Written Answers of 25 April 1994

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Pharmaceutical Injury Claims
  Mr. French
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the total net cost of providing legal aid to those people making pharmaceutical injury claims for the years 1991, 1992 and 1993.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many pharmaceutical injury claims were made in the years 1991, 1992 and 1993.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Conservative

  Labour

  Liberal/Democrat

  Independent/Not known

  Birmingham

  217

  139

  58

  96

  Coventry

  84

  72

  33

  45

  Dudley

  103

  53

  25

  31

  Sandwell

  149

  93

  29

  19

  Solihull

  64

  17

  9

  52

  Walsall

  68

  51

  30

  27

  Wolverhampton

  68

  23

  15

  45

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 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. John M. Taylor
  The table contains the best information available. The number of private security firms and guards employed over each of the past 10 years has been estimated on the basis of the information that we have.

  Year

  Estimated number of firms

  Estimated number of guards

  Total cost

  £

  1984–85

  1

  9

  135,900

  1985–86

  3

  17

  248,700

  1986–87

  4

  29

  376,500

  1987–88

  5

  31

  592,625

  1988–89

  7

  64

  687,275

  1989–90

  6

  72

  1,037,536

  1990–91

  9

  107

  1,226,940

  1991–92

  10

  132

  3,063,651

  1992–93

  10

  175

  3,069,785

  1993–94

  10

  281

  4,430,286

  Totals

  65

  917

  14,869,198

  2
  Mr. French
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many pharmaceutical injury cases were commenced through the small claims courts in each year since 1990.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what percentage of all personal injury claims were accounted for by pharmaceutical injury claims in 1991, 1992 and 1993.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Magistrates, West Midlands
  Mr. George
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the political balance of magistrates in each of the districts within the west midlands county.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The political balance of magistrates in each of the districts within the west midlands county, on the latest information available, is as follows:

TREASURY

  Departmental Publications
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how many regular publications he was responsible in
  1993–94; what was their circulation; and how many were obtainable by subscription.

  Sir John Cope
  The departments and agencies for which the Chancellor of the Exchequer is responsible issue a large number of publications each year. Detailed information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  National Debt
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the national debt of central Government in(a) December 1990 and (b) at the latest available date; and what is the level projected for 31 March 1995 on current trends.

  Mr. Portillo
  A detailed breakdown of total debt of the public sector, including central Government, at end-financial year from end-March 1984 to end-March 1993, is given in table S1 of the March 1994 edition of "Financial Statistics". Central Government debt data at end-calendar year are not available.
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  Forecasts of total central Government debt are not made, but forecasts of net public sector debt and general Government gross debt appear in table 6.3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1994" published last November.

  Excise Duties (Alcohol)
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the payments of excise duties on alcohol to the Treasury for 1991, 1992 and 1993; and what effect the recent change in the date of collection has had on the revenue collected.

  Sir John Cope
  Receipts of excise duty on alcoholic drinks totalled £4,936 million in 1991 and £5,103 million in 1992. Receipts of £5,100 million in 1993 are estimated to have been some £200 million lower than otherwise due to the change to end product duty for beer.

  Trade Statistics
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is considering in order to rectify the alleged deficiencies and inaccuracies in the Government's United Kingdom trade statistics, and described in "UBS Global Research Economic Briefing" dated 21 March; and if he will make a statement, with particular reference to the amount of(a) last year's current account deficit, (b) the United Kingdom's 1993 invisibles surplus and (c) export and import volumes to the EC.

  Sir John Cope
  Details of investigations into the quality of the visible trade statistics, particularly on our trade with other European Community members, were given in the replies of my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 8 February,Official Report, column 121–22 and to my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove (Sir T. Arnold) on 21 March, Official Report, column 21. The Central Statistical Office has since announced that it aims to release preliminary findings on 12 May.

  On invisibles, the CSO believes that the published estimates of net investment income are the best available. The Union Bank of Switzerland analysis raises a number of interesting issues, most of which have already been investigated. The CSO does not accept that there is an error of the size or in the direction suggested. The CSO is always looking for ways of improving its procedures and, as announced in its programme strategies released on 19 April, has a continuing programme to improve this and other parts of the balance of payments statistics. There have already been major improvements in recent years with a progress report published in "Economic Trends" in December 1992. Balancing items—errors and omissions —have been very much smaller in recent years.

  Tiger Products
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 19 April,Official Report, columns 424–25, (1) what has happened to the tiger products seized by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise;

  (2) if he will provide names and addresses of importers attempting to bring tiger products into the United Kingdom;
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  (3) what prosecutions have been concluded or entered against those attempting to import tiger products into the United Kingdom.

  Sir John Cope
  The seized tiger derivatives listed in my previous answers were either destroyed or have been retained by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise for display and training purposes. In the cases in question, there was no suggestion of deliberate evasion of the endangered species controls. The importers were not prosecuted and it would be inappropriate to provide their details.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prison Vandalism
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the costs involved for repairing damage resulting from vandalism by prisoners at each prison in England and Wales in each of the past five years.

  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 A. J. Butler to Mr. John McFall, dated 25 April 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the costs of repairing damage resulting from vandalism by prisoners at prisons in England and Wales in each of the past five years.
  Our records do not show what proportion of general expenditure on works and repairs (which amounted in each financial year from, and including, 1988–89, to £103.8 million, £107.4 million, £111.8 million, £122.5 million to £94.0 million) was incurred on repairs of damage caused by vandalism by prisoners.

  Licensing Laws
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he expects to make in licensing restrictions and hours in pubs and night clubs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Deregulation and Contracting Out Bill provides for a system of children's certificates for suitable bar premises in England and Wales. Action on other proposals for liquor licensing reform following the consultation paper on this subject which we published in March 1993 is under consideration.

  Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the system introduced on 1 April for the formal training of project licence applicants under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  From 1 April 1994 applicants for personal licences will be required to have completed successfully an accredited training programme. In addition to this, from 1 April 1995, those project licence applicants seeking a project licence for the first time will require further pre-licensing training to be acquired from accredited training programmes. Home Office policy on
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  education and training is set out at appendix IV of the "Report of the Animal Procedures Committee for 1992" (Cm 2301).

  Tuberculosis (HM Prison Holloway)
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners at HM prison Holloway have been diagnosed as having tuberculosis; and in how many cases it has been judged that infection took place while in custody.

  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 A. J. Butler to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 25 April 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the number of tuberculosis cases that have been diagnosed in Holloway prison, and whether it is judged that the infection was contracted in custody.
  The health care centre records show that four prisoners at Holloway have been diagnosed as suffering from tuberculosis; two were diagnosed in 1992 and two in 1993. None of these prisoners was considered to be at the infectious open pulmonary stage of the disease and the indications are that none could have contracted the disease while in custody.

  Diver Mist
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which civil and emergency authorities will participate in the Diver Mist nuclear weapons accident exercise on 18 to 22 April in East Anglia.

  Mr. Hanley
  I have been asked to reply.

  The exercise took place at Barnham in Suffolk. The relevant police, fire, ambulance, health and local authorities participated, in addition to local representation from central Government Departments.

PRIME MINISTER

  Classless Society
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Prime Minister what progress he has so far achieved towards his objective of a classless society.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government's policies are aimed at widening choice and opportunity for all members of society. Significant progress has been made in achieving this aim through the reforms in education and health, through training and enterprise councils—which are providing greater opportunities to obtain vocational skills and qualifications, including the introduction later this year of prototypes for modern apprenticeships—and through other public service initiatives, such as the continued development of the citizens charter and the recent changes in the honours system.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the role of special advisers employed by Government; what restrictions are imposed upon party political aspects of their duties; and what plans he has to introduce new guidelines or regulations relating to their role.
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  The Prime Minister
  There are two categories of special adviser: political advisers, who assist Ministers with that part of their work which is partly governmental and partly political, and expert advisers, who complement advice given to Ministers by their Departments with that drawn from their particular professional fields and expertise. In the course of their duties, advisers are subject to the same rules of conduct as other civil servants. Special advisers are bound generally by the rules on political activity applicable to civil servants, with specific exemptions. They may, with the approval of their Minister, attend party functions and maintain contact with party members, and take part in policy reviews conducted by their party. In addition, and also subject to approval by their Minister, special advisers are allowed to undertake all forms of local political activity, apart from local activities in support of national political activities. I have no plans to introduce new guidelines or regulations relating to their role.

  D-day Anniversary
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations his office has had from the Royal British Legion in regard to the arrangements being made by the Government to mark the 50th anniversary of the D-day landings; what reply has been sent; what action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 21 April 1994]: The Royal British Legion has written to my office about the 50th anniversary of the end of world war II and was sent a full reply on 21 April.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Water Quality (Exhibition)
  Sir Jim Spicer
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to water quality and value 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 3 to 7 May.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Foodstuffs
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of foodstuffs imported into the United Kingdom come ready packaged for retail sale.

  Mr. Needham
  The information requested is not available as packaged foodstuffs are not separately identified in the standard international trade classification.

  Nuclear Power
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what efforts are being made by the British Government to encourage those countries of the former Soviet Union and the eastern bloc who have not done so to sign the Vienna convention on civil liabilities for nuclear damage or to
  7
  agree waivers of liability with British companies involved in upgrading their nuclear reactors; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  A number of eastern European countries have recently joined the Vienna convention and more are in the process of doing so. In recent visits to Bulgaria and Russia, a senior official of my Department has raised the matter. Until those countries have a sound legal framework for civil liability, we support the development of indemnity agreements. The European Commission is at present negotiating with the Governments of Russia and Ukraine to indemnify European contractors under the EU nuclear safety assistance programme.

  Local Government Legislation
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the Acts of Parliament and Consolidation Acts that affect local government that have been introduced by his Department since 1990.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The following Acts of Parliament that affect local government have been introduced by this Department, including the Department of Energy, since 1990:

  The Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991

  The European Economic Area Act 1993

  The Property Misdescriptions Act 1991

  The Timeshare Act 1992

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many parliamentary questions to his Department have not been answered because of disproportionate costs or because the information requested was not held centrally over the last five years; 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. Heseltine
  Over the period 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1994, there have been 119 parliamentary questions which my Department has not answered because of disproportionate costs or because the information was not held centrally. The remainder of the question could be answered only at disproportionate cost.

  Nuclear Energy Review
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 13 April,Official Report column 226, what representations he has received as to the effect of the timing of his announcement of the nuclear energy review on the forward planning of the nuclear industry.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have received a number of representations about the timing, format and scope of the nuclear review from hon. Members, the nuclear industry, members of the public and other interested parties.

  Offshore Oil and Gas Licensing
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to announce the next round of offshore oil and gas licensing on the United Kingdom continental shelf.
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  Mr. Eggar
  Following the success of the 14th round, announced two years ago, I am today announcing the 15th round of offshore licensing. I am also taking the opportunity to invite nominations for the 16th round. This represents a new approach to licensing with different rounds reflecting the different stages of exploration reached in the United Kingdom continental shelf.

  The overall objective remains that of encouraging exploration in the UKCS so that new fields are discovered and development continues for at least another 25 years. In order to ensure that the UKCS remains a competitive oil province, I will be expecting applicants for licences to demonstrate their commitment to competitiveness, innovation and cost reduction.

  The acreage announced today makes up the 15th round. This comprises all available unlicensed acreage in the southern basin and in the central North sea. The intention of the round is to encourage early exploration in the gas prone areas. In this way, new gas discoveries can be tied into existing infrastructure.

  I want to see this acreage explored quickly, with commitments from companies to early drilling in the blocks awarded. I am therefore seeking applications by 26 July with a view to announcing awards this autumn. I am very keen to see new gas developments going ahead. This "fast track" round should enable companies to make early progress. It is my intention that licensing opportunities in the more established areas should be offered, like this, on a regular basis in future.

  I am also seeking nominations from oil and gas companies for blocks which they would like to see offered in the 16th round. This round will cover areas around the coast of Britain and to the north of Scotland. Nominations will be required by 26 July.

  Many of the blocks in the 16th round will be in areas of environmental sensitivity or in areas where the interests of other users of the sea need to be taken into account. As in previous rounds, special conditions will need to be attached to a number of the blocks in those areas. Those conditions will be agreed with other Government Departments and with other bodies such as the Joint Nature Conservation Committee following nominations. Where blocks are in sensitive areas, I plan to ask applicants to address the environmental concerns identified in relevant surveys.

  A second announcement, in the autumn, will give details of the blocks offered in the 16th round. As well as blocks nominated by companies, the round will include established acreage in the northern North sea. Any special conditions attached to individual blocks will be available at the time of this, later, announcement. In order to give time for companies to undertake the necessary preparation, applications for the 16th round will be required in March 1995 with a view to announcing awards in the summer. I will also use the second announcement to indicate my plans for a round of acreage in frontier areas, the 17th round.

  I will publish tomorrow in the London Gazette and the Edinburgh Gazette and on Friday in the Belfast Gazette, a formal announcement giving the detailed financial terms for the 15th round, including the format of applications, the information required and the basis on which awards will be made. I shall place in the Libraries of both Houses copies of this formal announcement.

  British Coal
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what financial support he will be making to British Coal to fund redundancy payments after 30 April.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 22 April 1994]: Subject to the approval of the House to the draft Coal Industry (Restructuring Grants) Order 1994 laid on 21 April, the Government will provide restructuring grant under the Coal Industry Act 1987 to meet 90 per cent. of the cost of eligible expenditure related to the redundancy of British Coal Corporation employees.

  Haulage Vehicles
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the impact on the haulage contracting businesses of the decision of insurance companies not to cover haulage vehicles and their contents if parked overnight within the M25 or in the major metropolitan areas.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The DTI has made no such assessment.

  EC Structural Fund
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a further statement on the implementation of objective 5b of the European Community's structural funds in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Council regulations allow the member states three months from the date of the decision on eligibility, 26 January, to draw up and present to the Commission plans describing the uses to which it is intended to put the funds' grants. For this purpose, the United Kingdom's objective 5b areas will comprise 11 plan areas. The plans are being prepared by Government Departments, with appropriate local consultation.

  The Government have divided the indicative allocation, for the purposes of their plans, as follows:

  Plan area

  Million ecu (1994 prices)

  South West England

  219

  Shorps/Herefordshire/Worcestershire

  40

  Staffordshire/Derbyshire

  12

  Northern Uplands

  108

  Lincolnshire

  53

  East Anglia

  60

  Borders of Scotland

  30

  Dumfries and Galloway

  47

  Central Scotland/Tayside

  25

  Grampian

  39

  Rural Wales

  184

  Total United Kingdom objective 5b

  817

  The regulations allow a further six months to negotiate, on the basis of the plans presented, a Community support framework for each plan area. The framework will then govern the allocation and use of the funds' grants.

  Only after the Community support frameworks have been negotiated and adopted can detailed decisions be taken on projects to receive grant.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Parliamentary Ombudsman
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to create a charter to cover the work of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration; and if he will make a statement on the opportunities citizens have to seek redress from the ombudsman where they believe the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner has failed to investigate a complaint in a timely fashion.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I have no plans to create a charter to cover the work of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, as I have no responsibility for his work. The Parliamentary Commissioner's remit is governed by the terms of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967. He is responsible to Parliament, via the Select Committee, and not to Ministers.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total level of compensation paid out by Government Departments in redress of complaints made via the ombudsman in financial year 1993–94; and if he will list all payments made amounting to over £5,000.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  This information is not held centrally. I refer the hon. Member to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration's annual report for 1993, which contains details at appendix A of compensation paid following individual investigations completed during the 1993 calendar year. Copies of the report are available in the Libraries of the House.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  UN Peacekeeping Initiatives
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policy initiatives he has proposed or he intends to propose to improve the quality of UN peacekeeping initiatives.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom replied to the Secretary-General's request for recommendations from member states on ways to improve peacekeeping in July 1993. A copy of this reply has been placed in the House Library. A number of these recommendations were taken up in the Secretary-General's March 1994 report on peacekeeping, a copy of which has also been placed in the House Library.

  Departmental Building Refurbishment
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon: Member for Truro (Mr. Taylor) of 12 April,Official Report, column 14, if he will give a breakdown of the estimated total cost of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office building at King Charles street; and what considerations led him to give priority to expenditure of such a magnitude on the work.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Before 1988, partial refurbishment of the Foreign Office main building—Old Public Offices—was carried out by the Property Services Agency, funded from its overall provision for maintenance of the civil
  11
  estate. It is not now possible to quantify that expenditure. An investment appraisal in 1987 showed that it would be less expensive completely to refurbish the grade I listed building than to provide new accommodation for the FCO. It had not been refurbished since being first occupied by four separate Departments of State in 1875.

  Responsibility was transferred from the PSA to the FCO in 1988. Expenditure has been incurred as follows:

  Year

  £

  1988–89

  5,453,170

  1989–90

  7,580,608

  1990–91

  8,483,080

  1991–92

  12,973,778

  1992–93

  11,150,596

  1993–94

  12,564,053

  Total

  58,205,285

  The estimated out-turn for 1994–95 is £7.5 million.

  Design work is proceeding on the final phase, which is provisionally estimated to cost about £20.3 million, including works, resources and VAT, over the 1995–96, 1996–97 and 1997–98 financial years. On completion, the building will provide modern office accommodation, meeting health and safety and fire requirements. It will also provide 25 per cent. more office space, allowing leased buildings to be given up, thus reducing future running costs and improving operational efficiency.

  Greece
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the stance of Greece in respect of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation action against Bosnian Serb positions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Greece formally dissociated itself from the 9 February NATO decision on Sarajevo. However, it remains supportive of NATO's provision of close air support to UNPROFOR.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current relations between Greece and Serbia; and what assessment he has made as to the extent to which those relations are compatible with Greece's North Atlantic Treaty Organisation membership and with European Union policy.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It is not our policy to comment on relations between other states.

  European Human Rights Court
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy regarding the permanent right of individual application to the new single court that will replace the European Commission and the European Court of Human Rights; what factors led to the adoption of this policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department on 19 April,Official Report, column 457.

  Russia
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed British interests in Transcaucasia with the Russian Government; what is his view of Russian intentions towards the so-called Chechen Republic; and when he last discussed the situation in the northern Caucasus with the Russian Government.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  When my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs visited Moscow in February he discussed a wide range of issues with members of the Russian Government, including the internal situation in the Russian Federation and Russia's relations with her near neighbours.

  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed the situation in Bosnia with President Yeltsin; and what were his conclusions.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We remain in close contact with the Russians about the situation in Bosnia. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has not spoken in person to President Yeltsin recently, but he has discussed recent developments with Foreign Minister Kozyrev.

  Lin Qi Qun
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 31 March,Official Report, column 1020, with regard to Lin Qi Qun, wife of Mr. Chiu Hung Ing of 1 Princes parade, Manchester, when he intends to reply to the letter sent to him by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs does not appear to have received the right hon. Member's correspondence on this matter, except for a letter dated 26 October 1993 to which he replied on 10 November. My officials have asked for copies. We shall then look into this matter and write to the right hon. Member as quickly as possible.

  Departmental Publications
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for how many regular publications he was responsible in 1993–94; what was their circulation; and how many were obtainable by subscription.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is responsible for a wide range of publications. A list of 93 publications is included on page 101 of the FCO departmental report for 1994 (Cm 2502), a copy of which is in the Library of the House. In addition, over 150 publications on aspects of Britain are produced each year, in various languages, for distribution by posts abroad.

  To provide details of all the assorted circulations would be disproportionate to the time and cost involved. Most publications are distributed free. A few are available by subscription and others can be purchased from HMSO.

  Rwanda and Burundi
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the Foreign Office is represented in Rwanda and Burundi; and what action his representatives have been taking to alleviate distress and hardship for British and other citizens in these countries.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We no longer have representation in Rwanda. The honorary consul in Kigali was evacuated, with other British nationals, from Rwanda during the week beginning 10 April. The contingency arrangements with the Belgians worked well.

  Currently we have no representation in Burundi. Nominally the protection of British nationals there falls to the British high commissioner in Kampala. However, British nationals seeking emergency assistance in any country where we have no permanent representation can contact the diplomatic mission or consular post of any European Union member state.

  Bosnia
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have pledged troops to Bosnia as a result of the United Kingdom's initiative which have so far not yet arrived; and what are their estimated dates of arrival.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Nations has received offers of 7,717 troops following our lobbying exercise. Of these, Security Council authority exists only for a further deployment of 5,802 troops. So far British—905—French—300—and Spanish—170—contingents have been deployed. The deployment of Russian—300—and Ukranian—555—contingents are in train, the Swedes—165–are expected to deploy in early May and the Pakistanis—3,000—are expected to deploy in July. We have no information about the deployment of the remainder.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Commissioners' Assets
  Mr. Cormack
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners if he will make a statement giving details of the steps that have been taken by the commissioners, and are proposed, following the decrease in value of the commissioners' assets.

