Written Answers of 20 April 1994

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisoners (Police Cells)
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were being held in police cells in England and Wales at the latest date available.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Lynne Jones, dared 20 April 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners being held in police cells in England and Wales.
  On 17 April 1994, the latest date for which complete information is available, 315 prisoners were held in police cells in England and Wales.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences were reported to the police in each of the last five years involving sexual abuse or serious ill treatment of children aged under 16 years by stepfathers or men cohabiting with the child's mother.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is not collected centrally.

  "Police Stop" Video
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what reasons he has been given for actuality film of police car chases being supplied by local police forces to the commercial producers of the video "Police Stop"; and what form of payment was made for this transaction;

  (2) when the hon. Member for Hartlepool can expect to receive a reply to his letter of 21 March concerning the co-operation given by the police in the commercial production of the video "Police Stop";

  (3) if he will request local police forces in future to stop providing film footage of police car chases and crashes to commercial video producers.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and noble Friend Lord Ferrers replied to the hon. Member's letter on 13 April. The supply of informaiton from police records, including video material, is an operational matter which is for the discretion of individual chief officers of police. The traffic committee of the Association of Chief Police Officers has take a close interest in the issue and will be considering it in full when the committee meets on 11 512
  May. I understand that the information was supplied for the purpose of promoting road safety and that none of the police forces concerned received money for the supply of footage.

  Passports
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take measures to allow British citizens to continue to use a United Kingdom rather than a European passport if they so wish.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Old-style British passports remain valid until their normal date of expiry, but are then replaced by new-style British passports which are machine readable and in a common format agreed with our European Community partners. We have no plans to change the present arrangements.

  Car Crime
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps the Home Office is taking to reduce car crime, with particular reference to new initiatives taken within the last six months;

  (2) what estimates the Home Office has regarding the likely incidence of car crime in 1994–95 and 1995–96;

  (3) how many police hours were committed nationally to covering incidents of vehicle crime in each year since 1990;

  (4) what was the estimated cost to British car owners of vehicle crime in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Home Office is continuing its car crime prevention campaign in 1994, with both media advertising and behind the scenes activities designed to reduce the opportunities for this type of crime.

  In addition, the advisory committee on car crime prevention has now been brought under the auspices of the national board as a working group and continues to look at devising new ways of improving vehicle security. We are also continuing to promote the secured car parks initiative and I urged major car park operators to participate in the scheme when I met them on 2 February to discuss car park security.

  It is not possible to estimate what the likely incidence of car crime will be in 1994–95 and 1995–96, but I am pleased to be able to report that vehicle crime as a whole went down by almost 2 per cent. in 1993. I hope that this downward trend will continue.

  Information as to bow many police hours were committed nationally to covering incidents of car crime in each year since 1990 is not available.

  Similarly, information as to the estimated cost of vehicle crime to British car owners over the same period is not available in the form requested. However, the British Crime Survey found that in 1991 the net losses to victims of all types of thefts involving cars was somewhere in the region of £775 million, excluding insurance and security costs.

  Parish Constables
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of Sate for the Home Department what was the total cost of advertising and promoting the parish constable initiative incurred by his Department.
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  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There has bneen no formal advertising or promotional activity. The parish constables initiative was promoted through exchanges between the Home Office and police forces and parish councils in the course of normal business.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what extra resources his Department has provided to fund the provision of parish constables.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 18 April at columns 352-54.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has had from councils to provide funding for the provision of parish constables; and what has been his response.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The only representations of this kind that have been received from parish councils have suggested that the special constables serving as parish special constables, or the members of the public serving as wardens, should be paid either by the state or out of council funds. In the case of parish special constables, this would be contrary to the tradition of the special constabulary. Special constables volunteer their time and are not paid, although they receive allowances and out-of-pocket expenses for their hours of duty. This has not proved an obstacle to take-up of the initiative. More than 40 schemes are now up and running.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many parliamentary questions to his Department in the last five years have not been answered because of disproportionate costr j 2-6 or because the information requested was not held centrally; how many could be answered now due to computerisation and/or more effective operational systems; and if he will list each such question along with the name and constituency of the hon. Member who tabled it.

  Mr. Howard
  The number of answers given to questions to my Department in the five calendar years 1989–93 which the POLIS database has been able to identify as fitting the hon. Member's criteria is 479. Information on how many of these questions could now be answered and details of the questions and the hon. Members who tabled them could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Police, North Yorkshire
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been(a) the establishment and (b) the number of police officers in post in North Yorkshire on 1 April 1974 and on the same date each year since then up to and including 1 April 1994.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information on police strength is collected at the end of each month. The figures set out in the table give the information requested as at 30 April in each year. Data for April 1994 are not yet available.

  Establishment and strength of the North Yorkshire police from 1974 to 1994

  Years as at 30 April

  Establishment

  Strength

  1974

  1,277

  1,183

  1975

  1,277

  1,246

  1976

  1,328

  1,309

  514

  Years as at 30 April

  Establishment

  Strength

  1977

  1,328

  1,294

  1978

  1,328

  1,271

  1979

  1,328

  1,337

  11980

  1,368

  1,355

  1981

  1,368

  1,352

  1982

  1,368

  1,361

  1983

  1,368

  1,362

  1984

  1,368

  1,358

  1985

  1,368

  1,348

  1986

  1,368

  1,365

  1987

  1,368

  1,362

  1988

  1,368

  1,370

  1989

  1,383

  1,363

  1990

  1,408

  1,380

  1991

  1,408

  1,380

  1992

  1,418

  1,389

  1993

  1,418

  1,384

  21994

  1,418

  1,326

  1 The North Yorkshire authority did not ask for an increase in establishment between 1980–81 and 1987–88.

  2 Figures as at February.

  Polling Booths (Disabled Access)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new steps he is taking to ensure that disabled persons have full access to polling booths during local, national and European elections.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We regularly remind local authorities and returning officers about their obligation to choose, wherever possible, buildings which provide access for the disabled, and we have included further advice in our guidance for acting returning officers at the forthcoming European parliamentary elections. This matter is also being considered as part of our post-election review.

  Temazepam
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases of violent crime abuse of the drug Temazepam has been found to be a factor in the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is not collected centrally.

  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reschedule the drug Temazepam in capsule and tablet form; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Home Office carried out a public consultation exercise on this proposal last year. The advisory council subsequently considered the responses to this consultation, and I am currently considering the council's conclusions in consultation with ministerial colleagues. I plan to reach a decision shortly.

  Bosnian Refugees
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people from Bosnia have sought refugee status; and how many have been granted this in each year since 1992;

  (2) how many people from Bosnia are currently living in the United Kingdom because of insecurity in their homeland; and if he will give a breakdown of their current status regarding their right to stay.
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  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answers 19 April 1994]: The available information on asylum applications by nationals of the former Yugoslavia, and on decisions made, for the period 1 January 1992 to 31 March 1994 are given in the attached table; data for Bosnians are not separately identifiable in the statistics. The large majority of applications made in the period are under consideration and the applicants are being allowed to remain in the meantime.

  In addition to consideration of asylum applications, the Government have, under arrangements announced in November 1992 and June 1993, offered to receive 1,000 particularly vulnerable individuals from the former Yugoslavia, and their close dependants, an estimated total of 4,000 people in all. As at 12 April 1994, 626 particularly vulnerable individuals and 849 dependants had arrived under these arrangements. Prior to this, 68 sick and wounded ex-detainees from Bosnia arrived in September 1992.

  Decisions1 on applications1 received for asylum in the United Kingdom from nationals of the former Yugoslavia, excluding dependants, 1 January 1992 to 31 March 1994

  Number of principal applicants

  1992

  1993

  January 1994 to March 1994

  Asylum applications1

  5,635

  1,830

  390

  Decisions2 3

  130

  180

  270

  Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum

  *

  55

  220

  Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave to remain 4

  *

  55

  220

  Refusals

  125

  125

  45

  Refused asylum and exceptional leave after full consideration

  —

  10

  25

  Refused under para 180F5

  65

  80

  10

  Refused on safe third country grounds6

  60

  30

  5

  1Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5 with *=I or 2.

  2Figures exclude information on applications made overseas.

  3Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the period.

  4Usually granted for a year in the first instance, subject then to further review.

  5For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview to establish identity (para. 101 prior to 26 July 1993).

  6Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.

TREASURY

  VAT on Fuel
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what considerations led him to apply differential treatment to individual and district heating systems in regard to the levying of VAT on domestic fuel.

  Sir John Cope
  There is no special VAT treatment for supplies of heat made under a district heating scheme. However, where landlords supply their tenants with heat under such a scheme and make a flat rate charge for both accommodation and heat then, in VAT terms, there is only a single supply of heated accommodation. In such cases the VAT liability of this single supply will be determined by the principal element, the accommodation. This has always been the position and follows established VAT supply principles.
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  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the extent to which value added tax will be charged on any fuel used before 1 April, in bills sent out shortly after 1 April; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  There are transitional arrangements that enable suppliers to apportion bills so that VAT is charged only on gas and electricity calculated as used after the new rate came into force.

  Bank Notes (Design)
  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change the design, size and colouring of £10 or £20 notes.

  Sir John Cope
  The design of Bank of England banknotes is the responsibility of the Bank. I understand that it has no plans to make any further changes to the £10 and £20 notes. New versions with clearer numerals were introduced last year. The size differences have been maintained in order to help the blind and partially-sighted. The colours are predominantly different, especially in the bold coloured symbols and around the portraits on the reverse of the notes.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration is given when introducing new bank notes to the needs of the blind and the elderly.

  Sir John Cope
  Design of Bank of England bank notes is the responsibility of the Bank of England. The Bank consults representatives of the blind, the partially sighted and the elderly about the design. In the light of advice from these groups, the Bank has maintained differences in the heights and widths for each denomination in the new series of notes and introduced a different bold coloured symbol on the front of each note to assist the partially sighted.

  Trinidad Terms
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the countries which have benefited to date from the Trinidad terms; if he will specify for each of these countries how much debt has been written off in total, and how much has been written off by the United Kingdom; if he will list the countries which will be coming up for debt relief under the Trinidad terms in the near future; and if he will indicate which countries have started negotiating the second stage of their Trinidad terms agreement.

  Mr. Nelson
  To date, 22 countries have benefited from a reduction in the burden of their official bilateral debt under Trinidad terms. They are: Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Cote D'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Republic, Guyana, Honduras, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam and Zambia.

  Figures for the debts owed to individual creditors, or the debts cancelled for any individual country are confidential. We cannot publish these figures without the consent of the authorities in both the debtor and creditor countries. But in total, it is estimated that over the lifetime of these agreements over $71/: billion of debt will be restructured and around $23/4 billion will be forgiven. The United

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  Kingdom's share of the debt and debt service forgiven is estimated to be over $200 million. However, such estimates are liable to revision since, for several of the debtor countries, discussions over the detailed terms are still underway.

  The merits of all future requests for debt rescheduling will be considered by the Paris Club creditors on a case by case basis. Thus it is not possible to say which countries might obtain debt relief under Trinidad terms in the future. As yet, no countries have begun negotiating for reductions of their stock of official bilateral debts with the Paris Club.

  EC Central Bank
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the recent meeting of EC finance ministers with EC central bank governors.

  Sir John Cope
  EC central bank Governors were invited to the informal meeting of EC Economic and Finance Ministers held in Greece on 9 April. The main item of discussion was follow-up work to the Commission's White Paper on "Growth, Competitiveness and Employment." As is the practice for informal meetings of this sort, there were no formal Council conclusions.

  VAT Registration Fraud
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the amount saved or collected due to uncovering of value added tax registration fraud due to local knowledge of local registration staff in each constituency in England and Wales.

  Sir John Cope
  False VAT registration by bogus business for the purpose of obtaining false VAT repayments is treated as criminal fraud. Of the reported cases, Customs are unable to identify how many were detected specifically as the result of local knowledge of registration staff in local VAT offices.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  British National Party
  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he has received a report from the Metropolitan police into the alleged electoral malpractices of the British National party in leaflets put out in Millwall on the 1 October 1992 and 16 September 1993 local by-elections; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The Crown Prosecution Service has been kept informed of the progress of the Metropolitan police inquiries following a complaint made by the hon. Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw). The investigation is continuing and the CPS expects to receive a report when it is concluded.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Computer Error, Benefits Agency
  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of people not in receipt of severe disablement premium 518
  because of computer error by the Benefits Agency; how long this problem has existed; what is being done to rectify it; what efforts are being made to trace those concerned; what his Department's policy is towards backdating payments to the date when entitlement commenced; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Jamie Cann, Dated 19 April 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question in which you enquire about suggestions that Benefits Agency customers with entitlement to a severe disability premium (SDP) have not received it due to a computer error.
  I would first of all like to explain that the problem did not arise from a fault with the Income Support Computer System (ISCS). It has always been possible to include the SDP in system produced payments of Income Support if entitlement existed. The problem arose because the complexity of the criteria necessitated staff making further enquiries in cases with potential entitlement.
  This was because it was not possible to obtain all of the information to determine entitlement on the intial Income Support claim form; inclusion of all the relevant questions would have increased its size and complexity unacceptably, particularly for the majority of customers from whom the information was not required.
  Inevitably potential entitlement was sometimes overlooked, further enquiries were not always made and as a result some awards of the SDP missed.
  In order to improve the initial consideration of claims a change was introduced to the ISCS on 13 December 1993. It will now identify a case with potential entitlement to the SDP as claim details are entered and issue an appropriate enquiry to the customer, removing the need for staff to do this. Similarly, potential entitlement is also identified when reviewing existing cases.
  Corrective action has been taken on all cases identified and full areas have been considered and paid as appropriate. Arrears are considered for any past period since 1988, when the premium was introduced, in cases where the award of the SDP was appropriate.
  We are considering what further action may be necessary to establish the extent of the problem and identify any further cases which may not have been correctly awarded the SDP. If any are identified enquiries will be made before they are referred to the adjudicating authorities who will consider whether, and from when, the SDP can be paid.
  I should explain that all claims to social security benefits are decided in the first instance by an Adjudication Officer who applies statute and caselaw to a customers circumstances before making a decision about entitlement. If a person disagrees with their decisions they have the right of appeal to the Independant Tribunal Service. There is a further right of appeal, but only on a point of law, to the Social Security Commissioners.
  These authorities, appointed in consequence of an Act of Parliament, are independant of both the Department of Social Security and the Benefits Agency. Consequently no Government Minister or official can comment on their decisions or intervene in matters for which they are responsible.
  I hope that you find this reply helpful.

  Appeal Tribunals
  Sir Malcolm Thornton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he is taking to remove legislative barriers to improved handling of appeals to social security appeal tribunals, disability appeal tribunals and medical appeal tribunals.

  Mr. Hague
  Amendments to the social security adjudication regulations have been laid today to make a
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  number of changes which will streamline the handling of appeals by the independent tribunal service. The main purpose of these minor and technical amendments is to ensure that before a date is arranged for an appeal hearing all necessary preliminary work can be completed.

  Pensions
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average value of weekly state pension paid(a) four weeks in arrears and (b) 13 weeks in arrears.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is not available.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of the population of working age in Britain is(a) currently contributing to the state earnings-related pension scheme or (b) currently opted out of SERPS and is earning above the national insurance minimum contributions level.

  Mr. Hague
  During 1991–92, the latest date for which information is available, of the population of working age in Great Britain with earnings above the national insurance lower earnings level:

  (a) 15.4 per cent. paid national insurance contributions to count towards the state earnings-related pension scheme;

  (b) 34.2 per cent. were contracted out of SERPS, including those who are members of an appropriate personal pension scheme;

  (c) 3 per cent. worked in both contracted in and contracted out employments.

  Source: I per cent. sample of the national insurance recording system and Office of Population Censuses and Surveys mid-1992 population estimates.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners receive their state pension via automated credit transfer(a) four weeks in arrears and (b) 13 weeks in arrears.

  Mr. Hague
  At March this year, an estimated 2,550,000 pensioners received their state pension by automated credit transfer four weekly in arrears; and an estimated 85,000 received their state pension by automated credit transfer 13-weekly in arrears.

  Benefits (Habitual Residence Test)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 12 April,Official Report, column 164, what views his Department's legal advisers have expressed on his proposals applying an habitual residence test to the payment of benefit.

  Mr. Hague
  The Department's legal advisers believe that the proposals are in accordance with Community law.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Aero-engine Development
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what analysis he has undertaken into the relative Government support received by Rolls-Royce, Pratt and Witney and General Electric concerning aero-engine development.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The United States aero-engine industry receives no direct financial support from the United States 520
  Government. However, indirect support, primarily from NASA and the Department of Defence for research and development, is estimated by the United Kingdom industry to be approximately $760 million per annum. Due in part to the high level of indirect support provided by the United States Government to its aircraft industry, the United Kingdom has been seeking a new GATT agreement on trade in civil aircraft to provide strict and fair limits on all classes of Government support for the aerospace industry.

  Currently Rolls-Royce receives around £5 million under a number of DTI schemes. The Ministry of Defence, including the Defence Research Agency, currently spends around £51 million with Rolls-Royce on aero-engine research technology demonstration and development contracts.

  Rolls-Royce
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what level of repayments of launch aid have been made by Rolls-Royce to the Exchequer in each year since 1986.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Launch aid repayments made by Rolls-Royce for each year since 1986 are as follows:

  Year

  £ million

  1986–87

  22·2

  1987–88

  25·2

  1988–89

  21·5

  1989–90

  31·9

  1990–91

  17·3

  1991–92

  27·3

  1992–93

  33·6

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much Government assistance has been given to Rolls-Royce since 1986.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Approximately £196 million has been provided to Rolls-Royce under a number of schemes since 1986.

  Fireworks
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the President of the Board
  of Trade how many firework-related injuries were referred to hospitals in the period around 5 November 1993.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  According to reports from accident and emergency units in hospitals in England, Wales and Scotland, 1,058 people required treatment for injuries caused by fireworks, an increase of 12 per cent. over the total number of injuries reported in 1992.

  A breakdown of the figures for 1993 and for the previous four years by region, type of injury and kind of firework involved is being placed today in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

  Virtually half the injuries were due to illegal misuse of fireworks in the streets or public places—338—and to sparklers—189. Injuries in the 16 to 20-year age group were 12 per cent. lower than in 1992.

  Notwithstanding annual average sales of 100 million fireworks, I remain concerned at the number of firework injuries.

