Written Answers of 28 April 1994

ATTORNEY GENERAL

  Performance Targets
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Attorney General if he will announce the key performance targets for executive agencies in his Department for 1994–95; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  I informed the House on 29 March,Official Report, columns 16–17, that I would be establishing the Government Property Lawyers as an executive agency of the Treasury Solicitor's Department on 1 April 1993.

  The agency has had a successful first year. It has achieved the key performance targets which I set it. I congratulate the chief executive and his staff.

  I have set the following targets for the agency which are similar to those for 1993–94 but contain significant improvements:
  For 1994–95: to recover the full operating cost of the agency; to achieve 6,000 new instructions from its clients; to increase the number of completions effected to an average of 83 per case-holder, equivalent to a total of 6,050; to maintain and improve the quality of service, in particular by keeping the proportions of cases completed satisfactorily (i.e. without requiring rectification by reason of any fault of the agency) on or before the target date at or above 99.5 per cent.
  Over the three year period of the strategic plan: to achieve a steady reduction in operating costs of an average of 2.5 per cent. per year in real terms.

  I wish the chief executive and his staff a further successful year.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what amounts were paid in the last 10 years for which figures are available to(a) solicitors, (b) barristers and (c) by way of disbursements in relation to criminal legal aid in the magistrates and higher courts.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Table(a) gives a breakdown for criminal cases tried in the magistrates courts during the period 1983–84 to 1992–93. Detailed information on payments to solicitors and barristers in the higher criminal courts is available only for the last nine years and is set out at table (b). A breakdown of disbursements in the higher criminal courts is only available from 1988–89.

  Table (a)

  £ million

  Solicitors

  Barristers

  Disbursements

  1983–84

  54.991

  4.846

  2.483

  1984–85

  60.104

  5.307

  2.790

  1985–86

  71.227

  6.857

  3.347

  1986–87

  76.313

  7.309

  3.649

  236

  Solicitors

  Barristers

  Disbursements

  1987–88

  99.372

  9.914

  4.626

  1988–89

  110.422

  11.903

  5.312

  1989–90

  130.785

  14.849

  6.214

  1990–91

  152.495

  15.650

  7.055

  1991–92

  186.043

  17.562

  8.791

  1992–93

  175.689

  16.776

  8.652

  Table (b)

  £ million

  Solicitors

  Barristers

  Disbursements

  11984–85

  33.723

  34.316

  —

  11985–86

  36.360

  38.932

  —

  11986–87

  42.601

  49.225

  —

  11987–88

  47.591

  52.494

  —

  1988–89

  47.407

  65.335

  6.555

  1989–90

  53.381

  74.095

  7.570

  1990–91

  60.982

  87.881

  8.949

  1991–92

  72.955

  103.789

  10.726

  1992–93

  91.752

  117.082

  13.094

  1 Disbursements included in totals for solicitors and barristers.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list all the courts and the tribunals in England and Wales for which legal aid, subject to eligibility,(a) is and (b) is not available.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Under the Legal Aid Act 1988, and subject to the various eligibility tests, legal aid is available as follows:

  Civil legal aid is available for proceedings before:
  The House of Lords in the exercise of its jurisdiction in relation to appeals from the courts of England and Wales;
  the Court of Appeal;
  the High Court;
  any county court;
  specified family proceedings in the magistrates courts;
  the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the Lands Tribunal;
  a commons commissioner appointed under section 17(1) of the Commons Registration Act 1965;
  the Restrictive Practices Court under part III of the Fair Trading Act 1973, and any proceedings in that court in consequence of an order made, or undertaking given, under that Part of that Act.

  However, it is not available for those proceedings specified in part II of schedule 2 to the Legal Aid Act.

  Criminal legal aid is available for proceedings before:
  The magistrates courts;
  the Crown Court;
  the criminal division of the Court of Appeal or the Courts-Martial Appeal Court;
  the House of Lords in the exercise of its jurisdiction in relation to appeals from either of those courts.

  Assistance by way of representation—ABWOR—is available for:
  Specified civil proceedings in the magistrates courts;
  a party, at a hearing in any proceedings in a magistrates' court, who is not receiving and has not been refused representation in connection with those proceedings, where authority has been given by the court;
  specified criminal proceedings in magistrates courts where the client has not previously received and is not otherwise receiving representation or ABWOR in connection with the same proceedings;
  a party, at a hearing in any proceedings in a county court, who is not receiving and had not been refused representation in connection with those proceedings, where authority is given by the court;
  a person in connection with an application for a warrant of further detention, or for an extension of such a warrant, made in respect of that person to a magistrates court under section 43 or 44 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

  237
  proceedings before Mental Health Review Tribunals under the Mental Health Act 1983;
  a discretionary life prisoner whose case is referred to the parole board under sections 34(4) or (5) or 39(4) of the Criminal Justice Act 1991;
  a prisoner who has been permitted by the governor or equivalent to be legally represented in proceedings before him.

  Legal aid is not available for proceedings before any other venue. However, those within the relevant financial eligibility limits may receive advice and assistance from a solicitor under the green form scheme prior to a hearing.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what were the total receipts in the last 10 years for which figures are available in relation to awards of costs, contributions and otherwise in relation to(a) legal aid in criminal cases in the higher courts, (b) legal aid in criminal cases in the magistrates courts, (c) magistrates courts duty solicitor schemes, (d) police station duty solicitor schemes and (e) advice on criminal matters under the legal aid scheme.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Total payments to the legal aid fund in respect of costs, contributions and other receipts in respect of criminal legal aid during the last 10 years are as shown. No costs, contributions or other receipts are received in respect of magistrates courts and police station duty solicitors schemes.

  £ million

  Year

  Higher Courts

  Magistrates' Courts

  Duty Solicitor magistrates'courts

  Duty Solicitor police station

  Green Form

  1983–84

  58.905

  60.765

  —

  —

  35.858

  1984–85

  67.398

  66.816

  0.537

  —

  44.139

  1985–86

  74.663

  80.219

  3.368

  0.568

  51.716

  1986–87

  91.067

  85.772

  3.915

  16.618

  49.918

  1987–88

  99.176

  112.266

  4.879

  23.183

  56.885

  1988–89

  118.586

  125.273

  5.300

  25.534

  54.132

  1989–90

  134.206

  148.828

  6.522

  30.969

  62.430

  1990–91

  156.821

  171.646

  7.071

  37.031

  72.016

  1991–92

  186.470

  209.996

  7.989

  53.615

  95.165

  1992–93

  220.404

  197.393

  10.156

  61.439

  118.746

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the amounts and the proportions of legal aid fund moneys paid to(a) solicitors, (b) barristers and (c) Queen's counsel for each of the last five years in (i) criminal, (ii) family, and (iii) other civil matters.

  Gross expenditure on criminal legal aid

  Solicitors (£ million)

  Proportion of criminal expenditure (per cent.)

  Barristers (£ million)

  Proportion of criminal expenditure (per cent.)

  Queen's Counsel (£ million)

  Proportion of criminal expenditure (per cent.)

  Disbursements (£ million)

  Proportion of criminal expenditure (per cent.)

  Total criminal expenditure (£ million)

  1988–89

  197.6

  68.9

  77.2

  26.9

  10.2

  3.5

  11.9

  4.1

  286.7

  1989–90

  232.2

  69.3

  88.9

  26.6

  11.6

  3.5

  13.8

  4.1

  334.9

  1990–91

  269.5

  69.3

  103.5

  26.6

  14.7

  3.8

  16.0

  4.1

  389.1

  1991–92

  335.4

  70.4

  121.4

  25.5

  16.0

  3.4

  19.5

  4.1

  476.2

  1992–93

  356.9

  69.6

  133.9

  26.1

  24.4

  4.8

  21.7

  4.2

  512.5

  238

  Year

  Higher Criminal Courts (£m)

  Magistrates Courts (£m)

  Green Form (£m)

  1983–84

  0.581

  1.410

  1.622

  1984–85

  0.626

  1.240

  2.182

  1985–86

  0.629

  1.132

  2.692

  1986–87

  0.763

  1.298

  3.014

  1987–88

  0.910

  1.756

  3.580

  1988–89

  0.710

  2.113

  3.930

  1989–90

  0.750

  2.649

  3.758

  1990–91

  1.000

  3.254

  4.044

  1991–92

  1.000

  2.033

  4.494

  1992–93

  1.265

  3.267

  4.896

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the total net cost in the last 10 years for which figures are available of(a) legal aid in criminal cases in the higher courts, (b) legal aid in criminal cases in the magistrates courts, (c) magistrates courts duty solicitor schemes, (d) police station duty solicitor schemes and (e) advice on criminal matters under the legal advice scheme.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The table shows the total net cost of criminal legal aid expenditure in the last 10 years for which figures are available, broken down in the form requested.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  It is not possible to distinguish between the amounts paid specifically to Queen's counsel from the total sum paid to all barristers in family and other civil proceedings. The amounts and proportions of final legal aid bill payments to solicitors and barristers, excluding disbursements, for each of the last five years for which figures are available in (i) criminal, (ii) family and (iii) other civil matters, are as follows:
  239

  Gross expenditure on legal aid for family matters

  Solicitors (£ million)

  Proportion of family expenditure (per cent.)

  Barristers (£ million)

  Proportion of family expenditure (per cent.)

  Disbursements (£ million)

  Proportion of family expenditure (per cent.)

  Total family expenditure

  1988–89

  133.6

  83.6

  14.3

  8.9

  12.0

  7.5

  159.9

  1989–90

  140.8

  83.5

  15.0

  8.9

  12.9

  7.6

  168.7

  1990–91

  160.5

  82.7

  18.4

  9.5

  15.2

  7.9

  194.2

  1991–92

  198.7

  82.4

  24.1

  10.0

  18.4

  7.6

  241.2

  1992–93

  247.7

  83.8

  32.1

  10.9

  15.8

  5.3

  295.7

  Gross expenditure on other civil legal aid

  Solicitors (£ million)

  Proportion of other civil expenditure (per cent.)

  Barristers (£ million)

  Proportion of other civil expenditure (per cent.)

  Disbursements (£ million)

  Proportion of other civil expenditure (per cent.)

  Total other civil expenditure

  1988–89

  95.8

  71.8

  20.6

  15.4

  17.1

  12.8

  133.5

  1989–90

  116.9

  71.8

  25.5

  15.7

  20.3

  12.5

  162.7

  1990–91

  142.4

  72.5

  29.8

  15.2

  24.2

  12.3

  196.4

  1991–92

  199.8

  72.5

  43.9

  15.9

  32.0

  11.6

  275.7

  1992–93

  269.2

  73.0

  56.7

  15.4

  42.9

  11.6

  368.8

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many solicitors or solicitors' offices and barristers received payments during 1992–93 in the ranges(a) £1 to £5,000, (b) £5,001 to £10,000, (c) £10,001 to £20,000, (d) £20,001 to £40,000, (e) £40,001 to £60,000, (f) £60,001 to £80,000, (g) £80,001 to £100,000, (h) £100,001 to £120,000 and (i) £120,001 and over in respect of payments made from the legal aid fund.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The number of solicitors' offices receiving payments within these ranges in 1992–93 was as follows:

  Number

  £1–£5,000

  3,001

  £5,001–£10,000

  873

  £10,001–£20,000

  1,180

  £20,001–£40,000

  1,623

  £40,001–£60,000

  1,134

  £60,001–£80,000

  718

  £80,001–£100,000

  549

  £100,001–£120,000

  412

  £120,001 and over

  1,827

  The Legal Aid Board does not keep records in the form requested of payments to barristers, and it could be produced only at disproportionate cost. However, the following information is held on the numbers of barristers receiving payments within given ranges in 1992–93:

  Number

  £1–£1,000

  1,553

  £1,001–£2,000

  681

  £2,001–£4,000

  893

  £4,001–£6,000

  728

  £6,001–£8,000

  617

  £8,001–£10,000

  499

  £10,001–£12,000

  385

  £12,001–£14,000

  349

  £14,001 and over

  2,115

  Judges
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many advertisements and in which publications, and at what cost, the Lord Chancellor has placed for new judges since his speech at the Lord Mayor's dinner for judges on 7 July 1993; and how many responses he has received to these advertisements.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  No advertisements have so far been placed for judges. However, eight advertisements have been placed for other judicial appointments since 7 July 1993, details of which are shown in the table. The total cost was £663.54.

  Work in currently in progress on the development of detailed proposals for the introduction of the measures announced in the Lord Chancellor's speech to Her Majesty's judges, and an announcement will be made soon.

  Advertisements placed for judicial appointments since 7th July 1993

  Office

  Publication

  Number of applications received

  Deputy Social Security Commissioners/Deputy Child Support Commissioners (Scotland)

  Journal of the Law Society of Scotland

  38

  Scots Law Times

  Deputy Taxing Masters

  The Law Society Gazette

  25

  Bar News

  Mental Health Review Tribunals (Legal Members—part-time)

  The Law Society Gazette

  49

  Bar News

  Part-time Immigration Adjudicators (Scotland)

  Journal of The Law Society of Scotland

  49

  Scots Law Times

  241
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the total amount spent on judges' lodgings in England and Wales for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The table sets out expenditure on judges' lodgings since 1987–88.

  £ million

  1987–88

  2.3

  1988–89

  2.9

  1989–90

  2.7

  1990–91

  3.3

  1991–92

  3.7

  1992–93

  15.5

  1993–94

  2

  1 £5.0 million excluding building purchase.

  2 Not yet available.

  The Department took over responsibility for collating information on expenditure from the Property Services Agency in 1988 and in 1990 took over full responsibility for the maintenance and administration of the lodgings. For this transitionary period the costs are based on estimates. Figures for the years prior to 1987–88 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Photo-identity Cards
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what estimate he has made of how much crime would be reduced by the introduction of national photo-identity cards for those aged 12 years and above;

  (2) what estimate he has made of how much car-related crimes would be reduced by the introduction of (a) photo-identity cards and (b) photo-driving licences.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No such estimates have been made.

  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Home Department has and what studies it has undertaken in respect of the introduction of a photo-identity card for all United Kingdom subjects aged 12 years and above.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Government currently have no plans to introduce a photo-identity card for all United Kingdom subjects aged 12 years and above. The last formal study undertaken of this question was completed in 1989. This is, however, an issue which we consider important and keep constantly under review.

  Police National Computer
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to employ workers abroad to programme and load the police national computer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I assume that the hon. Member has in mind the conversion of the national collection of criminal records into digital form for entry on the police national computer. My right hon. and learned Friend expects to make an announcement on this matter shortly.

  Blakenhurst Prison
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 21 April,Official Report, columns 643–44, on what date the settlement was reached between United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. and the Prison Service regarding the amount of money to be withheld under the terms of the contract to manage Blakenhurst prison, in the light of the incident on 24 February; what sum of money has been withheld from United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. as an appropriate financial remedy; and how this amount was arrived at.

  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 28 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 Blakenhurst prison.
  The matter was finalised on 28 March. The sum withheld was £41,166.90, exclusive of VAT, which in our judgment represented the extent to which the required level of service had not been delivered in February. The areas where the service was not considered to be up to the required standard were outlined in Derek Lewis' letter of 12 April Official Report, column 3.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what responsibilities agencies accountable to his Department are required to assume in the event of an accident or incident involving United States nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No agencies involved in an incident involving United States nuclear weapons are accountable to my Department. The response of the emergency services is a local one and is determined by the local circumstances.

  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether local police forces are required to assume primary responsibility in responding to an accident or incident involving United States nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The role of the police in the response to an incident, including one involving United States' nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom, is one of co-ordinating the local level response of the emergency services and other agencies.

  ANZAC Day
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes in the restrictions on the movement of vehicular traffic in Whitehall were made on 25 April ANZAC day, in 1994, as against those made in previous years; what consultations took place about the changes, and by and with whom; what was his involvement; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that consultations took place between his officers and representatives of
  243
  the New Zealand and Australian high commissioners on the arrangements to be made for ANZAC day. As this year it fell on a weekday during the parliamentary session, the commissioner was required by the sessional order to keep the streets leading to Parliament free and open. It was possible to close Whitehall for the whole of the ceremony in 1993 and 1992 only because Parliament was not sitting on either of the days in question.

  Cremations
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest available annual figure for the number of people cremated in England.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Annual cremation figures are collected by the Federation of British Cremation Authorities and were most recently published in volume 37 of the federation's journal "Resurgam". This indicates that 386,673 cremations took place in England in 1993.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what law or guideline governs the payment of money to doctors for the signing of authorisation for the cremation of a deceased person; how many doctors are required to authorise each cremation; and if he will publish the guidance issued by his Department in relation to this matter.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The main requirements governing cremation procedures in England and Wales are contained in the Cremation Regulations 1930, as amended by the Cremation Regulations 1952, 1965, 1979 and the Cremation (Amendment) Regulations 1985. All applications for cremation have to be authorised by the medical referee for the crematorium, who must be a registered medical practitioner of not less than five years' standing with suitable experience and qualifications. There is no statutory basis for the payment of money to medical referees for the authorising of cremation; in the case of municipal crematoriums, the fees are set by the local government management board following negotiation with the British Medical Association. For privately run crematoriums, there is a BMA-recommended fee.

  Law Commission
  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ask the Law Commission to review the law on hearsay evidence and evidence of previous misconduct, as recommended by the Royal Commission on criminal justice.

  Mr. Howard
  I have today asked the Law Commission to undertake a major review of the law of evidence. I have suggested that the terms of reference should be to consider the law of England and Wales relating to hearsay evidence and evidence of previous misconduct in criminal proceedings; and to make appropriate recommendations, including, if they appear to be necessary in consequence of changes proposed to the law of evidence, changes to the trial process.

  Racial Discrimination
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been achieved with respect to publishing an annual report to assist those 244
  in the criminal justice system in avoiding racial discrimination within that system, as laid down in section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  A publication on race and the criminal justice system was issued in October 1992 along with a similar publication on gender. In 1993 the Home Secretary's statutory responsibilities under section 95, which deals with information on race, gender and costs, were discharged by distributing information on the costs of the criminal justice system. Additionally, an information sheet on race specifically for the Judicial Studies Board was published.

  A further general publication on race will be distributed shortly.

  Male Rape
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is now his proposed time scale for the introduction of an offence of male rape; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government have no plans to create such an offence.

  Prison Service Chaplaincy
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to strengthen the Prison Service chaplaincy with an increase in prison numbers; and if he will make a statement.

  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. Harry Greenway, dated 28 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 plans to strengthen the Prison Service Chaplaincy in view of the increase in the prison population.
  It is for individual governors to agree with their area managers how best available resources can be deployed to meet the religious and other needs of prisoners in their establishments. In general, the Prison Service looks to more effective and efficient use of the resources it has and a re-ordering of priorities in order to meet its goals, including the goal of providing value for money for the taxpayer.

  Deportation Orders
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deportation orders have been served in(a) the first quarter of 1993, (b) the third quarter of 1993 and (c) the first quarter of 1994.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The available information relates to deportation orders made rather than those served. There were 359 and 297 such orders made in the first and third quarters of 1993 respectively. Corresponding information for the first quarter of 1994 is not yet available. Deportation orders are not made in respect of persons removed under the supervised departure procedures; there were 363 and 300 such removals in the first and third quarters of 1993 respectively.

  Prisoner Interviews
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the procedures that must be followed for a newspaper to be allowed to interview a prisoner being held in a prison establishment in England and Wales.

  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. Tom Cox, dated 28 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 procedures that must be followed for a newspaper to interview a prisoner being held in a prison establishment in England and Wales.
  Prison Service Standing Order 5A 37 states that visits to inmates by journalists or authors in their professional capacity should not in general be allowed. Any interview which is allowed can take place only with the consent of both the governor and prisoner concerned.

  Sheehy Inquiry
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 December,Official Report, column 665–66, regarding the cost of the Sheehy inquiry (a) how many days Miss Jenny Rumble spent in actual discussions in Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America; at what cost; and what were her qualifications to be sent on such duties and (b) how many days Mr. E. Caines spent in discussions in Australia; and at what cost.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The dates of all the visits which were undertaken by the members and the secretary of the inquiry were published in the appendices of volume 2 of the inquiry's report. The visits included discussions with the New South Wales police, the Australian federal police in Canberra and the New Zealand police service. Details of the overall expenditure of the inquiry were given in my reply to the hon. Member on 2 December 1993, at column 665–66. The management of expenditure within these sums was the responsibility of the inquiry.

  Police Posts (Privatisation)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to prevent criminals from participating in, and benefiting from, his plans to privatise police posts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  In any case where work previously done by police officers is contracted out, the Government take steps in order to ensure that the appropriate security procedures are in place.

  Surveillance
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement regarding the confidentiality of citizens who allow the police to use their houses for surveillance.

  Mr. Maclean
  I can assure the hon. Member that the police go to great lengths to safeguard the identities of those who allow them to use their houses for surveillance.
  246
  The Government are determined to do whatever they can to ensure that people who assist the police should not face intimidation. Courts already have discretion to allow witnesses to conceal their addresses from the public and the defendant. A new offence of witness intimidation, contained in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill, will make it easier to prosecute anyone who seeks to intimidate or take revenge on witnesses, jurors or any person assisting the police.

  Immigration
  Mr. Dicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many individuals from Somalia have been granted leave to enter Britain since January 1991; and how many dependent relatives have been allowed to accompany them;

  (2) how many individuals from the former Yugoslavia have been granted leave to enter Britain since January 1991; and how many dependent relatives have been allowed to accompany them.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 27 April 1994]: Information on the total numbers, including dependent relatives, given leave to enter the United Kingdom is given in the table. The figures include persons who have applied for asylum at ports—and their dependants—and who have been granted asylum or exceptional leave. They exclude persons granted temporary admission. The total numbers of dependent relatives are not available separately.

  Nationals of Somalia and the former Yugoslavia given leave to enter the United Kingdom

  Number of journeys

  Nationality

  1991

  1992

  11993

  Somalia

  3,650

  5,500

  4,160

  Former Yugoslavia

  59,800

  49,900

  46,200

  1 Figures are provisional.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Human Rights
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list each of the international and European codes, conventions and treaties to defend human rights to which Her Majesty's Government are a party, indicating in each case whether Her Majesty's Government have signed or ratified it, and the derogations involved; and in which court the provisions are justiciable.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The main international human rights instruments to which the United Kingdom is party—that is, which it has ratified—are as follows:International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
  International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
  Covenant against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
  International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination.
  Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women.
  Convention on the Rights of the Child.

  The main European human rights treaties to which the United Kingdom are party are:
  European Convention on Human Rights (including Protocol 1).
  European Social Charter.

  247
  European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

  The United Kingdom has signed but not ratified protocol No. 4 to the European convention on human rights.

