Written Answers of 6 December 1994

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Accounts
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will list the names of the loss-making companies owned by the Church Commissioners, giving in each case the amount of money lost by these companies in the last financial year.

  Mr. Alison
  The Commissioners own shares in 44 subsidiary undertakings, of which the 12 most significant are listed in their annual report and accounts. In 1993, the Commissioners' total recognised capital and revenue gains and losses amounted to a net gain of £294.1 million. Within this total, five subsidiary companies incurred losses amounting to £472,000 as follows.

  £

  Deansbank Atlanta Inc

  398,000

  Cricklewood Estates (Investments) Ltd.

  21,000

  Cedarvale Ltd.

  20,000

  Cricklewood Trading Estates Ltd.

  17,000

  CEDIC Ltd.

  16,000

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make it his policy to release the full accounts of the Church Commissioners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alison
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers that I gave the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 5 December.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Secret Files
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department further to his answer of 30 November to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers),Official Report, column 695, concerning secret files held by his Department, how many of (a) the three top secret files and (b) the 124 secret files contain information about past or potential applicants for judicial posts from the ranks of (i) the Bar and (ii) the Law Society; how many contain information about serving judges; and how many contain information about retired judges.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  None.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will take measures to ensure that legal aid is not provided for the wealthy.
  116
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor is anxious to ensure that legal aid is directed to those whose need is greatest. He is considering what changes, if any, might need to be made to the financial conditions for legal aid, and expects to issue a consultation paper shortly seeking views on some specific proposals.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  BBC
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, what response he has received to the White Paper, "The Future of the BBC", Cm 2621.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Comments on the White Paper were invited by 31 October. Ninety-four organisations and 109 individuals have sent in their views. I am placing a list of the organisations in the Libraries of the House. I will carefully consider all the comments received before reaching final conclusions.

  Public Lending Right Scheme
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, what will be the rate per loan payable to authors under the public lending right scheme in February 1995 in respect of loans of their books by public libraries from July 1993 to June 1994.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Registrar of Public Lending Right has proposed to me, on the basis of the size of the fund this year and of information about loans of books by local library authorities, that the rate per loan for the payments which will be made under the public lending right scheme next February should remain 2p. In the light of consultation with interested organisations, I have agreed to the registrar's proposal.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Research Councils
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the annual salary of the Director-General of the research councils; and if he will make a statement on the work of the Director-General since his appointment.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  The annual salary of the Director-General of research councils is £75,000 with the possibility of an annual lump-sum non-pensionable performance bonus of up to 20 per cent. of salary. Since taking up appointment in January 1994, the Director-General has carried out the functions set out in paragraphs 3.26–3.28 of the White Paper, "Realising Our Potential".

EMPLOYMENT

  National Vocational Qualifications
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the cost of producing the National Council for Vocational Qualifications annual report of September 1994.
  117
  Mr. Paice
  The cost of producing the annual report for 1993–94 published by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications in September 1994 was £32,218.

  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many full national vocational qualifications have been awarded in the current year and in each year from 1992; at which levels these awards were made; and how many, at each level, were awarded in construction, engineering, manufacturing, health and

  national vocational qualifications awarded 1992–19941

  1992

  1993

  19941

  Occupational areas/NVQ level

  L1

  L2

  L3

  L4

  L5

  L1

  L2

  L3

  L4

  L5

  L1

  L2

  L3

  L4

  L5

  Totals

  Tendng animals plants and land

  1,490

  1,221

  0

  0

  0

  2,437

  1,895

  5

  0

  0

  2,333

  2,504

  125

  2

  0

  12,012

  Extracting and providing natural resources

  0

  781

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1,715

  0

  0

  0

  58

  2,602

  1

  0

  0

  5,158

  Construction

  0

  3,057

  4,609

  0

  0

  2,954

  12,557

  4,467

  3

  0

  4,175

  9,014

  4,475

  0

  0

  45,311

  Engineering

  630

  5,965

  1,551

  448

  0

  999

  10,691

  1,819

  435

  0

  2,506

  15,004

  3,532

  596

  0

  44,176

  Manufacturing

  186

  2,218

  1,970

  0

  0

  543

  2,225

  3,184

  0

  0

  1,322

  3,334

  3,917

  0

  0

  18,899

  Transporing

  23

  79

  114

  0

  0

  0

  445

  51

  0

  0

  1

  911

  73

  0

  0

  1,697

  Providing goods and services

  8,655

  25,820

  1,108

  1

  0

  12,405

  31,095

  1,138

  3

  0

  9,177

  23,962

  750

  6

  0

  114,120

  Providing health, social care and protective services

  13,351

  3,594

  50

  0

  0

  3,568

  7,529

  284

  0

  0

  3,244

  9,577

  921

  0

  0

  42,298

  Providing business services

  23,413

  45,271

  2,350

  6,190

  118

  25,032

  48,802

  5,218

  7,082

  241

  21,209

  37,903

  6,755

  9,863

  653

  240,100

  Communicating

  0

  0

  3

  4

  0

  0

  0

  2

  16

  0

  0

  0

  2

  49

  0

  76

  Developing and extending knowledge and skill

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  74

  18

  0

  0

  0

  174

  100

  2

  369

  Totals

  47,928

  88,006

  11,756

  6,643

  118

  47,939

  116,954

  16,242

  7,557

  241

  44,025

  104,811

  20,725

  10,616

  655

  524,216

  All figures represent the numbers of NVQ awards that have been made by Awarding Bodies and notified to NCVQ, there is a variable delay between the award of the certificate to an individual and the notification of that award to NCVQ.

  1 The figures for 1994 represent only those awards notified until the end of the third quarter.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  HIV and AIDS
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of Government funding has been allocated(a) bilaterally, (b) multilaterally and (c) through non-governmental

  ODA expenditure on HIV/AIDS: 1986–87 to 1993–94

  Expenditure shown as a percentage of total spending on HIV/AIDS

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Total

  Bilateral1

  —

  19.6

  12.5

  28.0

  22.8

  20.9

  25.3

  20.2

  22.0

  Multilateral1 (WHO/GPA)

  70.0

  74.2

  65.9

  60.5

  62.4

  62.0

  53.7

  55.6

  61.0

  Non-governmental organizations1

  30.0

  6.2

  21.6

  11.5

  14.8

  17.1

  21.0

  24.2

  17.0

  Total expenditure on HIV/AIDS (£'000)

  357

  7,074

  3,893

  7,690

  7,652

  8,033

  9,252

  10,881

  54,832

  Notes:

  1 Percentage of total annual expenditure is shown for bilateral, multilateral and non-governmental support.

  The bilateral figures relate to expenditure on projects which are exclusively HIV/AIDS related, and includes contributions to National AIDS Control Programmes via WHO trust fund mechanisms.

  No separate bilateral expenditure figures for HIV/AIDS are available before 1987–88.

  Advance payments to WHO/GPA were made in 1987–88 of £2.25 million and in 1993–94 of £1.9 million

  Indonesia
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the projects on 118
  social care, business administration, accounting and financial services and management respectively.

  Mr. Paice
  [holding answer 28 November 1994]: Figures for the number of national vocational qualifications awarded in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are collected by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications. Figures are not readily available in the format requested. The statistical data laid out in the 11 occupational areas under which NCVQ collects information is shown in the following tables:

  organisations to support HIV and AIDS programmes outside the United Kingdom for each year since 1976.

  Mr. Baldry
  Expenditure figures on HIV/AIDS are available for the 1986–87 financial year onwards reflecting the fact that most developing countries started HIV/AIDS programmes in or after 1987, the same year that the World Health Organisation's global programme on AIDS was established.

  Which British aid to Indonesia has been spent in the last two years; and what was the value in each case.

  Mr. Baldry
  The projects supported under the British aid programme to Indonesia on which there has been
  119
  expenditure in the last two years are listed in the table. This shows the aid programme allocation for each project and the expenditure on each in the last two financial years.

  Expenditure (£ thousands)

  Sector and Project

  Allocation

  1992–93

  1993–94

  (A) Renewable National Resources

  Rice Development Project

  1,659

  110

  64

  Cloves Disease Research

  706

  11

  6

  Coastal Fisheries—University of Diponegoro

  384

  159

  30

  Animal Health Phase 4

  1,687

  742

  381

  Coastal Prawn Culture

  1,298

  313

  298

  Regional Physical Planning, Map Improvement and Training Project

  655

  46

  0

  Forestry Senior Management Team

  1,793

  434

  574

  Forestry Conservation

  1,984

  425

  565

  Forestry Training

  2,454

  368

  785

  Forestry Research

  2,644

  418

  654

  Provincial Forest Management

  1,800

  0

  366

  (B) Energy—Gas

  Gas Distribution—Phase 1

  4,193

  40

  0

  Gas Distribution—Phase 2

  5,509

  1,177

  1,587

  Support to LEMIGAS (Petroleum Authority)

  4,762

  1,373

  431

  (C) Education

  Active Learning and Professional Support at Primary level

  1,708

  470

  477

  Libraries, Books and Information Development Project

  747

  223

  29

  English Language Teaching at the National level

  1,325

  514

  192

  English Language Teaching in Government Institutions

  1,789

  613

  408

  Biotechnology

  428

  98

  73

  (D) Mining and Geological Exploration

  South Sumatera Geological Survey Project

  2,261

  516

  331

  Ombilin Coal Mine Training School

  377

  36

  0

  (E) Public Administration and Finance

  Assistance to Regional and Local Government Finance

  905

  370

  310

  Police Management Training

  713

  268

  126

  Indonesian Civil Service Training Institute (LAN) Assistance to Public Admin

  120

  51

  21

  (F) Public Works

  Survey and Mapping Advisers Project

  400

  4

  0

  Local Consultants/Professional Engineers Training Project

  1,735

  232

  370

  (G) Energy—Electric Power

  Bali Power Study

  305

  44

  0

  Electricity Authority (PLN) Training Project Phase 2

  1,162

  117

  0

  Electricity Authority (PLN) Training Project Phase 3

  1,202

  330

  373

  Mini Hydros

  5,610

  596

  302

  (H) Projects financed from the Aid and Trade Provision

  Steel Bridging (Phase I)

  6,642

  366

  397

  Navigational Aids

  6,386

  370

  416

  120

  Expenditure (£ thousands)

  Sector and Project

  Allocation

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Bandung Television Studio

  9,734

  562

  632

  Scattered Diesels

  5,891

  377

  409

  Cigading Port Extension

  13,266

  774

  829

  Radio Studios Rehabilitation

  5,040

  304

  304

  Cigading/Serpong Railway

  24,690

  553

  12,257

  Citayam/Cibinong Railway

  20,105

  850

  505

  Radio Communication System for the Ministry of Forestry

  34,111

  1,421

  1,384

  Western Universities Equipment

  13,671

  654

  814

  Flight Simulator

  4,659

  139

  211

  Bali and Medan Airport Security

  10,455

  501

  628

  Jambi Power Station

  5,345

  139

  280

  Steel Bridging (Phase II)

  3,669

  197

  218

  Shortwave Radio Transmitters

  26,911

  815

  1,373

  (I) Training

  Training in the United Kingdom

  (Annual)

  1,498

  1,125

  1 Under-collection by ECGD in 1992–93

  Rwanda
  Dr. Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many loans requested by Rwanda from the World bank and the IMF since 1989 are being withheld until repayments on existing loans are resumed.

  Mr. Baldry
  All 13 active loans, of which eight have been approved since 1989, from the World bank and one IMF structural adjustment facility programme are currently under suspension. The bank has an emergency reconstruction loan under preparation.

  Dr. Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when and under what conditions loans were disbursed to Rwanda by the IMF and the World bank after 1989.

  Mr. Baldry
  The information requested is as follows:

  International Development Association (IDA) credits approved1990–93

  date

  March 1990

  Public enterprise reform

  May 1990

  Transport sector

  December 1990

  Communications

  April 1991

  Education sector

  June 1991

  Structural adjustment

  June 1991

  Population

  June 1992

  Food security and social action

  February 1993

  Energy sector rehabilitation

  Note:

  Loans under implementation which were approved before 1990 are not included.

  IMF

  April 1991

  SAF (structural adjustment facility) programme

  Dr. Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are Rwanda's outstanding debts to(a) the World bank (b) the IMF and (c) the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Baldry
  As at the end of June 1994, Rwanda had a total of $474 million in loans disbursed and outstanding to the World bank, SDR8.76 million to the IMF and no debt currently owed to the United Kingdom. Arrears to
  121
  the World bank totalled $9.5 million. The bank has received firm indications of support from a number of bilateral donors to assist in clearing these arrears.

TREASURY

  Debt Relief
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the levels of debt relief for low-income countries for each year since 1991–92; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  The amount of official bilateral debt relief that the United Kingdom has given low-income countries each year since 1991–92 is as follows:

  Debt Rescheduled(£m)

  Debt Reduction(£m)

  1991–92

  558.41

  347.29

  1992–93

  113.43

  61.57

  1993–94

  11.49

  115.27

  Total

  683.33

  524.13

  Internet
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to expand the provision of information via the Internet; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Treasury's Internet service was launched on 15 November 1994. The information currently provided includes news releases, speeches, minutes of the Chancellor's monthly monetary meetings with the Governor of the Bank of England, reports of the panel of independent forecasters and details of the fundamental expenditure review of Treasury running costs.

  The Budget speech and related material were made available on the Internet for the first time this year. More information will be added in due course.

  The Treasury Internet service can be accessed via the following addresses:

  Adderss

  Email mailing lists

  maillist @hm-treasury.gov.uk

  Email for help

  ftpmail @hm-treasury.gov.uk

  File transfer (FTP)

  ftp.hm-treasury.gov.uk

  World Wide Web

  http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk

  Email for help

  info @ hm-treasury.gov.uk

  Building and Civil Engineering Benefit Scheme
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department last conducted a review of the taxation arrangements for the building and civil engineering benefit scheme.

  Dr. Sir George Young
  Information about the tax affairs of particular taxpayers, including individual pension schemes, is confidential.

  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the 122
  current operation of the building and civil engineering benefit scheme.

  Dr. Sir George Young
  A number of representations have been received asking that members of this scheme be permitted to contribute to personal pensions and retirement annuities.

  Building Refurbishment
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will itemise the refurbishment works undertaken on buildings housing departmental staff in the last three years, indicating the costs involved and the nature of the refurbishments.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Treasury has not financed any refurbishment work in the buildings it occupies in Parliament street or Allington Towers. Responsibility for any such work would fall to Property Holdings.

  Income Statistics
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons in the United Kingdom had annual pre-tax incomes of(a) more than £400,000 and (b) between £200,000 and £400,000 at the latest date for which figures are available; and how many such people there were in 1973 and 1983, taking account of changes in prices.

  Dr. Sir George Young
  The table provides estimates of numbers of individuals for 1992–93, the latest year for which information is available at such high levels of income, and for 1983–84 and 1973–74.

  Pre-tax income range (adjusted for changes in prices) £200,000–£400,000 Thousands

  Above £400, 000 Thousands

  1992–93

  16

  4

  1983–84

  3

  1

  1973–74

  4

  1

  The income ranges used for 1983–84 and 1973–74 have been adjusted to take account of changes in retail prices up to 1992–93.

  Income Tax Bands
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what would be the total aggregate cost in a full year of raising the upper limit of the lower rate income tax band from £3,200 to £10,000 and the upper limit of the basic rate band to £30,000 assuming no change in personal allowances from those announced in the Budget;

  (2) what would be the total cost in a full year of raising the upper limit of the lower rate income tax band from £3,200 to £10,000 assuming no change in personal allowances from those announced in the Budget.

  Dr. Sir George Young
  Based on assumptions in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1995–96, the full-year cost, at 1995–96 income levels, of extending the width of the lower-rate band to £10,000 is estimated to be £5.3 billion. If the basic rate limit were also increased to £30,000, the total cost would be £6.9 billion. These costs do not take into account any behavioural changes which might result for the introduction of the new regime.

  Gross Debt Internet
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumptions for interest rules underlie the Red Book projections for general Government gross debt interest of £26.6 billion for 1996–97.

  Mr. Nelson
  It is not conventional to publish market-sensitive projections such as interest rates.

  EEC Contributions
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount paid in contributions(a) net and (b) gross to the EEC since 1972.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Mr. Shaw) on Tuesday 29 November,Official Report, columns 608–10.

  Customs and Excise
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has to increase the technical assistance it provides to overseas administrations.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Customs intends, on a full cost recovery basis, to increase the amount of technical assistance which it provides on the existing Government-to-Government basis and in association with business. This would include the secondment of skilled staff to firms providing services in the areas of customs and indirect taxation.

  This expansion will help to improve the opportunities for consultancy and training delivered on overseas development aid programmes. It will also increase the advice that we can give the emerging democracies of central Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, and to drug-source countries. It will extend the United Kingdom's influence around the world, thereby adding to the indirect benefits which can be produced for our economy.

  Public Service Pensions
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to increase public service pensions from April 1995.

  Mr. Aitken
  Under the legislation governing them, public service pensions are increased annually by the

  Registered disabled staff

  HMT

  PAYMASTER

  CSO1

  ROYAL MINT

  VALUATION OFFICE*

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  1990

  30

  1.0

  35

  3.9

  —

  —

  21

  2.1

  —

  —

  1991

  29

  1.0

  34

  3.7

  16

  1.5

  20

  2.0

  59

  1.1

  1992

  26

  0.9

  31

  3.2

  16

  1.4

  14

  1.3

  48

  0.9

  1993

  12

  0.6

  29

  3.2

  24

  1.8

  14

  1.4

  63

  1.2

  1994

  12

  0.9

  27

  3.2

  24

  1.7

  15

  1.5

  65

  1.3

  1 Information is not available prior to 1991 when the CSO and valuation Office become Executive Agencies.

  Taxation
  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the total raised in Wales from forms of taxation, other than income tax and VAT,(a) in 1990, (b)
  124
  same percentage as state earnings-related pensions, additional pension. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security announced on 29 November, Official Report column 629x2013;30, that additional pension will be increased by 2.2 per cent., in line with the annual increase in the retail prices index up to September. Public service pensions will therefore be increased by 2.2 per cent. from 10 April 1995. Pensions which have been in payment for less than a year will receive a pro-rata increase.

  Disabled People
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the budget allocated by his Department and associated agencies for each of the next five years for, and how many staff or staff hours equivalent have been allocated to achieve the objectives of, the programme for action to achieve equality of opportunity in the civil service for disabled people.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 5 December 1994]: Expenditure by the Treasury and its associated agencies in support of the programme for action to achieve equality of opportunity in the civil service for disabled people comprises a number of cost elements in respect of staff numbers, training, recruitment advertising, special equipment,modification of buildings and accommodation. This expenditure cannot be disaggregated from that allocated to other items in the Department's and agencies' equal opportunities budgets. The number of staff or staff-hours equivalent allocated specifically to achieve the objectives of the programme for action cannot be estimated, since successful implementation will require the commitment not only of equal opportunities officers and disabled persons officers but of a variety of staff in the personnel function together with individual line managers.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number and percentage of disabled people employed by his Department and associated agencies over the past five years; and what are the projected figures for the next five years.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 5 December 1994]: Figures are available only for those staff who are registered as disabled, but the Treasury and its associated agencies employ a number of people with disabilities who have chosen not to register. The information in respect of the number of registered disabled people for the years 1990 to 1994 is shown in the table. Projected figures are not available.

  in 1991, (c) in 1992, (d) in 1993 and (e) in the first six months of 1994.

  (2) what was the total raised in Scotland from forms of taxation, other than income tax and VAT, (a) in 1990, (b)

  125
  in 1991, (c) in 1992, (d) in 1993 and (e) in the first six months of 1994.

  Dr. Sir George Young
  The information requested is not available.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Internet
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to provide information via the Internet; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The broadband communications Command Paper, published on 22 November, was the first Command Paper to be made available on Internet. DTI press notices are already available on Internet. The DTI Internet cable is:http://www.open.gov.uk/dtibroadband_comms.htm.

  The Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency recently announced an initiative on the wider use of Internet in government. Department officials are considering how effective Internet would be for the distribution of departmental information.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many civil servants since 4 May 1979 have left the Export Credits Guarantee Department and have within two years joined companies engaged in contracts with his Department.

  Mr. Needham
  Since 4 May 1979, 82 civil servants have, following their retirement or resignation from ECGD, obtained prior approval under the civil service rules governing outside business appointments to join companies that have business contacts with the Department.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consideration is given to human rights in the allocation of cover by the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  Mr. Needham
  The ECGD's function is to underwrite payment risks associated with capital goods and project exports. A separate export licensing process takes account of broader issues such as the human rights record of overseas Governments. The issue of export licences is the responsibility of the DTI's export licensing unit. ECGD's cover is conditional on export licences being obtained where required.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make available a complete list of all payments made under the auspices of the Export Credits Guarantee Department in relation to defence contracts signed from 1979 onwards with(a) Jordan, (b) Saudi Arabia, (c) Oman, (d) Kuwait, (e) Brunei, (f) Malaysia and (g) Indonesia.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 5 December 1994]: The ECGD's information systems, which reflect the Department's business needs, do not provide such a sectoral analysis. Extracting the data with reasonable accuracy would involve disproportionate expense.

  Advisory Bodies
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table showing the number of meetings held, the secretarial and advisory arrangements, the budgeted and actual expenditure and the subjects of any reports and submissions produced by the Overseas Projects Board in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Needham
  The Overseas Projects Board met five times in 1992, four times in 1993 and three times in 1994, including one scheduled for 7 December. The DTI provides a small secretariat. The only costs are those associated with arrangements for meetings, which are marginal. The board provides advice to Ministers and to Government officials in plenary meetings and, occasionally, in smaller ad-hoc groups. It does not currently produce submissions and reports.

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table showing the number of meetings held, the secretarial and advisory arrangements, the budgeted and actual expenditure and the subjects of any reports and submissions produced by the engineering technology advisory committee in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Eggar
  The engineering technology advisory committee—ETAC—was established in 1990 to advise the DTI on its support policy for engineering technology. Its only report was produced in 1993 and contained the committee's views on future strategy in this area.

  The committee met on six occasions from 6 September 1991 until its dissolution in October 1993. Secretarial support for it was provided by the Department. The actual expenditure incurred by the 14 members of the Committee related to travel expenses only and amounted to a total of £4,918.70 over its two-year life.

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table showing the number of meetings held, the secretarial and advisory arrangements, the budgeted and actual expenditure and the subjects of any reports and submissions produced by the monitoring committee on misleading price indications in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The monitoring committee on misleading price indications was disbanded in May 1993. The committee reported to Ministers in December 1991 and subsequently convened once in February 1992 to discuss its report with the then Minister for Consumer Affairs. A working group formed from the committee to examine service charges in hotels and restaurants met once, in February 1992, and reported to Ministers in August 1992. Both the committee and the working group were chaired and serviced by officials from the Department of Trade and Industry. No other costs were incurred.