  My Department is in touch with representatives of the fireworks industry and of enforcement authorities to discuss ways in which firework injuries can be reduced.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the ECGD will become a next steps agency.

  Mr. Heseltine
  ECGD's status has recently been reviewed as part of the Government's ongoing next steps programme. In the light of this Ministers have concluded that ECGD's current status as a separate Government Department remains best suited, in present circumstances, to the achievement of its aims and objectives. This conclusion reflects, in part, the continuing high level of ministerial involvement in ECGD's business. The circumstances bearing on this conclusion will be considered again in three years' time to determine whether there has been any material change which would justify a further formal status review.

  Coal Industry (Mine Plans)
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the current location of the abandoned mine plans for the Northumberland, Durham and Cumberland coalfields.

  Mr. Eggar
  I understand that British Coal holds abandoned mine plans, on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive, at Bretby in Staffordshire.

  Consultants
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether consultants retained by him on the review of the Warren Springs laboratory of AEA Technology have advised him of conflicts of interest.

  Mr. Heseltine
  No.

  Generating Industry (Government Support)
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total financial support from the Government during 1993, direct and indirect, including research, given to(a) coal-fired power generation, (b) nuclear power, (c) gas-fired power generation, (d) oil-fired power generation, (e) wind power and (f) wave power.

  Mr. Eggar
  Financial support is given to the power generation industry through the fossil fuel levy. In 1992–93 the levy raised 1,348 million: of this some 98 per cent. went to nuclear £power generators, and 2 per cent. to renewable generators. The proportion of levy receipts going to renewable generators is expected to increase during the 1990s, as more renewable generating plant is commissioned.

  Information on the Government's expenditure on energy research and development is published in "Trade and Industry—The Government's Expenditure Plans 1994–95 to 1996–97", Cm 2504, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. The estimated outturn for 1993–94 expenditure on R and D on renewables and novel sources of energy given at page 57 includes £7.31 million for wind power and £0.196 million for wave power.

  Wind Energy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the location of those proposals for wind energy submitted for the new round of contracts under 522
  non-fossil fuel obligation 3 which are sited in Wales; and if he will give (a) the size, (b) the proposers and (c) other details of each such proposed new site in Wales.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a matter for the appropriate regional electricity companies and their agent, the Non-Fossil Purchasing Agency Ltd, which is co-ordinating applications from generators seeking contracts under the proposed third renewables order.

  City (Short-termism)
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures his Department will take to deal with the short-termism of the City.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Although the issue is unproven, there is a perception that short-termism exists. A lack of effective dialogue between companies and their shareholders may lead to short-term attitudes; by companies with regard to their investment decisions, and investors with regard to their shareholdings. My Department will continue to support initiatives which can lead to an improved level of understanding between the City and industry.

  Regional Electricity Companies
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what advice he has given Professor Littlechild concerning the potential subsidisation of the retail activities of regional electricity companies through their electricity supply functions.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a matter for the Director General of Electricity Supply. It is a condition of regional electricity companies' licences that they may not cross-subsidise between their separate businesses.

  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many complaints have been received by his Department from customers of regional electricity companies who believe that through the price of electricity they subsidise the retail activities of those companies.

  Mr. Eggar
  Over the last financial year, 1993–94, the Department of Trade and Industry has received no complaints from consumers on this matter.

  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information is collected by 0141-.ER concerning the retail activities of regional electricity companies.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Director General of Electricity Supply has no power to intervene in the running of the regional electricity companies' retail businesses. A condition in their licences ensures that the RECs may not cross-subsidise between their separate businesses, and the Director General has a duty to collect information to ensure that this is the case.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total amount received from the flotation of the regional electricity companies; and what is their total current value.

  Mr. Eggar
  Proceeds from the sale of shares in the RECs was £5,040 million. In addition the companies were floated with a debt to the Government of £2,815 million.
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  Some of this debt has already been paid back to the Treasury and some has yet to be redeemed. Total proceeds of the sale, therefore, will amount to £7,855 million.

  As with most other public limited companies the current values of the regional electricity companies are publicly quoted and vary on a day to day basis.

  Figures are given to the nearest million pounds.

  National Grid
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the esimated value of the National Grid following demerger from the regional electricity companies.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a commercial matter for the current owners of the company to assess.

  Coal Industry Bill
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 12 April, column 106, if he will place in the Library a copy of the National Rivers Authority's response to the consultation exercise on the Coal Authority explanatory note and draft model licensing and leasing documents.

  Mr. Eggar
  The response has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Arms Exports (Indonesia)
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will make it his policy to halt immediately all arms exports to Indonesia if it is established that weapons or military vehicles which have been manufactured in Britain and exported to Indonesia are being used against the people of East Timor;

  (2) what guarantees he has received from the Indonesian Government that British aircraft and weapons which have been exported to Indonesia will not be used against the people of East Timor.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Specific assurances have been given to the Government in respect of Hawk aircraft sales.

  Because all applications for licensable goods are subject to strict controls and are scrutinised on a case by case basis, no further assurances or guarantees have been deemed necessary.

  If we believe that a prospective purchase of military goods is likely to be used for repressive purposes against a civilian population, the application is rejected.

  If there is any evidence of British military equipment being used for repressive purposes against civilians I shall certainly consider it.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Cleaners
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many cleaners are employed within the House and its associated offices; how many hours on average each cleaner works; and what is the hourly rate of pay for each grade of cleaner.

  Mr. Beith
  The House currently employs one full-time cleaner working 37 hours per week and 69 part-time 524
  cleaners working 17 hours per week in the Serjeant at Arms Department and one part-time cleaner in charge working 30 hours per week and four part-time cleaners working 28¼ hours per week in the Department of the Library. In negotiations recently concluded between management and the relevant trade union representatives, the number of part-time cleaners in the Serjeant's Department will, over time, be reduced to 62 by natural wastage.

  The hourly rate of pay of the cleaners is £4.7044 per hour, rising to £4.78 after five years' service, and that of the cleaner in charge is £4.94/0.37 depending on length of service, rising to £5.56 after three years' satisfactory service and £5.75 after a further three years satisfactory service.

  Exhibitions (Upper Waiting Hall)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to education in developing countries to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 16 May to Friday 20 May.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMISSION

  Government Agencies
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission what funds are being made available to the National Audit Office to investigate the work of Government agencies.

  Sir Peter Hordern
  The National Audit Office's budget of £36.5 million for 1994–95 includes provision both for financial audit of Government Departments, executive agencies, and a wide range of other public sector bodies, and for value for money investigations. As my hon. Friend will know, the forward investigation programme of the National Audit Office is a matter for the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committee.

  Register of Members' Interests
  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to his answer of 14 March,Official Report, column 513, for what reason the original HMSO estimate for the printing and publishing costs of the December 1992 Register of Members' Interests, HC 325 of 1992–93 was incorrect; by what percentage the revised figure differs from the previous estimate; what is the basis for those estimated costs and their revision; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to Her Majesty's Stationery Office under its chief executive. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member direct.

  Letter from Mr. P. Freeman to Sir Ralph Howell, dated 19 April 1994:

  525
  As you are aware, your Parliamentary Question to the Lord President of the Council, about the HMSO estimates for the printing and publishing costs of the December 1992 Register of Members' Interests has been referred to me for reply.
  Regrettably, the cause for the error in the costs quoted in the Register was a calculation mistake which occurred within HMSO. In order to prevent any repetition, our verification procedure has been strengthened.
  The revised cost estimate is 150 per cent. of the former incorrect figure. The production costs of preparation, pre-press, printing, finishing, packing and distribution provide the principle basis for HMSO cost estimates; publishing costs are normally calculated as a percentage addition.
  Please let me know if I can help further.

TRANSPORT

  M25
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he expects to be in a position to publish his proposals for additional capacity on the M25 between junctions 10 and 12;

  (2) what criteria his Department is using in preparing the design of any proposals to provide additional capacity on the M25 between junctions 10 and 12; and what possibilities are being examined.

  Mr. Key
  These questions relate to operational matters of the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to my right hon. Friend.

  Year

  Route/Scheme

  Total cost (£ million)

  Grant or Loan

  To whom grant or loan authorised

  Scheme description

  1990 to 1991

  A606 Little Wymondley bypass, Hertfordshire

  11·3

  100 per cent. grant

  Hertfordshire county council

  Dual two-lane all-purpose bypass

  1990 to 1991

  A418 Wing bypass, Buckinghamshire

  18·3

  100 per cent. grant

  Buckinghamshire county council

  Dual two-lane all-purpose bypass

  1990 to 1991

  A134 Fornham St. Martin, Suffolk

  4·2

  100 per cent. grant

  Suffolk county council

  Dual two-lane all-purpose bypass

  1991 to 1992

  A6(M) M56 (Manchester airport link) central section, Cheshire

  14·8

  100 per cent. grant

  Cheshire county council

  Part of dual carriage way A34 Wilmslow and Handford bypass

  1991 to 1992

  A16 Market Deeping/Deeping St. James bypass, Lincolnshire

  5·8

  100 per cent. grant

  Lincolnshire county council

  Dual two-lane all-purpose bypass

  1992 to 1993

  Al2 Lowestoft eastern relief road, Suffolk

  3·57

  100 per cent. grant

  Suffolk county council

  Single carriageway relief road

  Section 272 grants were awarded to these schemes because the Department intends to trunk the route and these improvements would offer significant benefits to the road network.

  Rail Services, South-West
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations his Department has received in 1994 from north Devon about the future of rail services in the south-west.

  Mr. Freeman
  My Department has received two representations from north Devon about the future of rail services in the south-west. Both concerned the future of the Exeter to Barnstaple line.
  526
  Letter from Mr. L Haynes to Sir Cranley Onslow, dated 19 April 1994:
  The Minister for Roads and Traffic, Mr. Robert Key, has asked me to write to you in reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the provision of additional capacity between junctions 10 and 12 of the M25.
  Consultants have been asked to investigate options for increasing the capacity of this section of the motorway beyond dual four lanes to meet the traffic needs of this busy section of the M25 taking into account of environmental and economic constraints.
  Following the recent Roads Review, this scheme is in the Priority 2 category. It is necessary, therefore, to reassess the programme. This process is not expected to take very long but until it has been completed I am afraid I am unable to say when any proposals could be published. I will write to you again then.

  Highway Scheme Funding
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the highway schemes funded under section 272 of the Highways Act 1980, in 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93 showing(a) the total cost of each scheme, (b) the amount of the grant under section 272 and whether it was a grant or a loan, (c) to whom the grant or loan was authorised, (d) the reasons for using this procedure and (e) a description of the scheme.

  Mr. Key
  Details of the highway schemes that the Department agreed in principle would be funded under section 272 of the Highways Act 1980 in 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93 are as follows:

  Transport Council
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the results of the Transport Council held in Luxembourg on 18 April.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Transport Council met in Luxembourg on 18 April. I represented the United Kingdom.

  The Council had further discussions following the wise men's report on the airline industry. The Commission will present an action plan to the June Council. There is increasing support for the United Kingdom position on the need to implement in full the third aviation package and to have new Commission guidelines to deal with state aids.

  Although there was some support for the United Kingdom view that the work on the opening of negotiations on air and road transport agreements with

  527
  Switzerland should be resumed, further discussion was postponed until after the General Affairs Council in May has considered the wider implications of the recent Swiss referendum on lorry transit.

  The Council asked for the draft directive on Community railway licensing to be further developed. Most member states, including the United Kingdom, favoured restricting its scope to operators of international services. More detailed discussions will take place before the proposal returns to the Council.

  The Council remitted for further consideration by officials a proposed directive on transport of dangerous goods by road which seeks to extend to transport within a member state the provisions of a European agreement on such transport internationally.

  The Council instructed the Commission to open negotiations on road transit with Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania; and asked officials to consider further a mandate for wider negotiations on road transport with central and eastern European countries.

  The Commission reported on progress on the continuing negotiations with east European countries on an agreement for the inland waterway sector. The Commission presented its proposal for a decision establishing guidelines for trans-European transport networks covering all modes of transport. I welcomed the proposal while highlighting the United Kingdom concern that trans-European network funding should not distort competition. I also mentioned that the United Kingdom would be likely to request changes to the United Kingdom network following the United Kingdom national roads programme review.

  Other matters mentioned included Commission discussions with the United States of America on aviation and maritime issues and progress in the working groups on road safety. I undertook to send colleagues copies of the Donaldson report on the protection of the United Kingdom coastline from pollution from shipping when it is published. I propose to place it on the agenda for the next Council in June.

  No votes were taken on any of the items.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many sites of special scientific interest will have been saved by the recent Government announcements in relation to the roads programme.

  Mr. Key
  As a result of our recent review of the national road programme for England, eight sites of special scientific interest which could have been affected directly or indirectly by road schemes are no longer affected.

  A5
  Sir David Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the second public inquiry into the Sheep lane junction on the A5 north of Dunstable will commence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 18 April 1994]: The development of this scheme is now an operational matter for the Highways Agency. The chief executive has written to my hon. Friend about the revised proposals for the Sheep lane junction.
  528
  Letter from Mr. L. Haynes to Sir David Madel, dated 19 April 1994:
  Robert Key, Minister for Roads and Traffic, has asked me to reply to your question about development plans for the A5, Sheep Lane junction as responsibility for taking the scheme forward will now rest with the Highways Agency.
  As I think you know, the Inspector at the first Public Inquiry rejected the Department's proposals for improvement of the junction by means of grade separation and recommended, instead, a roundabout solution. The Secretaries of State for the Environment and Transport accepted this and a roundabout scheme is now being developed by the Agency's Eastern Regional Office.
  An option report is expected within the next 6 weeks. Following this, we should be in a position to publish draft Orders in the Autumn. The publication process will ensure that all those with an interest in the scheme will be able to register their views.
  It is too soon to say whether a Public Inquiry will be necessary as this will depend on the weight and nature of objections received. If one is required then it is likely to be held around six months after publication of the draft Orders.
  Progress thereafter will depend on satisfactory completion of statutory procedures and availability of funds.
  I shall ensure that you are kept informed of key stage developments.

  Air Traffic Services
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has now received the report from the working group of officials on the options for privatisation of the national air traffic services of the Civil Aviation Authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have received the working group report, which I am currently considering, and I hope to announce my response shortly.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many parliamentary questions to his Department in the past five years have not been answered because of disproportionate cost or because the information requested was not held centrally; how many could be answered now due to computerisation and/or more effective operational systems; and if he will list each such question along with the name and constituency of the hon. Member who tabled it.

  Mr. Norris
  The number of questions to the Department that were not answered due to disproportionate cost or because the information was not held centrally over the last five years was 88.

  The number of such questions that could now be answered due to increased computerisation and other changes to operational systems could be calculated only at disproportionate cost.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Somalia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support the United Kingdom Government are giving towards de-mining activity in Somaliland; and where de-mining activity is currently taking place in Somalia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are not funding de-mining work currently. We provided almost £700,000 to support
  529
  work in north-west Somalia from November 1991 to May 1993. We understand UNOSOM II is supporting 14 local mine clearance schemes and plans to expand them and to open a de-mining training school in Mogadishu.

  Aid and Trade Provision
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on which dam and large-scale power projects approved for ATP assistance in the last five years there has not been a full environmental impact assessment.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  All ODA projects, including ATP projects, are subject to environmental assessment according to the guidelines and procedures described in our Manual of Environmental Appraisal, first issued in 1989, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. If on initial screening the proposed development registers any significant environmental impacts then we would take further steps to ensure a more detailed environmental appraisal, or environmental impact assessment, is carried out.

  The following two projects were not subject to more detailed environmental appraisal: gas turbines, Philippines; scattered diesels, Indonesia. Both projects were approved before the ODA guidelines on environmental appraisal came into being.

  Rwanda
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many refugees are estimated to be fleeing Rwanda; and what response is being made by the international community.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimated, as of 15 April 1994, that some 26,000 people had fled Rwanda, 12,000 of whom were Burundi refugees who had sought refuge in Rwanda; 9,000 Rwandese refugees are reported to have fled to Zaire. The situation, however, is in a state of flux. Britain has so far committed some £820,000 in humanitarian aid as our share of the international response. Details of responses by other donor countries are not yet available.

PRIME MINISTER

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 12 April,Official Report, column 29, concerning the powers of Her Majesty's Government within the Council of Ministers of the European Community, which articles listed refer to (a) obligatory duties or action as required by the treaties and (b) optional actions.

  The Prime Minister
  Whether the treaty requires the Council to act, or gives it a discretion whether or not to act, specific proposals for action made under the articles listed in my previous answer require the unanimous agreement of the Council.

  Friendly Countries
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 31 March,Official Report, column 908, regarding friendly countries, which countries and Governments are presently regarded as sharing the United Kingdom's objectives.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing to add to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member on 31 March at column 908.

  Appointments
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the current members of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.

  The Prime Minister
  The members of the Advisory Committee on usiness Appointments are:

  The right hon. the Lord Carlisle of Bucklow QC—Chairman

  The Lord Bridges GCMG

  Sir John Blelloch KCB

  Sir Trevor Holdsworth

  Sir Charles Huxtable KCB CBE

  Sir Robin Ibbs KBE

  The right hon. Peter Shore MP

  The right hon. the Lord Thomson of Monifieth KT

  I have recently appointed the right hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Stepney (Mr. Shore) and Sir John Blelloch, following the retirement at the end of their appointments of Lord Merlyn-Rees and Sir Patrick Nairne.

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements he has made to issue guidelines in relation to the liaison between local authorities and local water authorities after local government reorganisation.

  Mr. Baldry
  None. It is a matter for a local authority and a local water company what links are established between them, provided that they comply with statute. That applies whether local government structure is reorganised in their area or not.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further representations he has received on local government reforms.

  Mr. Curry
  My right hon. Friend receives a number of representations from time to time relating to the reform of local government in England. Local government in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Rio Earth Summit
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to make further announcements about the process of taking forward the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, the Rio earth summit.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Government published in January this year a comprehensive strategy on sustainable development and national plans on climate change, biodiversity, and
  531
  forests. We are taking a full part in international action to follow up the earth summit, including preparations for the next meeting in May of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to review private rented housing.

  Sir George Young
  The private rented sector has already expanded considerably since deregulation in 1989. We have in hand a number of other initiatives to ensure that this revival continues.

  Out-of-town Shopping Developments
  Mr. Brandreth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning his policy on out-of-town shopping developments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  We have received a number. The majority have been supportive of our policy of encouraging shopping development in or next to existing town centres and concentrations of people.