  The provisions of these treaties as such are not justiciable in courts in the United Kingdom. The provisions of the European convention on human rights are justiciable in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

  The United Kingdom is at present derogating from the international covenant on civil and political rights and the European convention on human rights with respect to certain periods of detention under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989.

  CSCE

  As a participating state in the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe the United Kingdom subscribes to the political undertakings of the CSCE, including those relating to human rights.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what further consultations he proposes with interested industry groups on the revised draft of the interaction agreement, the coal access agreement and the model licensing regulations.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Department of Trade and Industry has consulted interested parties on the draft model Coal Authority licensing documents. We intend to publish in the coming weeks revised versions of those documents, which take account of the representations made.

  We have no plans to carry out a further round of consultations.

  Companies House Agency
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place the consultants' report on the Companies House agency in the Library; whether he is reviewing the need for other directorships of the board member to be disclosed; and when he expects to announce the future shape of Companies House organisation.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The future of Companies House remains under consideration. It would not be appropriate to publish the consultants' advice in advance of the Government's decision.

  Information about other directorships held by company directors will continue to be available to searchers at Companies House. Technical developments however make it possible to drop the requirement for companies to supply such information on the annual return. This reform is one of the measures for which, subject to consultation, the Government intend to use the deregulation order-making power in the Deregulation and Contracting Out Bill once it is enacted.

  Helplines
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Cunninghame, South (Mr. Donohoe) of 10 March,Official Report, columns 335–36, how many callers there were to each of the helplines listed in each of those years.
  248
  Mr. Eggar
  The numbers of calls each year were as follows:

  Numbers

  Enterprise Initiative Helpline

  1987–88

  44,971

  1988–89

  43,413

  1989–90

  38,496

  1990–91

  37,606

  1991–92

  26,833

  1992–93

  31,009

  1993–94

  26,608

  Environmental Enquiry Point

  1990–91

  5,052

  1991–92

  6,735

  1992–93

  6,441

  1993–94

  2,962

  Innovation Enquiry Line

  1991–92

  7,980

  1992–93

  7,430

  1993–94

  9,584

  Oil and Petrol
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much(a) a barrel of crude oil and (b) a gallon of petrol cost in (i) 1970 and (ii) 1994 in (1) cash terms and (2) 1994 prices; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  A barrel of crude oil cost the equivalent of some 75p—$1.80 per barrel—in 1970 which is equivalent to about £6 in 1994 prices. In January 1994, a barrel of crude oil was £9.38—$14.01 per barrel. A United Kingdom gallon of 4 star petrol, including taxes and duties, was on average some 33p in 1970 and £2.60 in 1994 prices. In January 1994, 4 star petrol cost on average about £2.52.

  Insolvency
  Mr. James Hill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to review the law on insolvency.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Insolvency Service has recently consulted on proposed changes to the company voluntary arrangement and administration order procedures in the Insolvency Act 1986 and the responses are being carefully considered. I have no plans at present for further reviews.

  Accreditation Services
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to review the status of the National Measurement Accreditation Service and the National Accreditation Council for Certification Bodies.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  On 14 April, in announcing the Government's conclusions on the future of the DTI laboratories, I said that separate consideration would be given to the future of the National Measurement Accreditation Service—the NAMAS—which is currently part of the National Physical Laboratory—the NPL. The report by consultants KPMG Peat Marwick recommended that NAMAS should be separated from the NPL and consideration given to its merger with the National Accreditation Council for Certification Bodies—the NACCB. NAMAS accredits testing and calibration
  249
  laboratories; the NACCB advises the DTI on the accreditation of bodies which perform certification of quality systems, products and personnel.

  The NACCB is currently a council of the British Standards Institution, a royal charter body, having been established under a memorandum of understanding between the DTI and BSI. The NACCB's status has itself been under review and the Government, the BSI and the NACCB agree that the link with the BSI should now be severed and the NACCB given a new independent status. In this context also there have been calls for a merger of the NACCB with the NAMAS.

  The Government see a number of benefits in creating a merged body, including better policy co-ordination, a higher profile for accreditation, the pooling of expertise, and advantages internationally. Before proceeding further, however, I have decided to seek the views of all interested parties on a merger, and my Department is issuing a consultation document on the subject today.

  The Government remain committed to a strong and effective national accreditation system. A new merged body would need to maintain impartiality, integrity, and national authority, in order to assure the continuing status of accreditation both at home and abroad. I am not convinced, however, that the new body would need to be within Government in order to do this. My objective is for the new body to be given the greatest degree of freedom from Government control which would be consistent with the attainment of our policy objectives, and with the need for integrity and impartiality.

  The consultation document seeks comments on the appropriate relationship between a merged body and Government. It also seeks views on a number of related matters, including whether accreditation should be open to organisations not based in the United Kingdom.

  I have today placed copies of the consultation document in the Libraries of both Houses. Responses to the document are requested by 15 June. I will report the outcome of the consultation exercise, and the Government's conclusions, to the House in due course.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Sporting Bodies (Reorganisation)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will give an estimate for the cost of work carried out by Government Departments, between 9 July 1991 and 30 April 1994, on formulating plans for the reorganisation of sporting bodies in the United Kingdom; and what is his estimate for the likely cost of that re-organisation.

  Mr. Sproat
  Those involved within Government in formulating plans for the future structure of British sport will have been involved in a wide range of other activities between 9 July 1993 and 30 April 1994. It is not possible to estimate the time and cost attaching to any particular activity. As to the estimated costs of any fresh proposals, I cannot anticipate the announcement which we propose to make shortly.

  D-day Anniversary
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what submissions to his Department have been made by the Royal British Legion concerning arrangements for the commemoration of the D-day anniversary.

  Mr. Sproat
  The secretary-general of the Royal British Legion wrote to me on 19 April following our meeting earlier that day to discuss my Department's programme of civilian events to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the D-day landings.

  National Sustainability Strategy
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on his approach to environmental matters, in the light of the Government's national sustainability strategy, published in January.

  Mr. Sproat
  My Department contributed significantly to the formulation of the United Kingdom sustainable development strategy, which reflects our commitment to preserving the heritage for the enjoyment of present and future generations, and for the encouragement of sustainable leisure policies and practices.

  Museums
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will publish an estimate of the value at current prices of the records and artifacts claimed by the national railway museum in each year since it opened in York under the provisions of section 144 of the Transport Act 1968.

  Mr. Sproat
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) whether he intends(a) to keep the national railway museum in York, (b) to continue to treat it as the most important national collection of railway-related records and artifacts and (c) to continue to fund it accordingly;

  (2) what plans he has to remove the national railway museum, in York, from its place in the national museum of science and industry and establish it as a national museum in its own right.

  Mr. Sproat
  There are no plans to move the national railway museum from York or to change its status. It will remain a part of the national museum of science and industry.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage by how much he plans to increase the Government grant-in-aid to the national railway museum in the current financial year and in future years to compensate for the museum's loss of the right to claim redundant railway equipment at no cost from certain railway undertakings.

  Mr. Sproat
  The grant in aid to the national museum of science and industry for the current financial year and over the next two years was announced in November last year. It included an addition of over £2 million to the previously announced figures in order to allow for the replacement of
  251
  the motive power depot at the national railway museum in York. There are no present plans to increase the funding further.

  The Railway Heritage committee was set up under the 1993 Railways Act to oversee disposal of artefacts and records as they pass from British Rail ownership. I am sure that the museum's representation on the committee will continue to enhance the reputation it has earned as the outstanding museum in this area of our heritage.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many people visited(a) the science museum in Kensington, (b) the national railway museum in York and (c) the national museum of the moving image in Bradford in the last financial year; and if he will show in a table (i) the total amount and (ii) the cash amount per visitor (x) received in Government grant in aid and (y) generated from visitors by each of these museums in the same financial year.

  Mr. Sproat
  The number of visitors to these museums was as follows:

  Financial year

  1993–94

  1992–93

  Science Museum (South Kensington)

  1,269,345

  1,223,702

  National Railway Museum

  479,414

  535,575

  National Museum of Photography, Film and Television

  832,286

  764,166

  Wroughton

  90,120

  55,280

  Totals

  2,671,165

  2,578,723

  The national museum for science and industry receives a single grant in aid from the Government. In 1992–93—the latest year for which accounts are available—this grant-in-aid was £21,878,000. It is not earmarked between the four component museums—science museum, national railway museum, national museum of photography, film and television and Wroughton. The NMSI aggregates both the grant in aid and its other income for these four component museums in order to provide a total income pool. From that total the board of trustees of NMSI allocates expenditure to the four museums according to priorities determined by the board.

  The income generated by visitors to three component museums in 1992–93 was as follows. Figures exclude income from Wroughton which is received from hire of the site to outside organisations:

  Gross income generated by visitors (£thousands)

  Income per visitor (£)

  Science Museum (South Kensington)

  2,469

  2.07

  National Railway Museum

  1,669

  3.12

  National Museum of Photography, Film and Television

  928

  1.22

PRIME MINISTER

  Community Health Councils
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister on what dates, and where, in the last five years he has held discussions with officers of community health councils.
  252
  The Prime Minister
  I frequently meet a wide range of people involved in the national health service.

  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Health, and my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Health, spoke at the Association of Community Health Councils for England and for Wales at their annual conferences in 1992 and 1993 respectively. Ministers in both Scotland and Northern Ireland have also made keynote speeches at equivalent conferences.

  Lockerbie Disaster
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations Her Majesty's Government have received concerning the extradition of the persons alleged to have committed the murders of the passengers and crew of Pan Am 103 and residents of Lockerbie in December 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  We have received no recent representations concerning the extradition of the two accused, who are Libyan nationals. It is now well over two years since warrants were issued for their arrest.

  We have given comprehensive assurances as to the fairness of a trial in Scotland and the pre-trial conditions for the accused. We and our Security Council partners have made it clear that the Libyan Government should comply with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and hand the two accused over for trial without further delay.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 28 April.

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

  VJ-day
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Prime Minister what consultations he has had or proposes to have regarding proposals to commemorate the 50th anniversary of VJ-day.

  The Prime Minister
  The Ministry of Defence will consult the principal veterans' associations about the nature of commemorative events to mark the end of the second world war. Consultation will also be appropriate with other nations and other voluntary or charitable organisations who may wish to be involved.

  Sir Robin Butler
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister what advice Sir Robin Butler has furnished to Government Departments when issuing decisions relating to local or European dimensions.

  The Prime Minister
  Sir Robin Butler's office recently reminded departments of the standing guidance to civil servants relating to the period preceding local and European elections. The guidance emphasises the political neutrality of the civil service and is as follows:"Local and European election campaigns differ from general elections in that there is no prospect of a change of government consequent upon the elections, and the business of government

  253
  continues as usual. However, there is an increasing tendency by all political parties to approach local and European elections from a national point of view, with nationally produced material, and departments will wish to follow consistent principles when responding to requests for information in connection with election compaigns. They should also exercise particular care in issuing decisions with a local or European dimension, and in undertaking new paid publicity campaigns during the period of a local or European election.

  The following general principles should be observed during the period of a local or European election:

  (a) as at other times, civil servants should not be asked to engage in activities which call into question their political impartiality, or to give rise to the criticism that people paid from public funds are being used for party political purposes; special advisers should be asked to avoid circulating material on party paper within departments;

  (b) there should be even-handedness in meeting information requests from candidates from different political parties; such requests and responses should be channelled through the appropriate Minister's private office;

  (c) organisations and members of the public (including election candidates) should be provided, on request, with factual information which is unclassified and does not require disproportionate time or effort to produce. As from 4 April 1994, such requests should be handled in accordance with the principles laid down in the Code of Practice on Government Information;

  (d) particular care should be taken on the timing and announcement of sensitive decisions which have a bearing on local or European matters. It may be better in some cases to defer announcements until after the election, but each case should be considered on its merits; the key point is to avoid criticism that action by officials might influence the political outcome;

  (e) special care should be taken in respect of proposals for new paid publicity campaigns, which should not invite criticism that they are being undertaken for party political purposes."

  Blaby (Visit)
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Prime Minister when he is next intending to pay an official visit to Blaby.

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

  War Medals
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will now reconsider the question of the award of campaign medals for those involved in the invasion of Europe in 1944 and for those involved in the bombing campaign over mainland Europe in the period from 1940.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 27 April 1994]: His Majesty King George VI approved the following awards. All personnel who took part in the invasion and subsequent operations in north-west Europe, between 6 June 1944 and 8 May 1945, are eligible for the France and Germany Star. British aircrew who undertook operations over the continent of Europe between 3 September 1939 and 5 June 1944 are eligible for the Air Crew Europe Star, provided they have qualified for the 1939–45 star.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Prime Minister which organisations have recently been contacted by the public appointments unit asking it to consider nominations for public appointments.
  254
  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 27 April 1994]: To increase the supply of names of people who might be willing to serve on public bodies, and to supplement those already on its database, the public appointments unit within the Cabinet Office began, in September 1993, a three-year programme of actively seeking more names. Letters from the director of the unit are being sent to universities, professional and voluntary bodies, companies, trade unions, women's groups and organisations representing the ethnic minority communities and disabled people.

  As has been made clear on previous occasions, nominations are welcome from hon. Members and from any other appropriate quarter at any time.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Information Super-highways
  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects the CCTA Government centre for information systems study into the development of information super-highways to be completed; and what plans he has to publish the results of the study.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The CCTA report on the possible development of a national network infrastructure—digital super-highway—for the United Kingdom was received on 22 April 1994. The report will be published by the end of May and copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

TREASURY

  VAT (Domestic Fuel)
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to exempt from value added tax on domestic electricity charges that part of the bill levied with respect to nuclear generation of power.

  Sir John Cope
  No. Such a policy would be impractical, confusing for consumers and contrary to EC VAT agreements.

  Orimulsion
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what decision was made on the combined nomenclature code for orimulsion at the latest meeting of the harmonised system committee of the Customs Co-operation Council.

  Sir John Cope
  The harmonised system committee of the Customs Co-operation Council decided during its meeting earlier this month that in future orimulsion should be classified under harmonised system heading 27.14.

  Tax and National Insurance
  Sir David Knox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures showing national insurance contributions and income tax liabilities, less child benefit where appropriate, as a percentage of gross earnings in each year since 1979–80 including estimates for 1994–95 for single people, single-wage married couples without children and with two children, and two-wage married couples without children and with two children assuming earnings/joint earnings equal to average male
  255
  earnings, one-and-a-half times average male earnings and twice average male earnings in each year, and that the ratio of earnings between husband and wife is 60:40.

  Income tax and national insurance contributions1 expressed as a percentage of earnings

  Multiple average earnings3

  Single

  Married2 1 earner

  Married2 1 earner 2 children

  Married2 2 earners

  Married2 2 earners 2 children

  1978–79

  1

  31.5

  27.8

  20.9

  19.8

  12.9

  1½

  33.3

  30.8

  26.2

  26.4

  21.7

  2

  33.7

  31.4

  27.9

  29.6

  26.2

  1979–80

  1

  29.7

  26.3

  18.9

  19.5

  12.1

  1½

  30.8

  28.5

  23.6

  25.1

  20.3

  2

  30.8

  28.9

  25.2

  28.0

  24.3

  1980–81

  1

  30.7

  27.3

  20.8

  21.3

  14.8

  1½

  31.6

  29.4

  25.0

  26.4

  22.1

  2

  32.0

  29.7

  26.5

  29.0

  25.8

  1981–82

  1

  32.2

  29.3

  22.5

  23.8

  17.1

  1½

  33.5

  31.4

  26.9

  28.5

  24.0

  2

  34.5

  23.2

  28.9

  31.1

  27.7

  1982–83

  1

  33.0

  29.8

  22.8

  24.1

  17.1

  1½

  34.3

  32.2

  27.5

  29.0

  24.3

  2

  34.5

  32.3

  28.8

  31.4

  27.9

  1983–84

  1

  33.0

  29.6

  22.4

  23.5

  16.4

  1½

  34.2

  32.0

  27.2

  28.7

  24.0

  2

  34.0

  31.7

  28.1

  31.3

  27.7

  1984–85

  1

  32.7

  29.2

  22.0

  22.9

  15.7

  1½

  33.9

  31.5

  26.8

  28.3

  23.5

  2

  33.9

  31.5

  27.9

  31.0

  27.4

  1985–86

  1

  32.6

  29.0

  22.0

  22.1

  15.2

  1½

  33.7

  31.3

  26.7

  28.0

  23.4

  2

  33.9

  31.5

  28.0

  30.8

  27.3

  1986–87

  1

  31.9

  28.5

  21.9

  21.6

  15.0

  1½

  32.9

  30.6

  26.2

  27.6

  23.2

  2

  33.3

  30.9

  27.6

  30.2

  26.9

  1987–88

  1

  30.6

  27.6

  21.4

  21.4

  15.2

  1½

  31.0

  29.0

  24.8

  26.8

  22.6

  2

  32.4

  29.9

  26.8

  29.2

  26.1

  1988–89

  1

  29.1

  26.3

  20.7

  20.6

  15.0

  1½

  28.9

  27.0

  23.2

  25.6

  21.8

  2

  30.6

  28.3

  25.5

  28.0

  25.2

  1989–90

  1

  28.7

  25.9

  20.8

  20.2

  15.0

  1½

  28.4

  26.6

  23.1

  25.1

  21.6

  2

  30.5

  28.3

  25.7

  27.8

  25.2

  1990–97

  1

  28.2

  25.5

  20.8

  19.8

  15.0

  1½

  28.1

  26.2

  23.1

  24.5

  21.3

  2

  31.1

  28.9

  26.6

  26.6

  24.3

  1991–92

  1

  28.1

  25.6

  20.7

  19.6

  14.7

  1½

  28.2

  26.5

  23.2

  24.4

  21.2

  2

  30.5

  28.5

  26.1

  26.8

  24.3

  1992–93

  256
  Mr. Dorrell
  The information is in the table.
  257

  Multiple of average earnings3

  Single

  Married2 1 earner

  Married2 1 earner 2 children

  Married2 2 earners

  Married2 2 earners 2 children

  1

  27.6

  25.2

  20.2

  18.8

  13.8

  1½

  27.7

  26.1

  22.8

  23.9

  20.5

  2

  30.8

  28.9

  26.4

  26.2

  23.7

  1993–94

  1

  27.6

  25.3

  20.3

  19.0

  14.0

  1½

  28.3

  26.2

  22.9

  24.0

  20.6

  2

  31.2

  29.4

  26.8

  26.3

  23.8

  1994–95

  1

  28.6

  26.8

  21.9

  20.4

  15.5

  1½

  29.4

  28.3

  25.0

  25.3

  22.0

  2

  32.1

  31.2

  28.7

  27.4

  25.0

  1 Income tax payments are calculated on the assumption that the households receive no tax reliefs other than the standard allowances and only have income from employment. Child benefit has been subtracted from the total of income tax and national insurance contributions for couples with two children. All earners are assumed to pay class 1 national insurance contributions at the contracted-in rate.

  2 Since 1990–91, husbands and wives have been taxed independently. Previously the tax liabilities of couples depended on their joint income. To permit comparisons with earlier years, the table therefore shows income tax and national insurance contributions paid by a married couple as a proportion of their joint income, assuming, as in the earlier years, that where both partners are earners, the husband and wife share the relevant multiple of earnings in the ration 60:40.

  3 Average earnings are taken to be the average gross weekly earnings of all full-time males on adult rates with pay unaffected by absence. These are assumed to be £347.70 a week in 1992–93, £359.90 in 1993–94 and £374.30 in 1994–95, based on illustrative earnings growth assumptions of 3½ per cent. in 1993–94 and 4 per cent. in 1994–95.

  Note: At the level of average earnings the real take home pay of each of the family types has increased by about £83 per week between 1978–79 and 1993–94.

  Taxation of Benefits
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the loss of revenue, for each taxable social security benefit, if all benefits were tax free.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Available estimates are in the table which shows the reductions in revenue for each social security benefit at 1994–95 levels. Each benefit has been treated as the top slice of the recipient's income. No one whose annual income is less than £3,445 pays income tax.

  Reductions in income tax if benefits made tax free

  Benefits

  Reduction in revenue £ million

  Retirement pension

  1,830

  Widows' benefits

  100

  Invalid care allowance

  10

  Unemployment benefit and income support paid in lieu of unemployment benefit

  300

  Statutory sick pay1

  160

  Statutory maternity pay

  100

  1 Assuming that all payments by employers would be taxable.

  Fuel Accounts
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the loss to the Exchequer in value added tax as the result of the advance payments of fuel accounts.

  Sir John Cope
  The overall level of prepayments is estimated to be close to the working assumptions adopted in the March 1993 Budget estimates. There is therefore no reason to expect that the revenue projected from the VAT change will not be achieved.

  Undated War Loan
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much undated war loan is outstanding; what proportion of its original real value remains; and if he will redeem it before the 50th anniversary of the end of the war.

  Sir John Cope
  There is approximately £1.9 billion of war loan outstanding which was first issued during the first world war. This stock is marketable and the Government have no plans to redeem it.

  Coal and Gas Imports
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rates of duty are imposed on imported coal and gas from each country of origin.

  Sir John Cope
  There are no import duties payable on imports of coal or of natural gas regardless of country of origin.

  Inflation
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the link between the inflation rate and the level of employment.

  Mr. Portillo
  My assessment of the evidence is that the best way to improve employment prospects over the long term is to create the conditions for sustainable economic growth by securing permanently low inflation.

  VAT Exemptions
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to extend the VAT exemptions, which apply to building work on houses, to residential boats, whether or not they have an engine.

  Sir John Cope
  I have no plans to change the existing VAT treatment which applies to houseboats.

ENVIRONMENT

  Special Protection Area Status
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the sites under consideration for special protection area status in the United Kingdom; and if he will place a map of those sites in the Library.

  Mr. Atkins
  A review of potential special protection areas in the United Kingdom is currently being carried out in the light of the most recent scientific knowledge and information. When this review is completed a list of these areas, together with a pinpoint map, will be placed in the Library.

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

  Mr. Gummer
  My Department published 317 titles which included research and annual reports, technical and statistical reports and consultation papers in 1993–94. Eighty-three of these were produced regularly either annually or as part of a series.

  Of the regular titles, 63 were published by HMSO which reports total sales of 103,100 copies. Twenty of its publications were available on subscription and the rest on its standing order service which allows customers to register an interest in a particular subject and receive titles on those subjects as published.

  The balance of 20 were regular departmental publications. A total of 5,310 copies were sold to 401 subscribers, interested organisations and individuals.