  Building Refurbishment
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will itemise the refurbishment works
  127
  undertaken on buildings housing departmental staff in the last three years, indicating the costs involved and the nature of the refurbishments.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Over the past three years we have carried out only three refurbishment projects. These are listed by year of completion:

  Year

  Project

  £ Thousands

  1991–92

  No projects completed in this year

  1992–93

  No projects completed in this year

  1993–94

  Partial refurbishment of Ashdown House to enable additional staff to be accommodated following the closure of 1–19 Victoria Street

  4,532

  Full refurbishment of Kingsgate House to convert to open plan accommodation

  4,211

  Refurbishment of sub-standard parts of Eastcote site

  720

  Car Sales
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what new proposals for the deregulation of car sales dealing the European Commission has made; and what is the United Kingdom Government's policy on those proposals.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The European Commission has put a number of proposals to member states to renew and amend Commission regulation 123/85, which governs the selective and exclusive dealership agreements for motor vehicles. These proposals would prohibit a number of restrictions on competition which are permissible under the current regulation in order to increase the competition in the trade. They would, in particular, provide dealers with the opportunity to sell more than one make of vehicle on sites which were separate and distinct. Restrictions on dealers advertising outside their contract territory would be prohibited. Dealers would also be permitted to purchase spare parts from any source, provided that they were of equivalent quality.

  The Government welcome these proposals, which are in many respects similar to the recommendations contained in the 1992 Monopolies and Mergers Commission report. Member states have put their views on the draft to the Commission, which will consider whether to amend the text before publishing the draft for public consultation shortly.

  Rowntree
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what factors Her Majesty's Government took into account when Nestle took over Rowntree; what representations he has received on the performance of this company with particular reference to United Kingdom based employment since that take over; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The Director General of Fair Trading's advice to the then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry remains confidential. All relevant factors were taken into account in reaching the decision not to refer this merger to the Monopolies and Mergers 128
  Commission in May 1988. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has received no representations specifically concerning employment matters at Nestle since the merger.

  Fuel Bills
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many customers have been disconnected by British Gas for non-payment of bills in the most recent year for which he has figures; and what was the figure in the last year before privatisation.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The number of disconnections by British Gas for non-payment of bills for the year to the end of June 1994 was 15,420. This compares with 42,468 disconnections in the year to the end of September 1986.

  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many customers have been disconnected by regional electricity companies for non-payment of bills in the most recent year for which he has figures; and what were the figures in the last year before privatisation.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Disconnection figures are kept by the Office of Electricity Regulation. However, I can confirm that 3,297 electricity customers were disconnected by regional electricity companies in 1993—the lowest number on record. In comparison, 67,421 customers were disconnected in the 12 months to 31 March 1990.

  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how prices, including VAT, for domestic consumers of electricity have changed in(a) the past 10 years and (b) the past two years.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Between the third quarter of 1984 and the third quarter of 1994, prices of electricity, including VAT, for the domestic consumer have increased by 54.7 per cent. in cash terms and fallen by 4.7 per cent. in real terms. Between the third quarter of 1992 and the third quarter of 1994, prices have increased by 4.2 per cent. in cash terms and fallen by 1.1 per cent. in real terms. These price trends are published regularly in the Department of Trade and Industry's statistical bulletin, "Energy Trends", table 28.

  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how prices, including VAT, for domestic consumers of gas have changed in(a) the past 10 years and (b) the past two years.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Between the third quarter of 1984 and the third quarter of 1994, prices of gas, including VAT for the domestic consumer, have increased by 30 per cent. in cash terms and fallen by 20 per cent. in real terms. Between the third quarter of 1992 and the third quarter of 1994, prices have increased by 4 per cent. in cash terms and fallen by 1.3 per cent. in real terms. These price trends are published regularly in the Department of Trade and Industry's statistical bulletin, "Energy Trends", table 28.

  Regional Assistance
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 1 December Official Report, column 809 what was the number of successful applications for regional selective assistance in each development and intermediate area in the north-west.
  129
  Mr. Eggar
  The information is given in the table:

  Travel to work area

  Number of offers made (1 April 1993–1 March 1994)

  Accrington and Rossendale

  21

  Barrow-in-Furness

  12

  Blackburn

  22

  Bolton and Bury

  40

  Liverpool

  63

  Manchester

  73

  Oldham

  18

  Rochdale

  19

  Sheffield

  1

  Whitehaven

  1

  Widnes and Runcorn

  15

  Wigan and St. Helens

  38

  Wirral and Chester

  26

  Workington

  14

  Total

  363

  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the number of(a) successful and (b) unsuccessful applications for regional selective assistance in each development and intermediate area in London and the Eastern region for the latest period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information is given in the table for London, the south-east and eastern regions.

  Travel to work area

  Offers made1

  Applications rejected1

  Clacton

  3

  1

  Great Yarmouth

  3

  2

  Harwich

  1

  0

  Wisbech

  4

  0

  Heathrow

  3

  0

  London

  3

  0

  Dover and Deal

  1

  0

  Folkestone

  3

  1

  Hastings

  2

  0

  Isle of Wight

  7

  0

  Sittingbourne and Sheerness

  7

  0

  Thanet

  3

  0

  Total

  40

  4

  1 April 1993 to 31 March 1994

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the special advisers employed by his Department in each of the last five years indicating when they(a) joined and (b) left his Department and the annual salary they received.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 1 December 1994]: Salaries for special advisers are negotiated individually in relation to their previous earnings, and are confidential. They are, however, normally paid on a special advisers' salary spine of 34 points, ranging from £19,503 to £67,609. Appointments are non-pensionable, and the salary spine reflects this.

  I also seek advice from time to time on an unpaid and informal basis from Sir Peter Levene.

  Hallmarking
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to European Union proposals affecting the hallmarking of silver; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 2 December 1994]: In negotiations on the proposed European Union directive, the Government continue to argue for the preservation of traditional third-party hallmarking arrangements for precious metals, including silver. The Government are opposed to the principle of manufacturers' marking, which would also be allowed under the directive as drafted.

  Nursery Furnishings
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what steps he took to verify that toxic fire retardant chemicals used in nursery furniture were not harmful to babies before the regulations came into force;

  (2) what tests Government laboratories undertook on the toxicity of fire resistant chemicals in nursery furniture, and their likely effect on babies prior to the introduction of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 25 November 1994]: The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, as amended, do not require the use of specific fire retardants. The regulations are made in terms of a series of ignition resistance tests for different furniture components. Under section 10—the general safety requirements—of the Consumer Protection Act 1987, it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to use materials which are reasonably safe having regard to the circumstances of their use. However, before introducing the regulations the Department ascertained both from industrial research and advice from the Department of Health that there was a number of safe ways in which manufacturers could comply with the regulations.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what tests DTI laboratories are currently carrying out on the toxicity of cot mattresses.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 25 November 1994]: The theory that flame retardants in cot mattresses and covers released noxious gases, and that this caused sudden infant death syndrome, was thoroughly investigated by an expert working group set up by the chief medical officer of health in 1990. The working group concluded that this theory was not supported by the evidence and a copy of its report—the Turner report—has been placed in the Library of the House.

  The chief medical officer of health has recently set up another working group of experts to study the questions which were raised by research contained in the Rubens Institute study. The Department will closely follow their deliberations.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Internet
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee if he will make it his policy to enable hon. Members who use the parliamentary data and
  131
  video network to have access via the Internet to the United Kingdom Government world wide web server known as "open.gov.uk."

  Mr. Waller
  The Information Committee is shortly to consider the possibility of enabling Members who use the parliamentary data and video network to have access via the Internet to the United Kingdom Government world wide web server known as "open.gov.uk". The Committee will need to satisfy itself that there can be adequate safeguards of the parliamentary data and video network and hence of hon. Members' computer systems. Any proposals for additional expenditure will also need to be considered by the Finance and Services Committee as appropriate.

  Old Palace Yard
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee what is his latest estimate of he total cost of the works taking place at 7 Old Palace Yard; and what is its future planned use.

  Mr. Ray Powell
  In return for allocating its planned accommodation in 7 Millbank to this House, the other place has assumed control of 6 and 7 Old Palace Yard. The cost of works and the future use of the building are matters for that House.

ENVIRONMENT

  Rent-to-mortgage Scheme
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to how many local authority properties in each local authority have been sold under the rent-to-mortgage scheme.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  So far, local authorities in England have reported two completed rent-to-mortgage sales. One sale took place in east Devon and the other in the City of London. About 40 applications are still being processed.

  Wolves and Hybrid Wolves
  Dr. Ms Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many import permits were issued for(a) wolves and (b) hybrid wolves entering the United Kingdom for each of the last four years; and what was the total number of (i) wolves and (ii) hybrid wolves involved.

  Dr. Sir Paul Beresford
  In 1991, my Department issued one permit under the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora—CITES—allowing the import, by a zoo, of two grey wolves, canis lupis occidentalis, from Canada for breeding purposes.

  Zoos
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met the Federation of Zoological Gardens of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to discuss the effectiveness of the Zoo Licensing Act 1984.

  Dr. Sir Paul Beresford
  On 4 October 1994, officials from my Department chaired a meeting of the Department's standing advisory group, which includes senior 132
  representatives of the Federation of Zoological Gardens of Great Britain and Ireland. The meeting considered a number of issues relating to the operation and management of zoos in the United Kingdom.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish a White Paper before introducing legislation based on proposals contained in the consultation paper, "Review of Radioactive Waste Management Policy: Preliminary Conclusions".

  Mr. Atkins
  The only specific proposals for legislative change were those in paragraph 194 of the consultation document, relating to the regulatory powers of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The necessary amendments to the Radioactive Substance Act 1993 have been included in the Environment Bill, which received its First Reading on Thursday 1 December in another place.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his timetable for acting upon recommendations contained in the consultation document, "Review of Radioactive Waste Management Policy: Preliminary Conclusions".

  Mr. Atkins
  A statement of future policy will be made in due course.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether local authorities, the Local Authorities Waste Disposal Contractors Association or private owners of refuse tips will have the right to refuse radioactive waste from authorised disposers under proposals contained in the consultation document, "Review of Radioactive Waste Management Policy: Preliminary Conclusions".

  Mr. Atkins
  Under section 18 of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993, local authorities have a duty to accept radioactive waste for controlled burial if the regulatory bodies authorise disposal to sites provided by them. The consultation document contained no proposals to alter or extend this duty.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the differences between proposals contained in the consultation document, "Review of Radioactive Waste Management Policy: Preliminary Conclusions", with regard to the disposal of radioactive waste from the nuclear industry, and the proposals considered in 1987 for the disposal of such waste at four sites; and what considerations underlay the decision to withdraw the 1987 proposals.

  Mr. Atkins
  The four sites referred to were investigated by UK Nirex Ltd. to ascertain their suitability for the development of a shallow repository for radioactive waste. The consultation document's proposals in relation to near-surface disposal concern British Nuclear Fuels' existing facility at Drigg in Cumbria and the controlled burial of low-level waste in landfill sites. The decision by Nirex to end its investigations in 1987 is a matter for the company.

  Water Metering
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what have been the financial costs of
  133
  undertaking trials with compulsory water metering organised by his Department and Ofwat; what has been (a) the amount and (b) the proportion of the costs met from public funds and water charges; and what other trials with alternative water sewerage charging systems have been sponsored or supported by his Department.

  Mr. Atkins
  The national metering trials cost £19 million. The Department of the Environment funded just under half this amount. The water companies involved funded the rest. There are no proposals to undertake trials on other alternative charging methods.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on the Director General of Ofwat's statement that 33 per cent. of domestic households will be metered by 2015.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Director General's forecast assumes the continuation of metering on a selective or voluntary basis. Metering encourages customers to avoid waste and would therefore contribute to the sustainable use of water in the longer term. It encourages action to reduce leakage and excessive water abstraction. It would reduce the need to build costly and environmentally intrusive reservoirs. The Director General estimates that metering, leakage reduction and reduced demand from industry should limit demand for water in 2015 to the present level.

  Water and Sewerage Services
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) on what best estimates the ratio between fixed and variable costs in the water industry were the K factors for water supply determined in the 1994 periodic review, both in general and for each company;

  (2) on what best estimate of the ratio between fixed and variable costs were the K factors for the delivery of a sewerage service determined in the 1994 periodic review, both in general and for each company.

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

  Toxic Materials
  Dr. Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what precautions are being taken to protect local populations from possible emissions from sites being used for experimental work on the use of toxic materials as fuels, following the United States Environmental Protection Agency's recent report on the toxicity of very low level dioxins and in particular their effect on foetal development.

  Mr. Atkins
  I announced Government policy on the burning of substitute fuels in kilns on 23 June 1994,Official Report, column 261–2. Strict conditions of compliance with agreed trials schedules, progress reports, control procedures and continuous monitoring have been put in place. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is responsible for protecting the environment under the terms of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and has been closely supervising these tests.

  Results obtained so far indicate no cause for concern. The emissions of dioxins and heavy metals are well within the limits that HMIP will impose on incinerators. Milk monitoring by MAFF for dioxins has indicated no ill effects from the burning of Cemfuel.
  134
  HMIP is keeping a close watch on the emissions from the trials and will shut them down if the environment is being damaged.

  Dr. Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what EC waste regulation procedures apply to the sites which are currently being used for experimental work on the use of toxic materials as fuels.

  Mr. Atkins
  To the extent that these materials are judged to constitute waste, the relevant requirements of Council directive 75/442/EEC on waste, as amended by 91/156/EEC, will apply. Plants for the production of cement and rotary kiln lime production are categories of process subject to the Council directive 84/360/EEC on the combating of air pollution from industrial plants.

  Dr. Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites are currently being used for experimental work on the use of toxic materials including chloro-cresol as fuels; and if he will list existing and proposed sites, their exact locality and the chemicals involved.

  Mr. Atkins
  The only plant undertaking trials with substitute fuel whose specification contains chloro-cresol is Redland Aggregate's plant at Thrislington, West Cornforth, Ferryhill, County Durham.

  Dr. Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment under what regulations and monitoring procedures the sites currently being used for experimental work on the use of toxic materials as fuels are operating.

  Mr. Atkins
  Environmental protection control in England and Wales is effected by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution under the terms of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Trials of the substitute fuels in kilns are being carried out under this Act.In carrying out the trials the operators must comply with the following monitoring requirements.
  Before trials commence, satisfactory data on baseline operations must be provided to HMIP. This must include not only emission data but also kiln operating characteristics.
  Only those substitute fuels that meet a specification agreed in advance with HMIP may be used. All deliveries must meet the specification.
  Continuous monitors for particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and oxygen, calibrated to HMIP satisfaction must be installed.
  Manual sampling and analysis of other pollutants such as heavy metals and dioxins must be provided.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Yvonne Sleightholme
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will carry out the recommendations made by Judge Stephen Tumim in respect of Yvonne Sleightholme; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 6 December 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the recommendations made by Judge Stephen Tumin

  135
  in respect of Yvonne Sleightholme in the report of his short inspection of Durham in September 1992.
  Miss Sleightholme was convicted of the murder of her former fiance's wife and sentenced to life imprisonment in May 1991. She had an unsuccessful appeal against her conviction in January 1992. She is currently serving her sentence on the female wing of Durham prison. Following her arrest Miss Sleightholme became blind and in his report Judge Tumim commented on the justification for holding her at Durham and suggested that a transfer to Askham Grange open prison in York would make visiting easier for her elderly parents.
  As a life sentence prisoner Miss Sleightholme will not be considered for a transfer to an open prison until her first formal review by the Parole Board. This review is not until September 1997 when she will have been detained for seven years. It will then be the Parole's duty to decide what risk she presents to the public and whether she is suitable to be transferred to an open prison. This decision will be based on the reports submitted on Miss Sleightholme during her time in prison, written by staff who will have been able to assess her risk over a prolonged period through a series of interviews, review boards and outside activities.
  Despite Miss Sleightholme's blindness there is certainly no prospect of her being moved to an open prison in the foreseeable future. While it could be argued that it is unlikely that a blind person would be able to escape, even from an open prison, Miss Sleightholme is known to have many supporters who believe she is innocent and it is conceivable that they could assist her. I also understand that there remains considerable animosity towards Miss Sleightholme within the victim's community. As far as her own safety is concerned, it would therefore probably not be in her best

  Police Expenditure and Strength since 1980

  £thousands

  Force

  Expend 1978–79

  Strength 1978–79

  Expend 1979–1980

  Strength 1979–80

  Expend 1980–81

  Strength 1980–81

  Expend 1981–82

  Strength 1981–82

  Avon and Somerset

  26,266

  2,825

  33,984

  2,892

  40,187

  2,953

  48,099

  3,011

  Bedfordshire

  9,298

  902

  12,087

  943

  14,537

  961

  16,909

  984

  Cambridgeshire

  10,183

  1,064

  13,556

  1,081

  15,370

  1,091

  18,088

  1,131

  Cheshire

  16,130

  1,778

  20,242

  1,789

  25,839

  1,839

  29,724

  1,847

  City of London

  10,405

  829

  12,528

  840

  15,747

  846

  17,739

  855

  Cleveland

  12,589

  1,334

  13,453

  1,420

  19,098

  1,478

  23,188

  1,474

  Cumbria

  9,310

  1,056

  13,071

  1,093

  15,013

  1,108

  17,014

  1,121

  Derbyshire

  16,635

  1,563

  20,825

  1,793

  25,747

  1,821

  29,429

  1,776

  Devon and Cornwall

  25,313

  2,660

  36,158

  2,651

  39,566

  2,720

  46,539

  2,713

  Dorset

  10,706

  1,128

  15,024

  1,154

  16,908

  1,169

  19,323

  1,166

  Durham

  12,805

  1,312

  16,464

  1,324

  18,689

  1,334

  20,870

  1,342

  Dyfed-Powys

  7,615

  910

  10,016

  926

  11,698

  932

  13,709

  920

  Essex

  21,554

  2,461

  30,034

  2,567

  36,413

  2,596

  41,825

  2,631

  Gloucestershire

  9,073

  1,076

  11,401

  1,105

  14,178

  1,123

  16,267

  1,129

  Greater Manchester

  61,431

  6,419

  78,914

  6,713

  94,541

  6,929

  111,678

  6,957

  Gwent

  8,511

  965

  10,971

  967

  12,826

  972

  15,014

  964

  Hampshire

  27,361

  2,949

  36,187

  3,039

  40,580

  3,052

  48,798

  3,062

  Hertfordshire

  14,747

  1,462

  18,564

  1,487

  21,859

  1,534

  25,497

  1,559

  Humberside

  18,177

  1,849

  23,293

  1,917

  27,780

  1,954

  32,384

  1,947

  Kent

  27,048

  2,724

  34,910

  2,863

  41,732

  2,862

  48,830

  2,862

  Lancashire

  27,482

  3,097

  37,289

  3,100

  43,544

  3,154

  50,924

  3,152

  Leicestershire

  15,652

  1,701

  20,444

  1,702

  22,886

  1,717

  27,538

  1,728

  Lincolnshire

  11,870

  1,171

  14,803

  1,176

  16,964

  1,179

  19,972

  1,179

  Merseyside

  41,306

  4,427

  56,102

  4,525

  65,823

  4,597

  78,120

  4,631

  Norfolk

  11,194

  1,223

  14,187

  1,249

  16,709

  1,246

  19,904

  1,268

  Northamptonshire

  8,976

  905

  11,279

  920

  13,588

  982

  15,991

  1,006

  Northumbria

  30,694

  3,272

  39,727

  3,317

  45,341

  3,339

  53,492

  3,329

  North Wales

  11,672

  1,268

  15,362

  1,275

  17,233

  1,293

  20,060

  1,286

  North Yorkshire

  12,544

  1,342

  17,066

  1,352

  19,586

  1.355

  22,685

  1.354

  Nottinghamshire

  19,811

  2,117

  29,020

  2,145

  29,644

  2,241

  35,953

  2,252

  South Wales

  26,219

  2,936

  35,086

  3,056

  41,527

  3,065

  49,634

  3,103

  South Yorkshire

  24,470

  2,546

  32,134

  2,704

  38,511

  2,865

  44,973

  2,868

  Staffordshire

  18,328

  1,978

  22,955

  2,051

  27,887

  2,096

  32,304

  2,086

  Suffolk

  11,060

  1,064

  13,952

  1,130

  16,643

  1,119

  19,478

  1,120

  Surrey

  14,249

  1,440

  18,534

  1,512

  21,785

  1,586

  25,481

  1,587

  Sussex

  25,153

  2,758

  33,118

  2,782

  37,572

  2,820

  43,746

  2,829

  Thames Valley

  27,646

  2,639

  35,967

  2,802

  43,458

  3,093

  50,747

  3,098

  Warwickshire

  7,839

  841

  10,427

  895

  12,599

  915

  14,957

  922

  West Mercia

  16,478

  1,743

  21,812

  1,847

  25,626

  1,925

  31,058

  1,926

  136
  interests to be moved to an open prison close to her home area so soon after the offence was committed.
  Durham continues to be the most appropriate establishment for Miss Sleightholme not because of the security of the prison but because of the more enclosed and protective environment it offers. Durham provides safer surroundings for a blind person and. Miss Sleightholme is receiving professional training in mobility and rehabilitation. It also has prison staff with the training and experience to help a life sentence prisoner through the early stages of their sentence.
  Miss Sleightholme has been offered the opportunity to be transferred to New Hall prison near Wakefield to be closer to her home area. However, she remains reluctant to go there as she feels the establishment is too dispersed. She has asked to remain at Durham until the Parole Board have recommended her transfer to open prison and will have the opportunity to extend her mobility training outside the prison as her review approaches.

  Police
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the annual budget and the number of police officers for each police authority in each year since 1970.