  Listed Buildings
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to alter the planning regulations to give additional protection to listed buildings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Provisions in schedule 3 to the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 considerably strengthened the regime for enforcing listed building control. We will consider any additional provisions that my hon. Friend wishes to propose.

  Right to Buy
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to review the law relating to the right to buy.

  Sir George Young
  I have no plans for a major review. I am, however, considering one or two minor clarifying amendments for introduction when a suitable opportunity arises.

  Markets
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received on the licensing of markets; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Ministers receive representations on the licensing of markets from time to time.

  Local Authority Capital Investment
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for changing the methods of financing capital investment by local authorities.

  Mr. Curry
  The system established by the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 fosters an appropriate pattern of investment while
  maintaining control of public expenditure.

  Coal Mines (Water Pollution)
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent discussions he has had with the National Rivers Authority about the impact on watercourses of closed coal mines.

  Mr. Atkins
  My Department maintains regular contact with the National Rivers Authority about this and other issues.

  Local Government (Royal Commission)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will appoint a Royal Commission on local government.

  Mr. Curry
  No. My right hon. Friend sees no reason for the appointment of such a commission.

  Sewage Sludge Dumping (North Sea)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the need for a derogation from the European Union requirement to end North sea sewage sludge dumping.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive does not provide for a derogation from the requirement to ban dumping of sewage sludge at sea by the end of 1998.

  Council Tax
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the average council tax is for a band D property.

  Mr. Baldry
  The average headline council tax for a band D property for English authorities, based on information returned to my Department, is £580. This represents an increase of 2.2 per cent. on the 1993–94 average which was £568. Most households pay band C or less. The comparable band C figure for 1994–95 is £516.

  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the differences in council tax levels between local authorities.

  Mr. Baldry
  The average headline council tax (band C, two adults) ranges from £218 set by Westminster to £770 set by Liverpool. The average headline council tax (band C, two adults) for Conservative-controlled authorities is £429 while the average for Labour-controlled authorities is £560.

  Local Authority Rents
  Mr. Pope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the average level of rent set by each local authority for the years 1993–94 and 1994–95.

  Sir George Young
  The information so far available to my Department from local authorities' returns has been placed in the Library. It represents returns from 329 of the 366 housing authorities in England. My Department's estimate of the average council rent for 1994-95 is £35.70, an increase of £2.00 a week on 1993–94.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the five London boroughs
  533
  with the highest average council house rents, and the five lowest; and if he will give the political control of each of those councils.

  Sir George Young
  Local authorities report information on average rents on housing revenue account claim forms. The London boroughs with the five highest and five lowest average rents for 1994–95, based on the latest available information, are as follows:

  Average weekly rent 1994–95 (£)

  Political control

  Redbridge

  63·75

  Conservative

  Harrow

  62·97

  Conservative

  Westminster

  61·43

  Conservative

  Kensington and Chelsea

  60·28

  Conservative

  Kingston upon Thames

  60·27

  No overall control

  Hounslow

  39·97

  Labour

  Newham

  39·88

  Labour

  Tower Hamlets

  37·71

  Liberal Democrat

  Havering

  36·91

  No overall control

  Barking

  33·15

  Labour

  Rent levels reflect a number of factors, including the arrangements for setting guideline rents for HRA subsidy purposes. These arrangements are related to capital values, which generally lead to higher rent levels in areas where the average value of council dwellings are higher.

  London (Quality of Life)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he made of the responses to his London questionnaire on the changes in the quality of life for Londoners over the past 10 years.

  Mr. Gummer
  Our analysis of the responses did not reveal any comments on changes in the quality of life for Londoners over the past 10 years.

  Local Government Powers
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to devolve power from central to local government.

  Mr. Curry
  The distribution of power between central and local government is guided by the principle of subsidiarity, which requires responsibility to be delegated to the level which is most consistent with competence, practicality and cost-effectiveness.

  Energy Conservation Bill
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many letters he has received concerning the Energy Conservation Bill; what proportion are in favour; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  My Department has received some 500 letters in support of the Energy Conservation Bill.

  Planning Policy Guidance
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the implementation of planning policy guidance notes 6 and 13.

  Mr. Gummer
  These planning policy guidance notes play a key role in our sustainable development strategy by 534
  helping to maximise the potential of existing centres, and encouraging development in locations where there can be a choice of means of access—and which can help to reduce the need to travel. It is for local authorities to reflect this approach in their plans and planning decisions in the first instance. The principles will also apply to decisions on planning appeal and call-in.

  Local Government Reorganisation (Cleveland)
  Mr. Bates
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about local government reorganisation in Cleveland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  We have received more than 300 representations about local government reorganisation in Cleveland since the Local Government Commission issued its final report last November. When we lay an implementation order for Cleveland we shall place a summary of these in the Library. Individual representations will be made available if requested unless the writers intended their views to be treated in confidence.

  Charles House
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated total cost of the refurbishment of Charles house, London W14.

  Sir George Young
  This property, with an area of 33,000 sq. metres, is held on a lease expiring in June 2010 at an historically low rent. The refurbishment is being undertaken jointly by Property Holdings and Inland Revenue (the major occupier) at a total cost of £3.7 million, inclusive of fees and VAT. It will upgrade the accommodation to provide good value central London offices and at the same time enable the surrender of other premises showing an estimated annual saving of £4.3 million.

  London Consultation Paper
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the responses to the consultation paper on "London: Making the Best Better", raised topics on which responses were not specifically invited; and if he will list each such topic, indicating the level of support from the public which it attracted.

  Sir George Young
  Question 1 of the questionnaire in "London: Making the Best Better" invited respondents to select aspects of London they appreciate from a list of 62 topics, with space to write in other aspects if they wished. All the other questions were open-ended and gave respondents free rein to raise the issues which concerned them about London. Distinctions between topics on which views were or were not specifically invited did not, therefore, arise and all the views expressed were taken into account in the analysis.

  Housing Renovation Grants
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to increase or extend the availability of housing renovation grants.

  Sir George Young
  We will announce our conclusions on the future of private sector renewal programmes following last year's consultation exercise in due course.

  Public Sector Housing Development
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much land he expects to be used for public housing for(a) council and (b) housing association development during the current year; at what cost to public funds; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  New house building by local authorities is now negligible. Housing associations are now the main providers of new social housing.

  Forecasts of the amount of land expected to be used for the provision of social housing, and the cost to public funds of the land, are not collected by the Housing Corporation or the Department. Housing association bids for funds from the Housing Corporation's approved development programme take into account the total cost of a scheme including any requirement to purchase land but do not identify the cost of the land separately.

  Urban Development Corporation
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent on consultants' fees by each urban development corporation since the corporations' inception.

  Mr. Baldry
  Urban development corporations contract our project management, legal, planning, architectural and engineering design and a range of other services to private sector consultants. In addition consultants are commissioned to produce reports, although this represents only a small proportion of the total expenditure. Expenditure from inception to 31 March 1994 on consultants' fees is as follows:

  Urban development corporation

  £ million

  Birmingham heartlands

  0·54

  Black country

  27·68

  Bristol

  6·40

  Central Manchester

  6·00

  Leeds

  4·93

  London docklands

  152·70

  Merseyside

  24·40

  Plymouth

  0·58

  Sheffield

  11·14

  Teesside

  226·92

  Trafford Park

  22·03

  Tyne and Wear

  25·49

  1 Figures from 1 April 1990 to 31 March 1994—project consultancies only. Figures from inception to 31 March 1990 not available.

  2 Figures up to 31 March 1993.

  Coalfield Areas Fund
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give figures on the distribution of the coalfield areas fund and on the share of the fund that is being made available in relation to the closure of Littleton colliery in south Staffordshire.

  Mr. Baldry
  The full £5 million available under the Coalfield Areas Fund was allocated last year, in response to bids from local authorities, as follows:

  DOE Region and Authority

  Bids approved (£)

  Merseyside

  St. Helens MBC (Parkside/Sutton Manor)

  150,000

  North West

  536

  DOE Region and Authority

  Bids approved (£)

  Wigan MBC (Parkside)

  120,000

  North

  Easington DC (Vane Tempest/Easington)

  164,000

  Durham Co.C (Vane Tempest/Easington)

  86,000

  West Midlands

  Stoke-on-Trent Ci C (Trentham)

  560,400

  Staffordshire Co. C (Trentham)

  266,000

  East Midlands

  Ashfield DC (Silverhill)

  336,108

  Rushcliffe BC (Cotgrave)

  293,232

  Nottinghamshire Co. C (Coalfield area/Cotgrave/Bevercotes/Clipstone)

  384,500

  Bolsover DC (Bolsover/Shirebrook)

  544,393

  Newark and Sherwood DC (Clipstone)

  72,756

  Chesterfield BC (Bolsover)

  214,000

  Bassetlaw BC (Bevercotes)

  193,800

  Mansfield DC (Coalfield area/Clipstone/Shirebrook)

  359,800

  Derbyshire Co. C (Coalfield Area)

  50,500

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Doncaster MBC (Rossington/Markham Main)

  648,150

  Wakefield MDC (Sharlston)

  288,000

  Rotherham MBC (Maltby)

  291,000

  Total

  5,022,639

  Although communities affected by the closure of Littleton colliery have not been assisted by the Coalfield Areas Fund, they will benefit from other elements of the Government's £200 million package of assistance announced last year by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

  Urban Waste Water Directive (Torbay)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the kinds of tidal movements in Torbay; and if he will categorise the bay as less sensitive under the urban waste water directive.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave him on 18 April at column 361

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each local authority, together with an indication of political control,(a) the budget submitted for 1994–95, (b) the spending at standard spending assessment, (c) the percentage over standard spending assessment which the budget represents, (d) the percentage over the 1993–94 budget which the 1994–95 budget represents, (e) the provisional cap and (f) the approved cap.

  Mr. Baldry
  I am arranging for the information to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account he takes of the impact of fixed spending on capital financing costs in his policies on the capping of local authority expenditure.

  Mr. Baldry
  Provision for capital financing costs is included within authorities' standard spending assessments. In determining his principles for capping my right hon. Friend has regard to all relevant considerations. The cap proposed for any authority designated in accordance with those principles takes account of all the available information on its circumstances.
  537
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 24 November,Official Report, columns 43–44, in what way his final proposals on capital financing standard spending assessments took into account responses to the consultation on his original proposals.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Secretary of State considered carefully all the representations which we received during the consultation period, including those relating to the capital financing element, and any other relevant information before taking his final decisions on the 1994–95 revenue support grant settlement.

  European Structural Funds
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will present to the European Commission the Government's proposals for directing future European structural funds assistance towards regions in England seriously affected by industrial decline; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  I have arranged for the regional conversion plans for the nine regions in England designated by the Commission for assistance under structural funds objective 2 to be presented to the European Commission today. Funding under objective 2 contributes towards the development of regions (including employment areas and urban communities) seriously affected by industrial decline. The plans cover the period 1994–96, for which £1,195 million has been allocated to England.

  The nine regions, with 1994–96 allocations, are North East England, £239 million; West Cumbria and Furness, £19 million; Yorkshire and Humberside, £243 million; East Midlands, £62 million; West Midlands, £287 million; Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire, £255 million; East London and Lee Valley, £57 million; Thanet, £11 million; and Plymouth, £22 million.

  The plans have been lodged in time to ensure that the eligible date for expenditure on objective 2 programmes is 1 January 1994. Under the Structural Funds Regulations, the Commission is required to reach a decision on the plans within six months of receipt.

  Rent Officers (Guidelines)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the guidelines issued to the rent officers to assist them in the setting of rent levels.

  Sir George Young
  When setting fair rents, rent officers follow the provisions of section 70 of the Rent Act 1977. When considering the reasonableness of market rents for housing benefit purposes, they follow the provisions of the Rent Officer (Additional Functions) Order 1990 (SI 428) as amended. The Secretary of State has no powers to issue guidelines about setting rents to rent officers, and has therefore not done so.

  The Education Trust of the Institute of Rent Officers has established a working party to examine issues surrounding the determination of fair rents, and its report will be published during May.

  Planning Applications
  Mr. Bates
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to the recommendations of the construction deregulation task 538
  force in relation to the contracting-out of the processing or planning applications and the introduction of a twin-tracking approach to technical assessment.

  Mr. Baldry
  The way in which planning authorities manage planning applications is best left to their discretion in the light of local circumstances. Planning authorities are already free to put the preliminary functions out to tender if they wish. But they must satisfy themselves that this would not compromise their statutory responsibilities, undermine the need to reach decisions on the basis of objective evidence or lead to conflicts of interest.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what percentage of public appointments made by his Department in 1993 were of(a) Asians and (b) black people; and if he will list their names.

  Mr. Sproat
  In 1993, 146 appointments were made to the bodies for which the Department of National Heritage is responsible. Of these, two appointments were of Asian people and two of black people, representing 1.37 per cent. in each case or a total of 2.7 per cent.

  It would not be appropriate to identify individual appointees in the way requested.

  All-seater Stadiums
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list all recent statements made by Ministers in his Department in respect of alteration of the policy of all-seater stadiums for premier league and first division football clubs.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 15 April 1994]: There have been none. The all-seater policy remains unchanged.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Rwanda
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the situation in Rwanda with particular reference to international action to end the violence.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The priority for the moment is to establish a cease-fire and create conditions in which the Arusha peace process and humanitarian relief efforts can be relaunched. The United Nations, countries of the region and the Organisation for African Unity are all playing a role in this.

  European Treaties
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the differences in content, format, text, or other respect between the treaty on European Union published as Cm. 1934 in May 1992, and the treaty published as Cm. 2485 in March 1994; and when he expects to present to Parliament, in a similar fashion, the consolidated and amended treaties establishing the European Economic Community, Coal and Steel Community, Atomic Energy Community and European Union together with their protocols and declarations.
  539
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Cm. 1934 is the text of the treaty on European union, as signed at Maastricht, and presented to Parliament in may 1992 as part of the European Communities series. Cm. 2485 contains the same text, but was published in the treaty series in March 1994, following the treaty's entry into force, in accordance with normal practice. It includes the date of the treaty's entry into force and the dates of ratification by the 12 member states. The consolidated text of the treaty establishing the EC, as amended by the treaty on European union, has already been published by the office for official publications of the European Communities. It is available in the Library of the House and through HMSO. An accompanying volume containing the consolidated texts of the ECSC and EURATOM treaties will be published shortly.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what attitude the Russian Government are taking at the United Nations on the continuation of the sanctions against Serbia; and what assessment he has made of developments in this attitude.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There have been no recent discussions of sanctions in the United Nations Security Council. The Russian Government have not proposed revoking any of the Security Council resolutions which impose sanctions against Serbia and Montenegro.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had and with whom on the present talks taking place on the confidence-building negotiations on Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Since the start of this year, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has discussed the United Nations Secretary-General's package of confidence-building measures for Cyprus with the Turkish Prime Minister, the Turkish, Greek and Cypriot Foreign Ministers, the United Nations Secretary-General and his Special Representative on Cyprus, the United States Secretary of State and with his European colleagues. Most recently I discussed Cyprus with the Cypriot Foreign Minister at the EC/Cyprus Association Council held in Luxembourg on 18 April.

  We believe that the package offers substantial benefits to both communities. We welcome President Clerides' acceptance of the United Nations plan for its implementation and note that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Denktash, continues to have objections. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister wrote to the Turkish Prime Minister on 6 April urging her to encourage Mr. Denktash to adopt a more constructive approach to the negotiations.

  Kashmir
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Prime Minister of Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary most recently discussed 540
  the issue of Kashmir with the Prime Minister of Pakistan at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Limassol on 22 October 1993. We have continued to be in regular communication with the Government of Pakistan on the issue.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many private security firms have been employed by his Department for each of the last 10 years; what has been the annual value of the contracts; and if he will estimate how many guards have been employed for each of those years.

  Mr. Goodlad
  To the best of our knowledge, only one private security company has been employed by the FCO in this country in the past 10 years. Southern Security Guards Ltd. were employed between October 1992 and April 1993 to guard Wiston house conference centre. Two to four guards are employed at a cost of £2,998.52.

  No central record is kept of security companies employed by our overseas posts.

  Burma
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what international sanctions are applied to Burma; and what further action is being considered by Her Majesty's Government and international bodies.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The European Union suspended all non-humanitarian aid to Burma in 1988. In 1991, the EU imposed an arms embargo on Burma, and in 1992 it severed remaining defence links. We and our European partners continue to encourage like-minded countries to do the same.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action was taken on Burma by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights at its recent meeting in Geneva; and what was the response of the Burmese Government.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The 1994 session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva adopted a consensus resolution strongly criticising the human rights situation in Burma. The Burmese argued that the terms of the resolution were an unacceptable intrusion into Burma's domestic juridiction.

  Human Rights
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to increase the resources available to the United Nations centre for human rights in Geneva.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Last year the United Nations Secretary General proposed a large increase in funding for the United Nations human rights programme in 1994–1995. The United Nations General Assembly in 1993 recognised the need for further additional resources to fund the new High Commissioner for Human Rights. We welcomed both steps, and hope that they will be confirmed in the next few weeks. We will continue to support the efforts of the Secretary General to increase the resources available to the centre, if necessary through redeployment from areas of lesser priority.

  Immigration Applications
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a decision is to be taken on an application made by Mr. Gulnamaz, ref: CON/3798, to the United Kingdom post in Islamabad; when the result of a DNA test required to consider the application by Mr. Gulnamaz was received by the post; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Mr. Gulnamaz Din's most recent application for a British passport was refused and his fee refunded on 30 March 1993.

  The British High Commission in Islamabad understands that Mr. Gulnamaz has opted for DNA testing and has an appointment to give a blood sample on 15 May. In the meantime, he will need to reapply for a passport. This can then be considered in the light of the test results. As explained in my letter of 7 May 1993, however, DNA testing cannot establish that Mr. Gulnamaz's claimed parents were married at the time of his birth. Mr. Gulnamaz's elegibility for British nationality is dependent on his legitimate descent from his claimed father.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when decisions are to be taken by the United Kingdom post in Islamabad on the applications, ref: IMM/4343, of Sabreen Jan, date of birth 13 November 1990, Amina Bibi, date of birth 1 April 1988 and Muchtaq Ahmed date of birth 15 December 1986 to enter the United Kingdom; when these children took DNA tests; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  DNA test results in respect of Sabreen Jan, Amina Bibi and Mushtaq Ali were received by the British High Commission in Islamabad on 16 July 1993. It was then necessary for the High Commission to ask the children's father, Mohammed Ishaq, for information about his domicile in order to ascertain whether the children had a claim to British nationality by descent from him.

