air Navigation Order 1989 requires that no member of an aircraft crew shall fly, nor shall an operator require him to fly, if either has reason to believe that he is suffering, or likely to suffer while flying, from fatigue which may endanger the safety of the aircraft or its occupants. Aircraft operators are also required to establish a scheme for the regulation of flight times for aircrews. Such schemes need to be approved by the Civil Aviation Authority.

  The CAA's civil aviation publication 317 "The Avoidance of Fatigue in Aircrews" gives guidance on requirements for operator's flight time limitation schemes. Flight time limitation schemes do not set out minimum sleep requirements but specify maximum duty periods and minimum rests periods. The actual working of the schemes are complex but, in general, the maximum duty hours for aircrew should not exceed 55 hours in one week.

  The Railways (Safety Critical Work) Regulation 1994 places a duty on all railway employers to prevent employees with key safety responsibilities from working excessive hours. The Health and Safety Executive's non-statutory guidance recommends that train drivers should under normal circumstances have a minimum rest period of at least 11 consecutive hours per 24-hour period. Further guidance will be given in a statutory approved code of practice to be produced by the Health and Safety Executive by March 1995.

  For most heavy goods vehicle drivers and about half bus and coach drivers Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3820/85 on drivers' hours limits driving hours—nine hours a day which may be increased to 10 hours twice a week—breaks —a break or breaks totalling 45 minutes must be taken during or after 4.5 hours of driving—and rest periods—11 consecutive hours daily rest, reducible to nine hours three times a week, and 45 consecutive hours weekly rest, reducible to 36 hours or 24 hours away from base.

  The remainder, which include drivers of vehicles used for the carriage of passengers on a regular service of not more than 50 km are exempt from EC regulations and are subject to domestic drivers' hours rules.

  The domestic rules for heavy goods vehicles limit the daily driving period of 10 hours and a maximum working day/duty time to 11 hours. The domestic rules for public service vehicles differ from those for HGVs. The daily driving period of 10 hours per day is the same, but the maximum working day/duty time is 16 hours. There is also a 5·5 hour limit on continuous driving and a 10 hour daily rest requirement.

  Booklets providing guidance on the regulations for both lorry and coach drivers are available from local traffic area offices.

  Accountants
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the contracts currently being worked on for his Department by Coopers and Lybrand,242
  Ernst and Young, Price Waterhouse, KPMG Peat Marwick, Grant Thornton, Binder Hamlyn, Robson Rhodes, Levy Gee, Hacker Young, Pannell Kerr Forster and Stoy Hayward.

  Mr. Norris
  The following of the firms referred to are carrying out contracts for the Department.

  Coopers and Lybrand
  Birmingham Northern Relief Road—financial advice.
  Advice on possible sale of vehicle records database.
  Review of Department's motorway communication maintenance contracts.

  Ernst and Young
  Advice on the use of project management systems in connection with the privatisation of British Rail.
  Development of a commercial accounting system for the Coast Guard Agency.

  Price Waterhouse
  Advice on Design Build Finance and Operate contracts and longer term private finance options associated with motorway charging (jointly with Hambros Bank).
  Sale of London Buses Limited subsidiaries.
  Sale of the Trust Ports.
  Royal train audit.

  KPMG Peat Marwick
  Commission to examine the business case for establishing a database of lighting on trunk roads and motorways.
  Scoping study to determine availability of time-cost systems on the market for highways and project management.
  Accountancy and taxation advice in connection with Rail privatisation.
  Grant audit of London Transport.
  Development of software—Routine Maintenance Management system (RMMS).
  Development of software—UK Pavement Management System (UKPMS).

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the rules governing the independent evaluation of the environmental assessment of the channel tunnel rail link, giving the criteria against which any such evaluation is to be judged.

  Mr. Freeman
  The environmental assessment rules for Bills authorising works are contained in Standing Order No. 27A. Where, as in the case of the new channel tunnel rail link, an environmental statement is required, it must be deposited by the promoter soon after the Bill. It must contain all the information set out in the Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988, which are based on the requirements of EC Directive 85/337.

  The environmental statement for the new channel tunnel rail link is being prepared for Union Railways by Environmental Resources Management and other specialist consultants. As part of a review for the Government of Union Railway's route development methodology in 1992–93, W. S. Atkins examined and endorsed the

  243
  approach to environmental assessment. Further reviews in relation to the route have not been considered necessary. It will be for Parliament, and the Bill Select Committee in particular, to scrutinise the environmental statement, with the benefit of submissions by petitioners and the promoter.

  Thames Riverbus Service
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total cost to public funds of the riverbus service on the River Thames during the period of its operation.

  Mr. Norris
  In 1989, a grant payment of £500,000 was made to the River Bus partnership by the Departments of Transport and of the Environment towards promotion and improvement of the service, conditional upon private sector investment of up to £2 million from five private sector developers, headed by Olympia and York. No other public funds were awarded and the service continued to operate at a loss, despite heavy subsidy from the private sector, until its demise in August 1993. Further contributions from public funds could not have been justified, as in transport terms the service represented poor value for money.

  Radioactive Materials
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy at the next European Transport Council to press for the admission to the standing working group on the transport of radioactive materials of non-governmental organisations as observers.

  Mr. Norris
  No. The standing working group, set up at the request of the European Parliament in 1982 and administered by the Directorate-General for Energy—DG XVII—already has the power to invite non-governmental representatives to its meetings.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Director of Public Prosecutions
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Attorney-General when the Director of Public Prosecutions met the President of the Republic of Northern Cyprus either in her present capacity or when head of the Serious Fraud Office; and what subjects were discussed.

  The Attorney-General
  The Director of Public Prosecutions has never met the President of the Republic of Northern Cyprus.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of the existing assessments were reduced as a result of the child support formula changes on 7 February; how many absent parents were entitled to type A transitional protection before 7 February; how many absent parents have applied for type B transitional protection since 7 February; how many of these applications have been processed to date; and how many of these qualified for the new transitional protection.
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  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.

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Adam Ingram, dated 13 April 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Services about the impact of the policy changes to Child Support introduced on 7 February.
  As a result of the formula changes around 37% of eligible assessments were reduced.
  At 30 March, 2,226 absent parents whose maintenance liability had been assessed prior to 7 February 1993 had applied for transitional protection under the new arrangements, and over 1,900 cases had been processed. Of these transitional protection had been awarded to 840 absent parents. In addition, absent parents whose maintenance is assessed on or after 7 February have automatically been considered for transitional protection under the new arrangements.
  Figures are not available on the number of absent parents entitled to type A transitional protection prior to 7 February.
  I hope this reply is helpful.

  Lone Parents
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many lone parents in receipt of income support and maintenance are subject to the diversion procedure; and what proportion of maintenance orders in favour of lone parents on income support are subject to this procedure.

  Mr. Burt
  The total number of income support cases subject to diversion procedure is 60,927. Of these, 46,370 are lone parents with children whose cases are awaiting the completion of a maintenance assessment by the Child Support Agency. Statistics on the proportion of lone parents on income support whose maintenance orders are subject to the diversion procedure are not kept.

  Family Credit Payments
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the money saved from(a) reduced housing benefit payments and (b) reduced council tax payments arising out of the family credit payments in respect of child care for working mothers.

  Mr. Burt
  Payments to all those already in work who begin to use the new earnings disregard in respect of child care costs will increase by an estimated £30 million in housing benefit and £5 million in council tax benefit in a full year at 1994–95 prices. Payments to the estimated 50,000 who commence work because of the introduction of the disregard will be reduced by an estimated £45 million in housing benefit and £10 million in council tax benefit.

  Income Support
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average cost to the Exchequer of income support to each successful applicant.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in table 2.1 of the May 1993 "Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Child Abuse
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the terms of reference of the research into the Benefits Agency service delivery to 16
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  and 17-year-olds carried out by the child abuse studies unit of London university; what were its main findings; if he will place a copy of the final report in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  The report by the child abuse studies unit of London university into service delivery to 16 to 17-year-olds is an operational matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Tony Laurance to Mr. Tony Lloyd, dated 13 April 1994;
  As Michael Bichard is on sick leave at the moment, the Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the report by the Child Abuse Studies Unit of London University into service delivery to 16 and 17 year olds.
  The report to which you refer was not commissioned as a research document, but as an internal consultancy exercise looking at ways of improving service to this group of customers, and as such the Benefits Agency does not intend to publish the document.
  The terms of reference were to investigate the standard of service delivery, identify good practices and areas of concern, establish an understanding of the needs of 16 and 17 year olds, identify the level of knowledge and information needs of advice workers, assess training needs of Benefits Agency staff, and evaluate pre/post claim information.
  The report made a number of recommendations under headings such as Training, Publicity, Local Practice and Payment. Many of these recommendations refer to good practices to adopt when dealing with claims from young people. Guidance to staff in Benefits Agency District Offices is in the form of a Handbook called "Income Support for 16/17 year olds" and contains a section on good practices. This Handbook has been revised recently and where possible the recommendations from this report have been incorporated in the revised Handbook. The revised version has been in District Offices since mid-March 1994. A copy of the Handbook is already in the Library.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many severe weather payments have been made in(a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole since November 1993.

  Mr. Hague
  The administration of the cold weather payment scheme is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Tony Laurance to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 13 April 1994.
  As Michael Bichard is on sick leave at the moment, the Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question in which you asked how many Cold Weather Payments had been made in Greenock and Port Glasgow, Strathclyde, and Scotland as a whole since November 1993.
  Details on Cold Weather Payments made are available for each Benefit Agency District. The attached appendix gives details for the Clyde Coast and Cowal District which comprises the Greenock and Port Glasgow branch offices. As there is no single Benefit Agency District covering Strathclyde I supplied the details for the Districts that fall within the Scotland and Northern Benefit Agency Area Directorate.
  I hope my reply has been helpful.
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  Appendix: Number of cold weather payments 1 November 1993 to 31 March 1994

  BA District

  Number

  Clyde Coast and Cowal (comprising Greenock and Port Glasgow)

  25,081

  Strathclyde

  Benefit Agency Districts:

  Glasgow City

  —

  Glasgow East

  —

  Glasgow Laurieston

  —

  Glasgow South West

  —

  Glasgow West

  —

  Renfrew

  —

  Springburn and Cumbernauld

  271,416

  Scotland as a whole

  840,578

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Temazepam
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the incidence of criminal activity involving the drug Temazepam.

  Mr. Maclean
  We have received two letters this year from Members of Parliament concerning criminal activity committed by people under the influence of the drug Temazepam. Both letters were from hon. Members representing constituencies in the north-east, and were prompted by the tragic murder of Sgt. Bill Forth on Tyneside.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be able to reply to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside, concerning the case of Anthony O'Kere; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I wrote to the hon. Member on 31 March 1994.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the hon. Members who have written to him concerning the case of John Kamara; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Mr. Kamara maintains that he was wrongfully convicted in 1981 of murder and robbery. One hundred and four hon. Members and others have since written on his behalf. All of the matters raised in representations received have been carefully considered, but no grounds have come to light which would justify any action by my right hon. and learned Friend in respect of Mr. Kamara's conviction.

  Racial Attacks
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many racially motivated attacks have occurred in(a) Liverpool and (b) Merseyside in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information available centrally relates to reported racial incidents, rather than racial
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  attacks, as defined by the Association of Chief Police Officers. Figures for Merseyside are given in the table. Information for Liverpool is not collected centrally.

  Number of racial incidents in Merseyside

  Year

  Number of incidents

  1988

  136

  1989

  123

  1990

  144

  1991

  162

  1992

  134

  ACPO definition: Any incident in which it appears to the reporting or investigating officer that the complaint involves an element of racial motive, or any incidents which include allegations of racial motivation made by any person.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to combat racially motivated crimes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to his question on 3 March 1994 at column 821-22 for details of the practical steps being taken by the Government to combat racial violence. Since then, the Secretary of State has tabled an amendment to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill to make section 19 of the Public Order Act 1986—publication or distribution of written material intended or likely to stir up racial hatred —an arrestable offence. The Government are also studying ways to deal with persistent harassment. Any further steps will be taken in the light of the report of the Home Affairs Committee inquiry into racial attacks and harassment when it is published.

  Prison Service
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for the Home Department when the Prison Service will publish its next corporate plan.

  Mr. Howard
  The Prison Service has published its corporate plan for 1994–97. A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which species of octopus are being used for scientific procedures in Great Britain which might cause pain or lasting harm.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I refer to my reply to the previous question from the hon. Member for Dundee, East on 11 March at column 415. Octopus vulgaris were included within the provisions of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 from 1 October 1993. Information on any scientific use of this species during the remainder of 1993 will be included in the "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals 1993" to be published later this year.

  Project licence authority is not required for the use of other octopus species in scientific procedures, and information about such use is not collected.

  Special Constables
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total annual budget for special constables in England and Wales in each year since 1979;

  (2) what was the total annual budget for special constables for each constabulary in England and Wales in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  This information is not centrally available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Each police force has its own special constabulary which is funded centrally through the police grant. There is no separate financial provision for special constables, and such budgetary information is not centrally collected.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many special constables were on establishment in England and Wales in each year since 1979;

  (2) how many special constables were on establishment in England and Wales in each constabulary in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Special constables are not included in the assessment of police establishments. They are usually recruited on a divisional basis to supplement the numbers of regular officers, although there is currently a national campaign to encourage members of the public to volunteer.

  Available statistics for the number of volunteers serving in special constabularies in England and Wales in 1980–1993 are given in table A. Figures for 1979 are not available.

  The figures provided by individual constabularies for the years 1989–1993 are given in table B.