  Mr. Michael Alison
  The Commissioners' board of governors has taken a number of steps to strengthen the commissioners' financial management and accountability. The board's actions come as a direct result of the recommendations of the Lambeth report and are part of a vigorous process, overseen by a steering group of the board, to address all the issues raised in it.— The board has strengthened its relationship with the commissioners' assets committee through general rules under which the assets committee is to work. These rules offer direction and guidance to the assets committee and reinforce the link between the two bodies. They provide, among other things, for the assets committee to review, at least annually with external professional advice, asset allocation and investment performance and for the committee to report quarterly to the board.
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  — An Audit Committee has been established. Alan McLintock CA, chairman of the Church's central board of finance, is chairman and Derek Fellows, FIA is a member, neither are commissioners, thus ensuring the independent membership recommended by the Lambeth report. The committee is responsible, among other things, for considering matters relating to the audit and for reviewing the effectiveness of internal management controls, the implementation of investment policies and decisions and accounting policies and practices.
  — In January the commissioners appointed a new deputy secretary, finance and investment.
  — The firm of DTZ Debenham Thorpe has been appointed as independent valuer for the commercial property portfolio. The commissioner acknowledge that their asset base is too heavily weighted towards property and their long-term aim is to redress this imbalance. With this in mind, the assets committee's property sub-group is reviewing the commissioners' property interests with the benefit of a recent report on the portfolio from DTZ.
  — Watsons has been appointed as the commissioners' independent consultant actuaries. It will advise on the commissioners' liabilities for pensions and other expenditure, as well as investment strategy and management. The commissioners and the Church of England pensions board will discuss the future funding of clergy pensions with dioceses in the coming months.
  — The commissioners have also taken steps, after extensive consultations with dioceses and others, to reduce their expenditure commitments to a sustainable level through a programme of phased cuts in their contributions towards clergy pay and housing. The precise scope and amount of future cuts will be the subject of further consultations.
  — The commissioners are scrutinising their own administrative costs and have embarked on a review of each of their activities to ensure they are necessary and that they are carried out cost effectively.

  My hon. Friend will be pleased to know that provisional year end figures for 1993 show an increase of about 10 per cent. in the value of the commissioners' assets.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Air Crashes
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Attorney-General how many of his staff have been allocated to duties relating to air crashes.

  The Attorney-General
  No member of my chambers is specifically allocated to duties relating to air crashes.

  Crown Prosecuters' Code
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Attorney-General when he expects to complete the new code for crown prosecutors.

  The Attorney-General
  The publication of the code for crown prosecutors is a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions. As I announced to the House on 15 December last year, the code is presently being reviewed in order to simplify its language and to make it a document which is more easily understood by police officers and
  15
  members of the public who are not lawyers. The limited public consultation phase has just been completed and the director, with her staff, are presently considering the responses which have been received. I understand that the director is hoping to publish the code in the early summer.

  Residence Test
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Attorney-General what representations he has received from his counterparts in the European Union regarding the proposal to introduce a test of habitual residence in the United Kingdom affecting EC nationals seeking work in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  None.

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the activities of the Crown Prosecution Service.

  The Solicitor-General
  The main activity of the Crown Prosecution Service is the efficient and effective prosecution of criminal cases.

  Racial Crimes
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Attorney-General what are the prosecution policies in respect of racial crimes.

  The Attorney-General
  The code for crown prosecutors provides that a clear racial motivation for an offence should be regarded as an aggravating feature pointing towards prosecution, provided that the evidence is sufficient for there to be a realistic prospect of conviction.

EMPLOYMENT

  Human Resource Management
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library a copy of the National Audit Office's report into the human resource management in the employment department group.

  Average gross weekly earnings of full-time employees in manufacturing on adult rates whose pay was unaffected by absence: in April of each year

  Year

  North

  South-east

  Greater London

  South-east excluding Greater London

  £

  £

  £

  £

  1989

  229.9

  275.3

  295.7

  265.4

  1990

  250.3

  303.4

  329.3

  291.1

  1991

  267.4

  323.8

  349.7

  311.5

  1992

  289.1

  345.0

  374.6

  332.1

  1993

  299.4

  365.6

  397.7

  352.0

  Source: New Earnings Survey.

  First Aid Packs
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what enactments of the European Community determine to limit the contents of first aid packs suitable for places of employment; and which of them include limitations on the inclusion of scissors or other sharp instruments.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Various enactments of the European Community make provision for first aid in the workplace but none specify the contents of first aid packs.
  16
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Although the National Audit Office undertook a study of the Department's human resource management in 1992 it decided not to publish the results of this examination.

  North Yorkshire Training and Enterprise Council
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much was spent by North Yorkshire training and enterprise council in 1993–94; and what is its budget for 1994–95.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The total amount spent by North Yorkshire training and enterprise council in 1993–94 was £16,103,574. The budget for 1994–95 is £18,980,931.

  Passive Smoking
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what research he has commissioned into health risks from passive smoking in the workplace; and what have been the conclusions.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None. Workplace risks do not differ from those from passive smoking generally which were reviewed by the Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health. The findings were published in the committee's fourth report. The need for further research is kept under regular review.

  Manufacturing Industry Pay
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the average weekly earnings in manufacturing industry in the north-east and the south-east over the last five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information is available for standard statistical regions. The north-east is part of the north region. The latest available information for the north, south-east, Greater London, is provided in the following table:

  Objective 3 Programme
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much was allocated to the voluntary sector in each of the past two years in Scotland through the use of European social fund objective 3 programme(a) in total and (b) per project.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is set out for voluntary sector objective 3—the long-time unemployed —projects in Scotland:
  17

  ESF

  Number of projects

  £million

  1992

  5.23

  66

  1993

  7.55

  93

  The figures for 1992 are for amounts claimed in total: the figures for 1993 are four amounts approved. The amount claimed per project varies significantly and could be produced only by manual scrutiny at disproportionate cost.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many representations he has received in connection with the delay of allocation of European social fund objective 3 programme in Scotland for the year January to December 1994; and if he will make a statement as to the future allocation;

  (2) when he expects to announce the outcome of negotiations on the voluntary sector budget for January to December 1994 in Scotland in connection with European social fund objective 3.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received 15 representations from Scotland in connection with the delay in making allocations for the European social fund objective 3 programme. The European Commission is still considering the Great Britain objective 3 plan which was submitted to it last November. Although the Government have pressed consistently for speedy progress, formal negotiations are only just beginning. It will not be possible to agree sectoral allocations until annual funding allocations and priorities for support have been confirmed.

EDUCATION

  Pupils (Drug Abuse)
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils have been permanently excluded from schools in the north Yorkshire area for drug abuse in each of the past five years.

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

  Schools (Exclusion of Pupils)
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils have been permanently excluded from schools in each of the London boroughs in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Forth
  Figures for each of the past 10 years are not available. Information on permanent exclusions from maintained schools in England was collected by the Department over a two-year period, starting with the summer term 1990, under the national exclusions reporting 18
  system. In England, 2,910 pupils were excluded in year one and 3,833 in year two. It is not possible to provide an area breakdown of the figures because of assurances given as to confidentiality.

  Departmental Publications
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education for how many regular publications he was responsible in 1993–94; what was their circulation; and how many were obtainable by subscription.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department for Education produces four regular publications.Schools Update, a free newsletter for teachers and governors, is produced and distributed to schools in England once per term, (i.e. three times a year). It is also sent to individuals who have asked to receive copies. The circulation is approximately 300,000.
  Inside Story, an in-house staff journal, is produced bi-monthly and distributed to DFE staff. The circulation is 2,200.
  Education Publications, a list of publications and press releases issued by the Department, is produced monthly. The circulation is 634.
  DFE Circulars and Green Papers, a listing, is produced monthly.
  The circulation is approximately 100.
  Schools Update and Inside Story are free publications. The others are available by subscription. Inside Story was launched in September 1993. The other titles ran throughout the year.

  Rising-fives
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the authorities which maintain a full system of admitting rising-fives to primary school and those who admit no rising-fives at all; and what information he has on intermediate systems.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information is not available in the form requested. Most primary schools and local education authorities now have a policy of admitting children as rising-fives or earlier and in every authority in England in 1993 some children were admitted to primary schools on that basis.

  School Rolls, Greenwich
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children were on the roll(a) of Linton Mead and (b) Hawksmoor schools in the London borough of Greenwich on the last day of spring term March 1994 and the first day of summer term April 1994; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend understands that there were 150 pupils on roll at Linton Mead school and 190 at Hawksmoor on the last day of the spring term 1994. Numbers on the first day of the summer term at each school were 165 and 189 respectively.

  Statemented Children
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list by local education authority for 1984 and the latest date for which information is available(a) the number of educational psychologists employed, (b) the ratio of educational psychologists to school age children, (c) the number of children with statements and (d) the ratio of children with statements to the school-age population.
  19
  Mr. Forth
  The information requested for each of the years 1985 and 1993, the earliest and latest dates for which information is readily available, is shown in the tables.

  Educational psychologists and children with statements of special educational needs maintained by each LEA in England (January 1993)

  Educational psychologists

  Childerns for whom a statement of special education needs is maintained by the LEA

  LEA

  All pupils in schools

  Full-time equivalent

  Per 10,000 pupils in schools2

  Number1

  Per 10,000 in schools2

  Corporation of London

  1,795

  0.0

  0.00

  5

  27.9

  Camden

  27,541

  7.0

  2.54

  508

  184.5

  Greenwich

  38,182

  12.0

  3.14

  1,200

  314.3

  Hackney

  28,246

  7.5

  2.66

  1,027

  363.6

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  19,605

  7.0

  3.57

  497

  253.5

  Islington

  23,295

  9.0

  3.86

  567

  243.4

  Kensington and Chelsea

  21,053

  8.0

  380

  285

  135.4

  Lambeth

  28,366

  11.1

  3.91

  598

  210.8

  Lewisham

  35,601

  100

  2.81

  912

  256.2

  Southwark

  36,788

  10.5

  285

  814

  221.3

  Tower Hamlets

  33,841

  8.5

  2.51

  829

  345.0

  Wandsworth

  33,088

  10.0

  3.02

  920

  278.0

  Westminster

  22,616

  6.0

  2.65

  523

  231.3

  Barking and Dagenham

  25,373

  8.5

  3.35

  404

  159.2

  Barnet

  49,462

  14.5

  2.93

  781

  157.9

  Bexley

  34,112

  6.5

  1.91

  873

  255.9

  Brent

  37,168

  8.5

  2.29

  629

  169.2

  Bromley

  43,202

  10.0

  2.31

  946

  219.0

  Croydon

  52,305

  11.8

  2.26

  992

  189.7

  Ealing

  45,378

  10.8

  2.38

  1,024

  225.7

  Enfield

  42,479

  14.0

  3.30

  397

  93.5

  Haringey

  31,106

  10.8

  3.47

  479

  154.0

  Harrow

  32,474

  10.0

  3.08

  594

  182.9

  Havering

  36,552

  9.7

  2.65

  671

  183.6

  Hillingdon

  37,753

  9.8

  2.60

  423

  112.0

  Hounslow

  34,493

  6.0

  1.74

  1,038

  300.9

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  21,623

  4.0

  1.85

  437

  202.1

  Merton

  26,387

  7.6

  2.88

  706

  267.6

  Newham

  41,018

  10.2

  2.49

  794

  193.6

  Redbridge

  38,043

  8.4

  2.21

  681

  179.0

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  25,040

  6.0

  2.40

  491

  196.1

  Sutton

  26,232

  4.0

  1.52

  673

  256.6

  Waltham Forest

  34,980

  7.0

  2.00

  672

  192.1

  Birmingham

  186,603

  31.5

  1.69

  3,598

  192.8

  Coventry

  52,194

  12.0

  2.30

  1,025

  196.4

  Dudley

  47,308

  7.1

  1.50

  940

  198.7

  Sandwell

  52,058

  14.0

  2.69

  660

  126.8

  Solinull

  37,788

  8.4

  2.22

  713

  188.7

  Walsall

  49,300

  10.0

  2.03

  951

  192.9

  Wolverhampton

  44,517

  9.0

  2.02

  1,044

  234.5

  Knowsley

  28,566

  5.8

  2.03

  810

  283.6

  Liverpool

  85,654

  18.0

  2.10

  2,092

  244.2

  St. Helens

  31,189

  9.0

  2.89

  1,020

  327.0

  Sefton

  51,055

  11.0

  2.15

  1,119

  219.2

  Wirral

  58,939

  10.5

  1.78

  1,431

  242.8

  Bolton

  48,594

  7.4

  1.52

  823

  169.4

  Bury

  30,656

  4.6

  1.50

  990

  322.9

  Manchester

  79,242

  21.2

  2.68

  1,217

  153.6

  Oldham

  43,496

  7.0

  1.61

  768

  176.6

  Rochdale

  35,982

  7.5

  2.08

  810

  225.1

  Salford

  39,654

  7.6

  1.92

  445

  112.2

  Stockport

  50,256

  9.5

  1.89

  1,397

  278.0

  Tameside

  38,200

  8.0

  2.09

  1,086

  284.3

  Trafford

  35,665

  4.0

  1.12

  757

  212.3

  Wigan

  51,747

  6.5

  1.26

  1,409

  272.3

  Bansley

  34,221

  4.5

  1.31

  631

  184.4

  Doncaster

  52,278

  11.0

  2.10

  1,112

  212.7

  Rotherham

  44,311

  9.3

  2.10

  1,207

  272.4

  Sheffield

  74,487

  18.2

  2.44

  1,483

  199.1

  Bradford

  92,063

  20.0

  2.17

  1,270

  137.9

  Calderdale

  34,345

  6.5

  1.89

  488

  142.1

  Kirklees

  65,890

  17.0

  2.58

  1,691

  256.6

  Leeds

  116,599

  19.0

  1.63

  3,011

  258.2

  Wakefield

  55,190

  10.5

  1.90

  1,074

  194.6

  Gateshead

  31,711

  8.5

  2.68

  536

  169.0

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  46,367

  11.0

  2.37

  1,019

  219.8

  North Tyneside

  33,374

  8.0

  2.40

  1,066

  319.4

  South Tyneside

  26,125

  6.0

  2.30

  501

  191.8

  20 21

  Educational psychologists

  Children for whom a statement of special education needs is maintained by the LEA

  LEA

  All pupils in schools

  Full-time equivalent

  Per 10,000 pupils in schools2

  Number1

  Per 10,000 in schools2

  Sunderland

  51,762

  11.5

  2.22

  1,200

  231.8

  Isles of Scilly

  282

  0.0

  0.00

  1

  35.5

  Avon

  152,529

  25.5

  1.67

  4,054

  265.8

  Bedfordshire

  96,505

  15.9

  1.65

  2,448

  253.7

  Berkshire

  128,493

  19.5

  1.52

  3,009

  234.2

  Buckinghamshire

  108,659

  24.0

  2.21

  3,793

  349.1

  Cambridgeshire

  109,421

  16.0

  1.46

  1,842

  168.3

  Cheshire

  164,525

  25.3

  1.54

  4,154

  252.5

  Cleveland

  109,011

  16.5

  1.51

  2,353

  215.8

  Cornwall

  72,987

  12.0

  1.64

  2,571

  352.3

  Cumbria

  78,559

  190

  2.42

  2,076

  264.3

  Derbyshire

  149,862

  30.3

  2.02

  4,066

  271.3

  Devon

  151,459

  26.5

  1.75

  4,740

  313.0

  Dorset

  95,282

  20.6

  2.16

  2,320

  243.5

  Durham

  100,028

  24.5

  2.45

  2,133

  213.2

  East Sussex

  101,216

  19.7

  1.95

  2,200

  217.4

  Essex

  236,202

  42.3

  1.79

  5,067

  214.5

  Gloucestershire

  85,011

  17.4

  2.05

  2,070

  243.5

  Hampshire

  241,328

  54.8

  2.27

  6,802

  281.9

  Hereford and Worcester

  109,495

  16.0

  1.46

  1,676

  153.1

  Hertfordshire

  172,273

  33.0

  1.92

  4,145

  240.6

  Humberside

  149,240

  24.0

  1.61

  2,373

  159.0

  Isle of Wight

  19,005

  3.0

  1.58

  391

  205.7

  Kent

  251,214

  40.5

  1.61

  6,008

  239.2

  Lancashire

  230,232

  40.2

  1.75

  6,556

  284.8

  Leicesterhsire

  150,771

  32.6

  2.16

  n/a

  n/a

  Lincolnshire

  91,813

  13.0

  1.42

  2,810

  306.1

  Norfolk

  111,564

  19.0

  1.70

  3,060

  274.3

  North Yorkshire

  113,766

  19.0

  1.67

  2,193

  192.8

  Northamptonshire

  103,060

  19.0

  1.84

  1,983

  192.4

  Northumberland

  51,155

  11.0

  2.11

  1,200

  230.1

  Nottinghamshire

  164,830

  30.5

  1.85

  1,934

  117.3

  Oxfordshire

  89,774

  14.5

  1.62

  1,521

  169.4

  Shropshire

  69,257

  11.6

  1.67

  2,112

  305.0

  Somerset

  73,998

  11.1

  1.50

  1,594

  215.4

  Staffordshire

  171,943

  28.4

  1.65

  3,699

  215.1

  Suffolk

  100,542

  14.0

  1.39

  2,704

  268.9

  Surrey

  158,228

  32.3

  2.04

  4,449

  281.2

  Warwickshire

  79,728

  12.7

  1.59

  1,458

  182.9

  West Sussex

  107,039

  17.1

  1.60

  1,930

  180.3

  Wiltshire

  87,914

  13.3

  1.51

  3,419

  388.9

  ENGLAND

  7,841,783

  1,540.9

  1.96

  176,698

  225.3

  1 Derived from returns received from LEAs—Special Educational Needs Survey (SEN 2) 1993. Includes children in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools; non-maintained special and independent schools and children being educated otherwise than in a school.

  2 Divisor includes pupils in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, and non-maintained special and independent schools.

  n/a Information not available for Leicestershire LEA.