  Mr. Maclean
  The table gives information from 1978–79 for each police authority's expenditure and the number of officers for each force as at 31 March. Details for 1970 to 1978 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  137

  Police Expenditure and Strength since 1980

  £ thousands

  Force

  Expend 1978–79

  Strength 1978–79

  Expend 1979–1980

  Strength 1979–80

  Expend 1980–81

  Strength 1980–81

  Expend 1981–82

  Strength 1981–82

  West Midlands

  56,096

  5,981

  74,446

  6,243

  87,014

  6,549

  102,556

  6,679

  West Yorkshire

  44,131

  4,727

  57,909

  4,805

  68,645

  5,084

  77,773

  5,147

  Wiltshire

  8,952

  997

  11,309

  1,002

  13,689

  1,030

  16,342

  1,040

  Metropolitan Police

  296,881

  22,214

  381,673

  22,804

  452,730

  24,006

  552,224

  25,429

  Police Expenditure and Strength since 1980

  £ thousands

  Force

  Expend 1982–83

  Strength 1982–83

  Expend 1983–1984

  Strength 1983–84

  Expend 1984–85

  Strength 1984–85

  Expend 1985–86

  Strength 1985–86

  Avon and Somerset

  53,642

  2,970

  56,860

  2,997

  61,191

  2,982

  65,919

  2,958

  Bedfordshire

  18,637

  985

  20,202

  1,006

  21,893

  990

  22,278

  985

  Cambridgeshire

  20,201

  1,137

  21,902

  1,138

  24,252

  1,137

  26,832

  1,136

  Cheshire

  32,299

  1,839

  35,283

  1,830

  37,123

  1,799

  37,755

  1,806

  City of London

  19,791

  828

  21,179

  806

  22,646

  789

  24,396

  774

  Cleveland

  25,718

  1,454

  27,993

  1,470

  29,468

  1,446

  31,029

  1,470

  Cumbria

  19,338

  1,107

  21,098

  1,114

  21,996

  1,092

  25,769

  1,127

  Derbyshire

  33,601

  1,757

  35,593

  1,772

  58,084

  1,752

  40,154

  1,753

  Devon and Cornwall

  51,413

  2,730

  55,810

  2,724

  60,118

  2,722

  64,862

  2,739

  Dorset

  21,743

  1,174

  24,502

  1,175

  26,344

  1,160

  29,418

  1,199

  Durham

  23,882

  1,328

  26,456

  1,302

  35,647

  1,279

  28,150

  1,293

  Dyfed-Powys

  15,052

  927

  16,301

  921

  19,134

  910

  18,813

  930

  Essex

  45,843

  2,641

  51,218

  2,624

  55,150

  2,650

  57,904

  2,666

  Gloucestershire

  18,282

  1,137

  20,331

  1,143

  22,398

  1,132

  23,320

  1,146

  Greater Manchester

  124,367

  6,996

  128,994

  6,917

  138,094

  6,736

  147,491

  6,768

  Gwent

  16,379

  963

  18,455

  962

  20,120

  964

  20,619

  978

  Hampshire

  55,261

  3,075

  59,333

  3,073

  62,962

  3,057

  68,241

  3,062

  Hertfordshire

  28,371

  1,554

  30,325

  1,562

  32,703

  1,562

  34,572

  1,565

  Humberside

  37,196

  1,965

  38,736

  1,961

  59,701

  1,913

  43,976

  1,933

  Kent

  53,688

  2,882

  58,170

  2,829

  75,696

  2,833

  66,276

  2,870

  Lancashire

  55,798

  3,155

  60,062

  3,128

  65,008

  3,029

  66,740

  3,021

  Leicestershire

  30,829

  1,723

  36,603

  1,729

  48,047

  1,695

  37,382

  1,737

  Lincolnshire

  21,879

  1,178

  22,761

  1,182

  23,562

  1,146

  25,594

  1,139

  Merseyside

  85,488

  4,631

  92,766

  4,603

  101,430

  4,588

  103,660

  4,543

  Norfolk

  22,292

  1,261

  24,428

  1,268

  26,161

  1,248

  27,628

  1,263

  Northamptonshire

  18,652

  1,003

  20,608

  1,019

  24,345

  1,015

  23,450

  1,025

  Northumbria

  61,413

  3,325

  65,907

  3,349

  76,618

  3,295

  78,227

  3,357

  North Wales

  22,314

  1,296

  25,200

  1,290

  27,838

  1,271

  27,567

  1,253

  North Yorkshire

  25,912

  1,366

  26,952

  1,359

  41,355

  1,332

  29,410

  1,361

  Nottinghamshire

  41,139

  2,249

  47,464

  2,229

  90,852

  2,150

  47,427

  2,210

  South Wales

  55,399

  3,091

  59,667

  3,071

  66,756

  3,073

  68,001

  3,066

  South Yorkshire

  51,215

  2,863

  56,295

  2,860

  86,208

  2,866

  63,589

  2,848

  Staffordshire

  36,679

  2,080

  39,519

  2,090

  43,328

  2,066

  44,521

  2,087

  Suffolk

  21,375

  1,123

  22,770

  1,123

  24,335

  1,129

  26,836

  1,121

  Surrey

  27,978

  1,589

  30,269

  1,582

  32,312

  1,590

  34,673

  1,614

  Sussex

  50,905

  2,810

  52,030

  2,800

  56,261

  2,803

  57,617

  2,790

  Thames Valley

  56,747

  3,123

  64,274

  3,176

  68,839

  3,259

  75,787

  3,297

  Warwickshire

  16,607

  919

  17,903

  910

  29,906

  921

  21,922

  929

  West Mercia

  35,622

  1,916

  38,613

  1,920

  41,578

  1,919

  43,851

  1,939

  West Midlands

  112,962

  6,673

  121,870

  6,679

  129,488

  6,544

  141,015

  6,520

  West Yorkshire

  88,548

  5,145

  94,912

  5,109

  109,004

  4,991

  106,412

  5,145

  Wiltshire

  17,856

  1,029

  19,628

  1,035

  21,757

  1,034

  23,270

  1,043

  Metropolitan Police

  718,458

  26,499

  795,376

  26,706

  861,052

  26,751

  748,660

  26,813

  Police Expenditure and Strength since 1980

  £ thousands

  Force

  Expend 1986–87

  Strength 1986–87

  Expend 1987–1988

  Strength 1987–88

  Expend 1988–89

  Strength 1988–89

  Expend 1989–90

  Strength 1989–90

  Avon and Somerset

  70,292

  3,009

  76,356

  3,013

  83,093

  3,014

  95,221

  3,094

  Bedfordshire

  24,085

  984

  26,507

  999

  29,011

  1,025

  32,079

  1,050

  Cambridgeshire

  27,661

  1,142

  30,675

  1,171

  33,312

  1,187

  38,444

  1,193

  Cheshire

  43,386

  1,830

  47,201

  1,837

  49,327

  1,879

  57.810

  1,870

  138 139

  Police Expenditure and Strength since 1980

  £ thousands

  Force

  Expend 1986–87

  Strength 1986–87

  Expend 1987–1988

  Strength 1987–88

  Expend 1988–89

  Strength 1988–89

  Expend 1989–90

  Strength 1989–90

  City of London

  26,549

  771

  28,222

  787

  30,891

  801

  35,285

  799

  Cleveland

  35,131

  1,462

  38,836

  1,466

  42,613

  1,470

  46,995

  1,467

  Cumbria

  27,055

  1,118

  29,810

  1,141

  32,320

  1,135

  35,858

  1,166

  Derbyshire

  43,105

  1,777

  48,502

  1,790

  51,652

  1,784

  58,972

  1,795

  Devon and Cornwall

  73,315

  2,774

  76,630

  2,787

  85,227

  2,849

  93,697

  2,852

  Dorset

  33,140

  1,202

  34,195

  1,234

  38,058

  1,251

  42,908

  1,269

  Durham

  31,020

  1,307

  34,,182

  1,329

  36,841

  1,351

  41,893

  1,375

  Dyfed-Powys

  20,699

  932

  23,831

  917

  25,293

  931

  29,522

  935

  Essex

  65,161

  2,718

  73,266

  2,728

  78,974

  2,746

  92,207

  2,822

  Gloucestershire

  25,187

  1,152

  28,035

  1,153

  31,071

  1,166

  36,299

  1,170

  Greater Manchester

  160,950

  6,780

  174,925

  6,965

  189,973

  6,935

  213,529

  6,992

  Gwent

  22,213

  973

  24,096

  979

  27,170

  996

  30,444

  1,008

  Hampshire

  75,583

  3,098

  82,274

  3,103

  91,177

  3,167

  100,459

  3,154

  Hertfordshire

  38,428

  1,579

  40,851

  1,603

  47,394

  1,638

  51,968

  1,657

  Humberside

  48,175

  1,964

  52,566

  1,953

  58,417

  1,992

  63,700

  1,995

  Kent

  70,993

  2,879

  78,338

  2,908

  89,907

  2,985

  98,455

  2,984

  Lancashire

  73,268

  3,314

  84,703

  3,139

  88,410

  3,177

  99,392

  3,201

  Leicestershire

  41,811

  1,712

  45,464

  1,735

  49,660

  1,745

  57,279

  1,769

  Lincolnshire

  27,964

  1,173

  30,242

  1,168

  34,108

  1,194

  37,548

  1,188

  Merseyside

  113,410

  4,598

  121,405

  4,647

  133,864

  4,689

  147,251

  4,714

  Norfolk

  31,135

  1,312

  33,806

  1,308

  37,817

  1,340

  42,875

  1,363

  Northamptonshire

  26,508

  1,047

  28,953

  1,093

  32,928

  1,095

  37,553

  1,126

  Northumbria

  85,207

  3,402

  92,058

  3,467

  98,274

  3,508

  110,667

  3,529

  North Wales

  30,257

  1,286

  32,961

  1,300

  36,812

  1,327

  41,084

  1,337

  North Yorkshire

  32,625

  1,353

  34,785

  1,372

  40,650

  1,370

  43,887

  1,379

  Nottinghamshire

  53,428

  2,226

  55,547

  2,252

  60,048

  2,298

  68,609

  2,316

  South Wales

  72,723

  3,100

  78,957

  3,126

  86,312

  3,102

  97,275

  3,135

  South Yorkshire

  66,255

  2,862

  73,135

  2,912

  80,007

  2,940

  91,700

  2,923

  Staffordshire

  49,111

  2,113

  53,772

  2,135

  59,282

  2,164

  65,688

  2,187

  Suffolk

  28,972

  1,166

  30,787

  1,188

  34,912

  1,181

  40,113

  1,194

  Surrey

  37,804

  1,609

  41,221

  1,649

  45,755

  1,636

  52,623

  1,645

  Sussex

  64,897

  2,830

  68,290

  2,894

  78,147

  2,946

  84,408

  2,949

  Thames Valley

  85,349

  3,421

  95,496

  3,490

  104,334

  3,600

  119,989

  3,659

  Warwickshire

  22,867

  965

  25,399

  979

  27,803

  969

  31,761

  975

  West Mercia

  47,219

  1,929

  51,616

  1,946

  55,443

  1,948

  62,268

  1,991

  West Midlands

  151,675

  6,656

  166,971

  6,639

  185,032

  6,761

  206,518

  6,855

  West Yorkshire

  115,178

  5,142

  129,109

  5,184

  149,384

  5,278

  167,025

  5,260

  Wiltshire

  25,998

  1,044

  28,074

  1,095

  30,904

  1,101

  35,676

  1,130

  Metropolitan Police

  810,228

  26,890

  879,803

  27,688

  965,151

  28,058

  1,076,767

  28,362

  Police Expenditure and Strength since 1980

  £ thousands

  Force

  Expend 1990–91

  Strength 1990–91

  Expend 1991–92

  Strength 1991–92

  Expend 1992–93

  Strength 1992–93

  Expend 1993–94

  Strength 1993–94

  Avon and Somerset

  102,351

  3,092

  111,509

  3,081

  124,322

  3,068

  132,421

  3,033

  Bedfordshire

  35,599

  1,105

  39,212

  1,093

  44,210

  1,168

  47,958

  1,151

  Cambridgeshire

  42,364

  1,201

  47,116

  1,250

  50,027

  1,265

  55,776

  1,263

  Cheshire

  62,370

  1,895

  66,960

  1,874

  72,966

  1,908

  79,593

  1,902

  City of London

  37,074

  813

  40,820

  808

  44,246

  825

  49,858

  893

  Cleveland

  51,560

  1,489

  54,802

  1,477

  59,802

  1,478

  63,156

  1,429

  Cumbria

  39,961

  1,184

  45.080

  1,179

  49,501

  1,196

  51,698

  1,174

  Derbyshire

  61,261

  1,741

  66,048

  1,706

  75,750

  1,830

  78,207

  1,820

  Devon and Cornwall

  105,660

  2,873

  117,436

  2,898

  128,271

  2,910

  136,654

  2,914

  Dorset

  49,024

  1,281

  52,006

  1,289

  55,644

  1,302

  57,564

  1,297

  Durham

  44,964

  1,368

  48,589

  1,389

  53,226

  1,381

  57,065

  1,383

  Dyfed-Powys

  30,878

  935

  35,150

  947

  38,896

  967

  41,518

  965

  Essex

  104,703

  2,889

  115,540

  2,898

  125,833

  2,936

  134,545

  2,937

  Gloucestershire

  40,236

  1,162

  44,611

  1,174

  48,067

  1,149

  50,295

  1,159

  Greater Manchester

  228,550

  7,014

  248,813

  7,061

  272,190

  7,060

  296,016

  6,967

  Gwent

  33,286

  999

  36,682

  1,009

  38,965

  1,004

  41,406

  993

  Hampshire

  111,152

  3,179

  124,970

  3,211

  135,434

  3,275

  143,157

  3,270

  Hertfordshire

  58,743

  1,666

  62,868

  1,965

  68,523

  1,700

  72,520

  1,682

  Humberside

  69,697

  1,998

  77,396

  2,026

  84,119

  2,032

  88,934

  2,039

  Kent

  109,013

  3,005

  128,734

  3,074

  137,696

  3,146

  143,045

  3,145

  Lancashire

  108,135

  3,212

  122,019

  3,198

  128,669

  3,207

  138,730

  3,170

  Leicestershire

  61,274

  1,818

  68,366

  1,845

  72,784

  1,805

  75,852

  1,825

  140 141

  Police Expenditure and Strength since 1980

  £ thousands

  Force

  Expend 1990–91

  Strength 1990–91

  Expend 1991–92

  Strength 1991–92

  Expend 1992–93

  Strength 1992–93

  Expend 1993–94

  Strength 1993–94

  Lincolnshire

  41,597

  1,209

  47,235

  1,196

  51,065

  1,200

  54,121

  1,205

  Merseyside

  160,697

  4,689

  178,884

  4,621

  189,280

  4,669

  202,485

  4,693

  Norfolk

  48,115

  1,405

  54,100

  1,414

  59,084

  1,440

  62,209

  1,447

  Northamptonshire

  40,084

  1,139

  45,499

  1,158

  50,617

  1,199

  53,410

  1,170

  Northumbria

  121,364

  3,541

  132,826

  3,464

  136,534

  3,563

  154,875

  3,598

  North Wales

  44,725

  1,349

  50,700

  1,347

  55,897

  1,360

  58,387

  1,352

  North Yorkshire

  47,396

  1,387

  51,679

  1,398

  58,444

  1,393

  61,464

  1,318

  Nottinghamshire

  75,709

  2,336

  82,629

  2,331

  89,507

  2,327

  95,723

  2,328

  South Wales

  106,257

  3,137

  118,537

  3,168

  127,300

  3,176

  130,885

  3,131

  South Yorkshire

  94,778

  2,991

  103,166

  3,008

  117,544

  3,032

  124,637

  3,023

  Staffordshire

  74,272

  2,217

  82,163

  2,176

  87,742

  2,179

  93,993

  2,208

  Suffolk

  43,008

  1,209

  48,069

  1,218

  50,731

  1,241

  54,460

  1,208

  Surrey

  57,125

  1,657

  63,421

  1,706

  70,879

  1,693

  74,649

  1,669

  Sussex

  92,991

  2,969

  106,178

  2,984

  115,114

  3,008

  119,678

  3,009

  Thames Valley

  134,111

  3,714

  149,414

  3,772

  160,512

  3,840

  173,938

  3,908

  Warwickshire

  36,082

  1,020

  39,842

  990

  42,489

  1,020

  46,084

  1,046

  West Mercia

  68,707

  2,026

  77,230

  2,034

  82,670

  2,054

  89,633

  2,059

  West Midlands

  229,256

  6,876

  250,816

  6,941

  284,274

  6,953

  292,273

  7,014

  West Yorkshire

  181,186

  5,268

  197,226

  5,087

  208,784

  5,037

  219,225

  5,046

  Wiltshire

  40,885

  1,165

  46,215

  1,221

  51,400

  1,265

  53,547

  1,264

  Metropolitan Police

  1,197,964

  28,230

  1,339,605

  28,154

  1,453,959

  27,867

  1,515,054

  27,699

  Murders and Manslaughters
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of(a) murders and (b) manslaughters (i) with or (ii) without diminished responsibility, recorded in each year since 1970 in each police force area, indicating the sex of the victims and the numbers of these crimes where there is still no conviction.

  Offences initially recorded as homicide by outcome (Female victims)

  England and Wales

  Number of offences

  Outcome

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Offences initially recorded as homicide

  268

  239

  254

  272

  272

  250

  244

  244

  237

  307

  258

  245

  Offences no longer recorded as homicide1

  10

  12

  13

  16

  19

  16

  18

  21

  23

  19

  22

  14

  Offences currently recorded as homicide1

  Decided at court to be homicide:

  Murder

  77

  72

  79

  90

  96

  92

  81

  88

  75

  89

  71

  46

  Sec 2 manslaughter

  70

  51

  53

  51

  48

  39

  40

  43

  36

  47

  45

  25

  Other manslaughter

  46

  50

  53

  58

  53

  45

  57

  49

  48

  66

  61

  30

  Infanticide

  4

  4

  1

  1

  1

  —

  3

  1

  3

  3

  4

  2

  Total

  197

  177

  186

  200

  198

  176

  181

  181

  162

  205

  181

  103

  Court decision pending

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  7

  79

  Proceedings not initiated or concluded without conviction:

  Suspect found by the court to be insane

  1

  1

  4

  2

  2

  1

  —

  1

  —

  2

  3

  1

  Suspect died

  1

  2

  —

  2

  2

  1

  1

  2

  3

  6

  1

  2

  Suspect committed suicide

  33

  22

  31

  32

  32

  36

  30

  22

  27

  39

  25

  26

  Proceedings discontinued or not initiated

  5

  2

  7

  7

  3

  4

  2

  2

  2

  6

  1

  2

  Total

  40

  27

  42

  43

  39

  42

  33

  27

  32

  53

  30

  32

  142
  Mr. Maclean
  The tables show for 1982 to 1993 the number of offences of homicide involving (i) male victims and (ii) female victims by outcome. Information for earlier years is not available, and information for each police force area separately could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The third table gives the information which can be provided on the total number of homicides recorded by the police, by police force area and year for 1982 to 1993.
  143

  Offences initially recorded as homicide by outcome (Female victims)

  England and Wales

  Number of offences

  Outcome

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Currently no suspect:

  All suspects acquitted

  3

  5

  2

  2

  3

  2

  6

  4

  6

  11

  3

  3

  No suspects charged

  18

  18

  11

  11

  13

  14

  6

  11

  14

  13

  15

  14

  Total

  21

  23

  13

  13

  16

  16

  12

  15

  20

  24

  18

  17

  Total offences currently recorded as homicide

  258

  227

  241

  256

  253

  234

  226

  223

  214

  288

  236

  231

  1 As at 5 August 1994; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by police and by courts, or as further information becomes available.

  Offences initially recorded as homicide by outcome (male victims)

  England and Wales

  Number of offences

  Outcome

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Offences initially recorded as homicide

  350

  313

  365

  353

  388

  436

  401

  382

  426

  419

  424

  430

  Offences no longer recorded as homicide1

  51

  58

  69

  73

  75

  70

  78

  80

  82

  76

  66

  55

  Offences currently recorded as homicide1

  Decided at court to be homicide:

  Murder

  85

  81

  86

  77

  109

  105

  93

  91

  102

  99

  119

  70

  Sec 2 manslaughter

  38

  32

  31

  24

  34

  46

  34

  39

  45

  35

  36

  28

  Other manslaughter

  114

  99

  126

  118

  118

  148

  137

  102

  117

  134

  117

  91

  Infanticide

  2

  7

  1

  7

  2

  1

  4

  —

  1

  2

  2

  1

  Total

  239

  219

  244

  226

  263

  300

  268

  232

  265

  270

  274

  190

  Court decision pending

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  3

  10

  18

  142

  Proceedings not initiated or concluded without conviction:

  Suspect found by the court to be insane

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  2

  —

  5

  1

  —

  4

  —

  Suspect died

  2

  —

  2

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  3

  1

  1

  2

  Suspect committed suicide

  16

  9

  9

  15

  14

  22

  13

  13

  8

  10

  14

  3

  Proceedings discontinued or not initiated

  6

  7

  10

  9

  2

  8

  3

  1

  4

  5

  3

  3

  Total

  24

  17

  21

  25

  20

  32

  17

  19

  16

  16

  22

  8

  Currently no suspect:

  All suspects acquitted

  6

  7

  4

  7

  9

  14

  10

  13

  24

  20

  17

  8

  No suspects charged

  30

  12

  27

  22

  21

  20

  28

  37

  36

  27

  27

  27

  Total

  36

  19

  31

  29

  30

  34

  38

  50

  60

  47

  44

  35

  Total offences currently recorded as homicide

  299

  255

  296

  280

  313

  366

  323

  302

  344

  343

  358

  375

  1 As at 5 August 1994;figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available.

  Offences of homicide recorded by the police1 force area and year

  England and Wales

  Number of offences

  Police force area

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Avon and Somerset

  9

  14

  9

  15

  12

  18

  8

  8

  10

  15

  11

  19

  Bedfordshire

  3

  11

  7

  4

  7

  9

  7

  8

  6

  6

  12

  4

  Cambridgeshire

  1

  4

  4

  5

  6

  6

  10

  3

  6

  4

  8

  4

  Cheshire

  6

  11

  7

  6

  10

  5

  12

  6

  6

  11

  11

  13

  Cleveland

  10

  5

  10

  4

  5

  9

  8

  11

  10

  10

  8

  7

  Cumbria

  6

  4

  1

  3

  6

  3

  4

  3

  5

  4

  4

  4

  144 145

  Offences of homicide recorded by the police1 force area and year

  England and Wales

  Number of offences

  Police force area

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Derbyshire

  6

  7

  8

  8

  4

  4

  6

  9

  4

  9

  8

  9

  Devon and Cornwall

  10

  17

  13

  11

  11

  13

  12

  8

  12

  18

  13

  16

  Dorset

  2

  4

  8

  4

  7

  1

  4

  3

  5

  6

  11

  4

  Durham

  5

  8

  7

  3

  5

  3

  4

  5

  6

  4

  7

  10

  Essex

  10

  6

  16

  20

  15

  13

  14

  14

  11

  13

  6

  12

  Gloucestershire

  4

  1

  3

  7

  4

  1

  1

  12

  2

  12

  3

  9

  Greater Manchester

  28

  23

  37

  28

  38

  45

  49

  35

  28

  49

  46

  41

  Hampshire

  14

  8

  9

  15

  19

  15

  8

  8

  11

  12

  12

  17

  Hertfordshire

  11

  6

  7

  4

  7

  10

  11

  9

  5

  9

  5

  6

  Humberside

  14

  6

  8

  9

  5

  8

  12

  11

  9

  11

  6

  4

  Kent

  9

  15

  23

  14

  20

  25

  18

  21

  18

  19

  16

  24

  Lancashire

  12

  13

  17

  18

  11

  27

  23

  21

  17

  21

  10

  25

  Leicestershire

  8

  7

  3

  9

  6

  7

  5

  6

  11

  11

  6

  9

  Lincolnshire

  6

  3

  3

  3

  4

  8

  3

  6

  2

  8

  3

  2

  London, City of

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  3

  1

  Merseyside

  19

  14

  11

  15

  20

  15

  21

  17

  19

  21

  22

  15

  Metropolitan Police District

  192

  149

  164

  187

  210

  193

  148

  176

  184

  184

  172

  159

  Norfolk

  5

  4

  7

  5

  12

  4

  7

  5

  12

  10

  9

  5

  Northamptonshire

  5

  8

  9

  5

  10

  11

  4

  5

  4

  5

  9

  7

  Northumbria

  10

  17

  26

  19

  17

  19

  14

  19

  27

  28

  24

  31

  North Yorkshire

  16

  2

  4

  5

  5

  6

  3

  10

  5

  3

  9

  6

  Nottinghamshire

  9

  9

  12

  12

  12

  11

  11

  10

  13

  27

  14

  16

  South Yorkshire

  14

  19

  14

  13

  12

  11

  18

  16

  21

  15

  20

  20

  Staffordshire

  12

  5

  8

  4

  11

  4

  8

  9

  11

  8

  4

  9

  Suffolk

  2

  9

  5

  6

  5

  5

  4

  9

  6

  2

  5

  3

  Surrey

  3

  1

  5

  2

  4

  12

  7

  5

  6

  11

  8

  5

  Sussex

  11

  8

  20

  16

  18

  14

  12

  21

  19

  20

  16

  13

  Thames Valley

  17

  16

  23

  21

  17

  37

  18

  16

  18

  17

  16

  19

  Warwickshire

  5

  6

  1

  5

  —

  9

  5

  4

  3

  2

  4

  3

  West Mercia

  8

  14

  8

  6

  9

  8

  7

  5

  10

  11

  6

  15

  West Midlands

  45

  43

  49

  45

  42

  38

  44

  31

  37

  40

  56

  40

  West Yorkshire

  30

  24

  29

  26

  25

  31

  26

  33

  43

  34

  34

  27

  Wiltshire

  6

  7

  4

  2

  4

  5

  5

  6

  11

  4

  7

  5

  Dyfed-Powys

  4

  5

  1

  6

  1

  3

  7

  6

  9

  4

  8

  4

  Gwent

  9

  3

  3

  9

  7

  6

  6

  7

  3

  5

  7

  3

  North Wales

  11

  3

  8

  6

  1

  5

  10

  3

  3

  5

  10

  9

  South Wales

  11

  10

  10

  11

  17

  11

  20

  20

  21

  17

  18

  16

  England and Wales

  618

  550

  621

  616

  661

  688

  624

  641

  669

  725

  687

  670

  1 Because of differences in recording practice the figures in this table do not always agree exactly with those given in the other tables.

