Written Answers of 12 December 1994

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list those services that have been market-tested by his Department and won by the private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  Mr. Newton
  No service in the Privy Council Office has been market-tested.

  Energy Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what was the total expenditure on energy for offices and buildings by(a) his Department and (b) his agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Newton
  Expenditure on energy by the Privy Council Office amounted to £16,492 in 1991–92, £16,680 in 1992–93 and £13,977 in 1993–94. I am not responsible for any agencies.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Afzal v. Ford
  Mr. Brazier
  to ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what measures his Department is taking to monitor the effects of the Afzal v. Ford ruling; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  My Department is collecting statistics on the number of cases concluded each month through arbitration in the county courts, and a sample of cases concluded at trial broken down by the type of case and amount of the award. These data will, over a period, indicate whether changes have taken place, for example in relation to the number of lower value personal injury cases dealt with in the small claims procedure, and the total number of arbitrations compared with the number of trials.

  Small Claims
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he plans to announce the review of the small claims court limit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor intends to keep the small claims limit under review. At present, officials are examining the volume of work received by the county courts in different monetary bands, gathering 432
  evidence on the current operation of the small claims procedure and considering other relevant information. Any proposals for change will be put out to public consultation in the usual way.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list those services that have been market-tested by his Department and won by the private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The services market tested by the Lord Chancellor's Department and won by the private sector are listed. The value of the contracts is £7,185,626.

  Court Building Management and Maintenance

  Alex Gordon Partnership

  CS Project Consultants

  Hubert Jenkins

  Osprey Project Management

  Powell Dobson

  Rainey Petrie Design

  Silk and Frazier

  TTPM Project Management

  Veryard and Partners

  WF Johnson and Partners

  Widnell Project Management

  WS Atkins Project Management.

  Estate Surveying

  Drivers Jonas

  DTZ Debenham Thorpe

  Torpy

  York Montague

  Printing and Forms Supply

  The Satellite Press Ltd.

  Internet
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement about the plans of his Department to make information available on the Internet and the documents which he intends to be made available on the Internet over the next year which will be accessible via the world wide web server "open.gov.uk" or any specific departmental server.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  My Department has no firm plans for the release of information through the Internet at this point. However, it is considering the potential of the CCTA government information service—world wide web server "open.gov.uk"—as a complementary service for the release of publicly available information.

  Contact Centres
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many local authorities provide contact centres for fathers coming before family courts who wish to see their children; and what considerations are being made to extend the availability of contact centres across the country.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information sought is not a matter for the Lord Chancellor's Department.

  Immigration Appeals
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the average cost of a hearing before a special adjudicator of the Immigration
  433
  Appeals Authority of an application for bail by a person detained under Immigration Act powers.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information requested is not available. In any one case, the cost of a hearing depends on many factors, such as the number of parties and witnesses attending and giving evidence, the level of representation and whether or not an interpreter is required.

ENVIRONMENT

  English Partnership
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the effect of the external finance limit on the EFL in the case of English Partnerships on the public sector borrowing requirement;

  (2) what is the effect of guarantees provided by English Partnerships on the PSBR.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The public sector borrowing requirement takes account of English Partnerships' external finance limit. Any calls arising from guarantees that English Partnerships give must be accommodated within its EFL, and therefore have no direct effect on the PSBR.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was paid in housing benefit(a) to council tenants and (b) to non-council tenants; how much was received in housing revenue account subsidy in each local housing authority area; and what was the size of the surplus or deficit in each local housing authority in 1993–94.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  I have placed in the Library a copy of the information requested by the hon. Member.

  Overpackaging
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what representations he has received regarding overpackaging;

  (2) if he will introduce legal targets regarding the reduction of overpackaging; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  My Department has received over 450 representations about overpackaging in the past year.