  Table A

  Year

  Number

  1980

  15,108

  1981

  14,978

  1982

  15,160

  1983

  15,331

  1984

  16,012

  1985

  16,161

  1986

  16,070

  1987

  16,209

  1988

  15,788

  1989

  15,589

  1990

  15,881

  1991

  18,073

  1992

  19,243

  1993

  20,566

  Table B

  Forces

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Avon and Somerset

  503

  536

  568

  712

  770

  Bedfordshire

  137

  122

  167

  199

  192

  Cambridge

  169

  173

  198

  182

  245

  Cheshire

  219

  244

  299

  274

  387

  City of London

  60

  56

  68

  85

  89

  Cleveland

  139

  143

  177

  195

  232

  Cumbria

  210

  193

  246

  230

  248

  Derbyshire

  251

  275

  347

  335

  423

  Devon and Cornwall

  852

  913

  984

  946

  1,067

  Dorset

  218

  214

  254

  263

  239

  Durham

  149

  152

  165

  203

  258

  Dyfed-Powys

  189

  210

  315

  260

  271

  Essex

  445

  482

  642

  759

  751

  249

  Forces

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Gloucestershire

  209

  206

  224

  274

  315

  Greater Manchester

  473

  517

  530

  570

  617

  Gwent

  95

  76

  80

  101

  109

  Hampshire

  362

  369

  529

  587

  611

  Hertfordshire

  203

  206

  202

  247

  294

  Humberside

  249

  273

  316

  422

  446

  Kent

  500

  501

  484

  554

  587

  Lancashire

  432

  377

  474

  539

  565

  Leicestershire

  327

  357

  371

  379

  392

  Lincolnshire

  365

  356

  397

  416

  383

  Merseyside

  296

  295

  340

  367

  389

  Norfolk

  269

  268

  312

  346

  366

  North Wales

  175

  199

  256

  295

  298

  North Yorkshire

  334

  383

  387

  388

  497

  Northamptonshire

  240

  218

  271

  302

  330

  Northumbria

  538

  534

  571

  512

  517

  Nottinghamshire

  485

  470

  556

  593

  551

  South Wales

  261

  257

  352

  432

  534

  South Yorkshire

  316

  317

  371

  412

  473

  Staffordshire

  566

  592

  702

  733

  770

  Suffolk

  329

  354

  373

  386

  414

  Surrey

  174

  215

  214

  251

  232

  Sussex

  530

  495

  571

  548

  512

  Thames Valley

  568

  532

  564

  606

  623

  Warwickshire

  347

  361

  384

  350

  350

  West Mercia

  542

  509

  526

  611

  629

  West Midlands

  673

  743

  843

  955

  918

  West Yorkshire

  568

  562

  735

  613

  708

  Wiltshire

  269

  261

  273

  322

  349

  Provincial Total

  14,236

  14,516

  16,638

  17,754

  18,951

  Metropolitan Police

  1,353

  1,365

  1,435

  1,489

  1,615

  England and Wales Total

  15,589

  15,881

  18,073

  19,243

  20,566

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what changes he proposes to(a) the duties and (b) the powers of special constables;

  (2) how the duties and powers of special constables have altered over the past 10 years.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The deployment of special constables and the duties to which they may be assigned always has been, and continues to be, an operational decision for which chief officers are responsible and which varies according to local circumstances and the training, experience and preferences of the special constables concerned. No changes have been made to the powers of special constables over the past 10 years: nor are any changes currently being contemplated.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours were worked by special constables(a) per week and (b) per month in (i) 1992, (ii) 1993 and (iii) 1985.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  This information is not centrally available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Evidence on Commission
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will evaluate for use in England and Wales the system for allowing children to give evidence on commission, as d in Scotland.

  Mr. Maclean
  We intend to consider the adequacy of current legislative provisions relating to the evidence of 250
  children in criminal proceedings when the findings of Professor Graham Davies' research become available at the end of this year. As part of that consideration we shall certainly take into account the early experience of the Scottish courts in taking evidence from children on commission.

  Pagans
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Prison Service Chaplaincy has for publishing a section on pagans in its Directory and Guide on Religious Practice; and what are the reasons for this decision.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 12 April 1994]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. David Alton, dated 14 April 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent question about plans to publish a section on paganism in the Prison Service Directory and Guide on Religious Practice.
  There are currently no plans to include a section on paganism in the Directory and Guide, although consultation is taking place to obtain more information on such groups and their beliefs.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Parcelforce and Post Office
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many working days have passed since the start of the Parcelforce and Post Office reviews; what the total expenditure up to the present date has been; and what the average expenditure on consultancy for each day of the review process has been.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government announced their intention to privatise Parcelforce on 15 July 1992,Official Report, column 1137 and announced the review of the structure and organisation of the Post Office on 29 July 1992. From these dates to 31 March 1994 there were 435 and 425 working days respectively. Expenditure on consultancy advice stands at £1,366,204.97 to date, representing an average of approximately £3,150 per working day.

  Trans-European Energy Networks
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy in respect of projects al, a2, cl, d10, el, fl and f2, listed in the annex containing projects of common interest, to the European Commission paper on guidelines for trans-European energy networks.

  Mr. Eggar
  The proposals are one aspect of continuing discussions between member states on trans-European networks. We consider that the criteria for identifying potential projects should be established before considering any list of specific projects. In our view, the criteria should recognise the principle of not supporting projects which are economically unviable, or which are capable of being financed by the private sector.

  Research Establishments
  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the future of the DTI research establishments.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I announced on 4 May last year that I had commenced a review of the options for the future of my Department's laboratories. This review, carried out with the aid of KPMG Peat Marwick management consultants, is now complete, and I am announcing my intentions for the future of the three major establishments: the National Engineering Laboratory—NEL—the Laboratory of the Government Chemist—LGC—arid the National Physical Laboratory—NPL. During the process of finalising these proposals, my Department has kept in close touch with the team undertaking the current multi-departmental efficiency scrutiny of public sector research establishments.

  I have today placed in the Libraries of both Houses the summary report I have received from the consultants KPMG Peat Marwick. This summary necessarily excludes information the publication of which might be prejudicial to the taxpayer's interest in the negotiations surrounding these privatisations.

  The DTI's laboratories are an important national resource and each of them plays a significant role in ensuring the competitiveness of British industry, and in meeting the needs of Government Departments. In the past few years they have been established as executive agencies within my Department under the "next steps" initiative. This has involved financing themselves principally from fee income, earned on contracts placed by arm's length customers. Their customers are in the private sector, in other Government Departments and in my own Department. Under this management regime the laboratories have become more focused in their work, more sensitive to their customers' requirements, and more cost-efficient. They have a good record of meeting the targets Ministers have set them, and of improving their performance from year to year.

  In the light of reductions in their prospective work load, these laboratories face the need to reduce and restructure their operations and to seek new business and new customers. At the same time, the progress they have made as executive agencies, although it has been impressive, has also revealed more sharply the limitations inherent in operating on a commercial basis within a Government Department. In their ability both to raise and use capital and to develop and exploit the widest possible markets for their services they do not have the flexibilities they would possess in the private sector. All of the laboratories are now facing competition, and are experiencing declining work loads reflecting both that competition and the Government's changing research priorities. In response, the laboratories have improved their efficiency, but now need more flexibility to continue doing so.

  My review has convinced me that each of these laboratories will respond best to these challenges within the private sector, and that once they are set free from the constraints of operating within Government, they will be better able both to serve their existing customers and to market their services to new customers, above all in industry. These laboratories all have a unique asset In the expertise of their staff, which is respected internationally.
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  In the private sector there will be more scope for that expertise to be applied to the advantage of British industry. The laboratories will remain first class institutions.

  The NEL's role is that of a technology services enterprise serving customers in the private and public sectors. A decision has already been announced that it will be prepared for privatisation once it has established its commercial viability. For some years now the NEL's aim has been to reach this point in 1994–95, so that the process of privatisation can be set in hand during 1995. It has made major progress towards these targets, and my review has now confirmed them in spite of major changes in its programme of activities, reflecting changing priorities within my Department's research and technology spending. These changes will make substantial restructuring necessary, following which I intend to seek a trade purchaser of the NEL during the summer of 1995.

  The LGC's role is to provide chemical analysis and measurement services to several Government Departments and other bodies. A key asset is its independence and its reputation for impartiality. I have decided to pursue the recommendation of my consultants that it should be established as an independent non-profit-distributing company in the private sector. Preparations for this will be put in hand immediately, including a major restructuring programme, and I hope to complete the process by the end of 1995–96. However my mind is not closed to the possibility of a trade sale of the LGC, if a suitable buyer comes forward who can demonstrate the requisite independence.

  The NPL's main task is to develop and disseminate national measurement standards. Its dominant customer is my Department's national measurement system policy unit. Although this position will remain, the laboratory needs to continue restructuring to adapt itself to a reduced budget for work of this kind. Although the efficiency of the NPL has continued to increase steadily as an executive agency, it now needs to achieve further significant restructuring. I have come to the conclusion that this will be more effectively achieved if its management is contracted to the private sector. I thus intend to invite proposals for a management contractor during 1995. Commercial progress under the management contractors will be carefully reviewed, and might in due course result in the NPL becoming ready to move into private sector ownership.

  I shall separately be considering the future of the National Measurement Accreditation Service, part of the NPL, which the consultants felt should be viable on its own and could more appropriately operate independently of the NPL.

  Although all these laboratories are finding an increasing proportion of their business from the private sector, my review has made it clear that their success under private sector ownership or management will depend on their ability to bid on fair and equal terms for business from customers in my own and other Government Departments. Those taking on the responsibility of their ownership and management will naturally need to be assured that these opportunities will be available. It is the clear intention of the Government that they will be. The White Paper "Realising our Potential" (CM2250) sets out our commitment that competitive tendering procedures must become the normal method of placing work.

  These decisions represent major changes for all three establishments and their staff. The changes will enable the

  253
  NEL, the NPL and the LGC to take better advantage of new opportunities and to forge new and successful futures for themselves. The planning of this process is a complex task requiring thorough co-ordination. To assist in pushing it through with all vigour I have appointed the PA Consulting Group to act as project managers.

  The consultants also considered future options for the National Weights and Measures Laboratory—NWML. They recommended no major change but I am looking at possibilities which the Deregulation and Contracting Out Bill will offer for contracting out some of the NWML's services. I will be making a further announcement in due course.

  Electricity
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects amendments to the Electricity (Class Exemptions from the Requirement for a Licence) Order 1990 to be made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  In December of last year, I announced a number of forthcoming amendments to the Electricity (Class Exemptions from the Requirement for a Licence) Order 1990.

  I have today laid before Parliament an order which will bring four of the five amendments that I announced into effect. These are:
  raising the amount of power that may be provided by small generators in certain circumstances without requiring a generation licence;
  removing the condition that an own-generator requires a supply licence unless at least 51 per cent. of the electricity from his generating station goes to qualifying customers on the own-generators' site;
  allowing companies to resell limited amounts of electricity purchased from a second tier supplier or own generator to franchise consumers located on their site; and
  removal of the requirement that most exempt generators who have stations over 200 kW capacity must notify the Secretary of State of their name and address.

  My officials have also considered further the fifth of these amendments, to allow more companies to be included in a "qualifying group" of consumers that may be supplied by an own-generator without requiring a licence. I expect to lay a separate order covering this amendment shortly.

  These changes will reduce the regulatory burden on small generators, own generators and consumers who sell on a small proportion of the electricity they purchase. Consumers should also be helped by the undertaking on pool prices and the sale of generating plant that the Director General of Electricity Supply received from the main generators in February. I also note that DTI figures now show that the average electricity price paid by manufacturing industry in Great Britain fell by nearly 7 per cent. between 1989—before the electricity industry was vested—and 1993. This is further evidence of the success of electricity privatisation.

  Small Firms
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what developments have been made, since his announcement on 14 December 1992, in exploring how the small firms loan guarantee scheme can be improved through linking loans with appropriate help, advice and training in business skills.
  254
  Mr. McLoughlin
  I am pleased to announce, subject to contract negotiations, the funding of 10 pilot projects which will offer advice and counselling to borrowers under the loan guarantee scheme. The pilot projects will start as soon as possible and will run for three years. The pilots will operate in the areas covered by the following:

  Avon TEC

  Birmingham Business Link

  Doncaster Business Link

  Hertfordshire TEC

  Tyneside TEC

  Metro TEC (Wigan)

  Kent TEC

  South Thames TEC

  Fife Enterprise

  Tayside Enterprise

  European Union Fifth Directive
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which aspects of the European Union's fifth directive he has opposed.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I am opposed to a number of provisions in the fifth company law directive including the requirements for employee participation in public companies with 1,000 or more employees and for executive directors to be in a minority on company boards. I am also opposed to the inclusion in the directive of articles on the adoption and auditing of accounts.

  Israel
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the trade figures between the United Kingdom and Israel over the past five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The trade figures between the United Kingdom and Israel for the past five years are shown in the table:

  United Kingdom trade with Israel—1989 to 1993

  (£ millions)

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Imports

  480

  506

  456

  485

  550

  Exports

  502

  568

  531

  586

  876

  Source: United Kingdom Overseas Trade (Business Monitor MA20).

  Novelty Fund
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy with regard to the novelty fund; if he will make a statement as to how much is in it; and what it does.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 12 April 1994]: I am unaware of this fund.