  Mohammad Riaz
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what prison sentence he has set for Mohammad Riaz; what was the trial judge's recommendation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The period for retribution and deterrence in this case was originally set in 1988. At the time, the trial judge recommended 10 years, the Lord Chief Justice of the day recommended a minimum period of 16 years and the Minister then set a period of 20 years. In doing so, he would have had regard to the statement by Sir Leon Brittan, as Home Secretary in 1983, that terrorists and certain other specified categories of murderer could normally expect to serve at least 20 years.

  Following the Doody judgment of June 1993, the above details were disclosed to Mr. Riaz. He subsequently made representations and his case was considered afresh in December 1993. My right hon. and learned Friend concluded that there were no grounds to justify disapplying the policy set out in the Brittan statement. He therefore confirmed the existing period of 20 years.

  Transitional Crime
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on proposals put forward by the United Kingdom to, and decisions taken at, the United Nations ministerial conference on organised transnational crime, held in Naples 21 to 23 November.

  Mr. Maclean
  The conference, which was attended by representatives of 138 countries, was convened by the United Nations for the purpose of examining the problems and dangers posed by organised transnational crime in all regions of the world and of identifying the most effective forms of international co-operation for its prevention and control. The conference adopted a political declaration and a global action plan. The political declaration sends a clear message about the determination of the international community to co-operate to tackle the problem of organised transnational crime and stresses the need for assistance to the developing countries and countries in transition against the threat which organised crime may pose to their social and economic development.

  The global action plan emphasises the national, legislative and other measures which may be effective in

  147
  dealing with organised transnational crime and commends the adoption and implementation of all states of the international instruments which are already available to strengthen efforts against such crime—for example, in relation to money laundering and control of the proceeds of crime. It also recommends that the UN's commission on crime prevention and criminal justice should seek the views of states on the feasibility and value of developing an international convention or conventions against organised transnational crime.

  In a separate resolution, the conference acknowledged an offer by the Italian Government to organise and host, at their own expense, an international task force, which would examine the feasibility of an Italian proposal for setting up an international training centre for law enforcement and criminal justice personnel. The results of the task force's work will be submitted to the fourth UN commission on crime prevention and criminal justice next year.

  The United Kingdom delegation, which I led, played its full part in the conference, and the Government fully support the conference conclusions. Copies of the political declaration, the global action plan and the resolution will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Ian Lumb
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if the United Kingdom branch of Interpol has received a report on attempts to locate Mr. Ian Lumb;

  (2) if he will meet the hon. Member for Rossendale and Darwen to discuss the case of Mr. Ian Lumb; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) when his Department last discussed the case of Mr. Ian Lumb with the Greater Manchester police;

  (4) if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which his Department intervenes in police operational matters.

  Mr. Maclean
  Police operational matters are entirely the responsibility of individual chief constables.

  Home Office officials consulted Greater Manchester police and the United Kingdom National Central Bureau of Interpol about the case of Mr. Ian Lumb on 1 December 1994.

  The United Kingdom National Central Bureau of Interpol has not received a report on attempts to locate Mr. Ian Lumb.

  Number of offenders convicted at magistrates' courts in the Metropolitan Police District and City of London Police Force Areas and England and Wales for offences involving carrying weapons 1991–1993

  Area/Offence

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Metropolitan Police District

  Carrying of offensive weapons without lawful authority or excuse1

  860

  632

  663

  Carrying article with blade or point in public place2

  736

  750

  771

  City of London

  Carrying of offensive weapons without lawful authority or excuse1

  12

  11

  6

  Carrying article with blade or point in public place2

  1

  3

  4

  England and Wales

  Carrying of offensive weapons without lawful authority or excuse1

  3,499

  3,200

  2,808

  Carrying article with blade or point in public place2

  1,736

  1,846

  1,853

  1 Prevention of Crime Act 1953, Section 1. May include a small number of offences involving truncheons etc.

  2 Criminal Justice Act 1988, Section 139.

  148
  In all the circumstances, I do not believe that a meeting would contribute towards the efforts of the police to locate Mr. Lumb, and I cannot add to the information that the hon. Member has already been given.

  Metropolitan Police Committee
  Mr. Fishburn
  To ask the Secretary of State far the Home Department how many applicants there were for membership of the Metropolitan police committee; and when the appointments will be announced.

  Mr. Maclean
  One hundred and six applications have been received from persons wishing to be considered for membership of the Metropolitan police committee. The Home Secretary announced during the debate on the policing of London on 2 December that Sir John Quinton will chair the committee. The other 11 members will be appointed shortly, in consultation with the chairman.

  Extending Baton
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces in England and Wales have undertaken trials of the extending baton; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Twelve forces in England and Wales conducted trials of the expandable side-handled baton between 1 March and 31 May. Six forces have trialled other types of expandable baton. I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. and learned Friend's reply oil 23 November,Official Report, column 158–9.

  Asylum
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum cases are currently pending which are of more than six years duration; and for what reasons they have taken so long to process.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  At 31 October 1994—the latest date for which the information is available—the estimated number of applications outstanding is 53,300. Information on the number of these cases waiting longer than six years and the reason for the delay is not collated centrally.

  Knife Offences
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of convictions in magistrates courts covering the Greater London area over the carrying of a knife as an offensive weapon in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is given in the table.

  Shotgun Certificates
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many shotgun certificates were issued by Welsh police forces in each year from 1989 to 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is published annually in Home Office statistical bulletins, "Firearms certificate statistics, England and Wales", table 4, copies of which can be found in the Library. The bulletin references are: 26/90, 23/91, 19/92, 23/93 and 22/94.

  Police Authorities
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the budgeted capital expenditure cost for setting up each of the new police authorities of England and Wales; and if he will list any planned items of capital spending over £10,000 by any of the new police authorities in their first year.

  Mr. Maclean
  This information is not centrally available. Police authorities are not required to notify the Home Office of detailed expenditure plans.

  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much will be spent on members' allowances by the new police authorities of England and Wales in their first year; and how much was spent on members' allowances by the old police authorities of England and Wales in their final year.

  Mr. Maclean
  The allowances paid to councillor and independent members of new police authorities depend on the amount of work they undertake on behalf of the authority. If all members undertake sufficient work to claim the maximum amount of allowances available, the total expenditure would be £1,863,000 in a financial year.

  Magistrate members of new police authorities may claim a financial-loss allowance and the total expenditure will depend on the amount of their loss.

  Table 1.1 Crimes(1) recorded by the police-main developed countries

  Percentage increase

  Country

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1987–92

  1991–92

  England and Wales

  3,892,200

  3,715,800

  3,870,700

  4,543,600

  5,276,200

  5,591,700

  44

  6

  Northern Ireland

  63,860

  55,890

  55,417

  57,200

  63,500

  67,532

  6

  6

  Scotland

  481,230

  469,986

  493,385

  535,864

  592,774

  589,562

  23

  -1

  Republic of Ireland

  85,358

  89,544

  86,792

  87,658

  94,406

  95,391

  12

  1

  France

  3,170,970

  3,132,694

  3,266,442

  3,492,712

  3,744,112

  3,830,996

  21

  2

  Belgium

  293,631

  314,778

  336,377

  353,492

  382,667

  386,474

  32

  1

  Germany

  4,444,108

  4,356,726

  4,358,573

  4,455,333

  (2)5,302,796

  (2)6,291,519

  (3)—

  —

  Austria

  391,291

  400,621

  423,025

  457,623

  468,832

  502,440

  28

  7

  Netherlands

  1,042,120

  1,056,740

  1,066,130

  1,052,510

  1,083,730

  1,168,490

  12

  8

  Norway

  198,877

  220,338

  237,319

  235,256

  223,122

  234,992

  18

  5

  Sweden

  949,367

  955,043

  1,003,910

  1,076,289

  1,045,306

  1,051,770

  11

  1

  Denmark

  524,323

  536,880

  536,564

  527,421

  519,755

  563,821

  8

  8

  Finland

  317,290

  336,595

  391,259

  438,094

  391,940

  393,109

  24

  —

  Portugal4

  251,588

  252,204

  261,931

  281,200

  315,300

  332,344

  32

  5

  Italy

  1,867,035

  1,894,327

  2,053,522

  2,501,640

  2,647,735

  2,390,539

  28

  -10

  Greece

  303,182

  311,179

  287,177

  330,803

  —

  —

  19

  —

  U.S.A5

  13,509,000

  13,923,000

  14,251,000

  14,756,000

  14,873,000

  14,438,000

  7

  -3

  150
  Existing police authorities are part of the local government structure. Information is not held centrally about the level of allowances paid to existing councillors.

  Pepper Sprays
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the use of pepper sprays on deportees;

  (2) whether the use of capsicum pepper sprays was considered during the joint Home Office and Metropolitan police review of deportation procedures.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Those conducting the joint Home Office and Metropolitan police review of deportation procedures were aware of the existence of capsicum pepper sprays. However, such sprays have never been used in connection with removal from the United Kingdom and they were not referred to in the conclusions of the review, a copy of which was placed in the Library on 12 January 1994.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what analysis he has made of the reasons for the increases in crime levels from 1987 to 1992 shown in the 1993 crime statistics.

  Mr. Maclean
  Changes in crime levels are regularly monitored through analysis of recorded crime rates and the British crime survey. Successive studies over a long period have shown a wide range of factors which can influence levels of recorded crime, including the willingness of victims to report offences and the availability of opportunities to commit crime.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what comparison he has made of the rate of increase in crime in England and Wales and other developed nations between 1987 and 1992.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information showing international comparisons of the rate of increase in recorded crime was published for the first time, in "Criminal statistics, England and Wales, 1993" on 2 November 1994. A copy of table 1.2 follows:
  151

  Table 1.1 Crimes1recorded by the police-main developed countries

  Percentage increase

  Country

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1987—92

  1991—92

  Canada(5)

  2,368,956

  2,390,007

  2,425,936

  2,627,193

  2,899,006

  2,848,091

  20

  -2

  Japan

  1,577,954

  1,641,310

  1,673,268

  1,636,628

  1,707,877

  1,742,366

  10

  2

  Australia(5)

  1,070,367

  1,987,273

  1,125,661

  1,149,478

  1,274,893

  1,273,948

  19

  —

  New Zealand

  406,627

  418,928

  425,623

  449,479

  484,507

  499,003

  23

  3

  Notes:

  (1) More serious offences. In many countries defined as against the 'penal code' or 'criminal code' and excludes less serious crimes (misdemeanours). The range of offences covered differ between each country and some countries (eg Portugal) acknowledge double counting in the collection of such statistics. Comparisons based upon absolute figures are therefore misleading.

  (2) Includes former East Germany in 1992 but part of East Germany in 1991.

  (3) 1987–1990 only.

  (4) FBI Uniform Crime Index covering murder and non-negligent manslaughter, manslaughter by negligence, forcible rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny-theft of motor vehicles, theft and arson, but excludes offences such as drugs, included in other countries figures.

  (5) Data for financial years 1992=1991–92 etc.

  Source:

  Mainly stat,istical contacts in each country.

  Live Animal Exports
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total cost to Devon and Cornwall police of providing escorts and protection for those transporting live animals for export from Millbay docks in Plymouth.

  Mr. Maclean
  I understand from the chief constable that police officers have been deployed at Millbay docks to prevent the possibility of a breach of the peace. Police officers are not being used to escort loads to the docks.

  The operation began on 28 November, and continues whenever necessary. No estimate has been made of the total cost, but the force is handling the matter by redeployment of officers and extra costs to the police budget are not expected.

  Prisoners (Drugs)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inmates of British prisons without a previous involvement with hard drugs have died in prison from heroin or methadone use or became infected with HIV in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 24 November 1994]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 6 December 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners without a previous involvement with hard drugs who have died from heroin or methadone, or who became infected with HIV in each of the past ten years.
  I am afraid that the information requested is not available.

WALES

  Unemployment
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people have been unemployed for two years or more up to the latest available date.

  Mr. Redwood
  In October 1994 the number of claimants in Wales who had been unemployed for over two years was 23,398.
  152
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many long-term unemployed people there are in(a) Clwyd and (b) Alyn and Deeside.

  Mr. Redwood
  In October 1994 the number of claimants who had been unemployed for more than 52 weeks in Clwyd and Alyn and Deeside were 4,538 and 785 respectively.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in each county of Wales under the age of 24 years have been out of work for more than a year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The number of claimants aged 24 and under, who at October 1994 had been unemployed for more than 52 weeks, for each county in Wales, are shown in the following table:

  County

  Persons

  Clwyd

  869

  Dyfed

  724

  Gwent

  1,338

  Gwynedd

  790

  Mid Glamorgan

  1,727

  Powys

  144

  South Glamorgan

  1,517

  West Glamorgan

  998

  Source:

  NOMIS.

  Since October 1993 the total number of claimants in this category in Wales has fallen by over 16 per cent.

  Drug Misuse
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what procedures he has instituted to monitor the expenditure and effectiveness of the £2.3 million divested by his office to local health authorities in Wales for the prevention of drug misuse this year.

  Mr. Richards
  Action to tackle drug misuse is included in the annual plans of health authorities and is a priority for attention in 1995–96. Achievements against health plan objectives are monitored regularly by the Welsh Office and are discussed at annual review meetings with health authorities.

  Training
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to assist women and to promote their training on their return to the labour market after having children.

  Mr. Richards
  The eligibility rules for training for work allow women returning to the labour market to enter the programme immediately provided that an individual has not been in the labour market for a continuous period of two years for domestic reasons.

  The out of school childcare grant initiative is stimulating the childcare market in Wales for school-age children by pump-priming the setting up costs of after school and holiday arrangements.

  The Welsh Office provides a grant to Chwarae Teg to assist its work in expanding the role of women in the workforce by raising awareness of equal opportunities and encouraging good practice by employers.

  More generally, the consultation document, "People and Prosperity: A Challenge to Wales" has stimulated debate about developing the potential of women in the workforce. My right hon. Friend will shortly be publishing an action plan to follow up "People and Prosperity".

  Water Rates
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received on the subject of the level of water rates in Wales in 1991, 1992, 1993 and the current year.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The numbers of representations received are as follows:

  1991: 31

  1992: 25

  1993: 44

  1994: 37

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will permit Alyn and Deeside district council to use 100 per cent. of the moneys accrued from the sale of council houses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  As between debt redemption and new expenditure, Alyn and Deeside district council is able

  Proportion of qualifications gained by those leaving youth training

  April 1991–March 1992

  April 1992–March 1993

  TEC

  All Leavers Per cent

  complents Per cent

  All Leavers Per cent

  complents Per cent

  Gwent

  34.2

  48.5

  45.5

  78.4

  Mid Glamorgan

  38.3

  53.9

  47.8

  79.4

  North East Wales

  41.2

  31.4

  89.4

  94.0

  North West Wales

  43.5

  58.2

  40.8

  67.7

  Powys

  30.3

  39.2

  31.4

  64.9

  South Glamorgan

  28.1

  45.4

  39.1

  71.7

  West Wales

  32.8

  46.0

  40.6

  59.9

  Wales

  35.8

  50.3

  46.7

  72.4

  Source:

  Employment Department YT Follow-up Survey.
  154
  to use 100 per cent. of the moneys accrued from the sale of council houses.

  Beaches
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many beaches in Wales have been awarded a blue flag to date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Since the scheme's introduction in 1987, a total of 14 blue flags have been awarded to beaches in Wales.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many blue flag awards were awarded to Welsh beaches in each year from 1991 to 1993.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is as follows:

  1991: 3

  1992: 2

  1993: 3

  Entertainment Budget
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was his Department's budget for entertainment in each year from 1990 to 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Expenditure figures for Welsh Office hospitality were given in my answer to the hon. Member for Truro (Mr. Taylor) 24 October,Official Report, column 421–22.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of those leaving youth training today gained qualifications in Wales; and what was the figure two years ago in each of the counties of Wales.

  Mr. Richards
  The information is not available in the format requested. Youth training is delivered by the seven training and enterprise councils in Wales, whose boundaries do not correspond with the eight counties. West Wales TEC covers the counties of both west Glamorgan and Dyfed; North West Wales TEC covers the county of Gwynedd plus the districts of Rhuddland and Colwyn of the county of Clwyd; North East Wales TEC covers the remaining districts of Clwyd.

  The following figures therefore relate to the areas served by the seven TECs and to the last two years for which information is available. Figures for 1990–91 are not comparable.

  Library Books
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average cost per head of the population for expenditure on library books in each of the counties of Wales.

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

  Gross current expenditure on library books by county area, 1992–93(1)

  £ per head

  Clwyd

  1.36

  Dyfed

  2.46

  Gwent

  1.54

  Gwynedd

  1.59

  Mid Glamorgan

  3.65

  Powys

  1.57

  South Glamorgan

  2.03

  West Glamorgan

  1.87

  Source:

  Local authority outturn returns.

  Note:

  (1) Expenditure on books which has been identified separately from other library expenditure. Includes expenditure by those district councils which provide library services.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many tenancies were provided by housing associations in each of the districts and boroughs of Wales in 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information on new lettings and re-lettings in the financial year 1993—94 are set out in the following table, taken from the report of the Welsh Federation of Housing Associations. It includes transfers by existing tenants to a new address—where no new tenancy is created—and mutual exchanges—transfers between existing tenants of different social landlords. Lettings in sheltered accommodation are included, but not lettings for special needs. The table also excludes shared ownership and deferred ownership tenancies.

  Lettings by local authority districts in 1993–94

  Local Authority

  Tenancies

  Aberconwy

  174

  Afan

  114

  Alyn and Deeside

  135

  Arfon

  223

  Blaenau Gwent

  209

  Brecknock

  95

  Cardiff

  1,793

  Carmarthen

  155

  Ceredigion

  160

  Colwyn

  167

  Cynon Valley

  330

  Delyn

  182

  Dinefwr

  147

  Dwyfor

  91

  Glyndwr

  145

  Islwyn

  221

  Llanelli

  208

  Lliw Valley

  150

  Meirionnydd1

  38

  Merthyr Tydfil

  354

  Monmouth

  200

  Montgomery

  227

  Neath

  127

  156

  Lettings by local authority districts in 1993–94

  Local Authority

  Tenancies

  Newport

  615

  Ogwr

  368

  Preseli

  168

  Radnor

  103

  Rhondda

  228

  Rhuddlan

  244

  Rhymney Valley

  281

  South Pembrokeshire

  106

  Swansea

  931

  Taff-Ely

  260

  Torfaen

  384

  Vale of Glamorgan

  330

  Wrexham Maelor

  287

  Ynys Mon

  90

  Total

  2210,040

  1 Provisional figure.

  2 Includes Transfers (1,423) and exchanges and Exchanges (550).

  Tree Preservation
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of whether tree preservation order policy is sufficient to enable local authorities to protect woodland areas in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Government have recently reviewed various proposals for changes to the present arrangements for tree preservation. We have concluded that the system in use now enables local planning authorities to provide sufficient protection to woodlands and that they should continue to be able to place preservation orders on woodlands. Copies of the Government's conclusions on the review are available in the Library of the House.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the jobseeker's allowance scheme as it may affect Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  The introduction of the jobseeker's allowance will help unemployed people in Wales into jobs, will help to secure better value for money for taxpayers and will improve services for unemployed people themselves.

  Horticulture
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were employed on a full-time basis in horticulture in Wales at the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information is not available on the numbers of people working specifically in horticulture. However, according to the 1993 June agricultural and horticultural census there were, at 1 June, 558 people working whole-time on main holdings classified as horticultural holdings whole-time refers to those workers whose main occupation is farming and who work, on average, more than 39 hours per week. A holding is classified as horticultural if more than two thirds of its standard gross margin results from horticultural enterprises. Results at this level of detail are not yet available for the June 1994 census.

  Council House Building
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many council houses were built in 1993 by each of the local authorities in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information is published in table 2.6 of "Welsh Housing Statistics No. 14 1994", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Housing associations are able to attract private finance contributions in building housing. In 1991 the Welsh Office set a target of housing associations providing 10,000 homes over three years and this target has been exceeded.

  Agriculture
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were directly employed in agriculture in Wales at the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Provisional results from the 1994 June agriculture and horticultural census show that there were an estimated 64,500 people working on holdings in Wales on 1 June. This total comprises: all farmers, partners and directors and their spouses; salaried managers; family and hired workers normally employed on a holding for some part of each month throughout the year, and any seasonal or casual workers employed at the time of the census. The figure includes estimates for small holdings not surveyed in the June census.

  Job Vacancies
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many job vacancies there are in the county of Clwyd; and if he will make a statement.