  He completed the domicile questionnaire on 17 January 1994 and this was then sent to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for consideration. Although clarification of some points is needed, sufficient information is available for the High Commission to issue restricted-validity passports to the children. This will enable them to travel while the remaining details are resolved.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a decision is to be taken on the application made by Mukhtaj Bibi, who was born on 1 November 1972, ref: IMM 67849, to enter the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox Boyd
  In the absence of any information about this case, I have asked the correspondence unit of the migration and visa department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to let the hon. Member have a substantive reply in due course.

  Intelligence Services
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the criteria will be for authorising publications by former members of the security and intelligence agencies, following the passage of the Intelligence Services Bill[Lords].
  542
  Mr. Hurd
  Former employees of the security and intelligence agencies who wish to publish books or articles, give interviews to the media or provide information for other writers or historians are bound by a duty of confidence to the Crown and are subject to section 1(1) of the Official Secrets Act 1989. These obligations are made clear to people when they take up employment with the agencies and when they leave. No former member of the agencies need be in any doubt about his obligations. The same arrangements would apply to a person notified under section 1(1)(b) of the OSA with respect to the period while the notification is or was in force. On 21 December 1988 at column 538 my right hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon (Mr. Patten), then Minister of State, Home Office, set out the procedures for authorising disclosures under section 1(1) of what is now the Official Secrets Act 1989. He made it clear that such authorisation would be given only in exceptional circumstances.

  The need to protect sensitive information is fully recognised in the Intelligence Services Bill, as it is in the Security Service Act 1989. The Bill defines strictly the circumstances under which information may properly be disclosed by the intelligence services including disclosure of records in accordance with the Public Records Act 1958 and 1967, which of course applies only to matters over 30 years old.

  Authorisation for publication or other disclosure will accordingly be especially rare and exceptional with regard to events which happened less than 30 years ago. In any case where a former member of the security and intelligence agencies or a person notified under section 1 (1) (b) as described above wishes to publish or otherwise disclose material relating to his official duties, whether older than 30 years or not, he will need to apply to his former employer for authority to disclose. But there may, in the case of older material, be more likelihood that there will be no objection to disclosure. Any applications made in good faith would be looked at on their individual merits, and would still be judged on whether disclosure of any particular piece of information would jeopardise national security, whether directly or indirectly. If not, the service would be able so to inform the prospective author and give him authority to make the disclosure, so that it would not be contrary to section 1 (1) of the Official Secrets Act 1989 nor in breach of his civil duty of confidence. Authorisation would imply only that there were no concerns about national security. It would not imply that the Crown had endorsed the publication or confirmed the accuracy of its contents. The Crown would reserve the right not to give authorisation in cases where an officer had committed breaches of the criminal law or his civil obligations.

HEALTH

  NHS Reforms (London)
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what were the reasons for the publication of the leaflet on "NHS Changes in London"; what was the total cost of publication; and from whom legal advice was sought before publishing it;

  (2) what means of assessment she used when drafting the leaflet "NHS Changes in London" of the questions which needed to be covered.
  543
  Dr. Mawhinney
  The leaflet was produced to address and answer key questions about health services in London. It was cleared by officials in the normal way. The estimated cost of producing and distributing the leaflet is £150,000.

  Amyl Nitrites
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to declare the sale of those sex-enhancing drugs which alter physiological functioning, with particular reference to nitrites, illegal under the Medicines Acts; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) what licensing, testing and quality controls and other regulations are applied to the manufacture and sale of the sex-enhancing drugs Rock Hard, Kix, Rush, Ram, Thunderbolt and other nitrites which are most commonly used to facilitate homosexual practices; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Medicines Control Agency regulates human medicines in the United Kingdom in accordance with the Medicines Acts of 1968 and 1971 and Pharmaceutical Directives of the European Community. No alkyl nitrite is licensed as a medicinal product, and in consequence no product containing nitrite is currently subject to the statutory controls on the manufacture and supply of medicinal products.

  Alkyl nitrites are not being promoted for sale explicitly as sexual stimulants. If they were, they would have to be licensed under the Medicines Act 1968, which defines interference with a physiological function as a medicinal purpose. The MCA will investigate all reports of unlicensed medicines, their advertising, labelling and sales, and take the appropriate enforcement action.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those trusts, by region, that have failed to(a) achieve a capital return of 6 per cent. or more, (b) break even and (c) operate within external financing limits in each year since their inception.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested for the years 1991–92 and 1992–93 will be placed in the Library. Information for 1993–94 will not be available until the annual accounts of trusts are audited.

  The majority of trusts listed had technical issues which affected their ability to meet their financial duties. This does not imply any failure in financial control. In a number of cases the difference between actual financial performance and statutory target is deemed to be immaterial.

  Junior Doctors
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the average working hours of junior doctors this year(a) nationally and (b) in Coventry and the west midlands; and what the figures were for 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information on the number of hours worked by junior doctors is not available centrally. Figures for the average contracted hours of junior doctors and dentists are shown in the table. The figures for September 1993 are not yet available.544

  Mean contracted hours of junior doctors in England, West Midlands and Coventry as at 30 September 1991 and 1992

  1991

  1992

  England

  80

  75

  West Midlands

  84

  76

  Coventry

  82

  76

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for reducing the working hours of junior doctors; and what discussions she has had with the British Medical Association regarding this matter.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Our targets for reducing junior doctors' hours are set out in the new deal guidance, copies of which are available in the Library. Regional office task forces support and monitor implementation of the new deal. They report regularly to a ministerial group. The medical profession is fully represented on that group.

  The new deal is a joint initiative between the United Kingdom health departments, the medical profession and the national health service and was based on an agreement with representatives of consultants, junior doctors, the medical royal colleges and national health service management.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received from organisations or members of the public regarding the working hours of junior doctors; and if she will name the organisations.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There has been a great deal of interest, from organisations and members of the public, in the progress made to reduce junior doctors' hours since the launch of the new deal in 1991.

  Listing all those making representations would involve disproportionate cost.

  Health Information
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost of running the NHS changes in London health information service telephone line.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The line is operated by the already established health information services in the London area; no additional costs have been incurred.

  Nurses (Smoking)
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to help nurses who smoke to give up smoking.

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for all national health service authorities and provider units to pursue in accordance with the guidance, HSG(92)41, published in October 1992 on the introduction of smoking policies in the NHS. Copies of the guidance are available in the Library.

  Immunisation
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the relative cost of delivering immunisation by prefilled syringe and the traditional method of vial, syringe and needle.
  545
  Mr. Sackville
  Requests for the provision of prefilled syringe presentations are being carefully monitored. At present, demand is only a small proportion of the totality in respect of vaccine supplied for the childhood immunisation programme. New contracts for most centrally purchased vaccines are due from 1 October 1994. The relative costs will be considered at the adjudication stage of the contracting procedures.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health to which health authorities she has written requesting that they restart the Bacille-Calmette-Guérin immunisation programme.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department has not written to any health authorities requesting that they restart the schools Bacille-Calmette-Guérin immunisation programme. The importance of the programme has been drawn to the attention of all regional health authorities through the regional review process; regions have been asked to consider carefully whether their arrangements to protect against tuberculosis are adequate. We are aware that some districts which have suspended their programme are reconsidering their policies.

  Disciplinary Procedures
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 16 March,Official Report, column 724, when she plans to implement recommendation 14 of HC(90)9 on proceedings against doctors, to introduce arrangements for monitoring the new procedure; when the HC(90)9 procedure is to be reviewed and by whom; how public expenditure arising from the use of this procedure is monitored; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Employing authorities were asked to monitor the procedures in HC(90)9 in order to inform a review which commenced in April 1993. This review was carried out by a joint working party chaired by Dr. Graham Winyard, medical director of the national health service executive. The joint working party contained representatives of the medical profession, the Health Departments and national health service management. Information on the expenditure arising from the use of these procedures is not available centrally.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 16 March,Official Report, column 724, what plans she has to set up systems for collecting information on disciplinary action on hospital doctors; and whether trusts have specific budgets to meet the legal costs when taking disciplinary proceedings against a doctor under the procedure HC(90)9.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We have no plans to collect such information. Legal costs would be an expenditure item which trusts would recover in prices through the contracting system.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to her answer of 16 March,Official Report, column 724, how many doctors have been dismissed since 1990 on grounds of personal misconduct; and what was the total number of doctors dismissed from national health service posts since 1990;

  (2) what changes there have been in the number of doctors (a) suspended, (b) subject to disciplinary hearing and (c) dismissed since 1990.
  546
  Dr. Mawhinney
  Decisions on disciplinary action for hospital doctors and dentists rests with the employing authority or trust. This includes whether to suspend or dismiss a practitioner.

  Pacemaker Leads
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when Meditronic was first licensed to sell pacemaker leads in the United Kingdom; and which leads were licensed, by date.

  Mr. Sackville
  There is no requirement for the licensing of medical devices intended for sale within the United Kingdom, including pacemaker leads.

  The Department of Health has operated a voluntary registration scheme for manufacturers of medical devices since 1981; Meditronic was first registered on 10 October 1983.

  Waiting Times
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many patients have been waiting(a) six months or more and (b) one year or more for in-patient operations in each London health authority;

  (2) what is the latest number of patients awaiting (a) in-patient and (b) day-case treatment in each London district health authority.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information on waiting times for in-patient and day case treatment by district health authority and trust is given in "Hospital Waiting List Statistics: England". This is published twice yearly and copies are available in the Library.

  Medico-legal Services (Charges)
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average hourly fee charged by doctors acting in(a) a professional and (b) an expert capacity for preparing medico-legal reports to be presented in court;

  (2) what is the average half-day fee paid to (a) professional medical witnesses and (b) expert medical witnesses for attendance at court.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Fees are set by individual negotiation on each case and data are not available centrally.

  Limb Defects
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the findings of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys national analysis of the geographical pattern of limb reduction defects will be published.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys has completed its analysis of the geographical pattern of limb reduction defects in England and Wales. It has concluded that there is no difference in prevalence in these malformations between coastal and non-coastal areas. The full text of the analysis will be placed in the Library and is being published in this week's edition of The Lancet.

  Mobile Phones
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each year from 1990 the expenditure on mobile phones by(a) region, (b) district health authority and (c) trust in England.
  547
  Mr. Sackville
  Health authority and national health service trust financial returns do not identify expenditure for mobile telephones separately from other telecommunications expenditure.

  Corporate Image Costs
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each new regional health authority, the expenditure on a new corporate image in terms of(a) stationery, (b) publications, (c) signage, (d) livery, (e) logo design and (f) in total.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 31 March at columns 1049-50. The new corporate identity which has been developed for the National Health Service Executive is a single common design for use by the headquarters and regional offices of the NHS Executive, and also by regional health authorities.

  Performance Tables
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the allocated budget for the new NHS performance tables; and if she will indicate the value of the contract awarded to Phoenix Interface Technology Ltd.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The budget for the first set of national health service performance tables is £300,000. This includes the cost of the contract for the initial data collection exercise which was awarded to Siemens-Nixdorf Information Systems Limited who subcontracted to Phoenix Interface Technology Ltd. The value of the contract was £16,423 plus value added tax. The initial non-recurring set-up costs have yet to be finalised.

  Leaflets, London
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which constituencies the leaflet, "NHS Changes in London—answers to the Questions You've Been Asking", has been delivered; and what criteria were used in deciding on these constituencies.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The leaflet distribution was targeted at households within the area bounded by the M25. Constituency boundaries were not taken into account in determining distribution.

  "Bringing Up Children"
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on her Department's proposed booklet, "Bringing Up Children"; what distribution is intended; at what expense; and for what purposes.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I have been asked to reply.

  The updated parents charter will be distributed to every household in England at an estimated cost of £630,000. It will not be a guide for parents on bringing up children; rather it will explain how parents' rights have been strengthened, and choice extended, since the publication of the first parents charter in 1991.

DEFENCE

  Belize
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now reconsider the decision to withdraw the British garrison from Belize.

  Mr. Hanley
  We see no reason to change our plans for the evolution of the British military presence in Belize as announced on 13 May 1993. From 1 October 1994 we will continue to have a presence in Belize, in the form of the British Army training support unit Belize which will provide jungle training to British military units.

  Germ Warfare
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has received from his(a) Russian and (b) American counterparts regarding the current status of the research and development capability of Russia's germ warfare programme.

  Mr. Hanley
  The terms of the 1992 Russia—United States—United Kingdom trilateral agreement designed to address concerns about Russian non-compliance with the 1972 biological and toxin weapons convention, only allows for information to be exchanged on a confidential basis. It is not therefore possible to reveal details of information gained through this process.

  AWE Aldermaston
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the incident that occurred at Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston on 24 March 1994, and place in the Library a copy of the unclassified version of the local board of inquiry report into that incident when it is completed.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 19 April at column 501. Arrangements will be made for a copy of an unclassified version of the board of inquiry report to be placed in the Library in due course.

  RAF Carlisle
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answers of 14 January to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood),Official Report, column 350, and of 21 February to the hon. Member for East Lothian, Official Report, column 66, how much has been spent on refurbishment at RAF Carlisle over the past (a) five and (b) 10 years; and if he will provide a breakdown of the spending on each element of the programmes of refurbishment and upgrading carried out in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Hanley
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who are the members currently appointed to the advisory committee on conscientious objectors.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 28 January 1994]: The information requested is as follows:

  549

  John W. Rogers QC (Chairman)

  Hon. Mr. Justice Latham (Vice Chairman)

  A. D. Collins QC (Deputy Vice Chairman)

  M. M. Brooke

  Professor J. Cheetham

  B. J. S. Edmond

  Mrs. J. A. Kirkpatrick

  R. Haze11

  D. J. Burt

  Mrs. R. E. Nugee JP

  "Statement on the Defence Estimates"
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he will be publishing the 1994 "Statement on the Defence Estimates"; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what publicity work will be carried out relating to the publication of the 1994 "Statement on the Defence Estimates"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 18 April 1994]: the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1994" will be published and laid in the House on Tuesday 26 April. This will be followed by a press briefing and publication of a press notice.

EDUCATION

  Pupil-teacher Ratio
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the current pupil-teacher ratio in(a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) special schools in each London borough.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  Pupil-teacher ratios in maintained primary, secondary and special schools in the London boroughs, January 1993

  LEA

  Primary

  Secondary

  Special

  Corporation of London

  15·2

  —

  —

  Camden

  20·8

  15·6

  3·9

  Greenwich

  20·4

  16·7

  6·4

  Hackney

  19·9

  14·6

  5·7

  Hammersmith

  19·8

  15·1

  5·4

  Islington

  19·8

  15·0

  4·9

  Kensington and Chelsea

  17·6

  13·3

  4·0

  Lambeth

  19·4

  15·5

  4·7

  Lewisham

  21·1

  16·5

  5·6

  Southwark

  21·6

  16·9

  4·8

  Tower Hamlets

  17·8

  14·0

  5·4

  Wandsworth

  19·9

  14·7

  5·4

  Westminster

  17·2

  14·5

  4·9

  Barking

  22·1

  17·0

  5·1

  Barnet

  21·1

  15·0

  5·1

  Bexley

  23·4

  16·7

  6·9

  Brent

  21·6

  15·3

  4·8

  Bromley

  23·3

  16·3

  5·9

  Croydon

  21·5

  16·0

  5·4

  Ealing

  20·7

  15·3

  5·2

  Enfield

  21·3

  16·3

  5·5

  Haringey

  20·8

  14·5

  4·8

  Harrow

  21·3

  15·7

  5·7

  Havering

  22·8

  16·4

  6·0

  Hillingdon

  22·0

  15·8

  7·5

  Hounslow

  20·5

  16·4

  5·9

  Kingston upon Thames

  22·5

  15·8

  6·2

  Merton

  19·6

  15·5

  5·2

  Newham

  24·1

  16·6

  4·5

  Redbridge

  23·0

  17·2

  4·7

  Richmond upon Thames

  20·3

  16·5

  5·4

  Sutton

  23·4

  16·8

  6·7

  Waltham Forest

  22·2

  15·2

  3·6

  Student Grants
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what were the principal conclusions of the Gulbenkian Foundation survey into discretionary grants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale (Sir F. Montgomery) on 13 April at column 196.

  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will place a copy of the report of the Gulbenkian Foundation on discretionary grants in the Library.

  Mr. Boswell
  A copy of the report is already available in the Library, placed there on publication by the Calouste Gulbenkian and Sir John Cass's Foundations.

  Supply Teachers
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education for how many days supply teachers have been employed since April 1993 in(a) England and (b) each London borough.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The detail requested is not available. An annual survey of teachers employed in the maintained sector gives a snapshot view of occasional supply teachers employed for the whole day in schools on the survey date. There were 12,446 such teachers in service on 21 January 1993 in England. Reliable figures at local education authority level are not available.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many supply teachers are registered with each local education authority in London.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is not centrally collected.

  Teachers (Illness)
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what analysis he has done of the numbers of teaching days lost due to stress-related illnesses since April 1993.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department does not collect information on teacher absence due to illness.

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 28 March,Official Report, column 522, what requests he received to meet Labour Members representing London constituencies to discuss problems facing their constituents; what responses he gave; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Patten
  I have received the following requests1

  Member of Parliament

  Date

  Response

  Nick Raynsford (Greenwich)

  1 August 1993

  Request accepted

  Michael Neubert (Romford)

  5 October 1993

  Request accepted

  Mike Gapes (Ilford South)

  24 February 1994

  Request declined

  Notes:

  The details cover all requests for meetings received by the Secretary of

  551
  State or one of the Ministers in the Department since 1 March 1993, the time period for which the hon. Member asked his earlier question concerning meetings with hon. Members representing constituencies in London.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 28 March,Official Report, column 522, which hon. Members representing London constituencies he or Ministers in his Department have met since April 1992.