  Unfit Dwellings
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest estimate provided by the English house condition survey for the potential cost required to repair, renovate and improve unfit dwellings in the private sector; what is the Department's current funding for mandatory grants; what was the Department's funding 10 years ago; how he plans to counterbalance any discrepancy; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  From data in the English house condition survey the potential cost of remedying unfitness in the private sector is estimated to be £4 billion. Responsibility rests primarily with the owner, but grant assistance is available from local authorities subject to a means test. The Government provide Exchequer grant for 60 per cent. of local authorities' expenditure on private sector renewal. A total of £260 million is allocated for this purpose in 1994–95. The amount spent on mandatory renovation grants will reflect the applications actually received. Total expenditure by local authorities on intermediate grants—the only mandatory grants for house renovation for which financial information was recorded separately—totalled £79.9 million in 1984–85.

  Retirement Housing
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to endorse the regulations laid down in the Association of Retirement Housing 260
  Managers code of practice as the criteria by which the housing association tenants ombudsman should judge owner-occupied sheltered accommodation which is managed by a registered housing association.

  Sir George Young
  The Secretary of State has powers to approve codes of practice designed to promote good management for residential property. As yet no code has been formally submitted to him. Registered housing associations are required to satisfy the standards set by the Housing Corporation in the tenants guarantee or the leaseholders guarantee. The Housing Association tenants obmudsman will have regard to these standards and to other recognised guidance on good practice when considering any complaint submitted to him from a tenant or leaseholder of a property owned or managed by a registered housing association. It is, however, for the ombudsman to determine the handling of any individual case.

  Dogs
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to approve new byelaws designed to hold owners more accountable for their pets in respect of dog faeces on streets and public footways; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Local authorities in England and Wales already have powers to adopt "poop-scoop" byelaws which make it an offence for owners not to clear up after their dogs in designated areas. The issue of whether dog fouling should be dealt with in the same way as litter in national law is being looked at by my Department's advisory group on litter as part of its review of litter legislation. Its report is expected shortly.

  Exercise Diver Mist
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many personnel from his Department were involved in Exercise Diver Mist; in what capacities they served; and what was the cost to his Department of this involvement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Eight staff from the Department of the Environment, including Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, were involved in Exercise Diver Mist at a cost of approximately £17,500. Their roles covered planning, representation of the Department's activities and assessment.

  Residential Moorings
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to change the guidance to planning authorities in the establishment of new residential moorings.

  Mr. Baldry
  Planning policy guidance note 3 "Housing" contains our current policy. It advises planning authorities to bear in mind the special needs of houseboat dwellers. We have no plans to change this guidance.

  Nuclear Reprocessing Plants
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why Her Majesty's Government did not accept the PARCOM recommendation 93/5 concerning
  261
  increases in radioactive discharges from nuclear reprocessing plants at the meeting of the Paris Commission in June 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley) on 7 March,Official Report, column 44.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what deadlines he has set for completion of the national review of capacity and capacity-building requirements, needed for the United Kingdom national sustainable development strategy;

  (2) what discussions he has had with relevant interest groups to establish national capacity and capacity-building requirements for national sustainable development strategies in accordance with the Government's commitments under chapter 37 of Agenda 21.

  Mr. Atkins
  Chapter 37 of Agenda 21 is about capacity building in developing countries. Its recommendations are therefore not directly relevant in the domestic policies of a developed country like the United Kingdom. Pages 34 to 36 of our 1994 "Report to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development" give a summary account of the work we are doing to support capacity building in developing countries.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the consideration of ecological sustainability of economic activity at the meeting of the Group of Seven Finance Ministers in Washington on 24 April.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Government have made it clear in "Sustainable Development, the UK Strategy," published in January, that they intend to take account of sustainable development in the formulation of their policies.

  Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses he has had following consultations on the proposed amendment to schedule 4 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; and how many responses were in favour of amendment.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer to the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 25 April,Official Report, column 40–41. Of the 192 responses received, 45 were fully or partly in favour and 27 neither supported nor objected to the proposals.

  We consulted our scientific advisors, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, in preparing our proposals. They accepted that the conservation status of the sparrowhawk, kestrel and common buzzard will not be significantly adversely affected at present by the proposals.

  Exchange of Experience Programme
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities from(a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) the United Kingdom have participated in the exchange of experience programme sponsored by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions; what are the
  262
  corresponding amounts of (i) financial support received from the European Commission and (ii) total spending under the programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  This information is not collected by central Government. The exchange of experience programme is managed in the United Kingdom independently of central Government and participation in it is a matter for individual authorities.

  Ministerial Visit (Liverpool)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the recent visit of the Minister for Housing, Inner Cities and Construction to Liverpool.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 27 April 1994]: I visited Merseyside on 22 April. I went to Kirkby where I was impressed by the continuing strides being made in regenerating the housing stock; I met some of the partners involved in an exciting project at Westvale to provide new homes in Kirkby. I visited Stockbridge village to see the refurbished estate and discuss with Stockbridge village trust its ideas for the wider economic regeneration of the area. I also had a useful discussion with the Merseyside local authorities' co-ordinating committee about European structural funds matters and agreed the importance of a strong local partnership to take the objective 1 programme forward for the maximum benefit of the people of Merseyside. I also met representatives of the housing corporation to discuss its role in improving housing on Merseyside.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Bosnia
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will specify the detailed steps that need to be taken under the dual control arrangement in Bosnia before an air strike can take place; who makes the final decision; and what time delay is envisaged in securing agreement with NATO, the United Nations and other parties.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Under the terms of the 22 April North Atlantic Council decision, either NATO or United Nations commanders can initiate a request for air strikes. Both must agree before air strikes can take place. Authorisation for air strikes must then be given by the United Nations Secretary-General's special representative in the former Yugoslavia, Mr. Akashi. There is no requirement for any further consultation.

  European Court
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 21 April,Official Report, column 609, what costs would be involved to his Department in calculating the legal costs involved in the representation of the United Kingdom's interests in the infraction proceedings since 1 January 1985 and the consequential legal charges against the United Kingdom as a result of the decisions of the court; what consideration has been given to recording such costs; and if he will make a statement.
  263
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To attempt to obtain accurate figures for the legal and consequential costs of the infraction proceedings brought before the court by the Commission would involve detailed research work across several Government Departments. The cost of such an exercise would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold for written parliamentary questions.

  We will continue to minimise the costs incurred by adverse European Court of Justice decisions by ensuring that Britain complies with its treaty obligations.

  Rwanda
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will propose to the United Nations Security Council that the United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda mandate and presence in Rwanda should be changed or strengthened.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  United Nations Security Council resolution 912 of 21 April gives UNAMIR a mandate to act as an intermediary in an attempt to secure a ceasefire as well as assist in the resumption of humanitarian relief operations and monitor and report on developments. The Security Council has agreed to keep the mandate of UNAMIR under review.

  Mozambique
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the demobilisation and rehabilitation programmes of former soldiers in Mozambique are on schedule to be completed before the election.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  After a delay, demobilisation started on 10 March. It can be completed before the elections if the Mozambican Government and RENAMO show the necessary political will. The rehabilitation programme has also begun, but is scheduled to continue for another 18 months.

EDUCATION

  School Transport
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance he gives to local education authorities regarding the measures that they take to ensure that vehicles contracted to transport children to and from school are roadworthy and that the crews are safe drivers.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has national responsibility for vehicle safety matters, including policy on vehicle construction and driver qualifications.

  However, the Department for Education offered general advice on school transport to all local education authorities in a circular letter on 21 January 1994. A copy is in the Library. It reminded authorities that the home-to-school transport which they provide or arrange must carry pupils in reasonable safety and comfort. It also advises authorities to encourage contractors to observe the school transport safety code of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, which issued with the endorsement of the Secretary of State in 1991. Copies were distributed to all education authorities and schools.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Mozambique
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to reform the police force in Mozambique on similar lines to the military and to train FRELIMO and RENAMO supporters together; and what British or European Union funds are being used for this purpose.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The police and the armed forces in Mozambique are separate. There are no current plans to change the composition of the police. However, a United Nations police contingent of 1,300 has started to arrive in Mozambique to monitor police activity and to observe the run-up to the elections. It is being funded in the UN budget to which we and other members contribute. Neither we nor the EC have plans to help with police training.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contributions are being made by Britain and the European Union to an education for democracy process in Mozambique.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There is an education for democracy component in the United Nations Development Programme's electoral assistance project. We are contributing £600,000 and the European Commission about £8.6 million to the project.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current contribution of each of the specialist development organisations of the United Nations to Mozambique.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I will write to the hon. Member when I receive the relevant information from the United Nations.

  Aral Sea
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the level of pollution of the Aral sea and scope for aid to redress the situation.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  This issue has been the subject of several recent international studies. Alleviating the situation is a priority for the know-how fund in Kazakhstan. The United Kingdom will be represented at the NATO science programme workshop on critical environmental issues of the Aral sea basin in Tashkent in May and at the World bank's Aral sea conference in Paris in June. These discussions will help us to identify what help we might offer through the environmental know-how fund.

  Aid Organisations
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give instructions in future that local staff who are employed by British aid organisations should be evacuated on the same basis as British nationals if their life is endangered by remaining.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  No. We cannot give any undertaking to evacuate local people from their own country on the same basis as British nationals.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Minister for Overseas Development has to attend the meeting of the United Nations Sustainable Development Commission in New York in May.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 21 April at column 612.

TRANSPORT

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Sir Keith Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the choice of a route for the channel tunnel rail link at Ashford.

  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the route of the channel tunnel rail link at Pepper Hill, Northfleet, in Kent.

  Mr. Macgregor
  I have today announced my decisions on the route of the new channel tunnel rail link through Ashford and at Pepper Hill.

  In January I announced a route for the new channel tunnel rail link that would be safeguarded, but that further study and consultation had been requested by the local authorities and Members of Parliament on route options at Ashford and Pepper Hill. Union Railways compared three options at each location, consulted on them and reported to me at the end of March. In deciding on the route at each location that will be safeguarded, I have also taken account of all the representations that have been received. Copies of the Union Railways' reports will be placed in the Library of the House.

  The extra consultation has fully justified that decision. I am now able to announce that at Pepper Hill I have decided that the chosen route will be the one around the housing estate, in cut and cover under the A2. It is technically feasible, environmentally acceptable, does not cost more and has wide public support locally, including from my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesham (Mr. Arnold).

  At Ashford I have decided that the central route is the best solution. It is environmentally acceptable and has the best financial return. I have also taken particular account of the perception of my hon. Friend the Member for Ashford, local authorities and business representatives, in Kent and Sussex, that the economic development of Ashford and east Kent will be enhanced by ensuring that the route serves Ashford international passenger station as directly as possible. The central route affects some housing and commercial premises, but it will be optimised in the next few weeks before it is safeguarded so as to minimise the impacts as far as possible.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations he has received from those affected by the decision not to tunnel the channel tunnel rail link through parts of East London; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) on how many occasions he has visited sites and met representatives of local residents and businesses affected by the decision not to tunnel the channel tunnel rail link under parts of east London; and if he will make a statement.
  266
  Mr. Freeman
  Before the January announcement of the final route of the new rail link both my right hon. Friend and I visited those areas affected by the proposed surface route through east London. Since the January announcement my right hon. Friend and I have received a number of representations from those affected by the surface route, and met representatives from the London borough of Barking and Dagenham.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to meet local residents and businesses affected by the decision not to tunnel the channel tunnel rail link under parts of east London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Extensive consultations on the route of the new rail link have been carried out by Union Railways for the Government. My right hon. Friend and I have no present plans for separate meetings with local residents and businesses. However, those who are directly affected by the route of the rail link will have every opportunity to make their case to the Select Committee that will consider the hybrid Bill for the rail link when it is introduced.

  Railway Operating Licences
  Sir John Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance and what general authority to grant railway operating licences he has given to the Rail Regulator under the Railways Act 1993.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend issued guidance and a general authority to the Rail Regulator on 31 March to come into effect on 1 April at the same time as the relevant provisions of the Railways Act 1993 came into force. Copies have been placed in the Library.

  Section 4(5)(a) of the Act imposes a duty on the regulator in exercising his functions under part I of the Act, until 31 December 1996, to take into account guidance given to him from time to time by the Secretary of State. Guidance has been given to the regulator to exercise his functions in a way that will facilitate the achievement of the Government's rail privatisation objective of securing as soon as is reasonably practicable that rail services are provided by the private sector. The guidance given is in respect of moderation of competition, the form of access agreements, the structure and level of access charges, access to British Rail's freight only light maintenance depots, the achievement by Railtrack of its financial regime and the terms and conditions of licences.

  The general authority is given to the regulator under section 8(1)(b) of the Act. Broadly, it authorises the regulator to grant licences to private sector operators and to subsidiaries of the BR board but not to any other public sector operator. It sets out the conditions such licences must, may or must not contain.

  Tankers (The Minch)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many tankers transited the Minch during the period January 1992 to January 1994 on a monthly basis; and, of the total for each year, how many were laden and with what cargo.

  Mr. Norris
  Information is not available in the form requested. Information available from reports made to Stornoway coastguard since February 1993 is set out in the table.
  267

  Month

  Number of tankers

  Number of tankers in ballast

  Laden tankers

  Under 10,000 GT

  Over 10,000 GT

  February

  6

  3

  2

  1

  March

  24

  16

  3

  5

  April

  17

  14

  2

  1

  May

  17

  10

  7

  0

  June

  20

  12

  4

  4

  July

  26

  15

  9

  2

  August

  23

  12

  10

  1

  September

  28

  12

  13

  3

  October

  25

  13

  10

  2

  November

  29

  17

  9

  3

  December

  40

  28

  10

  2

  Total

  255

  152

  79

  24

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many reports of laden tankers transiting the Minch between January 1992 to January 1994 were investigated by his Department; and what reasons were given by vessels for transiting the Minch instead of the recommended deep water route.

  Mr. Norris
  Since February 1993, the Department investigated 24 reports of laden tankers over 10,000 gross tons using the Minch. Ten did so because of adverse weather, three were in ballast and four were found not to be in the Minch at all. Evidence suggests that the remainder were not following the recommendations agreed internationally in November 1993 and the appropriate action has been taken with the owners.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will analyse the data from the tankers in the Minch voluntary reporting scheme, including details of the source of the report, ship's routing, and corroborating reports and estimate the proportion of ships transiting the Minch that are covered by the voluntary reporting scheme; and when his Department intends to publish these data.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department receives reports made to the local coastguard on tankers in the Minch. Reports are analysed and where necessary follow up action is taken. At this time the Department cannot draw conclusions about total tanker traffic in the Minch.

  The Department will consider in due course how best to publish the information it has gathered taking account of any recommendations emerging from Lord Donaldson's inquiry.

  Stramore Head (Incident)
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the involvement of coastguard and other search and rescue services in an incident on 19 April at Stramore head, Pembrokeshire.

  Mr. Norris
  The incident involved the fishing vessel FV Kingfisher, which suffered engine failure off Stumble head on 19 April 1994, following which the craft drifted on to rocks and sustained damage, as a result of which it became flooded.

  The owner-skipper contacted HM Coastguard MRSC Milford Haven on VHF, following which the RNLI lifeboat at Fishguard was launched to go to his assistance. In addition, rescue co-ordination centre at Plymouth was
  268
  asked for a helicopter, which was despatched from RAF Chivenor. In the event, the helicopter was not required and was released.

  The owner-skipper was recovered from the rocks below Stumble head by Fishguard lifeboat, which then pumped out the fishing vessel and towed it to port.

  Rail Privatisation
  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the benefits to be expected by passengers following the privatisation of the railways.

  Mr. Freeman
  The involvement of the private sector in taking responsibility for provision of passenger services will bring additional capital into the railway industry above that provided by the taxpayer and will also introduce new management skills and innovation aimed at meeting more fully the demands of the passenger.

  Public Transport Budget
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the United Kingdom's transport budget is currently spent on public transport; and what are the comparable figures for other EU countries.

  Mr. Freeman
  In 1994–95, nearly 40 per cent. of the Government's total transport expenditure will be on public transport. Comparable figures for other EU countries are not readily available.

  Research Establishments
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date he announced the official scrutiny of Government research establishments; if he will list those establishments which came under the terms of that review; and what criteria he used to include research establishments in that review.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I have been asked to reply.

  In May 1993, the White Paper "Realising our Potential: A Strategy for Science, Engineering and Technology" announced the Government's intention to undertake a scrutiny of the public sector research establishments. I announced the terms of reference on 2 February and the bodies to be covered on 3 March at columns 809–11. The scrutiny is concentrating primarily on research establishments parented by civil departments and related laboratories in the research council system.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Red Meat Industry
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many directives and regulations affecting the red meat industry are currently in force; and how many have been rescinded during the lifetime of this Parliament.

  Mr. Soames
  The principal statutory instruments and European Community directives affecting the red meat industry in Great Britain which are currently in force number 18 and seven respectively. Some 20 statutory instruments have been rescinded or part-rescinded during the lifetime of this Parliament. Details are as follows:
  269
  The hygiene regulations affecting the red meat industry in Great Britain are the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1992—SI 1992 No. 2037—which implement directives 91/495/EEC—part—91/497/EEC and 91/498/EEC. Schedule 23 of these regulations lists the 20 regulations or orders, or parts thereof, revoked in the lifetime of this Parliament.

  Directive 88/408/EEC on the financing of meat inspection was replaced in December 1993 by directive 93/118/EEC; proposals for implementing this directive will be issued for consultation shortly. The current legislation on meat inspection charges is the Fresh Meat and Poultry Meat (Hygiene, Inspection and Examination for Residues) (Charges) Regulations 1990—SI 1990 No. 2494—and the Farmed Game Meat (Hygiene and Inspections) (Charges) Regulations 1993—SI 1993 No. 1369.

  The Meat (Sterilisation and Staining) Regulations 1982 —SI 1982 No. 1018—as amended and the parallel Scottish legislation have been reviewed as part of the deregulation initiative and will shortly be replaced. The Bovine Offal (Prohibition) Regulations 1989—SI 1989 No. 2061—as amended have also been reviewed and are to be retained.

  Directive 90/675/EEC deals with importation of red meat and other animal products from third countries. The relevant GB regulations, principally the Importation of Animal Products and Poultry Products Order 1980—SI 1980 No. 14—as amended, the Products of Animal Origin (Import and Export) Regulations 1992—SI 1992 No. 3298 —and the Products of Animal Origin (Third Country Imports) (Charges) Regulations 1992—SI 1992 No. 3299 —are scheduled for review during 1994.

  Directive 93/119/EEC, on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing, repeals directive 74/577 with effect from 1 January 1995. GB regulations to implement the new directive will replace four existing statutory instruments. These are the Slaughter of Animals (Humane Conditions) Regulations 1990—SI 1990 No. 1242—the Slaughter of Animals (Humane Conditions) (Scotland) Regulations 1990—SI 1990 No. 1240 (S 137) —the Slaughter of Pigs (Anaesthesia) Regulations 1958 —SI 1958 No. 1971—and the Slaughter of Pigs (Anaesthesia) (Amendment) Regulations 1984—SI 1984 No. 1310.

  The Beef Carcase (Classification) Regulations 1991—SI 1991 No. 2242—provide for the administration and enforcement of the Community system of classification of beef carcases as required by article 3 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1186/90.

  The Pig Carcase (Grading) Regulations 1988, as amended—(SI 1988 No. 1180—provide for the administration and enforcement of the Community system for grading pig carcases in slaughterhouses and implement Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3220/84.

  The Processed Animal Protein Order 1989—SI 1989 No. 661—requires processors of animal protein to register with Agriculture Departments and take samples of their product and test them for salmonella.

  The Animal By-Products Order 1992—SI 1992 No. 3303—which implements directive 90/667/EEC, lays down rules for the disposal and processing of animal waste.

  The Waste Food Order 1973—SI 1973 No. 1936—lays down rules for the processing of waste food not covered by SI 1989 No. 661 or SI 1992 No. 3303.
  270
  The Meat (Treatment) Regulations 1964—SI 1964 No. 19—prohibit the addition to raw and unprocessed meat of certain colour—enhancing additives which might deceive the consumer as to the freshness of the meat. They have been reviewed and are to be retained.

  In addition to this list, Council Regulations (EEC) Nos. 805/68, 3013/89 and 2759/75, implemented by subsidiary Commission legislation provide the framework for the common agriculture policy in respectively the beef, sheepmeat and pigmeat sectors. These are directly applicable in the United Kingdom and cover such subjects as intervention purchases and sales, imports and subsidised exports and the reporting of market prices.

  Sheep Disease
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is her Department's assessment of the periods for which caseous lymphadenitis can persist in the environment; and what is the risk to other animals or people.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The organism which causes caseous lymphadenitis can be introduced to the environment only by the discharge from ruptured abscesses in heavily infected animals and it would be rare for animals to reach that stage of infection without action being taken. The organism can survive for up to eight weeks on surfaces out of the sunlight and for up to eight months in soil under appropriate conditions. Infection is spread through contact with skin abrasions so animals rubbing against contaminated surfaces could pick up the disease but there is very little risk that people could contract caseous lymphadenitis from environmental contamination.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how infectious to people in close contact with the disease, particularly abattoir workers, is caseous lymphadenitis; and how many cases of human infection have been reported in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Gillian Shephard
  People in close contact with caseous lymphadenitis can become infected with the disease if the pus discharged from abscesses is able to enter the body through skin abrasions and care should be taken when handling diseased animals. However, such cases are extremely rare. We are not aware of any reported cases in the United Kingdom and only 13 in the rest of the world since records have been kept.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment she has made of the economic damage to the sheep industry which can be caused by caseous lymphadenitis.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The economic effect of any animal disease depends both on the nature of the disease and the extent of the outbreak. There is no evidence that caseous lymphadenitis is a serious problem or causes significant economic damage to the United Kingdom sheep industry. In Australia where the disease is endemic significant economic losses result from the loss in the animal's value from reduced production or rejection of infected meat at the abattoir.

  Farm Statistics
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 20 April,Official Report, column 568, if she will set out beef and ewe numbers for the minimum level of agricultural activity equivalents including 1993 standard man day—SMD— equivalents and European size unit—ESU—thresholds; and what are the reasons for the different definitions of what constitutes the minimum level of activity for a full-time commercial farm in the less-favoured area provided in her answer and printed in the farm business survey.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Farm size is not currently measured by standard man days; values for SMD equivalents have not been revised since 1976. The threshold for inclusion of farms in the farm business survey is currently eight ESU and in the less favoured areas this is equivalent to either 30 hill cows or between 200 and 250 hill ewes. It is estimated that farms below this size account for only about 2.8 per cent. of the total United Kingdom agricultural activity, as measured by SGM.