  Educational psychologists and children with statements of special educational needs maintained by each LEA in England (January 1985)

  Educational psychologists

  Childerns for whom a statement of special education needs is maintained by the LEA

  LEA

  All pupils in schools

  Full-time equivalent

  Per 10,000 pupils in schools2

  Number1

  Per 10,000 in schools2

  Barking and Dagenham

  24,916

  7.0

  2.81

  384

  154.1

  Barnet

  47,108

  8.5

  1.80

  644

  136.7

  Bexley

  34,661

  5.0

  1.44

  713

  205.7

  Brent

  36,652

  9.6

  2.62

  3—

  3—

  Bromley

  44,604

  8.0

  1.79

  766

  171.7

  Croydon

  57,297

  9.0

  1.72

  791

  151.3

  Ealing

  42,923

  5.4

  1.26

  513

  119.5

  Enfield

  41,229

  9.0

  2.18

  779

  188.9

  Haringey

  30,142

  7.0

  2.32

  556

  184.5

  Harrow

  31,923

  6.0

  1.88

  596

  186.7

  Havering

  39,504

  8.0

  2.03

  626

  158.5

  Hillingdon

  37,805

  5.0

  1.32

  698

  184.6

  Hounslow

  33,089

  5.9

  1.78

  12

  3.6

  Kingston upon Thames

  21,227

  2.0

  0.94

  340

  160.2

  Merton

  26,278

  5.0

  1.90

  160

  60.9

  22 23

  Educational psychologists

  Children for whom a statement of special education needs is maintained by the LEA

  LEA

  All pupils in schools

  Full-time equivalent

  Per 10,000 pupils in schools2

  Number1

  Per 10,000 in schools2

  Newham

  37,848

  11.0

  2.91

  755

  199.5

  Redbridge

  34,390

  6.0

  1.74

  724

  210.5

  Richmond upon Thames

  22,934

  4.0

  1.74

  305

  133.0

  Sutton

  25,050

  4.0

  1.60

  190

  75.8

  Waltham Forest

  35,130

  8.0

  2.28

  716

  203.8

  Birmingham

  184,359

  37.2

  2.02

  3,478

  188.7

  Coventry

  55,309

  12.3

  2.22

  1,232

  222.7

  Dudley

  49,963

  7.5

  1.50

  908

  181.7

  Sandwell

  54,299

  8.0

  1.47

  1,103

  203.1

  Solihull

  38,072

  7.3

  1.92

  84

  22.1

  Walsall

  52,349

  7.0

  1.34

  777

  148.4

  Wolverhampton

  48,014

  6.0

  1.25

  720

  150.0

  Knowsley

  31,238

  7.0

  2.24

  348

  111.4

  Liverpool

  88,435

  15.5

  1.75

  1,663

  188.0

  St.Helens

  34,913

  4.0

  1.15

  647

  185.3

  Sefton

  53,157

  9.0

  1.69

  581

  109.3

  Wirral

  60,362

  8.0

  1.33

  1,277

  211.6

  Bolton

  49,842

  4.0

  0.80

  675

  135.4

  Bury

  30,558

  3.5

  1.15

  507

  165.9

  Manchester

  79,867

  14.0

  1.75

  345

  43.2

  Oldham

  41,485

  5.0

  1.21

  661

  159.3

  Rochdale

  38,674

  9.0

  2.33

  618

  159.8

  Salford

  42680

  6.0

  1.41

  815

  191.0

  Stockport

  51,685

  6.7

  1.30

  862

  166.8

  Temeside

  38,065

  7.0

  1.84

  669

  175.8

  Trafford

  34,995

  3.0

  0.86

  278

  79.4

  Wigan

  57,079

  8.0

  1.40

  108

  18.9

  Barnsley

  39,441

  4.0

  1.01

  443

  112.3

  Doncaster

  53,271

  9.0

  1.69

  14

  2.6

  Rotherham

  47,218

  9.0

  1.91

  844

  178.7

  Sheffield

  85,230

  13.6

  1.60

  1,383

  162.3

  Bradford

  88,613

  14.0

  1.58

  1,391

  157.0

  Calderdale

  34,956

  2.0

  0.57

  338

  96.7

  Kirklees

  70,252

  12.0

  1.71

  929

  132.2

  Leeds

  120,865

  13.5

  1.12

  1,038

  85.9

  Wakefield

  57,486

  6.0

  1.04

  981

  170.7

  Gateshead

  33,838

  8.0

  2.36

  598

  176.7

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  46,882

  12.0

  2.56

  882

  188.1

  North Tyneside

  33,870

  8.0

  2.36

  604

  178.3

  South Tyneside

  26,577

  6.0

  2.26

  467

  175.7

  Sunderland

  55,941

  9.0

  1.61

  1,000

  178.8

  Isles of Scilly

  287

  0.0

  0.00

  3—

  3—

  Inner London

  332,916

  87.7

  2.63

  7,349

  220.7

  Avon

  155,467

  28.6

  1.84

  617

  39.7

  Bedfordshire

  94,075

  12.0

  1.28

  1,529

  162.5

  Berkshire

  129,156

  17.3

  1.34

  2,121

  164.2

  Buckinghamshire

  106,670

  16.0

  1.50

  2,859

  268.0

  Cambridgeshire

  105,133

  12.0

  1.14

  1,252

  119.1

  Cheshire

  165,879

  17.0

  1,02

  3,468

  209.1

  Cleveland

  109,668

  18.0

  1.64

  2,290

  208.8

  Cornwall

  72,603

  8.0

  1.10

  965

  132.9

  Cumbria

  82,187

  9.0

  1.10

  1,353

  164.6

  Derbyshire

  156,355

  21.5

  1.38

  2,698

  72.6

  Devon

  149,133

  20.4

  1.37

  2,807

  188.2

  Dorset

  92,600

  14.5

  1.57

  1,590

  171.7

  Durham

  104,981

  17.4

  1.66

  1,569

  149.5

  East Sussex

  97,571

  11.8

  1.21

  1,766

  181.0

  Essex

  250,118

  31.4

  1.26

  4,555

  182.1

  Gloucestershire

  87,235

  11.0

  1.26

  483

  55.4

  Hampshire

  244,958

  31.5

  1.29

  5,252

  214.4

  Hereford and Worcester

  112,025

  11.0

  0.98

  14

  1.2

  Hertfordshire

  179,696

  21.5

  1.20

  3,472

  93.2

  Humberside

  152,528

  21.0

  1.38

  2,417

  58.5

  Isle of Wight

  19,004

  3.0

  1.58

  317

  166.8

  Kent

  252,808

  19.0

  0.75

  5,137

  203.2

  Lancashire

  235,132

  34.0

  1.45

  4,708

  200.2

  Leicestershire

  151,164

  19.0

  1.26

  1,797

  118.9

  Lincolnshire

  91,827

  10.0

  1.09

  2,001

  217.9

  Norfolk

  114,594

  14.0

  1.22

  1,494

  130.4

  North Yorkshire

  113,740

  15.2

  1.34

  1,723

  151.5

  Northamptonshire

  101,392

  15.0

  1.48

  1,858

  183.2

  Northumberland

  51,380

  4.1

  0.80

  806

  156.9

  Nottinghamshire

  171,777

  30.0

  1.75

  2,617

  152.3

  24 25

  Educational psychologists

  Children for whom a statement of special education needs is maintained by the LEA

  LEA

  All pupils in schools

  Full-time equivalent

  Per 10,000 pupils in schools2

  Number1

  Per 10,000 in schools2

  Oxfordshire

  90,417

  12.5

  1.38

  1,046

  115.7

  Shropshire

  70,551

  8.0

  1.13

  780

  110.6

  Somerset

  75,157

  9.0

  1.20

  1,320

  175.6

  Staffordshire

  177,835

  17.7

  1.00

  2,671

  150.2

  Suffolk

  102,989

  13.0

  1.26

  1,532

  148.8

  Surrey

  165,910

  22.0

  1.33

  3,384

  204.0

  Warwickshire

  84,128

  9.8

  1.16

  1,547

  183.9

  West Sussex

  106,569

  12.0

  1.13

  1,394

  130.8

  Wiltshire

  88,570

  13.0

  1.47

  1,795

  202.7

  England

  7,955,735

  1,173.4

  1.47

  127,889

  160.8

  1 Derived from returns from LEAs—Special Educational Needs Survey (SEN 2) 1985. Includes children in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools; non-maintained special and independent schools and children being educated otherwise than in a school.

  2 Divisor includes pupils in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools; and non-maintained special and independent schools.

  3 Information not available.

  Grant-maintained Publication Centre
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the total cost in the last financial year of the Department's grant-maintained publication centre; and what part of that total cost relates to the freephone number.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The grant-maintained publication centre was set-up in January 1994. The total cost to the end of March is £34,000, including VAT. Of this, £6,000 relates to the cost of setting up the freephone number and the handling of calls by the contractor. These figures do not include the cost of call charges still to be billed by British Telecom.

  Going GM Conferences
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the total expenditure on travel and subsistence costs of civil servants attending the Going GM conferences at Darlington, Manchester, Newcastle and Huddersfield in February and March.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Those costs are recorded with all other travel and subsistence costs for civil servants in the Department. Disaggregated costs could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  St. Paul's Church of England Primary School
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to make a decision about the funding of the nursery class in St. Paul's Church of England primary school in Hammersmith.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Those proposals were approved by my right hon. Friend on 18 April 1994.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Transport Licensing
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to keep the Transport Licensing Enforcement Division separate from the driver and vehicle licensing authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  There is a commitment on Government when undertaking the three-year review of the 26
  Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency to consider whether the enforcement function provided by Department of the Environment should be undertaken by the agency. This review is due to be completed early in 1995 and it would therefore not be appropriate to anticipate the outcome at this stage.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the role of the transport licensing enforcement division; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  The role of the Transport Licensing and Enforcement Branch is to ensure that hauliers and passenger carrying operators who operate for reward are suitably licensed and conform with the conditions of their licences, and that their vehicles are roadworthy.

  Glanders
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of cases of glanders and farcy in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Ancram
  There has been no cases of glanders or farcy recorded in Northern Ireland since 1913.

  Right to Silence
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received from the Chief Constable of Northern Ireland concerning the right to silence; what specific issues have been raised with him by the Chief Constable relating to the proposed changes to the present criminal justice and public order legislation in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Wheeler
  I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the "right of silence" provisions contained in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill. My right hon. and learned Friend has received no representations from the 'Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary about the provisions on inferences from silence contained in the Bill.

  Benefits (Residence Test)
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to abandon proposals for introducing the habitual residence test for income support and housing benefit; and if he will make a statement.
  27
  Mr. Ancram
  The Government have referred a proposal for a habitual residence test in the income support and housing benefit schemes to the Social Security Advisory Committee. The Government will consider all representations made once the committee's report has been completed.

  Health and Social Services Boards

  Total average available beds1

  First attendances at Accident and Emergency Departments

  Total average available beds per 1,0002 population

  First attendances at Accident and Emergency Departments per 1,000 population

  Eastern

  5,304

  249,010

  8

  382

  Northern

  1,855

  89,698

  5

  224

  Southern

  2,019

  71,781

  7

  245

  Western

  1,910

  60,747

  7

  229

  1 Available beds cover acute and all other specialities but do not include beds open day only.

  2 As hospitals particularly in the Eastern Board area and to a lesser extent in the Western area, provide some services for patients from all parts of Northern Ireland, care should be taken when interpreting available bed figures per 1,000 population.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentages of ambulances in each service in Northern Ireland responded within(a) eight minutes and (b) 14 to 20 minutes to emergency calls in 1993–94.

  Mr. Ancram
  The percentage of emergency ambulance calls responded to by each of the four ambulance services in Northern Ireland within eight minutes in the period 1 April 1993 to 31 December 1993 were:

  Per cent.

  Eastern Ambulance Service HSS Trust

  54

  Northern health and social services board

  56

  Southern health and social services board

  58

  Western health and social services board

  60

  Figures on the percentage of emergency ambulance calls responded to between 14 and 20 minutes are not available as the charter standards in Northern Ireland, based on population density, are set at 18 minutes—rural category—and 21 minutes—sparsely populated category. The percentage of emergency ambulance calls responded to by each of the four ambulance services in Northern Ireland within 18 to 21 minutes in the period 1 April 1993 to 31 December 1993 were:

  Per cent.

  Eastern Ambulance Service HSS Trust

  193

  Northern health and social services board

  296

  Southern health and social services board

  295

  Western health and social services board

  294

  1based on 18-minute target.

  2based on 21-target.

  Figures for the last quarter of 1993-94 are not yet available.

  Hospital Services
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average number of(a) beds available and (b) new accident and emergency cases during 1993–94, by regional health and personal social services board; and what were the figures per 1,000 population.

  Mr. Ancram
  Information is shown in the table and relates to the period 1 January 1993 to 31 December 1993, which is the latest year for which information is held centrally.

SCOTLAND

  Glasgow Eastern Area Renewal
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of Government money spent in the east end of Glasgow during the lifetime of the Glasgow eastern area renewal project and since then to date.

  Mr. Stewart
  Scottish Enterprise suggests that from 1976 until the completion of the GEAR project in 1987, the Scottish Development Agency spent £70.4 million in the area. It estimates that a further £44.8 million was spent during the period 1987 to 1991 on the areas included in the GEAR project.

  Expenditure by the Glasgow development agency in the east end of Glasgow has been £11.4 million for the period April 1991 to March 1994.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. Lang
  The information is set out in the table.

  Year

  Number of firms

  Annual value of contracts

  Number of guards

  1984–85

  1

  68,384

  2.0

  1985–86

  1

  70,468

  2.0

  1986–87

  3

  261,306

  20.0

  1987–88

  3

  294,229

  20.0

  1988–89

  4

  515,982

  46.5

  1989–90

  4

  740,430

  66.0

  1990–91

  4

  925,331

  86.0

  1991–92

  8

  1,042,070

  84.0

  1992–93

  8

  1,079,105

  88.0

  1993–94

  11

  1,255,769

  95.0

  Medical Teaching and Research
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to review the allocation of additional costs of teaching and research; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 20 April 1994]: The additional cost of teaching and research element in health boards' revenue allocations is currently under review. The NHS management executive will consult health boards, NHS trusts and universities on its proposals following the review.

  Enterprise Companies
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what regulations, codes of practice and or guidelines govern the party political activity of senior paid employees, including chief executives and directors, of Scottish Enterprise and enterprise companies; how these differ from those which govern principal and chief officers of local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 21 April 1994]: The party political activities of all Scottish Enterprise employees, including the staff and chief executives of local enterprise companies, are constrained by the conditions of their employment as set out in the code of conduct on political activities contained in the employees' handbook provided by Scottish Enterprise.

  The code of conduct provides that staff are free to participate in political activities providing such activity does not interfere with the employee's work or take place in working time or on Scottish Enterprise premises, and providing it has the approval of his or her employers. In particular, staff who participate in political activities are required to make it clear that they are doing so in a personal capacity, to refrain from making public use of confidential information gained through their employment, and to refrain from commenting on any policy relating to the activities of their employer.

  The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 introduced disqualification and political restrictions on certain officials within local government on the basis that it has long been accepted by successive Governments that senior local government officers should be, and be seen to be, politically impartial. In addition to the provisions contained in the 1989 Act, various regulations have been made, including the Local Government Officers (Political Restrictions) Regulations 1990 and the Local Government (Politically Restricted Posts) Regulations 1990, as amended. Essentially, the effect of the legislation is that local government officers will be subject to similar, although somewhat less restrictive, rules to those which already apply to civil servants.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  China
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance Her Majesty's Government are giving to China through(a) the aid budget and (b) the aid and trade provisions in the current year.
  30
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Expenditure on technical cooperation in 1992–93 was £8.45 million. Expenditure on aid and trade provision support in 1992–93 was £26.471 million.

  South Africa
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the United Kingdom is doing to help the training of the police and crowd control marshals in South Africa during the election period.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have helped to train over 3,000 crowd control marshals and 20,000 peace monitors as part of a total contribution to peacekeeping of £3 million. We have funded a training course on policing policy for potential future policy makers.

  Natural Resources Institute
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are his plans for the future development of the Natural Resources Institute.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  As I said in reply to a written question from the hon. Member for Monklands, West (Mr. Clarke) on 19 April,Official Report, columns 495–96, a study of options for the future ownership of the institute is presently under way. The institute is also being restructured.

  Development Policy
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held on the place of armaments in development policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Arms have no place in development policy. The United Kingdom has taken part in discussions in a number of international fora, including the OECD's Development Assistance Committee and the European Community, on the negative effects of excessive military spending on development.

  Tanzania
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what specific measures are being discussed between his Department and the World bank regarding the protection of the poorest in Tanzania following the introduction of user charges and insurance schemes for health services.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Government of Tanzania have agreed, following discussion with Her Majesty's Government and the World bank, that patients will be exempted from payment for certain services, such as chronic disease and all preventive services. Those genuinely unable to pay for other services will be granted exemption. We have provided technical assistance to assist the Government of Tanzania in this process. The issue of compulsory health insurance remains under discussion.

  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice the Overseas Development Administration has given to the Tanzanian Government regarding protection for those who cannot afford to pay for health care.
  31
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We funded a nationwide survey which demonstrated that the poor are already paying substantially for theoretically free services. Our advice to the Government of Tanzania, which has been accepted, was to increase central budget allocations for health, collect most user charges from those who can afford to pay and exempt certain categories of health care and those who are genuinely poor.

  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department possesses on what categories of persons are exempted from charges and insurance schemes under Tanzania's new health system.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The following categories are exempt:

  (i) All persons exempted from the development levy on grounds of poverty;

  (ii) All preventive services and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and AIDS;

  (iii) All patients with tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, leprosy, cholera, typhoid, diabetes and psychiatric conditions.

  (iv) All children under the age of 12.

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on action to be taken in providing medicine to Iraq, following the Adjournment debate of 12 April on water-borne disease in the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are ready to consider further requests for essential medical supplies for Iraq. We will expect requests to show that delivery will be well targeted and adequately monitored. We are discussing with the British Red Cross a recent appeal from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

  Indonesia
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid his Department has given to the Indonesian Government since 1980.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Gross bilateral aid expenditure on Indonesia from 1 January 1980 to 31 March 1993 was £278 million. Figures for financial year 1993–94 are not yet available. Our aid supports projects in such sectors as power, forestry, railways, civil aviation, education, broadcasting and public administration.

ENVIRONMENT

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what portion of the £130 million spent on energy and fuel efficiency awareness and advice since 1990, as quoted in paragraph 8.2 of "Climate Change: the United Kingdom Programme" has been funded by his Energy Efficiency Office; and if he will list the other sources and the amounts they have contributed to the total.

  Mr. Atkins
  Almost all the expenditure referred to in "Climate Change: the UK Programme"—some £129 million—went towards programmes which are the responsibility of the Energy Efficiency Office. Some 32
  £250,000 was spent on other programmes, as follows: £150,000 on work associated with the climate change programme—a discussion document, discussion workshops and conferences on global warming involving private and public sector industry, publication of a climate change newsletter and sponsorship of the Atmospheric Research Information Centre—£42,000 on green brigade projects and the environmental grant fund and £62,000, spent by the Department of Transport, on publication of the "Motoring and the Environment" and "New Car Fuel Consumption" leaflets.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many parliamentary questions to his Department have not been answered because of disproportionate costs or because the information requested was not held centrally over the last five years; 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. Gummer
  The number of answers given to parliamentary questions over the last five years recorded in the POLIS database as including a reference to part or all of the information being available only at disproportionate cost or because the information was not held centrally was 236 out of 19,729 answered. It is not possible to say how many of these questions could now be answered due to computerisation or more effective operational systems.

  Plastics
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress in replacing or reviving the second life plastics recycling scheme, and in particular the outcome of discussions between his Department, the farm plastics business in the United Kingdom and the National Farmers Union.

  Mr. Atkins
  My predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, South (Mr. Yeo), wrote last October to businesses engaged in the farm plastics films sector about the future of the pioneering second life plastics scheme. Subsequently, the Packaging and Industrial Films Association has led an intiative to design a new industry-led scheme which would maintain, and possibly expand, the collection and recovery activities established by second life plastics. I am greatly encouraged by the continuing discussions on a replacement scheme, which will need support both from the industry and from farmers. The National Farmers Union has played an active part in these discussions and initial signs are that farmers are broadly supportive of these proposals.

  THORP
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what communications he received from British Nuclear Fuels plc informing him of the first-stage commissioning, by the shearing of advanced gas-cooled reactor fuel, of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield and on the public announcements made at the time.
  33
  Mr. Atkins
  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution was informed by British Nuclear Fuels plc on Sunday 27 March 1994 that the first shear of irradiated fuel had taken place in the thermal oxide reprocessing plant.

  BNFL made an announcement covering the event in its weekly internal newsletter.

  Regional Funding (Merseyside)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will advertise for a private sector applicant for the post of head of the objective 1 executive for Merseyside.

  Mr. Baldry
  No.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much will be received under the objective 1 funding from the European Community; how much private funding he expects to lever into Merseyside; and what structure will be used to ensure the benefits to the region from this process will be maximised.

  Mr. Baldry
  The amount allocated to the objective 1 programme is 816 mecu over six years; as with other programmes of public expenditure, there is a clear intention to maximise leverage of private sector investment but it is difficult to forecast this in advance; the overall strategy for the objective 1 programme and the criteria which will be used for the selection of projects will be set by the monitoring committee.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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. Gummer
  The information requested, for the Department's main HQ buildings in London and Bristol, is set out below. Information for other, smaller buildings in the regions is not available except at disproportionate cost.

  Year

  Cost (£k)

  Firms

  Guards

  London HQ buildings1

  1984–85

  33

  1

  17

  1985–86

  166

  2

  Between 17 and 23

  1986–87

  179

  2

  Between 23 and 24

  1987–88

  186

  2

  Between 25 and 26

  1988–89

  255

  3

  Between 24 and 28

  1989–90

  311

  2

  24

  1990–91

  371

  2

  24

  1991–92

  404

  1

  Between 25 guards only and 20 guards plus 6 receptionists

  1992–93

  398

  1

  Between 18 and 20 guards and 5 and 6 receptionists

  1993–94

  393

  1

  18 guards, 5 receptionists

  Bristol HQ buildings2

  1984–85

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1985–86

  37

  1

  5

  1986–87

  39

  1

  5

  1987–88

  40

  1

  5

  1988–89

  46

  1

  5

  1989–90

  50

  1

  5

  1990–91

  62

  1

  6

  1991–92

  72

  1

  6

  1992–93

  74

  1

  6

  1993–94

  78

  1

  6

  34
  1 Costs are exclusive of VAT. The buildings are occupied by staff from DOE and DOT. The first contract started January 1985. Two buildings are covered throughout. A contract for a third building was let during 1985–86 but details are not available from 1988–89. A fourth building was included for some six months in 1988–89.