  Mr. Patten
  The details requested are as follows:

  Secretary of State

  Hugh Dykes MP (Harrow, East)—4 March 1993

  The right hon. Nicholas Scott MP (Chelsea)—20 December 1993

  Minister of State—The Baroness Blatch

  John Marshall (Hendon, South)—13 January 1994

  Richard Tracey (Surbiton)—28 February 1994

  Mr. Boswell

  None

  Mr. Forth

  Hartley Booth (Finchley)—22 July 1993

  Nigel Spearing (Newham)—5 October 1992

  Matthew Carrington (Fulham)—7 January 1993

  Tim Eggar (Enfield)—10 February 1993

  Michael Neubert (Romford)—26 October 1993

  John Bowis (Battersea)—17 January 1994

  Nick Raynsford (Greenwich)—12 April 1994

  Mr. Squire

  Richard Tracey (Surbiton)—12 October 1993

  Michael Shersby (Uxbridge)—2 December 1993

  Piers Merchant (Beckenham)—15 March 1994

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to his answer of 28 March,Official Report, column 522, how many Labour Members nationally he, or Ministers in his Department, have met in the last year; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Patten
  The details requested are as follows:

  Secretary of State

  None.

  Minister of State—The Baroness Blatch

  None.

  Mr. Boswell

  None.

  Mr. Forth

  Jeff Rooker (Birmingham, Perry Barr)—13 July 1994

  Wyn Griffiths (Bridgend)—27 July 1993

  Nick Raynsford (Greenwich)—12 April 1994

  Greg Pope (Hyndburn) and Peter Pike (Burnley)—23 February 1994 (this was part of an all-Party delegation from Lancashire county council)

  Mr. Squire

  None.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many requests he has received from the hon. Member for Ilford, South for a meeting to discuss the educational problems and overcrowding in the London borough of Redbridge; on what dates he received the letters; and what was the response.

  Mr. Patten
  I have received one request from the hon. Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Gapes) for a meeting. This was received on 24 February 1994. This request was declined by the Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) as Minister 552
  responsible for school organisation issues on my behalf. He advised the hon. Member that I have no powers of intervention in the matter.

EMPLOYMENT

  Unemployment, Lewisham
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in Lewisham, East have been unemployed for more than two years; what percentage of the unemployed in Lewisham, East this represents; how many are women; and how many are aged under 25 years.

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

  Claimant unemployment in Lewisham, East—January 1994

  Number

  Claimants unemployed for over 2 years:

  11,319

  Of which:

  Women

  215

  Under 25's

  190

  125 per cent. of all unemployed in the area.

  Note: Claimant unemployment statistics by age and duration are available on the unadjusted basis from the NOMIS database in the Library for the months of January, April, July and October.

  Age Discrimination
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what current United Kingdom legislation makes provision against discrimination on grounds of age in employment matters; how many United Kingdom employees have(a) won and (b) lost an appeal against unfair dismissal on the grounds of age discrimination; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  There is no United Kingdom legislation which makes provision against discrimination on grounds of age in employment. The Government firmly believe that the way forward is through education and persuasion.

  The consideration of whether a dismissal is unfair may include consideration of how age has been taken into account in the decision to dismiss, but this depends on the particular circumstances of the case. Industrial tribunals' central office does not keep records of the factors involved in such cases and this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Ionising Radiation
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what evaluation he has made of the proposals made by Mr. Paul Lannoye MEP in his report A3-0147/94 on the amended proposal for a council directive laying down the basic safety standards for the protection of the health of workers and general public against the dangers arising from ionising radiation (COM(93)0349-C3-0282/93, of 17 March.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None; the proposals are being made to a Committee of the European Parliament.

  JHP Training
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much public money has been paid to JHP Training by training and enterprise councils in each of the last five years.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is not collected centrally. Contracts between training and enterprise councils and their training providers are matters for local negotiation and the details are commercially confidential.

  Occupational injuries1 reported to enforcing authorities, 1983 to 1992–93p

  Mines Inspectorate5

  Railways Inspectorate6

  Offshore Safety Division7

  Explosives Inspectorate8

  Years2

  Fatal injuries

  Major injuries3

  Over 3-day injuries4

  Fatal injuries

  Major injuries3

  Over 3-day injuries4

  Fatal injuries

  Major injuries3

  Over 3-day injuries4

  Fatal injuries

  Major injuries3

  Over 3-day injuries4

  1983

  37

  947

  n/a

  28

  161

  n/a

  10

  47

  n/a

  1

  3

  n/a

  1984

  38

  427

  n/a

  25

  127

  n/a

  13

  59

  n/a

  —

  —

  n/a

  1985

  48

  775

  n/a

  25

  166

  n/a

  8

  103

  n/a

  —

  —

  n/a

  1986–87

  34

  1,179

  11,535

  10

  185

  2,561

  4

  87

  571

  1

  16

  123

  1987–88

  26

  945

  8,855

  17

  225

  2,448

  8

  70

  573

  2

  10

  136

  1988–89

  29

  937

  7,097

  16

  310

  3,345

  9172

  64

  688

  4

  17

  150

  1989–90

  20

  652

  5,089

  10

  263

  2,697

  2

  74

  676

  —

  15

  107

  1990–91

  13

  536

  4,205

  23

  331

  3,091

  12

  91

  681

  1

  22

  124

  1991–92

  13

  499

  3,157

  17

  278

  3,226

  13

  84

  585

  —

  7

  112

  1992–93p

  6

  353

  1,799

  11

  325

  3,882

  4

  75

  509

  1

  1

  87

  n/a not available.

  p provisional.

  1Injuries at work to employees and self employed people, and members of the public injured as a result of someone else's work activity.

  2Figures for the calendar years 1983 to 1985 and financial years from 1 April 1986 onwards.

  3Chiefly amputations, serious fractures and other injuries requiring hospitalisation for more than 24 hours. Note the definition was extended in April 1986 and therefore figures for 1983 to 1985 should not be directly compared with those for later years.

  4Injuries causing incapacity for normal work for more than three days.

  5Based on reports made under the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, 1980 (NADOR) for the years 1983 to 1985 and the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, 1985 (RIDDOR) for subsequent years. Figures for the years 1983 to 1988-89 also include reports made to the Quarries Inspectorate.

  6Based on reports made under NADOR and RIDDOR (as above) and associated railway legislation.

  7Formerly the Petroleum Engineering Division of the Department of Energy. Figures based on reports made under offshore installations safety legislation.

  8Based on reports made under NADOR and RIDDOR (as in 5 above) and explosives legislation.

  9Includes the 167 fatalities arising from the Piper Alpha disaster.

  Training Programmes
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the figures for operating surplus accumulated from Government-funded training programmes for(a) 1990–91, (b) 1991–92 and (c)1992–93.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Government-funded training programmes in England and Wales are delivered through training and enterprise councils.

  TECs may generate operating surpluses by sub-contracting training programmes at lower unit prices than those negotiated with the Department, by keeping administrative costs below the management fee paid by the Department, by earning other income or by carrying out other business in accordance with their articles and memorandum of association.

  The surplus generated from all these activities is shown in the TECs published accounts. The operating surplus accumulated specifically from Government-funded training programmes is not published separately.

  A full set of accounts for each TEC, for the financial years 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93 has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total budget for training for work, including the participants' allowance, for England and Wales in 1994–95.

  Industrial Injuries
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) deaths, (b) major injuries and (c) minor injuries were reported to (i) the mines inspectorate, (ii) the railways inspectorate, (iii) the offshore safety inspectorate and (iv) the explosives inspectorate in each year since 1983.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The available information is provided in the following table. There was no overall requirement to notify "minor" injuries—that is, those causing incapacity for work for more than three days during the years 1983 to 1985.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The total budget for the training for work scheme for England and Wales in 1994–95, including training allowances, is £749 million.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much of the 1993–94 budgets for training for work and youth training was unspent.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is not yet available. It will be published in the Department's appropriation accounts later in the year.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total accumulated surplus held in TEC reserves that is now available to TECs.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The total accumulated surplus held in training and enterprise council reserves is shown in the TECs' published accounts. A full set of accounts for each TEC, for the year ending 31 March 1993, has been placed in the Library.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many private security firms have been employed by his Department for each of the last 10 years; what has been the annual value of the contracts; and if he will estimate how many guards have been employed for each of those years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is available only at disproportionate cost.

  Workplace Deaths
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 30 March,Official Report, columns 813-14, what was the result of each prosecution listed in the table supplied.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is given in the following table:

  Workplace Deaths

    OUTCOME OF THE PROSECUTIONS WHICH FOLLOWED FATALITIES IN 1992–93
    Wales and South West Region
    Six fatalities led to prosecution action:

    Case 1: 3 informations laid, all convicted with fines of £350 (x3).

    Case 2: 3 informations laid, each convicted with fines of £12,000, £6,000 and £2,000.

    Case 3: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £15,000.

    Case 4: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £100,000.

    Case 5: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £160.

    Case 6: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £5,000.

    Home Counties Region
    Seven fatalities led to prosecution action:

    Case 1: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £480.

    Case 2: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £300.

    Case 3: 8 informations laid, all convicted. Fines imposed of £20,000, £10,000 (x2) and £1,000 (x2). Three remaining results recorded as 'guilty other' eg community service.

    Case 4: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £15,000.

    Case 5: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £2,000.

    Case 6: 2 informations laid, both convicted with fines of £1,000 and £200.

    Case 7: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £10,000.

    London and South East Region
    Five fatalities led to prosecution action:

    Case 1: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £7,000.

    Case 2: 4 informations laid, all convicted with fines of £40,000.

    Case 3: 2 informations laid, both convicted with fines of £15,000.

    Case 4: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £13,000.

    Case 5: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £10,000.

    Midlands Region
    Nine fatalities led to prosecution action:

    Case 1: 8 informations laid, 7 convictions and 1 withdrawn. Fines imposed of £20,000, £2,500 (x2) and £400 (x4).

    Case 2: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £12,000.

    Case 3: 1 information laid, withdrawn.

    Case 4: 2 informations laid, convicted with a fine of £30,000 and 1 where yet recorded.

    Case 5: 3 informations laid, 2 convicted with fines of £5,000 and £2,500 and 1 withdrawn.

    Case 6: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £17,500.

    Case 7: 3 informations laid, all convicted with fines of £1,750 (x2) and £1,000.

    Case 8: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £2,000.

    Case 9: 2 informations laid, both convicted with fines of £750.

    Yorkshire and North East Region
    Ten fatalities led to prosecution action:

    Case 1: 2 informations laid, 1 convicted with a fine of £1,500 and 1 withdrawn.

    Case 2: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £1,000.

    Case 3: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £1,500.

    Case 4: 2 informations laid, both later withdrawn.

    Case 5: 2 informations laid, both convicted with fines of £3,000 and £520.

    Case 6: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £675.

    Case 7: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £250,000.

    Case 8: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £1,000.

    Case 9: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £12,000.

    Case 10: 1 information laid, dismissed.

    North West Region
    Eight fatalities led to prosecution action:

    Case 1: 2 informations laid, 1 convicted with a fine of £1,200 and 1 withdrawn.

    Case 2: 2 informations laid, both convicted with fines of £1,500
    556
    and £750.

    Case 3: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £7,000.

    Case 4: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £2,000.

    Case 5: 2 informations laid, 1 convicted with a fine of £3,000 and 1 withdrawn.

    Case 6: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £3,500.

    Case 7: 2 informations laid, 1 convicted with a fine of £750 and 1 withdrawn.

    Case 8: 3 informations laid, all dismissed.

    Scotland Region
    Ten fatalities led to prosecution action:

    Case 1: 1 information laid, withdrawn.

    Case 2: 1 information laid, dismissed.

    Case 3: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £6,000.

    Case 4: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £1,000.

    Case 5: 2 informations laid, 1 convicted (no fine recorded yet) and 1 withdrawn.

    Case 6: information laid, convicted with a fine of £1,000.

    Case 7: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £2,000.

    Case 8: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £400.

    Case 9: 2 informations laid, 1 convicted with a fine of £10,000 and 1 dismissed.

    Case 10: 1 information laid, convicted with a fine of £7,500.

  Working Hours
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what research he has commissioned about any link between long working hours and the health and safety of employees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Professor J. M. Harrington of the University of Birmingham institute of occupational health was commissioned last year to identify and evaluate pertinent medical and scientific literature relating to the effect, if any, of hours of work on employees' health.

  The Health and Safety Executive has previously commissioned the studies "Shift Work and Health—a Critical Review of the Literature", Harrington, 1978 and "Shiftwork, Health and Safety—an overview of the scientific literature 1978–1990", Waterhouse, Folkard and Minors, 1992.

  Unemployment (Merseyside)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the level of unemployment for the Liverpool, Riverside constituency at the latest available date; and where Liverpool, Riverside stands in the list of constituencies ranked by level of unemployment.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In February 1994, unadjusted claimant unemployment in the Liverpool, Riverside constituency was 7,019. Only unemployment rates provide meaningful rankings for areas, such as parliamentary constituencies, with different sized work forces. Official unemployment rates are not available below travel-to-work areas.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to reduce unemployment in(a) Merseyside and (b) Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The overall policy of the Department is to promote a free and flexible labour market that is designed to help encourage employment in Merseyside and Liverpool, as in all areas.

  Social Affairs Council
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EC Social Affairs Council held on 19 April.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I attended the meeting of the Labour and Social Affairs Council held on 19 April in Luxembourg and was accompanied by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security.

  The Council considered a number of Commission proposals, but no final decisions were reached and no votes were taken.

  The directive on the protection of young workers was discussed in the light of the Commission's proposed amendments to the common position reached at the Social Affairs Council on 23 November. No decision was reached. We were successful in our efforts at the meeting to resist European Parliament attempts to remove the United Kingdom's opt-out. Most member states indicated that they could accept a presidency proposal which included the whole of the United Kingdom opt-out and its renewability. There will be a further discussion of the directive at the Social Affairs Council in June.

  The Commission's draft programme on social exclusion was also discussed and will be considered further at the June Council.

  The Council reached agreement in principle on the composition of the administrative board of the proposed health and safety agency in Bilbao. A number of other outstanding issues were returned to Council working groups for further discussion.

  The Council agreed that the Commission should consider how best to take forward the draft directives on parental leave, non-standard work and the reversal of the burden of proof in equal pay and equal treatment cases. The Commissioner acknowledged that the United Kingdom maintained its opposition to the proposed directives.

  The Council heard progress reports from Commissioner Flynn on follow-up to the Delors White Paper and on responses to his own Green Paper on European social policy. There will be a substantive discussion on the Green Paper at the June Social Affairs Council meeting. The United Kingdom Government's response to the Green Paper was submitted promptly, but responses from some other member states had yet to arrive.

  The Council discussed the operation of the social protocol and the agreement of the Eleven in the light of a communication from the Commission. Commissioner Flynn provided a report on progress with the proposal on European Works Councils. Discussions between the social partners had broken down and the Commission had now agreed the text of a new proposal to be discussed under the agreement of the Eleven. The directive would not apply in the United Kingdom. Commissioner Flynn also made a preliminary presentation on a Commission communication on asylum and immigration policy.

  Finally, the Council agreed that the Commission should look into Belgian concerns about the operation of EC social security regulations for posted workers.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fisheries
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what assurances were given when she met the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisation in discussing future accession to the Barents sea;

  (2) what rights of access for fishing are being purchased from Russia for (a) Spain and (b) the United Kingdom as a result of Norwegian access negotiations; and how these will be paid for;

  (3) what priority will be given to the United Kingdom against other countries when future opportunities arrive for the United Kingdom distant water fleet in the Barents sea.

  Mr. Jack
  The agreement reached between the EU and Norway on the terms for Norwegian accession to the Union provided for fishing opportunities for 8,000 tonnes of arctic cod or equivalent to be secured for the cohesion countries—Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Greece—from third countries. As is normal in such arrangements, the cost will be a charge to the Community budget.

  I have made clear to the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations that I will press for a United Kingdom quota share under any EU-Russia fisheries agreement which may be negotiated.

  Mauritius Initiative
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 13 April, what financial contribution is to be provided for the initiative being undertaken for Mauritius by the royal botanic gardens, Kew.

  Mr. Jack
  Two ex-horticulture diploma students from Kew are currently working on a voluntary basis with the Mauritian Wild Life Appeal Fund, supported partly by donations from several Kew-based scholarship funds. Work at Kew on propagation of a number of Mauritian endangered species for eventual reintroduction to their original habitats is supported from Ministry grant-in-aid. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, has yet to decide on future collaborative activity and levels of funding.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 23 March,Official Report, columns 318-19, if she will list the firms of consultants employed by her Department and the number of contracts they have undertaken since 1990–91.

  Mr. Jack
  Details of consultants employed by the Department—excluding agencies—since 1990–91 are set out in the table. These exclude information relating to contracts with information technology consultants, details of which were provided to the hon. Member for Truro (Mr. Taylor) on 18 April at columns 407-11.

  Number

  Coopers and Lybrand

  12

  PA Consultants

  2

  Price Waterhouse

  11

  Touche Ross

  3

  National Remote Sensing Centre

  1

  559

  Number

  Wye College

  2

  Worthy Associates

  1

  KPMG Management Consultancies/KPMG Peat Marwick

  2

  Ernst and Young

  14

  Clarke Whitehill

  1

  Ronald McIntosh

  2

  Mouncey and Partners

  5

  Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants Ltd.

  2

  Oracle

  4

  Vauntberry Plc

  1

  Robertson Gould

  1

  Institute of Terrential Ecology

  1

  Fletcher King

  1

  University of Hull

  1

  Mr. Peter Goodall

  1

  SRU Ltd.

  1

  BNSS

  3

  CCTA

  2

  Johnstone and Wright Consultants

  2

  DIS Industrial Consultants

  1

  EM Consultants

  2

  Shreeveport Management Consultancy

  2

  Ferriby Marine

  2

  Asbourne Biosciences

  2

  Duhig Berry Ltd.

  1

  Triad Special Systems Ltd.

  2

  Sequent Computer Systems

  3

  Brandt Computers

  1

  Theodore Goddall

  2

  Hoskyns Group PLc

  2

  Cambridge Ergonomics

  2

  Stoy Hayward

  1

  Quanta Learning Systems

  2

  Korda and Co. Ltd.

  2

  Lawrence Hewitt Partnership

  1

  Currie and Brown

  1

  Insight

  1

  Halcrow and Partners

  1

  LG Mouchel and Partners

  2

  Posford Duvivier

  2

  Personnel Health and Safety Ltd.

  4

  Mott Macdonald

  1

  ARC International Plc

  1

  Forward Catering Consultancy

  1

  Royal National Institute for the Blind

  2

  Risks and Policy Analysis

  1

  SEMA Group

  1

  BMT Reliability Consultants Ltd.