  The reason for the change in the threshold used in the farm business survey from 275 SMD in 1964 to 250 SMD in 1979 reflected a reduction in the length of the working week. In 1979, when the method of measuring farm size based on SGMs was introduced in the United Kingdom, on average, across all types of crops and livestock, 250 SMD was approximately equivalent to four ESU based on the average of 1972 to 1974 SGM. SGMs used in farm classification in the United Kingdom have subsequently been updated to the average of 1978 to 1980 values and then to the average of 1987 to 1989 values to take account of changes in the gross margins of the various types of crops and livestock. The change in the ESU threshold from four to eight reflects changes in the aggregate value of the SGM of the United Kingdom agricultural sector resulting from the move from 1972–74 to 1978–80 SGM.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list all types of consumer food products in which organophosphates have been found by Government scientists; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  Surveillance carried out by the Government's working party on pesticides residues has detected residues of organophosphorus pesticides in samples of cereals, bread and other cereal products, fruit and vegetables. Details are published in the working party's annual reports.

  Random sampling for organophosphorus compounds in cattle, sheep and pigs presented for slaughter is carried out under the national surveillance scheme for residues in meat. No traces of organophosphorus compounds have been found in samples collected from cattle and pigs. In 1992, however, six sheep kidney fat samples were found to contain detectable levels of diazinon but none of these exceeded the maximum residue limit.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list the grades and qualifications of each member of her Department's committee which evaluates the use of organophosphate pesticides; and if she will make a statement.
  272
  Mr. Soames
  The members currently appointed to the advisory committee on pesticides are:

  Chairman:
  Professor Sir Colin Berry DSc, MD, PhD, FRCPath, FRCP, FFPM—Professor of Morbid Anatomy, Consultant in Histopathology and Director of the Histopathological Institute at the Royal London Hospital.

  Members:
  Dr. Andree Carter BSc, MlSoilSci, MIWEM—Principal Research Scientist and Laboratory Manager, Soil Survey and Land Research Centre.
  Professor Nicola Cherry PhD, MD, FFOM—Director of the Centre for Occupational Health, University of Manchester.
  Professor Michael Claridge MA, DPhil, FIBiol, FLS, FRES—Head of School and Professor of Pure Entomology, University of Wales.
  Professor Anthony Dayan BSc, MD, FRCP, FRCPath, FFPM, Moil—Professor of Toxicology and Director of the DH Toxicology Laboratory, St. Bartholomew's Medical College. Mr. John Leahy MA (Oxon), CChem, MRSC—General Manager of Severn Trent Laboratories.
  Professor Donald Lee BSc, PhD, FIBiol, FRSA—Professor of Agricultural Zoology, University of Leeds.
  Dr. Alex Proudfoot BSc (Hons), MB, ChB, FRCPE—Consultant Physician, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and Director of the Scottish Poisons Information Bureau.
  Dr. Eve Roman BSc, PhD—Epidemiologist, Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Cancer Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford.
  Professor Geoffrey Sagar CBE, BA, MA, DPhil (Oxon)—Professor of Agricultural Botany and Vice Principal of the University College of North Wales.
  Mr. Roger Tayler BSc (Agric), Postgrad Dip Agric, NDA, CBiol, MIBiol—Senior Tutor in the Faculty of Agriculture and Food and Senior Lecturer in crop production, Department of Agriculture, University of Reading.
  Professor Paul Webster BSc, PhD, FBIM, FRSA—Head of Department of Agricultural Economics, Wye College, University of London.

  Folic Acid
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations she has received asking that bread, cereals and flour be enriched with folic acid.

  Mr. Soames
  I have received no such representations.

  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans she has to ensure that bread, cereals and flour are enriched with folic acid.

  Mr. Soames
  The expert group that advised the Chief Medical Officer—in its report "Folic Acid and the Prevention of Neural Tube Defects"—recommended that only breads and breakfast cereals should be fortified and that a choice of unfortified products should remain available. There are therefore no plans for fortification of flour. Many breakfast cereals and a number of breads are already fortified with folic acid. My Department has written to the relevant trade organisations to encourage them to increase the range of products fortified with folic acid in line with recommendations of the expert advisory group. The response has been positive. About 50 to 60 per cent. of the breakfast cereals on the market are fortified with folic acid and a number of new fortified breads have appeared on the market.

  Exercise Diver Mist
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many personnel from her Department were involved in Exercise Diver Mist; in what capacities they served; and what was the cost to her Department of this involvement.

  Mr. Soames
  Seven staff from this Department took part as exercise players in Exercise Diver Mist at a cost of £4,500. The purpose of involvement was to test the Department's emergency response plan.

  Organophosphorus Sheep Dips
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will institute a moratorium on the use of organophosphorus sheep dips until the medical and scientific panel investigating reports of long-term health effects reaches its conclusions; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  Independent scientific advice from the Veterinary Products Committee following its meeting in October is that there is no firm evidence to support the association of chronic health effects with exposure to organophosphorus sheep dips. The committee nevertheless recommended that knowledge of potential toxicity should be enhanced, which is why the medical and scientific panel has recently been set up. The committee concluded that in the mean time the marketing of the dips could continue, and the Government have accepted this advice.

  Overgrazing
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what procedures are in place to monitor whether overgrazing has reduced following the withholding of hill livestock compensatory allowances as a direct result of the introduction of the hill livestock compensatory allowance overgrazing clause;

  (2) what procedures are in place to monitor whether meetings between her Ministry's officials and producers to discuss ways of reducing overgrazing have led to reductions in overgrazing;

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

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 19 April 1994]: The overgrazing provisions of the hill livestock compensatory allowances scheme introduced in 1992 are intended to discourage farming practice which causes significant environmental damage. The Ministry has arrangements with ADAS to undertake biological monitoring of land which is considered to be overgrazed and to report on measures which should be taken to arrest further deterioration. The ADAS reports are discussed with the producers concerned with the aim of reaching agreement on improvements in management. To the extent that agreement is reached monitoring will continue to ensure that agreed action has been taken and that it is sufficient to prevent further environmental damage.

  If agreement cannot be reached with producers and overgrazing continues we can exercise our powers to
  274
  withhold allowances in their entirety. If farmers choose not to apply for hill livestock compensatory allowances we cannot continue to monitor the vegetation on their land since they are not subject to the provisions of the hill livestock compensatory allowances scheme.

  We recognise that the application of overgrazing provisions to hill livestock compensatory allowances is limited in its effect as subsidies paid under sheep annual premium, suckler cow premium and beef special premium schemes currently have no such provision attached to them. However, the Council of Ministers has now made provision in the rules for these schemes which would enable us to attack similar conditions. It is our intention, following public consultation which is currently in progress, to introduce into all three schemes overgrazing provisions similar to those which currently apply to HLCAs. Once this is done, we will be able to take effective action against those producers who have been prepared to forgo payments under the HLCA scheme while continuing to overgraze their land. Producers who wish to benefit from the livestock subsidy schemes will therefore have to manage their land in ways which prevent further environmental damage.

  The subject matter of these questions requires fuller treatment than is normally given in parliamentary answers. I shall therefore write to the hon. Member giving further details and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many producers have been approached by her Ministry's officials in each Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food region to discuss ways of reducing overgrazing in each year since the introduction of the hill livestock compensatory allowance overgrazing clause; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 19 April 1994]: The information requested is as follows:

  Region

  Number of producers approached

  1992

  1993

  1994

  East Midlands

  —

  —

  —

  North East

  —

  25

  18

  Northern

  —

  89

  —

  North Mercia

  —

  —

  40

  South Mercia

  —

  —

  —

  South West

  9

  56

  34

  Wessex

  —

  16

  4

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many hill livestock compensatory allowances she has withheld in 1992, 1993 and 1994 in each Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food region as a result of the introduction of the hill livestock compensatory allowance overgrazing clause; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 19 April 1994]: The information required is not available in the form requested.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers have had hill livestock compensatory allowances withheld in 1992, 1993 and 1994 in each Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food region as a result of the introduction of the hill livestock compensatory allowance overgrazing clause.
  275
  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 19 April 1994]: The information requested is as follows:

  Region

  Number of Farmers who have had allowances withheld

  1992

  1993

  1994

  South West

  5

  6

  4

  All other regions

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Performance Targets
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what targets have been set for the Central Science. Laboratory in 1994–95.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I have set the Central Science Laboratory the following strategic performance targets for 1994–95:

  Financial:
  —100 per cent. cost recovery of full costs,
  —an overall efficiency gain of 2 per cent.,
  —a reduction of 2 per cent. in real terms of representative unit costs for services;

  Service Delivery
  —at least 90 per cent. of work completed to time and within budget,
  —at least 95 per cent. of contracts delivered to the customer's satisfaction.

  These are demanding targets which challenge the newly enlarged agency to build on its achievements to date. The Central Science Laboratory will continue to implement during 1994–95 arrangements for the independent assessment of the quality of the scientific work and publications. Details of performance in 1993–94 will be set out in the agency's annual report and accounts will be published during July 1994.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what targets have been set for the Central Veterinary Laboratory in 1994–95.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I have set the Central Veterinary Laboratory the following strategic performance targets for 1994–95.

  Financial performance
  Full cost recovery for all central veterinary laboratory services.

  Efficiency
  An overall efficiency gain of 2.5 per cent.

  Service delivery
  85 per cent. of ROAME R and D milestones achieved.

  Service quality
  Achievement of a satisfactory report from a Visiting Group.
  Achievement of laboratory accreditation for the Biological Products and Analytical Chemistry units.

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

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what performance targets she has set for the Agricultural Development Advisory Service executive agency for 1994–95; and if she will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 25 February 1994 at columns 492–93 when I announced that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State
  276
  for Wales and I have decided that for 1994–95 ADAS will be asked to recover 63 per cent. of its costs for advisory services through charges to commercial customers; the balance will be met by my Department. I also announced ADAS's plans for restructuring its operations in order to achieve this new target, and reduce its cost base to make it competitive in all its markets.

  The other financial, efficiency and service delivery targets for ADAS for 1994–95 will be:
  — to achieve full cost recovery from all other work;
  — to reduce the total cost per hour in contract delivery in real terms by 4 per cent.
  to maintain average debtor days at or better than the best achieved in any previous year;
  —to meet 90 per cent. of R and D project milestones;
  — to continue to achieve customer satisfaction as measured by customer surveys.

WALES

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

  Mr. Redwood
  Comprehensive information is not held centrally in the form requested. My Department's statistical directorate issued 25 regular statistical publications in 1993–94. All are available by subscription or standing order.

  Sleeping Aids
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what restrictions are in place on advertising drugs available without prescription which are designed to aid sleep; what checks are carried out to ensure that addictive or potentially harmful drugs are not advertised for mass consumption; what health warnings should be given in such advertisements; in what ways regulations or guidelines on the advertisement of such drugs have been amended or relaxed within the past five years; what plans he has to introduce new legislation, statutory orders or guidelines to regulate the promotion of aids to sleep which are available without prescription; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary for Health on 27 April at column 203. The legislation governing the advertisement of medicines is common to England and Wales.

  Shops
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will announce a new grant aid scheme to encourage owners to change shops which are no longer in commercial use to residential use; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The house renovation grant arrangements already provide assistance to convert buildings, including disused shops, into living accommodation.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to issue planning
  277
  directives which encourage developers of large stores in Wales to use and adapt existing shops and other properties that lie empty in town and village shopping centres rather than build large new premises on the outskirts of town; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Planning policy guidance note 6, "Town Centres and Retail Developments", emphasises the role of existing town centres and village shops, and encourages local planning authorities to provide positive policies in development plans to encourage uses that will contribute to town centre vitality and viability.

  Commercial Development
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will propose for Wales regulations or circulars similar to those announced for England, concerning restrictions on planning consents for commercial development; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Guidance on a range of issues relating to industrial and commercial development and small firms is contained in the joint Department of the Environment and Welsh Office planning policy guidance note 4. Separate advice on the planning aspects of retail development is found in the joint DOE and Welsh Office PPG note 6. Planning policy guidance note 13, "Highway Considerations in Development Control", is under review and I will be issuing revised guidance in due course.

  Members' Correspondence
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of letters sent by his office to hon. Members are written in the Welsh language.

  Mr. Redwood
  This information is not available. However, all letters written by hon. Members in Welsh receive a reply in that language, unless requested otherwise.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was paid in respect of their duties to board members appointed by him to non-departmental public bodies for the year 1993–94.

  Mr. Redwood
  Payments made to board members and executive NDPBs in 1993–94 amounted to £778,193.

  Cremations
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest available annual figure for the number of people cremated.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The annual figures for the number of people cremated in Wales are collected by the Federation of British Cremation Authorities and were most recently published in volume 37 of the Federation's journal "Resurgam". This indicates that 20,212 cremations took place in Wales in 1993.

  Mid-Glamorgan Ambulance Trust
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what amount of money is being spent by the Mid-Glamorgan ambulance NHS trust on its official launch; and how much the launch reception on 3 May at a south Wales hotel is expected to cost.
  278
  Mr. Redwood
  This is a matter for the board of the NHS trust.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Ordination of Women
  Mr. Roger Evans
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners how many people have received discretionary payments under section 5 of the Ordination of Women (Financial Provisions) Measure 1994.

  Mr. Alison
  There have to date been very few applicants under clause 5 of the Measure. Payments have been agreed in six cases.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners what guidelines have been issued on the procedures to be adopted in determining whether a payment is to be made under section 5 of the Ordination of Women (Financial Provisions) Measure 1994.

  Mr. Alison
  All applications under clause 5 of the Measure are considered individually by a sub-committee of the Pensions Board. The board has, however, established a set of working rules for the sub-committee to follow in such consideration, and these have been agreed with the Church Commissioners.

SOCIAL SECURITY

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

  Mr. Scott
  This Department, including its agencies, produces an extensive range of printed and other materials each year which could be interpreted as publications. In addition to those listed, a catalogue of leaflets, posters and audio cassettes available to the public—CAT 1—is available in the Library.

  Social Security HQ produced in 1993–94:
  Two newspapers—Benefit News for Jobhunters and New Start (Disability Working Allowance). Both had a circulation of about 60,000 and are available by free subscription.
  The Social Security Annual Report is published annually and is available through HMSO to the public. Subscription/sold copies of the report stand at: subscription 238/sets 191.

  Statistical publications—II regular publications:

  a. The Abstract of Statistics for Social Security Benefits and Contributions and the Indices of Retail Prices and Average Earnings. Annual publication; circulation 300.

  b. Disability Working Allowance. Quarterly publication; circulation 120.

  c. Family Credit. Quarterly publication; circulation 120.

  d. Households Below Average Income Statistics. Annual publication; circulation 700.

  e. Income Related Benefits—Estimates of Take-up. Annual publication; circulation 400.

  f. Income Support Annual Statistical Enquiry. Annual publication; circulation 200.

  g. Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry. Quarterly publication; circulation 200.

  h. Income Support Residential Care and Nursing Home Report. quarterly publication; circulation 150.

  i. Personal Pensions. Annual publication; circulation 400.

  279

  j. Social Security Statistics. Annual publication; circulation 1,240.

  k. Tax Benefit Model Tables. Annual publication; circulation 400.

  Research publications are produced on a regular basis covering a variety of issues. Twelve publications have been produced in the period 1993–94. The circulation of these is entirely handled by HMSO. No research publications are available by subscription.

  The latest social security research yearbook, which gives details of research published up to 1993 is available in the Library. The 1994 yearbook is not yet available.

  Publications issued by the Department's agencies are listed separately:

  Benefits Agency

  (a) Benefits Agency Annual Report—This is published annually (July) and is available to all staff, local representative and Welfare groups, DSS senior management and Members of Parliament. The print run is approximately 10,000.

  (b) Benefits Agency Business Plan (including Who we are and What we do)—This is an annual publication (April) with broadly the same distribution as the Annual Report. Copies are also distributed on request to various individuals and organisations. The print run this year was 15,000.

  (c) Benefits Agency Customer Charter—This is a document monitored by Customer Service Branch with a print run of 250,000. It is available to anyone on request but whilst the content is reviewed and monitored regularly the publication is as and when required. The Agency has issued two versions so far.

  (d) Annual National Customer Satisfaction Survey—This is commissioned annually by the Agency and the results are issued April/May. 3,000 copies are produced.

  (e) Local Business Plans—Produced by each local business unit for distribution to its customers. They are produced annually and are in place in each district (159). Print runs and distribution size will vary according to individual unit/district.

  (f) Local Charter Standard Statements—Produced by each local business unit for distribution to its customers. They are produced annually and are in place in each district. Print runs and distribution size will vary according to individual unit/district. Minimum print run is 2,000 per district.

  (g) Staff Charter—This is a twice yearly publication issued to all staff. Print runs varies dependant on demand—usually 70–80,000.

  All the above publications are available without charge to the recipients.

  Child Support Agency

  The Child Support Agency produced 56 publications in various printed or audio tape editions during 1993–94. None was a priced publication. They were available to the public and staff alike to outlets such as agency or social security offices, post offices, advice agencies or mailing houses.

  Contribution Agency

  (a) The Business Plan, Annual Report and Accounts.

  (b) Code for Enforcement and Useful Contacts leaflet.

  (c) Contributions Charter.

  None of the above is a priced publication and all are freely available upon request from local social security offices.

  Resettlement Agency

  (a) Annual report 1992–93 published September 1993; circulation 1,000.

  (b) Business Plan 1994–95 published March 1994; circulation 500.

  Both publications were circulated to Parliament and grant recipients.

  Information Technology Services Agency
  280

  (a) Annual Report and Accounts 1992–93—circulation through HMSO; quantity 210.

  (b) Annual Business Plan 1993–94—this is not a period publication and is circulated internally. It is, however, available on request.

  Neither publication is on subscription.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans there are to create uniform housing benefit forms for all local authorities, how much money such a move would save; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what estimates he has as to how many different housing benefit forms are produced by local authorities; and what is the cost to each local authority of having to create their own forms.

  Mr. Hague
  When upon entitlement to income support a claim is made to housing benefit, a standard Benefits Agency claim form is used. There are no plans to create further uniform housing benefit claim forms and the Department has no estimate of the number of such forms used by local authorities. Information about the cost of local authority forms is not available.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest figures for people claiming housing benefit who are(a) receiving unemployment benefit, (b) receiving income support and (c) in a low income bracket; what estimates there are of how many more people may be entitled to these benefits but are not claiming them; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hague
  In May 1992, the total number of housing benefit recipients1 who also satisfied the specified criteria were:

  Number

  (a) Unemployment Benefit2

  141,000

  (b) Income Support2

  2,590,000

  (c) in a low income bracket3

  1,629,000

  Sources:

  1 The May 1992 annual 1 per cent Housing Benefit Management Information System and Income Support enquiries.

  2 The publication "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-up in 1990 and 1991" a copy of which is in the Library.

  Notes:

  1. The number of recipients has been rounded to the nearest thousand and is for benefit units. A benefit unit may be a single person or a couple.

  2. Approximately 41,000 cases receive both unemployment benefit and income support.

  3. Low income bracket has been defined as all recipients who are not in receipt of either income support or unemployment benefit.

  4. Estimates for take-up of unemployment benefit or for housing benefit by income type are not available.

  Estimates for the take up of income related benefits can be found in "Income Related benefits—Estimates of Take-up in 1990 and 1991" published on 25 March 1994. These figures show that income support is being claimed by between 77 and 90 per cent. of those eligible to claim.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the level of maintenance payments resulting from the operation of the CSA in 1992–93 and 1993–94.
  281
  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the table. In 1992–93, the child support unit dealt only with cases where the parent with care PWC was in receipt of income support.

  Table: Average level of maintenance by parent with care benefit status

  £ per week

  1992–93

  1993–942

  PWC on Income Support

  23.001

  40.00

  PWC on Family Credit

  —

  40.00

  PWC not on benefit

  —

  45.00

  Notes:

  1 Derived from the May 1992 departmental annual statistical inquiry. The figure is rounded to the nearest pound.

  2 1993–94 data are taken from a sample of cases assessed so far by the Child Support Agency and should be treated as provisional. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £5.

  Incapacity
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received during the consultation process on the proposed medical assessment of incapacity about the importance of taking into account the degree of pain a person suffers; to what extent he considers pain to be a factor in a person's ability to work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I have received a number of such representations. Pain is an important factor in the assessment of incapacity for work. The new test of incapacity will take account of the effects of pain as well as other less obvious factors such as stress, fatigue and variability.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families are in receipt of family credit; and what is the average payment.

  Mr. Burt
  The latest provisional information for November 1993 shows that 530,000 families receive family credit. The average award is £45 a week.

  Note:
  The figures come from a 5 per cent. sample of family credit awards.

  War Pensions
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) men and (b) women were in receipt of a war pension as of 20 April.

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

  The available information is as follows: As of 31 March 1994, the latest date for which figures are available, the estimated number of war pensions in payment was 296,303. This includes 49,556 pensions in payment to war widows.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what amount was spent on unemployment benefit claims in Scotland in the latest 12 months for which he has information.

  Mr. Burt
  Information on benefit expenditure in Scotland is not maintained separately. For the year 282
  1992–93 it is estimated that the proportion of Great Britain expenditure on unemployment benefit in Scotland was £157 million.

  Severe Hardship Unit, Glasgow
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what effect he expects the closure of the severe hardship unit in Glasgow to have on the success rates of 16 and 17-year-old applicants for severe hardship allowance;

  (2) what benefits, other than of a financial nature, he expects to accrue to his Department as a result of the closure of the severe hardship unit in Glasgow.

  Mr. Burt
  The severe hardship unit in Glasgow has not been closed. From April 1994, specially trained officers in local district offices have delegated authority to make decisions on severe hardship. However, certain types of decisions will still be referred to the unit, in particular, any decision to withhold an award of income support.

  It is not expected that these changes will influence the success rate. This partial devolution is intended to improve the service by accelerating the decision making process and rendering it more personal to the customer. Results will continue to be monitored.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much the Government have spent in each of the last five years on advertising material to promote equal rights for disabled people.

  Mr. Scott
  Comprehensive information is not available centrally.