  2 Costs are exclusive of VAT. The buildings are occupied by staff from DOE and DOT.

  Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what period members of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee are appointed; and in what circumstances a member of the committee can be dismissed before the expiry of that period.

  Mr. Atkins
  Members are usually appointed for a three-year term which can be terminated at the discretion of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment, for Wales and for Scotland.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the statutory impediments to the abolition of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee.

  Mr. Atkins
  There are no statutory impediments.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a copy of those rules of conduct, of the kind referred to in paragraph 11.16 of the Cabinet Office's 1992 publication "Non-Departmental Public Bodies: a Guide for Departments", which apply to members of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee.

  Mr. Atkins
  The rules of conduct referred to in paragraph 11.16 of the Cabinet Office's publication, "Non-Departmental Public Bodies: a Guide for Departments", apply to the staff of NDPBs. The terms and conditions of appointment of Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee members are based on the guidance given in the Cabinet Office's "Guide on Public Appointments Procedures", copies of which are already available in the Library of the House.

  River Thames
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the scope of his review of the strategic planning guidance on the River Thames.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 29 March that new strategic planning guidance would be prepared for the Thames. As a first step, a comprehensive study of the river will be undertaken. This will cover the river's history, environment, land use in the vicinity, potential and opportunities for development. The study will focus on the stretch of river from Hampton court to the Royal Naval college at Greenwich.

  Local Authority Rent Arrears
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of rent arrears in each local authority(a) as an absolute amount and (b) as a percentage of the annual rent collectable, broken down by current and future tenant arrears, for the last three years available; and what was the political control of the authority at the time.
  35
  Sir Georg Young
  [holding answer 20 April 1994]: I have today placed in the Library tables showing the information requested on rent arrears of current and former tenants at the end of the financial years 1990–91 to 1992–93 for each local authority in England.

  Council Tax (Transitional Relief)
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table setting out for each local authority in England which has submitted a claim for transitional relief for 1994–95 and on which his Department had received information by 15 April 1994(a) the estimated amount of transitional relief each such authority has claimed, (b) the percentage of the total sum of transitional relief for England which each individual claim represents and (c) the estimated amount of transitional relief per dwelling in each authority which has submitted a claim.

  Mr. Curry
  I have today placed in the Library of the House a list of all claims for transitional relief for 1994–95 received by the Department, showing the percentage against 1994–95 total provision for England which each claim represents and the amount of transitional relief per chargeable dwelling for each local authority.

  Water Quality
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether water purification processes are able to remove drug residues from water supplies;

  (2) what evidence he has of the presence of residues from (a) the contraceptive pill and (b) Diazepam tranquillisers in water supplies; and what assessment he has made of the dangers associated with such contamination;

  (3) what residues from drugs are most commonly detected in British water supplies; and what are the dangers associated with such contamination.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department has commissioned surveys of concentrations of drugs residues in rivers and in river-derived water supplies. Survey data have also been provided to the Department by water companies and research organisations.

  Drugs residues, including components of the birth control pill, pain killers and tranquillisers have been detected only infrequently and at very low concentrations in a few rivers. The concentrations of all residues were found to be several orders of magnitude lower than levels that might be expected to cause adverse effects. These already insignificant concentrations are further reduced during water treatment. Diazepam and other drugs residues have not been detected in water supplies.

  National Rivers Authority Expenditure (North Yorkshire)
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was spent in north Yorkshire by the National Rivers Authority in 1993–94; and what is its budget for North Yorkshire in 1994–95.

  Mr. Atkins
  I am informed by the National Rivers Authority that in its Northumbrian and Yorkshire region,36
  which covers North Yorkshire, it spent an estimated £53.9 million in 1993–94 and that it expects to spend around £52 million in 1994–95. Figures below regional level are not available.

  Road Traffic Growth
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies he has carried out to determine what level of road traffic growth is compatible with the commitments made by the United Kingdom Government under the 1992 framework convention on climate change, the 1992 convention on biological diversity and the Rio declaration on environment and development; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 21 April 1994]: Under the framework convention on climate change, the United Kingdom is committed to take measures aimed at returning the emission of greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by the year 2000. The United Kingdom climate change programme includes a commitment to real increases in road fuel duties of at least 5 per cent. in future Budgets. This is expected to contribute 2.5 millions of tonnes of carbon to the overall target of reducing emissions by 10 millions of tonnes of carbon by 2000. The calculation is based on an econometric model developed by the Department of Transport in consultation with DOE.

  As the recently published "Sustainable Development Strategy and Biodiversity Action Plan" make clear, the Government will take full account of sustainable development and biodiversity implications when formulating and reviewing its transport policies.

  Urban Regeneration
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 31 March,Official Report, columns 919–20, if he will update the information on urban regeneration spending given in his answer of 18 March 1993, Official Report, columns 365–67, so as to correspond with the single regeneration budget information sought in the later question.

  Mr. Baldry
  The table updates the one provided in the answer on 18 March 1993 and includes figures for the additional programmes which have now been brought together in the single regeneration budget. In the case of some of the programmes transferring from other Government Departments only part of the programme has been brought into the single budget. The figures for expenditure in previous years on those programmes relate to the element of the programme which has become part of the single budget, as far as those can be separately identified.

  The following programmes, now absorbed within the single regeneration budget, have previously operated only within urban priority areas: urban development corporations, urban programme, city challenge, task forces, city action teams, GEST 19 and safer cities. In future, resources for new projects funded from the single regeneration budget will be available throughout England.

  In addition, economic, social and physical regeneration is supported through main programme expenditure by several Government Departments.
  37

  Expenditures on programmes within the SRB

  £million

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  UDCs

  Cash terms

  36

  62

  95

  88

  86

  89

  160

  255

  477

  607

  602

  515

  372

  286

  1253

  1245

  Current prices

  71

  114

  167

  148

  137

  137

  234

  347

  609

  718

  667

  552

  387

  286

  HATs

  Cash terms

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10

  27

  78

  88

  190

  190

  Current prices

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  11

  29

  81

  88

  URA

  Cash terms

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  22

  181

  1211

  1221

  Current prices

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  23

  181

  City Grant2

  Cash terms

  —

  —

  8

  15

  24

  24

  28

  28

  39

  45

  41

  44

  24

  —

  Current prices

  —

  —

  14

  25

  38

  37

  41

  38

  50

  53

  45

  47

  25

  —

  DLG

  Cash terms

  30

  61

  67

  68

  73

  78

  77

  68

  54

  62

  77

  98

  105

  —

  Current prices

  59

  112

  118

  114

  116

  120

  112

  93

  69

  73

  85

  105

  109

  —

  Urban Programme3

  Cash terms

  94

  160

  156

  278

  254

  237

  246

  224

  223

  226

  238

  236

  170

  83

  Current prices

  186

  295

  275

  466

  404

  365

  359

  305

  285

  267

  264

  253

  177

  83

  Task Forces

  Cash terms

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5

  23

  20

  21

  21

  24

  18

  16

  Current prices

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7

  31

  26

  25

  23

  26

  19

  16

  CATs

  Cash terms

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  8

  8

  5

  3

  1

  Current prices

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5

  9

  9

  5

  3

  1

  City Challenge

  768

  Cash terms

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  52

  206

  214

  Current prices

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  56

  214

  214

  Estate Action

  Cash terms

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  175

  265

  348

  358

  373

  Current prices

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  207

  294

  373

  372

  373

  Rest of SRB4

  Cash terms

  50

  60

  67

  63

  69

  73

  76

  70

  94

  108

  226

  215

  258

  201

  Current prices

  98

  111

  118

  106

  110

  113

  111

  95

  120

  128

  251

  230

  269

  201

  1 Current plans.

  2 Includes UDG and URG.

  3 Includes Urban Crime Fund payments in 1992–93.

  4 Up to 1994–95, Rest of SRB is made up from: Regional Enterprise Grant, Safer Cities, section 11, Ethnic Minority Grant, Ethnic Minority Business Initiatives, Programme Development Fund (PDF), TEC Challenge, Business Start-up Scheme, Local Initiative Fund, Compacts, Education Business Partnerships, Teacher Placement Service and GEST 19. From 1995–96 Rest of SRB also includes Urban Programme, Task Forces, City Action Teams (CATs), City Challenge, and Estate Action.

  PDF—Figures are for Great Britain, except for 1994–95 when they are for England only.

  s11 (urban)—Figures include payments for non-UPA ILEA authorities prior to 1991–92.

  City Challenge—Also supported by £19 million per year from the Housing Corporation.

  Estate Action—Due to change in Housing Capital Finance system, outturn figures not available prior to 1990–91.

  Urban Regeneration Agency (URA)—From 1994–95 subsumed City Grant and Derelict Land Grant.

  Captive Birds
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many British breeding birds and diurnal birds of prey, including non-indigenous species, are held in captivity in the United Kingdom and registered in accordance with regulations under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 22 April 1994]: Some 16,892 birds are currently registered with the Department.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he has received on the conservation implications of his Department's recent proposals for amending the scheme controlling the keeping of wild birds in captivity; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 22 April 1994]: Further to my announcement of 21 February, more than 7,000
  38
  individuals and organisations have been consulted about our proposals to modify the bird ringing and registration system. A number of responses were received. These have been carefully considered and an announcement is being made today.

  The Government's scientific advisors, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Countryside Council for Wales have been fully consulted about my right hon. Friend's proposals to make changes to the bird ringing and registration system.

  Endangered Species
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals are pending to amend the regulations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of flora and fauna; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 22 April 1994]: The European Commission issued an amended proposal for a

  39
  regulation on the possession of and trade in wild fauna and flora earlier this year. We are currently considering the details of the new text. Two explanatory memoranda on the proposals were recently deposited in the Library of the House.

  Severn Estuary
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his current estimate of the dates for completion of consultation work for the Lower Severn estuary special protection area, registering the same area with the environment directorate of the European Union, producing a conservation plan for the wetlands habitat of bird species covered by the 1979 wild birds directive within the same special protection area, and producing a national conservation strategy for the redshank and dunlin; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 22 April 1994]: Since the hon. Member's previous question on the lower Severn estuary of 26 October, Official Report, columns 533–34, my Department has received English Nature's proposals for the designation of this site as a special protection area. The period of consultation with private land owners and others by English Nature and the Countryside Commission for Wales ended on 18 April. The Lower Severn estuary is planned for designation as a special protection area in 1994.

  English Nature and the Countryside Council for Wales are in the initial stages of preparing a management plan for the conservation of wildlife interests on the Severn. The Government's plans for the conservation of estuarial habitat and migratory wildfowl and waders, including dunlin and redshank, are informed by the extensive monitoring programmes compiled through the birds in estuaries inquiry, which uses a large number of professionally co-ordinated volunteers and is supported by the Government's nature conservation agencies. These programmes were recently re-launched, with Government endorsement, as the wetland bird survey.

  Valuation and Community Charge Tribunal
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average delay in appeals from Bradford being heard by the valuation and community charge tribunal; what is the total number of appeals from Bradford appellants outstanding, to date; when those appeals are expected to be cleared; what action he is taking to complete all outstanding appeals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  A meaningful figure cannot yet be given on the average length of time taken to hear appeals, since a great many cases are being settled by agreement between the taxpayer and the Valuation Office agency and only a small proportion have been heard and determined by valuation tribunals.

  At the end of March 1994, 3,334 proposals to alter the valuation list received in the area of Bradford city council were still outstanding.

  As we announced on 11 January, we expect four out of five appeals to be dealt with before the end of the year and the remainder to be settled as rapidly as possible thereafter.

  Leaseholders
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many long leaseholders in flats have to date exercised their right to collective enfranchisement contained in part I of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993(a) up to the stage of serving a notice of their claim to exercise the right and (b) to the completion of the acquisition.

  Sir George Young
  As collective enfranchisement under the provisions of this Act is a private transaction, leaseholders are not obliged to inform the Department when they serve a notice on their landlord or when they complete the transaction. Therefore, this information is not available.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many inquiries from leaseholders have been received by the advisory service set up in consequence of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993.

  Sir George Young
  I understand from the chief executive of the leasehold enfranchisement advisory service, which operates independently from the Department that since it began work in February this year, 1,326 inquiries have been received and recorded.

  Birds of Prey
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in respect of his proposal to lift protection from birds of prey; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I announced on 21 February 1994 that, following our review, we proposed to make changes to the bird registration system to reduce unnecessary regulation and to ensure that the controls are targeted and implemented more effectively. We consulted around 7,000 organisations and individuals about our proposal and a copy of our consultation letter was placed in the Library. Some 192 responses were received.

  The Government remain convinced that the bird registration system is in need of change. It was introduced for conservation reasons and mainly in response to concerns about the major decline in populations of birds of prey in the wild. Since the introduction of the registration system of 1982, populations of some species have recovered, particularly sparrowhawks, kestrels and common buzzards.

  Some concern was expressed by consultees that the removal of ringing and registration requirements could lead to an increase in the taking of birds of prey from the wild. However, we believe that the strict controls which will continue to protect birds of prey in the wild should avoid any threat to the conservation of the three United Kingdom breeding species to be removed from registration requirements: the sparrowhawk, kestrel and common buzzard. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 generally prohibits the injuring, killing or taking of birds from the wild. It also generally makes it an offence to possess any bird or egg, whether alive or dead, or any part or derivative of such a specimen.

  The Act will continue to be strictly enforced. Moreover, the resources which will be released by deregistration will enable the Department's wildlife inspectorate to give

  41
  greater assistance to the police and other enforcement agencies in protecting all wild birds, particularly those more endangered species such as the hobby, red kite and golden eagle. Reorganising work in this way will also provide resources to expand the use of DNA testing techniques to verify captive breeding claims.

  Concern was also expressed by the RSPCA and others that freedom of movement of specimens within the European Union would create opportunities for illegal trade in non-native birds, including globally threatened species. We have therefore decided that ringing and registration controls should continue to apply within Great Britain to birds of prey which are threatened with extinction on a global basis, in order to assist international conservation efforts. In particular this means that the following species originally proposed for deregistration will be retained on schedule 4 to the Act.

  Species

  Black Honey-Buzzard

  Henicopernis infuscatus

  Madagascar Fish Eagle

  Haliaeetus vociferoides

  Pallas's Fish Eagle

  Haliaeetus leucoryphus

  Steller's Sea Eagle

  Haliaeetus pelagicus

  Mountain Serpent-Eagle

  Spilornis kinabaluenis

  Adaman Serpent-Eagle

  Spilornis elgini

  Madagascar Serpent-Eagle

  Eutriorchis astur

  Small Sparrowhawk

  Accipiter nanus

  New Britain Sparrowhawk

  Accipiter brachyurus

  Imitator Sparrowhawk

  Accipiter imitator

  Gundlach's Sparrowhawk

  Accipiter gundlachi

  White-necked Hawk

  Leucopternis lacernulata

  Grey-backed Hawk

  Leucopternis occidentalis

  Ridgeway's Hawk

  Buteo ridgwayi

  Galapagos Hawk

  Buteo galapagoensis

  Hawaiian Hawk

  Buteo solitarius

  New Guinea Eagle

  Harpyopsis novaeguinae

  Great Philippine Eagle

  Pithecophaga jefferyi

  Adalbert's Eagle

  Aquila adalberti

  Imperial Eagle

  Aquila heliaca

  Wallace's Hawk-Eagle

  Spizaetus nanus

  Plumbeous Forest-Falcon

  Micrastur plumbeus

  Lesser Kestrel

  Falco naumanni

  Mauritius Kestrel

  Falco punctatus

  The Government proposal to invite the Joint Nature Conservation Committee to advise on criteria for the listing of species on schedule 4 and our proposal that the list of species should be subject to regular review, will enable us to respond to changes in population levels of particular species and introduce or reinstate registration requirements in the future. If necessary, this can be done swiftly to meet any conservation need. I have today made an order under section 22 of the Act. This will remove the following species from schedule 4 to the Act: sparrowhawk, kestrel, common buzzard, non-native and irregular visitor species of birds of prey—except the Barbary falcon and the globally threatened species listed above—and certain other birds which are not commonly kept in captivity.

TRANSPORT

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to secure greater transparency in the affairs of non-elected bodies whose 42
  membership in whole or in part is appointed by him or who exercise functions previously carried out by local authorities.

  Mr. Norris
  The Government's policy of extending access to official information applies not only to Government Departments but to public bodies which come under the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, the ombudsman. Details are set out in the "Code of Practice on Access to Government Information", copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  Local Government Legislation
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the Acts of Parliament and Consolidation Acts that affect local government that have been introduced by his Department since 1990.

  Mr. Norris
  The following Acts of Parliament which affect local government have been introduced by the Department of Transport since 1990.

  Acts

  New Roads and Street Works Act 1991

  (c22)

  Road Traffic (Temporary Restrictions) Act 1991

  (c26)

  Road Traffic Act 1991

  (c40)

  Severn Bridges Act 1992

  (c3)

  Traffic Calming Act 1992

  (c30)

  Transport and Works Act 1992

  (c42)

  Railways Act 1993

  (c43)

  Detective Agencies
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent on contracts with private detective agencies since 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The Department of Transport has spent approximately £760,000 on contracts with private detective agencies since April 1991.

  Such agencies have been used for the following purposes:

  (a) to hand serve summonses in connection with prosecutions for failure to pay vehicle excise duty;

  (b) to collect evidence and hand serve papers on people who have trespassed on the Department's land;

  (c) to establish the whereabouts of people believed to have caused damage to the Department's roads and structures for the purpose of making claims against them;

  (d) to trace former employees who were inadvertently overpaid before they left the Department's employ;

  (e) in litigation action;

  (f) in one case to investigate a member of staff following complaints received from members of the public.

  Environmental Protection
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals in regard to environmental protection he plans to put to the European Transport Council on 18 April.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The United Kingdom made no specific proposals on environmental protection at the
  43
  European Transport Council on 18 April. I refer the hon. Member to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Lester) of 20 April, Official Report, column 524, which reported the items discussed and result of the Council.

  Transport Research Laboratory
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contingency plans he has in the event of there being no purchasers for the Transport Research Laboratory.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend sees no need for contingency plans. The Government would not have decided to transfer the Transport Research Laboratory to the private sector if we did not believe that that could be achieved.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will guarantee future work from his Department for the Transport Research Laboratory during and after its privatisation.

  Mr. Key
  In 1994–95 not less than 40 per cent. by value of new surface transport research work commissioned by the Department of Transport will be guaranteed to the Transport Research Laboratory. The question of guaranteeing work for the Transport Research Laboratory after privatisation is a matter for consideration with our financial advisers and prospective bidders as part of the sale process.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that the service conditions of the Transport Research Laboratory staff are not adversely affected in the long term following privatisation.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend has undertaken to sell the Transport Research Laboratory only to reputable purchasers, who can demonstrate an ability to meet obligations to staff transferring to the new organisation.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the statement he made regarding future privatisation plans of the Transport Research Laboratory at the time of the setting up of the Transport Research Laboratory agency.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend made no statement about future privatisation plans for the Transport Research Laboratory at the time of launching it as an executive agency.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what procedure he proposes to introduce in respect of the transfer of intellectual property rights from the Transport Research Laboratory to the potential purchaser; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what measures he proposes to ensure that collaborative research at the Transport Research Laboratory is not damaged by privatisation;

  (3) if he will take steps to guarantee the future availability of the (a) research track, (b) pavement test, (c) driving simulator, (d) library and (e) crash test facilities currently at the Transport Research Laboratory, Crowthorne.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend will be considering those matters with his financial and other advisers as part of the process of transferring the Transport Research Laboratory to the private sector.
  44
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the implications of fragmentation of the Transport Research Laboratory research undertakings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend has considered carefully the advice of the consultants KPMG Peat Marwick on the options for privatisation of the Transport Research Laboratory, including fragmentation. The Government have not yet decided on the form of sale but the current aim is to seek bids for the whole of the laboratory rather than its constituent components.

  Research Projects
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research projects have been undertaken in the last 10 years; in each case, whether this research was published, if applicable; in what form it was made available to the general public; and what proportion of his Department's commissioned research projects in each year have resulted in publication.

  Mr. Key
  The Department commissions many research projects each year addressing issues ranging from urban congestion, parking control, public transport operations, bridge and highway engineering to aviation and shipping safety. At any particular time, some 400 to 500 projects are in progress. In general, the Department's policy is that the results of this research commissioned should be published or otherwise disseminated to those expected to benefit from the knowledge.