  1

  Miro Communication Ltd.

  1

  P- E International Plc

  1

  Siemens Nixdorf

  1

  McNeil Robertson

  10

  Pentana Ltd.

  2

  Civil Service College

  10

  Dr. Hoodless

  1

  Building Energy Solution

  3

  DEGW

  1

  PSA Monitoring and Targeting Service

  3

  TM Energy Consultants

  1

  NIFES Consulting Group

  1

  MJN Facilities Management

  1

  Energy Auditing Agency Ltd.

  1

  Animal Slaughter
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence she has of infringements of directive 74/577 in other EC states.

  Mr. Soames
  My right hon. Friend's attention has been drawn to several alleged infringements of Directive 74/577 purporting to have taken place in other member states during 1993.

  Sheep Slaughtering, Spain
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations she has made to the Spanish Agriculture Minister regarding the slaughter of sheep in Spanish abattoirs; and what was the outcome.

  Mr. Soames
  My right hon. Friend raised the subject with the Spanish Agriculture Minister in the margins of the November 1993 Agriculture Council in the light of allegations about sheep being slaughtered in some Spanish abattoirs in a way contrary to EC welfare legislation. Written assurances were received that these allegations were being investigated, and that action would be taken where appropriate. My right hon. Friend wrote on 24 January seeking confirmation of the results of the investigations and measures adopted. A reply is awaited.

  Animal Exports
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) pigs, (b) sheep, (c) calves and (d) adult cattle were exported from the United Kingdom for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Soames
  The information requested for 1992 can be found in the Central Statistical Office publication, "Business Monitor, Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom MA 20 1992", and for each earlier year the data can be found in the previous editions of this publication and its forerunners. The House of Commons Library holds a copy of these publications back to 1965.

  Livestock Haulage Vehicles
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many livestock haulage vehicles were checked on each motorway; how many were found to comply with regulations; and how many were found to be defective in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Soames
  Provisions relating to the welfare of animals during transport are enforced by local authorities. Statistics from local authority sources indicate that, during the year 1992–93, 190,100 vehicle inspections were made at roadside checks, in markets and at other places; 182 prosecutions were taken under the legislation relating to welfare of animals in transport, and 61 formal cautions issued. In a further 2,725 cases advice or warnings were given. Additional information is not recorded centrally.

  Departmental Campaigns
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 2 March,Official Report, column 743, by what date she intends to place in the Library summaries of market research relating to her Department's campaigns.

  Mr. Jack
  Copies of market research relating to Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food campaigns have been placed in the Library.

  Farm Statistics
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which English counties are grouped together for the purposes of compiling the annual farm business survey; and which universities and colleges are commissioned to carry out the survey for each group.
  561
  Mrs. Shephard
  Appendix 4 of "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom" provides a list of the centres engaged in the collection of data for the Farm Business Survey. The table shows the counties and districts allocated to each centre.

  Province

  County

  Northern

  Cumbria

  Newcastle

  Durham

  Tyne and Wear MC

  Northumberland

  North Eastern

  Clevland

  Askham Bryan

  South Yorkshire MC

  North Yorkshire

  West Yorkshire

  Humberside (excluding South Humberside)

  North Western

  Cheshire

  Manchester

  Lancashire

  Merseyside MC

  Greater Manchester MC

  Shropshire

  Staffordshire

  East Midland

  Derbyshire

  Nottingham

  Leicestershire

  Lincolnshire (excluding Holland)

  Northamptonshire

  Nottinghamshire (South Humberside only)

  Eastern

  Bedfordshire

  Cambridge

  Cambridgeshire

  Essex

  Hertfordshire

  Holland (Lincolnshire)

  Norfolk

  Suffolk

  Greater London (East)

  South Eastern

  Kent

  Wye

  Surrey

  East Sussex

  West Sussex

  Southern

  Berkshire

  Reading

  Buckinghamshire

  Hampshire

  Isle of Wight

  Oxfordshire

  Greater London (West)

  Gloucester

  Hereford and Worcester

  Avon

  Warwickshire

  Wiltshire

  West Midlands MC

  South Western

  Cornwall

  Exeter

  Devon

  Dorset

  Somerset

  Scilly Isles

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many producers were entitled to hill livestock compensatory allowances for each farm business survey county group in each year since 1992 and in 1994.

  Mrs. Shephard
  The table provides information on the number of claims paid in 1992 and 1993 corresponding to the areas covered by each of the FBS provinces. Information for 1994 is not available.562

  Number of HLCA claims paid

  FBS Province

  1992 Number

  1993 Number

  Northern

  4,529

  4,434

  North Eastern

  3,034

  3,006

  North Western

  2,899

  2,896

  East Midland

  938

  938

  Southern

  425

  427

  South Western

  2,701

  2,608

  ENGLAND

  14,526

  14,309

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average net farm income of farmers and their spouses for(a) each English county and (b) each farm business survey county group, of all (i) SDA, (ii) DA, and (iii) less-favoured area farms and for (1) SDA, (2) DA farms and (3) less-favoured area farms larger than eight ESUs.

  Mrs. Shephard
  Information on farm incomes is available from the Farm Business Survey which collects data from a sample of farms classified as full time—that is with eight ESU or more. The sample for the Farm Business Survey is intended to provide estimates for three regions of England. The results for individual FBS provinces are liable to larger margins of error than for these regions and results are not available for individual counties. For those provinces for which there is a large enough sample for some average results to be provided, the following table provides weighted estimates of the net farm income for farms classified as cattle and sheep, less-favoured area, for the 1992–93 accounting year. Comparable information for farms with less than eight ESU is not available.

  Cattle and Sheep LFA farms by FBS province Net farm income for farms of 8 ESU and over

  1992–93 accounting year

  FBS Province and farm type

  Estimated net farm income (£'000 per farm)

  Northern

  Newcastle

  Specialist Sheep (SDA)

  20·1

  Specialist Beef (SDA)

  1n/a

  Mixed Cattle and Sheep (SDA)

  18:·9

  All Cattle and Sheep (SDA)

  18·8

  Cattle and Sheep (DA)

  n/a

  Cattle and Sheep (LFA)

  17·7

  Nort Eastern

  Askham Bryan

  Specialist Sheep (SDA)

  n/a

  Specialist Beef (SDA)

  n/a

  Mixed Cattle and Sheep (SDA)

  n/a

  All Cattle and Sheep (SDA)

  20·1

  Cattle and Sheep (DA)

  n/a

  Cattle and Sheep (LFA)

  20·1

  North Western

  Manchester

  Specialist Sheep (SDA)

  n/a

  Specialist Beef (SDA)

  n/a

  Mixed Cattle and Sheep (SDA)

  18·1

  All Cattle and Sheep (SDA)

  15·7

  Cattle and Sheep (DA)

  n/a

  Cattle and Sheep (LFA)

  10·8

  South Western

  Exeter

  Specialist Sheep (SDA)

  n/a

  Specialist Beef (SDA)

  n/a

  563

  FBS Province and farm type

  Estimated net farm income (£'000 per farm)

  Mixed Cattle and Sheep (SDA)

  11·9

  All Cattle and Sheep (SDA)

  9·9

  Cattle and Sheep (DA)

  4·8

  Cattle and Sheep (LFA)

  7·3

  1 n/a not available, sample size too small to provide results for individual farm type and province.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total value of less-favoured area farming to the economy of(a) each English county and (b) each farm business survey county group.

  Mrs. Shephard
  I regret that the information requested is not available.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total value in actual and real terms of all livestock subsidies to(a) all less-favoured area farms and (b) less-favoured area farms larger than eight ESUs, for (i) each English county and (ii) each farm business survey county group in (1) 1992, (2) 1993 and (3) 1994.

  Mrs. Shephard
  I regret that detailed information on the subsidies paid to less-favoured area farms is not separately available.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total value in actual terms and real terms of HLCA payments to(a) all less-favoured area farms and (b) less-favoured area farm area farms larger than eight ESUs for (i) each English county and (ii) each farm business survey county group in (1) 1992, (2) 1993 and (3) 1994.

  Mrs. Shephard
  The table shows the total HLCA payments on all farms in each county and Farm Business Survey province for 1992 and 1994. Information on payments is not separately available for farms larger than eight ESU and information for 1994 is not yet complete.

  HLCA payments in 1992 and 1993

  FBS province and county

  1992 Actual

  1993 Actual

  19931 Real 1992 prices

  £

  £

  £

  East Midland

  Derbyshire

  1,492,600

  1,335,369

  1,314,489

  1,492,600

  1,335,369

  1,314,489

  North Eastern

  Cleveland

  63,938

  61,192

  60,236

  Yorkshire

  7,149,782

  6,098,286

  6,002,933

  7,213,720

  6,159,479

  6,063,168

  North Western

  Lancashire

  2,057,098

  1,776,157

  1,748,385

  Cheshire

  286,871

  235,269

  231,590

  Shropshire

  1,695,346

  1,579,925

  1,555,221

  Staffordshire

  530,327

  496,802

  489,034

  Greater Manchester

  237,922

  270,279

  266,053

  4,807,564

  4,358,433

  4,290,284

  Northern

  Cumbria

  9,280,801

  7,745,413

  7,624,304

  564

  FBS province and county

  1992 Actual

  1993 Actual

  19931 Real 1992 prices

  £

  £

  £

  Tyne and Wear

  5,181

  9,780

  9,627

  Northumberland

  6,026,492

  5,143,321

  5,062,899

  Durham

  2,413,715

  2,184,100

  2,149,949

  17,726,189

  15,082,613

  14,846,780

  South Western

  Somerset

  1,283,182

  1,049,116

  1,032,711

  Cornwall

  1,161,666

  1,101,137

  1,083,920

  Devon

  3,824,839

  3,567,201

  3,511,424

  Scilly Isles

  1,899

  1,646

  1,620

  6,271,586

  5,719,099

  5,629,675

  Southern

  Hereford and Worcester

  861,934

  758,535

  746,674

  861,934

  758,535

  746,674

  ENGLAND

  38,373,593

  33,413,528

  32,891,070

  1Deflated by the retail prices index, all items.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what financial value in actual and real terms has been removed from the value of HLCA payments to(a) all less-favoured area farms and (b) less-favoured area farms larger than eight ESUs for (i) each English county and (ii) each farm business survey county group following the cuts in HLCAs in (1) 1993 and (2) 1994.

  Mrs. Shephard
  The total change in the value of HLCA payments to farmers in the less favoured areas of England between 1992 and 1993 was -£4,960,065 divided among the counties and FBS provinces with LFA land as shown in the table. Information in respect of businesses larger than eight ESU is not available and information for 1994 is not yet complete.

  Change in HLCA payments between 1992 and 1993

  FBS Province and County

  Change in payments between 1992 and 1993

  Actual

  Real 1992 prices1

  £

  £

  East Midland

  Derbyshire

  -157,231

  -178,111

  -157,231

  -178,111

  North Eastern

  Cleveland

  -2,746

  -3,702

  Yorkshire

  -1,051,495

  -1,146,849

  -1,054,241

  -1,150,551

  North Western

  Lancashire

  -280,940

  -308,712

  Cheshire

  -51,603

  -55,281

  Shropshire

  -115,421

  -140,125

  Staffordshire

  -33,525

  -41,293

  Greater Manchester

  32,357

  28,131

  -449,131

  -517,280

  Northern

  Cumbria

  -1,535,389

  -1,656,497

  Tyne and Wear

  4,599

  4,446

  Northumberland

  -883,171

  -963,592

  Durham

  -229,616

  -263,766

  565

  FBS Province and County

  Change in payments between 1992 and 1993

  Actual

  Real 1992 prices1

  £

  £

  -2,643,576

  -2,879,409

  South Western

  Somerset

  -234,067

  -250,471

  Cornwall

  -60,529

  -77,746

  Devon

  -257,638

  -313,415

  Scilly Isles

  -253

  -279

  -552,487

  -641,911

  Southern

  Hereford and Worcester

  -103,399

  -115,260

  -103,399

  -115,260

  England

  -4,960,065

  -5,482,523

  1 Deflated by the RPI all items

  Estimated number of workers in 1992

  Number of full-time workers on agricultural holdings1

  Total work force in employment2

  English county

  On all agricultural holdings

  On agricultural holdings wholly or mainly in the LFA

  Avon

  2,986

  0

  460,000

  Bedfordshire

  2,291

  0

  263,000

  Berkshire

  1,440

  0

  373,000

  Buckinghamshire

  2,744

  0

  373,000

  Cleveland

  742

  207

  223,000

  Cambridgeshire

  6,718

  0

  320,000

  Cheshire

  7,522

  257

  451,000

  Cornwall (including Isles of Scilly)

  9,668

  1,729

  199,000

  Cumbria

  10,321

  4,285

  233,000

  Derbyshire

  5,560

  1,930

  426,000

  Devon

  15,827

  3,489

  466,000

  Dorset

  5,328

  0

  289,000

  Durham

  3,394

  1,762

  254,000

  Essex

  7,034

  0

  721,000

  Gloucestershire

  5,017

  0

  257,000

  Hampshire

  6,232

  0

  760,000

  Humberside

  7,896

  0

  371,000

  Hereford and Worcester

  10,420

  484

  338,000

  Hertfordshire

  2,416

  0

  494,000

  Isle of Wight

  870

  0

  55,000

  Kent

  8,442

  0

  718,000

  Lancashire

  9,706

  2,528

  641,000

  Leicestershire

  4,620

  0

  425,000

  Lincolnshire

  13,871

  0

  287,000

  Merseyside

  936

  0

  554,000

  Greater London

  837

  0

  2,946,000

  Greater Manchester

  2,090

  460

  1,102,000

  Norfolk

  11,359

  0

  354,000

  Northamptonshire

  3,268

  0

  299,000

  Northamberland (including Tyne and Wear MC)

  4,956

  2,652

  574,000

  Nottinghamshire

  3,747

  0

  458,000

  Oxfordshire

  3,905

  0

  287,000

  Shropshire

  8,218

  1,094

  196,000

  Somerset

  8,218

  1,094

  196,000

  Staffordshire

  6,792

  1,248

  495,000

  Suffolk

  7,943

  0

  303,000

  Surrey

  3,099

  0

  495,000

  East Sussex

  2,989

  0

  301,000

  West Sussex

  4,963

  0

  334,000

  West Sussex

  3,930

  0

  234,000

  Warwickshire

  5,455

  0

  278,000

  Wiltshire

  5,455

  0

  278,000

  West Midlands

  682

  0

  1,055,000

  South Yorkshire

  2,315

  401

  546,000

  North Yorkshire

  15,549

  3,799

  362,000

  566
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many people including farmers, spouses and workers are employed full time in(a) all farming and (b) less-favoured area farming for (i) each English county and (ii) each farm business survey county group; and how employment related to less favoured area farming ranks in terms of other classes of industrial employment for (1) each English county and (2) each farm business survey county group.

  Mrs. Shephard
  The table provides estimates of the number of full-time workers, including all spouses, on all agricultural holdings and on those holdings which are wholly or mainly in the less favoured areas as recorded in the agricultural census at June 1992. Also supplied are estimates of the total employment as recorded in the Department of Employment's Labour Force Survey.
  567

  Number of full-time workers on agricultural holdings1

  Total work force in employment2

  English county

  On all agricultural holdings

  On agricultural holdings wholly or mainly in the LFA

  West Yorkshire

  4,267

  1,485

  944,000

  FBS province

  Eastern

  43,079

  0

  32,455,000

  East Midland

  27,773

  1,930

  411,895,000

  Nothern

  18,671

  8,699

  1,061,000

  North Eastern

  29,110

  5,892

  52,446,000

  North Western

  35,264

  5,587

  3,439,000

  Southern

  44,150

  484

  67,360,000

  South Eastern

  19,493

  0

  1,848,000

  South Western

  39,587

  5,757

  1,166,000

  ENGLAND

  257,127

  28,349

  21,670,000

  1Includes whole time farmers, partners and directors, all spouses, salaried managers and regular whole time hired and family workers, excludes minor holdings.

  2 The estimates of the total work force (full and part time) in employment from Department of Employment Labour Force Survey, June-August 1992.

  3Excluding Holland (Lincs) and Greater London (E).

  4Excluding South Humberside and including all of Lincolnshire.

  5Including all of Humberside.

  6Including all of Greater London.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average age of less-favoured area farmers in(a) each English county and (b) each farm business survey county group.

  Mrs. Shephard
  The Farm Structure Survey 1990 contains information on the age of the holder of the farm by age band for a sample of about 40,000 holdings in England. The table provides estimates of the average age of holder based on analysis of this age band data for farms which are wholly or mainly in the less favoured area. The Farm Business Survey also collects data on the age of the holder from a smaller sample of holdings. The average age of holder in England in 1992–93 on holdings wholly and mainly in the less favoured areas, based on this source, was 51.

  Estimated average of the holder of farms wholly or mainly in the less favoured areas in 19901

  FBS province and county2

  Estimated average age of holder

  East Midland

  Derbyshire

  52

  52

  Northern

  Cumbria

  51

  Durham

  54

  Northumberland

  51

  52

  North Eastern

  Cleveland

  54

  North Yorkshire

  52

  South Yorkshire

  49

  West Yorkshire

  52

  52

  North Western

  Cheshire

  52

  Greater Manchester

  53

  Lancashire

  52

  Shropshire

  53

  Staffordshire

  53

  53

  568

  FBS province and county2

  Estimated average age of holder

  Southern

  Hereford and Worcester

  54

  54

  South Western

  Cornwall

  53

  Devon

  54

  Isles of Scilly

  47

  Somerset

  53

  54

  England

  52

  52

  Farm Structure Survey 1990

  1The holder of the farm is the person legally or economically responsible for the holding.

  2 Only those counties which contain holdings which are wholly or mainly in the less-favoured area are shown.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average level of indebtedness of all(a) SDA, (b) DA and (c) less-favoured area farms and for (i) SDA, (ii) DA and (iii) less-favoured area farms larger than eight ESUs for (1) each English county and (2) each farm business survey county group.

  Mrs. Shephard
  Information on farm indebtedness is available from the Farm Business Survey which collects data from a sample of farms classified as full time—that is, with eight ESU or more. The sample for the Farm Business Survey is intended to provide estimates for three regions of England. The results for individual FBS provinces are liable to larger margins of error than for these regions and results are not available for individual counties. For those provinces for which there is a large enough sample for average results to be provided, the table provides weighted estimates of the total external liabilities and total external liabilities as a percentage of total assets for farms classified
  569
  as cattle and sheep LFA for the 1992–93 accounting year. Comparable information for farms with less than eight ESU is not available.