  Enterprise Budget
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out the total enterprise budget for small firms for training and enterprise councils, for the last three financial years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 13 April 1994]: The total enterprise budget for small firms for training and enterprise councils for the last three financial years is:

  255

  £million

  1991–92

  156·98

  1992–93

  153·90

  1993–94

  162·19

WALES

  Consultation Documents
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 29 March,Official Report, column 634, if he will list the consultation documents and indicate where the information about them is held.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information requested has been placed in the Library of the House and will be updated regularly. Copies of the consultative documents are available from my Department.

  Accountants
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the contracts currently being worked on for his Department by Coopers and Lybrand, Ernst and Young, Price Waterhouse, BDO Binder Hamlyn, KPMG Peat Marwick, Grant Thornton, Robson Rhodes, Levy Gee, Hacker Young, Pannell Kerr Forster and Stoy Hayward.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Welsh Office currently has contracts with four of the firms mentioned. These are as follows:

  Coopers and Lybrand
  Evaluation of the advice and guidance credits initiative, commissioned jointly by the Welsh Office and the Department of Employment.
  Financial accountancy support on the monitoring of NHS trusts in Wales.

  KPMG Peat Marwick
  Financial appraisal of local authority waste disposal transfer scheme. Advice on the Milk Marketing Board's scheme of reorganisation.

  Pannell Kerr Forster
  GP fundholding—manual of accounts helpline.

  Price Waterhouse
  Financial accountancy support on the monitoring of NHS trusts in Wales.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the position of the ambulance service in Wales in relation to the citizens charter; what is the response time expected for an emergency call; what arrangements have been made for monitoring the speed of response to emergency calls; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The patients charter requires that an emergency ambulance should arrive within 14 minutes in an urban area, 18 minutes within a rural area or 21 minutes within a sparsely populated area. In Wales these response times are expected to be met in 95 per cent. of calls. Performance is monitored quarterly and the target is being met for Wales.

  School Buildings (Repair and Maintenance)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the amount spent on repair and maintenance of school buildings by local education authorities in Wales for each financial year since 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  This information is given in the following table. Figures for 1992–93 onwards are not yet available.

  Gross current expenditure on repair and maintenance of school buildings, fixed plant and grounds1

  £000

  1989–90

  33,807

  1990–91

  36,984

  1991–92

  40,867

  Source: Local authority returns.

  1Excludes capital expenditure on new buildings, land or plant. Includes salaries of building maintenance workers and groundsmen, cost of materials, recharges by external agencies, charges from direct service organisations, architects, engineers and surveyors and expenditure on energy conservation and on health and safety. Excludes salaries of caretakers, cleaners etc.

  Clinical Waste
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will issue guidance to both directly managed units and hospital trusts regarding the segregation of clinical waste.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Guidance to both directly managed units and NHS trusts on the management of clinical waste, including segregation, was issued on 30 November 1993 and 21 February 1994.

  CTF Training Courses
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he will take to continue the training courses of members of CTF consequent upon the closure on 31 March.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  North East Wales TEC is working with CTF and the Employment Service to arrange counselling and assessment interviews and to identify suitable alternative opportunities. All participants affected will be given the opportunity to continue their programmes.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning the closure of the CTF training centre, Shotton, Clwyd.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The North East Wales training and enterprise council and CTF did not reach agreement on renewal of a contract for 1994–95. The TEC is working with CTF and the local employment service to ensure suitable alternative training provision for the participants on Government training programmes who are affected.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people have been trained at the CTF training centre; and how many were undergoing training up to 31 March.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  In the year up to 31 March 1994, 80 people were trained at the centre with 51 still in training at 31 March.

  Welsh Pre-School Playgroups Association
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to make grant funding available to the Wales Pre-School Playgroups Association.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Wales Pre-School Playgroups Association has been awarded a grant of £164,400 to help meet its central administrative and service delivery targets in 1994–95.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Desertification
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes in the United Kingdom overseas aid programme he expects will result from the negotiation of a global convention to combat desertification.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  This will depend on the provisions of the final text although we do not expect the United Kingdom aid programme, which already gives attention to the issues involved, to require major changes. The negotiations are giving high priority to the problems facing many African countries; this region already benefits from a substantial share of our aid.

  Palestinians
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans Her Majesty's Government have to provide(a) emergency aid and (b) development finance during 1994 for the Palestinians; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are ready to respond to emergencies as they occur. For example, following the Hebron mosque massacre on Friday 25 February, we made an immediate contribution of £34,000 towards the expenses of a surgical team of 10 Jordanian specialists, specialist supplies in support of the team and subsequent nursing, followed by a further £51,000 for hospital equipment. We have also given ·500,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross, in response to an appeal for its work in Israel and the occupied territories.

  Development finance in support of the peace process will continue to be provided during 1994 through multilateral programmes, including those of the EC and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, and our bilateral technical assistance programme.

  Iraqi Exiles
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the United Kingdom has given to Turkey and Iran in respect of the exodus of 2 million Iraqi Kurds, Assyrians, Chaldaeans, Yezidis and Turcomans after the uprising in March 1991.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Neither the Turkish nor the Iranian Governments sought assistance from the United Kingdom Government. However, since the 1991 crisis we have contributed over £2 million to helping Iraqi refugees in Iran. Details were given to the right hon. Member for Strangford (Mr. Taylor) on 25 January at columns 133-34.
  258
  We have given substantial assistance to all the groups mentioned through the UN agencies and non-governmental organisations.

  Pergau Dam
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all payments made by the Overseas Development Administration in relation to the Pergau dam project, with the dates they were made and the amount of the payment made in each case.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Overseas Development Administration has made over 200 payments in respect of this project since signature of the financial intergovernmental arrangement in July 1991. These fall into two categories:(a) interest rate support payments made to the Export Credits Guarantee Department to reduce the interest rate charged by the lending banks and (b) payments to consultants for technical, financial and environmental monitoring of the project. The cost of (a) has been: 1991–92, £1·882 million; 1992–93, £7·835 million; 1993–94, £14·650 million. The cost of (b) has been 1991–92, £0·039 million; 1992–93, £0·210 million; 1993–94, £0·170 million.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) on what date the contract was signed between Her Majesty's Government and the Malaysian Electricity Company for funding of the Pergau project;

  (2) on what date the formal agreement to finance the Pergau project was signed by Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Malaysia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Government are not party to the contract between the contractor and Tenaga Nasional Berhad for this project. Her Majesty's Government signed a financial arrangement with the Malaysian Government in respect of the project on 8 July 1991.

  Aid Programme
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all British institutions and companies receiving funds from the British aid programme in each of the last five years, listing the amount of funds received by each of the institutions and companies for each of those years.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Aid and Trade Provision
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the ATP projects of over £5,000,000 in value in the past 10 years where the escalation factor has been over 10 per cent. after the firm contract proposal has been made by the Government; and if he will name the contractors involved.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  This information is not held centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

  Burma
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the extent to which British and other non-governmental organisations are seeking to work in Burma and on what projects.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Overseas Development Administration does not hold detailed information on the plans of individual non-governmental organisations seeking to work in Burma. However, our contacts with the NGO umbrella group, BOND—British Overseas NGOs for Development—indicate that there are around 13 British NGOs with differing degrees of interest in working in Burma across a variety of sectors. We are currently supporting one British NGO which is involved in English language teaching and teacher training activities.

  We have no information on NGOs from other countries seeking to work in Burma.

  Liberia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for the expenditure of his contribution to the Liberian trust fund.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The details of expenditure are for the UN to decide, on the understanding that our contribution of $1 million is restricted to the fund's humanitarian purposes. We understand that $251,000 is committed to a public information campaign to encourage national reconciliation and to facilitate disarmament, and a further $16,000 will help ex-combatants to resume their studies at the university of Liberia. The balance will be used for humanitarian needs connected to the demobilisation programme.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Refreshment Department
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission how many cases of dismissal of Refreshment Department staff have resulted in industrial tribunals in each of the past five years; how many have resulted in decisions against management; what was the total cost to Parliament of(a) being represented at tribunals and (b) awards against the Department over the same period; and what was the total cost of out-of-court settlements, pre-tribunal agreements and compensation awards over the same period.

  Mr. Beith
  In the past five years there has been one case of dismissal from the Refreshment Department which resulted in the member of staff concerned appealing to an industrial tribunal claiming unfair dismissal. The member of staff was dismissed on disciplinary grounds on 22 June 1989. The case was heard on 4 December 1989. The industrial tribunal found in favour of the complainant but in doing so acknowledged his contribution to the dismissal, which was placed at 60 per cent.

  The complainant sought reinstatement but the tribunal found neither reinstatement nor re-engagement appropriate. An award of £1,500 was made, paid from House
  260
  funds. The House of Commons Commission was represented by the Treasury Solicitor who, at that time, did not charge for its services. No costs were therefore incurred by the House for legal representation.

  Other than the above there have been no out-of-court settlements, pre-tribunal agreements or compensation awards in the past five years.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission, if he will list(a) the location, damage category, extent and scale of damage, and whether such damage is new or recurrent, for each site of special scientific interest contained in reports to the National Audit Office since 1982 and (b) the cases and locations where such damage has been caused by new road schemes or road repairs or reinstatement works.

  Sir Peter Hordern
  I understand that the National Audit Office does not receive routine reports on sites of special scientific interest and does not maintain lists of damage or encroachment to such sites. This is a matter for English Nature.

  The Comptroller and Auditor General is, however, undertaking an examination into "English Nature: Protecting and Managing Sites Of Special Scientific Interest" and expects to report his findings to Parliament later this month. This report will be available to hon. Members in the usual way.

  European Community Institutions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many hon. Members have taken advantage of the visit to a European Community institution that they are entitled to under the resolution of 6 December 1991, for the financial year 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Mr. Tony Newton
  May I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 4 November 1993 (Official Report, Vol. 231, col. 362) concerning visits undertaken in 1992-93.

  I will write to the hon. Member when final details for 1993–94 become available. So far 69 Members have submitted claims for journeys undertaken during the year.

  Written Answers
  Mr. Phillip Oppenheim
  To ask the Lord President of the Council (1) how many parliamentary questions were answered in the year to 28 February 1994, by Government Department;

  (2) who were the 10 members who asked the most parliamentary questions in the year to 28 February 1994; how many questions were asked by each; and at what estimated cost to the departments concerned.

  Mr. Tony Newton
  The POLIS database holds records for the following 41,126 written answers given in the year to 28 February 1994:

  Department

  Number of answers

  Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  1,643

  Attorney General

  261

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  457

  Defence

  3,003

  Education

  1,595

  Employment

  1,686

  261

  Department

  Number of answers

  Environment

  3,427

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  2,749

  Health

  4,405

  Home Office

  3,233

  Lord Chancellor

  552

  Lord President of the Council

  128

  National Heritage

  751

  Northern Ireland Office

  1,397

  Prime Minister

  844

  Scottish Office

  2,746

  Social Security

  2,138

  Trade and Industry

  2,995

  Transport

  2,589

  Treasury

  1,937

  Welsh Office

  2,343

  Accommodation and Works Committee

  51

  Administration Committee

  66

  Catering Committee

  22

  Church Commissioners

  42

  Committee of Selection

  1

  Finance and Services Committee

  10

  House of Commons Commission

  37

  Information Committee

  11

  Public Accounts Commission

  7

  The 10 Members who received the highest number of these answers, together with the number of answers and the estimated cost, were as follows:

  The hon. Member for:

  Answer

  Cost £

  Blaenau Gwent (Mr. L. Smith)

  1,323

  128,000

  Don Valley (Mr. Redmond)

  983

  95,000

  Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo)

  736

  71,000

  Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd)

  517

  50,000

  Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Kilfoyle)

  488

  47,000

  Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett)

  474

  46,000

  Newcastle Upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins)

  419

  41,000

  Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms Walley)

  414

  40,000

  Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan)

  411

  40,000

  Leyton (Mr. Cohen)

  403

  39,000

  The cost is calculated from the most recent estimate of the average cost of giving a written answer to a parliamentary question, namely £97, rounded to the nearest £1,000.

EDUCATION

  Schools Expenditure
  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what checks are made between his Department and the Department of the Environment to establish how much a local education authority's gross expenditure is validly recorded as spent on its schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  It is the responsibility of the district auditor, appointed by the local education authority, to check that the authority validly records its expenditure on schools and on other areas.

  The Department for Education and, I understand, the Department of the Environment, carry out validity checks on authorities' revenue outturn returns. Any figure on the return which varies significantly from the previous year's return is queried with the authority concerned.

  Students
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what were the factors and figures taken into account in the student income and expenditure survey for 1992–93;

  (2) how the figures for commercial borrowing for student loans in the year 1992–93 were calculated for students under the age of 26 years;

  (3) what information he has on whether borrowing by mature students is higher than by younger students; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for the difference in levels of borrowing between those groups.

  Mr. Boswell
  Copies of the "Student Income and Expenditure Survey" for the 1992–93 academic year were placed in the Library when it was published on 16 December 1993. The survey took account of income from grants, student loans, money and gifts from parents, earnings, social security benefits, commercial loans, withdrawals from savings, and of income from other sources such as investments. Account was taken of expenditure on housing costs, food, travel and other course-related expenses, leisure and entertainment, clothes and goods and services.

  Sampled students were asked what interest-bearing loans they had taken out during the 1992–93 academic year, either from a bank or other financial institution or privately, and how much had been repaid. They were also asked about any overdraft held at the start of the year or expected to be taken out during the year, and how much they expected to be overdrawn at the end of the year.