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Clwyd

  309

  392

  225

  629

  834

  East Dyfed

  255

  154

  179

  215

  252

  Gwent

  551

  753

  639

  451

  796

  Gwynedd

  189

  281

  208

  223

  279

  Mid Glamorgan

  2,005

  700

  1,181

  1,010

  789

  Pembrokeshire

  62

  51

  103

  117

  144

  Powys

  14

  13

  9

  13

  24

  South Glamorgan

  2,082

  1,984

  962

  1,326

  1,348

  West Glamorgan

  554

  414

  538

  500

  206

  Wales

  6,021

  4,742

  4,044

  4,484

  4,672

  Colleges of Further Education
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish any details for the latest available three years of increases in salaries of(a) principals, (b) other senior staff and (c) junior staff of colleges of furtiher education; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Richards
  The salaries of staff in further education colleges were the responsibility of the local education authorities until 1 April 1993. Since that date, it has been a condition of grant to the Further Education Funding Council for Wales that the sector takes into account the Government's requirements on public sector pay. However, colleges are free to negotiate their own pay and conditions arrangements with their employees. Details of salaries are not held centrally, although it is also a
  158
  Mr. Redwood
  There were 1,758 unfilled vacancies at jobcentres in Clwyd on 7 October 1994. This represents an increase of 7 per cent. on the October 1993 figure. The vacancy figures do not represent the total number of vacancies. Latest estimates suggest that nationally about one third of all vacancies are notified to jobcentres; and about one quarter of all placings are made through jobcentres.

  Tranquillisers
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secondary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of people who have been treated for addiction to tranquillisers; and if will make a statement.

  Mr. Richards
  The Welsh Office has no information on which to base an estimate of the number of people who have been treated for addiction to tranquillisers.

  NHS Staffing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of redundancies among national health service staff(a) by grade and (b) by reason for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Richards
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Operating Theatre Sessions
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many operating theatre sessions have been cancelled in each region in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Richards
  The number of operating sessions cancelled and unused, for Wales and each district health authority area,is given in the following table.

  condition of grant to the funding council that the institutions it funds must disclose the salaries of senior staff in their annual accounts. The first set of accounts for the colleges since they became independent will be for the period 1 April 1993 to 31 July 1994.

  Osteoporosis
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many instances there have been in the last year of patients with osteoporosis at the Wrexham Maelor hospital having(a) a limb or (b) more than one limb accidentally broken while in the hospital.

  Mr. Richards
  While this is a matter for the Wrexham Maelor Hospital NHS trust, I understand that during 1994 3
  159
  patients with osteoporosis have suffered a fracture of a limb with, sadly, one of these suffering fractures of two limbs.

  School of Governors
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide the most up to date figures on all the costs relating to the preparation, publishing and distribution of all literature and letters sent to(a) governors of grant-maintained schools and (b) governors of all schools.

  Mr. Richards
  This information is not available.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has already received from health authorities on their plans to meet the standards required in the code of practice for the identification and assessment of children with special educational needs; and what guidance he has sent them to ensure that the additional needs of all children are met whether or not they have statements.

  Mr. Richards
  In response to the code of practice, planning guidance was issued in DGM(94)96 which advises health authorities to agree with local authorities the provision to be made for children, including those with special educational needs.

  Commissioners' health plans should be submitted to the Welsh Office by the end of March 1995 for consideration and approval by the Department.

EDUCATION

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the level of capital spending per pupil per annum at constant prices at(a) grant-maintained and (b) local authority schools in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The latest available information on outturn expenditure and pupil numbers implies per capita expenditure on grant-maintained, voluntary aided and local authority schools as in the table. The figures are in 1993–94 prices.

  Grant maintained schools £

  Local authority schools £

  Voluntary aided schools £

  1984–85

  —

  86.6

  49.3

  1985–86

  —

  88.6

  59.0

  1986–87

  —

  95.0

  50.0

  1987–88

  —

  102.4

  55.7

  1988–89

  —

  127.1

  70.4

  1989–90

  157.2

  144.7

  88.1

  1990–91

  203.4

  125.9

  90.5

  1991–92

  104.3

  122.1

  84.5

  1992–93

  108.3

  117.6

  102.1

  1993–94

  157.6

  N/A

  100.7

  (1) It is not possible to make a direct comparison between per pupil expenditure at local authority, voluntary aided and grant maintained schools because of the differences in the capital spending regimes under which the three types of school operate. For example, grant-maintained and voluntary schools are liable to VAT whereas local authority schools are outside the scope of VAT.

  Physical Education
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many submissions were made to the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority on its consultation paper on the national curriculum proposals at key stage 4; how many expressed a view on physical education; and how many submissions expressed a view on the imposition of compulsory participation in competitive team games, indicating the numbers of (i) those in favour and (ii) those against.

  Mr. Forth
  The total number of written responses on the proposals for physical education was 4,072, of which 173 agreed that it should be compulsory for 14 to 16-year-old pupils to be taught a competitive game, while 529 disagreed. In weighing all the responses, including those views expressed at conferences, and in reaffirming the proposal, the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority took the view that pupils' and schools' choices were not unduly restricted, that it ensured progression throughout compulsory schooling in a key activity, and that it reflected existing practice in most schools. The total number of responses on the national curriculum proposals at key stage 4 is not available.

  Disabled Students' Awards
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what has been the number of disabled students' awards in each of the last three years; and what has been the cost in each year.

  Mr. Boswell
  The number and gross value of disabled students' allowances made by local education authorities in England and Wales as part of mandatory awards in the academic years 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93—the latest year for which figures are available—are shown in the table:

  Number1 and gross value of disabled students' allowances— England and Wales: 1990–91 to 1992–93

  Academic year

  Number of allowances

  Gross value of allowances £ million

  1990–912

  640

  0.9

  1991–92

  1,430

  2.0

  1992–93

  2,490

  3.7

  1 The table shows the number of awards, not the number of students. Students can receive more than one type of disabled students' allowance.

  2 Data for 1990£91 are incomplete and are not directly comparable with the two later years.

  South Tyneside College
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the salary of the chief executive of South Tyneside college.

  Mr. Boswell
  This information is not collected by the Department. The Further Education Funding Council guidelines on accounting policies recommend that colleges should disclose the emoluments of the principal and other senior postholders in their accounts, which are publicly available.

  Child Maintenance
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what considerations led to the inclusion of payments for child maintenance ordered by the courts under the Children Act 1975 or the Children Act 1989 as being eligible for deduction against gross income when calculating residual income for mandatory grant assessment purposes and the exclusion of payments for child maintenance made under the Child Support Act 1991;

  (2) how many parents benefit from the provision in the Education (Mandatory Awards) (No. 2) Regulations 1993 enabling the deduction from gross income of child maintenance payments ordered in the courts in order to calculate residual income for grant purposes.

  Mr. Boswell
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

SCOTLAND

  A8
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects the A8 between Baillieston and Newhouse to be upgraded to motorway standard; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The line orders and compulsory purchase order for the section of the M8 motorway between Baillieston and Newhouse were published in November 1993 and May 1994, respectively. Those proposals are being taken forward in phases and, subject to the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures and the availability of finance, it is provisionally planned that the first of these, from Drumpark junction to Chapelhall, will start between April 1995 and March 1997.

  Sheep Annual Premium
  Dr. Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for what reasons Scottish farmers have not yet been paid the sheep annual premium payments for this year that are due to them.

  Mr. Lang
  I refer the right hon. Member to the answers that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary responsible for agriculture and the environment gave to the hon. Member for Angus, East (Mr. Welsh) on 24 November,Official Report, column 343.

  Factory Units, Glasgow
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many factory units Glasgow development agency has constructed since its inception.

  Mr. Stewart
  Details of the provision of industrial premises by local enterprise companies is a matter for Scottish Enterprise and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Secret Files
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) top secret and (b) secret files his Department holds.
  162
  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 30 November 1994]: The most recent estimates show that there are around 35 top secret and around 800 secret paper files held within my Department. That is less than 0.06 per cent. of all paper files currently held.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the reduction in the number of persons by grade and gender employed by his Department and associated offices and agencies, nationally and regionally over the next three years, as a result of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget statement of 29 November, indicating which branch, agency and region will be affected and stating his estimate of the number of job losses in each year which will be by(a) natural wastage, (b) voluntary redundancy and (c) compulsory redundancy; and what estimate he has made of the yearly total of savings in wages and associated costs as a result of these reductions in each Department, branch and agency.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 5 December 1994]: The information requested is not yet available. My Department's staffing plans for 1995–96, 1996–97 and 1997–98 will be set out in the 1995 departmental report, to be published in early March 1995.

  The Government's aim has been, and will continue to be, that reductions in the size of the civil service should as far as possible be achieved without compulsory redundancies.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the allocation to individual programmes in Northern Ireland of the public expenditure totals announced on 29 November.

  Dr. Sir Patrick Mayhew
  In his unified Budget statement on 29 November, my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced total public expenditure planning figures for the Northern Ireland programme. I have now decided on the allocations to individual programmes as shown in the following table. Copies of a more detailed statement have been placed in the Library. Those allocations reflect my assessment of how best to distribute the Northern Ireland public expenditure totals in response to local needs and circumstances.

  Programme

  £ million

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Northern Ireland Office:

  Law, Order, Protective and Miscellaneous Services

  889

  890

  880

  Northern Ireland Departments:

  Northern Ireland Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Services and Support

  137

  140

  140

  Industry, Trade and Employment

  460

  440

  440

  Energy

  56

  40

  30

  163

  Programme

  £ million

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Roads and Transport

  176

  180

  180

  Housing

  246

  250

  260

  Environmental and Miscellaneous Services

  231

  220

  220

  Law, Order and Protective Services (Fire Service)

  41

  40

  40

  Education, Arts and Libraries

  1,354

  1,390

  1,410

  Health and Personal Social Services

  1,510

  1,550

  1,580

  Social Security Administration

  161

  160

  160

  Other Public Services

  61

  60

  60

  NI Block (excluding Social Security Benefits)

  5,320

  5,360

  5,390

  Social Security Benefits

  2,224

  2,330

  2,450

  NI Block

  7,544

  7,690

  7,840

  National Agriculture and Fisheries Support

  172

  180

  190

  NI Programme

  7,716

  7,880

  8,020

  Notes:

  (1) Figures are rounded to nearest £1 million in 1995–96 and to nearest £10 million in 1996–97 and 1997–98.

  (2) The figures for 1995–96 will form the basis for preparation by Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office of Main Estimates for the coming year. These will be presented to Parliament in due course.

  National Insurance Numbers
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what undertaking his Department gave to the Data Protection Registrar that the national insurance number would be restricted to tax and benefit-related purposes; if he has been able to keep to that undertaking; what plans he has to introduce legislation to allow the use of the number by the private sector in the Province; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moss
  The Data Protection Registrar has been advised that it is departmental policy to restrict use of the national insurance number to national insurance, tax and social security benefit related purposes. As to the application of that policy, a private sector organisation has requested permission to use the national insurance number for personal injuries claims purposes and this is being considered within the terms of the policy. There are no plans to introduce legislation to allow the use of the national insurance number by the private sector.

  Urban Development Grants
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many urban development grants have been approved in each of the district council areas by the International Fund for Ireland since this fund commenced operations in Northern Ireland.

  Dr. Sir John Wheeler
  The International Fund for Ireland is administered by an independent board appointed jointly by the two Governments. All decisions on disbursements by the fund are a matter for that board and questions regarding disbursements should be directed to the fund's chairman, Mr. William T. McCarter, PO Box 2000,164
  Belfast, BT4 3SA. I understand, however, that the fund provides full details of all offers of assistances in its annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library. In addition, I have arranged for a copy of the right hon. Gentleman's inquiry to be forwarded to the chairman of the fund.

  Rate Collection Agencies
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultations took place in respect of the recommendations to close eight regional rate collection agencies and to centralise housing benefit in Belfast; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moss
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Rate Collection Agency under its chief executive, Mr. D. W. Gallagher. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from D. W. Gallagher to Mr. Eddie McCrady, dated 6 December 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me to reply to your Question about consultations in respect of the recommendations to close 8 local Rate Collection offices and to centralise Housing Benefit in Belfast.
  The recommendations were drawn up after widespread consultation within the management tiers of the RCA. The fact that they became public knowledge very quickly after they had been made known more widely to Agency staff precluded any outside consultation. Since the news became public, there have been representations from Members of Parliament, District Council Officers, and members of the public.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much in criminal injuries compensation has been paid to victims of IRA disciplinary procedures in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years and 1994 to date.

  Dr. Sir John Wheeler
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Compensation Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Denis Stanley. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from D. A. Stanley to Mr. Austin Mitchell, dated 6 December 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me to reply to your recent Question about criminal injuries compensation in Northern Ireland.
  The Compensation Agency has no way of ascertaining the motives of a victim's assailants until the outcome of any subsequent prosecution is known. As there would have to be a high degree of speculation in respect of the many cases where the assailants are unknown or where no prosecution has taken place, the Agency could not accurately compile the information you seek.
  I am sorry that I cannot be more helpful.

  Security Expenditure
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide details of the reduction in expenditure on law, order and protective services from the £56,963,966 outturn for the year 1993–94 to the forecast of £39,709,000 for the year 1994–95.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The forecast figure for 1994–95 of £39,709,000 under law, order and protective services referred only to expenditure on fire services which is borne on the Northern Ireland consolidated fund. The
  165
  outturn figure for 1993–94 was £38,947,000. Expenditure on other law, order and protective services—for example, police and prisons—is borne on the United Kingdom consolidated fund. The outturn figure used in the Northern Ireland financial statement includes prior year fire service cash issues from the Northern Ireland consolidated fund and, incorrectly, cash issues for water and sewerage. The classifications used in the Northern Ireland financial statement are currently under review.

  Social Security Expenditure
  Dr. Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide further details on the difference between his Department's forecast for social security expenditure of £279,751,000 during the year 1993–94 and the official outturn of £1,350,527,594.

  Dr. Sir John Wheeler
  The figures in the question are taken from the Northern Ireland financial statement, which is an abstract based on cash issues from the Northern Ireland consolidated fund. There were inconsistencies in the classification of social security and Social Security Agency expenditure in table IV of the statement, and these resulted in the discrepancies referred to. The classifications used are currently under review. The figures for cash issues for social security and Social Security Agency expenditure, taken together, were however correct.

  Disabled People
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to establish a commission on disability with enforcement powers and the capacity to make compensation payments for disabled people who have been discriminated against; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moss
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement made by the Minister for Social Security and Disabled People, 24 November,Official Report, columns 740–44. Detailed proposals will be contained in a policy statement to be published, in addition to a Bill, in the near future. It is the Government's intention that policy and legislation in Northern Ireland will be consistent with that elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

  Trials
  Mr. Peter Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further progress has been made to reduce delays in coming to trial in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Sir Patrick Mayhew
  The arrangements we have put in place in recent years to reduce delays are yielding clear benefits, although we must and will continue to seek further ways of attacking the problem.

  I set out on 23 November last year, in reply to a question from the hon. Member for Belfast, South, (Rev. Martin Smyth) Official Report, columns 19–20, the results of the first year's operation of the scheme introduced in 1992 to reduce the time defendants spent on custody awaiting trial on indictment for scheduled cases. I also announced a reduction to 11 months in the overall target set by the scheme for cases to move from first remand to arraignment, the formal start of the trial, and its extension to non-scheduled cases tried on indictment.
  166
  I can now report on the scheme's first two years of operation, up to 30 June 1994. Overall, 86 per cent. of defendants in custody awaiting trial in scheduled cases who had reached arraignment had met the overall reduced target of 11 months; and 95 per cent. of such defendants in non-scheduled cases did so. Figures for the average time taken to process scheduled cases show a substantial improvement since the introduction of the scheme. In 1991, the last full year before its introduction, average aggregated time from first remand to arraignment for defendants remanded in custody on scheduled charges was 44 weeks; in the two years ending 30 June 1994, the average for such cases in the scheme was 35 weeks, an improvement of 20 per cent. It is too early yet to present reliable comparative figures for non-scheduled cases.

  I believe that those results are much to the credit of the agencies which have operated the scheme, and we have decided to extend its life until at least the end of June next year.

  The results do, however, also reflect the fact that there are a significant number of cases in Northern Ireland of a particularly complex nature, whose preparation is necessarily prolonged. Nevertheless I believe that it is important to explore all further means by which delay may be averted. My Department, in partnership with others more directly involved in the criminal justice process in Northern Ireland, is therefore investigating ways in which procedures may be further streamlined.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Welsh Health Promotion Authority
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Attorney-General on what grounds the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to proceed with prosecutions for fraud or embezzlement in respect of the Welsh health promotion authority.

  The Attorney-General
  The evidence was insufficient to justify criminal proceedings.

  Extradition
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Attorney-General on what occasions and for what purposes he has intervened with the Irish Attorney-General about the conduct in respect of the extradition warrant in force in respect of Brendan Smyth.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer the hon. Member to the written answers I have given to the hon. Member for Thurrock (Mr. Mackinlay) on 21 November,Official Report, columns 37–38, 25 November, Official Report, columns 388–89 and 28 November, Official Report,column 512.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Indonesia
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when British Government Ministers have visited Indonesia since 1979; and on what dates.
  167
  Mr. Goodlad
  Since 1979, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers have made the following visits to Indonesia:

  Name

  Date

  Mr. Blaker

  September-October 1979

  Secretary of State

  January 1982

  Mr. Renton

  November 1985

  Secretary of State

  October 1986

  Mr. Renton

  December 1986

  Lord Glenarthur

  September 1987

  Mr. Patten

  November 1987

  Lord Glenarthur

  April 1989

  Lord Brabazon

  June 1990

  Lord Caithness

  April 1991

  Mr. Goodlad

  October 1992

  Secretary of State

  April 1993

  Mr. Goodlad

  April 1994

  No central record is kept in the FCO of overseas travel by Ministers from other Government Departments.

  Building Refurbishment
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will itemise the refurbishment works undertaken on buildings housing departmental staff in the last three years, indicating the costs involved and the nature of the refurbishments.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The information is as follows:

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office main building (old public offices, Whitehall)

  Year

  £

  1991–92

  12,973,778

  1992–93

  11,150,596

  1993–94

  12,564,053

  The above figures represent a series of contracts within a rolling programme. This is the first comprehensive restoration and refurbishment of this grade I listed building since 1875. On completion in March 1997 it will provide 25 per cent. more space, allowing leased buildings to be given up, thus reducing future running costs and improving operational efficiency.

  Hanslope Park, Buckinghamshire (i) Building 15 (workshops, technical stores, some offices)

  Year

  £

  1991–92

  137,882

  1992–93

  2,122,575

  1993–94

  322,527

  This facility was originally erected in 1958. The expenditure listed here has been on re-roofing, structural repairs, replacement of all services and re-configuration of internal space.

  (ii) Building 20 (workshops, stores, some offices)

  Year

  £

  1991–92

  77,297

  1992–93

  340,204

  1993–94

  25,852

  168
  This is a grade II 17th century listed building. This expenditure was for re-roofing, structural repairs and replacement of all services. The courtyard has also been roofed over to provide additional internal space.

  Overseas Diplomatic Residences
  Mrs. Clywd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the value of each overseas diplomatic residence owned by Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The information requested will not be available until the systematic valuation of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's overseas estate is further advanced. This work, at present being planned, is in preparation for the introduction of revised Government accounting methods—resource accounting—later in the 1990s.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost of upkeep of each overseas diplomatic residence owned by Her Majesty's Government in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost of renting each overseas diplomatic residence not owned by Her Majesty's Government in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The information requested is not immediately available. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as it has been obtained.

  Vietnamese Boat People
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the allegations that Vietnamese boat people being returned form Hong Kong to Vietnam in September 1994 were sedated and placed in straitjackets.

  Mr. Goodlad
  To prevent injury to themselves and others, two Vietnamese migrants were sedated and placed in straitjackets before their repatriation from Hong Kong to Vietnam on 22 September 1994. This measure was based on a medical decision, taken after the two migrants had been hospitalised with self-inflicted injuries.

  Immigration
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance is issued to entry clearance officers at British overseas posts as to the gross weekly income sufficient for(a) a male spouse sponsor and (b) a female spouse sponsor, each with up to two children, to maintain a spouse applying to join his or her spouse in the United Kingdom without recourse to public funds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Entry clearance officers are not given instructions on the gross weekly income necessary to meet the maintenance requirements of the immigration rules: each case is considered on its individual merits, having regard to the total financial resources available and likely to become available to the parties. These vary considerably from case to case. Entry clearance officers are further guided by the rulings of adjudicators, the tribunal and the higher courts.
  169
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what social security, and other public financial assistance, is deemed public funds by entry clearance officers when considering applications by spouses to enter the United Kingdom for settlement with their spouse; what will be the effect of the Chancellor's Budget statement on the assessment of such public funds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  In line with the statement of changes in immigration rules laid before the House on 23 May 1994, the following are deemed public funds by entry clearance officers:

  (a) housing under part III of the Housing Act 1985, part II of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 or part II of the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1988;

  (b) income support, family credit, council tax benefit and housing benefit under Part VII of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992; and

  (c) income support, family credit, and housing benefit under the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992.

  This list was not altered by the Chancellor's Budget statement.

  UN Year of Tolerance
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for Her Majesty's Government to contribute to the United Nations year of tolerance in 1995.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Government have no plans at present to engage in specific activity to mark the United Nations year of tolerance in 1995. While we are content that non-governmental organisations should play an active role in the activities of the year, it is not our policy, given heavy demands on public expenditure, to commit scarce resources to the marking of United Nations years dedicated to specific themes.

  Zaire
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what contribution he has given to the UN Secretary General's report concerning security arrangements in the refugee camps in the Kivu region of Zaire; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether he will give support to the UN Secretary General's proposed security force for the refugee camps in Kivu, Zaire.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The President of the United Nations Security Council issued a statement on 30 November in response to the UN Secretary General's report on the refugee camps. The United Kingdom played a constructive role in the negotiation of that statement, which it fully supports. A copy has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  UNESCO
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the changes in(a) administration and (b) policy in UNESCO since Britain ceased to be a member.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Since the United Kingdom ceased to be a member in 1985, we have recognised that some welcome changes have taken place both in the organisation's administration and overall policy. This 170
  includes budgetary reform and the carrying out of good work in its programme sectors. But this is not to say that nothing remains to be done. We were, for example, disappointed that little progress was achieved at the recent executive board session in which the board failed to deal adequately with proposals—including one to stop subsistence payments to board members and one relating to the size of board membership—which would lead to a more efficient and cost-effective governing body.

  We are keeping the question of our return to UNESCO closely under review but as of yet have taken no decision.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with(a) the United States of America Government, (b) other EU countries and (c) the Secretary-General of UNESCO about the renewal of Britain's membership of UNESCO.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have not had any discussions with the United States of America Government, other EU countries or with the Secretary-General of UNESCO about the renewal of Britain's membership of UNESCO. However, my officials, here and in Washington and Paris, are in regular contact with their US counterparts and those in Paris keep in touch with their EU counterparts on a regular basis.

  We are keeping the question of a return to UNESCO under close review. For the moment, however, we have taken no decision.