  Cattle and sheep (LFA) farms by FBS province Total liabilities and net worth for farms of eight ESU and over

  1992–93 accounting year

  FBS province and farm type

  Estimated total external liabilities (£000 per farm)

  Estimated total external liabilities as a Percentage of total assets

  Northern

  Newcastle

  Specialist sheep (SDA)

  20·1

  9·0

  Specialist beef (SDA)

  1n.a.

  n.a.

  Mixed cattle and sheep (SDA)

  41·8

  12·0

  All cattle and sheep (DA)

  34·0

  11·0

  Cattle and sheep (DA)

  n.a

  n.a

  Cattle and sheep (LFA)

  32·7

  11·0

  North Eastern

  Asham Bryan

  Specialist sheep (SDA)

  n.a.

  n.a.

  Specialist beef (SDA)

  n.a.

  n.a.

  All cattle and sheep (SDA)

  42·6

  14·0

  Cattle and sheep (DA)

  n.a.

  n.a.

  Cattle and sheep (LFA)

  42·6

  14·0

  North western

  Manchester

  Specialist sheep (SDA)

  n.a.

  n.a

  Specialist beef (SDA)

  n.a.

  n.a.

  Mixed cattle and sheep (SDA)

  27·4

  8·0

  All cattle and sheep (SDA)

  25.4

  8.0

  Cattle and sheep (DA)

  n.a.

  n.a.

  Cattle and sheep (LFA)

  21·5

  7·0

  South Western

  Exeter

  Year

  1964

  1973

  1979

  Basis for measurement of size

  1963 SMD

  1968 SMD

  1976 SMD

  1972–1974 ESU

  Threshold for "full-time" farm

  275 SMD

  275 SMD

  250 SMD

  14 ESU

  Minimum number of either:

  beef cows

  261

  266

  362

  437

  or ewes

  3219

  3314

  3395

  4400

  1Four ESU was used as the lower size unit in conjunction with a requirement that farms must also have at least one annual labour unit.

  2 Assuming 0·5 hectares of permanent grass and 1·25 hectares of rough grazing per beef cow.

  3 Assuming 0·05 hectares of permanent grass and 0·125 hectares of rough grazing per ewe.

  4Assuming one lamb per ewe.

SCOTLAND

  Blood Transfusion Service
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for the latest year for which the individual figures are available for the Scottish blood transfusion service the total number of units of(a) red cell concentrate, (b) platelet (1) single donor and (2) random, (c) fresh frozen plasma, (d) cryoprecipitate and (e) other

  Issued within the NHS

  Issued to non-NHS establishments

  In Scotland

  In the United Kingdom, excluding Scotland

  In Scotland

  Within the United Kingdom excluding Scotland

  Outwith the United kingdom

  Total

  Fresh products issued from regional transfusion centres in 1992–93

  Red cell concentrate (units)

  244,683

  110,546

  2,928

  Nil

  Nil

  258,157

  Platelet concentrate

  1: random donor (units)

  68,429

  Nil

  124

  Nil

  Nil

  68,553

  570

  FBS province and farm type

  Estimated total external liabilities (£'000 per farm)

  Estimated total external liabilities as a percentage of total assets

  Specialist sheep (SDA)

  n.a.

  n.a.

  Specialist beef (SDA)

  n.a

  n.a.

  Mixed cattle and sheep (SDA)

  53·5

  17·0

  All cattle and sheep (SDA)

  42·3

  14·0

  Cattle and sheep (DA)

  35·9

  11·0

  Cattle and sheep (LFA)

  39·1

  12·0

  1n.a.—not available. Sample size too small to provide results for individual farm type and province.

  All data based on closing valuations.

  Less-favoured areas
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 9 February,Official Report, column 277, what was the minimum level of agricultural activity equivalent 30, 21 and 15 years ago.

  Mrs. Shephard
  The details of the system of farm classification has changed several times over the period from 1964. In 1964, 1973 and 1979 size was measured by standard man days. In 1979 size was also measured in terms of European size units for the purposes of analysing the Farm Business Survey.

  The SMD coefficients for each hectare of crops or head of livestock changed in 1963, 1968 and 1976 and the threshold for defining full time also changed. The table shows the changes for the years requested.

  plasma derived products which are dispensed (i) within the national health service in Scotland, (ii) within the United Kingdom, excluding Scotland, within the national health service, (iii) to non-national health service establishments within Scotland, (iv) to non-national health service establishments within the United Kingdom, excluding Scotland and (v) to non-national health service establishments outwith the United Kingdom; and what was the total income to the Scottish blood transfusion service from each of these transactions.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information is as follows:
  571

  Issued within the NHS

  Issued to non-NHS establishments

  In Scotland

  In the United Kingdom excluding Scotland

  In Scotland

  Within the United Kingdom excluding Scotland

  Outwith the United Kingdom

  Total

  2: single donor (pheresis) (units)

  2,283

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  2,283

  Fresh frozen plasma (units)

  20,880

  Nil

  120

  Nil

  Nil

  21,000

  Cryoprecipitate (units)

  10,089

  Nil

  72

  Nil

  Nil

  10,161

  Total units issued

  346,364

  10,546

  3,244

  Nil

  Nil

  360,154

  Plasma-derived products issued from Protein Fractionation Centre, 1992–93

  Albumin and SPPS (bottles)

  71,901

  214,454

  10

  Nil

  3Nil

  86,365

  Factor VIII (million international units)

  11·43

  22·07

  Nil

  Nil

  3Nil

  13.50

  Factor IX (million international units)

  2·05

  20·15

  Nil

  Nil

  3Nil

  2·20

  Anti-rhesus (D) (vials)

  13,342

  24,068

  30

  Nil

  3Nil

  17,440

  Anti-hepatitis B (vials)

  968

  2270

  1

  Nil

  3Nil

  1,239

  Anti-zoster (vials)

  810

  2162

  Nil

  Nil

  3Nil

  972

  Anti-tetanus (vials)

  2,077

  21,004

  Nil

  Nil

  3Nil

  3,081

  Anti-GL (vials)

  Nil

  2387

  Nil

  Nil

  'Nil

  387

  Intravenous immunoglobulin (vials)

  20,453

  24,834

  Nil

  Nil

  3Nil

  25,287

  Intramuscular immunoglobulin (vials)

  27,485

  24,829

  18

  Nil

  3Nil

  32,332

  Recovery of handling costs (£)4

  Nil

  4808,594

  470,265

  Nil

  Nil

  4878,859

  1This includes NHS supplies to the Army blood supply depot at Aldershot.

  2This figure is almost entirely made up of products sent to the NHS in Northern Ireland. These products are all derived from plasma contributed by Northern Ireland donors which is processed by the PFC and returned to the NHS in Northern Ireland.

  3Some very small amounts are sent overseas as humanitarian aid on rare occasions but no figures are available.

  4 This represents the administration and handling charge. There is no charge for the blood or blood products.

  Medical Teaching and Research
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each health board for each year since 1991, the additional costs of teaching and research, allocated at constant 1991 prices; and if he will make a statement.

  £million (at constant 1991–92 prices)

  Health Board

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Grampian

  15·186

  16·061

  15·700

  15·311

  Greater Glasgow

  32·821

  32·691

  29·692

  29·329

  Lothian

  26·112

  27·714

  25·916

  25·226

  Tayside

  15·628

  16·305

  14·534

  14·323

  Notes:

  1. Allocations for 1991–92 were based on actual student numbers from two years before, ie 1989–90. From 1992–93 onwards, allocations have been based on estimated student numbers for the year of allocation.

  2. From 1993–94 onwards no additional costs of teaching and research have been made for dental students but the running costs of dental hospitals continue to be met.

  Royal Alexandra Health Trust
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State: for Scotland (1) if he will commission an inquiry into the first year of operation of the Royal Alexandra Health Trust, with particular reference to budgets, waiting lists, staff morale and the effectiveness of patient care;

  (2) what were the planned (a) revenue and (b) capital budgets for the Royal Alexandra Hospital Trust at the levels set on 1 April 1993 for the 1993–94 financial year; what out-turn figures were achieved on these figures as at 31 March; what is the reason for any variance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  No. The trust is required to publish an annual report on its operations and this has to be presented to a public meeting by 30 September.

  Revenue budgets are related to income and are set by the trust when contract negotiations have been completed with trust income for the year determined. For 1993–94 the total income was forecast as £42·6 million. The capital
  572
  Mr. Stewart
  Allocations for the additional costs of teaching and research were made to the four teaching health boards as follows:

  expenditure permissible by the trust in 1993–94 as part of the external financing limit set by the management executive was £1,036,000.

  The out-turn figures for the year ended 31 March 1994 are not yet available. The trust is confident that it will meet the following statutory financial targets:

  to break even after interest payments,

  to make a 6 per cent. return on relevant net assets and

  to deliver the agreed EFL.

  Public Sanitation
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he, or any of the Ministers in his Department, last paid an official visit to a public water works, water pumping station or reservoir to assess the needs of the public sanitation industry.

  Sir Hector Monro
  My hon. Friend the Minister for Education and Housing paid an official visit to Lothian regional council's department of water and drainage on 21 September 1989. He inspected the Seafield sewage treatment works and Levenhall and River Esk pumping
  573
  stations. Water and sewerage matters have also been discussed at the normal ministerial meetings with councils' representatives.

  Whisky Industry
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has consulted the Scotch whisky industry on the economic impact on it of the proposed restructuring and possible future privatisation of water and sewerage services; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  My right hon. Friend has no proposals for privatisation of water and sewerage services in Scotland. We have corresponded with distilling industry interests about the reorganisation of water and sewerage. This industry has also been represented at meetings with Scottish Office officials. The views of the industry have been noted and exchanges will continue to take place in the usual way.

  Braille Ballot Papers
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce legislation to provide Braille ballot papers at polling stations; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so. The issue of electoral forms design is currently being reviewed by a working group set up after the 1992 general election under the aegis of the Secretaries of State for the Home Departments.

  Blair Castle
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial assistance has been provided by Scottish Enterprise or any of its subsidiary bodies to the Duke of Atholl, his estate or any company with which he is financially associated for the refurbishment and restoration of Blair castle, its gardens and estates; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  This is essentially an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and the local enterprise company for the area, Scottish Enterprise Tayside. However, I understand that Scottish Enterprise Tayside has a training for work contract with Training Craft, a subsidiary of Scottish Conservation Projects, which currently uses the Hercules gardens at Blair castle as a project site to train adults in conservation and horticultural skills. The estate contributes substantially towards the costs of the project including those of all materials and equipment and towards some of the costs of the training supervisor and of transporting trainees to the site.

  School Buses
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to improve safety standards on buses and coaches used to transport children to school; if he will specify the regulations which govern the transport of children to school; what proposals he has to amend these regulations; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Matters relating to the safety of school transport including regulations are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.574
  The Department of Transport is currently considering the full technical and cost implications of fitting seat belts to all seats in minibuses and coaches and matters such as the three for two concession.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has agreed to a request from Strathclyde regional council for a capping disregard for additional current expenditure in 1994–95 in respect of the additional cost to the council of dropping the three for two rule on dedicated school transport contract vehicles and requiring the fitting of seat belts on all contract minibuses.

  Physiotherapy
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current length of waiting time for physiotherapy services in the Argyll and Clyde health board area; what plans he has to improve this waiting time; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  Information on waiting times for physiotherapy services is not collected centrally. Argyll and Clyde health board has received an allocation of £244·7 million for 1994–95 which, together with efficiency savings, represents an increase of 7·1 per cent. over the general allocation in the previous year. It is for the health board to decide on how to use these resources to secure reductions in waiting times for physiotherapy services and other services. I understand that the board has increased the level of funding available for paramedical services, including physiotherapy services, for 1994–95 by £100,000; and in addition, a further sum of £105,000 has been allocated for staffing a pilot study of direct access by general practitioners to physiotherapy services in one part of the board's area.

  Local Government etc. (Scotland) Bill
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for what reason he was unable to agree to meet the regional chairman of Strathclyde children's panel as requested in a letter dated 8 March, to discuss the impact on disturbed and vulnerable children of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Bill.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 15 April 1994]: The chairman of Strathclyde children's panel is one of a number of people concerned with the care of children who have made representations about the possible effects of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Bill. We take all such representations seriously. Unfortunately my right hon. Friend's ministerial commitments do not allow him to meet all those concerned with different aspects of the Bill, but the chairman and her fellow office-bearers have been offered a meeting with Scottish Office officials.

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether local enterprise companies and their contractors are required to comply with the codes of practice issued by the Government on access to official information.

  Mr. Stewart
  The new code of practice on Government information came into force on 4 April 1994. The code applies to central Government Departments, their agencies
  575
  and a number of other public bodies. The local enterprise companies are limited companies and the code does not therefore apply to them or to their contractors.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for requiring local enterprise companies(a) to implement quality assurance arrangements in fulfilment of their training duties and (b) to fulfil equal opportunities requirements.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend has no such proposals. The Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990 lays upon Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise the duty, which may not be delegated, of keeping under continuous review the suitability and adequacy of any training provided by the two bodies or by their agents. In respect of equal opportunities, each local enterprise company, as part of its contractual agreement with either of the two bodies, is committed to providing equal opportunities regardless of race, sex or disability in the delivery of all its training programmes.

  Serviced Sites
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment has been made by Scottish Enterprise of the supply of serviced sites of various sizes in Scotland and their adequacy; and if he will publish the information.

  Mr. Stewart
  This is essentially an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I understand that Scottish Enterprise receives information about sites in both public and private sector ownership. Much of the information is, however, supplied on a voluntary and confidential basis and Scottish Enterprise does not therefore plan to publish it.

  Health Service Staff, Ayrshire and Arran
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what staff were employed in all aspects of the health service except in general practice in Ayrshire and Arran as at 1 January 1992, 1993 and 1994 in each of the categories(a) professional administration of the service, with no direct medical or nursing responsibilities, (b) practising medical staff and (c) practising nursing staff; and what was the cost of salaries and related expenses in each of the three categories in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 18 April 1994]: The information requested is shown in the tables. The figures in table 1 are as at 30 September while those in table 2 are available only at 31 March.

  Table 1

  Selected NHS staff in post in Ayrshire and Arran health board area: whole time equivalents at 30 September

  1991

  1992

  1993

  (a) Administrative and Clerical

  846·5

  913·3

  956·9

  Management Grades1

  57·0

  89·1

  113·4

  Other2

  789·5

  824·2

  843·5

  (b) Medical Staff3

  301·1

  321·1

  4399·1

  (c) Nursing Staff5

  3,567·3

  3,405·7

  3,261·7

  Students on '1992' courses and midwifery programmes not included in nursing staff totals (headcount)6

  —

  54

  107

  1Includes general managers, senior managers, staff on grades 7 and above and staff on protected grades. Protected grades may include some

  576

  staff on grades less than 7.
  Excludes nursing management staff and teachers.
  2Includes staff on grades 1 to 6.
  3Includes directors of public health/chief area medical officers and unit medical officers.
  Excludes general medical practitioners and locum appointments.
  41993 figures are provisional.
  5Includes nursing management staff and teachers.
  Excludes agency and bank nurses.
  6Students on '1992' courses and programmes in midwifery are not directly funded by the health board and are therefore excluded from the nursing staff totals.

  Table 2

  Salaries and Wages

  (£000)

  Financial Year

  Administration and Clerical1

  Medical Staff2

  Nursing Staff

  1991–92

  10,118

  13,395

  50,042

  1992–93

  12,212

  15,617

  53,078

  1 No figures are available for "Professional administration of the Service, with no direct medical or nursing responsibilities" as this is not separately identified in health board annual accounts. The figures supplied are the total salaries and wages for administration within the board and include those senior nurses and clinicians who have transferred to general/senior manager pay scales.

  2Includes specialists.

  Coastal and Flood Defences
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of his Department's policy on coastal and flood defence in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The Scottish Office policy on coastal and flood defence is aimed at reducing the risks to people and the environment from flooding and coastal erosion by encouraging the provision of defence measures which are technically, environmentally and economically sound and sustainable. Delivery of these objectives is for local authorities, who are well able to determine the needs of their areas. Schemes promoted by the councils and approved by the Secretary of State attract grant aid towards the eligible costs.

  Glasgow Development Agency
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all the leisure and leisure-related projects which Glasgow development agency has contributed, is contributing, and proposes to contribute to since it was set up, and the total amounts contributed to each such project.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is not held centrally. This is primarily an operational matter best taken up direct with the local enterprise company. The hon. Member may therefore wish to write to the chairman of the Glasgow development agency about the matter.

  Overgrazing
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many farmers have been approached by his officials to discuss ways of reducing overgrazing in each year since the introduction of the hill livestock compensatory allowance overgrazing clause; and if he will make a statement;
  577
  (2) how many hill livestock compensatory allowances he has withheld in 1992, 1993 and 1994 as a direct result of the introduction of the hill livestock compensatory allowance overgrazing clause; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what procedures are in place to monitor whether overgrazing has reduced following the withholding of hill livestock compensatory allowances as a direct result of the introduction of the hill livestock compensatory allowance clause;

  (4) what procedures are in place to monitor whether meetings between his officials and producers to discuss ways of reducing overgrazing have led to reductions in overgrazing;

  (5) what procedures are in place to reduce environmental damage caused through overgrazing consequent on that damage continuing after hill livestock compensatory allowances are withheld as a result of the introduction of the hill livestock compensatory allowance overgrazing clause;

  (6) how many farmers have had hill livestock compensatory allowances withheld in 1992, 1993 and 1994 as a direct result of the introduction of the hill livestock compensatory allowance overgrazing clause.

  £ million

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  outturn

  outturn

  Forcast

  Eastimate

  Sheep annual premium

  Nominal terms

  63

  76

  110

  107

  1991–92 prices

  63

  74

  105

  N/a

  Suckler cow premium

  Nominal terms

  26

  29

  19

  52

  1991–92 prices

  26

  28

  18

  N/a

  Beef special premium

  Nominal terms

  8

  6

  16

  28

  1991–92 prices

  8

  6

  15

  N/a

  Scottish Office Pensions Agency
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what key performance targets he has set the Scottish Office Pensions Agency for 1994–95.