  Claimants
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans he has to introduce a uniform system between benefit offices for treating claimants; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what plans he has to make initial access to claiming benefits easier, and to alter the present system of forms into an easier, more comprehensible format; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Peter Pike, dated 27 April 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking i) what measures are being taken to introduce a uniform system between benefit offices for treating claimants and ii) what plans there are to make initial access to claiming benefits easier and to alter the present system of forms into an easier, more comprehensible format.
  The Secretary of State announced on 9 September last year a national programme to move towards a "One Stop" service for all the benefits processed by the Benefits Agency. This decision followed overwhelmingly positive responses from our customers and our staff to a discussion paper which we had published the previous year. The first stage of "One Stop" is a "One Place Programme". Some offices are already offering this service and by July of this year it will be in place in all BA local offices. The One Place Programme will mean that customers will be able to:
  * obtain advice and information on all benefits from their local Benefits Agency office;

  283
  * lodge a claim for any BA benefit at a local office (regardless of where that benefit is processed), report a change of circumstances and receive reliable advice about the claim to benefit from that local office.
  To ensure a consistent and acceptable service is available from all our outlets the Agency has distributed to all managers—and shared with customer organisations—a national Customer Service Definition, expanding on our Customer's Charter, which sets out the minimum level and scope of service to be delivered by all Districts by July 1994.
  You asked specifically about our plans to alter the present system of forms into an easier, more comprehensible format. The BA has its own Document Design Unit which remains committed to the principles of Plain English, clear layout and colour to produce user friendly forms and claim packs. Over the past two years the unit has been reviewing the whole of District office typist's draft letters. This has been a massive undertaking resulting in the rewriting of nearly 1,200 letters and is now nearing completion.
  It should be noted that the unit is among the leading prize winners in the Plain English Awards, having won the award six times between 1983 and 1991 and, in 1992, the International Council of Graphic Design Association awarded BA Document Design Unit its International Award for Excellence for "continued excellence over eight years", the first time it was awarded to an organisation in the UK and the first time to a Government Department anywhere in the world.
  In order to test the effectiveness of our products all new claim packs and claim forms for major changes such as a new benefit are subjected to independent market research before the final versions are produced.
  In addition, as part of the One Stop programme we are introducing an improved computer system—Integrated Benefit Information System (IBIS)—to support staff giving benefits information and personal benefit advice to customers. Part of the functionality planned for this new system in due course will be to capture the information supplied by the customer during an advisory interview and pre-print an acceptable claim form that the customer need only check and sign if they wish, on the basis of the advice they have received, to claim benefit. Pilots of this system in a number of offices have shown that this service is appreciated by many customers.
  I hope you will find this reply helpful.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what levels of liaison are encouraged or practiced between Employment Service offices, DSS benefit offices and local authority housing benefit offices to ensure claimants are aware of all their claiming rights;

  (2) what plans there are to encourage more inter-relations between the various points of contact to claimants of benefits, with particular reference to the Employment Service offices and local authority housing benefit departments.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Peter L. Pike, dated 27 April 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking about the current levels of liaison, and plans undertaken to improve liaison between DSS benefits offices, the Employment Service and housing benefit offices.
  The Employment Service and local authorities have specific and distinct responsibilities for the administration of Unemployment Benefit and of Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit respectively. However, as part of our programme to improve customer service, we are working with the Employment Service and local authorities to achieve a more seamless interface between our distinct responsibilities. For example:

  (1) In a number of districts we have out-station BA staff in Employment Service offices—and in two districts in local authority advice centres—to give customers advice on BA benefits.

  284

  (2) Claim forms for Income Support by the unemployed can now be lodged at job centres as well as at BA offices.

  (3) We have improved our liaison arrangements with local authorities and each District now has a Service Level Agreement with the local authorities in its area.

  (4) From June this year the main computer systems supporting Income Support and Unemployment Benefit will be linked allowing the faster and automatic transmission of information and payment instructions between the two agencies.

  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Credit Transfer
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the target savings in the year 1993–94 to be achieved by the extension of automatic credit transfer to(a) child benefit and (b) pensions; and whether those targets were achieved.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of child benefit and pensions is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 27 April 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about savings targeted and achieved from the extension of Automated Credit Transfer (ACT) to child benefit and pensions.
  Individual benefits were not set targets for the savings to be achieved by the extension of ACT. However, targets were set in terms of the percentage increase in ACT take-up to be achieved by 1995–96 and these are (a) 3 per cent. for Child Benefit and (b) 2 per cent. for Pensions.
  In the period from 31 March 1993 to 1 March 1994 the level of ACT take-up increased by (a) 1.3 per cent. for Child Benefit, from 22.4 per cent. to 23.7 per cent., and (b) by 2 per cent. for Pensions, from 27 per cent. to 29 per cent. I should add that the figures for Pensions exclude overseas cases and those where Retirement Pension has been combined with Income Support for payment purposes.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Bank Transfers
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many customers were receiving(a) child benefit and (b) pension payments by either bank transfer or order book payments in each of the last four years.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of child benefit and pensions is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 27 April 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the number of customers in receipt of Child Benefit and Pension being paid by order book and automated credit transfer.
  I have provided the figures that you require in the attached appendix.
  I hope you find my reply helpful.

  Child Benefit

  Year

  Total

  Order book

  Act

  1990

  6,642,950

  5,345,675

  1,297,275

  1991

  6,741,925

  5,335,100

  1,406,825

  1992

  6,801,475

  5,296,050

  1,505,425

  1993

  6,833,825

  5,239,225

  1,594,600

  285

  Retirement pension and widow's pension

  Year

  Total

  Order book

  Act

  1Others

  1990

  8,744,048

  6,445,754

  1,981,646

  316,648

  1991

  8,906,018

  6,463,075

  2,160,017

  283,726

  1992

  9,191,326

  6,433,787

  2,392,292

  365,247

  1993

  9,882,576

  6,386,962

  2,670,937

  824,917

  1 Others include those cases where payments are made by hospital schedule, 13 weekly payments, and annual payments by payable order.

  Social Security Benefits, Edinburgh
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of state for Social Security what is the number of recipients of(a) income support, (b) invalidity benefit and (c) retirement pension in the area covering Edinburgh postcodes EH4 and EH5.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Malcolm Chisholm, dated 27 April 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent parliamentary Question asking for details of the number of recipients of Income Support, Invalidity Benefit and Retirement Pension in the area covering Edinburgh Postcodes EH4 and EH5.
  Figures are not available which relate soley to the specific post codes requested. However, the Edinburgh postcodes EH4 and EH5 come within the area of the Benefits Agency's Lothian Central District, which comprises the Edinburgh City and Edinburgh North offices and also covers postcodes EH1-EH3, EH6-EH8 and EH10. The Lothian Central District live loads for the benefits referred to are:

  Income Support

  22,687

  at 28 February 1994*

  Invalidity Benefit

  5,551

  at 31 March 1994**

  Retirement Pension

  30,958

  at 28 February 1994*

  * Obtained from a routine quarterly count of computer records

  ** Obtained from a routine clerical count of live records. This figure will include a small number of customers who, although entitled to Invalidity Benefit, are not receiving it because of entitlement to an overlapping benefit payable at a higher weekly rate.

  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms. Walley) on 3 March,Official Report, column 821, what advice is given to women who are awaiting the outcome of the Graham case at the European Court of Justice, in relation to the lifting of the suspension of payment of invalidity benefit; what guidelines have been issued to local offices to enable officials to deal with such applications; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's discretion to take account of extreme hardship in deciding whether to impose or lift suspension of benefit is exercised on his behalf by Benefits Agency staff. Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, will write to the hon. Member with further information.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Dr. Norman Godman, dated 27 April 1994:
  286
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about women in receipt of Invalidity Benefit (IVB), who at age 60 have had part of their IVB suspended.
  You will be aware from the reply of 3 March to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Volume 238, column 821, that the Benefits Agency (BA) routinely notifies women who are entitled to an increase of IVB as a result of the Social Security Commissioner's (SSC) decision in the Graham case. It is explained that the payment of the increase is suspended by the Secretary of State. Customers are also advised that they will be paid in full if the Commissioner's decision against which the Secretary of State is appealing is upheld; and that if they have difficulty managing they should contact their local BA office.
  All local offices are issued with guidelines in relation to the lifting of the suspension of payment of IVB. The Secretary of State has the discretion not to suspend if it would be inappropriate to do so, for example if it would cause exceptional hardship in an individual case.
  There are no set criteria for lifting suspensions. Each case is considered in relation to the personal circumstances of the customer. However, the Agency, conscious of the requirement to treat all customers fairly, issued guidelines on the question of hardship to all local offices. They stress that cases have to be looked at individually and that, while it is not possible to state in hard and fast terms what constitutes exceptional hardship, a number of factors need to be borne in mind by staff considering hardship applications.
  These include the fact that hardship will arise only in exceptional circumstances; that prior to the Commissioner's decision, IVB would have been reduced to the rate of the Retirement Pension that would otherwise have been payable; that Income Support and Social Fund are available to meet financial hardship; and that the onus is on the customer to prove that hardship exists rather than for the Agency to disprove hardship.
  The guidance also gives two examples of circumstances in which exceptional hardship might be considered. These are:

  1. where it is already known or suspected that a customer has a terminal illness and is likely to die before the outcome of the appeal is known; and

  2. where the customer has been led to believe that benefit will continue at the higher rate and has entered into a financial commitment on that basis.

  It is not inevitable that exceptional hardship would be found to exist in these sort of situations, nor are they the only situations in which exceptional hardship would be considered. They are provided to give examples of what "exceptional hardship" might mean and indicate that such cases can be expected to arise only rarely.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

EMPLOYMENT

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

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Department published 10 regular publications in the last financial year. All are available through subscription to subscribers who have indicated they wish to be on databases held by the Department. Average circulation details are shown in the following table:

  Publication

  Circulation

  Frequency

  Employment Gazette

  7,000

  monthly

  Employment News

  56,000

  monthly

  Tempo

  48,000

  monthly

  Labour Force Survey

  1,000

  quarterly

  Insight

  70,000

  3 x per year

  Labour Market Quarterly Review

  25,000

  quarterly

  287

  Publication

  Circulation

  Frequency

  Update

  25,000

  8 x per year

  Labour Market Skill Trends

  25,000

  8 x per year

  Competence and Assessment

  6,739

  quarterly

  Career Development Loans—newsletter

  10,000

  quarterly

  Disabled People
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of people with disabilities have jobs.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The labour force survey asks people of working age if they currently have a health problem or disability which limits the kind of paid work they can do. Estimates based on answers to this question will include people with short-term health problems and disabilities as well as those registered as disabled.

  The latest LFS estimates for summer 1993 show that of all such people of working age in Great Britain 34 per cent. were in employment, 10 per cent. were ILO unemployed and 56 per cent. where economically inactive.

  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the proportion of employers complying with the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Roger Berry, dated 28 April 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about his estimate of the proportion of employers complying with the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944.
  As at 1 June 1993, the latest date for which information is available, there were 5,525 (18.9%) employers for whom my Placing, Assessment and Counselling Teams (PACTs) had records and who met or exceeded the 3% Quota.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many referrals for employment rehabilitation were made by the Employment Service in the years 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Roger Berry, dated 28 April 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question, about how many referrals for employment rehabilitation were made by the Employment Service in the years 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94.
  The number of people who were referred to employment rehabilitation by the Employment Service and who started programmes in the years from 1991–92 to 1993–94 were:

  Number

  1991–92

  12,149

  1992–93

  7,569

  1993–94

  9,532

  288
  The figures for 1992–93 have been revised. The figures for 1992–93 published in the departmental Report contained a clerical error. A figure of 8,036 rehabilitation starts for 1992–93 was quoted in the department Report. This was a forecast outturn which appeared in previous documents, and should not have been given as the actual outturn. The actual outturn was 7,569.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many complaints under section 9(5) of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1994, relating to the dismissal of a registered disabled person without reasonable cause, have been(a) investigated by the Employment Service, (b) referred to a district advisory committee and (c) prosecuted by the Secretary of State in each year since 1964.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Roger Berry, dated 28 April 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about how many complaints under section 9(5) of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 have been investigated by the Employment Service; how many have been referred to a district advisory committee; and how many employers have been prosecuted by the Secretary of State in each year since 1964.
  It may be helpful if I explain that the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 does not provide a statutory complaints procedure. However, registered disabled people who lose their jobs, and who think their employers may have infringed the 1944 Act in dismissing them, may complain to their local Disability Employment Adviser. Complaints which cannot be resolved satisfactorily by negotiation are thoroughly investigated and all the relevant factors are taken into account before a decision is taken.
  Employers cannot be prosecuted without the authority of the Secretary of State for Employment. Criminal proceedings cannot be commenced against an employer under the unreasonable discharge provisions of the Act unless the matter has first been referred to a local district advisory committee these bodies are (now known as Committees for the Employment of People with Disabilities—CEPDs) for a report.
  I regret that we do not have information on the number of complaints investigated. This information is not held centrally. However, the average annual number was probably very small.
  Similarly, information is not readily available on the number of such cases referred to CEPDs for a report for the full period since 1964. However, one case was referred to a CEPD in 1983, another in 1991, two in 1992 and one in 1993.
  Three employers have been prosecuted since 1964, for alleged offences against the unreasonable discharge provisions of the Act; there was one prosecution in 1964, one in 1973 and one in 1974.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Multinational Companies
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 19 April,Official Report, column 491, what is the policy of the European Commission on the applicability to Britain of the draft legislation on works councils for multinationals; and what plans he has to resolve disagreements.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The European Commission accepts that the proposed directive on European works councils should not apply to any companies or employees in the United Kingdom.

  Women's Unwaged Work
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what evaluation he has made of the report issued by the European Parliament on the assessment of women's unwaged work; what steps the Government intend to take to implement the recommendations in the report that women's unwaged work should be included in the figures for gross national product; and what plans he has to provide social security and pension rights for unwaged women at home.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Government recognise the important contribution women make to society both at home and in the workplace. The compilation of gross domestic product figures are the responsibility of the Central Statistical Office. The CSO follows the internationally agreed system of national accounts which recommends that domestic work is not included. The reasons for this are explained in paragraphs 6.19 and 6.22 of the new SNA, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Concerning social security rights, a married woman can qualify for a retirement pension based on her husband's insurance record. In addition, women with caring responsibilities at home may qualify for home responsibilities protection. Responsibility for these two issues lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security.

  Code of Practice on Government Information
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether the new code of practice on Government information applies to training and enterprise councils.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Yes, the code extends to functions carried out on behalf of Departments by contractors and, as such, training and enterprise councils are regarded as being within scope.

  Employment Service, West Midlands
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston (Dame J. Knight) of 19 April,Official Report, column 727, how many of the people of the west midlands placed in work by the Employment Service in the last 12 months were in (a) full-time and (b) part-time (i) temporary and (ii) permanent jobs; and what information he has on the proportion of these jobs which paid less than a half of the current average hourly rate.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Approximately 70 per cent. of those placed into employment by the Employment Service in the west midlands in the last 12 months were placed into full-time jobs, the rest in part-time jobs. It is estimated that 82 per cent. of vacancies filled in the last 12 months were in permanent jobs, the rest were temporary jobs of up to six months in duration. No information is available on the rates of pay which these jobs attracted.

  Equal Pay Cases
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases have been taken to the European Court under article 119 of the EEC treaty on 290
  equal pay since its acceptance; if he will make a statement on the trends; and what proposals Her Majesty's Government will bring forward based upon those trends.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  We are aware of 46 cases which have been taken to the European Court of Justice under article 119 of the EEC treaty since it came into effect in 1957.

  The decisions reflect developing jurisprudence in the field of equal pay between men and women for equal work. They do not reveal any discernible trend.

  Departmental Contracts
  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employees of the Employment Department are employed on six month contracts; and, of these, how many have had their contracts renewed(a) once, (b) twice, (c) three times and (d) more than three times.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 26 April 1994]: Only one, and his contract has been renewed more than three times.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list for each quarter since spring 1992 the number of people in Great Britain surveyed by the labour force survey who, although they are without a job, have looked for a job within the four weeks prior to their labour force survey interview or are waiting to start a job they had already obtained, were not available to start a job within the two weeks following their labour force survey interview, and the number of people on the International Labour Organisation measure, but who said they would like a job.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 26 April 1994]: Both of the categories asked for in the question are defined as economically inactive according to international ILO guidelines. Estimates from the labour force survey for each quarter since spring 1992 of the numbers in each group are given in the table.

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

  Great Britain

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

  Thousands

  Quarter

  Total

  Of which: seeking work, but not available to start1

  Spring 1992

  2,221

  313

  Summer 1992

  2,191

  277

  Autumn 1992

  2,128

  231

  Winter 1992–3

  2,177

  232

  Spring 1993

  2,195

  310

  Summer 1993

  2,248

  245

  Autumn 1993

  2,226

  190

  Source: Labour Force Survey

  Not seasonally adjusted

  1 Numbers without a paid job who had either looked for work in the past four weeks or were waiting to start a job they had already obtained, but were not available to start within the next two weeks.
  291
  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a breakdown of the latest data on the actual and usual hours worked by(a) part-time employees, (b) self-employed part-time workers and (c) all part-timers who work (i) less than eight hours per week, (ii) between eight and 16 hours per week and (iii) between 16 and 24 hours per week.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 26 April 1994]: Estimates from the autumn 1993 labour force survey for Great Britain of the number of people whose main job was part time are as shown in the table. Actual hours returned in the survey are shorter than usual hours because they take into account periods of absence from work in the survey reference week arising from, for example, holidays or sickness.

  Total actual hours of people working part time—Great Britain

  Autumn 1993

  Thousands

  Status

  0 to 7 hours

  8 to 15 hours

  16 to 23 hours

  Employees

  1,204

  1,425

  1,493

  Self-employed

  209

  154

  108

  Employees and self-employed

  1,413

  1,579

  1,601

  Total usual hours of people working part time—Great Britain

  Autumn 1993

  Thousands

  Status

  0 to 7 hours

  8 to 15 hours

  16 to 23 hours

  Employees

  629

  1,519

  1,762

  Self-employed

  122

  175

  141

  Employees and self-employed

  751

  1,695

  1,903

  Source: Labour Force Survey.

  Redundancies
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many claims were processed by the Redundancy Payments Service in 1992–93 and 1993–94; what were the costs of meeting payments shortfalls under the Employment Protection Act 1978 when enterprises were insolvent; and what sums were recovered in 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The number of claims processed by the Redundancy Payments Service in 1992–93 was 301,913 and in 1993–94, 242,332.

  The Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 provides for various payments out of the national insurance fund when an employer is unable to make them by reason of insolvency. Payments made and sums recovered in 1992–93 and 1993–94 were as follows:

  £ million

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Payments

  To employers in respect of arrears of pay, holiday pay, compensation for pay in lieu of notice and certain other payments

  154.9

  129.7

  To occupational pension schemes in respect of unpaid contributions

  4.7

  7.2

  TOTAL PAYMENTS

  159.6

  136.9

  Debt recovery

  Recovery of debts in insolvency

  18.7

  16.8

  292
  Note: Because of the delay between the making of payments and the eventual settlement fo claims in the insolvency, the sums recovered do not correspond directly to the year in which payments were made. The figures for payments and recoveries for 1993–94 are, at this stage, provisional.

  Pregnant Workers
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish his estimate of the additional number of women in(a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) the United Kingdom, who would be entitled to have their posts kept open for them while pregnant in the event of implementation of the ruling of the Law Lords in March; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government are carefully considering the House of Lords judgment to ascertain its full implications and will make an announcement as soon as possible.

  Jobcentres (South Yorkshire Villages)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what jobcentre catchment areas cover the south Yorkshire villages of Adwick-on-Dearne, Barnburgh, Brodsworth, Clayton-with-Frickley, Hampole, Hickleton, High Melton, Hooton Pagnell and Marr.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 28 April 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking which Jobcentre catchment areas cover a number of South Yorkshire villages.
  It may be helpful if I explain that Jobcentre boundaries are designed to reflect the geographical areas from which Jobcentres can realistically expect to attract clients in terms of employers and job seekers, therefore boundaries are not static.
  I should also point out that there is some flexibility in the choice of Employment Service office at which clients claim unemployment related benefits. Therefore job seekers living in these villages may not necessarily attend the office given below.
  The answers requested are provided in the table below.

  Villages

  Covered by Jobcentre at

  Adwick-on-Dearne

  Mexborough

  Barnburgh

  Goldthorpe

  Brodsworth

  Doncaster1

  Clayton-with-Frickley

  South Kirby

  Hampole

  Doncaster1

  Hickleton

  Goldthorpe

  High Melton

  Goldthorpe

  Hooton Pagnell

  South Kirby

  Marr

  Doncaster1

  1There are five offices in Doncaster.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Construction Industry
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on fatal injury rates for the construction sector.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The estimated fatal injury rate for employees for 1992–93 is the lowest on record, at 7.5
  293
  per 100,000. The comparable rate for self-employed workers is 3.7 per 100,000, which is significantly lower than for most of the 1980s. The combined rate for major injuries has also fallen by 20 per cent. over the last five years. I am greatly encouraged by these reductions, which have undoubtedly been helped by the efforts of committed people in the industry, the Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive.

  However, there is no room for complacency. Good planning and management is the key to better health and safety performance, and we must continue to seek ways of getting that message adopted right across the industry. For that reason, the HSE will continue to attach a high priority to inspection in the construction sector, through checks on the quality of site management, and through head office visits and risk-targeted campaigns. In addition HSE inspectors will not hesitate to use their considerable enforcement powers to require improvements, or take prosecutions, where necessary.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Slaughterhouses
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what abattoirs exist in Northern Ireland for the purpose of slaughtering(a) equines and (b) other animals; how many such animals were slaughtered in the past year; what was the total value of the animals in categories (a) and (b) which were slaughtered; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ancram
  There are no abattoirs in Northern Ireland approved for the slaughter of equines. In 1993, 20 abattoirs were approved for the slaughter of other animals and those slaughtered some 453,000 cattle, 981,000 pigs and 1 million sheep worth in total some £403 million. I have arranged for additional information to be placed in the Library.

  Cross-border Security
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further progress has been made regarding cross-border security co-operation with the Irish Republic.

  Sir John Wheeler
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Sutton and Cheam (Lady Olga Maitland).

  Public Services
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what expansion is proposed in the essential public services of Northern Ireland during the current financial year.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The departmental report Command Paper 2516, published on 11 March, summarised plans for the provision of public services which involve departmental expenditure.

  Political Talks
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a further statement about the progress of the inter-party talks.
  294
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met the leaders of Northern Ireland's political parties; and if he will make a statement on progress in the talks.

  Mr. Ancram
  I am continuing bilateral discussions with three of the four Northern Ireland parties on the same basis as previously and the two Governments continue to work intensively on a framework to carry the process forward.

  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with political leaders from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland about the peace process.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  My hon. Friend the Member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) and I meet political leaders from Northern Ireland regularly to discuss a range of matters including political development and the prospects for a permanent end to violence.

  I met the Irish Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Spring, at a meeting of the intergovernmental conference in Belfast this Monday.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on meetings which have been held with the political parties in Northern Ireland and the Irish Government regarding a constitutional settlement for Northern Ireland.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Glasgow, Rutherglen (Mr. McAvoy) earlier today.

  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress towards securing a resumption of the inter-party talks on the future of Northern Ireland; and what discussions he has had with the Government of the Republic of Ireland.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  My hon. Friend the Member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) is continuing his bilateral discussions with, at present, three of the four Northern Ireland parties. The two Governments continue to work extensively on a framework to carry the process forward.