  There are strong financial incentives for reducing unnecessary packaging, and industry has made substantial progress in this area. The Government believe that the best way reducing of overpackaging is to build on these incentives through effective use of economic instruments. Our producer responsibility initiative for packaging waste and the recently announced landfill levy will provide substantial and additional incentives for the reduction of overpackaging.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total expenditure on energy for offices and buildings by(a) his Department and (b) his agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available.
  434
  Sir Paul Beresford
  The information is as follows:

  £ million

  Department

  Agencies

  1991–92

  1.03

  1.05

  1992–93

  0.94

  1.04

  1993–94

  0.90

  1.10

  Conservation
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his strategy for the purchase of land for the protection of flora and fauna; what role he envisages voluntary conservation organisations might play in the purchase and management of land of conservation importance; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  In keeping with the voluntary principle of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, new acquisitions by the county councils are restricted to fragile sites where no alternative owners are willing or able to undertake appropriate management. Voluntary bodies play an important part in conserving important wildlife sites. Where appropriate, English Nature can give financial support to voluntary bodies for purchase and management.

  Valuation Tribunals
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how members of local valuation tribunals are appointed and by whom;

  (2) by what means small business proprietors can become appointed to local valuation tribunal panels.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Valuation tribunal members are appointed by the county council, metropolitan district council or London borough council for the area concerned. Each appointing authority decides its own method of selection and appointment, but my Department has issued general guidance, stressing in particular the desirability of appointing members from a wide cross-section of the community. I would expect appointing authorities to welcome approaches from people interested in serving on tribunals. Tribunal presidents and clerks will also be happy to discuss with such people the work of tribunals and what is expected of members.

  Special Areas of Conservation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what further progress he has to announce on the consultation with owners and occupiers of land affected by the designation of special areas of conservation under the European union habitats directive, pursuant to his undertaking on 19 July,Official Report,column 240;

  (2) what further progress he has to announce on the selection and designation of sites to become special areas of conservation under the Conservation (Natural Habitats etc.) Regulations 1994 approved on 19 July, as required by the EU directive on the conservation of natural habitats and, pursuant to his undertaking to the House on 19 July,Official Report, column 240.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Government are considering with the nature conservation agencies the sites to be proposed to
  435
  the Commission as candidate special areas of conservation in June 1995. The Government will publish a draft list of sites as soon as possible for consultation with owners, occupiers and other affected interests.

  Habitats Directive
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects additional draft regulations to implement the EU habitats directive on consents and permissions to be laid before the House, as indicated in his undertaking of 19 July, Official Report, column 242.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Government are currently considering the form that the additional regulations should take. They will be laid as soon as possible in the new year.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has to report on the establishment of joint working arrangements between sea fisheries committees, harbour authorities and local authorities as regards meeting the United Kingdom obligations under the European Union habitats directive for effective conservation in the maritime zone up to six miles offshore in(a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland, as announced in his undertaking of 19 July, Official Report, column 242.

  Mr. Atkins
  The obligations under the directive relate to designated special areas of conservation. No SACs will be designated until the list has been agreed with the Commission some time after June 1995. Where necessary for marine sites, management schemes will be developed. I expect these to build upon the arrangements being developed on a voluntary basis for many areas of our coast.

  County Hall
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will identify by building which parts of the county hall complex have been sold; and which parts remain to be sold.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The riverside—or main—building of county hall has been sold by way of the grant of a 999-year lease. Contracts for the sale of the remainder of the county hall site were exchanged on 14 October, with completion being set for 29 March 1995.

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new measures he proposes to ensure that the international commitments made by the Prime Minister at the Rio Earth summit to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000 are met, following the decisions not to increase value added tax on domestic fuel to 17.5 per cent.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Government are committed to fulfilling their obligations under the climate change convention. We are considering whether further measures are needed to ensure that we remain on course.

  Civil Estate (Charges)
  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Government's policy in respect of charging users of publicly funded resources a charge equivalent to a full commercial rental value in 436
  respect of real property; and what exceptions have been made to this policy.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Under the property repayment system introduced in 1984, Departments occupying the Government's civil estate currently pay an opportunity cost rent equivalent to the open market rent for their occupations of Government freeholds and properties on historically low rents. The opportunity cost rents are reviewed every five years.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those services that have been market-tested by his Department and won by the private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  In this Department so far, nine market tests which have involved exposing in-house functions to competition have been awarded to outside bidders, with a total value of £706,300.