  Publication can be in the form of research reports, contractor reports, guides, papers and articles. The Transport Research Laboratory, which has been responsible for carrying out and managing much of the Department's research, has published approximately 800 such reports since 1985. Without disproportionate effort, it is not possible to establish in what form each research result was made available and what proportion this represents of the total research commissioned. Moreover, reports often do not represent the final outcome of the Department's research effort. In many cases, findings are promulgated through changes to technical standards, legislation, operational procedures and policy.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the value of the combined research operations functioning on the purpose adapted site at Crowthorne;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the financial value of collaborative research to the Transport Research Laboratory.

  Mr. Key
  Assessments of the value of the research operations at Crowthorne and of the collaborative research undertaken by the Transport Research Laboratory are commercially confidential information, the disclosure of which would be prejudicial to the sale process.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he will take to ensure continued impartiality following privatisation of the Transport Research Laboratory.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend will be considering the measures required to ensure the continued impartiality of the Transport Research Laboratory with his financial and other advisers as part of the process of transferring the laboratory to the private sector.

  A66
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many agricultural vehicles use the A66 each day between Scotch Corner and Penrith.

  Mr. Key
  No separate data are available on the flows of agricultural vehicles on the A66. Agricultural vehicles are classified as goods vehicles in the national traffic census.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles use the A66 per day from east to west and west to east between Scotch Corner and Penrith.

  Mr. Key
  The latest available estimates are for 1992. Approximately 8,900 vehicles use this route on average, each day. Of these about 53 per cent.—4,700—are westbound and 47 per cent.—4,200—eastbound.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many heavy goods vehicles use the A66 each day between Scotch Corner and Penrith.

  Mr. Key
  The latest available estimates are for 1992. Approximately 2,200 heavy goods vehicles use this route on average, each day—those figures include agricultural vehicles.

  Privatisation
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what response he has given to the recommendations of the Transport Select Committee's second report of Session 1993–94, HC 137, on privatisation and deregulation of Department of Transport agency work.

  Mr. Key
  The Government's response to the report of the Select Committee on Transport, on the privatisation and deregulation of Department of Transport executive agency work, was sent to the Committee on 30 March 1994. I understand that the Committee is to publish the response shortly.

  Belgrave Road
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if Belgrave road, London SW1, will be removed from the priority—red—route network once Vauxhall Bridge road, London SW1, has been improved.

  Mr. Norris
  Provided that Vauxhall Bridge road is improved so that it is able to accommodate all inner ring road traffic, yes.

  Westlink London Bus Subsidiary
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the valuation formula for the sale of Westlink London Bus subsidiary.

  Mr. Norris
  A confidential benchmark valuation was carried out by London Transport before the sale. Potential purchasers made their own assessments of the value of the company in formulating their bids. In the light of the benchmark valuation, the Government were and remain content with the proceeds from the sale.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the sale conditions of the Westlink London Bus subsidiary included clawback clauses in the event of its resale within 12 months of its privatisation.
  46
  Mr. Norris
  No. The sale took place on the open market and was widely advertised. This ensured that good value for money was obtained from the privatisation.

  Railway Property (Trespass)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the statutory provision, with regard to trespass on railway land and property, and related offences, consequent upon the passing of the Railways Act 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The offence of trespass on railway land and property, and related offences, are covered by sections 54 and 57 of the British Transport Commission Act 1949. These sections apply to Railtrack by virtue of paragraph 9 of schedule 8 to the Railways Act 1993.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he received from the British Transport Police Federation in September 1993 on the effect of the Railways Act 1993 on offences relating to trespassing on railway property.

  Mr. Freeman
  None. The federation's chairman wrote to me on 2 September raising a number of issues which were subsequently discussed at a meeting on 8 September, but we did not touch upon the specific question of trespass.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if British Rail will prosecute a trespass on railway lines by the Garth and South Berkshire hunt on Saturday 12 March.

  Mr. Freeman
  At 12.58 on Saturday 12 March, a British Rail train driver reported hounds on the line at Mortimer, south of Reading. The driver of the next train through at 13.02 reported a clear track. I understand that no further action is proposed.

  A13
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the expected date of the construction and completion of the Wellington to Mandyke section of the new A13 road.

  Mr. Key
  As this question relates to operational matters of the Highways Agency, the chief executive will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Andrew Mackinlay, dated 25 April 1994:
  You recently put down a Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport what is the expected date of the construction and completion of the Wennington to Mar Dyke section of the new A13 road. As the question relates to an operational matter for the Highways Agency, I have been asked to reply.
  The A13 Wennington to Mar Dyke scheme has been announced as a new start for 1994–95. We expect to invite tenders shortly. The tender documents will set down a contract period not exceeding two years. Construction of the scheme will be co-ordinated with works for the Thames Avenue to Wennington section which started earlier this year.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  D-day Anniversary
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract between his Department and Lowe Bell Communications as consultants to the commemoration of the D-day anniversary.

  Mr. Sproat
  No.

  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what private sector sponsorship is being arranged for any events associated with the commemoration of the D-day anniversary.

  Mr. Sproat
  Sponsorship for events to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the D-day landings has been generously given and more may be given.

  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what provision for expenses and other remuneration to Lowe Bell Communications has been agreed in addition to its fee as consultants to the commemoration of the D-day anniversary.

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 22 April 1994]: In addition to its consultancy fees of £50,000, Lowe Bell Communications is paid administrative expenses at cost, up to a maximum of £12,500 over the period of the contract, where additional agreed expenses are incurred these are paid at cost. All these costs are net of VAT.

  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will place in the Library all tender documents connected with the appointment of consultants to the commemoration of the D-day anniversary.

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 22 April 1994]: Yes.

  Leisure Industry
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will set out the nature of the relationship between his Department and the leisure industry.

  Mr. Sproat
  My Department has a constructive and collaborative relationship with the leisure industry which it pursues in each of its areas of responsibility. Further details are set out in the Department's 1994 annual report.

WALES

  Accident and Emergency Units
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he intends to introduce to improve the chances of survival of patients admitted with life-threatening conditions into accident and emergency units in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  My right hon. Friend and I want to build on the present good record and the Welsh Office is currently working with the health service to review the pattern of accident and emergency provision across Wales.

  Sustainable Energy Policy
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for the preparation of a sustainable energy policy for Wales.
  48
  Mr. Redwood
  The Government's policies in this area are set out in "Sustainable Development—The UK Strategy", published on 25 January 1994.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients have been unable to obtain NHS treatment from a general dental practitioner in the period from December 1992 in(a) Clwyd and (b) Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Fortnightly returns submitted by family health service authorities suggest that between 4 December 1992 and 25 March 1994 authorities were unable immediately to secure NHS dental treatment for only eight patients in Wales, four of whom resided in Clwyd. It is likely that NHS treatment was secured in the period immediately following submission of the returns and it is significant that there are now over 51,000 more patient registrations in Wales than there were in December 1992.

  Patients Charter
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on progress with the patients charter.

  Mr. Redwood
  The patients charter has played an important role in raising the standard of services provided in Wales and performance continues to improve. Provisional figures show that all the waiting times guarantees had been achieved by 4 April 1994.

  Local Authority Boundaries
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he made of transport links between Llandridnod Wells and Llanelly Hill when considering the proposed new local authority boundaries.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  None.

  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to limit the spread of superstores in out-of-town locations.

  Mr. Redwood
  Government policy on retail development is set out in planning policies guidance note 6, "Town Centres and Retail Developments". This stresses the need for a suitable balance in providing for retail development between town centre and out-of-centre retail facilities. I have made clear my intention to encourage more investment in town centres and greater use of under-used land in and around those centres and will issue further guidance.

  Housing
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning his policies for enabling local councils to repair and modernise aging housing stock.

  Mr. Redwood
  We have made substantial resources available for home renovation in Wales. It must be for local councils to determine their priorities for repair and improvement from the resources that they have available.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what cash he has given to each of the boroughs and districts in Clwyd for the purpose of renovating housing stock.
  49
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information on the allocation of capital resources for the renovation of private and public housing stock in each district in Clwyd for 1993–94 and 1994–95 is given in the following table:

  £ million

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Alyn and Deeside

  4.311

  4.779

  Colwyn

  4.623

  5.568

  Delyn

  3.651

  4.815

  Glyndwr

  2.538

  2.925

  Rhuddlan

  5.315

  5.281

  Wrexham Maelor

  9.933

  10.758

  Local Government Reform
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest estimate of the cost of the proposed local government reform in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The measures in the Local Government (Wales) Bill will result in transitional costs estimated on the basis of a report prepared by consultants to be between £65 million and £150 million over 15 years. Those will be offset from April 1996 by continuing savings in public expenditure. The precise level of those will depend on decisions to be taken by the new councils on such matters as staffing levels and management structures.

  Drug Education
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to review drug eclucalion in schools.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  All schools have to provide a curriculum which promotes pupils' spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development and all pupils have to be taught about the effects of drug abuse on health as part of the national curriculum. It is for schools themselves to decide how to organise and provide drugs education. School inspectors consider the effectiveness of health education as part of their duty to report on the provision of education in schools.

  The Welsh Office has issued a guide on "Drug Misuse and the Young", which contains advice on drugs education. Under the grants for education support and training programme, we have made grants available to local education authorities for measures to promote personal and social education, including education on health and drugs.

  Training
  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what numbers of males and females aged over 18 years are at present in full-time training in Wales; and what were the numbers in each year since 1979.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Numbers in training are not collected by gender or age. The number of adults aged 18 and over in full-time training at 31 March 1989 and in subsequent years is as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1989

  13,561

  1990

  15,929

  1991

  10,252

  50

  Year

  Number

  1992

  10,449

  1993

  10,754

  1994

  19,587

  1 The figure for 1994 refers to the position for February. The figure at 31 March 1994 is not available.

  Note:

  Comparable figures for years prior to 1989 are not available.

  Farm Workers
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will show the average income of(a) farmers and (b) farm workers in (i) cash and (ii) real terms, using 1985 as a constant, in each year since 1980 showing these incomes as a percentage of the average wage.

  Mr. Redwood
  Two of the main indicators of the average income of farmers are the cash income per farm and the average net farm income. Both are derived from the farm business survey. Neither of those estimates is available on a consistent basis before 1986–87 nor strictly comparable with the average wage. Details from both of those income measures together with information on the average income of hired full time agricultural workers are shown in the tables.

  Cash income of the farm business

  Years

  Estimated cash income (£ 000 per annum)

  Real terms 1985 prices1 (£000 per annum)

  1987–88

  18.2

  17.01

  1988–89

  19.7

  17.43

  1989–90

  19.6

  16.07

  1990–91

  19.5

  14.55

  1991–92

  23.3

  16.52

  1992–93

  23.9

  16.37

  Net farm income of the farm business

  Years

  Estimated net farm income (£000 per annum)

  Real terms 1985 prices1 (£000 per annum)

  1987–88

  11.2

  10.5

  1988–89

  15.8

  14.0

  1989–90

  12.3

  10.1

  1990–91

  10.5

  7.8

  1991–92

  14.0

  9.9

  1992–93

  16.9

  12.0

  1993–94 (forecast)

  22.6

  15.3

  1 Deflated by the Retail Price Index.

  Hired full-time agricultural workers in Wales

  Year

  Cash terms (£ per week)

  Real terms 1985 prices1 (£ per week)

  Percentage of average wage2

  1981

  87.62

  110.77

  73.4

  1982

  93.53

  108.88

  71.8

  1983

  101.50

  113.03

  72.5

  1984

  105.27

  111.63

  70.6

  1985

  117.43

  117.43

  73.3

  1986

  117.51

  113.65

  69.0

  1987

  128.73

  119.53

  70.2

  1988

  135.50

  119.91

  69.0

  1989

  141.07

  115.82

  65.3

  1990

  153.83

  115.31

  66.3

  1991

  173.79

  123.08

  68.9

  1992

  3204.18

  3139.47

  375.4

  1993

  189.

  127.46

  67.4

  51
  1 Deflated by the Retail Prices Index.

  2 Average earnings of all industries and services in wales. It covers those whose pay for the survey period at April each year was not affected by absence. Men aged 21 and over and women aged 18 and over on 1 January in the year of the survey for 1981–1983 and males and females on about rates for 1984 onwards.

  3 Figuers are inflated due to employees working, on avarage, 2 hours more overtime than in other years, resulting in an extra £10 to £12 income per week.

  Hospital episodes 1 with a main diagnosis of asthma (ICD9 493) In-patients and day cases by District Health Authority of treatment

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991–922

  1992–932

  Clwyd

  387

  366

  415

  385

  430

  494

  653

  584

  643

  694

  703

  664

  759

  695

  East Dyfed

  212

  232

  232

  277

  300

  291

  324

  352

  368

  391

  313

  356

  367

  424

  Pembrokeshire

  116

  119

  121

  110

  134

  186

  199

  198

  192

  218

  218

  246

  233

  235

  Gwent

  474

  460

  629

  483

  610

  678

  696

  910

  827

  901

  793

  697

  912

  1,032

  Gwynedd

  243

  255

  213

  246

  264

  269

  315

  409

  456

  438

  360

  396

  413

  292

  Mid Glamorgan

  575

  601

  688

  621

  719

  845

  1,072

  1,106

  1,113

  1,148

  1,006

  1,068

  3—

  3—

  Powys

  100

  118

  114

  82

  114

  92

  92

  91

  89

  91

  137

  109

  176

  178

  South Glamorgan

  585

  641

  819

  768

  825

  894

  928

  1,019

  1,112

  1,303

  1,116

  1,185

  1,213

  1,038

  West Glamorgan

  392

  487

  540

  596

  654

  753

  614

  679

  787

  907

  902

  563

  3—

  3—

  Total

  3,084

  3,279

  3,771

  3,568

  4,050

  4,502

  4,893

  5,348

  5,587

  6,091

  5,548

  5,284

  3—

  3—

  1 Figures may understate the true position in that not all hospitals provide complete clinical information. Data relate to discharges and deaths for 1979 to 1990 and to finished consultant episodes for 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Figures are presented according to the District Health Authority area (as at present) in which hospital treatment took place. 1992–93 information includes NHS Trusts.

  2 Provisional.

  3 Denotes not available.

  Sources: Hospital Activity Analysis 1979 to 1990.

  Patient Episode Database for Wales 1991–92 onwards.

  Welsh Economic Council
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which members of the new Welsh economics policy committee have qualifications or experience in ecological sustainability or have published in the field; and if he will give details.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Welsh Economic Council was set up to provide a discussion forum with individuals drawn from a wide spectrum of business and economic interests across Wales. Its core membership will be supplemented by additional individuals, who will be invited to meetings where their particular qualifications or experience could contribute to the discussions.

  NHS Salary Costs
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what have been the total salary costs for(a) managerial staff, (b) clerical and administrative staff and (c) nursing and midwifery staff since 1989 in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 25 November 1993,Official Report, column 151, and 17 December 1993, Official Report, column 1081.

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish details of those persons and institutions to whom Forestry Commission land has been sold in Wales during the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Asthma
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of asthma were reported in each Welsh health area for each year since 1979; and if he will set out the figures in the same manner as the Secretary of State for Health in her answer to the hon. Member for Knowsley, North (Mr. Howarth) of 30 March,Official Report, columns 887–90.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information is given in the following table:

  Mr. Redwood
  Lists giving details of the areas of forest land sold by the Forestry Commission from the start of the disposals programme in July 1981 to December 1993 are held in the Library of the House. The lists provide the name of the purchaser where the purchaser has agreed that this can be made public.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 12 April,Official Report, columns 67–68, for which of those Forestry Commission sites sold, applications for clear felling have been granted; and for which of the Forestry Commission sites sold applications have been made for further planting schemes.

  Mr. Redwood
  Applications for clear felling have been approved for the areas given as follows and applications have been approved for replanting all these areas.

  County and name of property

  Area (hectares)

  Area approved for felling (hectares)

  Clwyd

  Bryndethol

  7.0

  4.4

  Maes Mynach

  10.0

  9.6

  Worlds End

  84.0

  9.7

  Dyfed

  Allt Cae Ffynon Wen

  3.0

  2.5

  Allt Cilfrychen and Goredig

  27.0

  10.7

  Allt Cwm Tywyll

  5.5

  5.5

  Allt Penlan Fach

  4.0

  0.6

  Allt Pwll Priddog

  19.0

  1.3

  Cae Sarah

  4.0

  4.0

  Careg Fadog Wood

  6.0

  5.9

  Coed Newydd, Gwastad

  48.6

  14.0

  Cresselly Big Wood

  48.0

  3.6

  Cwm Bran Wood

  8.0

  8.0

  Factory Wood

  3.0

  3.0

  53

  County and name of property

  Area (hectares)

  Area approved for felling (hectares)

  Gelli Cefn y Rhos

  7.0

  5.5

  Hafod Iwan

  32.0

  18.0

  Quarry Wood

  7.0

  6.4

  Tan y Lan

  32.5

  15.5

  Tan yr Allt

  7.0

  1.5

  Powys

  Craig yr Henffordd

  7.5

  6.8

  Stocking Wood

  8.0

  2.5

  Average daily available beds for all specialties

  New accident and emergency out-patients

  Health Authority area1

  Number

  Rate2

  Number

  Rate2

  Clwyd

  2,252

  5.4

  102,931

  248.3

  East Dyfed

  1,491

  6.3

  60,014

  252.9

  Gwent

  2,778

  6.2

  110,714

  246.4

  Gwynedd

  1,434

  6.0

  45,268

  188.8

  Mid Glamorgan

  3,646

  6.7

  155,898

  287.2

  Pembrokeshire

  437

  3.8

  25,760

  226.3

  Powys

  854

  7.2

  25,501

  213.9

  South Glamorgan

  2,933

  7.1

  84,446

  205.7

  West Glamorgan

  2,244

  6.0

  105,546

  284.3

  1 Figures are given according to the district health authority area in which hospitals are situated. NHS Trusts are included.

  2 Rate per 1,000 population using 1992 mid-year estimated population.

  Statementing of Children
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by local education authority for 1984 and the latest date for which information is available(a) the number of educational psychologists employed, (b) the ratio of educational psychologists to school age children, (c) the number of children with statements and (d) the ratio of children with statements to the school age population.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information required is given in the following table. Data on educational psychologists were not collected prior to January 1992.

  Number of educational psychologists 1993

  Rate per 10,000 of the school population 1993

  Clwyd

  20

  3

  Dyfed

  10

  2

  Gwent

  21

  3

  Gwynedd

  5

  1

  Mid Glamorgan

  19

  2

  Powys

  4

  2

  South Glamorgan

  10

  2

  West Glamorgan

  12

  2

  Wales

  101

  2

  Number of children with statements of special educational needs

  Rate per 10,000 of the school population1

  1984

  1993

  1984

  1993

  Clwyd

  1,142

  3,219

  162

  490

  Dyfed

  814

  1,319

  144

  233

  Gwent

  1,658

  2,297

  215

  314

  Gwynedd

  987

  865

  242

  240

  Mid Glamorgan

  3,885

  4,016

  390

  422

  Powys

  308

  517

  154

  270

  South Glamorgan

  1,171

  1,374

  175

  202

  Bad Avalability
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average number of(a) beds available and (b) new accident and emergency cases during 1993–94, by regional health authority; and what were the figures per 1,000 population.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information given in the following table relates to 1992–93, the latest financial year for which figures are available.

  Number of children with statements of special educational needs

  Rate per 10,000 of the school population1

  1984

  1993

  1984

  1993

  West Glamorgan

  2,268

  2,333

  376

  411

  Wales

  12,223

  15,940

  248

  339

  1 The number of pupils per 10,000 of the full-time pupils in maintained nursery, primary, secondary, special and independent schools.

  Ambulance Services
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentages of ambulances in each service in Wales responded to emergency calls within(a) eight minutes and (b) 14 to 20 minutes in 1993–94.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The ambulance service classification in Wales and its standards for emergency call response times are as follows:

  50 per cent. within minutes

  95 per cent. within minutes

  Urban areas

  (Population density: more than 3 persons per acre—South Glamorgan)

  7

  14

  Rural areas

  (Population density: between 0.5 and 3 persons per acre—Clwyd, Gwent, Mid and West Glamorgan)

  8

  18

  Sparsley populated areas

  (Population density: less than 0.5 persons per acre—East Dyfed, Gwynedd, Pembrokeshire and Powys)

  8

  21

  55
  Information for the year ending 31 March 1994 is not yet available. The latest available information, for the nine months ending 31 December 1993, is shown in the following table.