  The figures published in the survey for overdrafts for younger students show the amounts at the start and at the end of the year, but it is the change in the overdraft balance which is used as a component of student income. The survey showed significant differences in the patterns and levels of borrowing between different groups of mature students as well as between these groups and younger students. Students were not asked their reasons for borrowing money.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education to what extent he has taken into account the net change in the overdraft balance bill when he assesses student debts, particularly in the final year; and what assessment he has made of what the final figure would be if the net change in the overdraft balance figures were taken into account.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend collects no information about individual students' debts or overdrafts. The "Student Income and Expenditure Survey" included questions to students in the sample about overdrafts. A copy of the report of the survey, commissioned by the Department, was placed in the Library on 16 December.

  My right hon. Friend keeps the repayment arrangements for student loans under review. He believes it right that students should contribute towards their own maintenance costs. The repayment terms of the student loan facility are generous. Graduates can defer repayments for a year at a time if their income is below 85 per cent. of average earnings. For those with incomes above that level—currently about £14,000 a year—the level of repayments should be manageable.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will conduct an analysis of mature student borrowing by year of course undertaken.
  263
  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend does not propose to undertake such an analysis.

  Education Institutions
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many education institutions he and other Ministers in his Department have visited since the 1992 general election.

  Mr. Patten
  The information requested is as follows:

  Number

  Schools

  237

  Further education institutions

  44

  Higher education institutions

  53

  Total

  334

  Drug Abuse (Pupil Exclusions)
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils have been permanently excluded from schools in the north Warwickshire area for drug abuse in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Forth
  Figures for each of the last 10 years are not available. Information on permanent exclusions from maintained schools in England was collected by the Department over a two-year period, starting with the summer term 1990, under the national exclusions reporting system—NERS. In England, 81 pupils were excluded for drug-related offences and solvent abuse in year one and 179 in year two. It is not possible to provide an area breakdown of the figures because of assurances given as to confidentiality.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Slaughter Licences
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans she has to introduce legislation which would require the purchaser of animals for slaughter to be licensed.

  Mr. Soames
  I have no such plans.

  Pesticides Safety Directorate
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what targets have been set for the pesticides safety directorate in 1994–95.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I have set the pesticides safety directorate the following targets relating to relocation, financial performance, efficiency, the delivery of pesticides approval services and policy advice in 1994–95:

  To relocate the agency from its present three sites to a single site in York in the Autumn of 1994.

  To achieve 100 per cent. recovery of full costs and an overall efficiency gain of 2 per cent.

  To meet the targets for delivery of services as specified:

  Pesticides approval

  Applications completed

  Maximum processing time (working days)

  Technical Stream

  Normal

  280

  335

  Administrative Fast

  500

  20

  264

  Pesticides approval

  Applications completed

  Maximum processing time (working days)

  Fast

  265

  115

  Experimental permit

  40

  190

  Off label

  100

  60

  Upgrade

  160

  —

  Departmental Exp. Permit

  12

  255

  Departmental Normal

  4

  335

  Committee Stream

  Sift

  8

  120

  Active Ingredient

  12

  235-275

  The processing time targets apply to 80 per cent. of new applications.

  The scientific quality of the directorate's work on the evaluation of pesticides will be monitored by the chairman of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides.

  Details of performance in 1993–94 will be set out in the agency's annual report and accounts to be published during July 1994.

PRIME MINISTER

  Meigle
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit Meigle.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no immediate plans to do so.

  Aberdeen
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Prime Minister if he has any plans to visit Aberdeen in the near future.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no immediate plans to do so.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 14 April.

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 14 April.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

  Kashmir
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Prime Minister if he was able to clarify, in his recent discussions with the Indian Prime Minister, whether the Indian National Commission on Human Rights will be able to look at the situation in Indian-administered Kashmir; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I discussed the Indian Human Rights Commission in general terms with the Indian Prime Minister during our meeting on 14 March. We have welcomed the Commission's decision to conduct its first investigation into the incident at Bijbehara in Kashmir in October. Its report is due to be published on 17 April.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  England v Germany Football Match
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what advice he gave to the Football Association in relation to the proposed England v Germany match in Berlin; and when he first became aware of the date of the match.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office gave no advice to the Football Association about staging the England v Germany football match in Berlin. We first became aware of the fixture in January of this year.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Somalia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 February,Official Report, column 307, what action has been taken by the United Nations Development Programme and other United Nations agencies to ensure that there is funding to ensure the security of the heavy weapons being handed over by militias in Somaliland and to provide for the civilian rehabilitation of the disarmed militias.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The proposal prepared by the National Demobilization Committee—NDC—in northwest Somalia, with assistance from the UNDP/OPS contracted team of Zimbabweans—ZIMDAT—has now been refined and will be presented to donors at a briefing and discussion session in Nairobi on 22 April 1994. An appeal for funds will follow the briefing.

  Burma
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress in Burma on human rights; and what representations he is currently making to the Burmese Government for human rights improvements.

  Mr. Goodlad
  There has been no significant improvement in Burma's human rights record.

  We and our European partners continue to press the ruling military regime—the State Law and Order Restoration Council—to respect the human rights of all Burmese people, including ethnic minorities, and to release Aung San Suu Kyi and other political leaders. A resolution on these lines was adopted by consensus at the recent session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what stance was taken on Burma at the recent meeting of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

  Mr. Goodlad
  A consensus resolution was adopted at the recent session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, calling on Burma to release unconditionally Aung San Suu Kyi and other political leaders, and criticising the human rights violations reported by the special rapporteur, Professor Yokota.

  Hebron Massacre
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Israeli Government about Israeli terrorists and the Hebron massacre.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 30 March,Official Report, column 806.

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

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Since diplomatic relations were restored in 1990 relations have steadily improved. They are now good.

  Occupied Territories
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current situation in the Gaza strip and Jericho regarding the withdrawal of Israeli military forces, in line with the timetable scheduled for the implementation of the declaration of principles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand that the Israeli army has begun preparation for withdrawal from the Gaza strip and Jericho. The details of that withdrawal are still the subject of negotiations between the parties.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Palestine Liberation Organisation for Her Majesty's Government to join an international observer force to oversee withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza strip and Jericho; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have received no request for participation in an observer force on withdrawal from Gaza and Jericho. We remain ready, together with our European Union partners, to contribute to a temporary international presence in the occupied territories as called for in United Nations Security Council resolution 904, if requested by the parties.

  Korea
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current year's Team Spirit exercise in the Republic of Korea.

  Mr. Goodlad
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Gentleman on 16 March,Official Report, column 702.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications of the US decision to deploy Patriot missiles in South Korea for the United Kingdom's policy on Korea; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The deployment of Patriot missiles in South Korea is not a matter for us. But we have much
  267
  sympathy for the considerations which have led the US Government and the Government of the Republic of Korea to agree that this defensive system should be deployed.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest information he has received from the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna and the Centre for Disarmament Affairs at the UN in New York regarding the inspection of nuclear sites in North Korea.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 13 April, at column 206.

  Ukraine
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in the Ukraine and its commitment to accede to the non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We welcomed the decision adopted by the Ukrainian Parliament on 3 February to ratify the strategic arms reduction talks treaty. We also welcomed the Parliament's decision to withdraw its reservation to article V of the Lisbon protocol of the START treaty, under which Ukraine undertakes to accede to the non-proliferation treaty in the shortest possible time. We have noted the affirmations by the Ukrainian President of Ukraine's intention to accede to the treaty, and we shall continue to urge her to do so at the earliest possible date.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries that have not acceded to the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A list of the 27 countries which have yet to accede to the non-proliferation treaty has been deposited in the Library of the House.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries that have recently announced their intention to accede to the non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Argentina and Algeria have recently announced their intention to accede to the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. We have also welcomed the affirmations by the Ukrainian President of Ukraine's intention to accede to the treaty, and we shall continue to urge her to do so at the earliest possible date.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest situation in respect of accession to the non-proliferation treaty by the states of the former Soviet Union; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Those republics of the former Soviet Union which have yet to accede to the non-proliferation treaty are Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine.

  Iraq
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations the International Atomic Energy Agency has made to Iraq regarding its obligations under the non-proliferation treaty; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In Iraq's case, the terms of the fullscope safeguards agreement, concluded pursuant to its membership of the NPT, have been subsumed into United Nations Security Council resolutions requiring Iraq to surrender to the IAEA all its nuclear weapons-usable material for destruction or removal. Moreover Iraq may not in the future acquire, research or develop any materials relating to nuclear weapons. The IAEA is at present setting in place a monitoring regime to ensure that weapons programmes of this type cannot be regenerated in Iraq.

  Israel
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the International Atomic Energy Agency made to Israel regarding inspection of nuclear bases; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Israel has concluded a safeguards agreement with the IAEA to cover its research reactor at Soreq. We continue to urge Israel to allay suspicions about its nuclear programme by acceding to the non-proliferation treaty as a non-nuclear weapon state, and concluding a fullscope safeguards agreement with the IAEA.

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

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We fully support all the people of Yemen in their efforts to overcome the political crisis currently facing the country. We urge all parties to engage in dialogue and to work together for a peaceful and stable future for the people of Yemen.

  Diplomats
  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish figures recording the number of unpaid parking fines incurred by diplomatic missions in London during 1993.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The information requested by my hon. Friend is given in the table. The table also includes those international organisations which incurred unpaid fines. The figures may be reduced by late payments.

  The total of 1,941 represents a 53·4 per cent. reduction from the 1992 published figure of 4,166 which has now been further reduced to 2,328 by late payments. This compares favourably with the same period in 1985 when almost 60,000 fines were recorded, and continues the downward trend in parking offences. We welcome this further reduction in unpaid parking fines and appreciate the co-operation of diplomatic missions and international organisations since the introduction of the parking policy. We shall continue carefully to monitor the level of unpaid fines, and take appropriate measures to ensure that fines are paid.

  269

  Unpaid Parking Fines

  Diplomatic Mission

  1993

  1992

  Nigeria

  91

  167

  India

  71

  66

  Saudi Arabia

  60

  127

  Bangladesh

  59

  41

  Pakistan

  54

  57

  German Federal Republic

  51

  60

  U.A.E.

  51

  128

  Jordan

  50

  38

  Hungary

  50

  60

  Spain

  48

  60

  Greece

  46

  153

  Zambia

  45

  117

  Oman

  45

  59

  Tanzania

  40

  23

  Sudan

  39

  70

  Egypt

  35

  68

  Cameroon

  35

  70

  Ghana

  35

  48

  Bulgaria

  34

  33

  Thailand

  32

  80

  Gambia

  30

  63

  Angola

  30

  35

  Bahrain

  29

  18

  Qatar

  28

  52

  Tunisia

  28

  81

  Poland

  27

  69

  Israel

  27

  86

  Romania

  25

  62

  Uganda

  25

  7

  France

  25

  182

  Gabon

  23

  32

  Uruguay

  23

  61

  Brunei

  22

  24

  Cyprus

  21

  62

  Cote D'Ivoire

  21

  106

  Kuwait

  21

  85

  Italy

  21

  25

  Russia

  20

  226

  Cuba

  20

  11

  Barbados

  19

  29

  Malawi

  18

  18

  Philippines

  17

  10

  Algeria

  17

  34

  Malaysia

  15

  27

  Zimbabwe

  15

  38

  China

  14

  159

  Turkey

  13

  245

  Portugal

  12

  42

  Brazil

  12

  25

  Afghanistan

  11

  2

  Lesotho

  11

  10

  Peru

  11

  7

  East Caribbean

  10

  5

  Mexico

  10

  19

  Syria

  9

  22

  Indonesia

  9

  5

  Sierra Leone

  8

  6

  Burma

  8

  7

  Zaire

  8

  20

  Mauritius

  8

  38

  Liberia

  8

  4

  Iran

  7

  12

  Kenya

  7

  12

  Libya

  6

  44

  Chile

  6

  5

  Czechoslovakia

  6

  4

  Trinidad

  6

  2

  Switzerland

  6

  2

  Botswana

  6

  1

  Yemen

  5

  12

  Bahamas

  5

  1

  Japan

  5

  14

  Costa Rica

  5

  1

  Fiji

  5

  9

  Belgium

  5

  4

  Jamaica

  5

  11

  270

  Diplomatic Mission

  1993

  1992

  Swaziland

  5

  0

  Iceland

  3

  1

  Korea

  3

  85

  Lebanon

  3

  14

  Tonga

  3

  0

  Guatemala

  3

  7

  Canada

  3

  10

  United States

  3

  26

  Finland

  2

  16

  Senegal

  2

  19

  Ireland

  2

  13

  Nepal

  2

  11

  Colombia

  2

  2

  Panama

  2

  3

  Paraguay

  2

  10

  Namibia

  2

  0

  Lithuania

  2

  2

  Austria

  2

  5

  Ethiopia

  2

  14

  Australia

  2

  5

  Mongolia

  2

  4

  Antigua

  2

  0

  South Africa

  2

  5

  Yugoslavia

  2

  12

  Malta

  1

  5

  Benin

  1

  0

  Bolivia

  1

  0

  Nicaragua

  1

  2

  Seychelles

  1

  3

  Ukraine

  1

  0

  Armenia

  1

  2

  Sweden

  1

  4

  Guyana

  1

  7

  Venezuela

  1

  16

  Vietnam

  1

  2

  Estonia

  1

  0

  Slovakia

  1

  0

  Netherlands

  1

  2

  Latvia

  0

  0

  Iraq

  0

  11

  Honduras

  0

  5

  Mozambique

  0

  3

  Grenada

  0

  0

  El Salvador

  0

  1

  Ecuador

  0

  0

  New Zealand

  0

  1

  Dominica

  0

  0

  Luxembourg

  0

  3

  Norway

  0

  2

  Singapore

  0

  1

  Denmark

  0

  2

  Slovenia

  0

  0

  Somalia

  —

  —

  Croatia

  0

  0

  Belize

  0

  0

  Sri Lanka

  0

  3

  Papua New Guinea

  0

  1

  Argentina

  0

  0

  International Organisations

  Comm Sec

  17

  28

  Cocoa

  12

  0

  EBRD

  11

  8

  African Dev Ban

  9

  5

  Coffee

  2

  2

  E C

  1

  1

  W E U

  1

  1

  I M O

  0

  1

  United Nations

  0

  0

  INMARSAT

  0

  7

  Sugar

  0

  0

  1,941

  4,166

  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many serious
  271
  offences were allegedly committed in 1993 by persons entitled to diplomatic immunity; and how many foreign diplomats were withdrawn from their posts in Britain in the past year as a result of alleged offences.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Twenty-nine alleged serious offences by persons entitled to diplomatic immunity were drawn to the attention of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1993. "Serious offences" are defined in