  Murmansk Naval Base
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when British officials last visited the Murmansk naval base; under what auspices they were present; and from which Government agencies they were drawn.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The main naval base in the Murmansk region is in Severomorsk, some 15 km to 20 km from Murmansk. Royal Navy officers visited Severomorsk on 5 June at the invitation of the commander of the Russian northern fleet. On 22 October officers of the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and HM diplomatic service, and 11 British veterans visited Murmansk at the invitation of the regional governor.

  UN Rapid Deployment Force
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Moray (Mrs. Ewing) of 24 November,Official Report, column 305, if he will make it his policy to raise co-operation with a UN standby force planning team at any meeting of EU Foreign Ministers.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom's policy is to encourage all those member states of the United Nations which have been approached by the UN Secretary General to co-operate with his UN standby force planning team. We do not intend to raise this issue at any meeting of EU Foreign Ministers.

  Peacekeeping
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's policy towards the establishment of peacekeeping skills centres at certain African military staff colleges; which staff colleges are expected to be involved; and if his
  171
  Department will provide financial or personnel resources for this initiative.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary proposed in his speech to the UN General Assembly on 28 September that the international community should, working through the Organisation of African Unity and the UN, set up a structure of support systems running from early warning and preventive diplomacy through to peacekeeping deployments. As part of this framework, he mentioned that regional peacekeeping skills centres might be established in certain locations in Africa. These proposals have been enthusiastically welcomed by the UN and the OAU and by the African countries which we have consulted. We are working with African countries and other troop contributors on detailed proposals for discussion in both organisations. Decisions on the location of any skills centres will depend on the outcome of those discussions.

  International Organisations (Financial Contributions)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the United Kingdom's current financial contribution to the United Nations and to the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In the 1993 calendar year—the most recent figures available—the United Kingdom's172
  financial contribution to the United Nations was £312,116,430. This included both assessed and voluntary contributions.

  The United Kingdom's current financial contribution to the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe is £1.5 million.

  East Timor
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what visits to East Timor have been made by diplomatic staff attached to the embassy in Jakarta at any time since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  [holding answer 30 November 1994]: Since 1979, embassy staff in Jakarta have visited East Timor on the following occasions:

  Month

  Year

  October/November

  1980

  December

  1984

  January

  1988

  February; March; October

  1989

  February; September; November

  1991

  April

  1992

  March; May (twice); November

  1993

  January; August; September

  1994

TRANSPORT

  Aircraft Noise
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to implement a noise control scheme governing aerodromes.

  Mr. Norris
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Cunningham) on 30 November,Official Report, column 763–4.

  Fishing Vessels (Inspections)
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many inspections have been completed, region by region, since 1 April 1994, in respect of fishing vessels over 12 m; how many vessels have been issued with a valid certificate; and how many are currently outside the three month validation period.

  Mr. Norris
  This is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from R. M Bradley to Ms Joan Walley, dated 6 December 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Question about the inspection and certification of fishing vessels.
  In view of the reference to certification I have assumed that the first part of the Question refers to surveys, rather than inspections, of fishing vessels of 12 metres and over. The attached table shows, by District, the number of vessels of 12 metres and over which completed survey and in respect of which a UK Fishing Vessel Certificate (UKFVC) was issued during the period 1 April to 30 October 1994.
  Turning to the final part of the Question, I am afraid I do not understand the reference to a "three month validation period". If you could clarify the request I would be happy to try to provide the information you seek.

  United Kingdom Registered Fishing Vessels not holding a valid UKFVC (as at 1 November 1994)

  District

  UKFVC expired 0–3 months

  UKFVC expired 3–6 months

  UKFVC expired over 6 months

  Totals

  East of Scotland

  17

  5

  13

  35

  West of Scotland and Northern Ireland

  29

  28

  14

  71

  North West of England and Wales

  6

  7

  11

  24

  North East and East of England

  9

  3

  6

  18

  London

  3

  6

  3

  12

  South and South West of England

  13

  3

  30

  46

  Totals

  77

  52

  77

  206

  174

  UK Fishing Vessel Certificates (UKFVCs) issued between 1 April and 30 October

  District

  UKFVCs issued 1 April 1994–30 November 1994

  East of Scotland

  211

  West of Scotland and Northern Ireland

  85

  North West of England and Wales

  17

  North East and East of England

  53

  London

  13

  South and South West of England

  54

  Totals

  433

  Fishing Vessel Safety Rules
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that copies of the fishing vessel safety rules of 1975 are(a) publicly available and (b) distributed to representatives of the South Western Fish Producers Organisation.

  Mr. Norris
  This is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from R. M. Bradley to Ms Joan Walley, dated 6 December 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about the public availability of copies of the Fishing Vessels (Safety Provisions) Rules 1975.
  The Rules were published as Statutory Instrument 1975 No. 330. Copies of Statutory Instruments are normally available to the public through HMSO Bookshops but SI 1975 No. 330 is now out-of-print. However, photo-copies of out-of-print Parliamentary, statutory and regulatory publications can be obtained through HMSO Books (Photocopies Section), PO Box 276, London SW8 5DT at a cost £4.70 (inc. VAT) per complete copy required.
  I will arrange for this information to be passed on to the Chief Executive of the South Western Fish Producers Organisation and also to the Fishermen's Federations.

  Northolt Airport
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the report of the Adam Smith Institute on Northolt airport; and if he will make a statement about the number of business, civilian and military flights.

  Mr. Norris
  I have taken note of the institute's report, "Plane Common Sense". We are considering responses to the recent consultation paper on increasing business use of RAF Northolt.

  Building Refurbishment
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will itemise the refurbishment works undertaken on buildings housing departmental staff in the last three years, indicating the cost involved and the nature of the refurbishments.
  175
  Mr. Norris
  The list of refurbishment works undertaken by my Department is as follows:

  Building and Location

  Nature of Refurbishment

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  1994–95 £

  Test Centre Hayes

  Internal Alteration

  15,000

  —

  —

  Test Centre Barnet

  Major Alteration

  46,500

  —

  —

  DSA Cardington

  New Windows

  42,000

  —

  —

  Test Centre Hither Green

  New Windows and Cladding

  18,000

  —

  —

  Test Centre Barking

  Major Internal Alteration

  —

  23,000

  —

  Test Centre Nottingham

  Major Internal Alteration

  —

  26,000

  —

  Test Centre Saltcoats

  Major Alterations

  —

  —

  20,000

  AAIB Farnborough

  New Windows in Computer Room

  4,113

  —

  —

  AAIB Farnborough

  Update Flight Data Room

  —

  3,550

  —

  MSA Cardiff

  Upgrade Toilets

  —

  24,500

  —

  MSA Newcastle

  Upgrade Security System

  —

  4,000

  —

  MSA Orpington

  Energy efficient lighting

  —

  —

  6,500

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency Swansea

  Upgrade 16th Floor

  445,000

  —

  —

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency Swansea

  Upgrade F Block and convert to stores

  —

  280,000

  —

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency Swansea

  Upgrade Microfilm Library and post facilities

  —

  —

  100,000

  Vehicle Registration Office Gloucester

  Major Internal Alteration

  —

  100,000

  —

  DOT HQ Lambeth Bridge House London

  Office

  14,000

  —

  —

  DOT Eastcote Office Services

  Accommodation Rationalisation

  26,000

  —

  —

  DOT HQ Romney House London

  Record Service Rationalisation

  17,000

  —

  —

  Highways Agency St Christopher House London

  Accommodation Rationalisation

  —

  723,000

  —

  DOT Personnel Unit Westgate House Newcastle

  Accommodation Rationalisation

  —

  12,700

  —

  DOT Personnel Unit County House Bristol

  Accommodation Rationalisation

  —

  22,400

  —

  DOT Personnel Unit 5 Ways House Birmingham

  Accommodation Rationalisation

  —

  40,600

  —

  DOT Personnel Unit Howard St Bedford

  Accommodation Rationalisation

  —

  1,500

  —

  DOT Personnel Unit City House Leeds

  Accommodation Rationalisation

  —

  16,000

  —

  HMCG Ballywater

  Conversion of CRE to garage and training room

  24,000

  —

  —

  HMCG Killough

  Conversion of boathouse to IRT Station

  16.500

  —

  —

  HMCGPortrush

  Conversion of Jackstay House to training room

  6,000

  —

  —

  HMCG Milford Haven

  Replace felted roof with fibre glass

  2,200

  HMCG Swansea

  Alterations to Operations Room

  500

  —

  —

  HMCG Forth

  Operations Room

  25,500

  —

  —

  HMCG Dover

  Operations Room and Office

  50,000

  —

  —

  HMCG Dover

  Security Barrier

  11,000

  —

  —

  HMCG Deal

  Office upgrade

  22,000

  —

  —

  176

  Building and Location

  Nature of Refurbishment

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  1994–95 £

  HMCG Ventnor IoW

  Renew floor, windows and ceilings

  21,000

  —

  —

  HMCG St Ives Gwennap Head

  Enhance securit

  5,000

  —

  —

  HMCG Penzance

  Change garages to Sector Base

  31,000

  —

  —

  HMCG Brixham

  Upgrade ventilation and domestic facilities

  33,000

  —

  —

  HMCGLooe

  Conversion to include training room

  6,000

  —

  —

  HMCG Porthscatho

  Upgrade to provide domestic facilities

  15,000

  —

  —

  HMCG Highcliffe

  Window replacement

  25,000

  —

  —

  HMCG Benbecula

  Convert garage to training room

  —

  22,000

  —

  HMCG Tarbert Harris

  Convert garage to training room

  —

  16,000

  —

  HMCG Lamlash

  Convert garage to training

  —

  12,000

  —

  HMCG Yarmouth

  New rest area

  —

  6,100

  —

  HMCG Liverpool

  Renew kitchen units and toilet floors

  —

  1,400

  —

  HMCG Liverpool

  Replace windows

  —

  2,000

  —

  HMCG Aberdeen

  Operations Room

  —

  30,000

  —

  HMCG Bawdsey

  Security fence

  —

  5,000

  —

  HMCG Lee on Solent

  Upgrade fire alarm system

  —

  5,000

  —

  HMCG St Mary's Scilly

  Refurbish old tower and domestic facilities

  —

  50,000

  —

  HMCG Falmouth

  Staff rest room and registry facilities

  —

  13,000

  —

  HMCG Highcliffe

  Refurbish training area

  —

  45,000

  —

  HMCG Dover

  Refurbish toilets and mess room

  —

  4,000

  —

  HMCG Dover

  Conference Room

  —

  10,000

  —

  HMCG SAR Flight Solent

  Kitchen, mess and showers

  —

  6,000

  —

  HMCG Thames

  Internal refurbishment

  —

  25,000

  —

  HMCG Oban

  Convert Station Office to Emergency Planning Room

  —

  —

  7,000

  HMCG Tobermory

  Convert CRE storage to training room

  —

  —

  16,000

  HMCG Yarmouth

  Heating and cooling system

  —

  —

  29,400

  HMCG Tyne Tees

  Ceiling and lighting

  —

  —

  13,500

  HMCG Presili

  Enlarge and modernise

  —

  —

  15,000

  HMCG Liverpool

  Convert storeroom to office

  —

  —

  5,000

  HMCG Milford Haven

  Improve acoustics in Operations Room

  —

  —

  5,000

  HMCG South Cumbria

  Replace windows, upgrade kitchen and toilets

  —

  —

  25,000

  HMCG Shetland

  Operations Room

  —

  —

  33,000

  HMCG Forth

  Upgrade ventilation

  —

  —

  10,000

  HMCG Thames

  New windows, fire alarm, toilets and showers

  —

  —

  13,000

  HMCG Thames

  Air-conditioning to Operations Room

  —

  —

  12,000

  HMCG New Romney

  Energy control switching

  —

  —

  2,000

  HMCG Totland IoW

  Toilets and heating

  —

  —

  5,000

  HMCG Lee on Solent

  Shower and conference room

  —

  —

  7,000

  HMCG Littlehampton

  Improve security

  —

  —

  2,000

  HMCG St Austell

  Improve facilities and partitioning

  —

  —

  8,000

  HMCG Brixham

  Provide conference room

  —

  —

  15,000

  HMCG Highcliffe

  Canteen and offices

  —

  —

  50,000

  Vehicle Inspectorate Berkeley House Bristol

  Upgrade security of entrance and reception area

  —

  25,000

  —

  Vehicle Inspectorate Berkeley House Bristol

  Ground floor toilets and disabled facilities

  —

  10,000

  —

  177

  Building and Location

  Nature of Refurbishment

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  1994–95 £

  TAO Portcullis House Manchester

  Resite and upgrade public counter

  8,925

  —

  —

  TAO Portcullis House Manchester

  Ground floor entrance and foyer

  40,496

  —

  —

  TAO 83 Princess St Edinburgh

  Finance and Admin offices

  32,600

  —

  —

  TAO 83 Princess St Edinburgh

  Entrance, reception, personnel and passenger sections

  18,000

  —

  —

  TAO Caradog House Cardiff

  Typing pool, Finance, Admin and Goods Operators Licensing

  —

  62,363

  —

  TAO Cumberland House Birmingham

  Furniture upgrade

  —

  29,112

  —

  TAO Cumberland House Birmingham

  Furniture upgrade

  —

  69,804

  —

  TAO Hillcrest House Leeds

  Double glazing, new doors, lights and ceiling

  6,024

  —

  —

  TAO Hillcrest House Leeds

  Carpeting and blinds

  6,316

  —

  —

  TAO Hillcrest House Leeds

  Partial interior reconstruction

  4,714

  —

  —

  TAO Hillcrest House Leeds

  Traffic Commissioners, Clerks and Board Rooms

  5,900

  —

  —

  TAO Hillcrest House Leeds

  Court Room, Typing Pool and glazing

  —

  —

  53,660

  Vehicles (Definitions)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide a definition of mowing machine as listed in the leaflet INF 27 issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

  Mr. Norris
  A mowing machine, not defined in legislation, is considered to be a vehicle designed and constructed purely for cutting grass.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide a definition of the terms digging machine, works truck, concessionary trailer and agricultural machines, listed in the leaflet INF 27 issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

  Mr. Norris
  The information requested is as follows:"digging machine" is a vehicle designed, constructed and used on public roads, only for digging trenches, or for any kind of excavating or shovelling work.
  "works truck" is a goods vehicle designed for use in private premises and is used on public roads only for carrying goods in the immediate vicinity of premises or the site of road works.
  "concessionary trailer" is an administrative term referring to trailers hauled by showmen's vehicles as opposed to trailers pulled by other heavy good vehicles (HGVs).
  "agricultural machine" is an umbrella tax class for the following:

  locomotive ploughing engines

  tractors

  agricultural tractors

  agricultural engines

  fisherman's tractors

  Vehicle Excise Duty
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings he has had with local authority associations to discuss the imposition of vehicle excise duty on local authority vehicles, including mowing machines, gritters and snowploughs.
  178
  Mr. Norris
  None.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the meetings he has had with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution on the imposition of vehicle excise duty on lifeboat haulage vehicles; and what consideration has been given to the increased financial and administrative burden this will place on the RNLI.

  Mr. Norris
  None.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide an estimate of the number of vehicles in each of the new tax classes, special vehicles, special concessionary and emergency vehicles, set out in leaflet INF 27 issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

  Mr. Norris
  The number of vehicles in each of the proposed new tax classes is as follows:

  special vehicles class 92,000

  special concessionary 281,000

  emergency vehicles class 39,000

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to the extra financial burden on the farming industry as a result of his decision to introduce vehicle taxation for agricultural machines.

  Mr. Norris
  Taxation is a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer. In his Budget statement, he announced no change to the rate of duty for agricultural machines, which remains at £35.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of meetings he has had with representatives of the emergency services to discuss the imposition of vehicle excise duty on some emergency vehicles; and what consideration has been given to the increased financial and administrative burden.

  Mr. Norris
  None.

  Passenger Rolling Stock
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the number of units, class and age of all passenger rolling stock used on(a) Kent coastal lines, (b) the former Network SouthEast south-eastern division and (c) the former Network SouthEast area as a whole in November 1989, November 1991, currently and the expected age profile in November 1995.

  Mr. Watts
  The full set of information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Motorway Lighting
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent cost benefit research his Department has carried out for lighting on motorways.

  Mr. Watts
  This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency, I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 6 December 1994:
  You asked the Secretary of State for Transport what recent cost benefit research his Department has carried out for lighting on motorways. As this is an operational matter for the Highways Agency, I am replying to your question.

  179
  Current policy on motorway and trunk road lighting rests on a statement in 1986 by the then Minister for Roads and Traffic, on which I attach a copy. You will see that the decision whether lighting should be provided is always based on an economic assessment of the costs and benefits throughout the life of the proposed lighting scheme, together with a full assessment of environmental factors. Account is also taken of any significant unquantifiable road safety factors.
  The cost benefit appraisal is similar in form to those conducted for other highway investment proposals, and takes into account the same values, for example on the costs of accidents. No specific research on road lighting appraisal has been undertaken recently, although the effectiveness of road lighting and other measures in reducing accidents is kept under review.

  Vehicle Safety
  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the monitoring and preventive measures carried out directly or indirectly by his Department, or other agencies, giving their locations and frequency for the routine safety testing of commercial and heavy goods vehicles.

  Mr. Norris
  The Vehicle Inspectorate conducts checks on the adequacy of commercial and heavy goods vehicle operators' maintenance arrangements every five years prior to the renewal of licences. Other ad-hoc checks on maintenance are made when the operator seeks a variation to his licence or when a vehicle is prohibited following a roadside spot check and there is evidence of a significant

  Year

  All reported HGV Accidents

  HGVs examined by Vehicle Inspectorate after accidents

  HGVs examined with defects considered likely to have contributed to the accident1

  Percentage of HGVs with likely contributory defects1

  1989

  17,894

  710

  176

  24.7

  1990

  16,524

  707

  154

  21.7

  1991

  15,235

  725

  184

  25.3

  1992

  14,496

  (616)

  111

  18

  —

  725 (109)

  19

  18.2

  1993

  14,416

  565

  123

  14.1

  1 Since late 1992 Vehicle Examiners have been asked to state specifically where in their judgement the defect definitely contributed to or caused the accident.

  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what co-ordination of policy exists between his Department and the metropolitan and county police authorities for the random roadside checks on heavy goods vehicles for ascertaining their operational safety; and what uniformity of practice obtains in this area.

  Mr. Norris
  All police forces support Vehicle Inspectorate roadside enforcement checks by providing police officers to stop vehicles. At the start of each year, the inspectorate's area managers liaise locally with forces to agree road check programmes. Most police forces also employ specially authorised officers who can prohibit vehicles with defects which render them dangerous. Many of these officers have been trained by the Vehicle Inspectorate and all use the same manual for deciding which defects are prohibitable.

  Smoking
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to reduce tobacco smoking(a) on public transport and (b) in restaurants.
  180
  failure of maintenance. About 60,000 vehicles each year are inspected for roadworthiness as part of these checks.

  Commercial and heavy goods vehicles are tested for roadworthiness each year at the Vehicle Inspectorate's heavy goods vehicles testing stations or at other premises designated for annual testing.

  About 150,000 other roadworthiness enforcement spot checks are carried out on vehicles in service either at the roadside or in the inspectorate's heavy goods vehicle testing stations.

  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish figures, derived from the Vehicle Inspectorate or elsewhere showing the extent to which vehicle mechanical faults or defects were significant contributory factors in the cause of serious road accidents involving lorries and other heavy goods vehicles in each of the last full five years.

  Mr. Norris
  Data on accidents involving heavy goods vehicles with likely contributory defects were obtained from all Vehicle Inspectorate examinations at the request of the police where a contributory defect was alleged or suspected. The inspectorate's sample is, therefore, biased towards vehicles with defects and includes slight injury and damage only as well as fatal and serious accidents. For comparison purposes, the column "All reported HGV accidents"—data taken from the Department's annual publication, "Road Accidents Great Britain"—also includes slight injury and damage-only accidents.

  Mr. Norris
  The Government continue to support and encourage the voluntary introduction of smoking policies on public transport and in public places, including restaurants. When a suitable opportunity arises, we will also bring in legislation to allow taxi drivers to refuse a passenger who is smoking. The provision of no-smoking areas is becoming more widespread in line with changing public attitudes to smoking and the dangers of passive smoking.

  Dulwich College Toll Road
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what statutes govern the management of the toll road on the Dulwich college estate; what representations she has received about them; and if she will bring forward proposals to amend them to provide for greater participation by local residents in decisions on the management of the toll road and decisions affecting local residents whose homes are subject to the scheme of management.
  181
  Mr. Norris
  College road, Dulwich, is a private road managed under the royal charter which established the estate in 1619. It is not the responsibility of the Department of Transport or of the local highway authority and I understand that no statutory provisions apply specifically to its management. We have no plans to alter that situation.

  Taxis
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for any deregulation of the taxi trade.

  Mr. Norris
  These matters were covered in the report of the Transport Select Committee on taxis and private hire vehicles. The Government hope to reply to the Select Committee very shortly.

  Shipping (Safety)
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents' report following the investigation by Oceaneering Technologies into the wreck of M V Derbyshire.

  Mr. Norris
  My right hon. Friend is considering the chief inspector's submission. His deliberations will include consideration of placing relevant material in the Library in due course.

  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the frequency of inspection of United Kingdom merchant ships by the underwriters.

  Mr. Norris
  The frequency of inspection by underwriters of merchant ships of any flag is a commercial decision for the organisations involved.

  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he intends to take to raise the standards of safety on United Kingdom merchant ships; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  We believe that the standards of safety on United Kingdom registered merchant vessels are among the highest in the world. We shall continue to maintain and, where necessary, to raise those standards by national or international action.

  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the outcome of the discussions with the European Transport Ministers on the loss of the Estonia and related matters including safety standards of roll-on roll-off ferries.

  Mr. Norris
  I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport's statement on the Transport Council, of 30 November Official Report columns 659–60. The Government will play an active role in the development of the detailed initiatives on ferry safety both in the European Community and at the International Maritime Organisation.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Freight
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he intends to take to ensure that railway wagons running to and from the channel tunnel are not overloaded.

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 1 December 1994]: Prime responsibility for this matter rests with the railway operators concerned. The design, construction and
  182
  designated use of wagons assists proper loading. Weighing equipment is provided at the loading points for bulk materials whose density can give rise to loading problems.