  Percentage of ambulances arriving within

  50 per cent. standard response time

  95 per cent. standard response time

  Clwyd

  61

  97

  East Dyfed

  58

  94

  Gwent1

  51

  96

  Gwynedd

  56

  95

  Mid Glamorgan

  55

  97

  Pembrokeshire

  45

  90

  Powys1

  44

  88

  South Glamorgan1

  56

  94

  West Glamorgan

  57

  93

  Staff in post as at 31 December 19931

  Male

  Female

  Number

  Wte2

  Number

  Wte2

  Administrative and clerical 3:

  Grade 1

  7

  5.0

  50

  26.8

  Grade 2

  337

  315.9

  3,484

  2,469.4

  Grade 3

  250

  247.8

  2,660

  2,310.1

  Grade 4

  228

  223.1

  1,354

  1,270.4

  Grade 5

  271

  266.4

  495

  478.3

  Grade 6

  238

  235.1

  237

  224.0

  Grade 7

  108

  105.3

  63

  58.1

  Grade 8

  28

  28.0

  7

  7.0

  Grade 9

  7

  7.0

  —

  —

  Grade 10

  7

  7.0

  —

  —

  Sandwich course student

  2

  1.4

  —

  —

  Regional finance trainee

  12

  12.0

  27

  27.0

  General management trainee

  5

  5.0

  9

  9.0

  Not known4

  32

  30.6

  184

  165.2

  Ancillary:

  Upholsterer

  3

  3.0

  —

  —

  Scale A

  63

  44.8

  282

  150.0

  Scale B

  1,943

  1,766.4

  5,645

  3,295.8

  Scale C

  256

  241.4

  515

  370.3

  Scale D

  31

  31.0

  45

  30.8

  Scale E

  10

  10.0

  13

  9.6

  Scale I

  58

  57.1

  269

  216.2

  Scale II

  85

  84.9

  123

  116.0

  Scale III

  59

  59.0

  48

  47.1

  Scale IV

  62

  62.0

  44

  39.9

  Not known4

  10

  10.0

  176

  122.6

  Senior managers5 6

  128

  127.5

  48

  47.4

  Ambulance staff7:

  Trainee

  33

  33.0

  7

  7.0

  Ambulanceman/women

  164

  114.8

  52

  34.2

  Qualified

  518

  518.0

  33

  33.0

  Leading

  107

  107.0

  2

  2.0

  Ambulance officers7:

  Band I

  25

  25.0

  3

  3.0

  Band II

  44

  44.0

  3

  3.0

  Assistant senior

  15

  15.0

  —

  —

  Senior

  8

  8.0

  —

  —

  Principal

  1

  1.0

  —

  —

  General Managers/Chief Executives6

  35

  35.0

  6

  6.0

  1 Includes staff employed by Health Authorities, NHS Trusts, the Welsh Health Common Services Authority and those Family Health Service Authorities using the health authorities payroll system.

  Staff (other than medical and dental) paid on local payscales who cannot be assigned to a staff group centrally are excluded. These staff numbered in total around 532 whole-time equivalents at 31 December 1993.

  2 Whole-time equivalents.

  3 Excluding staff on managerial pay scales.

  4 Staff paid on local pay scales who can be assigned to a staff group centrally but for whom no details of grade are available.

  5 All staff paid on senior manager pay scales.

  56
  1 Part of the area managed by the South and East Wales Ambulance NHS Trust.

  NHS Staff Statistics
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) men and (b) women were employed at the latest available date for each grade in the administrative and clerical pay group and the ancillary staffs pay groups of the national health service, for grades 0 to 12 in the senior managers pay group, for each grade in the ambulance staffs pay group and the ambulance officers pay group, and for general managers and chief executives in the national health service; and if he will express the figures as numbers and as full-time equivalents.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information available is given in the following table.
  57
  6 Excluding staff paid on local pay scales for whom no details of grade are available, although they can be assigned centrally to the managerial staff group. These staff numbered around 13 whole-time equivalents at 31 December 1993.

  7 Excluding staff employed by the South and East Wales NHS Ambulance Trust, for whom no details are available yet centrally for 31 December 1993. These staff numbered around 509 whole-time equivalents at 31 December 1993.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many NHS trusts in Wales he expects to reach their target of six per cent. return on capital for the 1993–94 financial year.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Thirteen.

  Prince of Wales Orthopaedic Hospital
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it a condition of continued funding for the Prince of Wales orthopaedic hospital, Rhydlafar near Cardiff treatment centre that the centre discontinues the use of the Zimmer CPT artificial hip joint pending resolution of that hip joint's failure rate.

  Mr. Redwood
  No. Zimmer is on the Department of Health's register of approved manufacturers.

  Sewage Infrastructure
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of Welsh Water plc and the Director General of Water Services in relation to the sum allocated for sewerage infrastructure renewal and not spent for the purpose allocated in the period 1989 to 1993; and what proposals he has to amend the financial arrangements with the regulated water company and the regulator in relation to each undertaking.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have not discussed this matter with the chairman of Welsh Water plc or the Director General of Water Services. By 1995, Dwr Cymru will have spent nearly £1.1 billion on capital investment, well in excess of the amount allowed for in price limits set at privatisation.

  Mr. Geoffrey Drake
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what information he had regarding, and what consideration he gave to, the departure of Geoffrey Drake from his employment at Penrhyn quarries before appointing him chairman of the Gwynedd acute hospitals trust;

  (2) if he appointed executive selection consultants in relation to the appointment of the post of chairman of the Gwynedd acute hospitals trust; and what references were (a) sought and (b) received in relation to Mr. Geoffrey Drake the previous managing director of the Pertrhyn quarries subsidiary of Sir Alfred McAlpine plc. by himself and any such executive selection consultants concerning the post;

  (3) what consultations he had with the management of the Sir Alfred McAlpine Group prior to, and in relation to, the appointment of Mr. Geoffrey Drake as chairman of the Gwynedd acute hospitals trust.

  Mr. Redwood
  Executive search consultants were not involved in the appointment of Mr. Drake to chair the Gwynedd hospitals NHS trust. In selecting candidates for appointment, the Department makes such inquiries about 58
  individuals and undertakes such consultations as seem appropriate in each case. To disclose what those were in regard to Mr. Drake would be to breach the confidence of those involved.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in relation to the suitability of Mr. Geoffrey Drake as chairman of the Gwynedd acute hospitals trust(a) before his appointment and (b) since his appointment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 4 March,Official Report, column 910. Since that date I have received, and replied to, two further letters from the hon. Member about Mr. Drake's appointment.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the numbers and percentages of students in higher education undertaking two-year diploma courses and three and four-year degree courses in each of the past 10 years.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The number and percentage of students in higher education in Wales who undertook either a two-year diploma course or a three or four-year degree course in 1992–93 is shown in the following table. Information for years prior to 1992–93 are not readily available and I will write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Full time undergraduate students in Wales, 1992–93

  Number

  Percentage

  First degree

  Three years

  24,634

  52.8

  Four years

  11,506

  24.6

  Higher National Diploma

  Two years

  4,085

  8.7

  Other courses at University of Wales

  Any length

  3,304

  7.1

  Other courses at other institutions

  Any length

  3,133

  6.7

  All full time undergraduates

  46,662

  100.0

  Source: FESR & Universities' Statistical Record.

  Press Relations
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to commence using electronic mail for the distribution of press releases.

  Mr. Redwood
  Some press notices are distributed to the media in London by the Central Office of Information's electronic service. I have no plans to extend this at present, but the matter is kept under review.

HEALTH NHS

  Nurses
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish details of the numbers of qualified, unqualified and learner nursing staff who joined the NHS in each year since 1991.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information for 1993 is shown in the table. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 21 June 1993,Official Report, columns 28–29 for information on previous years.

  1993

  Numbers

  Qualified

  12,590

  Unqualified

  n/a

  WTE (1993)

  Qualified

  11,810

  Unqualified

  n/a

  Pre-registration nursing Initial entries and re-entries

  Level 1

  11992–93

  Traditional

  3,886

  P20002

  12,035

  1 Year ending 31 March 1993.

  2 Project 2000 learners are regarded as supernumerary and are not included in workforce numbers.

  Totals taken from ENB Annual Report 1992–93 (Table 5–2).

  Source: 1991 KM45 and KM46, 1992 onwards KM48.

  n/a = not available.

  All figures rounded to the nearest 10.

  Figures for 1992 are based on returns from 12 regions. For 1993 numbers are based on returns from 11 regions and whole time equivalents on returns from 12.

  Child Care
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she intends to take in relation to child care following the ruling of the High Court on 16 March in relation to child minders hitting children in their care; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  We have now studied the High Court judgment. It gives a clear ruling that the Department's guidance on the use of corporal punishment by child minders should be read in the context of the whole guidance document. Local authorities should not apply guidance so strictly that a person seeking registration as a child minder under part X of the Children Act 1989, who is in conflict with part of it, is automatically found to be unfit to be a child minder. The Department considers it unnecessary to introduce regulations. We are considering whether further clarification of the guidance is desirable.

  Health Authority Budgets
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the underspending or overspending for each regional health authority on its 1992–93 budget, showing in each case the net contribution to such spending changes made by(a) negligence claims, (b) capital accounts and (c) general practitioner fundholders.

  Mr. Sackville
  The available information is shown in the table. Regional health authorities are not allowed to 60
  overspend their combined capital and revenue cash limits. In 1992–93, RHAs had general approval to carry forward up to 0.5 per cent. of their combined revenue and capital cash limits. The contribution of negligence claims and general practitioner fundholders to any underspending is not required for operational purposes, and is therefore not separately identifiable in the information available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairmen of regional health authorities for details.

  Region

  Total over/under(-)spend on cash limits1 £000

  Over/under(-)spend on capital cash limits £000

  Northern

  -4,000

  -6,838

  Yorkshire

  -4,000

  -1,983

  Trent

  -2,465

  -269

  East Anglian

  -3,000

  -2,563

  North West Thames

  -5,629

  -1,587

  North East Thames

  0

  -5,094

  South East Thames

  0

  -941

  South West Thames

  -2,000

  1,334

  Wessex

  -3,042

  8,183

  Oxford

  0

  122

  South Western

  -7,018

  -1,331

  West Midlands

  0

  -6,114

  Mersey

  0

  -477

  North Western

  0

  -197

  1 This column represents the cash underdrawing against the combined capital and revenue cash limit.

  North Yorkshire FHSA
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by North Yorkshire family health services authority in 1993–94; and what is its budget for 1994–95.

  Mr. Sackville
  The 1993–94 outturn data are not yet available. Allocations for cash-limited general medical services expenditure and for the family health services authority's administration costs are determined by the regional health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of Northern and Yorkshire regional health authority, Mr. John Greetham, for details.

  Abortion
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS abortions were performed on women who were under 13 weeks pregnant and resident(a) in each regional health authority and (b) in each district health authority in England and Wales in 1992; and how many of these operations involved admissions and discharge of the patient on the same day.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested will be placed in the Library. The number of national health service abortions includes abortions carried out in the private sector on NHS patients.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were performed in England and Wales on women who were resident in each health and social services board area in Northern Ireland in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Alcohol Concern
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what grants have been made over the last five years to Alcohol Concern.

  Mr. Bowis
  Alcohol Concern receives grant from several sources. The Department of Health awarded the following amounts from 1989–90 to 1993–94. The figures include sums available to Alcohol Concern disbursement to voluntary agencies for providing local services for alcohol misusers. These amounts are given in brackets.

  Year

  Amount (£)

  £

  1989–90

  583,000

  (200,000)

  1990–91

  603,000

  (220,000)

  1991–92

  1,723,500

  (1,310,000)

  1992–93

  2,693,000

  (2,265,000)

  1993–94

  2,575,650

  (2,130,000)

  Redundancies
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what limits are placed on the total redundancy package for individuals in the health service;

  (2) what are the limits placed on individual redundancy payments for staff in the health service.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Redundancy payments for national health service staff employed on national terms and conditions of service, other than general managers and senior managers engaged on short-term rolling contracts, are governed by section 45 of the General Whitley Council handbook, copies of which are available in the Library. The limit on the maximum amount which can be paid is covered by paragraphs 2.4, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of section 45. Although general managers and senior managers engaged on short-term rolling contracts do not benefit from the provisions of section 45, they are still entitled to statutory redundancy payments.

  Staff over the age of 50 with more than five years service who are made redundant are entitled to premature retirement benefits provided by section 46 of the General Whitley Council handbook.

  NHS Management Executive
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 13 April,Official Report, column 203, if she will list the dates and locations for the first meetings of the eight regional outposts of the NHS management executive which the public may attend.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The regional offices of the national health service executive are part of the Department of Health, not separate public bodies, and will therefore not hold public meetings.

  Reported cases of salmonellosis in England and wales, 1992 and 1993

  1992

  1993

  NHS region

  1Number

  2Rate

  1Number

  2Rate

  Northern

  1,569

  50.6

  1,629

  526

  Yorkshire

  3,273

  88.5

  2,888

  78.1

  Trent

  2,480

  52.3

  2,734

  57.6

  East Anglia

  1,347

  64.5

  1,385

  66.3

  North West Thames

  2,083

  58.0

  2,108

  58.7

  North East Thames

  2,058

  54.2

  2,134

  56.2

  South East Thames

  2,234

  60.2

  2,009

  54.1

  South West Thames

  1,946

  64.0

  1,770

  58.2

  Wessex

  1,871

  62.5

  1,893

  63.2

  Northern and North Yorkshire Health Authority
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much(a) revenue and (b) capital was spent on behalf of North Yorkshire patients by Yorkshire regional health authority in 1993–94; and what is the equivalent estimated expenditure of the new combined Northern and Yorkshire regional health authority in 1994–95.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on revenue spending on the residents of specific districts is not collected by the Department since it is not required for operational reasons. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the Northern and Yorkshire regional health authority, Mr. John Greetham, for details.

  Capital is now largely spent by national health service trusts. The benefits of such expenditure are received by residents of any district health authority who are treated by particular trusts.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cash and standard price allocation for each health authority in the northern region in 1992–93 and 1994–95, and what was the effect of(a) regional bridging loans and (b) transitional allocations together with any underspending for 1992–93.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by North Yorkshire health authority in 1993–94; and what is its budget for 1994–95.

  Mr. Sackville
  It is the responsibility of regional health authorities to allocate resources to their district health authorities. Information on the total allocations and cash limits made by regions to districts is not required for operational purposes and is therefore not collected by the Department. The hon. Members may wish to contact the chairman of the Northern and Yorkshire regional health authority, Mr. John Greetham, to request details of the 1994–95 budget. Information on 1993–94 expenditure by North Yorkshire health authority will become available from the annual accounts when these are received later in the year.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many salmonella cases occurred(a) nationally and (b) in each NHS region (1) in absolute terms and (2) per head of population for (i) 1992 and (ii) 1993.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table. Figures for 1993 are provisional.
  63

  1992

  1993

  NHS region

  1Number

  2Rate

  1Number

  2Rate

  Oxford

  1,582

  61.3

  1,665

  64.5

  South Western

  2,266

  68.3

  2,260

  68.2

  West Midlands

  2,879

  54.6

  2,673

  50.7

  Mersey

  1,131

  46.9

  974

  40.4

  North Western

  2,719

  67.7

  2.553

  63.5

  Wales

  1,917

  66.1

  1,978

  68.2

  Total

  31,355

  61.2

  30,653

  59.8

  1 Figures are for laboratory confirmed cases of salmonella in humans reported to the Public Health Laboratory Service.

  2 Rates are expressed as laboratory confirmed cases per 100,000 population.

  In-patient Statistics
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish a table showing(a) for each year since 1990 the number of beds available for the in-patient treatment of (i) the mentally ill and (ii) patients with learning difficulties and (b) the number of residential care places available in private, voluntary sector and local authority care of those with (1) mental illness and (2) learning difficulties in each year.

  Mr. Bowis
  The information is shown in the table.

  NHS available beds

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Mental illness

  55,239

  50,278

  47,294

  Learning disability

  23,379

  21,382

  17,896

  Staffed residential care places

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Mental illness

  Local authority

  5,730

  5,740

  5,560

  Voluntary

  3,080

  3,510

  4,300

  Private

  9,070

  9,270

  10,380

  Learning disability

  Local authority

  14,030

  13,760

  13,400

  Voluntary

  7,890

  9,510

  11,200

  Private

  8,380

  9,380

  10,040

  General Practitioners
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioner fundholders underspent in 1991–92; what was the average underspend of those general practitioners; and what information she has on how that underspend has been used.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In 1991–92, 243 general practitioner fundholders made savings on their budgets averaging about £60,000. Savings so far have been used to clear waiting lists and to purchase equipment and improve practice premises to develop services for patients.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to deduct general practitioner fundholding overspends in previous years from any underspends in subsequent years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None. General practitioner fund-holders' budgets have to be managed in year. Regional health authorities manage any fundholder overspends from within their allocations in the same way as any other accountable expenditure. Fundholders' savings are reinvested in patient care.

  Consultant Merit Awards
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what way she is planning to change the consultant merit award system.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We are considering the report of the working party on the review of the consultants' distinction awards scheme.

  Junior Doctors
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish information from the latest regional task force returns on the number of junior doctors working more than 83 hours per week by region.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Task force returns for 30 September 1993, the latest date for which information is available, do not contain detailed data on hours of work which are monitored locally.

  Smear Tests
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many laboratories report a smear test as cytology negative when no endocervical cells have been seen on the slide;

  (2) what guidance has been issued on action to be taken when a cervical smear test is found to have no endocervical cells.

  Mr. Sackville
  The absence of columnar glandular endocervical cells does not in itself constitute an indication for a repeat smear if the smear is assessed in the laboratory as satisfactory according to recommended criteria. Where a patient's smear is shown by the laboratory to be unsatisfactory, she is invited to have a smear as soon as possible.

  Financial Consultants
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the name of companies and organisations used as financial consultants in 1992–93 to her Department, the national health service management executive and any centrally run patient care services, not including trusts and health authority direct spending; and which financial consultants had a contract of more than £500,000.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 21 March,Official Report, column 72. It is not possible to identify separately expenditure on management and financial consultancy.

  Whipps Cross Hospital
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions the Minister for Health had about accident and emergency services during his visit to Whipps Cross hospital on 21 April; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I saw work under way on the £750,000 upgrading of the accident and emergency department. I learnt of plans to appoint three additional consultants and to make a number of service improvements. I am delighted that 98 per cent. of people attending the department are assessed by a nurse within four minutes of arrival.

  Ophthalmology Services, Leeds
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Leeds healthcare patients receiving ophthalmology treatment at the united Leeds teaching hospitals during 1993–94; and how many of those were treated in February and March.

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for the district health authority, Leeds healthcare. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mrs. Pam Smith, chairman of the authority, for details.

  Ambulance Services, Humberside
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Humberside ambulance trust will next hold a public meeting; and on what date was its last public meeting.

  Outstanding clinical grading appeals: Situation as at 1 April 1994

  Region

  Employing authority level

  To be heard by central adjudication panel

  Total

  North West

  189

  815

  1,004

  North Thames

  55

  687

  742

  Trent

  0

  734

  734

  Northern and Yorkshire

  31

  674

  705

  West Midlands

  134

  425

  559

  South Thames

  0

  484

  484

  South West

  0

  351

  351

  Anglia and Oxford

  0

  204

  204

  Total

  409

  4,374

  4,783

  Ambulance Services
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentages of ambulances in each service in England responded within(a) eight minutes and (b) 14 to 20 minutes to emergency calls in 1993–94.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is not yet available.

  Departmental Advice
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what advice her Department or the national health service management executive has provided to chairmen and chief executives of NHS trust hospitals on conducting health promotion campaigns and large-scale mail drops during the period of the local government and European elections; and if she will place that advice in the Library;

  (2) what advice her Department or the national health service management executive has provided to chairmen
  66
  Mr. Sackville
  The National Health Service Trusts (Public Meetings) Regulations 1991 state that all national health service trusts are required to hold a public meeting on or before 30 September in every year, other than that which includes the first operational date of the trust. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mrs. Margaret Cracknell, the chairman of Humberside ambulance service national health service trust, for details of the 1994 public meeting.

  Clinical Grading Appeals
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list, by region of origin, the number of outstanding clinical grading appeals at(a) district, (b) regional and (c) national level; and if she will estimate the cost to date.