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Traffic offences1

  (a) Drink/Driving

  23

  24

  25

  28

  27

  24

  24

  15

  13

  (b) Minor offences

  87

  71

  86

  103

  75

  53

  45

  30

  31

  Totals

  110

  95

  111

  131

  102

  77

  69

  45

  44

  Serious offences

  1. Drink/Driving as (a) above

  23

  24

  25

  28

  27

  24

  24

  15

  13

  2. Theft/shoplifting

  20

  12

  11

  10

  10

  8

  9

  9

  9

  3. Others

  9

  5

  4

  6

  3

  1

  7

  9

  7

  Totals

  52

  41

  40

  44

  40

  33

  40

  33

  29

  Other minor offences

  16

  6

  12

  8

  16

  7

  11

  2

  4

  Parking2

  Unpaid fines

  59,625

  22,337

  14,437

  10,079

  7,831

  6,551

  5,145

  4,166

  1,941

  Withdrawals

  Diplomats withdrawn at FCO request

  18

  17

  18

  14

  14

  6

  7

  8

  1 plus (1 pending)

  1 NB Technically all traffic offences are "criminal" offences

  2 Pre-1985 White Paper: 1984 unpaid parking fines totalled 108,932

  South Africa
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what remaining sanctions are being applied by Britain and other countries on South Africa; and when it is intended that they should be lifted.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The following international sanctions against South Africa are being applied by Britain—with exceptions as indicated:

  United Nations
  A mandatory embargo under SCR 418 of 4 November 1977 on the export of arms and para-military equipment to South Africa.

  European Union

  (i) An embargo on exports of arms and para-military equipment to South Africa;

  (ii) An embargo on imports of arms and para-military equipment from South Africa;

  (iii) A refusal to cooperate in the military sphere (ie a continuing ban on eg joint military exercises).

  Commonwealth
  (i) The strict enforcement of the mandatory Arms Embargo against South Africa;
  (ii) Economic measures against South Africa as follows:

  (a) A ban on the sale and export of computer equipment capable of use by South African military forces, police or security forces1;

  (b) A ban on new contracts for the sale and export of nuclear goods, materials and technology to South Africa1;

  (c) A ban on the sale and export of oil to South Africa2;

  (d) A strict and rigorously controlled embargo on imports of arms, ammunition, military vehicles and para-military equipment from South Africa;

  (e) An embargo on all military cooperation with South Africa.

  272
  accordance with the report to the Foreign Affairs Committee "The Abuse of Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges (1985)" as offences falling into the category which would in certain circumstances attract a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment or more. The majority involved drinking and driving, and shoplifting.

  One diplomat was withdrawn from post in Britain as a result of alleged offences compared with eight the previous year.

  1 United Kingdom adherence ended following lifting of comparable European Union restrictions following the first meeting of the Transitional Executive Council on 7 December 1993.

  2 United Kingdom adherence ended following lifting of EC Oil Embargo in April 1992.

  The lifting of United Nations embargoes is a matter for the Security Council. The European Union and Commonwealth have not yet agreed when their remaining restrictions will be lifted.

  Somalia
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received from the United Nations regarding the recent meeting of faction leaders in Nairobi to bring an end to the war in Somalia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Representatives of the 15 Somali factions agreed a declaration calling for a ceasefire and voluntary disarmament. They will meet on 15 April to discuss a national reconciliation conference on 15 May to elect a president, vice-presidents and prime minister as well as the modalities to establish a national legislative assembly. We welcome this and hope it will contribute to the resolution of this tragic conflict.

TREASURY

  Taxation
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the effect recent tax increases will have on the average level of tax in the country.
  273
  Mr. Dorrell
  The average impact across all households will be increases of £5·75 in 1994–95 and £8·75 in the two years to 1995–96.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate how much poor families on 75 per cent. or less of average earnings are now paying in income tax and national insurance following the changes introduced at the beginning of this month; and what the figure was for 1978–79.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The amount paid in tax and NICs will vary at different levels of income. The real take-home pay of a married man on three-quarters average earnings has increased by £61 per week since 1978–79.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the increase in the tax burden for a married couple on typical earnings, and with two children, since 1978–79 is accounted for by increases and extensions in VAT.

  Sir John Cope
  The amount of VAT paid by particular types of families depends partly on the rate and coverage of VAT and partly on levels and patterns of spending. Reliable estimates of the contribution made by each of these factors are not available.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate how much single persons on average male earnings are now paying in income tax and national insurance following the changes introduced at the beginning of this month; and what the figure was for 1978–79;

  (2) if he will estimate the amount a typical couple with two children and one spouse working on average male earnings are now paying in income tax and national insurance following the changes introduced at the beginning of April; what he estimates this figure will be from April 1995; and what the figure was for 1978–79;

  (3) if he will estimate the change in the direct tax burden a typical family will face in (a) 1994–95 and (b) 1995–96 on current policies;

  (4) if he will estimate how much poor families on 75 per cent. or less of average earnings are now paying in income tax and national insurance following the changes introduced at the beginning of April; and what the figure was for 1978–79.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Information for 1994–95 was given in the reply to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms Harman) on 19 January 1994, and for 1978–79 in the tables placed in the House of Commons Library as noted in the answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Griffiths) on 13 April 1989,Official Report, column 624. The effect of the Budget changes in 1995–96 will depend on changes in earnings and prices.

  Research and Development
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about tax incentives for industrial research and development.

  Mr. Dorrell
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received a number of representations for enhanced relief.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evidence he has that the business taxation regime has encouraged inward investment into Britain; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The United Kingdom has the lowest rate of corporation tax in the EC and G7. This has undoubtedly contributed to the United Kingdom's success in attracting inward investment.

  Longer-term Investment
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what new initiatives he plans to encourage longer-term investment.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Government believe that the best way to promote investment in British business is by creating the right macro-economic environment, with low inflation and sound public finances.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of people earning less than £64,000 a year who are now paying more tax than they did in 1979.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of people earning less than £64,000 a year who are now paying more tax than they did in 1979.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of people earning less than £64,000 a year who are now paying more tax than they did in 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In 1994–95 no-one will pay more income tax than they would under a 1978–79 indexed regime.

  Sir David Knox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures showing the thresholds for higher-rate income tax, at current prices, at constant prices and as percentages of average male earnings in each year from 1979–80 to 1993–94 together with estimates of 1994–95, for single people, single-wage married couples and two-wage married couples.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information is in the table.
  275

  Higher rate tax threshold

  At current prices

  At constant prices1

  As a percentage of average male earnings2

  Single person

  Married couple, 1 earner

  Married couple, 2 earners3

  Person in receipt of full married couple's allowance4

  Single person

  Married couple, 1 earner

  Married couple, 2 earners3

  Person in receipt of full married couple's allowance4

  Single person

  Married couple, 1 earner

  Married couple, 2 earners3

  Person in receipt of full married couple's allowance4

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (per cent.)

  (per cent.)

  (per cent.)

  (per cent.)

  1979–80

  11,165

  11,815

  12,980

  —

  27,630

  29,238

  32,121

  —

  196

  208

  228

  —

  1980–81

  12,625

  13,395

  14,770

  —

  26,844

  28,481

  31,405

  —

  185

  196

  216

  —

  1981–82

  12,625

  13,395

  14,770

  —

  24,083

  25,552

  28,175

  —

  166

  177

  195

  —

  1982–83

  14,365

  15,245

  16,810

  —

  25,602

  27,170

  29,959

  —

  176

  186

  205

  —

  1983–84

  16,385

  17,395

  19,180

  —

  27,912

  29,632

  32,673

  —

  184

  196

  216

  —

  1984–85

  17,405

  18,555

  20,560

  —

  28,206

  30,070

  33,319

  —

  181

  193

  214

  —

  1985–86

  18,405

  19,655

  21,860

  —

  28,175

  30,088

  33,464

  —

  178

  190

  212

  —

  1986–87

  19,535

  20,855

  23,190

  —

  28,966

  30,924

  34,386

  —

  176

  188

  209

  —

  1987–88

  20,325

  21,695

  24,120

  —

  28,993

  30,948

  34,407

  —

  167

  179

  199

  —

  1988–89

  21,905

  23,395

  26,000

  —

  29,468

  31,473

  34,977

  —

  164

  176

  195

  —

  1989–90

  23,485

  25,075

  27,860

  —

  29,306

  31,290

  34,766

  —

  161

  172

  191

  —

  1990–91

  23,705

  —

  —

  25,425

  26,984

  —

  —

  28,941

  149

  —

  —

  160

  1991–92

  26,995

  —

  —

  28,715

  29,316

  —

  —

  31,184

  158

  —

  —

  168

  1992–93

  27,145

  —

  —

  28,865

  28,589

  —

  —

  30,401

  150

  —

  —

  160

  1993–94

  27,145

  —

  —

  28,865

  28,025

  —

  —

  29,801

  145

  —

  —

  154

  1994–95

  27,145

  —

  —

  27,145

  27,145

  —

  —

  27,145

  139

  —

  —

  139

  1 Provisional. At 1994–95 prices based on Budget assumptions of a 2 per cent. growth in the RPI in 1993–94 and 3·25 per cent. growth in 1994–95.

  2 Full-time males paid at adult rates working a full week (all occupations). Provisional for 1993–94 and 1994–95.

  3 Assumes wife's earnings election not made.

  4 Independent taxation for 1990–91 onwards.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has now received concerning the increase in the number of people who will have to pay income tax as a result of his decision to freeze income tax allowances.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Treasury Ministers have received a number of representations about the freezing of allowances.

  Trade Balance
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the balance of trade.

  Mr. Portillo
  The visible trade deficit in 1993 was the same as in 1992, despite strengthening activity in the United Kingdom and weakness in key European markets. With continuing good unit labour cost performance and improved competitiveness, the prospects are encouraging.

  Debts (Late Payment)
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further consideration he has given to the introduction of a statutory right to interest on late payment of debt.

  Mr. Nelson
  As my right hon. and learned Friend announced in his Budget speech, a consultation paper on late payment of commercial debt was issued on 30 November. The consultation period closed on 31 March. We are currently considering the responses to this document.

  Government Borrowing
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government are taking to bring Government borrowing under control.

  Mr. Portillo
  The tight control of public spending and the tax measures announced in both Budgets last year will 276
  reinforce the fall in the public sector borrowing requirement as the economy recovers, returning it towards balance in the medium term.

  Higher-rate Tax
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evidence he has of the effect on incentives of cutting higher rates of direct taxation; and by how much higher rates of income tax have been changed since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In 1979, the top rate of tax on earned income was 83 per cent. It is now 40 per cent. Cutting tax rates has improved incentives at all levels, and has encouraged entrepreneurial initiative upon which the nation depends. Higher-rate taxpayers now contribute 40 per cent. of total income tax compared with 20 per cent. in 1979.

  Economy
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the latest state of the economy and the effect on the peripheral regions of fiscal policies.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Government's sound fiscal policies will ensure that the economic recovery is sustainable; all regions will enjoy the benefits of that recovery.

  Public Sector Borrowing Requirement
  Sir Roger Moate
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to publish his latest forecasts for the public sector borrowing requirement for 1993–94 and 1994–95.

  Mr. Portillo
  The first estimate of the 1993–94 outturn of the public sector borrowing requirement will be published on 20 April. A new forecast for the 1994–95 PSBR will be published this summer.

  Value Added Tax
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet his Finance Minister counterparts in Europe to discuss developments in the VAT regime.

  Sir John Cope
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer expects to meet EC Finance Ministers at the forthcoming meetings of the ECOFIN Council which are scheduled for 16 May and 6 June. The agenda will not be finalised until close to the meetings, but the Greek presidency's provisional agenda for 6 June provides for discussion on the draft EC directive on the VAT treatment of passenger transport and the draft EC VAT simplification directive.

  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the fuel and power companies about VAT; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  None. However Customs officials have had a number of meetings with representatives of the gas and electricity supply industries and with other fuel suppliers. A wide range of issues about the implementation of VAT on fuel and power have been discussed.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much he estimates the imposition of VAT on domestic fuel will cost the average family from(a) the beginning of April 1994 and (b) April 1995;

  (2) what estimate he has made of the increase to the average family's weekly fuel bill of an 8 per cent. tax imposition on domestic fuel;

  (3) if he will estimate the cost in a full year to an average household's energy bills of the introduciton of VAT at (a) 8 per cent. and (b) 17½ per cent.