  With the exception of staff catering at the Building Research Establishment, these were one-off construction research projects.

  Project

  Organisation

  BRE: staff catering

  Gardener Merchant

  Durability of organically coated metal cladding

  W. S. Atkins

  Water economy

  BSRIA

  Scoping study for HVAC systems

  Centre for Configurational Studies, the Open university

  Identification and development of source data for risk assessment systems, part 1

  Fire SERT centre

  Identification and development of source data for risk assessment systems, part 2

  Ulster university

  Fire-resistant behaviour of trussed rafters

  Trada Technology Ltd.

  Alternative aggregates

  Mott McDonald Consultants

  Ventilation of underground car parks

  TB V Science

  Departmental Offices
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  In addition to works undertaken on DOE buildings, the Department of the Environment Property Holdings undertakes work on buildings occupied by more than one Department. All the buildings concerned are on the common user estate. Works of less than £10,000 have been excluded from the table. Details
  437
  of refurbishment works funded by other departments will be provided by the Ministers concerned.

  Total estimated cost £ millions

  1991–92

  Valiant house, Uxbridge—internal refurbishment

  0.410

  Riverwalk house, London—refurbishment of heating induction units

  1.021

  Metropole building, London—toilet refurbishment

  0.295

  40–42 Westborough, Scarborough—ingoing works 1st floor

  0.016

  Crown house, Sunderland—external uplift works

  0.011

  Bridge house, Blyth—ground floor upgrade

  0.078

  Daryl house, Stockton—internal refurbishment

  0.327

  Crown house, Huddersfield—part toilet refurbishment

  0.066

  Crown house, Hull—toilet refurbishment

  0.048

  Crown house, Wakefield—toilet refurbishment

  0.057

  Pennine house, Washington—internal refurbishment

  0.127

  Eaton court, Reading—internal refurbishment

  2.135

  Bankhead avenue, Edinburgh—internal refurbishment

  1.097

  Total estimated cost£millions

  1992–93

  Elmwood house, Harrow—refurbishment of 4 floors

  1.800

  Mowden hall, Darlington—new podium roof

  0.420

  Unicorn house, North Shields—replace cladding and windows

  0.470

  Crown house, Corby—refurbishment of toilets

  0.221

  2 Marsham street, London—refurbishment of podium toilets

  0.514

  2 Marsham street, London—refurbishment of Tower toilets

  0.142

  Government offices Great George street, London—refurbish toilets, stack 1

  0.905

  Old Admiralty building, London—refurbish-modemise canteen

  0.358

  Ham River house, London—internal refurbishment

  0.592

  Olivetree house, Belfast—refurbish front entrance

  0.051

  Lyon house, Harrow—refurbish two floors

  0.589

  Lime Grove, Eastcote—internal refurbishment to spur 10

  0.064

  Bradford house, Llandeilo—general refurbishment

  0.099

  Crown house, Gainsborough—refurbish disabled tiolet

  0.016

  Berkeley house, Harrogate—toilet refurbishment

  0.021

  42 Eastgate, Leeds—toilet refurbishment

  0.034

  West Riding house, Leeds—part internal refurbishment

  0.026

  Crown buildings, Bridlington—new disabled access

  0.031

  Elvet house, Durham—toilet refurbishment

  0.108

  Crown house, Middlesbrough—internal refurbishment

  0.115

  Benton house, Newcastle—internal refurbishment

  0.071

  Government buildings, Kenton Bar, Newcastle—toilet refurbishment, spur U

  0.081

  438

  Total estimated cost £ millions

  Government buildings, Kenton Bar, Newcastle—internal refurbishment, spur J

  0.025

  Regent house, NEI centre, Newcastle— internal refurbishment

  0.100

  Pennine house, Washington—provision of disabled facilities

  0.031

  New buildings, Hinckley—internal and external refurbishment

  0.498

  Broadway house, Hereford—internal refurbishment

  0.115