  Mr. Sackville
  The number of appeals outstanding has dropped from just over 20,000 at 31 May 1993 to below 4,800 at 1 April 1994. We welcome this reduction. The Nursing and Midwifery Staffs Negotiating Council has agreed a new appeals mechanism for clearing all outstanding appeals by the end of 1995. All appeals outstanding at regional and national level will be heard by a new central adjudication panel. Information on the number of appeals outstanding is shown in the table. No estimate of the cost has been made.

  and chief executives of NHS trust hospitals on whether to launch high-profile publicity campaigns during the period leading up to the local government and European Parliament elections;

  (3) what advice her Department or the national health service management executive has provided to chairmen and chief executives of NHS trust hospitals on whether controversial proposals should be included on agendas of health authority meetings during the local government and European elections;

  (4) what advice her Department or the national health service management executive has provided to chairmen and chief executives of NHS trust hospitals on the circulation of information and answers to questions during the period of the local government elections and European elections; and if she will place that advice in the Library;

  (5) what advice her Department or the national health service management executive has provided to chairmen and chief executives of NHS trust hospitals on how to deal

  67
  with media inquiries during the period of local government elections and European elections; and if she will place that advice in the Library;

  (6) if her Department or the national health service management executive will advise chairmen and chief executives of NHS trust hospitals that any lectures taking place in the period leading up to the local government and European elections should be confined to published facts and avoid speculation on future health policy;

  (7) when her Department or the national health service management executive provided advice to chairmen and chief executives of NHS trust hospitals that, if they are uncertain about how to respond to requests from candidates, the media, or opposition spokespersons during the local government and European elections they should consult the NHS executive corporate affairs intelligence unit, head of news at the Department of Health or chief regional press officer;

  (8) what advice her Department or the national health service management executive has provided to chairmen and chief executives of NHS trust hospitals on campaigning and canvassing on health authority property during the period of the local government elections and European elections; and if she will place that advice in the Library.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The national health service executive issued EL(94)36, to remind NHS chief executives and general managers of the well-established principle that NHS staff should not be asked to engage in activities which could give rise to the criticism that people paid from public funds are being used for party political purposes and to give guidance on some specific issues. Similar guidance was issued before the last general election, in March 1992. Copies of EL(94)36 are available in the Library.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether it is her intention to require private companies operating contracts from NHS bodies to have established procedures covering freedom of speech;

  (2) whether the guidance for staff on relations with the public and media is applicable to staff of private contractors operating under contracts with the NHS;

  (3) whether the guidance for staff on relations with the public and media is applicable to staff employed under joint arrangements between health service bodies and local authorities or voluntary organisations.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 25 February,Official Report, column 525.

  Health Service Staff
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which division within the NHS executive is responsible for monitoring the proportions of men and women in each grade in the NHS for compliance with the aims of Opportunity 2000.

  Mr. Sackville
  The national health service women's unit is responsible for monitoring performance on Opportunity 2000.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all chairs and members of all health authorities, including family health service authorities, giving details of occupation and gender.
  68
  Dr. Mawhinney
  The appointment of non-executive members to district health authorities and family health services authorities is a matter for the regional health authority. Information on chairmen and non-executive members of regional health authorities, and chairmen of DHAs and FHSAs and their occupations will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by name and position those chairs, members and non-executive directors of district health authorities, family health services authorities, NHS trusts, shadow NHS trusts and other NHS authorities who have dual appointments as chairs, members or non-executive directors of other district health authorities, FHSAs, NHS trusts, shadow NHS trusts and other NHS authorities.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  A list of those holding dual appointments is shown. This does not include information concerning non-executive members of district health authorities or family health services authorities, whose members are appointed by regional health authorities.Dr. Christopher Robinson: Chairman of Northumberland FHSA, and non-executive member of Northern and Yorkshire RHA
  Mrs. Rosemary Hawley: Chairman of Liverpool FHSA, and non-executive member of North West RHA
  Mr. Manfred Dessau: Chairman of Nottinghamshire FHSA, and non-executive member of Trent RHA
  Mrs. Elspeth Metcalfe: Chairman of Hereford and Worcester FHSA, and non-executive member of West Midlands RHA
  Mr. Peter Gell: Chairman of Buckinghamshire FHSA, and non-executive member of Anglia and Oxford RHA
  Mrs. Jill Stern: Chairman of Ealing Hammersmith and Hounslow FHSA, and non-executive member of North Thames RHA
  Mrs. Anne Swain: Chairman of West Sussex FHSA, and non-executive member of South Thames RHA
  Dr. Dale Ferguson-Hudson: Chairman of Isle of Wight FHSA, and non-executive member of South and West RHA
  Mrs. Alison Cook: Chairman of Bamsley DHA, and non-executive member of the NHS Supplies Authority
  Miss Catherine McLoughlin: Chairman of Bromley DHA and non-executive member of the NHS Supplies Authority
  Mr. Frederick Hoult: Chairman of the Freeman Group of Hospitals NHS Trust, and non-executive member of the NHS Supplies Authority
  Mrs. Phyllida Entwistle: Chairman of the Furness Hospitals NHS Trust, and member of the Mental Health Act Commission
  Miss Georgina Linton: non-executive director of Guy's and Lewisham Mental Health NHS Trust, and member of the Mental Health Act Commission
  Mrs. Lotte Mason: non-executive director of Ravensbourne Priority Health NHS Trust, and member of the Mental Health Act Commission
  Professor Elaine Murphy: non-executive director of North West London Mental Health NHS Trust, and member of the Mental Health Act Commission

  Each regional health authority is required to include among its non-executive members the chairman of a family health services authority. Appointees to other NHS bodies are permitted to be appointed as members of the NHS Supplies Authority and the Mental Health Act Commission.

  Hospital Staff (Terms and Conditions of Service)
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations her Department has had regarding paragraph 330 of the terms and conditions of service for hospital medical and dental staff.
  69
  Dr. Mawhinney
  This provision has been the subject of discussions with the medical profession. There is no intention to amend this provision for those medical staff who remain on national terms and conditions of service.

  Bridget O'Connell
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are being taken to resolve the dispute between North East Thames regional health authority and paediatrician Bridget O'Connell; what has been(a) the cost and (b) the duration of the dispute to date; who is being held responsible for the cost; and what disciplinary measures are proposed.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This is a matter for North Thames regional health authority. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Sir William Staveley, the chairman, for details.

  Child Psychotherapists
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many child psychotherapists were working in the NHS in each region for the latest available year.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 23 March 1994]: The latest figures available are shown in the table.

  Child Psychotherapists employed in the National Health Service in England at 30 September 1992

  England

  Whole term equivalent

  Northern

  15

  Yorkshire

  15

  Trent

  5

  East Anglian

  *

  North West Thames

  50

  North East Thames

  65

  South East Thames

  25

  South West Thames

  25

  Wessex

  5

  Oxford

  5

  South Western

  10

  West Midlands

  5

  Mersey

  5

  North Western

  10

  SHAs

  10

  TOTAL

  255

  Notes:

  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.

  2. *indicates greater than zero but less than 2.5.

  3. The overall total does not equal the sum of components due to rounding.

  Source: National Health Service Non-Medical Workforce Census.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many parents with care were taken off income support following the award of maintenance payments by the Child Support Agency at the latest date for which figures are available; and what percentage that was of all the parents with care in receipt of income support in whose care an assessment has been finalised.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  70
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the annual report of the Child Support Agency for 1993–94 will be published.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Donald Dewar, dated 22 April 1994:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the publication of the Child Support Agency's annual report.
  The Agency aims to publish an annual report by the late summer of 1994. Copies will be placed in the Library of the House, and will also be available from the Agency's headquarters.
  I hope that this reply is helpful.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the arrears of maintenance currently outstanding on Child Support Agency assessments; and what percentage this is of the total that should have been paid at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Donald Dewar, dated 22 April 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the arrears of maintenance currently outstanding on Child Support Agency assessments.
  The Child Support Computer System is being upgraded to provide the information requested, but validated data is not currently available.
  I am sorry not to be more helpful.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases an arrestment of wages has been carried out by the Child Support Agency at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Donald Dewar, 22 April 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the number of cases in whch the Child Support Agency carried out an arrestment of wages.
  To the end of March 1994, deductions from earnings orders had been carried out in an estimated 2,600 cases.
  I hope that this reply is helpful.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average weekly sum set by the Child Support Agency as a maintenance payment at the latest date for which figures are available(a) including and (b) excluding cases where the absent parent is on benefit and contributing only £2.20 per week.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
  71
  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Donald Dewar, dated 22 April 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the average weekly sum of child maintenance.
  I am afraid that information is not available in the form requested. Overall, however, we estimate that average weekly maintenance assessments by the Agency are approximately £45–£50 a week.
  I hope that this reply is helpful.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people who have reached agreements for payments with the Child Support Agency are(a) registered unemployed and (b) in employment.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Stephen Byers, dated 22 April 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the number of clients of the Child Support Agency who are unemployed or in work.
  I am afraid that information is not available in the form that you have requested. However, information is available on the number of maintenance assessments completed where the absent parent was in receipt of income support. At 28 February 1994, there had been 36,000 such assessments.
  I hope this reply is helpful.

  Mr. Ashby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what money has been received as a result of the activities of the Child Support Agency.

  Mr. Scott
  [pursuant to the reply, 25 March 1994, column 452]: Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive of the Child Support Agency, has informed me that the figure of £181 million is incorrect and should read £169 million.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many parliamentary questions to his Department have not been answered because of disproportionate costs or because the information requested was not held centrally over the last five years; 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. Hague
  The POLIS database has been able to identify 352 questions which were not answered on the grounds of disproportionate cost or because the information was not held centrally in the five calendar years 1989–93. Details of each of those questions can be obtained from the POLIS database in the Library. Information on how many of these could now be answered is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures she proposes to prevent the ill-treatment of sheep imported from Spain.

  Mr. Soames
  No consignments of sheep for slaughter have been imported from Spain since 22 March, when this Department took immediate action to intercept a consignment and to safeguard the welfare of the animals. Close liaison was maintained with the local authorities concerned, which are investigating the case with a view to prosecution. The Welfare of Animals during Transport Order 1992 contains powers for similar action to be taken as necessary in relation to any future consignments.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what mechanisms there are to record the number of farm animals injured during transport to other EC member states.

  Mr. Soames
  There are no official mechanisms of this kind.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on the current discussions of the Council of Agriculture Ministers on the welfare of animals during transport.

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Members for Worsley (Mr. Lewis) and for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) on 24 March, at column 370.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many private security firms have been employed by her Department for each of the last 10 years; what has been the annual value of the contracts; and if she will estimate how many guards have been employed for each of those years.

  Mr. Jack
  The following is the number of private firms employed for each financial year with the calculated annual total value of all contracts and the guards employed. The figures do not include the employment of guards on a short-term ad hoc basis.

  Number of firms

  Value (£'000)

  Guard posts

  1984–85

  7

  170

  18

  1985–86

  7

  277

  20

  1986–87

  7

  297

  20

  1987–88

  7

  312

  20

  1988–89

  7

  329

  20

  1989–90

  7

  358

  21

  1990–91

  7

  469

  21

  1991–92

  7

  534

  22

  1992–93

  8

  650

  23

  1993–94

  8

  705

  23

  Increases in recent years in the cost of guarding is due to the provision of more comprehensive security cover at a number of vulnerable sites.

  Fishermen (Subsidies)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the total payments to fishing vessel owners on(a) subsidies and support, (b) compensation for loss of fishing and (c) decommissioning in each year since 1974.

  Mr. Jack
  The following information on construction and modernisation grants and on decommissioning is readily available.

  Construction and modernisation grants

  Expenditure year by year is shown below, except that the figures prior to 1982–83 relate to grant approvals rather than to grant expenditure.

  £ million

  1977–78

  5.0

  1978–79

  5.4

  1979–80

  7.0

  1980–81

  5.2

  1981–82

  3.8

  1982–83

  8.1

  1983–84

  9.1

  1984–85

  12.3

  1985–86

  15.8

  1986–87

  19.1

  1987–88

  21.6

  1988–89

  19.8

  1989–90

  10.1

  1990–91

  7.7

  1991–92

  3.7

  1992–93

  1.2

  Decommissioning

  Expenditure on decommissioning between 1983 and 1986 totalled £18.4 million, and a further £7.8 million was spent under the 1993 scheme. There were no decommissioning schemes between 1974 and 19:33 and between 1986 and 1993.

  Grey Squirrels
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is her policy on measures to reduce grey squirrel populations in Britain.

  Mr. Soames
  It is not practical to reduce the number of grey squirrels over the whole of Britain. The Government's policy is, therefore, to control grey squirrels in those areas where they are causing significant damage to broad-leaved trees and in those areas where there are red squirrels present.

  Grey squirrels, unlike our native red squirrels, are not a protected species. Responsibility for the general control of grey squirrels lies with individual landowners and occupiers, who are free to use any legal method of control, including traps, approved pesticides and shooting if they feel that this is necessary to prevent damage.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if she will give details of her advice to landowners wishing to kill grey squirrels;

  (2) if she will specify which (a) poisons and (b) traps she advises for killing grey squirrels.

  Mr. Soames
  Grey squirrels, unlike our native red squirrels, are not a protected species, and they may be killed by owners and occupiers of property and land if they feel this is necessary to prevent damage. Recommended methods of killing squirrels are by poisoning or trapping.

  Except in the counties specified in the Grey Squirrel (Warfarin) Order 1973, grey squirrels may be killed
  74
  outdoors by the use of the anticoagulant poison warfarin. When used outdoors, the bait must be presented in a hopper of the dimensions and specification given in the 1973 order. Warfarin may be used inside a building throughout England without the use of a hopper.

  Spring traps set in artificial or naturally occurring tunnels may be used but are not recommended for areas where red squirrels are present. Only traps authorised for use against squirrels under a spring trap approval order may be used. Single and multi-catch traps may be used in any part of the country for the live capture of grey squirrels and any grey squirrels so caught should be humanely despatched. It is an offence under section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to release any captured grey squirrel.

  Advice on controlling grey squirrels is available from both ADAS and the Forestry Commission.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence she has that grey squirrels are a problem in the British countryside.

  Mr. Soames
  The Forestry Commission's annual survey and the Timber Growers Association's 1991 survey both show that grey squirrels are causing serious damage to a wide range of tree species by stripping the bark from the trees and that they are threatening the success of the Government's policy for maintaining the existing broad-leaved woodlands and establishing new ones. Landowners report that they may have to stop planting trees in certain areas because grey squirrels make it impossible to establish the trees. Grey squirrels can, in some situations, cause serious damage to cereals, top and soft fruit, bulbs and root crops.

  In addition, grey squirrels rob the nests of woodland nesting birds such as thrushes, tits and nuthatches, as well as killing young birds and competing for breeding sites. There is circumstantial evidence that grey squirrels compete with red squirrels and that the number of red squirrels in Britain has declined in recent years with the increase in the population of greys.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research her officials have carried out into humane methods of killing or controlling grey squirrels.

  Mr. Soames
  As grey squirrels cause serious damage primarily to trees, research into humane methods of killing or controlling them is carried out by the Forestry Commission.

  The commission has carried out research work on the development, testing and methods of deployment of cage traps and is also undertaking research into alternative silvicultural systems which may reduce the amount of damage caused by grey squirrels. The use of reproductive inhibitors has also been investigated but a practical way of using these has not yet been found.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate has been made of the economic damage caused to forests by grey squirrels.

  Mr. Soames
  It is estimated that the damage to forests caused by grey squirrels leads to a loss in excess of £1 million each year.

  Pest Control
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will give details of research projects funded or undertaken by her officials or the Agricultural Development Advisory Service into controlling pest species by contraceptive bait and other non-violent means.

  Mr. Soames
  Listed are the research projects currently funded by the Ministry on non-violent means of pest control. The Ministry does not currently undertake any research on contraceptive baits for the control of vertebrate pests. The two projects for immunocontraceptives for rabbits shown involve the development of immunocontraceptive vaccines and include oral administration of vaccines but not field baiting. Once promising vaccines have been developed, field studies including baiting will be commissioned. Preparatory field research, without the use of vaccines, is planned to begin in 1995–96 in order to collect baseline data.

  The Forestry Commission is carrying out research on deer-proof fencing, repellants and the use of genetics and tree breeding to produce natural compounds to deter deer; and on the use of tree guards against rabbits.

  MAFF research projects on the control of vertebrate pests by non-violent means

  1. Strategic monitoring and modelling of bird pest populations to predict damage, damage limitation and the impact of agriculture on population.

  2. Prevention of damage by birds using naturally occurring stimuli.

  3. Predicting damage to winter wheat in relation to the density of rabbits and the timing of population control.

  4. Developing humane, environmentally acceptable and cost-effective techniques for reducing rabbit numbers or otherwise preventing crop damage.

  5. Modelling rabbit populations and designing control packages.

  6. Uteroglobin as an immunocontraceptive vaccine.

  7. Irreversible immucontraception for the control of wild rabbits.

  8. Devising a procedure to be followed when badgers may have to be removed from a sett.

  9. Mammalian pheromones and their use in pest control.

  10. The management of mammal pests in farm woodlands.

  Mink Farms
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many times her officials inspect a licensed mink farm each year to ensure compliance with the security arrangements of the Mink (Keeping) Order 1992.

  Imports of veal, fresh or chilled or frozen—Weight in metric tones

  1985

  1986

  11987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Carcases, half-carcases or "compensated" quarters of a unit weight of 136 kg or less for carcases or "compensated" quarters, or of a unit weight of not more than 68 kg for half-carcases, fresh or chilled

  France

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  85

  93

  0

  Holland

  131

  73

  41

  13

  8

  18

  6

  1

  Italy

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Separated or unseparated forequarters, of a unit weight of 60 kg or less for unseparated forequarters, or of a unit weight of 30 kg or less for separate forequarters, fresh or chilled

  France

  0

  0

  5

  157

  0

  20

  40

  156

  Holland

  0

  14

  0

  9

  6

  1

  6

  0

  Italy

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  76
  Mr. Soames
  Licensed mink farms are inspected at least annually by the Agriculture Development Advisory Service before a licence is renewed to ensure that the security arrangements meet the stringent requirements of the Mink (Keeping) Regulations 1975. Further inspections may be made at any time during the year to ensure that the security arrangements have not deteriorated since the last inspection.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many mink farms are currently operating in England.

  Mr. Soames
  As at 31 March 1994, there were 10 licensed mink farms operating in England.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many inspections were carried out by her officials last year to ensure security arrangements at licensed mink farms complied with the Mink (Keeping) Order 1992.

  Mr. Soames
  During the 1993–94 financial year, 17 inspections of mink farms were carried out by the Agricultural Development Advisory Service on behalf of the Ministry.

  Deformed Fish (North Sea)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on recent incidents of deformed fish caught in the North sea, indicating where the fish were caught.

  Mr. Jack
  The Ministry has routinely monitored fish caught in the North sea for many years and there has been no recent increase in the landings of deformed fish.

  Veal
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the tonnage of veal imported into Britain from(a) France, (b) Holland and (c) Italy in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Soames
  Data are available for imports into the United Kingdom of carcases, half-carcases and hindquarters and forequarters of veal and for boneless cuts from veal and this information is shown for years 1985 to 1982 in the table. Other information on cuts of veal or veal products is not available.
  77

  1985

  1986

  11987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Separated or unseparated hindquarters, of a unit weight of 75 kg or less for unseparated hind-quarters, or of a unit weight of 40 kg or less for separate hindquarters, fresh or chilled

  France

  0

  17

  6

  7

  74

  35

  36

  4

  Holland

  1,303

  1,275

  1,356

  306

  532

  369

  441

  503

  Italy

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Boneless cuts from veal, fresh or chilled

  France

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  136

  152

  838

  489

  612

  Holland

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  738

  261

  504

  962

  464

  Italy

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  0

  0

  0

  0

  11

  Source: Her Majesty's Coustoms and Excise.

  1 Discontinuties in the series between 1987 and 1988 are due to changes of classification.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many calves were exported to veal crates in(a) France, (b) Italy and (c) Holland; and how many in each case were exported for (i) further fattening and (ii) immediate slaughter, in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Soames
  No information is available on the system of husbandry for which particular consignments of calves exported from the United Kingdom are intended.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the consumption of veal in Britain in each year since 1985 which came from(a) Britain, (b) France, (c) Italy and (d) Holland.

  Mr. Soames
  Details of veal consumption are shown in the table.