  Sir John Cope
  The cost of VAT on domestic fuel bills will depend on the future level of fuel prices and on what happens to spending patterns. But VAT at 8 per cent. applied to an estimate of fuel bills in 1993–94, would cost households on average around £1.05 per week, and VAT at 17½ per cent. around £2·30 a week.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has now received concerning the imposition of VAT on domestic fuel and power.

  Sir John Cope
  Treasury Ministers have received a number of representations.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the number of people who took advantage of avoiding paying VAT on fuel after 1 April by paying their bills in advance;

  (2) if he will estimate the number of pensioners and people on low incomes who took advantage of avoiding paying VAT on fuel after 1 April by paying their bills in advance.

  Sir John Cope
  It is estimated that about 5 per cent. of domestic electricity consumers and about 4 per cent. of domestic gas consumers paid fuel bills in advance of the imposition of VAT on 1 April. It is not possible to make separate estimates for different types of household.
  278
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of an average household's income he forecasts will be spent on VAT in(a) 1994–95 and (b) 1995–96.

  Sir John Cope
  The latest published information shows that VAT paid by households averaged around 6·8 per cent. of household gross income in 1992.

  Public Borrowing
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on the economy of allowing the current level of public borrowing to continue unchecked.

  Mr. Portillo
  Failure to put the public finances on a sound basis would have severely damaged confidence and thereby weakened the recovery.

  Tax Distribution
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest information he has about the income distribution of the direct and indirect tax burden.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The latest information is given in the article "The Effects of Taxes and Benefits on Household Income, 1992" published in the January 1994 edition of Economic Trends.

  Local Government Reform
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the transitional costs of local government reform in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Portillo
  The transitional costs of local government reform in England will depend on the final structures that are adopted. The latest estimate of transitional costs in Wales is between £65 million and £150 million and in Scotland between £120 million and £194 million.

  Mr. Michael Allcock
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when Mr. Michael Allcock was first suspended from his duties; when he is expected to return to work; if he will receive full pay during the period of his suspension; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on these matters to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central, (Mr. Cousins) on 30 June 1993 at column 505. Mr. Allcock was suspended from duty pending inquiries being carried out by the Metropolitan police. He was first suspended on 11 September 1992 on full pay. On 20 January 1994 he was charged with criminal offences and since that date his suspension has been without pay. I am not able to make any further statement pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.

  Tax Relief
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost of tax relief on investment income for(a) occupational pensions, (b) personal pensions and (c) other exempt institutions, differentiating between that part of the relief due to relief from tax on dividends and that part of the relief due to relief from tax on capital gains.
  279
  Mr. Dorrell
  The available estimates for 1993–94 are as follows:

  (a) The total cost of tax relief on investment income of occupational pension schemes is estimated to be about £5·1 billion. This includes £2 billion of tax credits issued with dividends of United Kingdom companies for occupational pensions funds.

  (b) It is not possible to provide a total for relief on investment income in respect of personal pension schemes, though the total of tax credits issued with dividends is £0·75 billion for insurance companies on account of their pension funds. It is not possible to seperate this estimate between personal pensions and other pension business.

  (c) Tax credits on dividends to charities total about £200 million. About £60 million of tax repayments for income received under deduction of tax were made to charities.

  Lack of information on the length of time that pension funds hold various types of assets means that a reliable estimate of the cost of tax relief on capital gains of funds cannot be made.

  Mr. Dan Smalley
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what communications Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has had with its United States counterparts in connection with the trial of Mr. Dan Smalley and his allegations about arms exports to Iran.

  Sir John Cope
  Customs and Excise has had no communications with its United States counterparts in connection with a Mr. Dan Smalley. However, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise had communications with United States Customs in 1982 and 1983 about the trial of Mr. Ian Smalley and his allegations about arms exports to Iran. No recent communications have taken place on this matter.

SCOTLAND

  Forth Valley Health Board
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list those consulted before the four new hospital units were built by Forth Valley health board;

  (2) on what grounds the contract for the Forth Valley health board's community village project was awarded to Sir Norman Foster and Partners;

  (3) if he will state the reasons why four new hospital units completed in autumn 1993 by Forth Valley health board have not been used;

  (4) what is the cost of the modifications needed to the new hospital units built by Forth Valley health board;

  (5) what defects there are in the newly built psychiatric units in Forth Valley health board.

  Mr. Stewart
  These are matters for Forth Valley health board.

  Conservation
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what proportion of the sites of special scientific interest in(a) Scotland and (b) the Highland region are included in the list of possible special areas of conservation compiled by Scottish National Heritage;
  280
  (2) what proportion of the land area in (a) Scotland and (b) the Highland region is concerned by the list of possible special areas of conservation recently submitted to the Government.

  Sir Hector Monro
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. Maclennan) on 12 April,Official Report, column 119-20.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will have regard to the economic, social and cultural requirements and regional and local characteristics of those areas included in the proposed list of special areas of conservation he has received from Scottish Natural Heritage when making his decision; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Yes. However, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 12 April,Official Report, column 120, in which I made clear that the preliminary advice received from Scottish Natural Heritage does not constitute a list of proposed special areas of conservation.

  Cervical Smear Tests
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement concerning the implementation by(a) the Argyll and Clyde health board and (b) the Scottish Office of the recommendations of the report into the maladministration of the cervical smear test programmes at the Inverclyde royal hospital, Greenock; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  The Argyll and Clyde health board is implementing the recommendations addressed to it through a comprehensive purchasing plan based on service specifications for all components of the board's cervical screening programme including targets and quality control procedures. A purchasing plan has been approved by the board and the specification of service required has now been issued to provider units.

  A task force is currently considering the feasibility and the implications of rationalising the cervical cytopathology services and an extensive consultation exercise is under way involving relevant laboratory consultants, clinicians and independent experts. The task force is expected to report with recommendations to the board by May.

  Those recommendations addressed to the Scottish Office Home and Health Department are being taken forward. The Common Services Agency has been asked to set up the new central co-ordinating unit for cervical and breast screening services at a cost of £100,000 per annum. The post of national medical director to head the unit was advertised in December 1993 but it was not possible to appoint a suitable candidate. Arrangements are in hand to re-advertise the post for either a full-time or two part-time appointments. Work is proceeding on setting out a management framework and a programme of work for the central monitoring unit.

  A working group to formulate the policy for implementation of internal quality control in all laboratories carrying out cervical cytopathology has been set up under the chairmanship of one of the Department's medical officers, and comprises members from the Royal College of Pathologists, the British Society of Clinical Cytology, the Institute of Biomedical Science and

  281
  representatives from each of the three other United Kingdom Departments of Health. The Health Education Board for Scotland—HEBS—has produced a new promotional leaflet encouraging women to attend for screening. This was distributed to all GPs and clinics via health boards at the end of March.

  Revised guidance, covering management responsibilities, quality controls, rationalisation of laboratories, staffing and appropriate levels of training is being prepared and will be issued following agreement with the appropriate professional bodies.

  Progress on implementation of the recommendations will continue to be monitored by the management executive.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of the investigation conducted by Dr. Euphemia McGoogan and others into the maladministration of the cervical smear test programme at the Inverclyde Royal hospital, Greenock; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 13 April 1994]: The cost of the inquiry including the publication of the report, into cervical cytopathology at Inverclyde Royal hospital, Greenock, conducted by Dr. McGoogan and the inquiry team, was £41,500.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what considerations led him to collect centrally information on hospital closures.

  Mr. Stewart
  Health boards are required to submit proposals for hospital closures to the Secretary of State for Scotland for approval.

  Executed Prisoners (Reburial)
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many exhumations to allow reburial of executed prisoners have taken place since the abolition of capital punishment.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Scottish Prison Service under its chief executive Mr. E. W. Frizzell. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Mr. E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Gordon McMaster, dated 14 April 1994:
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of exhumations to allow reburial of executed prisoners which have taken place since the abolition of capital punishment.
  Enquiries have been made at all prison establishments and no record has been found of any such exhumations having taken place.

  Capital Convictions (Licences)
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people reprieved from a capital conviction are now at large in the community on licence; and what is the rate of recall of such people.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Available records suggest that a total of five individuals are in the community on licence who were reprieved from a capital conviction before the abolition of the death penalty in 1965. Two of these people were recalled to custody, but subsequently re-released.

  Two further persons reprieved from a capital conviction were recalled to custody and have not subsequently been re-released.

  Electors
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish tables showing the total electorate, the number of(a) male and (b) female electors, the number of electors attaining the age of 18 years on the current register and the number of electors on the permanent absent voters register in each Euroconstituency, parliamentary constituency and regional electoral division in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has arranged for information about the total number of electors and attainers in the 1994 register of electors in each European parliamentary constituency, parliamentary constituency and regional electoral division in Scotland to be placed in the House Library. Information about electors by gender is not held centrally, nor is information about those electors who have been granted absent votes for an indefinite period.

  NHS (Staff Cars)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the expenditure on personal cars for staff in real and constant price terms in the NHS in Scotland in every year since 1979.

  Mr. Stewart
  This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Non-medical Consultants
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the expenditure on non-medical consultants in the NHS in Scotland in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Stewart
  This information is not held centrally.

  NHS Costs
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the costs of administration in the national health service in Scotland, in real and constant price terms, in each year since 1979; and what percentage this took each year of total NHS expenditure.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information is set out in the table.
  283

  Outturn

  Constant price terms1

  Year

  Administration costs

  Total expenditure

  Per cent.

  Administration costs

  Total expenditure

  Per cent.

  (£thousands)

  (£thousands)

  (£thousands)

  (£thousands)

  1979–80

  72,680

  21,024,002

  7·10

  173,015

  2,437,636

  7·10

  1980–81

  92,408

  21,329,420

  6·95

  185,913

  2,674,620

  6·95

  1981–82

  101,288

  21,494,720

  6·78

  185,805

  2,741,951

  6·78

  1982–83

  132,032

  1,622,742

  8·14

  226,098

  2,778,858

  8·14

  1983–84

  138,192

  1,726,950

  8·00

  226,159

  2,826,247

  8·00

  1984–85

  141,829

  1,852,563

  7·66

  221,007

  2,886,781

  7·66

  1985–86

  153,452

  1,963,711

  7·81

  226,551

  2,899,151

  7·81

  1986–87

  162,400

  2,081,844

  7·80

  232,942

  2,986,135

  7·80

  1987–88

  174,541

  2,274,155

  7·67

  237,691

  3,096,954

  7·67

  1988–89

  189,606

  2,509,327

  7·56

  241,962

  3,202,224

  7·56

  1989–90

  205,975

  2,730,014

  7·54

  245,761

  3,257,346

  7·54

  1990–91

  230,766

  2,982,854

  7·74

  254,799

  3,293,497

  7·74

  1991–92

  263,529

  3,623,885

  7·27

  273,646

  3,763,003

  7·27

  1992–93

  302,205

  3,899,208

  7·75

  302,205

  3,899,208

  7·75

  1 The GDP deflator at market prices has been used to adjust the figures to constant price terms.

  2 Community health service administration costs for 1979–80 to 1981–82 were not identified separately in health boards' accounts.

  NHS Managers
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many managers have been employed in the national health service in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Stewart
  General management has been introduced into the national health service in Scotland progressively from 1986 onwards. The data available centrally on the number of staff employed as general and senior managers are given in the table. These figures include staff previously employed on senior nursing or administrative and clerical terms and conditions of service who are now employed on the terms and conditions applicable to general or senior managers.

  General and senior managers employed by the national health service in Scotland

  Whole-time equivalents at 30 September

  Year

  General managers

  Senior managers

  Total

  1988

  62·0

  28·0

  90·0

  1989

  62·0

  49·0

  111·0

  1990

  65·0

  281·0

  346·0

  1991

  71·0

  452·6

  523·6

  1992

  73·0

  727·5

  800·5

  1993

  83·0

  1,068·6

  1,151·6

  NHS Public Relations
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the expenditure on public relations in the national health service in every year since 1979 in real and constant price terms.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Greater Glasgow Health Board
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when was the last time a resident of Clydebank was appointed to the Greater Glasgow health board.

  Mr. Stewart
  Mrs. Margaret McGarry, a resident of Clydebank, was appointed to the Greater Glasgow health board in 1987 for a second four-year term.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current average debt of students in Scotland to the Student Loans Company Ltd.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This is a matter for the Student Loans Company Ltd. and I will ask the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  It may not be possible for the company to distinguish between the different parts of the United Kingdom.

  Hairmyres Hospital
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide the average admission waiting times at Hairmyres hospital for each of the last five years for the departments of dermatology, urology, ophthalmology, ENT, gynaecology and orthopaedic.

  Mr.Stewart
  [holding answer 12 April 1994]: The information, for which the mean waiting time for admission from the waiting list has been given, is shown in the table:

  Days

  Specialty

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Dermatology

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Urology

  40·2

  49·4

  101·7

  102·4

  74·6

  Ophthalmology

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  ENT

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Gynaecology

  38·4

  48·4

  51·1

  61·1

  45·9

  Orthopaedics

  86·6

  82·8

  63·7

  70·5

  94·9

  Source: SMR1.

  Notes: 1993 data provisional;

  '—' No data available.

  Police Functions
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hours per week are worked by civilians in functions which were previously treated as police jobs(a) in total and (b) per civilian employee; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 13 April 1994]: The information requested is not available.
  285
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which functions formerly performed by police officers have been transferred to civilians since 1980; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 13 April 1994]: Any function performed by police officers which does not require the powers of a constable can in principle be transferred to civilians. Scottish police forces have recently been advised that the functions set out in the following table should normally be performed by civilians.