  Security Situation
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his assessment is of the current security situation in the Province.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on security matters as they relate to Northern Ireland.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I refer my hon. Friend and the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Mr. Hunter) earlier today.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the results achieved by the Northern Ireland criminal injuries compensation scheme with particular reference to the effects on the victim.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The chief executive of the Compensation Agency advises that the 1994 provisional
  295
  outturn for criminal injuries was 11,289 claims cleared and compensation totalling £29.6 million paid. No amount can fully compensate for the effect of criminal injuries.

  Joint Declaration
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for advancing the Downing street declaration; and what he proposes for the next stage.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Castle Point (Dr. Spink) earlier today.

  Social Security
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on eligibility for social security benefits in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  Social security benefits are available in Northern Ireland on the same basis as they are in Great Britain.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what initiatives he is making to promote investment by United States companies in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  The year 1993–94 has been an encouraging year in terms of inward investment and I believe that new Industrial Development Board initiatives in San José and Atlanta will help to maintain the momentum and reinforce success.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on prospects for inward investment to Northern Ireland during the period 1994 to 1995.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  Recent results suggest the Industrial Development Board is experiencing increasing success and it is my hope that we will see a continuation of this trend.

  Trade With the Irish Republic
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to encourage trade between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  The Industrial Development Board has organised a series of export seminars and clinics to advise Northern Ireland companies about export opportunities in the Republic of Ireland. In addition, since 1992 the board and the Irish Trade Board have co-operated in a wide range of trade and export activities.

  Mr. Gerry Adams
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has received the document agreed between the hon. Member for Foyle (Mr. Hume) and Mr. Gerry Adams; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  No.

  Housing
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to meet future housing needs in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  I commend the Housing Executive, housing associations and the private sector for the excellent contributions they have made, and continue to make, to improving housing in Northern Ireland and meeting the Government's objectives of increasing owner-occupation, improving housing conditions and meeting urgent housing need. Future housing policies and programmes must build on the progress made to date. I have, therefore, asked the Department of the Environment to initiate a housing review with the following terms of reference:"to review policies and programmes aimed at meeting housing need in Northern Ireland".
  The Department will shortly be inviting a wide range of interests to submit comments and proposals to this review and I intend to publish a consultation paper on the outcome. I want to make it quite clear that this review is of policies and programmes and is predicated on the continued existence of the Housing Executive as the single regional housing authority, together with an expanding voluntary housing sector and a growing private sector.

  Nursing and Midwifery Staff
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the whole-time equivalent numbers of(a) agency and (b) bank nursing and midwifery staff employed in the NHS for each year since 1987.

  Mr. Ancram
  There are no agency nurses employed in the health and personal social services in Northern Ireland. Information on the number of bank nurses, whole-time equivalent, is only available from 1990 and is as follows:

  Number

  1990

  40.38

  1991

  47.40

  1992

  42.46

  1993

  58.74

  There are no bank midwifery staff.

  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many qualified NHS nurses and midwives, unqualified NHS nursing staff and nursing learners there were in each year since 1993; and what percentage each group was of the total NHS and midwifery staff in each year.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information, at December 1993, is as follows:

  Whole time equivalent

  Percentage of all nurses

  Percentage of total NHS staff

  Trained nursing

  12,230.88

  77.19

  28.58

  Student nursing

  230.10

  1.45

  0.54

  Other nursing

  3,384.69

  21.36

  7.91

  Note: Figures for Student Nursing represent traditional students and exclude 1694 Project 2000 students.

  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the numbers of whole-time
  297
  equivalent NHS nursing and midwifery staff employed on each grade and pay point of the clinical grades, educational grades and senior nursing and midwifery pay spine in each year since 1990.

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Senior Nursing Staff

  74.11

  65.00

  66.00

  56.00

  Scale A

  2,737.79

  2,899.24

  2,807.74

  285.37

  Scale B

  226.68

  342.47

  430.92

  522.21

  Scale C

  1,124.27

  995.37

  907.95

  798.52

  Scale D

  3,448.58

  3,798.34

  3,818.30

  4,097.26

  Scale E

  4,884.96

  4,733.83

  4,536.20

  4,374.00

  Scale F

  430.92

  419.23

  438.31

  422.27

  Scale G

  2,221.14

  2,142.14

  2,034.61

  1,905.79

  Scale H

  183.40

  223.40

  241.59

  238.59

  Scale I

  184.64

  165.67

  155.27

  136.27

  Educational Grades

  284.73

  288.80

  282.09

  274.87

  Note: Information for 1990 and details of nurses on pay points is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Nursing Education
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the numbers of entrants to initial pre-registration nursing education by course of study and by the academic qualifications possessed by entrants in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:

  Number of students who commenced training

  Part of register

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Part 1 (general nursing)

  708

  671

  Part 3 (medical health nursing)

  186

  176

  Part 5 (mental handicap nursing)

  58

  54

  Part 8 (children's nursing)

  10

  18

  Part 1-degree

  20

  22

  Part 1-part 8

  56

  46

  Total

  1,038

  987

  Part of register

  Number of students who commenced training

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Part 1 (General Nursing)

  409

  180

  150

  Part 1/Degree

  27

  32

  —

  Part 3 (Mental Health Nursing)

  94

  61

  27

  Part 5 (Mental Handicap Nursing)

  12

  34

  22

  Part 8 (Children's Nursing)

  23

  12

  —

  Part 12 (Adult Nursing—P2000)

  217

  429

  461

  Part 13 (Mental Health Nursing: P2000)

  36

  94

  79

  Part 14 (Mental Handicap Nursing: P2000)

  18

  43

  34

  Part 15 (Children's Nursing: P2000)

  16

  30

  49

  Part 12/Degree

  —

  —

  32

  Total

  852

  915

  854

  It is not possible without undertaking a detailed manual exercise to provide details of the academic qualifications possessed by entrants in each year. However, the minimum entry requirements are five GCSE or GCE O-level grades or equivalent.
  298
  Mr. Ancram
  Details of the number of whole-time equivalent nursing and midwifery staff are as follows:

  Health Service Staff
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the numbers of health service directly employed staff by main staff group for each year since 1987; and what were the changes between each year and the next over the whole period in numbers,and percentages.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:

  HPSS workforce by staff group (whole time equivalents)

  Main staff groups

  Numbers

  1987

  Medical

  2,007.66

  Trained Nursing

  12,293.16

  Student Nursing

  2,924.00

  Other Nursing

  2,747.84

  Paramedical

  2,365.76

  Administration and Clerical

  5,787.98

  Domestic and Allied

  8,927.95

  Tradesmen

  951.61

  Other Grades

  611.73

  Social Services

  4,380.29

  Dental

  361.24

  Pharmacy

  235.09

  Ambulance

  579.25

  Home Helps

  2,965.81

  Total

  47,139.37

  1988 compared with 1987

  Main staff groups

  1988

  Numbers

  Per cent.

  Medical

  2,036.91

  +20.25

  +1.46

  Trained nursing

  12,581.10

  +287.94

  +2.34

  Student nursing

  2,841.90

  -82.10

  -2.81

  Other nursing

  2,776.61

  +28.77

  +1.05

  Paramedical

  2,440.54

  +74.78

  +3.16

  Administration and clerical

  5,944.29

  +156.31

  +2.70

  Domestic and Allied

  8,510.79

  -417.16

  +4.67

  Tradesmen

  927.00

  -24.61

  -2.59

  Other Grades

  596.97

  -14.76

  -2.41

  Social Services

  4,463.17

  +82.88

  +1.89

  Dental

  355.71

  -5.53

  -1.53

  Pharmacy

  237.60

  +2.51

  +1.07

  Ambulance

  575.75

  -3.50

  -0.60

  Home Helps

  2,758.82

  -206.99

  -6.98

  Total

  47,047.16

  -92.21

  -0.20

  299

  1989 compared with 1988

  Main staff groups

  1989

  Numbers

  Per cent.

  Medical

  2,073.52

  +36.51

  +1.80

  Trained nursing

  12,507.94

  -73.16

  -0.58

  Student nursing

  2,733.03

  -108.87

  -3.83

  Other nursing

  2,855.15

  +78.54

  +2.83

  Paramedical

  2,484.12

  +43.58

  +1.79

  Administration and clerical

  6,257.90

  +313.61

  +5.28

  Domestic and allied

  7,905.80

  -604.99

  -7.11

  Tradesmen

  913.00

  -14.00

  -1.51

  Other grades

  556.78

  -40.19

  -6.73

  Social services

  4,552.56

  +89.39

  +2.00

  Dental

  344.80

  -10.91

  -3.07

  Pharmacy

  247.70

  +10.10

  -4.25

  Ambulance

  567.84

  -7.91

  -1.37

  Home helps

  2,703.14

  -55.68

  -2.02

  Total

  46,703.28

  -343.88

  -0.73

  1990 compared with 1989

  Main staff groups

  1990

  Numbers

  Per cent.

  Medical

  1,977.57

  95.95

  -4.63

  Trained Nursing

  12,471.98

  -35.96

  -0.29

  Student Nursing

  11,678.24

  -154.79

  -5.66

  Other Nursing

  2,946.71

  +91.56

  +3.21

  Paramedical

  2,564.08

  +69.96

  +2.82

  Administration and Clerical

  6,748.95

  +491.05

  +7.85

  Domestic and Allied

  7,127.49

  -778.31

  -9.84

  Tradesmen

  878.00

  -35.00

  -3.83

  Other Grades

  526.78

  -30.00

  -5.39

  Social Services

  4,624.16

  +71.60

  +1.57

  Dental

  339.84

  -4.96

  -1.44

  Pharmacy

  250.39

  +2.96

  +1.09

  Ambulance

  588.43

  +20.59

  +3.63

  Home Helps

  2,373.48

  -329.66

  -12.20

  TOTAL

  45,986.10

  -717.18

  -1.51

  1991 compared with 1990

  Main staff groups

  1991

  Numbers

  Per cent.

  Medical

  2,027.22

  +49.65

  +2.51

  Trained Nursing

  12,506.44

  +34.46

  +0.28

  Student Nursing

  21,786.30

  -811.94

  -31.49

  Other Nursing

  3,253.93

  +307.22

  +10.43

  Paramedical

  2,679.21

  +125.13

  +4.9

  Administration and Clerical

  7,379.17

  +630.22

  +9.34

  Domestic and Allied

  6,215.58

  -911.91

  -12.79

  Tradesmen

  839.00

  -39.00

  -4.44

  Other Grades

  476.85

  -49.93

  -9.48

  Social Services

  4,628.71

  +4.55

  +0.10

  Dental

  325.50

  -14.34

  -4.22

  Pharmacy

  255.11

  +4.72

  +1.89

  Ambulance

  579.75

  -8.68

  -1.48

  Home Helps

  2,268.62

  -104.86

  -4.42

  TOTAL

  45,201.40

  -784.70

  -1.71

  1992 compared with 1991

  Main staff groups

  1992

  Numbers

  Per cent.

  Medical

  1,943.82

  -8.34

  -4.11

  Trained nursing

  12,343.90

  -162.54

  -1.30

  Student nursing

  3942.40

  -823.9

  46.65

  Other nursing

  3,267.75

  +13.82

  +0.43

  Paramedical

  2,746.00

  +66.79

  +2.49

  Administrative and Clerical

  7,632.45

  +253.28

  +3.43

  Domestic and allied

  5,678.67

  -536.91

  -8.64

  Tradesmen

  801.00

  -38.00

  -4.53

  Other grades

  480.15

  +3.30

  +0.69

  Social services

  4,596.99

  -31.72

  -0.69

  300

  1992 compared with 1991

  Main staff groups

  1992

  Numbers

  Per cent.

  Dental

  321.02

  -4.48

  -1.38

  Pharmacy

  253.88

  -1.23

  -0.48

  Ambulance

  673.24

  +93.39

  +16.13

  Home helps

  2,085.85

  -182.77

  -8.06

  TOTAL

  43,767.12

  -1,434.28

  -3.17

  1993 compared with 1992

  Main staff groups

  1993

  Numbers

  Per cent.

  Medical

  1,968.26

  +24.44

  +1.26

  Trained nursing

  12,230.88

  -113.02

  -0.92

  Student nursing

  4230.10

  -712.30

  -75.58

  Other nursing

  3,384.69

  +116.94

  +3.58

  Paramedical

  2,785.82

  +39.82

  +1.45

  Administrative and Clerical

  7,804.27

  +171.82

  +2.25

  Domestic and allied

  5,407.78

  -270.89

  -4.77

  Tradesmen

  781.00

  -20.00

  -2.50

  Other grades

  447.62

  -32.53

  -6.77

  Social services

  4,543.92

  -53.07

  -1.15

  Dental

  314.96

  -6.06

  -1.89

  Pharmacy

  258.29

  +4.41

  +1.74

  Ambulance

  669.92

  +3.32

  -0.49

  Home helps

  1,974.95

  -110.90

  -5.32

  TOTAL

  42,802.46

  -964.66

  -2.20

  Main staff groups

  1993 compared with 1987

  Numbers

  Per cent.

  Medical

  -39.40

  -1.96

  Trained Nursing

  -62.28

  -0.51

  Student Nursing

  -2,693.90

  -92.13

  Other Nursing

  +636.85

  +23.18

  Paramedical

  +420.06

  +17.76

  Admin and Clerical

  +2,016.29

  +34.84

  Domestic and Allied

  -3,520.17

  -39.43

  Tradesmen

  -170.61

  -17.93

  Other Grades

  -164.11

  -26.83

  Social Services

  +163.63

  +3.74

  Dental

  -46.28

  -12.81

  Pharmacy

  +23.20

  +9.87

  Ambulance

  +90.67

  +15.65

  Home Helps

  -990.86

  -33.41

  Total

  -4,336.91

  -9.20

  1 Excludes 188 Project 2,000 Student Nurses.

  2 Excludes 861 Project 2,000 Student Nurses.

  3 Excludes 1,441 Project 2,000 Student Nurses.

  4 Excludes 1,694 Project 2,000 Student Nurses.

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

  Sir John Wheeler
  The Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments produced 192 regular publications during the financial year 1993–94. Circulation included a wide range of public and private sector bodies, groups representing clients interests, interested parties, academics, various officials and, where appropriate, Northern Ireland Members of Parliament, Northern Ireland and party spokesmen and the Library of the House. Some 107 of those regular publications were available by subscription or for purchase through HMSO.

  Strangford Lough Marine Nature Reserve
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans have been made to ensure that the livelihoods of fishermen will be protected as a result of the proposed designation of the Strangford Lough marine nature reserve; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  It is not anticipated that the creation of the proposed marine nature reserve for Strangford Lough will adversely affect the livelihoods of local fishermen; nonetheless, following objections received from organisations representing the fishermen, the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland will continue its dialogue with the representatives concerned with a view to resolving any problems.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the standard response times of the ambulance service in the Southern and Eastern health board areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ancram
  The standard response times for an emergency ambulance call in Eastern ambulance HSS trust area is 18 minutes, that is, from the receipt of the call to the arrival of a vehicle at the site of the patient. Over the nine months period 1 April to 31 December 1993, 93 per cent. of emergency ambulance calls were responded to within this target.

  The standard response times for an emergency ambulance call in Southern health and social services board area is 21 minutes, that is, from the receipt of the call to the arrival of a vehicle at the site of the patient. Over the nine months period 1 April to 31 December 1993, 95 per cent. of emergency ambulance calls were responded to within this target.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the current response times of the ambulance service in the Mournes area of South Down covered by the Southern health and social services board; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ancram
  Information on response times is not available for the Mournes area of South Down as this information is collected only on an area board basis.

  Vehicle Crime
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the reduction in(a) non-terrorist related vehicle crime and (b) all vehicle crime, since the introduction of photo-driving licences in Northern Ireland.

  Sir John Wheeler
  None. Photographs have appeared on driving licences in Northern Ireland since 1927.

  Cremations
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the latest available annual figure for the number of people cremated.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  In 1993, 1,926 cremations took place.

  Social Workers
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it compulsory for the new trust boards to employ approved social workers to care for(a) the mentally sick and (b) people with disability; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ancram
  Any health and social services trust holding an authorisation from a board to exercise statutory functions under the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 is already under a statutory duty to employ approved social workers and accordingly no further action is necessary.

  Approved social workers are only appointed under the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 to exercise functions in relation to applications for admission to hospital and guardianship in respect of people with mental disorder ie mental illness, mental handicap or any other disorder or disability of mind.

HEALTH

  Water Births
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will issue guidance clarifying whether a mother has a right to a water birth.

  Mr. Sackville
  District health authorities as purchasers and hospitals as providers should seek the views of women in determining arrangements for maternity care, including the birth itself. The Expert Maternity Group's report, "Changing Childbirth", calls on the national health service to provide a service which is as responsible as possible to the needs of women.

  Circular EL(94)9 already sets out action required by the NHS to implement the recommendations of the expert maternity group within the next five years.

  Copies of "Changing Childbirth" and circular EL(94)9 are available in the Library.

  AIDS
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what allocations were made to local authorities in the northern region for AIDS support in(a) 1993–94 and (b) 1994–95; and what was the basis of allocation to such authorities in each of those years.

  Mr. Sackville
  For 1993–94 AIDS support grant allocations were made on the basis of open-ended bids submitted by local authorities. Local authorities not receiving AIDS support grant were given money under the health alliances scheme for HIV prevention and joint working with health authorities.

  For 1994–95 local authorities were invited to submit expenditure plans against indicative allocations of both AIDS support grant and healthy alliances moneys. These allocations were based on confidential information available for the first time and supplied to the Department by the Public Health Laboratory Service on the distribution of AIDS cases by local authority area. Where this formula would mean a reduction in grant in 1994–95, local authorities were advised that there might, in exceptional circumstances, be some scope to adjust allocations on a transitional basis and that applications for additional grant could be made. We hope to issue letters confirming final allocations shortly.
  303
  The information requested for the northern region is shown in the table. The figures in brackets relate to allocations under the healthy alliance scheme.

  1993–94 Allocation

  1994–95 Indicative allocation

  Authority

  AIDS support grant £

  Healthy alliances

  AIDS support grant £

  Healthy alliances

  Cleveland

  0

  (56,000)

  27,000

  (5,000)

  Cumbria

  0

  (31,000)

  10,000

  (2,000)

  Durham

  0

  (44,000)

  2,000

  (6,000)

  Gateshead

  0

  (30,000)

  10,000

  (2,000)

  Newcastle

  223,000

  (0)

  86,000

  (64,000)

  Northumberland

  0

  (25,000)

  15,000

  (3,000)

  North Tyneside

  0

  (54,000)

  15,000

  (3,000)

  South Tyneside

  0

  (45,000)

  15,000

  (3,000)

  Sunderland

  0

  (48,000)

  10,000

  (2,000)

  Junior Doctors
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of junior doctors in each region and in England.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The most up-to-date figures, for September 1993, are expected to be available in August this year.

  Percentage contracted for 83 hours a week or less

  North West Thames

  North East Thames

  South East Thames

  South West Thames

  September 1991

  84

  66

  77

  78

  September 1992

  85

  80

  75

  91

  September 1993

  100.0

  98.9

  99.8

  99.9

  Medical Negligence
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of the proven cases of medical negligence in hospitals in England in the last 10 years; what was the average completion time in such cases; in how many cases medical practitioners were(a) dismissed from the health service, (b) advised to retire or (c) suffered some other sanction; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 14 March at columns 537–38.

  Ophthalmics
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what restrictions exist on ophthalmological departments of hospitals setting themselves up as opticians.

  Mr. Sackville
  None, provided that this does not significantly interfere with national health service activity or disadvantage NHS patients.

  Staff Levels
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the present level of nursing staff in(a) London and (b) Lewisham.
  304
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the average working hours for junior doctors in each of London's regional health authorities; and what the figures were in 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information on the average working hours of junior doctors is not available.

  Trends in the patterns of contracted hours are monitored by the regional task forces and are summarised in the table. Data for 1990 are not available.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Cunningham) on 27 April at column 197.

  Maternal Death
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the Department intends to take to improve co-operation or impose sanctions so that all report forms of maternal death are returned to the confidential inquiry into maternal death.

  Mr. Sackville
  One of the outstanding features of the confidential inquiry into maternal deaths and one of the factors contributing to its success, has been its voluntary nature. The Department therefore has no plans to impose sanctions on health authorities for the return of report forms notifying maternal deaths.

  However, when the latest report, covering the period 1988–90, was disseminated in January of this year, under cover of a leter PLCMO(94)1 from the Chief Medical Officer, the opportunity was taken to remind health professionals of the importance of completing reports promptly. This is a matter that is kept under regular review. Copies of the letter are available in the Library.

  Paracetamol Overdose
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of suicide deaths resulted from paracetamol overdose in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.
  305

  Suicide deaths from poisoning where paracetamol is mentioned in the deaths' records. England and Wales 1988–1992.

  Paracetamol without mention of other drugs

  Paracetamol with mention of other drugs

  Year

  Numbers

  Percentage of suicide deaths

  Numbers

  Percentage of suicide deaths

  1988

  102 (10)

  2.4

  29 (4)

  0.7

  1989

  64 (3)

  1.7

  13 (3)

  0.3

  1990

  101 (5)

  2.6

  5 (-)

  0.1

  1991

  81 (5)

  2.1

  23 (3)

  0.6

  1992

  99 (11)

  2.5

  12 (3)

  0.3

  The figures in brackets are deaths where there was also a mention of alcohol.

  Note: This table is compiled using the information available in Table 2 of Series DH2, and Table 10 of Series DH4.

  Table 2 of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys publication "Mortality Statistics: cause" Series DH2 lists all three-digit ICD (International Classification of Diseases) categories containing a death, and also all four digit categories that are expected to attain 20 deaths annually.

  Table 10 of the OPCS publication "Mortality statistics: injury and poisoning" Series DH4 nos. 15–19, lists all substances mention ed in the records of deaths assigned to accidental and other poisoning by solid or liquid substances. The inclusion of a substance in this list does not, however, imply that it is necessarily toxic. Where two or more substances are mentioned together the contribution, if any, of each to the death is unknown; even where one substance is listed alone there may well be the other factors with an important bearing on death.

  Copies of the publications are available in the Library.

  Hospital Consultant Posts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital consultant posts by specialty are currently vacant.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The most up-to-date figures, for September 1993, are expected to be available in August 1994.

  Health Services, Leeds
  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds have been closed in(a) the Leeds St. James trust and (b) the Leeds general infirmary trust since their inception as trusts.