  Veal consumption in the United Kingdom — source of supply

  Weight in thousand tonnes

  Year

  United Kingdom

  France

  Italy

  Netherlands

  1985

  4.7

  0.0

  0.0

  1.4

  1986

  1.8

  0.0

  0.0

  1.4

  1987

  0.5

  0.0

  0.0

  1.4

  1988

  0.6

  0.3

  0.0

  1.0

  1989

  0.0

  0.2

  0.0

  0.8

  1990

  1.5

  0.9

  0.0

  0.9

  Animals inspected and certified as fit for transportation prior to export

  Immediate Slaughter

  Further Fattening

  Year

  Cattle

  Sheep

  Pigs

  Cattle

  Calves

  Sheep

  Pigs

  1985

  150

  10,381

  none

  none

  142,427

  11,761

  none

  1986

  187

  154,017

  none

  none

  190,683

  7,745

  1,321

  1987

  1.014

  182,781

  none

  574

  365,166

  130,775

  none

  1988

  136

  262,647

  none

  323

  234,651

  184,120

  none

  1989

  358

  216,886

  24

  1,712

  302,223

  275,006

  none

  1990

  175

  186,038

  none

  284

  338,806

  302,871

  none

  1991

  154

  196,870

  3,297

  187

  399,599

  576,632

  9,963

  1992

  115

  326,777

  691

  40

  420,620

  1,046,880

  1,911

  Source: "Animal Health—Report by the Chief Veterinary Officer", reports 1985 to 1992.

  Live Animals (Exports)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether records are kept of the number of farm animals which die during transport(a) within Britain and (b) to other EC member states.

  Mr. Soames
  Such information may be recorded in cases where possible offences against the Welfare of Animals during Transport Order 1992 were being investigated, either by inspectors of this Department or those of local authorities with enforcement responsibilities
  78

  Year

  United Kingdom

  France

  Italy

  Netherlands

  1991

  1.4

  0.7

  0.0

  1.4

  1992

  1.0

  0.8

  0.0

  10

  There is a discontinuity in the series between 1987 to 1988 in respect of imports due to changes of classification.

  Live animals (Exports)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures she is taking to ensure that British animals exported for slaughter to Spain are killed in accordance with legislation designated to ensure humane slaughter.

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave him on 16 February,Official Report, column 847.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farm animals are exported by species from Britain for(a) further fattening and (b) slaughter in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Soames
  Figures for exports from Great Britain in the years 1985 to 1992 are given in the following table. Figures are not available for 1993.

  under the Animal Health Act 1981. The information is not collected centrally. The recording of deaths of animals during transport from Great Britain which occurred within the territory of another member state would be a matter for the member state concerned.

  Spanish and Portuguese Accession
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Clappison) of 13 April,Official Report, columns 183–84, which member states (a) voted against and (b) abstained on the vote on the

  79
  presidency compromise proposal on the procedure to be followed for amending the current arrangements applying to Spanish and Portuguese access to the waters of other member states.

  Mr. Jack
  The presidency compromise proposal was adopted by qualified majority. Ireland voted against. No member state indicated abstention. Formal adoption of the legal text is planned to take place at a future meeting of the Council by "A" point procedure.

  Near-shore Fishing
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals she has to use the new regime of licensing for boats under 10 m to study the nature and distribution of near-shore fishing in United Kindom waters.

  Mr. Jack
  We shall keep activity in this sector under review.

  Farm Statistics
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what proportion of(a) the total land mass and (b) the agricultural area of each English county

  Estimates of the total agricultural land (a) by county and FBS province in 1992

  Total agricultural land designated as:

  Proportion of total land mass (b) designated as:

  Proportion of agricultural area designated as:

  FBS province

  County

  SDA

  DA hectares

  LFA

  SDA per cent.

  DA per cent.

  LFA per cent.

  SDA per cent.

  DA per cent.

  LFA per cent.

  East Midland

  Derbyshire

  67,759

  13,824

  81,583

  26

  5

  31

  37

  8

  44

  67,759

  13,824

  81,583

  4

  1

  5

  6

  1

  7

  Northern

  Cumbria

  192,312

  40,427

  232,740

  28

  6

  34

  42

  9

  51

  Durham

  77,440

  11,873

  89,312

  32

  5

  37

  49

  8

  57

  Northumberland

  235,296

  23,594

  258,890

  47

  5

  51

  62

  6

  68

  505,048

  75,894

  580,942

  34

  5

  39

  50

  7

  57

  North Eastern

  Cleveland

  7,062

  1,766

  8,827

  12

  3

  15

  25

  6

  31

  North Yorkshire

  159,269

  47,565

  206,834

  19

  6

  25

  25

  7

  32

  South Yorkshire

  8,810

  6,141

  14,951

  6

  4

  10

  11

  7

  18

  West Yorkshire

  29,993

  9,305

  39,298

  15

  5

  19

  30

  9

  39

  205,134

  64,776

  296,910

  13

  4

  17

  19

  6

  25

  North Western

  Cheshire

  8,812

  1,619

  10,431

  4

  1

  4

  5

  1

  6

  Greater Manchester

  6,992

  4,873

  11,865

  5

  4

  9

  17

  12

  29

  Lancashire

  59,869

  41,076

  100,944

  20

  13

  33

  27

  19

  45

  Shropshire

  29,001

  13,632

  42,533

  8

  4

  12

  10

  5

  15

  Staffordshire

  12,711

  17,732

  30,443

  5

  7

  11

  6

  9

  15

  117,384

  78,832

  196,216

  9

  6

  14

  13

  8

  21

  Southern

  Hereford and Worcester

  10,689

  6,518

  17,207

  3

  2

  4

  3

  2

  6

  10,689

  6,518

  17,207

  ..

  ..

  1

  1

  ..

  1

  South Western

  Cornwall (including Isles of Scilly)

  11,171

  43,878

  55,048

  3

  12

  16

  4

  16

  20

  Devon

  71,394

  63,743

  135,137

  11

  9

  20

  14

  12

  26

  Somerset

  31,419

  2,038

  33,457

  9

  1

  10

  11

  1

  12

  113,983

  109,659

  223,642

  7

  7

  14

  9

  9

  18

  ENGLAND

  1,019,999

  349,604

  1,369,500

  8

  3

  11

  11

  4

  15

  Less than 0.5 per cent.

  (a) Area on main holdings with land in the SDA or DA excluding common rough grazing

  (b) Including inland water

  Sources: Agricultural Census, Municipal yearbook
  80
  and the counties as grouped together for the purposes of compiling the farm business survey, is designated (i) severely disadvantaged area, (ii) disadvantaged area and (iii) less-favoured area; and what are the figures for England as a whole;

  (2) what is the total hectarage of agricultural land for (a) each English county and (b) each farm business survey county group, which is designated (i) severely disadvantaged area, (ii) disadvantaged area and (c) less-favoured area according to the most recent unweighted figures from the annual farm census.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 20 April 1994]: The table provides the total hectarage of agricultural land on holdings designated as SDA, DA and LFA, as well as the proportions of total land mass and total agricultural area designated as SDA, DA and LFA, by English county and FBS province in 1992. The area of common rough grazing has been excluded from the figures of agricultural area as details are not available to show the breakdown between SDA, DA and non-LFA land.

  Trade Statistics
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many calves were exported to other member states in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Soames
  The numbers of calves from the United Kingdom that have been exported to other member states of the EC since 1985 can be found in the annual volumes of the "Overseas Trade Statistics for the United Kingdom", copies of which are in the House of Commons Library. Details of their classification within standard industrial waste classification 00 can be found in the "Guide to the Classification for Overseas Trade Statistics", which is also in the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many live farm animals were exported abroad in each year since 1985; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The numbers of live animals from the United Kingdom that have been exported abroad since 1985 can be found in the annual volumes of the "Overseas Trade Statistics for the United Kingdom", copies of which are in the House of Commons Library. Details of their classification within SITC 00 can be found in the "Guide to the classification for Overseas Trade Statistics", which is also in the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the tonnage of(a) lamb and (b) beef was imported into Britain from other member states in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Soames
  The tonnage of lamb and beef imported into the United Kingdom from other member states of the EC since 1985 can be found in the annual volumes of the "Overseas Trade Statistics for the United Kingdom", copies of which are in the House of Commons Library. Details of their classification within SITC 00 can be found in the "Guide to the classification for Overseas Trade Statistics", which is also in the House of Commons Library.

DEFENCE

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. Hanley
  The number of private security firms employed by my Department over the last 10 years and the annual value of contracts are as follows:

  Number of firms

  Annual value of contracts (£)

  1984–85

  7

  350,000

  1985–86

  9

  600,000

  1986–87

  11

  1,100,000

  1987–88

  10

  1,350,000

  82

  Number of firms

  Annual value of contracts (£)

  1988–89

  21

  1,900,000

  1989–90

  17

  4,841,000

  1990–91

  16

  4,760,000

  1991–92

  16

  4,532,000

  1992–93

  14

  5,136,000

  1993–94

  15

  6,535,000

  The number of guards used by a private firm in meeting its contractual requirement is a matter of judgment for the firm itself. Central records are not held by my Department of the number of private guards employed.

  Sailing Ships
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the expenditure by his Department on the construction of sailingn ships in each of the past 10 years; if he will give details of the names of such ships, their current use and what proportion of the cost of such ships was met by his Department.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 18 March 1994]: The MOD has procured 41 sail training craft for the services from public funds over the past 10 years. Sail training craft are procured for a number of training uses for service men and women including sea sense training, resource and initiative training, leadership training and adventurous sail training.

  Expenditure on these craft in each of the past 10 years is as follows:

  Financial year

  £

  1984–85

  54,000

  1985–86

  Nil

  1986–87

  Nil

  1987–88

  135,519

  1988–89

  Nil

  1989–90

  77,156

  1990–91

  1,202,225

  1991–92

  608,129

  1992–93

  533,754

  1993–94

  155,911

  The names of the craft and their current deployment are as follows:

  Amaryllis of Dart—Army Sailing Association

  Amaryllis of Dartmouth—Britannia Royal Naval College

  Amoria—HMS Hornet Gosport

  Callista—HMS Hornet Gosport

  Cornish Air—Royal Naval Air Station, Culdrose

  Disinia—HMS Hornet, Gosport

  Ebsis—HMS Hornet, Gosport

  Fimbra—HMS Hornet, Gosport

  Foxbat—HMS Sultan, Gosport

  Foxbrush—HMS Raleigh, Plymouth

  Foxchase—HMS Raleigh, Plymouth

  Foxcub—HMS Raleigh, Plymouth

  Foxdale—HMS Raleigh, Plymouth

  Foxfield—HMS Raleigh, Plymouth

  Foxfire—HMS Raleigh, Plymouth

  Foxglove—HMS Raleigh, Plymouth

  Foxhole—HMS Raleigh, Plymouth

  Foxhound—HMS Raleigh, Plymouth

  Foxhunt—HMS Sultan, Gosport

  Foxlane, HMS Raleigh, Plymouth

  Foxmark—HMS Raleigh, Plymouth

  Foxtor—HMS Raleigh, Plymouth

  Gauntlet of Plymouth—Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon

  83

  Heads I Win—HMS Raleigh, Plymouth

  Head Over Heels—HMS Raleigh, Plymouth

  Headstrong—HMS Raleigh, Plymouth

  Hedonist—HMS Raleigh, Plymouth

  Janthia—HMS Hornet, Gosport

  Lambis—HMS Hornet, Gosport

  Mitra—HMS Hornet, Gosport

  Nerita—HMS Hornet, Gosport

  Olympus—HMS Sultan, Gosport

  Placunda—HMS Hornet—Gosport

  Proteus—HMS Sultan, Gosport

  Rapana—HMS Hornet, Gosport

  Redcoat 2—Commander British Forces, Hong Kong

  Sane Marais 2—Royal Marines, Stonehouse, Plymouth

  Syrinx—HMS Hornet, Gosport

  Trochus—HMS Hornet, Gosport

  Voluta—HMS Hornet, Gosport

  Zidona—HMS Hornet, Gosport

  Ministry of Defence Police
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to whom the report to be produced by the committee on the future of the Ministry of Defence police chaired by Mr. Blelloch will report; when it is expected to be finalised; and if it will be published.

  Mr. Hanley
  I have nothing further to add to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, West (Sir J. Spicer) on 15 December 1993,Official Report, columns 738–39.

  RAF Chivenor
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what delegations from North Devon he has received or has appointments to receive to discuss the future of RAF Chivenor;

  (2) what alternative uses he has recently considered for the site of RAF Chivenor.

  Mr. Hanley
  I met the hon. Member and a number of North Devon county councillors on 17 January 1994. There are no current plans to meet any further delegations.

  RAF Chivenor will continue to house a search and rescue flight. From 1 July 1994 this will be upgraded to a 24–hour Sea King flight. In addition, the site will continue to be considered for any possible alternative defence requirement that might arise.

  Nuclear Weapons Exercises
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has made to the United States authorities regarding the possibility of their publishing contingency planning information on exercises conducted with American nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom along the lines of information published in this area by Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Hanley
  My Department has made no such representations. A document issued by the MOD in December 1992 and distributed to local authorities and emergency services already gives relevant guidance on the actions to be taken in the event of any transport accident in the United Kingdom involving a nuclear weapon. A copy of this document—"Local Authority and Emergency Service Information on Nuclear Weapon Transport Contingency Plans"—is also in the Library of the House.

  Exercise Diver Mist
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what arrangements have been made for the media to(a) participate in the Diver Mist nuclear weapons accident exercise and (b) report on the activities and outcome of the Diver Mist exercise;

  (2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the Diver Mist nuclear weapons emergency exercise scenario.

  (3) if he will place in the Library an unclassified version of his Departmental report evaluating the Diver Mist nuclear weapons accident exercise conducted in East Anglia 18 to 22 April;

  (4) which military authorities will participate in the Diver Mist nuclear weapons accident exercise on 18 to 22 April in East Anglia;

  (5) which emergency plans will be tested during the Diver Mist nuclear accident exercise in East Anglia on 18 to 22 April;

  (6) what are the objectives of the joint United Kingdom/United States nuclear weapon accident exercise Diver Mist due to take place near Thetford on 18 to 24 April;

  (7) if he will list the observers invited to attend the Diver Mist nuclear weapons accident exercise in East Anglia on 18 to 22 April.

  Mr. Hanley
  The accident scenario for Exercise Diver Mist was based on a crash of a United States transport aircraft carrying nuclear weapons in United Kingdom airspace. The objective was to exercise the combined response of relevant United Kingdom and United States Government Departments and local authorities and civil emergency services to a nuclear weapon transport accident, and as such it offered the opportunity to test relevant United Kingdom-United States and national contingency plans, as well as the major incident plans of local authorities and emergency services. The exercise involved the participation of the MOD's nuclear accident response organisation, which includes military units and personnel with relevant capabilities from all three services. United States military forces with similar capabilities also participated. I attended the exercise to provide the parliamentary and political dimension.

  Observers from relevant central Government Departments, local authorities and emergency services, and from United States federal authorities were invited to attend the exercise. Media participation in the circumstances created by the exercise scenario was simulated by exercise players, who included reservists who are journalists by profession. In addition, a briefing attended by representatives of the local media was held on 17 April to explan the scope and purpose of the exercise.

  The post-exercise report will be a classified document.

  Nuclear Weapon Accidents
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek from his United States counterpart a copy of the United States Department of Defence manual on nuclear weapon accident response procedures; and if he will place it in the Library.

  Mr. Hanley
  I will arrange for a copy of this document to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who are the members currently appointed to the Anglo/Scottish/Welsh-American community relations committees.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 28 January 1994]: The members currently appointed to the Anglo/Scottish/Welsh-American community relations committees are as follows:

  Cliff Woodhead

  Michael Behagg

  Mrs. Carol Booker

  Mrs. Kay Dunn

  Mrs. Sue Parkin

  David Parsons

  Dr. Irwin Peck

  Richard Scantlebury

  Bob Seery

  J. F. Green, OBE TD

  E. Jenkins, MBE

  D. Mayman

  L. Jones

  Sir Stanley Odell

  Mrs. Gee Bird

  Mrs. Meg Bennett

  Mrs. Cherry Jephson

  James Leaver

  Richard Parrish

  Wing Commander Chris Taylor RAF (Retd)

  The Hon Mrs. Bing

  Hon. Sherriff Willie Johnston, MBE, JP

  Dr. Ion Grove-White

  Hugh A. C. Adamson

  Mrs. Rose Rickman

  Peter Arkell

  Mrs. Linda Jones

  Mark Whittering

  David Marshall

  Eustace Crawley

  Alec Faulds

  Brendan Fulham

  Councillor Mrs. Eileen Jacob

  Councillor Mrs. Carol Lynch

  Mrs. Maya Morriss

  Bruce Rutterford

  Jack Haylock, MBE

  Nick Berry

  Sheila Bonnett

  Dr. Colin Dring

  Edward Kydd

  Canon David Merkle

  David Minns

  Ken Thompson

  John Zeal

  A. I. Rabey

  Mrs. S. J. Christopher

  86

  D. Curnow

  Captain E. T. Denholm RN (Retd)

  D. James

  Superintendent K. H. Shepperd

  Charles Parker

  Mrs. José

  Canon Hewitt Wilson

  Group Captain James Marmion RAF (Retd)

  Superintendent Alan Partridge

  The Earl of Swinton

  John A. Winter

  Mrs. Heather Manton

  Mrs. Kathleen Wood

  Mrs. Katherine Lovell

  Mr. Roger K. Linfoot

  Capital Projects (Expenditure)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the reasons for the variations between current and original estimated expenditures on the capital projects at(a) Minley/Chatham barracks, (b) Dishforth, accommodation for Army Air Corps, (c) Tidworth, infrastructure and tank road, and (d) Wattisham (RAF), change of role, as listed on page 19 of Command 276–1.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 15 April 1994]: The reduction in estimated costs for the Minley/Chatham, Dishforth and Tidworth capital works projects is due to the refinement of the original estimates as the design has developed, coupled with lower than forecast project management fees. Also, competitive tendering has resulted in works contracts being let at significantly lower prices than was originally estimated. Indeed, estimates for all three projects have continued to fall and are now as follows:

  Minley/Chatham Barracks—£28,467,000

  Dishforth—£31,283,000

  Tidworth—£27,004,000

  In the case of the Wattisham project, the current estimated project cost is £46,150,000, which represents a reduction against the estimate shown on page 19 of Command 276–1. This still, however, represents an increase over the original project cost. That is due to the fact that financial provision for a new build of married quarters was not included in the original estimate as the requirement for domestic accommodation had not been defined at that point in time. Provision had, however, been made separately to cover overall married quarter requirements resulting from the return of forces from Germany, including the two regiments moving to Wattisham.

  SERBIA: HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE SANDZAK
  SERBIA: HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE SANDZAK
  UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE: UK REPORT
  UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE: UK REPORT
  FORMER YUGOSLAVIA: CONTACTS BETWEEN PEACEKEEPING NATIONS
  FORMER YUGOSLAVIA: CONTACTS BETWEEN PEACEKEEPING NATIONS
  THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES AND THE COMMONWEALTH
  THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES AND THE COMMONWEALTH
  THE SCOTT INQUIRY
  THE SCOTT INQUIRY
  PUBLIC INTEREST IMMUNITY CERTIFICATES
  PUBLIC INTEREST IMMUNITY CERTIFICATES
  PRISONERS: TRANSFER REQUESTS
  PRISONERS: TRANSFER REQUESTS
  CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS: PARLIAMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CONVENTION
  CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS: PARLIAMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CONVENTION
  PRISONERS: REFERENCE NUMBERS
  PRISONERS: REFERENCE NUMBERS
  UK PRISON SERVICES: MERGER PROPOSAL
  UK PRISON SERVICES: MERGER PROPOSAL
  UK PRISON COMPUTER SYSTEMS: LINKAGE PROPOSAL
  UK PRISON COMPUTER SYSTEMS: LINKAGE PROPOSAL
  HOMOSEXUALITY IN THE ARMED FORCES
  HOMOSEXUALITY IN THE ARMED FORCES
  DEFENCE PROPERTY AND LOCAL PLANS
  DEFENCE PROPERTY AND LOCAL PLANS
  GYPSY SITES AND PLANNING: CIRCULAR
  GYPSY SITES AND PLANNING: CIRCULAR
  BIRD REGISTRATION SYSTEMS: PROPOSED CHANGES
  BIRD REGISTRATION SYSTEMS: PROPOSED CHANGES
  FISHING LICENCES
  FISHING LICENCES
  NORTHERN IRELAND: HEALTH WORKERS
  NORTHERN IRELAND: HEALTH WORKERS