  Administration and record keeping

  Animal health

  Audiovisual technicians

  CID administration

  Communications (technical)

  Computer Manager

  Computer services

  Criminal records

  Divisional administration

  Drivers

  Driving instructors

  Fingerprint department

  Firearm registration (administration)

  Fixed Penalty office

  Force information officer

  Force welfare officer

  Forensic laboratory

  Force Finance officer

  Force property custodian

  Home defence

  Identification Branch (including Fingerprints)

  Legal documents

  Lost property

  Photographic department

  Public office

  Road safety

  Scene of Crime officer

  School-crossing patrols administration

  Station assistants

  Support—Air, dogs, marine, mounted, special branch, ports

  Support—general

  Taxi-cab administration

  Technical services and other equipment maintenance

  Traffic administration

  Traffic warden administration

  Traffic warden superviser

  Turnkeys/matrons

  Vehicle fleet workshop or garage including supervisor

  Wireless workshop

  Out-patients (Waiting Times)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of patients are seen by a medical practitioner within(a) 30 minutes or (b) within one hour of their out-patient appointment time.

  Mr. Stewart
  Information on how long patients have to wait to be seen after their appointment time at out-patient clinics is monitored by health boards and is not collected centrally. Health boards report that few patients overall wait longer than 30 minutes; that where they do they are given an explanation and an indication of how much longer the wait is likely to be; and that where monitoring reveals a particular problem action is taken to remedy it.

  Medical Negligence
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the cost of the proven cases of medical negligence in hospitals in each of the past 10 years; what was the average time of such cases to completion; in how 286
  many cases medical practitioners were (a) dismissed from the health service, (b) advised to retire or (c) suffered some other sanction; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 13 April 1994]: The information requested on the cost of settlements in cases of medical negligence in hospitals in Scotland can be provided only from 1 January 1990 when financial responsibility for medical negligence was assumed by health boards. The costs, including claimants' costs, for this period were as follows:

  £

  1989–90

  957,956

  1990–91

  1,290,968

  1991–92

  998,369

  1992–93

  1,091,489

  Figures for 1993–94 are not yet available.

  The length of time taken to settle such cases can vary depending on the nature of the case. If agreement is reached before a case reaches the courts, it can be settled within six to nine months of a claim being lodged. If a claim is determined by the courts, the average time taken to reach a conclusion is around five years.

  Information on the number of cases in which medical practitioners were dismissed from the service, advised to retire or suffered some other sanction is not held centrally.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects information on medical negligence claims for 1992–93 to be made available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 13 April 1994]: The total amount of compensation payments for 1992–93, including claimants' costs, for all health boards and NHS trusts in Scotland in respect of the negligence of their medical and dental staff was £1,091,489.

  Inverclyde Royal Hospital Trust
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of a detailed statement of the financial accounts of the Inverclyde royal hospital trust since its inception;

  (2) what analysis he made of the financial viability of the Inverclyde Royal hospital application for trust status before giving it approval; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 13 April 1994]: Inverclyde Royal NHS trust became operational only from 1 April 1994 and its accounts will not be available until after the end of its first year. The trust is required to produce an annual report including accounts in respect of its first year of operation by September 1995. This is a public document which will be published by the trust.

  A thorough analysis of the finances of Inverclyde Royal hospital involving financial consultants was made during the public consultation period on the hospital's trust application. This concluded that the hospital was financially viable and there is nothing to suggest otherwise.

  Gourock Ropeworks
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement concerning the present circumstances of the Gourock ropeworks in Port Glasgow and its likely future use.
  287
  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 13 April 1994]: Consideration of the possible future use of the ropeworks building continues to involve Inverclyde district council, Renfrewshire Enterprise and Scottish Home, as well as Historic Scotland which reports to me for my interest in the ropeworks as a listed building.

  I intend to write to the hon. Member on this constituency matter.

  Hospital Trusts
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements have been made for the maintenance of pension funds for staff employed at(a) Inverclyde royal hospital trust and (b) other hospital trusts elsewhere in Scotland, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 13 April 1994]: Employees transfer to national health service trusts on their existing terms and conditions and have the same rights to membership of the statutory national health service superannuation scheme as other national health service employees. New staff recruited by the trusts also have the same rights to membership. Their contributions to the scheme, and those of their employers, are payable to the Exchequer to fund the benefits under the scheme.

  Blood
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what profits the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service made on the sale of blood to private hospitals or health care organisations in each of the last five years; at what price blood was sold in each year; what happens to the profits; and what steps are taken to inform people giving blood to the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service that their blood is to be sold to private hospitals or health care organisations.

  Mr. Stewart
  The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service does not sell blood or blood products and therefore the matter of profit does not arise. Where blood or blood products are supplied to non-national health service hospitals, the administrative and other costs are recovered in the form of a handling charge. Literature is available at donor sessions to explain that a proportion of blood donated may be used to treat non-national health service patients but only where this can be done without detriment to the national health service.

EMPLOYMENT

  European Social Fund
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what representations he has had from voluntary organisations about the financial difficulties caused to them by the system of funding for ESF projects; and what action he proposes to take;

  Allocations

  1991

  1992

  1993

  £ million

  Per cent.

  £ million

  Per cent.

  £ million

  Per cent.

  Local authorities

  123·31

  33·53

  131·24

  34·76

  217·59

  34·87

  Voluntary sector

  24·20

  6·58

  29·27

  7·75

  59·80

  9·58

  Higher education

  19·87

  5·40

  20·56

  5·45

  46·34

  7·43

  Industrial training organisations

  5·59

  1·52

  6·75

  1·79

  15·42

  2·47

  288
  (2) what steps he has taken to give voluntary organisations an indication about whether their European social fund projects which started on 1 January last will be funded; and what are the reasons for this policy;

  (3) what representations he has made to the European Union about the practice of retrospective funding for ESF projects; and what assurances he has had about improvements.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There have been a number of representations from voluntary sector organisations concerned about the delay in agreeing plans with the Commission and the consequent effect on money being released from Brussels. This concern is shared by the United Kingdom Government who continue to put pressure on the Commission to respond formally to the objective 3 plan which was submitted last November.

  The United Kingdom Government agreed to arrangements that allowed requests for expenditure received by the European Commission by 30 April 1994 against agreed priorities to be regarded as eligible for assistance from the Structural Funds—including European social fund—backdated to 1 January 1994. Plans for objectives 1, 2, 3 and 5b have either been submitted or will be submitted to the Commission by the end of April. However, until plans have been agreed with the Commission it is not possible to approve formally any projects for 1994. No resources can be made available for individual projects until funds are received from the Commission.

  For all objectives, the 1993 operational year was extended until 31 March 1994 to allow activity to continue following representations from applicant organisations, This has helped voluntary organisations, among others, to continue their work.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on what date in each of the past five years voluntary organisations were told whether they had funding for European social fund projects starting on 1 January of that year.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There is no single date in any year when voluntary organisations are given approval for European social fund—ESF—funding. A timetable is agreed between the ESF unit and voluntary sector co-ordinators or regional secretariats for submitting applications. This is dependent on the United Kingdom receiving formal decisions from the Commission. Once applications are received, the ESF unit aims to process them within six weeks. We give top priority to the processing of voluntary sector applications.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give a breakdown in financial and percentage terms of how ESF funding is allocated to his Department's projects, local authority projects, voluntary organisation and other projects in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The following table sets out the information requested:
  289

  1991

  1992

  1993

  £ million

  Per cent.

  £ million

  Per cent.

  £ million

  Per cent.

  TEC-LEC

  1·03

  0·28

  6·40

  1·69

  22·56

  3·61

  Government

  192·91

  52·46

  182·53

  48·34

  261·14

  41·85

  Miscellaneous

  0·85

  0·23

  0·82

  0·22

  1·16

  0·19

  Total

  367·75

  100·00

  377·57

  100·00

  624·01

  100·00

  Information for 1990 broken down by sector could be obtained only by manual analysis at disproportionate cost. Figures for 1989 are available only from the Commission. All money allocated in 1990 which was not taken up was carried forward for use in 1991.

  The figures for 1991 and 1992 relate to the final amounts paid to the sectors, whereas those for 1993 relate to amounts originally approved, since final claims for the programmes in question have not yet been submitted.

  The figures for Community initiatives between 1991 and 1993 are included in the 1993 figures.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much ESF funding has been allocated in real and constant price terms to the Scottish voluntary sector in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information about European social fund support to the Scottish voluntary sector is set out in the following table. The Employment Department took over responsibility for the administration and payment of applications for ESF from the European Commission with effect from the 1990 calendar year; information prior to this is only available from the Commission.

  Cash(£)

  1990 prices(£)

  1990

  5,574,325

  5,574,325

  1991

  8,322,510

  7,866,267

  1992

  10,267,161

  9,283,147

  1993

  18,736,309

  16,377,892

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Requests for collective conciliation

  1,059

  1,164

  1,260

  1,386

  1,207

  Referrals to ACAS arbitration

  138

  169

  200

  157

  162

  Requested advisory mediation work

  985

  1,144

  964

  947

  787

  Individual conciliation cases

  44,443

  48,817

  52,071

  60,605

  72,166

  Public enquiries

  315,601

  349,324

  418,394

  466,954

  487,778

  The figures for 1993 will be available in June 1994, when the ACAS annual report 1993 is expected to be published.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently in work; what the figure was in 1979 and 1975; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is shown in the following table:
  290
  Notes:

  1. Figures for 1990–92 are amounts claimed at final claim stage, while for 1993 the figure is the amount originally approved since final claims for the programmes in question have not yet been submitted.

  2. 1990 prices calculated using the GDP deflator at factor cost.

  Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many ACAS offices operate in the United Kingdom; and if he will list them by geographical location.

  Miss Widdecombe
  There are currently 13 ACAS offices operating in the United Kingdom, grouped together in seven ACAS regions in England, together with Scotland and Wales. The offices are:

  London region: London

  Midlands region: Birmingham, Nottingham

  Northern region: Newcastle

  North West region: Manchester, Liverpool, Accrington

  Scotland: Glasgow

  Eastern and Southern: Fleet

  South and West: Bristol

  Wales: Cardiff

  Yorkshire and Humberside: Leeds

  Head office: London

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the total number of referrals made to ACAS in each of the past five years.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The number of referrals and requests for assistance made to ACAS in the last five years is as published in the ACAS annual reports for the years 1988 to 1992. These are as follows:

  Workforce in employment: United Kingdom (Seasonally adjusted)

  (Thousands)

  December 1975

  24,927

  December 1979

  25,485

  December 19931

  25,017

  1Latest available.

  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list for each year since 1984 the number of people in Great Britain surveyed by the labour force survey who, although they are without a job, have looked for a job within the four weeks prior to their labour force survey interview or are waiting to start a job they had already obtained, were not available to start a job within the two weeks following their labour force survey
  291
  interview, and the number of people who were neither in employment nor unemployed on the International Labour Organisation measure but who said they wold like a job.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Both of the categories asked for in the question are defined as 'economically inactive' according to International Labour Organisation guidelines. Estimates from the labour force survey for the spring of each year since 1984 of the numbers in each group are given in the following table.

  As shown by the analyses of these groups routinely published in the LFS help line section of the Employment Gazette, the majority of people who say they want work but are not actively seeking it are students; looking after a family or home; or long term sick or disabled.

  Great Britain People who say they would like work but are not actively seeking it and/or are not available to start

  Thousands

  Quarter

  Total

  Of which: seeking work, but not available to start1

  Spring 1984

  2,414

  207

  Spring 1985

  2,266

  222

  Spring 1986

  2,316

  205

  Spring 1987

  2,180

  206

  Spring 1988

  2,184

  195

  Spring 1989

  2,314

  221

  Spring 1990

  2,198

  186

  Spring 1991

  2,245

  218

  Spring 1992

  2,221

  313

  Spring 1993

  2,195

  310

  Source: Labour Force Survey

  1 Numbers without a paid job who had either looked for work in the past four weeks or were waiting to start a job they had already obtained, but were not available to start within the next two weeks.

  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many indices of unemployment are calculated by each of the countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The results of a survey of the more commonly used unemployment measures in 16 countries were published in the September 1992 Employment Gazette, a copy of which is available in the Library. To extend this to all OECD countries would incur disproportionate costs.

  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the unemployment statistics used in the Government's submission to the G7 jobs summit in Detroit, "Competitiveness and Employment: The UK Approach" represented the level of unemployment in the United Kingdom, or the monthly claimant count; and if they were validated by the director of statistics in his Department.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Charts 4A and 4B in "The UK Approach" show unemployment rates which use the claimant count as the numerator. Figures based on the claimant count have the advantage of being monthly, up-to-date and available for a long run of years. The charts used figures from published sources. The director of statistics is responsible for the quality of all Employment Department labour market statistics published by the Government Statistical Service.

  The latest available labour force survey results, for autumn 1993, show a seasonally adjusted International
  292
  Labour Organisation unemployment rate for Great Britain of 10·1 per cent.—close to the rate shown in chart 4B for that period.

  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many changes to the method of calculating the monthly unemployment register and the claimant count there have been since the Government took office in 1979; and what has been the statistical effect on the count of each change at the time the change took place.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 26 October 1992,Official Report, column 496. Since that reply was given there has been one additional discontinuity.

  In February 1994 the Northern Ireland system for administering unemployment benefits was fully integrated into the computerised national unemployment benefit system—NUBS—which has been operating throughout the rest of the United Kingdom since 1983. The changeover eliminated an overcount in the Northern Ireland figures leading to a slight downward revision of about 1,500 to the unadjusted level of claimant unemployment in Northern Ireland, and likewise to the United Kingdom figures.