  The goods carried on international freight services do not come into this category. Before such services are handed over to the driver, the train is signed off by a railway loads inspector. Drivers can decline to accept the train if they are not satisfied that weights have been properly declared.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he intends to take to prevent channel tunnel freight trains from exceeding speed limits within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 1 December 1994]: Prime responsibility for this matter rests with the railway operators concerned. The train reporting system shows the time trains pass certain signals, and radar equipment can be deployed if there is a suspicion of speeding. The Railway (Safety Critical Work) Regulations 1994 prohibit an employer from allowing any of his employees to carry out safety critical work unless they are competent and fit. Exceeding vehicle or line speed limits is also a severe disciplinary offence.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Household Incomes
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average equivalent household income at April 1994 prices for(a) the poorest 20 per cent. and (b) the richest 20 per cent. from the latest households below average income analysis, before and after housing costs, in 1979, 1981, 1987, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92, according to economic status categories (i) single or couple self-employed, (ii) single, in full-time work, (iii) couple, both in full-time work, (iv) couple, one in full-time, one in part-time work, (v) couple, one in full-time work, one unemployed or not employed, (vi) couple, one or both in part-time work, (vii) single retired pensioner, (viii) couple, both retired pensioners, (ix) single, unemployed or non-employed, (x) couple, both unemployed or non-employed, (xi) three or more adults, all unemployed or not employed and (xii) others.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is provided in the tables. It should be noted that the results do not track the income of individuals over time but compare the average median income for each group in each year shown. Changes in the average for each group over the whole period —1979 to 1991–92—are more reliable than those over shorter periods.

  Care should be taken in the use of these single estimates as some are based on a small number of cases. Estimates which are particularly uncertain are shown in brackets. These are based on a sample of less than 100 benefit units.
  183

  Median equivalised household income of bottom and top quintiles for selected groups (in £'s per week in April 1994 prices)

  1979 Bottom

  1979 Top

  1981 Bottom

  1981 Top

  1987 Bottom

  1987 Top

  Before Housing Costs

  Single or couple self-employed

  3(91)

  3(412)

  92

  414

  89

  522

  Single in full-time work

  143

  328

  140

  348

  163

  462

  Couple both in full-time work

  187

  378

  172

  374

  202

  500

  Couple one in full-time work one in part-time work

  132

  277

  127

  294

  154

  379

  Couple one in full-time work one unemployed or not employed

  113

  272

  108

  285

  121

  346

  Couple one or both in part-time work

  3(72)

  3(243)

  3(63)

  3(260)

  3(88)

  3(335)

  Single retired pensioner

  91

  227

  96

  231

  99

  269

  Couple both retired pensioners

  90

  207

  94

  224

  103

  291

  Single unemployed or non-employed

  79

  213

  85

  226

  89

  242

  Couple both unemployed or non-employed

  3(60)

  3(168)

  3(56)

  3(148)

  3(82)

  3(174)

  Others1

  3(87)

  3(242)

  3(96)

  3(261)

  97

  301

  Three or more adults all unemployed or not employed2

  3(58)

  3(208)

  3(85)

  3(175)

  3(79)

  3(243)

  After Housing Costs

  Single or couple self-employed

  3(75)

  3(358)

  74

  388

  61

  458

  Single in full-time work

  125

  301

  122

  314

  140

  420

  Couple both in full-time work

  158

  324

  149

  328

  172

  430

  Couple one in full-time work one in part-time work

  110

  241

  108

  258

  129

  334

  Couple one in full-time work one unemployed or not employed

  95

  234

  91

  247

  97

  294

  Couple one or both in part-time work

  3(57)

  3(217)

  3(53)

  3(230)

  3(69)

  3(311)

  Single retired pensioner

  83

  213

  86

  222

  88

  276

  Coupled both retired pensioners

  75

  188

  81

  205

  88

  274

  Single unemployed or non-employed

  63

  190

  69

  203

  66

  210

  Couple both unemployed or non-employed

  3(39)

  3(143)

  3(43)

  3(124)

  3(56)

  3(153)

  Others1

  3(75)

  3(217)

  3(76)

  3(239)

  75

  290

  Three or more adults all unemployed or not employed2

  3(39)

  3(145)

  3(68)

  3(157)

  3(57)

  3(160)

  Notes:

  1 This group includes singles in part-time work and some pensioners.

  2 This group is selected on the basis of individuals in such households whereas all others are based on individuals in benefit units.

  3 Bracketed figures are particularly uncertain as they are based on less than 100 samples benefit units. Ninety-five times in 100, the true value will lie within a given range. As an example, for the bottom quintile of single or couple self-employed in 1979 this will be £76 to £100, before housing costs, in April 1994 prices. For the bottom quintile of three or more adults all unemployed or not employed in 1979 the range is £40 to £94, before housing costs, in April 1994 prices.

  Median equivalised household income of bottom and top quintiles for selected groups in (£'s per week in April 1994 prices)

  1988–89 Bottom

  1988–89 Top

  1990–91 Bottom

  1990–91 Top

  1991–92 Bottom

  1991–92 Top

  Before Housing Costs

  Single or couple self-employed

  87

  565

  76

  581

  84

  575

  Single in full-time work

  173

  467

  168

  497

  172

  494

  Couple both in full-time work

  210

  518

  222

  584

  226

  588

  Couple one in full-time work one in part-time work

  162

  396

  161

  409

  162

  433

  Couple one in full-time work one unemployed or not employed

  126

  387

  124

  424

  126

  441

  Couple one or both in part-time work

  3(84)

  3(358)

  3(77)

  3(397)

  3(77)

  3(339)

  Single retired pensioner

  96

  289

  98

  319

  101

  335

  Couple both retired pensioners

  101

  295

  100

  336

  107

  351

  Single unemployed or non-employed

  83

  249

  83

  269

  86

  265

  Couple both unemployed or non-employed

  67

  204

  3(67)

  3(201)

  68

  198

  Others1

  101

  334

  94

  355

  97

  356

  Three or more adults all unemployed or not employed2

  3(78)

  3(210)

  3(73)

  3(172)

  3(74)

  3(179)

  After Housing Costs

  Single or couple self-employed

  56

  494

  41

  511

  50

  510

  Single in full-time work

  150

  424

  144

  454

  147

  455

  Couple both in full-time work

  183

  452

  185

  517

  192

  521

  Couple one in full-time work one in part-time work

  135

  348

  135

  359

  134

  377

  Couple one in full-time work one unemployed or not employed

  103

  337

  96

  371

  99

  381

  Couple one or both in part-time work

  3(70)

  3(324)

  3(43)

  3(370)

  3(50)

  3(313)

  Single retired pensioner

  86

  299

  90

  333

  93

  346

  Couple both retired pensioners

  88

  283

  87

  329

  89

  346

  Single unemployed or non-employed

  57

  229

  60

  242

  56

  240

  Couple both unemployed or non-employed

  51

  172

  3(38)

  3(170)

  34

  169

  Others1

  85

  321

  80

  341

  79

  349

  Three or more adults all unemployed or not employed3

  3(49)

  3(186)

  3(53)

  3(142)

  3(49)

  3(148)

  Notes:

  1 This group includes singles in part-time work and some pensioners.

  2 This group is selected on the basis of individuals in such households whereas all others are based on individuals in benefit units.

  3 Bracketed figures are particularly uncertain as they are based on less than 100 samples benefit units. Ninety-five times in 100, the true value will lie within a given range. As an example, for the bottom quintile of single or couple self-employed in 1979 this will be £76 to £100, before housing costs, in April 1994 prices. For the bottom quintile of three or more adults all unemployed or not employed in 1979 the range is £40 to £94, before housing costs, in April 1994 prices.

  184 185
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average equivalent household income at April 1994 prices for(a) the poorest 20 per cent. and (b) the richest 20 per cent. from the latest households below average income analysis, before and after housing costs, in 1979 and 1991–92 for (i) single, unemployed, no children, (ii) couple both unemployed or not employed, no children, (iii) single, unemployed with child(ren), (iv) couple, unemployed with child(ren), (v) three or more adults, all unemployed or not employed, no children, (vi) three or more adults, unemployed or not employed, with child(ren) and (vii) others with children.

  Median equivalised household income of bottom and top quintiles for selected groups (in £'s per week in April 1994 prices)

  1979

  1979

  1991–92

  1991–92

  Before Housing Costs Bottom

  After Housing Costs Top

  Before Housing Costs Bottom

  After Housing Costs Top

  Bottom

  Top

  Bottom

  Top

  Single, unemployed, no children

  3(75)

  3(204)

  3(56)

  3(188)

  70

  270

  35

  244

  Couple both unemployed or not employed, no children

  4—

  4—

  4—

  4—

  3(71)

  3(277)

  3(40)

  (253)

  Single, unemployed with child(ren)

  4—

  4—

  4—

  4—

  4—

  4—

  4—

  4—

  Couple unemployed with child(ren)

  4—

  4—

  4—

  4—

  3(66)

  3(134)

  3(34)

  3(111)

  Others with children1

  108

  262

  91

  229

  109

  406

  85

  349

  Three or more adults, all unemployed or not employed, no children2

  4—

  4—

  4—

  4—

  3(69)

  3(191)

  3(32)

  3(160)

  Three or more adults, unemployed or not employed with child(ren)2

  4—

  4—

  4—

  4—

  4—

  4—

  4—

  4—

  1 This group includes couples with one or more employed/self-employed and singles in employment/self-employment.

  2 This group is selected on the basis of individuals in such households whereas all others are based on individuals in benefit units.

  3 Bracketed figures are particularly uncertain as they are based on less than 100 sample benefit units. Ninety five times in 100, the true value will be within a given range. As an example, for the bottom quintile of single, unemployed, no children in 1979 the range is £56 to £90 before housing costs and £42 to £71 after housing costs, in April 1994 prices.

  4 Denotes that no reliable estimate can be made because sample number of benefit units is too small.

  Approximate number of sample benefit units for each group

  1979

  1991–92

  Single, unemployed, no children

  30

  140

  Couple both unemployed or not employed, no children

  10

  40

  Single, unemployed with child(ren)

  less than 5

  10

  Couple unemployed with child(ren)

  10

  50

  Others with children1

  500

  750

  Three or more adults, all unemployed or not employed, no children2

  20

  70

  Three or more adults, unemployed or not employed with child(ren)2

  less than 5

  10

  1 This group includes couples with one or more employed/self-employed and singles in employment/self-employment.

  2 This group is selected on the basis of individuals in such households whereas all others are based on individuals in benefit units.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish tables to show, for each Child Support Agency office,(a) what percentage of maintenance assessments are incorrect, (b) how many phone calls are lost, (c) the number of phone calls which fail to get through to the CSA office, (d) the number of complaints received and (e) the number of complaints outstanding.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
  186
  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the tables. It should be noted that the results do not track the income of individuals over time but compare the average, median, income for each group in each year shown. Changes in the average for each group over the whole period—1979 to 1991–92—are more reliable than those over shorter periods.

  Care should be taken in the use of these single estimates as some are based on a small number of cases. Estimates which are particularly uncertain are shown in brackets, these are based on a sample of less than 100 benefit units.

  In some cases, sample numbers are too small to make any estimate. The second table shows the sample numbers for each group.

  Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Mark Fisher, dated 6 December 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the performance of the Child Support Agency in relation to maintenance assessments; telephone calls and complaints.
  Monitoring indicates that too many assessments are inaccurate and the Agency is examining closely its checking procedures. Information is not yet available for publication.
  During August and September this year a Central call handling system was introduced throughout the Agency's six Centres. Abandoned calls result when the customer is put on the queuing system but hangs up before getting through. Between 3 September and 30 September 1994 the number of such abandoned calls is as follows:

  Centre

  Calls abandoned

  Belfast

  7,845

  Birkenhead

  1,927

  Dudley

  14,326

  Falkirk

  2,653

  Hastings

  7,826

  Plymouth

  8,723

  National Enquiry Line

  388

  Total

  43,688

  187
  From April 1994 to September 1994, over 9,700 complaints had been received which required a written reply. At the end of September fewer than 3,300 were awaiting a reply. We do not differentiate between complaints about the operations of the Agency and those concerning child support legislation.
  From the beginning of September a new system of data collection was introduced and in the future information will be available broken down by Agency Centre.
  I hope that this reply is helpful.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the amount of arrears involved under orders made by the Child Support Agency.

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

  Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Ted Rowlands, dated 6 December 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the amount of arrears owed to the Child Support Agency.
  As at the end of September 1994, the Agency had arrangements with absent parents to pay child maintenance debt totalling an estimated £22.9 million. An estimated £2 million of the arranged debt was overdue and thus was in arrears.
  In addition, an estimated £266.8 million of child maintenance had been assessed but no agreement to pay had been reached with the absent parent. In such cases the Agency clarifies the amount owed by each individual absent parent, and then contacts them to reach an acceptable agreement to pay the appropriate amount.
  I hope this reply is helpful.

  Grants and Loans (Refusal)
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the refusal rate for community care grants and social fund loans for each of the last five years by region.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information requested is set out in the tables. It is by Benefits Agency territories.

  The main reason that community care grants are refused is because the applicant fails to meet the eligibility criteria.

  Southern Territory

  Type

  Refusal rate per cent.

  1990–91

  Community Care Grants

  61

  Budgeting Loans

  41

  Crisis Loans

  8

  1991–92

  Community Care Grants

  73

  Budgeting Loans

  41

  Crisis Loans

  10

  1992–93

  Community Care Grants

  75

  Budgeting Loans

  39

  Crisis Loans

  13

  1993–94

  Community Care Grants

  75

  Budgeting Loans

  37

  Crisis Loans

  15

  188

  Southern Territory

  Type

  Refusal rate per cent.

  1994 to October

  Community Care Grants

  77

  Budgeting Loans

  37

  Crisis Loans

  19

  Wales and Central Territory

  type

  Refusal rate per cent.

  1990–91

  Community Care Grants

  62

  Budgeting Loans

  39

  Crisis Loans

  7

  1991–92

  Community Care Grants

  74

  Budgeting Loans

  39

  Crisis Loans

  8

  1992–93

  Community Care Grants

  74

  Budgeting Loans

  38

  Crisis Loans

  12

  1993–94

  Community Care Grants

  75

  Budgeting Loans

  38

  Crisis Loans

  21

  1994 to October

  Community Care Grants

  77

  Budgeting Loans

  38

  Crisis Loans

  18

  Scotland and Northern Territory

  Type

  Refusal rate per cent.

  1990–91

  Community Care Grants

  62

  Budgeting Loans

  39

  Crisis Loans

  8

  1991–92

  Community Care Grants

  75

  Budgeting Loans

  42

  Crisis Loans

  12

  1992–93

  Community Care Grants

  75

  Budgeting Loans

  42

  Crisis Loans

  17

  1993–94

  Community Care Grants

  76

  Budgeting Loans

  42

  Crisis Loans

  17

  1994 to October

  Community Care Grants

  77

  Budgeting Loans

  42

  Crisis Loans

  25

  Ministerial Speeches
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what occasions since 1979 civil servants in his Department have been asked to draft speeches of a constituency nature for use in a Minister's own constituency.

  Mr. Hague
  None. Civil servants may provide briefing of a factual nature for Ministers on these matters relating to their own Departments. In addition, Ministers, in preparing for a constituency speech, can draw on material produced by their Department during the normal course of business.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the amount of cold weather payments for each of the last two years in the United Kingdom and in Wales;

  (2) what locations in Wales are used as a basis for the decision on cold weather payments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The Meteorological Office weather stations used for the cold weather payments scheme in Wales are: Aberporth, Cilfynydd, Mumbles, Rhoose, Trawsfynydd and Valley.

  Some 2.5 million payments were made in the United Kingdom at a cost of nearly £15 million in 1992–93 and 2.1 million payments were made at a cost of nearly £12.4 million in 1993–94. No payments were made in Wales during the last two years.

  Quarry House
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out(a) the initial estimated cost and (b) the final cost of building Quarry house, Leeds.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  When the contract for the construction of Quarry house was awarded, it was estimated that the contract price, plus a contingency for design development, would total around £57 million. The final account agreed with the contractor is £55,361,264.

  War Pensioners
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list those local authorities which under the Social Security Act 1992 disregard only the statutory minimum first £10 of any war widow's pension or war disablement pension when calculating housing or council tax benefit;

  (2) if he will list those local authorities which under the Social Security Act 1992 disregard (a) up to 25 per cent.(b) 26 per cent. to 50 per cent. (c) 51 per cent. to 75 per cent. and (d) 76 per cent. to 100 per cent. of war widow's pension or war disablement pension when calculating housing or council tax benefit.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information requested is not currently available in the form requested.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the savings from raising the 190
  housing benefit taper from 65 per cent. to (a) 70 per cent. (b) 75 per cent. and (c) 80 per cent.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information requested is in the table:

  Housing benefit taper Per cent.

  Estimated savings £ millions

  70

  185

  75

  345

  80

  485

  Source:

  Estimates based on the 1990–91–92 Family Expenditure Surveys, uprated to 1994–95 benefit levels and prices. Savings rounded to the nearest £5 million.

PRIME MINISTER

  Collective Responsibility
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Prime Minister how many hon. Members are currently covered by the doctrine of collective responsibility.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  All 108 members of the Government are bound by collective responsibility. The position of parliamentary private secretaries is set out in paragraph 47 of "Questions of Procedure for Minsters", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  President Mubarak of Egypt
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the proposals put to him by President Mubarak of Egypt relating to the Egyptians working in Libya, the responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing of Pan Am 103, and the lifting of UN sanctions against Libya.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  President Mubarak made no such proposals.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 6 December.

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 6 December.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is attending the Budapest summit of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe.

  Mr. Mohamed A1 Fayed
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Prime Minister what officials met Mr. Mohamed Al Fayed at 10 Downing street on 3 April 1985 and 7 January 1985; and what were the issues discussed.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  Both meetings were with the Prime Minister's private secretary for overseas affairs and discussed meetings the Prime Minister was shortly to have with the Sultan of Brunei.
  191
  The meetings took place on 3 April 1985 and on 7 January 1987, and not as previously stated to the hon. Member.

  Scott Report
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will make it his policy to publish the Scott report before 28 July 1995; and if he has yet formed a decision as to the appropriate price to be charged for the report and its related documents;

  (2) if he will make it his policy that the price of the published Scott report be kept to a minimum.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  As my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister stated when he announced the terms of reference for the inquiry, Official Report, 16 November 1992, columns 74–75, Sir Richard Scott will be entirely free to decide on the publication of his report. The inquiry will report to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

  It is too early to comment on the price of the report.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the special advisers employed by his Department in each of the last five years indicating when they(a) joined and (b) left his Department and the annual salary they received.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 1 December 1994]: I have been asked to reply.

  The information requested is as follows:

  (a)

  (b)

  Sir P. Cradock

  January 1984

  June 1992

  Professor B. Griffiths

  October 1985

  November 1990

  Mr. G. R. J. Guise

  September 1986

  November 1990

  Mrs. T. Gaisman

  February 1987

  February 1989

  Mr. G. D. Bourne

  March 1988

  December 1989

  Mr. A. J. Dunlop

  June 1988

  November 1990

  Mr. I. Whitehead

  June 1988

  August 1990

  Mr. H. Harris-Hughes

  February 1989

  April 1992

  Mrs. A. Ponsonby

  February 1989

  November 1990

  Mr. R. Harris

  January 1990

  November 1990

  Mrs. S. Hogg

  December 1990

  to date

  Miss B. Wallis

  December 1990

  May 1992

  Mr. N. True

  January 1991

  to date

  Mr. J. Hill

  February 1991

  March 1992

  Mr. R. A. Rosling

  February 1991

  November 1993

  Lord Poole

  May 1992

  July 1994

  Sir R. Braithwaite

  June 1992

  December 1993

  Mr. D. Green

  June 1992

  to date

  Mr. K. Ramsay

  June 1992

  to date

  Miss A. Warburton

  January 1994

  to date

  Salaries for special advisers are negotiated individually in relation to their previous earnings, and are confidential.

HEALTH

  Drug Tests
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to compel drug manufacturers to disclose the results of tests on the safety and effectiveness of drugs.
  192
  Mr. Sackville
  This information is required by the United Kingdom licensing authority, which has an overriding obligation to safeguard public health. It is supplied in confidence to the Medicines Control Agency and we have no plans to require companies to make it publicly available.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she is taking to improve dental health among children.

  Mr. Malone
  The Department has published an oral health strategy for England which sets a number of objectives relating to the further reduction in caries in children. Carrying forward dental health is a matter for health authorities.

  The Department has made available £1 million for oral health education for 1994–95. Thirty-six proposals have been approved. A second tranche is currently being considered.

  Victoria Hospital
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she next plans to visit Lichfield to discuss developments at Victoria hospital.

  Mr. Sackville
  I am aware of the excellent work done at the Victoria hospital, Lichfield and of the Premier Health national health service trust's plans for further development of the hospital. I look forward to visiting the hospital in the future.

  General Practitioner Support
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the level of support given by family health service authorities to single-handed general practitioners; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  This year, we have made available £674 million of cash-limited moneys to family health services authorities to support general practitioners, including single-handers in the provision of practice premises, staff and computers. Next year the amount will increase to £710 million, a 2 per cent. real increase.

  Hepatitis C
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to compensate those who have contracted hepatitis C from contaminated blood products.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have great sympathy for those who may have become infected with hepatitis C from contaminated blood products, but have no plans to make payments to patients who may have been infected with hepatitis C as a result of national health service treatment.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement about compensation to those who have been infected with hepatitis C.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have no plans to make payments to those who have been infected with hepatitis C.

  Single-sex Wards
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to review the provision of single-sex wards in hospitals.

  Mr. Sackville
  Health authorities and national health service trusts must make their own decisions about the use of single sex-wards, but should ensure that all patients are treated in such a way that their dignity, privacy and religious and cultural beliefs are respected. Under a new standard in the revised and expanded patients charter to be published in the new year, patients can expect to be told in advance if they will be treated in a mixed-sex ward. This will allow them to discuss their worries with the hospital, which will, where possible, take account of their views.

  Health Statistics
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the change in the number of(a) district health authorities and (b) regional health authorities since March 1991; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  In March 1991, there were 189 district health authorities and 14 regional health authorities. The numbers are now 110 and eight respectively.

  This is part of our programme for achieving more effective health authorities, linking primary and secondary care, streamlining management structures and improving the health of the population.

  Hospital Medicines
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support her Department is giving to the dissemination of information concerning hospital medicines; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Product information for all licensed medicines is available in data sheets produced by the manufacturers and authorised by the licensing authority and in the British National Formulary, which is sent free to all doctors. In addition, there is now a requirement that manufacturers of all newly licensed medicines supply leaflets written for patients, for older medicines leaflets will be phased in over five years unless requested sooner. For licensed medicines used in hospital, leaflets will be supplied by the pharmacy on request.

  Herbal Remedies
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy on the future availability of herbal remedies.

  Mr. Sackville
  The position of herbal medicines is safeguarded. The exemption from product licensing requirements for certain herbal medicines under section 12 of the Medicines Act 1968 will continue. This applies to existing and new products which fall within the terms of the exemption. The exemptions and public health safeguards under section 56 of the Act also remain.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been waiting for treatment longer than one year in the United Health area of south Humberside.
  194
  Mr. Malone
  The information requested is given in "Hospital Waiting List Statistics: England", copies of which are available in the Library. The latest published data are for March 1994.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding any risk to human health from bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have received a number of representations on bovine spongiform encephalopathy. There is no scientific evidence that BSE presents a risk to human health.

  Smoking
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much is spent on health education to reduce smoking among those under 16.