  Mr. Sackville
  The latest information available is published in "Bed Availability in England 1992–93", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many operations were cancelled in the last three months of the 1993–94 financial year in(a) the Leeds St. James trust and (b) the Leeds general infirmary trust;

  (2) how many patients were not admitted within a month of their second cancelled operation in (a) the Leeds St. James trust and (b) the Leeds general infirmary trust in the last quarter of the 1993–94 financial year.

  Mr. Sackville
  These are matters for the St. James's university hospital and United Leeds teaching hospitals national health service trusts. The hon. Member may wish to contact the acting chairman and chairman Councillor Mr. Bernard Atha and Mr. Tony Clegg, respectively.

  Health Services, Sunderland
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on which date Sunderland district health authority(a) considered and (b) resolved to move the Sunderland family health services authority to the Durham road children's centre.

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for the Sunderland family health services authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. John Brown, chairman of the authority for details.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will list the dates and occasions on which 306
  the Sunderland district health authority consulted with (a) the City of Sunderland social services department, (b) the Sunderland district health authority clinicians, (c) GPs and health personnel involved in the delivery of child health services over the (i) options to unify child health services and (ii) the use of the Sunderland eye infirmary site;

  (2) on which date building work and alterations were (a) authorised and (b) commenced at the Sunderland eye infirmary to accommodate the proposed move of child health services to that site;

  (3) if she will give the date on which the Sunderland community health council received public consultation documents concerning the proposed unification of child health services on the Sunderland eye infirmary site;

  (4) if she will list the dates or occasions on which the children, parents or carers and other users of the Sunderland health authority child development unit were consulted on the proposed move to the Sunderland eye infirmary site;

  (5) on which date the Sunderland district health authority invited tenders for the building and alteration work to accommodate the children's department unit at the Sunderland eye infirmary; how many tenders were received and on what dates;

  (6) what was the date of the Sunderland health authority decision to move the child health services to the Sunderland eye infirmary site;

  (7) if she will list all the options considered by the Sunderland district health authority for the proposed unification of child health services and the dates on which these options were discussed by the Sunderland district health authority board.

  Mr. Sackville
  We understand that Sunderland district health authority has conducted formal consultation on a proposal affecting child health services in Sunderland. It is reviewing this proposal, as a result of the consultation. The proposal may be referred to the Northern and Yorkshire regional health authority and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health in due course for a final decision.

  Details of the consultation and tendering process are a matter for Sunderland district health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. George Bedell, chairman of the DHA for details.

  Data Protection
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she plans to publish guidance on confidentiality in the use and disclosure of national health service information.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 21 January at column 888. We hope to issue this draft guidance, for consultation, shortly.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what rights general practitioners have to sell computerised data on patients.

  Mr. Sackville
  The disclosure of patient data outside the national health service, whether computerised or manually held and whether for a fee or not, is subject to the common law of confidentiality. Computerised data are also subject to the Data Protection Act 1984. Patient data should not be released outside the NHS without the patient's consent unless disclosure can be justified in the public interest. Data may also be disclosed if required by court order or statute.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to enable patients' notes to be used in the interests of the national health service where it conflicts with interests of patients.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have no such plans. Patients' notes are compiled primarily for the care and treatment of the individual patient. However, the information in them may be used to help with planning and managing the national health service, and monitoring and maintaining the public health to benefit individual patients and the population as a whole. Most of these wider functions require only anonymised data, and confidentiality is strictly maintained throughout.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to define the need to know in relation to access by non-clinicians to patients' notes in the national health service; and to what parts of the patients' notes managers should have access.

  Mr. Sackville
  Advice on this will be included in the draft guidance on the confidentiality, use and disclosure of personal health information which we plan to issue for consultation shortly. Patient information is used only on a strict need-to-know basis within the national health service, including bodies acting on behalf of the NHS, for care and treatment and for other NHS purposes. Only that part of the information which a recipient needs to know to fulfil his responsibilities may be disclosed, and the information should be anonymised unless it is essential for the recipient to know the patient's identity.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what access patients may have to their own primary care notes; and to what extent this applies to older notes.

  Mr. Sackville
  National Health Service bodies have been asked to encourage informal, voluntary arrangements for patients to see their records at the discretion of the health professional principally responsible for their clinical care. Under the Data Protection Act 1984 patients have a right of access to all personal information held on computer, subject to safeguards to protect themselves from 308
  serious harm and prevent the identification of third parties. They also have the right of access to their manual health records subject to similar safeguards under the Access to Health Records Act 1990, which applies to records compiled on or after its operative date of 1 November 1991. Access to manual records compiled before that date is at the discretion of the record-holder.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the agencies outside the national health service which have access to patients' notes.

  Mr. Sackville
  Patient information may not be disclosed to any agencies outside the national health service unless the patient consents, or unless disclosure can be justified in the public interest or is required by court order or statute.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued in relation to primary computers accessing hospital computer systems including clinical records.

  Mr. Sackville
  Communications between computers in primary care with computers in hospitals are by predetermined messages which comply with strict standards ensuring security. Such messages do not involve access by one computer to records held in another. If access of that type is proposed in future, strict security guidance will be issued to control it.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is the final arbiter within a hospital in relation to confidentiality of patients' notes.

  Mr. Sackville
  National health service bodies and staff have a legal duty of confidence towards patients. Decisions on the use or disclosure of information in patients' notes are the responsibility of the health service body but are usually taken by, or after consultation with, the health professional principally responsible for a patient's care and treatment.

  General Practitioners (Cars and Minibuses)
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to enable non-fundholding general practitioners to be given the resources to finance cars and minibuses for their surgeries.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Under the terms of their cost-plus contract, practice expenses, including necessary motoring expenses, incurred in the delivery of general medical services are fully reimbursed to the profession.

  Patients Charter Managers
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of patients charter managers currently employed in regional and district health authorities.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Many regional offices, district health authorities and national health service trusts have designated a senior manager to be responsible for patients charter matters.

  Office Accommodation
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the office blocks and other accommodation vacated as a result of reorganisation within the national
  309
  health service, including the movement of the national health service executive to Leeds and internal changes within the regions; and which buildings are currently unoccupied.

  Mr. Sackville
  Prior to their move to Leeds, the national health service management executive staff occupied parts of 10 buildings in London. These were State house, Portland court, Richmond house, Russell square, Eileen house, Friars house, Market towers, Euston towers, Milbank tower and Hannibal house. Of those, two have been disposed of and seven remain occupied by Government Departments. Hannibal house is currently empty but is to be partly reoccupied by the Department of Health to allow another building to be disposed of. The move of the NHS management executive to Leeds is saving some £10 million a year on the cost of office space in London and on higher London salaries.

  Information is not available centrally in the form requested on accommodation changes in the NHS more widely. These are a matter for the health authority or NHS trust concerned.

  Cervical and Breast Cancer
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the upper age limit for routine screening for(a) cervical cancer and (b) breast cancer recommended by her Department.

  Mr. Sackville
  The upper age limit for routine screening for cervical cancer is 64 years. Women aged 65 and over who have not had two consecutive negative smear tests in the previous 10 years should also be screened, otherwise smears are available at least every five years on request. The upper age limit for routine screening for breast cancer is 64. Women aged 65 and over may continue to be screened at least every three years on request.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women(a) were diagnosed as having and (b) died from (i) cervical cancer and (ii) breast cancer by five yearly age groups in each of the last five years; and what is the total number of women in each of those age groups.

  Mr. Sackville
  Figures for the incidence of cervical and breast cancer are given in "Cancer Statistics Registrations" Series MB1 nos. 16, 18, 19, 20 and 21 (1988 the latest available); and for deaths in "Mortality Statistics: cause" series DH2 nos. 11–19, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Prescription Charges (Asthmatics)
  Mr. Hoon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total number of prescriptions issued to asthmatics in(a) 1992–93 and (b) 1993–94; and how many were (i) free of charge, (ii) covered by a pre-payment certificate, (iii) paid for a straightforward commercial transaction and (iv) paid for in some other way.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The available information is shown in the table.
  310

  Number of prescription items for drugs used in the treatment of asthma (Bronchodilators, Corticosteroids, and Cromoglycate and related therapy1) dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors in England in 1992 and 1993

  Year

  Free of Charge

  Charge at point of dispensing

  Pre-payment certificate

  Total

  1992

  21,088,000

  3,879,000

  2,396,000

  27,363,000

  1993

  22,912,000

  3,817,000

  2,496,000

  29,225,000

  Note:

  1 Drugs used in the treatment of asthma are contained in the British National Formulary sections 3.1 (Bronchodilators), 3.2 (Corticosteroids), and 3.3 (Cromoglycate and related therapy). The therapeutic classifications are based on the September 1992 issue. The drugs for Bronchodilators may be used for other conditions. Patients with asthma may also be prescribed drugs which are not specifically for the treatment of asthma.

  NHS Trusts
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trusts in(a) London and (b) England failed to meet financial targets set by her Department in 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is shown in the table. Information for 1993–94 will not be available until the accounts of trusts are audited. The majority of trusts had technical issues which affected their ability to meet their financial duties. This does not imply any failure in financial control. In a number of cases the difference between actual financial performance and statutory target is deemed to be immaterial.

  1991–92

  1992–93

  London1

  4

  9

  England

  18

  73

  1 Trusts located in London boroughs.

  NHS Management Executive
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints her Department and the NHS management executive have received in each year since 1990–91.

  Mr. Sackville
  We do not keep central records of the number of complaints received in the Department and the national health service executive.

  GPs, Birmingham
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners there were in Birmingham in each of the last 10 years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information relating to the Birmingham family health services authority area is shown in the table.

  Date 1 October

  Number of unrestricted principals

  Date 1 October

  Number of unrestricted principals

  1984

  536

  1989

  574

  1985

  547

  1990

  579

  1986

  556

  1991

  564

  1987

  570

  1992

  563

  1988

  574

  11993

  560

  1 Average list size 1,909; England average list size 1,902.

  311
  The Medical Practices Committee has advised that since 1990 there have been a number of single-handed general practitioners leaving the medical list and because they had small list sizes their lists were dispersed. There have also been a number of GPs leaving partnerships where the partnerships have succeeded to the outgoing doctor's list but no replacement was required.

  Local Medical Committees (Functions)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes are being considered in the functions of local medical committees; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Mawhinney
  None.

  General Practitioners (Mobile Phones)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to subsidise or reimburse the cost to patients of making essential calls to general practitioners where the latter are using mobile phones in the course of their duties.

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  Benomyl
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she plans to publish the report concerning the alleged connection between anophthalmia and the use of the pesticide Benomyl; when this report was originally due; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department has commissioned a comprehensive epidemiological study of cases of anophthalmia and microphthalmia from the environmental epidemiology unit at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. This is projected to run from January 1994 until November 1995.

  Young Persons Unit, Macclesfield
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received about the proposed closure of the young persons unit at Macclesfield.

  Mr. Bowis
  Ministers have received letters from 10 hon. Members and one from a member of the public.

  Psychiatric Services (Young People)
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has for ensuring that specialist psychiatric services for young people continue to be available.

  Mr. Bowis
  We recognise the importance of child and adolescent mental health services and are currently involved in a number of initiatives aimed at promoting their development. These include research and other service-based studies and preparation of a purchasing guide for the relevant health, social services and education authorities.

  Children's Homes
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to monitor the placement of children in homes unregistrable under the Children Act 1989.
  312
  Mr. Bowis
  The social services inspectorate undertook a study of the prevalence and use made of these homes by local authorities in the north-west of England. "Small Unregistered Children's Homes", the report of a study by the social services inspectorate, was published in March and copies are available in the Library. Further studies will be made in due course.

  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the total number of children placed in homes unregistrable under the Children Act 1989.

  Mr. Bowis
  This information is not separately identified in figures available centrally.

  Health Services, Sheffield
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Dulwich (Ms Jowell) of 12 April,Official Report, column 72, how much is spent per capita in health services for residents in Sheffield as a whole; and what proportion is spent in treatment by (a) district health authorities and (b) family health services authorities.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  1992–93 expenditure per capita by health authorities in Sheffield was:

  £

  Per cent.

  Sheffield DHA

  455

  77

  Sheffield FHSA

  135

  23

  Nuclear Weapons
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what responsibilities agencies and bodies accountable to her Department are required to assume in the event of an accident or incident involving United States nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sackville
  The arrangements for the response to radiation incidents are essentially the same regardless of the source of the incident. The national health service is responsible for the treatment of any casualties, for monitoring for radiation of anyone who may have been exposed to radiation and for the provision of information and advice to the public.

  The National Radiological Protection Board is required to specify emergency reference levels of radiation dose for members of the public in the event of any radiation incident and will provide advice to the operational bodies in the event of an incident.

  Medical Audits
  Sir Gerard Vaughan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans she has to commission a medical audit of the quality of treatment being received by patients of the general practitioner practices whose annual prescribing costs are 20 per cent. or below the average for practices in their family health service authority areas;

  (2) what plans she has to commission a medical audit of the quality of treatment being received by patients of the four general practitioner practices cited in the Audit Commission's recent report on rational prescribing.
  313
  Dr. Mawhinney
  Family health services authorities are responsible for working with general practitioner practices to make sure that their prescribing is both cost-effective and meets all real clinical needs of patients.

SCOTLAND

  Student Awards
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish the framework document for the new executive agency to administer student awards in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  I have agreed that the new agency established to administer student awards in Scotland should be known as the Student Awards Agency for Scotland; it commenced operations on 5 April. I am arranging for copies of the framework document to be placed in the Vote Office and in the Libraries of the House. I shall remain accountable to Parliament for the activities of the agency, but I am delegating to the chief executive full managerial authority for its day to day operation. For the future, I envisage that the agency will use its greater flexibilities to help meet increasingly demanding targets and to improve further its standards of service.

  I will arrange for copies of the executive summary of the agency's corporate plan, which will detail the key performance targets I have set, to be made available shortly.

  Registers of Scotland
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has completed the review of the Registers of Scotland executive agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  I have reviewed the Registers of Scotland at the end of its first three years as an executive agency and have concluded that agency status should continue. ROS's performance has been evaluated, and the following main conclusions reached:

  Location

  Region

  Species

  Cause of death

  1989

  Roxburghe Estate

  Borders

  Buzzard

  Mevinphos

  Carbeth Estate

  Central

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Campsie Fells

  Central

  Peregrine Falcon

  Mevinphos

  Campsie Fells

  Central

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Langholm

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Peregrine Falcon

  Mevinphos

  Creochs of Balmaghig Castle Douglas

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Lossiemouth

  Grampian

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  New Pitsligo

  Grampian

  Buzzard

  Mevinphos

  Old Meldrum

  Grampian

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Gordon Bush Est Brora

  Highland

  Peregrine Falcon

  Chloralose

  Corntown

  Highland

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Dalwhinnie

  Highland

  Hen Harrier

  Shot

  Lochcarron

  Highland

  Eagle

  Shot

  Golspie

  Highland

  Merlin

  Shot

  Drumochter Estate

  Highland

  Eagle

  Chloralose

  Black Isle

  Highland

  Red Kite

  Chloralose

  Islay Estate

  Strathclyde

  Raven

  Mevinphos

  Islay Estate

  Strathclyde

  Buzzard

  Mevinphos

  Kilbirnie

  Strathclyde

  Peregrine Falcon

  Shot

  314
  despite some difficulties in 1990–91, ROS has had a successful first three years;

  substantial improvements in quality of service to customers have been achieved in line with the principles of the citizens charter; backlogs of work have been largely eliminated;

  the extension of the Land Register is now proceeding to an agreed timetable; and

  a major information systems strategy is being successfully implemented.

  the satisfactory introduction of accrual accounts for the year 1992–93 will allow consideration of ROS moving to trading fund status in the near future.

  ROS's framework document has been revised and I have placed a copy in the Libraries of both Houses.

  I have set ROS the following key targets for 1994–95:
  to reduce turnround times for recording writs on the Sasines register from eight to seven weeks.
  to reduce turnround times for dealings on the Land Register not attached to a first registration or Transfer of part from 12 to 11.5 weeks.
  to implement the agreed Land Register extension programme.
  to contain any increase in unit costs in real terms for each of its main categories of work to 1 per cent.

  Bird Killing
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, by estate, those occasions on which birds belonging to protected species have been found(a) shot, (b) poisoned or (c) otherwise illegally killed in each of the past five years; and if he will state the number of (i) prosecutions and (ii) convictions which have resulted.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 28 March 1994]: The information relates to incidents reported to the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department's wildlife incident investigation service. The estate or other location listed is that recorded when each incident was reported. The location of a find has in itself no bearing on the responsibility for the incident.

  Reports are made to the procurator fiscal where sufficient evidence is available. In respect of these cases, one prosecution in 1989, three in 1990 and one in 1993 all resulted in convictions. One case is pending.
  315

  Location

  Region

  Species

  Cause of death

  Monzie Estate, Crieff

  Tayside

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Fincastle

  Tayside

  Tawny Owl

  Shot

  Caenlochan NR

  Tayside

  Eagle

  Shot

  Blair Atholl

  Tayside

  Buzzard

  Shot

  E. Loch Ollay, South Uist

  Western Isles

  Raven/Crow

  Chloralose

  1990

  Cromlix Estate

  Central

  Buzzard/Hen Harrier

  Chloralose

  Flanders Moss

  Central

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Aberdeenshire

  Grampian

  Sparrowhawk

  Shot

  Den of Pitlurg

  Grampian

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Rosehaugh Estate, Black Isle

  Highland

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Ledmore Estate, Lairg

  Highland

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Edderton, Tain

  Highland

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Ledmore Estate, Lairg

  Highland

  Eagle and Gull

  Chloralose

  Alness

  Highland

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Strathpeffer

  Highland

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Edinburgh

  Lothian

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Hopetoun Estate, Abington

  Strathclyde

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Forfar

  Tayside

  Sparrowhawk

  Shot

  Glenfernate Estate Enochdu, Blairgowrie

  Tayside

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Loch Earn

  Tayside

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Grimersta Estate, Lewis

  Western Isles

  Eagle chick

  Chloralose

  1991

  Hawkhill

  Fife

  Buzzard

  Strychnine

  Forres

  Grampian

  Buzzards/Crows

  Chloralose

  Lybster

  Highland

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Seafield Estate

  Highland

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Rosehaugh Estate, Black Isle

  Highland

  Buzzards

  Mevinphos

  Abington

  Strathclyde

  Hen harrier

  Shot

  Sorn

  Strathclyde

  Buzzard/crows

  Chloralose

  Dougarie Estate, Arran

  Strathclyde

  Eagle

  Chloralose

  Glean Eason Biorach, Arran

  Strathclyde

  Eagle

  Shot

  Kelburn Country Park, Renfrew

  Strathclyde

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Blairgowrie

  Tayside

  Crossbills

  Shot

  1992

  Endrickmouth NNR

  Central

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Dalswinton Estate Auldgirth

  Dumfermline and Gall

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Invercauld Estate Crathie

  Grampian

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Huntly

  Grampian

  Sparrowhawk

  Chloralose

  Tomatin

  Highland

  Eagle

  Chloralose

  Dochfour Estate

  Highland

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Unknown

  Highland

  Swan

  Shot

  Cawdor Estate

  Highland

  Buzzard and magpie

  Strychnine

  Balival Farm, Conon Bridge

  Highland

  Hen harrier

  Strychnine

  Kincraig

  Highland

  Buzzard

  Shot

  Careston Estate, Brechin

  Tayside

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Over Cardney Estate, Dunkeld

  Tayside

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Fortingall

  Tayside

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Glenbeich and Ardveich Farms near Loch Tay

  Tayside

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Straloch Farm, Blairgowrie

  Tayside

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  1993

  Galashiels

  Border

  Red Kite

  Chloralose

  Lothian Estate, Monteviot

  Border

  Osprey

  Shot

  Stracathro

  Grampian

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Stracathro Hill

  Grampian

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Alness

  Highland

  Buzzard

  Difenacoum

  Aberarder Estate

  Highland

  Eagle

  Carbofuran

  Gledfield Estate, Ardgay

  Highland

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  316 317

  Location

  Region

  Species

  Cause of death

  South Balkeith Farm, Tain

  Highland

  Buzzards, rook and jackdaws

  Carbofuran

  Glenberg Estate, Grantown/Spey

  Highland

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Ralia Estate

  Highland

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Assich Forest Nairn

  Highland

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Woodall Estate, Calderbank

  Strathclyde

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Carruth Estate

  Strathclyde

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Bougilie, Arran

  Strathclyde

  Eagle

  Shot

  Mauchline

  Strathclyde

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Farleyer Estate, Aberfeldy

  Tayside

  Buzzard

  Carbofuran

  Loansfold Farm and Blindswell Farm, Perth

  Tayside

  Buzzard

  Chloralose

  Abortions
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many NHS abortions were performed on women who were under 13 weeks pregnant and resident in each health board area in Scotland in each year since 1990; and how many of these operations involved admission and discharge of the patient on the same day.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 27 April 1994]: The figures for 1993 are not yet available. The information for 1990–92 by health board of residence is as follows:

  Under 13 weeks—Total

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Scotland

  8,904

  9,814

  9,624

  Argyll and Clyde

  617

  640

  511

  Ayrshire and Arran

  555

  590

  625

  Borders

  118

  160

  146

  Dumfries and Galloway

  204

  214

  216

  Fife

  675

  708

  678

  Forth Valley

  427

  460

  487

  Grampian

  1,009

  1,131

  1,088

  Greater Glasgow

  1,486

  1,689

  1,778

  Highland

  386

  377

  376

  Island Boards1

  73

  69

  92

  Lanarkshire

  747

  837

  836

  Lothian

  1,602

  1,882

  1,792

  Tayside

  993

  1,046

  981

  Resident Outwith Scotland

  12

  11

  18

  Under 13 weeks—Admission and discharge same day

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Scotland

  5,498

  7,286

  8,008

  Argyll and Clyde

  421

  488

  396

  Ayrshire and Arran

  372

  556

  588

  Borders

  91

  151

  137

  Dumfries and Galloway

  3

  19

  17

  Fife

  492

  547

  535

  Forth Valley

  126

  316

  419

  Grampian

  658

  829

  818

  Greater Glasgow

  571

  1,023

  1,547

  Highland

  275

  293

  302

  Island Boards1

  12

  10

  15

  Lanarkshire

  139

  267

  570

  Lothian

  1,429

  1,798

  1,722

  Tayside

  904

  983

  926

  Resident Outwith Scotland

  5

  6

  16

  1 Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles Health Boards.

  Ambulance Service, Glasgow
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the success rate for the Scottish ambulance service, Greater Glasgow area, in percentage terms of achieving its ORCON standards for(a) reaction to a 999 call and (b) reaching the site.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 27 April 1994]: Activation and response times in Glasgow have improved since 1992–93. This improvement has been secured despite a 5 per cent. increase in demand.