  Appropriate revisions have been made for past periods to maintain the consistency of the seasonally adjusted series. Full details are given on page S16 of the April Employment Gazette, which is available in the Library.

  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the accuracy of the labour force survey as a representation of the level of unemployment in the United Kingdom; and what plans he has to improve it.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  As with any sample survey, estimates from the labour force survey are subject to sampling variability and "confidence intervals" are published with the results.

  The LFS measures unemployment according to the ILO definition, which is used extensively by industrial countries throughout the world and by international organisations. While EC regulations require all member states to conduct an annual LFS, Britain has opted to conduct the survey on a quarterly basis to ensure more up-to-date results.

  Official statisticians are always seeking ways of improving the quality and speed of publication of their surveys. For example, the introduction of computer assisted interviewing in the LFS has led to higher data quality and an improvement in the speed of publication of the results to just over three months from the end of the survey period.

  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his definition of the claimant count; and what assessment he has made of the claimant count as an accurate measure of the level of unemployment.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The monthly claimant unemployment count covers all those people claiming unemployment-related benefits, that is unemployment benefit, income support or national insurance credits at Employment Service local offices, who declare for each day they claim that they are unemployed, capable of work, available for work and actively seeking employment.
  293
  Students claiming benefit during a vacation and who intend to return to full-time education, and temporarily stopped workers, are excluded.

  The count is accurate at both national and local level because it is a by-product of the system for paying unemployment-related benefits and is a 100 per cent. count. Both the claimant count measure of unemployment and the internationally comparable measure produced by the labour force survey have shown similar trends over recent years and, since spring 1992, the two measures have been at similar levels.

  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what was the estimate of the level of unemployment in the United Kingdom in(a) February 1994 and (b) February 1979;

  (2) what was the seasonally adjusted unemployment claimant count for February for (a) the United Kingdom and (b) the regions in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; and what were the comparable figures on the current series with the figures for February 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is available from the NOMIS database in the Library.

  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the cost to increase the frequency of the labour force survey from every quarter to every month; and if he will do so.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The existing quarterly labour force survey costs about £8 million per year. Although no detailed assessment has been made, to increase the survey's frequency to every month, while maintaining the sample size, would lead to an approximately threefold increase in the survey's costs.

  A switch to a LFS providing estimates for individual months would require a re-design of the existing quarterly survey, which would take up to two years to implement.

  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the seasonally adjusted figure published for registered unemployment for February 1979 using the series existing in February 1979 for(a) the United Kingdom and (b) the regions in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Prior to 1982 the monthly unemployment figures were based on the number of registrants at jobcentres, not all of whom were claiming benefits. When registration at a jobcentre became voluntary and threatened the integrity of the count the basis of the figures was changed to become a count of those claiming unemployment-related benefits at Employment Service local offices—formerly unemployment benefit offices. The figures given in the table relate to the former basis and are not comparable with the consistent, seasonally adjusted, claimant count figures for the same period.

  Seasonally adjusted registered unemployment—February 1979

  Region

  Level

  South East

  286,300

  Greater London

  140,800

  East Anglia

  33,500

  South West

  97,300

  West Midlands

  121,000

  East Midlands

  75,200

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  117,900

  294

  Region

  Level

  North West

  196,200

  North

  115,100

  Wales

  86,000

  Scotland

  173,700

  Northern Ireland

  60,600

  United Kingdom

  1,362,500

HEALTH

  NHS (Private Finance)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all those national health service projects worth over £250,000 which have been financed by private sector money since February 1993.

  Mr. Sackville
  The private finance initiative is helping the national health service to capture the skills and expertise of the private sector to give better services, higher quality and more resources for the NHS. Private finance will mean additional capital spending on top of the £2·1 billion public capital in 1994·95. New delegated limits for the NHS, introduced in April 1993, have removed obstacles that were inhibiting effective use of private finance. Only schemes with a capital cost over £1 million must be submitted centrally and, therefore, information is not available centrally on all schemes with a capital cost over £250,000. The table lists 20 schemes of over £1 million capital cost which have been approved since February 1993.

  NHS projects using private capital over £1 million approved since February 1993
  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow Health Agency: lease of office accommodation.
  Yorkshire Regional Health Authority: clinical waste incineration.
  Hastings and Rother NHS Trust: Conquest Hospital staff residences.
  West Middlesex Hospital: endoscopy unit.
  North Bedfordshire Health Authority: residential accommodation at Steppingley and Biggleswade.
  Bolton Health Authority: clinical waste incineration.
  New River Health Authority: lease of office accommodation.
  Leicester Mental Health Services: lease of new Trust Headquarters.
  United Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust: generating station.
  William Harvey Hospital (Ashford): clinical waste incineration. Barnet Health Authority: residential accommodation in Hendon. Plymouth and Torbay Health Authority: clinical waste incineration.
  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster Health Authority: staff residences at Carlton Gate.
  East Sussex Health Authority: residential accommodation for continuing care of the elderly.
  Brent and Harrow Health Authority: provision of residential accommodation.
  Doncaster Healthcare NHS Trust: clinical waste incineration. Kent and Canterbury Hospitals NHS Trust: staff accommodation. St. James' NHS Trust, Leeds: combined heat and power plant. Hertfordshire Health Agency: lease of office accommodation. Hillingdon Health Agency: lease of office accommodation.

  Domiciliary Care Agencies
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to implement a system of registration and inspection of domiciliary care agencies.

  Mr. Bowis
  Local authorities are already able to inspect such agencies on a voluntary basis. We have no current
  295
  plans to introduce compulsory registration of domiciliary care agencies, but we will review the position next year as part of our overall review of inspection.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she intends to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Worcestershire, South of 18 March asking her to state the intended publication date of the Bloomfield report on proposals for dental remuneration.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I replied to the hon. Member's letter on 13 April.

  Nurses
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what expressions of concern she has received about the pay levels of junior nurses;

  (2) what representations she has received from the nursing organisations regarding hours and conditions of nurses and junior nurses.

  Dr. Mawhinney: None.
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the current annual average working hours for nurses; and what were the figures for 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The normal working hours for all whole-time nurses employed under Nursing and Midwifery Staffs Negotiating Council terms and conditions are 37·5 per week, any additional hours worked would be at the request of the employing authority. Information on annual average working hours is not available centrally.

  Dental Services
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will be giving the Government's response to the Bloomfield report on general dental services in the national health service.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. Wardell) on 18 February at column 1042.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received from(a) the public and (b) the dental profession concerning the timing of the response to the Bloomfield report and the oral health strategy; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We have recently received written representations from some members of the dental profession and a few from the public concerning the timing of our announcement of proposals for the national health service dental service.

  Health Services (Merseyside)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the waiting list on Merseyside for treatment of arthritis; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information on waiting times for in-patient and day case treatment by specialty and by 296
  regional health authority, district health authority and trust is given in "Hospital Waiting List Statistics: England", which is published twice yearly. The latest figures are for September 1993 and copies are available in the Library.

  Information on waiting times to first out-patient appointment is not yet collected centrally.

  Health Services (Merseyside)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1)what plans there are to establish a rheumatology service for the Merseyside region; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) what special facilities are provided for the treatment of psoriasis on Merseyside.

  Mr. Sackville
  District health authorities and general practitioner fundholders are responsible, as the purchasers of health care, for ensuring that patients have access to a comprehensive range of hospital and community health services. There are well-developed services for the treatment of psoriasis and rheumatology for the people of Merseyside. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Donald Wilson, chairman of North West regional health authority, for details of existing services and any plans for their development.

  St. Helens Hospital
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what complaints she has received from(a) elected Members and (b) patients from the St. Helens and Knowsley area concerning the waiting times at St. Helens hospital; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We are not aware of any such complaints. No patients have to wait longer than one year for in-patient or day case treatment at the St. Helen's and Knowsley hospitals national health service trust, and 80 per cent. are seen within six months.

  Abbots Langley Hospital
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with Abbots Langley hospital with regard to the pension arrangements for staff.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None.

  Private Prescriptions
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the Norfolk family health services authority regarding private prescriptions; and what guidelines she has issued to FHSAs on the subject.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  An official in the Department has recently had a conversation with Norfolk family health services authority about private prescriptions. Guidance will be issued to all FHSAs shortly.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring her Department undertakes of the amount of private prescriptions being dispensed; and if she will provide a breakdown by FHSA of the number of private prescriptions dispensed, and the price at which they were dispensed.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None. These transactions are outwith the national health service.

  NHS Pensions
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines she has issued to health authorities and trusts as respects the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 with regard to pensions.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The national health service executive issued guidance on the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to the NHS in November 1993. Copies of the guidance are available in the Library. This guidance includes specific references to pensions and an appendix which provides advice on evaluation of pensions comparability and the assessment of pension packages.

  Family Health Services Authorities
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the projected outturn is for each family health services authority for 1993–94; and by how much this varies from the planned expenditure for each authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  Details of individual family health services authority expenditure against cash limits in 1993–94 will not be available until annual accounts are submitted. Information on projected outturn for individual authorities is not collected, but is available from regional health authorities.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State on 24 March,Official Report, column 416, on what basis a family health services authority can refuse to require general practitioners to provide cover to respite centres and similar community care facilities.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  A family health services authority may require a general practitioner included in its medical list to provide treatment to an individual at any place in his practice area, provided there is no other doctor who, at the time of the request, is under an obligation to give treatment to that person. However, FHSAs are not required, or to require general practitioners on their medical lists, to provide general medical services cover to organisations as a whole.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance her Department has issued to family health services authorities, voluntary groups and local authorities relating to general practitioner cover for day centres, respite centres and other community care facilities.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Guidance on ensuring that people attending various care centres have access to general practitioner services has been issued to family health services authorities and other bodies in health circular HSG 92/42 and local authority circulars 92/15 and 88/15, copies of which are available in the Library.

  General Practitioners
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information regarding the income of fundholding and non-fundholding general practitioners is held centrally.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information is available centrally on the aggregate value of fees and allowances and directly reimbursed expenses paid to general practitioners; and on 298
  the number of general practitioners. These data are collected by family health services authority area and do not separately identify payments to fundholding and non-fundholding general practitioners.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information is held centrally regarding the staff employed by general practitioners.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information on the numbers and categories of staff employed by general practitioners is collected bi-annually from family health services authorities and published on a regional basis in "General Medical Services Basic Statistics, England and Wales", copies of which are available in the Library. Details are also collected of the total proportional reimbursements made by FHSAs to general practitioners of the staff costs they incur.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the general practitioner fundholding practices in South Yorkshire; and if she will give the total spent out of the allocation for each practice for 1992–93 and the current year to date.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 March 1994, c. 592]: I regret that my previous reply was incorrect. The information provided should have related to Trent rather than Yorkshire regional health authority. The answer should therefore have read:

  There will be 286 fundholding practices in the Trent region from 1 April 1994, covering 44 per cent. of the population. Regional health authorities are responsible for managing the general practitioner fundholding scheme in their areas. For local information about South Yorkshire the hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Michael Carlisle, chairman of the Trent regional health authority.

  NHS Reforms (London)
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much was spent by her Department in writing, designing, printing and distributing the leaflet "NHS Changes in London—Answers To The Questions You've Been Asking";

  (2) to how many households her Department intends to distribute the leaflet "NHS Changes in London—Answers To The Questions You've Been Asking";

  (3) which Minister approved the contents of the leaflet "NHS Changes in London—Answers To The Questions You've Been Asking";

  (4) which Minister agreed the timing of the distribution of the leaflet "NHS Changes in London—Answers To The Questions You've Been Asking"; and how that timing was agreed upon.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The estimated cost of producing and distributing the leaflet is £150,000. It has been distributed to approximately 3·28 million households within the M25. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and her ministerial team approved the content of the leaflet and the timing of the distribution.

  Private Hospitals
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many GP fundholders have contracts with independent private hospitals;
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  (2) how many GP fundholders refer a majority of their national health service patients to private or independent hospitals.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available centrally.

  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 7 February, Official Report, column 52.

  NHS Expenditure
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current total expenditure within the national health service on treatment purchased from independent or private hospitals; and how much is spent by FHSAs and GP fundholders.

  Mr. Sackville
  In 1992–93, the latest year for which figures are available, the total expenditure by national health service trusts, regional and district health authorities and family health services authorities on purchase of healthcare from non-national health service providers was £268·23 million.

  Included in the figure above is £13·13 million expenditure by general practitioner fundholders on hospital
  300
  services from non-national health service providers. FHSAs have no expenditure in respect of hospital services other than that incurred by fundholders.

  Notes.

  1. Expenditure is not analysed to identify precisely purchases from independent or private hospitals. The figures are for "purchase of healthcare" from bodies "other than NHS bodies".

  2. The figures are provisional: the summarised accounts are subject to audit by the National Audit Office.

  3. Source: (i) Annual accounts of FHSAs; and Regional, District and London Postgraduate Teaching Hospitals (Special Health Authorities) 1992–93; (ii) National health service trusts' financial returns 1992–93.

  NHS (Private Patients)
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private patients were treated within national health service hospitals in 1992–93.

  Mr. Sackville
  Preliminary indications for 1992–93 are that private patients accounted for around 100,000 finished consultant episodes in national health service hospitals in England, or about 1 per cent. of total episodes.

  FISHERIES COUNCIL, 12th APRIL
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  PRISON SERVICE: CORPORATE PLAN
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  SECURE UNITS: MANAGEMENT
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  ROYAL OPERA HOUSE: DEVELOPMENT PLANS
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  HILTON v UK and KISS v UK
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