  Mr. Lang
  I have set the Scottish Office Pensions Agency the following key targets for 1994–95, which cover important areas of service delivery and steps to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

  1. To ensure that awards and transfer payments are accurate to within 1 per cent. of their value in 98 per cent. of cases, as compared with the 1993–94 target of 2 per cent. in 97 per cent. of cases.

  2. To pay on time 99 per cent. of all pensions and lump sums where the target date for receipt of claims is met.

  3. To make transfer payments within four weeks of members' final instructions to transfer pension rights.

  4. To carry out a survey to measure customer satisfaction with administration of the national health service superannuation scheme, to analyse the results, and to produce proposals for necessary improvement.

  5. To produce a "plain English" charter standard statement, by July 1994.

  578
  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 19 April 1994]: Overgrazing is assessed by agricultural officers of the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department as part of the inspection programme for the hill livestock compensatory allowances scheme. Discussions take place with farmers frequently about stocking rates; to date no HLCAs have been withheld because of overgrazing. The operation of the overgrazing provisions of the HLCA scheme is kept under review in individual cases by the agricultural officers concerned and more generally by the Department.

  Livestock Allowances
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the budget, in real and nominal terms for Scotland in (i) 1991, (ii) 1992, (iii) 1993 and (iv) his estimate for 1994 for(a) the sheep annual premium, (b) the suckler cow premium and (c) the beef special premium.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 19 April 1994]: The table shows expenditure by financial year under the sheep annual premium, the suckler cow premium and the beef special premium schemes in nominal terms and at constant 1991–92 prices.

  6. To award a contract for development and supply of a new pensions administration information technology system by July 1994, and to reach the last key 1994–95 milestone in the implementation plan.

  7. To optimise use of budgetary provision while keeping within direct running costs limits.

  8. To provide policy advice which is consistent with public service pension policy and takes account of operational objectives of Scottish Office departments, within the required time scales.

  Firearm and Shotgun Certificates
  Sir Jerry Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total sum received in Scotland for(a) firearm certificates and (b) shotgun certificates during 1993 or the most recent year for which figures are available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The approximate sum received in Scotland during 1993 was £401,600 for firearm certificates and £371,000 for shotgun certificates.

  Monklands District Council
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has received a reply to the letter he wrote to the right hon. and learned Member for Monklands, East (Mr.
  579
  Smith) on 3 February requesting information in the right hon. and learned Member's possession which would be relevant to consideration of whether there should be a statutory inquiry into Monklands district council.

  Mr. Lang
  No. I have received no response to my request for such information, either to my letter of 3 February, or to my subsequent letter to the right hon. and learned Member for Monklands, East (Mr. Smith) of 8 February.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Business Appointments (Crown Servants)
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many Crown servants in each Government Department applied through the business appointments

  Number of applications

  Consultant

  Other

  Year

  Number of applicants

  Total

  Referred to committee

  Uncon

  Con

  Total

  Referred to committtee

  Uncon

  Con

  Ministry of Defence

  1986

  140

  50

  13

  36

  14

  115

  25

  74

  41

  1987

  131

  41

  18

  26

  15

  117

  24

  71

  46

  1988

  89

  37

  13

  19

  18

  74

  27

  31

  43

  1989

  94

  31

  18

  18

  13

  90

  19

  31

  59

  1990

  92

  50

  9

  30

  20

  84

  21

  59

  25

  1991

  101

  35

  3

  26

  9

  110

  6

  96

  14

  1992

  121

  63

  5

  49

  14

  137

  4

  110

  27

  1993

  109

  72

  2

  46

  26

  118

  11

  80

  38

  19941

  17

  6

  1

  5

  1

  16

  2

  12

  4

  Department of Environment and Transport

  1986

  25

  0

  0

  0

  0

  27

  2

  19

  8

  1987

  18

  0

  0

  0

  0

  23

  1

  8

  15

  1988

  29

  0

  0

  0

  0

  31

  0

  20

  11

  1989

  20

  0

  0

  0

  0

  26

  1

  14

  12

  1990

  34

  2

  0

  2

  0

  34

  3

  24

  10

  1991

  28

  9

  1

  8

  1

  20

  2

  10

  10

  1992

  26

  15

  2

  14

  1

  15

  0

  8

  7

  1993

  16

  9

  0

  8

  1

  9

  2

  6

  3

  19941

  5

  4

  1

  2

  2

  1

  1

  1

  0

  Department of Trade and Industry

  1986

  34

  10

  1

  7

  3

  26

  2

  17

  9

  1987

  24

  3

  0

  2

  1

  21

  5

  14

  7

  1988

  8

  2

  1

  1

  1

  10

  2

  3

  7

  1989

  10

  4

  1

  3

  1

  9

  4

  5

  4

  1990

  22

  5

  0

  3

  2

  18

  1

  15

  3

  1991

  13

  5

  0

  4

  1

  13

  2

  4

  9

  1992

  19

  11

  1

  9

  2

  19

  1

  2

  17

  1993

  24

  11

  0

  8

  3

  14

  1

  12

  2

  1994

  10

  6

  0

  5

  1

  4

  0

  2

  2

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  1986

  20

  5

  3

  4

  1

  23

  10

  15

  8

  1987

  12

  2

  1

  2

  0

  16

  9

  10

  6

  1988

  27

  6

  0

  6

  0

  27

  9

  17

  10

  1989

  21

  5

  2

  5

  0

  18

  6

  12

  6

  1990

  13

  3

  2

  3

  0

  16

  9

  8

  8

  1991

  20

  11

  3

  9

  2

  24

  9

  9

  15

  1992

  13

  8

  4

  6

  2

  16

  14

  6

  10

  1993

  18

  6

  2

  3

  3

  16

  5

  13

  3

  19941

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  Departments fo Health and Social Security

  1986

  16

  5

  1

  5

  0

  37

  0

  10

  27

  1987

  5

  1

  0

  1

  0

  4

  0

  3

  1

  1988

  32

  10

  1

  8

  2

  23

  0

  20

  3

  1989

  10

  0

  0

  0

  0

  10

  0

  10

  0

  1990

  7

  3

  0

  3

  0

  7

  1

  2

  5

  1991

  3

  1

  0

  1

  0

  2

  0

  2

  0

  580
  system to take up an outside appointment (a) as a consultant and (b) otherwise; how many were referred to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments; and how many were granted in each year since 1986.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The information is not all available in the form requested. Most applications are considered only by Departments. Details of those cases are not held centrally. The following tables give the total number of Crown servants in each year who made an application that was approved in consultation with the Cabinet Office. Figures are broken down by numerically significant departments. They show the numbers of applications to undertake independent consultancy and other work and, in each category, how many applications were referred to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments. They also show how many applications were approved unconditionally, or were approved with conditions.
  581

  Number of applications

  Consultant

  Other

  Year

  Number of applicants

  Total

  Referred to committee

  Uncon

  Con

  Total

  Referred to committtee

  Uncon

  Con

  1992

  3

  1

  1

  1

  0

  2

  0

  2

  0

  1993

  1

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  19941

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  1986

  6

  1

  0

  1

  0

  5

  0

  3

  2

  1987

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  3

  2

  1

  1988

  6

  1

  1

  1

  0

  6

  4

  4

  2

  1989

  9

  3

  0

  3

  0

  9

  1

  4

  5

  1990

  6

  2

  0

  2

  0

  7

  0

  4

  3

  1991

  13

  1

  0

  1

  0

  12

  0

  6

  6

  1992

  6

  0

  0

  0

  0

  6

  0

  4

  2

  1993

  5

  3

  0

  0

  3

  2

  0

  0

  2

  19941

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Inland Revenue

  1986

  3

  1

  1

  0

  1

  2

  1

  1

  1

  1987

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1988

  4

  1

  1

  0

  1

  3

  0

  3

  0

  1989

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  1

  3

  0

  1990

  11

  0

  0

  0

  0

  11

  0

  9

  2

  1991

  4

  2

  0

  2

  0

  2

  0

  2

  0

  1992

  7

  3

  0

  3

  0

  4

  0

  2

  0

  1993

  3

  2

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  19941

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Others

  1986

  12

  15

  0

  13

  2

  26

  5

  20

  6

  1987

  10

  20

  2

  15

  5

  32

  3

  30

  2

  1988

  11

  9

  1

  7

  2

  20

  4

  10

  10

  1989

  29

  11

  1

  9

  2

  20

  4

  10

  8

  1990

  20

  9

  2

  6

  3

  11

  3

  7

  4

  1991

  22

  17

  3

  15

  2

  25

  4

  20

  5

  1992

  28

  18

  0

  15

  3

  15

  5

  15

  0

  1993

  20

  10

  1

  7

  3

  15

  5

  15

  0

  19941

  11

  6

  0

  5

  1

  5

  2

  5

  0

  1 to 31 March 1994.

  Advertising
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 2 March,Official Report, columns 767-68, if he will publish the results of the analysis of applications received in respect of the 1994 charter mark scheme and the analysis of the responses and sales in respect of each HMSO campaign.

  Mr. David Davis
  We propose to conduct and publish research into the effectiveness and promotion of the 1994 charter mark scheme in the autumn after the awards are made.

  I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 14 March, Official Report, column 488, which gives details of sales in respect of each HMSO campaign. Sales of British Standards Institution titles now exceed £200,000. Detailed analysis of the responses to each campaign are commercially confidential.

  Research Establishments
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 21 March,Official Report, columns 87-96, what were the totals for (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland of (i) spending by publicly-funded research bodies on research establishments and (ii) numbers of staff employed; and what each of those figures represents as a percentage of the United Kingdom total.
  582
  Mr. David Davis
  This information is not available in the form requested. The table gives a breakdown of total spending by research councils on their establishments for the period 1992–93 and the percentage each figure represents of the United Kingdom total.

  £ million

  Per cent.

  England

  406·1

  87·7

  Wales

  17·1

  3·7

  Scotland

  39·6

  8·6

  Northern Ireland

  0·1

  —

  Total

  462·9

  100·0

  For details on the staffing of research council establishments, I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 21 March, Official Report, columns 87-96.

  Electronic Mail (Interception)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what research has been sponsored by the Government scientific research grants into development of encryption technology to protect data transmitted by electronic mail from illicit interception.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Research council funding has supported recent projects at five universities on the development of encryption technology, which have included work to protect data transmitted by electronic mail. The projects studied: the design and analysis of
  583
  encryption algorithms, real-time compression and encryption of information in multi-media network, formal analysis of cryptographic protocols and finite automation cryptography. Funding has also been provided for a current project in the LINK personal communications programme on security studies for third generation mobile telecommunications systems.

  Government Information
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on his evaluation of the likely time taken to provide information to inquirers who apply under his new code of practice on Government information in cases which are referred to the ombudsman for evaluation.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  This will vary from case to case, but the ombudsman has said that he hopes to be able to complete investigations of this nature in a matter of weeks.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will set out the reasons for the exclusion of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee from the list of bodies covered by his code of practice on access to governmental information.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Paragraph 6 of the code states that it applies to those Government Departments and other bodies within the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, the ombudsman. The radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee is not within the ombudsman's jurisdiction and is not therefore covered by the code.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Mr. Howarth) of 29 March,Official Report, columns 608-9, how many inquiries have been received at the telephone point mentioned to obtain copies of his code of practice on open government; and what responses to his consultation on the draft code of practice led to the change made to paragraph 15 on statutory and other restrictions.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Some 242 such inquiries had been received up to and including 15 April. The responses from the Campaign for Freedom of Information, published in its "Secrets" newspaper, the Consumers Association, the Guild of British Newspaper Editors and the Data Protection Registrar raised general issues about exemption (xv) of the draft code of practice which were taken into account in making the change described in my answer of 12 April,Official Report, column 26.

WALES

  Consultants
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information technology consultants his Department has employed, for what purpose and at what total cost for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Redwood
  Details of the information technology consultants employed in financial years 1992–93 and 1993–94 are given in the following table. Information for previous years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  584
  CONSULTANCIES 1992–93 AND TASK

  JBA International PLC
  To undertake a sizing analysis of the Department's financial systems.

  The Government Centre for Information Systems (CCTA)
  To undertaké a Post Implementation Review of the Department's computerised financial systems.

  Axsis
  Welsh Office Communications study: Part 1.

  DBI Associates
  To produce an Information Systems Strategy for the Welsh Office Education Department.

  NCC Consultancy
  To review the Document logging and diary facilities in the Ministerial private office.

  KPMG Management Consulting
  To undertake a study into the future of the In-House Bureau mainframe system.

  Computer Management Consultants
  Study into the Department's future Office automation requirements.

  Axsis
  Welsh office Communications study: Part 2.

  Admiral Management Services
  To undertake a review of security on the Department's computerised finance systems.

  IPL
  To undertake a Post Implementation Review of the Transport and Highways payment monitoring system.

  Praxis PLC
  To undertake a feasibility study regarding the development of a central information database for Her Majesty's School Inspectors in Wales.

  Praxis PLC
  To prepare a Project Initiation Document and Operational Requirement for an information database for Her Majesty's School Inspectors in Wales.

  DMS
  To prepare functional specification for a Management Informations System for the Department's Publicity Unit.

  Sofia and Company Limited
  Publicity Unit Management Information System development.

  Software Personnel
  Analysis of Software migration on Department's finance systems.

  SPS Limited
  Analysis of requirement—Agent Authority Audit Trail.

  Computacenter Limited
  Installation support, IT equipment and software.
  The total cost of IT consultancies in 1992–1993 was £357,822.

  Consultancies 1993–94 and Task

  Safetynet PLC
  To advise on the upgrade of the computer suite housing the Department's financial systems.

  The Government Centre for Information Systems (CCTA)
  To undertake a Post Implementation Review of the Department's Personnel Management system.

  Computacenter Ltd
  Computer network software support.
  585
  JBA International Ltd
  Time Recording System for Department's Legal Branch.

  Software Personnel
  Enhancements to Department's Finance Systems.

  Software Personnel
  Analysis and programming in relation to a software upgrade for the Department's Finance Systems.

  AXSIS
  Office Automation study.

  Sofia and Company Ltd
  Publicity Unit, Management Information System.

  ICL
  DRS 6000 sizing exercise.

  KOALA Publishing
  Schedule of Ancient Monuments records.

  The Government Centre for Information Systems (CCTA)
  Operational Requirement for Central database, Office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools (Wales).

  EASAMS Ltd
  Operational Requirement, Urban Affairs computer system.

  Software Personnel
  Grants and Subsidy payments system.

  AXSIS
  Computer Security and Support review.

  Computacenter Ltd
  Installation support for PCs, Peripherals and software.

  BIS Applied Systems Ltd
  To evaluate the need for a computerised record of manufacturing plants in Wales.

  Ernst and Young
  To advise on end of financial year procedures in relation to the Department's financial systems.

  Consultancies 1992–93 and Task

  Price Waterhouse
  To undertake a scoping study for the Market Test of Welsh office Information Technology services.

  Gower Business Systems
  To undertake a study of the possible uses of Desk Top Publishing.

  Mouncey & Partners
  To advise on the implementation of computer systems in Valuation Tribunal Offices.

  MVA Systematica
  To advise on the migration of the Department's Road Accident System from the In-House Bureau mainframe computer.

  Easams Ltd.
  To undertake a scoping study for the Valuation Tribunal integrated appeals system.
  586
  The total cost of information technology consultancies in 1993–94 was £608,550.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish his estimate of the annual operating costs of local government in Wales at constant prices for the last three years, together with his estimate for the next three years.

  Mr. Redwood
  The annual operating costs of local government include administration, personnel and other running expenses. Such operating costs cannot be fully identified from information held centrally. However, the available information is given in the following table. Information for future years and the 1993–94 and 1994–95 figures for revenue expenditure on administration are not yet available.

  Local authority revenue expenditure, 1994–95 prices (£ million)

  Net revenue expenditure1

  Revenue expenditure on administration2

  1991–92 outturn

  2,561·6

  361·3

  1992–93 outturn3

  2,632·2

  391·6

  1993–94 budget

  2,579·4

  —

  1994–953

  2,608·0

  —

  1All general fund revenue spending including community council precepts. No adjustments have been made for transfers of responsibility to or from local authority control—that is, the transfer out of further and higher education responsibilities in 1992 and 1993.

  2 Identifiable gross expenditure on administration, including spending on central administration—that is, personnel management—and administration costs normally accounted for within specific services—that is, education etc.

  3 Provisional.

  School Governors
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to promote the establishment of an independent body to represent school governors in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  County associations of governing bodies are being formed in various LEAs in Wales. I am sure that they will exercise a valuable representative function and act as a channel for information to and from governors. The formation of an all-Wales body would be a welcome development.

  TURKEY: WEU AND EU MEMBERSHIP
  TURKEY: WEU AND EU MEMBERSHIP
  STREET CHILDREN
  STREET CHILDREN
  SOUTHERN IRAQ: HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES
  SOUTHERN IRAQ: HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES
  SUDAN: TALKS
  SUDAN: TALKS
  CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS: HUMAN RIGHTS
  CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS: HUMAN RIGHTS
  NUCLEAR WEAPONS: WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION REQUEST TO INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
  NUCLEAR WEAPONS: WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION REQUEST TO INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
  NATO RULES OF ENGAGEMENT AND US FORCES
  NATO RULES OF ENGAGEMENT AND US FORCES
  NATO AIR ACTION, BOSNIA: AUTHORISATION
  NATO AIR ACTION, BOSNIA: AUTHORISATION
  TRANSPORT COUNCIL, 18th APRIL
  TRANSPORT COUNCIL, 18th APRIL
  CAA NATIONAL AIR TRAFFIC SERVICES: PRIVATISATION OPTIONS REPORT
  CAA NATIONAL AIR TRAFFIC SERVICES: PRIVATISATION OPTIONS REPORT
  RIVER WATER QUALITY OBJECTIVES
  RIVER WATER QUALITY OBJECTIVES
  STATEMENT ON THE DEFENCE ESTIMATES
  STATEMENT ON THE DEFENCE ESTIMATES
  COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS: REMUNERATION
  COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS: REMUNERATION
  EMPLOYMENT APPEAL TRIBUNAL: APPEAL PROCEDURES CORRESPONDENCE
  EMPLOYMENT APPEAL TRIBUNAL: APPEAL PROCEDURES CORRESPONDENCE
  EC FINANCIAL PROJECTS: CURRENCY DENOMINATION
  EC FINANCIAL PROJECTS: CURRENCY DENOMINATION