  Ty Glyder, Bangor—external refurbishment

  0.485

  Argyle house, Edinburgh—internal refurbishment

  1.145

  St. Clare house, Ipswich—internal refurbishment

  2.585

  Hightown barracks, Wrexham—internal refurbishment

  0.808

  Cherry Grove CB, Haverfordwest—external refurbishment

  1.087

  84–86 Guild street, Aberdeen—refurbish entrance canopy

  0.080

  Thistle street, Edinburgh—toilet refurbishment

  0.019

  Ladywell house, Edinburgh—internal refurbishment phase 3

  0.251

  Meldrum house, Edinburgh—toilet refurbishment

  0.187

  Longman road, Inverness—upgrade entrance hall and refurbish plant room

  0.117

  Total estimated cost £ millions

  1993–94

  Ashdown house, Hastings—internal refurbishment

  5.835

  Crown buildings, Scunthorpe—internal and external refurbishment—part-funded Benefits Agency

  0.860

  Whitgift centre, Croydon—internal refurbishment

  1.240

  Mesnes house—internal and external refurbishment

  1.360

  Hook rise, Tolworth—internal refurbishment of A Block

  1.292

  Raydean House, Barnet—external refurbishment

  0.932

  246 Stockwell road, London—installation of secondary glazing

  0.063

  2 Carlton gardens, London—general refurbishment

  1.145

  Furness house, Barrow-in-Furness—internal refurbishment of fifth floor

  0.053

  DNS Marton, Blackpool—refurbishment kitchen and dining room

  0.171

  Eskdale house, Kendal—internal refurbishment

  0.023

  Stopgate lane, Liverpool—refurbishment F and G

  0.095

  Sunley tower, Manchester—refurbishment floor 10

  0.212

  Manchester house, Manchester— refurbishment floor 2

  0.135

  Bromyard avenue, Harrow—refurbishcanteen

  0.140

  Beeches road, chelmsford—internal refurbishment, spur F

  0.084

  41–55 Windmill hill, Ruislip—internal refurbishment

  0.210

  Elmbridge court, Gloucester—toilet refurbishment

  0.155

  Merrywalks house, stroud—toilet refurbishment

  0.058

  439

  Total estimated cost £ millions

  Bondgate hall, Alkwick—refurbish coach house

  0.070

  Elvet house, Durham—internal refurbishment

  0.094

  Crown house, Hunddersfield—part toilet refurbishment and kitchen upgrade

  0.124

  Forseter house, Bradford—refurbish eighth floor

  0.051

  Abbey House, Selby—refurbish grade 2 listed building

  0.146

  Government buildings, Kenton Bar, Newcastle—refurbishment of Spurs R, X and Y Block B and main corridor

  0.175

  Daryl House, Stockton—main entrance refurbishment

  0.026

  Five Ways tower, Birmingham—refurbish six floor

  0.363

  Chalfont drive, Nottingham—refurbish block 7

  0.381

  Station Road, Kettering—internal refurbishment

  0.052

  Greyfriars House, Aberdeen—external refurbishment

  1.890

  Cathay Park, Cardiff—internal and external refurbishment

  2.368

  Vespasian House, Dorchester—external refurbishment

  1.353

  IRO, Cumberland—reroofing and cladding phases 3, 4, 5 and 7

  9.331

  Buccleuch street, Dumfries—underpinning and internal improvement

  1.027

  Crown building, EBBW Vale—internal and external refurbishment

  1.721

  Argyle House, Edinburgh—toilet and B Floor refurbishment

  0.916

  St. Agnes road, Cardiff—external refurbishment block 4

  0.477

  84/86 Guild street, Aberdeen—internal refurbishment ground floor

  0.070

  Thistle street, Edinburgh—refurbish conference room and alterations to accommodation

  0.107

  Frederick street, Edinburgh—internal refurbishment

  0.455

  New Register house, Edinburgh—toilet upgrade

  0.043

  Castle Wynd, Inverness—general and toilet refurbishment

  0.315

  Mill street, Perth—internal refurbishment

  0.220

  1 Park Road North, Havant—main entrance refurbishment

  0.032

  Crown house, Portsmouth—ground floor refurbishment

  0.041

  OPCS, Titchfield—ground floor refurbishment stage 1

  0.046

  Much of this information is recorded in the "Market Testing Bulletin", published monthly, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.