  The information is as follows:

  Target

  Achieved 1992–93 Per cent.

  Achieved 1993–94 Per cent.

  Activation time

  95 per cent. in 3 minutes

  83

  92

  Response times

  50 per cent. in 7 minutes

  32

  38

  95 per cent. in 14 minutes

  80

  89

  Prison Officers
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many days work have been lost by prison officers due to illness in Scotland in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 27 April 1994]: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Scottish Prison Service under its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Mr. John McFall, dated 3 May 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about days work lost by prison officers, due to illness, in Scotland, in each of the last five years.
  Information held centrally relates to all days covered by sick certificates and does not necessarily equate to working days lost. It also includes all prison service grades, not just prison officers.
  The information is as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1989

  80,496

  1990

  73,980

  1991

  75,602

  319

  Year

  Number

  1992

  80,781

  1993

  97,403

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

  Mr. Lang
  There were 66 regular publications published and sold by the Scottish Office in 1993–94. All are available by subscription or standing order. There are 707 addresses on the subscription file.

  Local Government Etc. (Scotland) Bill
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an estimate of the total cost to his Department of all aspects of(a) the consultation paper on the structure of local government of June 1991 and subsequent consideration, (b) the White Paper of July 1993 and (c) all correspondence, meetings and briefings before and during the second reading debate and the committee stage of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Bill.

  Mr. Stewart
  The total cost of the consultation paper "The Case for Change", which was published in June 1991, of the consultation paper "Shaping the New Councils", published in October 1992 and of associated material, including leaflets, a video and so on, was approximately £148,800. The cost of the White Paper "Shaping the Future—The New Councils" and related material was £58,200. It is not possible to identify or quantify administrative costs incurred by the Scottish Office which are related specifically to correspondence, meetings and briefings about the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Bill.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many civil servants from his Department have been required to travel to London in connection with the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Bill during each week since 16 January; and if he will give the number from each grade, the number of clays and the costs of(a) travel and (b) subsistence.

  Mr. Stewart
  Details of the civil servants travelling to London in connection with the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Bill since 16 January are given in the table:

  Civil Servants travelling to London in connection with the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Bill

  Number of officials of each grade

  Number of "man" days (Number of officials x number of days)

  Total number of overnight stays1

  17 January 1994

  Grade 5

  1

  Grade 7

  2

  Administrative trainee (Europe)

  1

  4

  4

  24 January 1994

  None

  0

  0

  320

  Number of officials of each grade

  Number of "man" days (Number of officials x number of days)

  Total number of overnight stays1

  31 January 1994

  Grade 5

  1

  Grade 6

  1

  Grade 7

  1

  Administration trainee (Europe)

  1

  Executive officer

  1

  Personal secretary

  1

  Administration assistant

  1

  32

  26

  7 February 1994

  Grade 5

  1

  Grade 7

  3

  Administration trainee (Europe)

  1

  Executive Office

  1

  Personal Secretary

  1

  Administrative Assistant

  1

  32

  24

  14 February 1994

  Grade 5

  2

  Grade 6

  1

  Grade 7

  3

  Administrative trainee (Europe)

  1

  Executive officer

  1

  Personal secretary

  1

  Administrative assistant

  1

  34

  26

  21 February 1994

  Grade 5

  1

  Grade 6

  1

  Grade 7

  2

  Higher executive officer

  1

  Administrative trainee (Europe)

  1

  Executive officer

  2

  Personal secretary

  1

  Administrative officer

  2

  34

  25

  28 February 1994

  Grade 3

  1

  Grade 5

  4

  Grade 6

  1

  Grade 7

  4

  Higher Executive Officer

  2

  Admin Trainee (Europe)

  1

  Executive Officer

  1

  Personal Secretary

  1

  Admin Officer

  1

  54

  44

  7 March 1994

  Grade 4

  1

  Grade 5

  3

  Grade 7

  6

  Higher Executive Officer

  2

  Admin Trainee (Europe)

  1

  Executive Officer

  1

  Personal Secretary

  1

  Admin Officer

  1

  54

  41

  14 March 1994

  Grade 5

  4

  Grade 7

  6

  Senior Professional and Technical Officer

  1

  Higher Executive Officer (Development)

  1

  Higher Executive Officer

  2

  Admin Trainee (Europe)

  1

  Executive Officer

  1

  Personal Secretary

  1

  321

  Number of officials of each grade

  Number of "man" days (Number of officials x number of days)

  Total number of overnight stays1

  Admin Assistant

  1

  51

  39

  21 March 1994

  Grade 5

  3

  Grade 6

  1

  Grade 7

  5

  Higher Executive Officer

  1

  Admin Trainee (Europe)

  1

  Personal Secretary

  2

  Admin Officer

  1

  Admin Assistant

  1

  Typist

  1

  45

  40

  28 March 1994

  Grade 5

  1

  Grade 6

  1

  Grade 7

  1

  Higher Executive Officer

  1

  Personal Secretary

  1

  Admin Officer

  1

  Admin Assistant

  1

  Typist

  1

  23

  22

  11 April 1994

  Grade 5

  2

  Grade 6

  1

  Grade 7

  4

  Higher Executive Officer

  1

  Personal Secretary

  1

  Admin Officer

  1

  Admin Assistant

  1

  Typist

  1

  39

  31

  18 April 1994

  Grade 5

  5

  Grade 6

  4

  Grade 7

  10

  Higher Executive Officer

  3

  Admin Trainee (Europe)

  1

  Executive Officer

  1

  Personal Secretary

  1

  Admin Assistant

  1

  63

  51

  Totals 152 official journeys

  465

  373

  1 Overnight stays include only those spent in London and not nights spent away from home whilst travelling between London and Edinburgh on the sleeper service.

  It is possible to produce only broad estimates of travel and subsistence costs, as follows:

  (a) Travel

  A return air journey costs approximately £220.

  A return train journey including travel by sleeper and overnight travel allowance costs approximately £180.

  Assuming, therefore, an average cost of £200 for each official travelling the total travel cost is approximately £30,400.

  (b) Subsistence

  Subsistence is paid at the rate of £65.15 to every official required to spend a night in London.

  Using the total number of overnight stays required in London, the approximate subsistence cost is £24,300.

  "Shaping the New Councils"
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library copies of the submissions in response to the consultative document on local governments, "Shaping the New Councils", from Dumbarton district which did not request confidentiality.
  322
  Mr. Stewart
  Arrangements have been made for copies of those responses on the consultation document "Shaping the New Councils" relating to Dumbarton district to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Respite Care
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of children with disabilities have access to respite care.

  Mr. Stewart
  This information is not held centrally.

  Cigarettes Sales
  Mr. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the numbers of reported cases of illegal selling of cigarettes to children and the number of prosecutions following such sales in the past year.

  Mr. Stewart
  Five reports were submitted to procurators fiscal for offences under the Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991 concerning alleged illegal sales of cigarettes to children in the period 1 March 1992 to 31 July 1993. Four of these reports resulted in prosecutions.

  A727 and A726
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the routes of the A727 and the A726; if he will specify how those roads, and the designation of those roads, has been altered since 1975; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The A726 is a principal road and runs from Strathaven to Erskine bridge. The A727 which ran from Clarkston to Cathcart is no longer a classified route. In 1980 part of this route was declassified and the remainder was reclassified A730, B766, B768, B762 and B767.

  The responsibility for these roads lies with the local roads authority, Strathclyde regional council, and the information regarding alterations to these roads is not held by central Government.

  Lambs
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 12 April,Official Report, column 121, if he will place in the Library the published Scottish Office research on viable lambs predated by foxes.

  Sir Hector Monro
  A copy of "Scavenging and Predation upon Sheep and Lambs in West Scotland" pubished in 1984 has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to the average percentage of yearly lamb loss caused by hypothermia.

  Sir Hector Monro
  No information on this is held centrally.

  Fox-hunting
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce legislation to ban fox-hunting in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
  323
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Government have no plans for legislation in this area. Over the years, there have been a number of private Members' Bills whose purpose has been to ban or to regulate various forms of hunting, including fox-hunting, but to date none of these Bills has commanded sufficient support in Parliament to become law. The Government have consistently adopted a position of neutrality towards such legislation and regard this issue as very much a matter for individual conscience and decision.

  Trust Hospitals
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total cost of redecoration and furnishing of chief executives' and senior managers' offices in each trust hospital to date since it acquired trust status.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Scottish Power
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of Scottish Power; what matters were discussed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend meets representatives of Scottish Power from time to time to discuss a range of issues.

  Rats
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what studies he has had made available to him during the past five years on the infestation of sewers by rats; what plans he has to accelerate the elimination of rats from sewers; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  No studies have been made available to my right hon. Friend in the last five years on the infestation of sewers in Scotland by rats. Any evidence of such infestation would be dealt with by the regional and islands councils' drainage departments and it is for the authorities to determine the appropriate action. Any incidents in recent years have been of a minor nature and dealt with promptly by the authorities.

  Average available staffed acute1 beds

  Accident and Emergency3 New Out-Patient attendances

  Number

  Rate per 1.000 population2

  Number

  Rate per 1,000 population2

  Argyll and Clyde

  1,211

  2.8

  113,313

  261

  Ayrshire and Arran

  1,111

  2.9

  81,158

  216

  Borders

  350

  3.3

  15,840

  151

  Dumfries and Galloway

  407

  2.8

  31,235

  211

  Fife

  782

  2.2

  64,031

  183

  Forth Valley

  591

  2.2

  55,907

  205

  Grampian

  1,899

  3.6

  104,326

  200

  Greater Glasgow

  3,954

  4.3

  308,450

  336

  Highland

  736

  3.6

  40,121

  195

  Lanarkshire

  1,603

  2.9

  110,817

  197

  Lothian

  2,486

  3.3

  142,429

  190

  Orkney

  91

  4.6

  1,930

  98

  Shetland

  46

  2.0

  4,601

  203

  Tayside

  1,653

  4.2

  99,493

  252

  Speedwell
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice her Department offers farmers and growers on the eradication of Veronica species, commonly known as speedwell; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Advice to farmers on the control of all weed species is available from the Scottish Agricultural college through its network of local advisory offices.

  Sight Tests
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many NHS sight tests took place in each financial year since 1984–85 in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 25 April 1994]: The number of national health service sight tests paid for by health boards in each of the financial years from 1984–85 to 1993–94 is shown in the table.

  National health service sight tests

  Year

  Number

  1984–85

  884,727

  1985–86

  913,901

  1986–87

  965,160

  1987–88

  1,098,145

  1988–89

  1,169,610

  1989–90

  1475,479

  1990–91

  432,885

  1991–92

  496,598

  1992–93

  538,684

  1 Since 1 April 1989 free national health service sight tests have been available only to children, full-time students under 19, those in receipt of income support or family credit, the registered blind and partially sighted, complex lens users, those who hold an AG2 exemption certificate from the health benefits unit, diagnosed diabetic or glaucoma sufferers and close relatives aged 40 or over of glaucoma sufferers.

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

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 25 April 1994]: Information on average available staffed acute beds and accident and emergency new out-patient attendances for the year ended 31 December 1993—latest available—is set out in the table:
  325

  Average available staffed acute1 beds

  Accident and Emergency3 New Out-Patient attendances

  Number

  Rate per 1,000 population2

  Number

  Rate per 1,000 population2

  Western Isles

  103

  3.5

  4,918

  168

  Scotland

  17,022

  3.3

  1,178,569

  231

  1 Comprises acute (including GP acute), supra-area and special categories. Excludes obstetric, long stay, psychiatric and mental handicap specialties.

  2 Rates based on Registrar General mid-1992 population estimates. Health board area rates are based on total resident population and therefore do not take into account the cross-border flow of patients for treatment.

  3 All patients who present at an accident and emergency department, some of whom would become in-patients.

  Health Service Staff
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) men and (b) women were employed at the latest available date for each grade in the administrative and clerical pay group 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

  Administrative and Clerical and Ambulance Staff; by grade and sex: as at 30 September 1993

  Headcount

  Whole time equivalent

  Administrative and Clerical staff group

  21,008

  3,724

  17,284

  18,310.7

  3,664.3

  14,646.4

  General Manager1

  83

  75

  8

  83.0

  75.0

  8.0

  Senior Managers

  1,079

  675

  404

  1,068.6

  670.6

  398.0

  Pay spine point 1–7

  97

  82

  15

  95.9

  80.9

  15.0

  8–14

  316

  236

  80

  313.7

  234.5

  79.2

  15–21

  396

  220

  176

  391.2

  218.6

  172.6

  22–30

  230

  113

  117

  227.8

  112.6

  115.2

  Other

  40

  24

  16

  40.0

  24.0

  16.0

  Protected Grades

  23

  22

  1

  22.4

  21.4

  1.0

  Grade 10

  26

  19

  7

  24.6

  19.0

  5.6

  Grade 9

  61

  43

  18

  58.4

  43.0

  15.4

  Grade 8

  219

  159

  60

  216.8

  159.0

  57.8

  Grade 7

  604

  287

  317

  590.3

  286.3

  304.0

  Grade 6

  1,119

  511

  608

  1,092.0

  509.6

  582.5

  Grade 5

  1,227

  417

  810

  1,193.2

  412.5

  780.7

  Grade 4

  2,197

  423

  1,774

  2,110.6

  418.3

  1,692.3

  Grade 3

  6,256

  434

  5,822

  5,583.2

  428.3

  5,154.9

  Grade 2

  7,931

  606

  7,325

  6,110.2

  568.4

  5,541.8

  Grade 1

  100

  13

  87

  74.6

  13.0

  61.0

  Other2

  83

  40

  43

  83.0

  40.0

  43.0

  Ambulance

  Ambulance/control officer

  230

  136

  95

  227.8

  134.6

  93.0

  Ambulance officer

  124

  122

  2

  124.0

  122.0

  2.0

  Assistant senior officer

  3

  3

  —

  3.0

  3.0

  —

  Band 2

  30

  29

  1

  30.0

  29.0

  1.0

  Band 1

  91

  90

  1

  91.0

  90.0

  1.0

  Control officer

  106

  13

  93

  103.8

  12.6

  91.0

  Grade 2

  18

  1

  17

  18.0

  1.0

  17.0

  Grade 1

  88

  12

  76

  85.8

  11.6

  74.0

  Ambulance staff

  2,227

  1,932

  295

  2,162.9

  1,889.9

  273.0

  Ambulanceman

  654

  478

  176

  589.9

  435.9

  154.0

  Loading

  222

  214

  8

  222.0

  214.0

  8.0

  Qualified

  1,253

  1,161

  92

  1,253.0

  1,161.0

  92.0

  Trainee

  98

  79

  19

  98.0

  79.0

  19.0

  1 Includes General Managers, Chief Executives, Unit General Managers.

  2 Includes management trainees and non Whitley scales.

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many applications the Forestry Commission made for financial assistance from the European Community for
  326
  managers and chief executives in the national health service; and if he will express the figures as numbers and as full-time equivalents.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 25 April 1994]: The numbers in whole-time equivalent terms of administrative and clerical staff and ambulance staff by grade and sex employed by the NHS at 30 September 1993 are given in the table. Not all chief executives can be identified separately and are therefore included in the general manager category. Senior manager grades 0–12, introduced in October 1993, are not reflected in the data which refer to the "old" scales.

  each of the last five years; what was the purpose of each application; and what has been the success of these applications;

  (2) whether an application has been made by the Forestry Commission to the European Community for financial assistance to help with the development of community forests.
  327
  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 27 April 1994]: Council regulation 2328/91, and its successor Council regulation 2080/92, provide for member states to claim part-reimbursement from the European Community of eligible expenditure to support the afforestation of agricultural land and other forestry operations on farms. Under these provisions, the Forestry Commission has made annual applications for, and received, the sums shown for woodland grant scheme and farm woodland scheme planting grants for each of the last five years. The woodland grant scheme's community woodland supplement, which was introduced to encourage the development of community forests, is included in the provisions and the first claim for reimbursement of eligible expenditure will be made this year.

  Year of eligible expenditure

  EC reimbursement £ million

  1989

  0.3

  1990

  1.4

  1991

  2.2

  1992

  2.0

  1993

  3.8

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to change the structure of the Forestry Commission.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 27 Apri1 1994]: The Forestry Ministers are currently considering the report of the forestry review group, which was asked by Ministers to review, among other things, the options for the ownership and management of Forestry Commission woodlands. An announcement will be made in due course.

DEFENCE

  Nuclear Accidents
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what responsibilities(a) United States diplomatic and military officials and (b) British officials would assume in the event of an accident or incident involving United States nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom;

  (2) what regulations cover the procedures that would be adopted in the event of an accident or incident involving United States nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom in peacetime;

  (3) which agency would assume primary responsibility under current emergency planning procedures in the event of an accident or incident involving United States nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Hanley
  In the highly unlikely event of an accident involving nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom, those United Kingdom regulations which are relevant to any radiological hazard to the public would be applied, irrespective of whether the weapon in question belonged to the United Kingdom or the United States.

  The general responsibilities of British officials in the combined response to any major incident affecting public safety are described in the Home Office publication "Dealing with Disaster". For an accident involving nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom, the lead Government Department would be the MOD. The civil police would
  328
  co-ordinate the activities of all those responding at and around the scene. The same principles would apply in the event of an accident involving United States weapons.

  Within this framework, the United States would supply specialised personnel and equipment to render safe any damaged United States nuclear weapon and to recover it and any components into United States custody, and would provide advice on any specific measures necessary to maintain public safety.

  Exercise Diver Mist
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Exercise Diver Mist taking place in Suffolk.

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 25 April,Official Report, columns 84–85.

  Search and Rescue
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the civilian search and rescue missions flown by helicopters from RAF Chivenor, RAF Brawdy and RAF Valley between 00.01 hours and 23.59 hours on Tuesday 19 April, including time of call and time of arrival on scene.

  Mr. Hanley
  The search and rescue helicopter flight at RAF Chivenor was called to one incident on the day in question. The call for assistance from the rescue co-ordination centre was received at RAF Chivenor at 15.35. The helicopter was stood down before reaching the incident scene and the rescue was completed by the Fishguard lifeboat. The flights at RAF Brawdy and RAF Valley were not involved in any civil search and rescue missions during that day.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the purposes of the plans to transfer the area of responsibility of the search and rescue facility at RAF Brawdy, Dyfed to that of RAF Chivenor; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  My Department's decision to move the RAF search and rescue flight from Brawdy to Chivenor formed part of our overall plan for the basing of RAF search and rescue helicopters in the United Kingdom as set out in the 1992 open government document "The Future Provision of RAF Search and Rescue Helicopters", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  This decision, which has recently been re-examined in the light of subsequent developments and reconfirmed, was based on operational factors relating to the military requirement for search and rescue while maximising the effectiveness of the RAF search and rescue force for civil search and rescue operations.

  RAF Chivenor
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to close RAF Chivenor; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  On 7 December 1993,Official Report, column 177, I announced proposals to cease flying training at RAF Chivenor from 1 October 1994 and to place Chivenor on to a care and maintenance basis. This proposal

  329
  has been the subject of consultation with the trade unions and other interested parties. The consultation period has ended and I hope to be able to make an announcement shortly.

  Specialised Image Intensifiers
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 15 April,Official Report, column 348, what other actions he has taken to ensure the maintenance of a United Kingdom source of specialised image intensifiers: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  None.

  Defence Equipment
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 15 April,Official Report, column 348, what other decisions he has made to ensure the maintenance of a United Kingdom source of a particular type of defence equipment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  Where relevant, industrial considerations and the importance of maintaining a domestic source are taken into account in my Department's procurement decisions. The weight given to these factors will vary from case to case. Records are not kept which identify any other decisions which were taken specifically to maintain a United Kingdom source of a particular type of defence equipment.

  Armed Forces Pay Review Body
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy regarding the provision of information on the work of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Armed Forces Pay Review Body—AFPRB—is an independent review body and as such it is not my Department's practice to provide information on matters which are the sole responsibility of that body, such as the appointment of consultants. My Department will of course provide information on the work of the AFPRB where such matters fall within our responsibility.

  RNSD Eaglescliffe
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current estimate per person of the cost of relocating MOD personnel from RNSD Eaglescliffe to Bath.

  Mr. Hanley
  The current average cost of a permanent move in the public interest within the United Kingdom is £30,000. This represents a reduction from the 1993 average due to savings associated with the relocation company scheme.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the office block at RNSD Eaglescliffe will be left vacant by the removal of mobile staff to Bath.

  Mr. Hanley
  The planned relocation of Naval Support Command Headquarters posts at Eaglescliffe to the Bath area should result in some 75 per cent. of the office block at Eaglescliffe becoming vacant. My Department is currently looking for alternative occupants for the building from other Government departments.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on the recladding and updating of the store sheds at RNSD Eaglescliffe.

  Mr. Hanley
  It was considered necessary to reclad the store sheds at Eaglescliffe for fire safety reasons. A total of £4,850,000 has been spent on this programme between October 1989 and February 1993.

  Defence Cost Studies
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce the results of defence cost study (10).

  Mr. Aitken
  We hope to make public the bulk of our conclusions arising from the defence costs study before the summer recess.

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

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Walsall, South (Mr. George) on 24 February 1994,Official Report, column 383. The three publications referred to in that answer are all available by subscription.

  THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND THE EUROPEAN UNION
  THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND THE EUROPEAN UNION
  EUROPEAN COMMUNITY: ENFORCEMENT OF PENALTIES ON MEMBER STATES
  EUROPEAN COMMUNITY: ENFORCEMENT OF PENALTIES ON MEMBER STATES
  EUROPEAN UNION: QUALIFIED MAJORITY VOTING
  EUROPEAN UNION: QUALIFIED MAJORITY VOTING
  PUBLIC INTEREST IMMUNITY CERTIFICATES
  PUBLIC INTEREST IMMUNITY CERTIFICATES
  RAIL REGULATOR: AUTHORITY
  RAIL REGULATOR: AUTHORITY
  LADBROKE GROVE CANAL BRIDGE
  LADBROKE GROVE CANAL BRIDGE
  AGRICULTURE COUNCIL, 25 AND 26 APRIL
  AGRICULTURE COUNCIL, 25 AND 26 APRIL
  RAGWORT CONTROL
  RAGWORT CONTROL
  INCOME SUPPORT: DEDUCTIONS FOR CHILD SUPPORT
  INCOME SUPPORT: DEDUCTIONS FOR CHILD SUPPORT
  COPYRIGHT PROTECTION IN EU
  COPYRIGHT PROTECTION IN EU
  WASTE SHIPMENTS: REGULATIONS
  WASTE SHIPMENTS: REGULATIONS
  LAW OF EVIDENCE: REVIEW
  LAW OF EVIDENCE: REVIEW