  Mr. Sackville
  In 1994–95, £1.4 million has been allocated to the Health Education Authority's anti-smoking programme aimed specifically at teenagers. In addition, £12 million has been earmarked for the three-year national health education campaign on smoking. Particular emphasis will be placed on addressing parents, whose smoking habits and attitudes have a vital influence on smoking by their children.

  Schools are required to provide education about the dangers of smoking. They allocate resources accordingly from the funding devolved to them. Expenditure on health education programmes in schools is not available centrally.

  Health authority health promotion units are also involved in local campaigns to dissuade teenagers from smoking; however, detailed information on expenditure on these activities is not available centrally.

  Joint Commissioning Authorities
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has had concerning the size of population and geographical area to be covered by joint commissioning authorities.

  Mr. Malone
  We have received a number of representations, including correspondence from my hon. Friend.

  Health Service Pay
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had in the last month with doctors, nurses and other health service staff on the next pay round.

  Mr. Malone
  The Health Departments, and organisations representing doctors and dentists, nurses and midwives and staff in professions allied to medicine, have each recently presented evidence to the national health service review bodies about pay in 1995–96. Discussions are continuing in the nursing and midwifery staffs negotiating council, the professions allied to medicine and related grades of staff—professional and technical A—council and with the British Medical Association about local pay arrangements. Agreements have recently been reached in the Whitley councils for other staff which
  195
  include pay increases for 1994–95 together with an enabling provision for local pay schemes.

  Hospital Statistics
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what will be the total cost of closing Guy's hospital; and what is the estimated annual cost of running both Guy's hospital and St. Thomas's hospital.

  Mr. Malone
  There are no plans to close Guy's hospital. The consultation document "Looking to the Future", issued by Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham health commission on 14 November, gives details of the various options and running costs under consideration for developing better health services in south-east London. Copies of the document are available in the Library.

  Copyright
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will summarise the legal advice she has received as to whether the use of the NHS number is protected by Crown copyright; if she will place a copy of that advice in the Library; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The new national health service number develops a system that has been in place since the commencement of the NHS. The NHS number system is Crown copyright and, as such, unauthorised use can be pursued in the context of Crown copyright and intellectual property rights in general. This position has been confirmed by departmental solicitors. We do not consider it appropriate to publicise advice received in the manner suggested.

  Private Patient Income
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 22 November,Official Report, column 84, when she expects to be able to publish information on private patient income for 1993–94.

  Mr. Sackville
  Private patient income by region for 1993–94 is shown in the table.

  Private patient income

  Area

  1993–94 £000

  Northern

  1,539

  Yorkshire

  447

  Trent

  1,853

  East Anglian

  1,291

  N W Thames

  5,794

  N E Thames

  10,049

  S E Thames

  1,747

  S W Thames

  966

  Wessex

  1,878

  Oxford

  7,113

  South Western

  488

  West Midlands

  3,903

  Mersey

  2

  North Western

  3,710

  SHAs

  25,611

  NHS Trusts

  109,918

  Source:

  Annual accounts of regional, district and the London postgraduate teaching hospitals. Trust Accounts summarisation schedules of National Health Service trusts.

  Note:

  Figures are provisional.

  Management Costs
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health for which years since 1980 her Department required NHS authorities to operate with a total management cost of less than 4 per cent.

  Mr. Malone
  None.

  Community Care
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the different policies adopted by local authority social services departments when levying charges for non-residential community care services.

  Mr. Bowis
  Local authorities are not required to inform the Department of their charging policies for non-residential social services. In January 1994, an advice note was sent to all directors of social services about the factors that need to be considered when authorities devise their charging policies, including ensuring that charges are reasonable for the generality of users and that the financial circumstances of individual users are recognised. Copies of the advice note are available in the Library.

  Reciprocal Health Arrangements
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those countries with which the United Kingdom has reciprocal health arrangements; and what plans she has to review the arrangements.

  Mr. Malone
  The United Kingdom has reciprocal health care arrangements with Anguilla, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, British Virgin Islands, Bulgaria, Channel Islands, Czech Republic, Denmark, Falkland Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Isle of Man, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Montserrat, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, the Russian Federation, Slovak Republic, Spain, St Helena, Sweden, Turks and Caicos Islands, the republics of the former USSR, excluding Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and Yugoslavia and all its successor states.

  We have no current plans to extend the list to other countries or territories.

  Burnley Health Care NHS Trust
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what payment in lieu of notice or remuneration likely from potential employment was offset against the payment made to the former chief executive of Burnley Health Care NHS trust;

  (2) what assessment she has made of compliance with her Department's guidance and codes of practice in the events surrounding the resignation of the chief executive of Burnley Health Care NHS trust;

  (3) if details of the calculation made on the termination of the contract of the former chief executive of Burnley Health Care NHS trust followed the guidance set out in NHS circular Tel (94)3.

  Mr. Malone
  National health service trusts have full power under the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 to make payments in connection with the termination of employment of their staff. The severance payment to the former chief executive of Burnley Health Care NHS trust was made in accordance with the terms of her contract, which predated Tel (94)2, the Department's
  197
  guidance on such payments, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what reasons the former chief executive of Burnley Health Care NHS trust gave for her resignation;

  (2) which members of the board of Burnley Health Care NHS trust were consulted by the former chairman on the settlement agreed with the former chief executive on her resignation;

  (3) what consideration was given by Burnley NHS Health Care trust to the renewal of the three-year rolling employment contract of the former chief executive Mrs. Maggie Aikman.

  Mr. Malone
  These are matters for Burnley Health Care national health service trust.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assurances the NHS Executive has received from the former chairman of Burnley Health Care NHS trust that the payment of termination of the contract of the former chief executive was made with regard to probity and value for money, applying the guidance and principles of public accountability; and what response has been given;

  (2) what letters she wrote to the former chairman of Burnley Health Care NHS trust prior to his resignation on his position as chairman; and if she will deposit such letters in the Library.

  Mr. Malone
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote privately to the then chairman of Burnley Health Care national health service trust on 15 and 23 November 1994 asking him to account for his actions. The chairman did not give a substantive reply and resigned.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the policy of the Burnley Health Care national health service trust on termination settlements.

  Mr. Malone
  This is a matter for the trust, which has full power under the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 to make payments in connection with the termination of employment of its staff.

  Advertisements
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the regulations concerning advertisements in the European Journal when the NHS puts contracts for operations out to tender; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The regulations concerning advertisements in the European Journal are the Public Services Contracts Regulations 1993, SI No. 3228.

  Building Refurbishment
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will itemise the refurbishment works undertaken on buildings housing departmental staff in the last three years, indicating the costs involved and the nature of the refurbishment.

  Mr. Sackville
  Capital expenditure on accommodation excluding furniture by the Department of Health over the last three years totalled £4.4 million in 1991–92, £16.6 million in 1992–93 and £3.7 million in 1993–94. Nearly all this expenditure related to the London accommodation 198
  strategy, by which the Department was able to reduce its accommodation in London from 22 buildings to five. Rationalisation of the London estate has made a major contribution to the annual saving of £13 million in the running costs of the Department's offices.

  Milk Tokens
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received about policy changes by large food chains in connection with the conditions they require in accepting milk tokens; what investigations she has made of this matter; what has been the Government's response; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  We are not aware of any such policy changes.

  General Practitioners, London
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners are practising in the London implementation zone area at the present time; and how many there were in October 1990.

  Mr. Malone
  The London initiative zone was created in April 1993 and information for October 1990 is therefore not available. The latest available information on the number of general practitioners in LIZ, relating to October 1993, is as shown.

  Number

  Brent and Harrow

  148

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  372

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  188

  Barking and Havering

  74

  Camden and Islington

  219

  City and East London

  362

  Enfield and Haringey

  137

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  103

  Greenwich and Bexley

  121

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  426

  Croydon

  106

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  136

  Total in London Initiative Zone

  2,392

  Cancer
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people contract cancer each year in the United Kingdom; and what is the projection for 2015.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 30 November,Official Report, column 791.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will issue guidance to NHS trusts covering minimum standards in providing cancer and palliative care.

  Mr. Sackville
  A number of current initiatives are resulting in the production of guidelines aimed at improving standards and quality of care across the whole range of health care, including cancer and palliative care.

  Job Losses (Quarry House)
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will set out the numbers, by grade, of the job losses announced on 3 November for Quarry house, Leeds.
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  Mr. Sackville
  The national health service executive will shed 200 posts, not all of which are in Quarry house, in the period up to 31 March 1997. It is likely that there will be reductions in all grades; detailed work has now begun to identify how reductions can be achieved.

  NHS Research and Development
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the consultative process will begin relating to the proposed programme of research into the health of elderly people which was identified by the NHS central research and development committee as a priority for research under the NHS research and development strategy.

  Mr. Malone
  The central research and development committee advised in April 1993 that a review should be conducted into the needs for research into the health of elderly people. It was stated in "Research for Health" in June 1993, copies of which are available in the Library, that such a review would be deferred pending the Medical Research Council's review into the health of the United Kingdom's elderly people. The report of the Medical Research Council's review will be considered by the central research and development committee in due course.

  Taste and Smell (Loss)
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will arrange for research to be undertaken into the circumstances leading to people developing a permanent loss of taste or smell, and the treatment and care they subsequently receive; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  Commissioning of research of this kind is a matter primarily for the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

  Toxic Materials
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information and guidance has been given to local medical authorities in areas where sites are currently being used for experimental work on the use of toxic materials including chloro-cresol as fuels;

  (2) what information and guidance the Government have issued to local medical authorities on the effect on human health of the release of dioxins caused by the burning of toxic materials.

  Mr. Sackville
  Controls are in place to ensure that substances discharged into the atmosphere are at levels that have been demonstrated to have no appreciable health effects. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is responsible for controlling the emission of pollutants from major industrial sources.

  Detailed guidance to health authorities and trusts has been issued by the Department in four circulars, HRG(93)18, HRG(93)24, HRG(93)38 and HRG(93)56, the latter of which was issued jointly by the Department of the Environment. These advise on roles and responsibilities within the national health service, and on sources of advice for health care staff in the event of a chemical incident causing the release of toxic substances. Copies of the circulars will be placed in the Library.

  The national poisons information service is available to provide information to doctors, and, on request, clinical advice, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

DEFENCE

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current yearly cost of maintaining the United Kingdom's nuclear capability.

  Mr. Soames
  The estimated running cost of the three Polaris boats remaining in the Deterrent patrol cycle for 1993–94 was £110,000,000. The average annual operating cost of Trident over its life is expected to be about £200,000,000 at 1993–94 prices.

  RAF Elvington
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he plans to publish a consultation document in respect of the future of RAF Elvington; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  There would be no requirement to issue a consultation document to the trade unions in respect of RAF Elvington, as the station is not manned.

  Hercules Fleet
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department will formally respond to the British Aerospace proposal to maintain the present Hercules fleet at a lower cost than at present.

  Mr. Freeman
  The British Aerospace proposal has been given careful consideration and is being taken into account in our appraisal of the way forward for the Hercules rolling replacement programme.

  Air Cadets
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to require ministerial approval for any further reductions in excess of the 23 per cent. agreed under "Front Line First" to the air cadet air experience flights budget.

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 22 November 1994,Official Report, column 135.

  Nagorno-Karabakh
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy towards the participation of United Kingdom forces as part of the deployment of a peacekeeping mission to Nagorno-Karabakh; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The possibility of establishing a multinational Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe peacekeeping mission is being discussed at the CSCE summit in Budapest. Any United Kingdom contribution would be judged against a range of factors including whether a political settlement had been reached and whether a clear mandate existed for the mission. It would also need to be considered in the light of our other military commitments.

  Peacekeeping Operations
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy towards the allocation
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  of a specific amount of money from the defence budget specifically for peacekeeping operations.

  Mr. Soames
  The funding of peacekeeping operations is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

  Royal Marines School of Music
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 25 November,Official Report, column 452, what is his estimate of additional manpower savings over and above those currently planned that could be made at Portsmouth if the Royal Marines school of music was located elsewhere in respect of (a) general administration, (b) supplies, (c) property management and maintenance, (d) catering and accommodation and (e) other manpower in each year from 1995–96 to 1999–2000; and what percentage of total costs at Portsmouth these represent.

  Mr. Soames
  None. There are no plans to employ extra staff in the large Portsmouth naval concentration as a result of the addition of the small musical training facility proposed at HMS Nelson. Nor would it be possible to make staff savings at Portsmouth if the Royal Marines school of music were not to relocate there, since tasks relating to the musical training facility would form only a small percentage of overall duties.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence below what monetary thresholds the costs associated with the option appraisal for the Royal Marines school of music are considered to be negligible and have therefore been excluded from the financial appraisals attached to his consultative document entitled "Future Location of Royal Marines Musical Training".

  Mr. Soames
  The appraisal aims to include all costs significant enough to affect evaluation or decisions. Generally, we follow the materiality concept defined in the publication "Official Terminology of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants".

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 25 November,Official Report columns 450–51, what are his wastage assumptions by month and by grade at those units to which military personnel would be reassigned if the Royal Marines school of music were to be relocated to Portsmouth in each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000.

  Mr. Soames
  The numbers of personnel who would be affected by our proposal are small in comparison with the overall size of the Royal Marines. Such a change would be subsumed within the overall manpower planning process, and wastage assumptions in the level of detail requested would not therefore be necessary.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 25 November,Official Report, column 451, what is his estimate of the additional savings in property management costs, both capital and non-capital, that could be made at Portsmouth if the Royal Marines school of music was relocated elsewhere in respect of (a) refurbishment to office accommodation, (b) decorating and refurbishing married quarters or (c) decorating and refurbishing other housing owned by his Department or mess accommodation made available to service personnel in each year from 1995–96 to 1999–2000.

  Mr. Soames
  An estimated £47,000 per annum would be saved at Portsmouth by a decision not to relocate there.202
  No other savings under the headings indicated would be available specifically by virtue of a decision not to relocate. As shown in the investment appraisal, this compares with an estimated cost of approximately £500,000 per annum were the Royal Marines school of music to remain at Deal.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the costed plans for the refurbishment of the detention quarters at Portsmouth.

  Mr. Soames
  A detailed statement of requirement for the facilities proposed for a Royal Marines school of music at HMS Nelson in Portsmouth is being prepared, and will in due course be placed in the Library of the House. Beyond the broad order financial figures already indicated, the precise cost of the relevant alterations and refurbishment will of course ultimately be determined by competitive tenders to undertake the work; these figures would be commercial in confidence.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 29 November,Official Report, column 622, if he will make a statement on the steps he has taken to confirm (a) the availability of suitably qualified music professors in the Portsmouth area, (b) that the remuneration package assumed will be sufficient to recruit, retain and motivate music professors and (c) that the costs of recruitment of music professors and other staff will be negligible.

  Mr. Soames
  Preliminary investigations by the Royal Marines band service show that the recruitment of professors of music under the proposed terms and conditions for a school relocated to Portsmouth would present no difficulties. Portsmouth's relative proximity to London and other fairly large concentrations does not disadvantage it by comparison with Deal. It is confirmed that costs of recruitment are expected to be negligible.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date or dates military personnel would be reassigned to other units if the Royal marines school of music were to be relocated to Portsmouth.

  Mr. Soames
  Detailed planning for the reassignment of personnel will not take place until a decision on the future location of the Royal Marines school of music has been taken. Posting orders would probably be issued some four to six months before the relocation, but dates of specific postings would be decided taking account of a number of factors on which it is not possible to generalise. The overall aim will naturally be to achieve maximum cost-effectiveness in the use of manpower.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the number of full-time equivalent personnel at Portsmouth who would provide the range of services currently provided by the three mobile non-industrials, 10 non-mobile non-industrials and 54 industrials employed at Deal if the Royal Marines school of music were relocated to Portsmouth.

  Mr. Soames
  Apart from the music professors and up to 12 other posts to be created at Portsmouth within the RMSM, all tasks presently performed by other staff at Deal as a stand-alone establishment, will be undertaken without increase to the members of staff already needed to support the Royal Navy in the Portsmouth area.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 25 November,Official Report, column 452, what is his estimate of the additional

  203
  savings in running costs that could be made at Portsmouth if the Royal Marines school of music was located or relocated elsewhere in respect of (a) heating, (b) lighting and (c) telecommunications in each year from 1995–96 to 1999–2000; and what percentage of total costs at Portsmouth these represent.

  Mr. Soames
  Should the Royal Marines school of music not relocate to Portsmouth and the royal naval detention quarters henceforth remain unoccupied as a result, an annual estimated total of £64,000—covering heating, lighting and telecommunications—would be saved. This is less, however, than the comparable expenditure currently incurred at Deal.

  Royal Naval Detention Quarters
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 25 November,Official Report, column 451, if he will list for all ongoing and planned refurbishments and new build accommodation projects occurring within a 25 mile radius of the Royal Naval detention quarters in Portsmouth (a) the size of the accommodation to be provided in square metres, (b) the number of people to be located in the accommodation, (c) the estimated costs of the project and (d) the estimated start date of the project.

  Mr. Soames
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Financial Contributions
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is Britain's annual financial contribution to(a) NATO (b) the Western European Union.

  Mr. Soames
  For financial year 1993–94, the United Kingdom's financial contributions to the NATO military and infrastructure budgets were £69,129,000 and £82,495,000 respectively. The United Kingdom's contributions to the NATO civil budget and the Western European Union's budget are the responsibility of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  Military Training
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the countries that United Kingdom military personnel have visited or will visit to train military students during 1994.

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 1 December 1994]: According to available records, United Kingdom military personnel have visited or will visit the following countries during 1994 to train military students:

  Antigua1

  Bahrain

  Barbados1

  Belize

  Bermuda

  Brunei

  British Virgin Islands

  Columbia

  Dominica1

  Egypt

  Ghana

  Grenada1

  Jordan

  Kenya

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  Kuwait

  Lesotho

  Malawi

  Malaysia

  Mexico

  Mozambique

  Namibia

  Oman

  Poland

  Saudia Arabia

  South Africa

  Singapore

  St. Kitts-Nevis1

  St. Lucia1

  St. Vincent1

  Swaziland1

  Trinidad and Tobago1

  United Arab Emirates

  Zimbabwe

  Note:
  1Trained by a team based in Barbados.

  In addition, a Royal Marines team has deployed to Latvia in preparation for training the joint Baltic peacekeeping battalion in the new year.

  This list covers those countries to which short-term training teams have been, or will be sent in 1994, as well as those countries in which we have resident loan service personnel or longer term British military advisory and training teams. A short-term training team also deployed to Puerto Rico to assist US forces in training the combined Caribbean Community and Common Market contingent—comprising detachments from Jamaica, Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago—and also contingents from Bangladesh and Guatemala to prepare them for operations with the multinational force in Haiti. In addition, forces on exercise overseas often provide limited training to, or train alongside, the armed forces of the host nation. A central record of such training is not, however, maintained.

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will complete his review of Territorial Army units; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I announced in July that the new role for the Territorial Army would be to act as a general reserve to the Army. It will remain an integral component of our defence forces on mobilisation, and it is intended to make greater use of volunteers in peacetime. We have now completed our examination of the structure of the TA against this background. This process has involved wide consultation, particularly within the TA itself.

  We have concluded that our operational requirement necessitates some adjustments to the current balance of arms and services within the TA. Accordingly, we intend to increase the number of sub-units in the Royal Armoured Corps from 17 to 22; in the Royal Logistic Corps from 69 to 86; in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers from 13 to 16; and in the Adjutant General's Corps from 10 to 11. We propose to reduce the number of rifle companies in the TA infantry from 109 to 87. We intend to maintain the current effective manpower strength of the Special Air Service TA, although there will be some restructuring to enable manpower to be used more flexibly and efficiently. Army medical services units

  205
  will also be restructured to provide a more flexible capability. In all other arms and services, the number of sub-units will be unaffected.

  In the infantry, we shall concentrate the support weapons platoons of the eight battalions currently so equipped into specialist, two company, fire support battalions. These fire support battalions will be available to support all infantry battalions and will, we believe, improve overall infantry training and operational effectiveness. The four battalions which will take on this role are the 5th Battalion, The Royal Green Jackets; the 3rd Battalion, the Prince of Wales' Own Regiment of Yorkshire; the 1/51st Highland Volunteers; and the 3rd Battalion, the Cheshire Regiment. The 1st and 2nd Battalions, the Wessex Regiment, will merge. The 8th
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  Battalion, the Light Infantry, will re-role as a national defence reconnaissance regiment in the Royal Armoured Corps, taking over the current role of the Royal Yeomanry which will become the Army's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence Regiment. The Royal Anglian TA will be reduced from three to two battalions, with elements re-roling to form a new independent transport regiment. All other new sub-units will be newly formed.

  The majority of these changes will be implemented by April 1997 within an overall TA size of 59,000 as previously announced. In the months ahead, we shall be considering the implications of these changes for the existing distribution of TA centres.

  These plans offer the TA a structure consistent with its new role founded firmly on the operational requirement. They will, I believe, be widely welcomed in the TA.

  COUNCIL TAX BANDING APPEALS
  COUNCIL TAX BANDING APPEALS
  WINSKILL STONES AND ORTON SCAR: LIMESTONE
  WINSKILL STONES AND ORTON SCAR: LIMESTONE
  LANDLORD AND TENANT CODE
  LANDLORD AND TENANT CODE
  EQUAL PAY DIRECTIVE: JUDGMENT
  EQUAL PAY DIRECTIVE: JUDGMENT
  ORGANOPHOSPHATE SHEEP DIPS: RESEARCH PROJECT
  ORGANOPHOSPHATE SHEEP DIPS: RESEARCH PROJECT
  OPERATION GRANBY: LEISHMANIASIS TESTS
  OPERATION GRANBY: LEISHMANIASIS TESTS
  CBDE: STUDIES AND TESTS (DEFINITIONS)
  CBDE: STUDIES AND TESTS (DEFINITIONS)
  TERRITORIAL ARMY: ROLE
  TERRITORIAL ARMY: ROLE
  OPERATION GRANBY PERSONNEL: HEALTH
  OPERATION GRANBY PERSONNEL: HEALTH
  OPERATION GRANBY: RADIATION EXPOSURE LEVELS
  OPERATION GRANBY: RADIATION EXPOSURE LEVELS
  BOSNIA: US UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES
  BOSNIA: US UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES
  CONFERENCE ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT, CAIRO
  CONFERENCE ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT, CAIRO
  SCHOOL LIBRARY SERVICES
  SCHOOL LIBRARY SERVICES
  ASYLUM APPLICATIONS
  ASYLUM APPLICATIONS
  LLOYD'S OF LONDON DTI SUPERVISION
  LLOYD'S OF LONDON DTI SUPERVISION
  UK-IRELAND: MILK QUOTA
  UK-IRELAND: MILK QUOTA
  N.I. TRIALS: DELAY REDUCTIONS
  N.I. TRIALS: DELAY REDUCTIONS
  INCAPACITY BENEFIT: MEDICAL TEST
  INCAPACITY BENEFIT: MEDICAL TEST