  Housing Expenditure
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline the expenditure plans in each year from 1994–95 to 1997–98 in respect of(a) the local authorities' housing investment programme and (b) the Housing Corporation's approved development programme.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  [holding answer 8 December 1994]: The total of housing investment programme allocations in England for 1994–95 and 1995–96 are £1,326 million and £1,272 million respectively. Both
  440
  figures exclude resources for estate action, which are now within the single regeneration budget.

  It is not possible to give planned HIP allocations for 1996–97 or 1997–98. These depend on annual decisions about resources for special housing programmes, and the national level of receipts taken into account.

  The Housing Corporation's gross capital resources for its approved development programme and the rough sleepers initiative are £1,533 million in 1994–95, £1,197 million in 1995–96, £1,177 million in 1996–97 and £1,191 million in 1997–98. The Housing Corporation will be publishing the full details of its approved development programme for 1995–96 later this month.

TREASURY

  Internet
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the plans of his Department to make information available on the Internet and the documents which he intends to be made available on the Internet over the next year which will be accessible via the world wide web server "open.gov.uk" or any specific departmental server.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Treasury's Internet service was launched on 15 November 1994.

  At present, the service includes the full details of the Budget, including my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor's Budget statement and all the Budget news releases. Other documents that are available include other Treasury 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.

  More information will be added in due course.

  All this material is provided on the Treasury's own Internet server. The address for the Treasury's world wide web pages is "http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk". In addition to the world wide web, the same information can be obtained by electronic mail or by FTP from the following addresses:

  Addresses

  Email mailing lists:

  " maillist@hm-treasury.gov.uk"

  Email file transfer:

  "ftpmail@hm-treasury.gov.uk"

  File Transfer (FTP):

  "ftp.hm-treasury.gov.uk"

  The text of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" has been published on the Internet by HMSO, and is available at "http://www.open.gov.uk/budget94/budget94.htm;" it can also be located by a hypertext link from the Treasury's world wide web pages.

  War Loan
  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many recorded holders there are of the 3.5 per cent. war loan.
  441
  Mr. Nelson
  There are approximately 243,000 accounts in 31/2 per cent war stock on the Bank of England and other registers.

  Insurance Premium Tax
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what circumstances insurance policies for mortgage interest protection against sickness and unemployment are liable to the insurance premium tax; and what is his estimate of the effect on tax receipts of plans to restrict income support help with mortgage interest payments from October 1996.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Insurance policies for mortgage interest protection against sickness and unemployment are liable to insurance premium tax because they are a type of general insurance, almost all of which is subject to the tax. No specific estimate has been made of the effect on tax receipts of any increase in the use of such insurance—in the context of changes to the income support arrangements relating to mortgage interest payments—but any such effect is likely to be negligible.

  Manufacturing Trade
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the contribution made to economic growth since 1992 by the reduction in the deficit on trade with the EEC in manufactures;

  (2) what was the contribution made to economic growth since 1992 by the reduction in the deficit on trade in (a) manufactures and (b) finished manufactures.

  Mr. Nelson
  Between the fourth quarter of 1992 and the third quarter of 1994 gross domestic product increased by 6 per cent. Over the same period, net trade in manufactures contributed 0.9 percentage points to GDP growth, net trade in finished manufactures contributed 0.3 percentage points to GDP growth, and net trade in manufactures with countries in the European Union made a slightly negative contribution to GDP growth. However, more recently net trade in manufactures has accounted for a far more significant proportion of GDP growth, as the economies of the European Union have picked up.

  Building Societies Acts
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to amend the Building Societies Acts to ensure that if the first named holder of a joint account dies the second named holder qualifies for any bonuses in the event of a takeover.

  Mr. Nelson
  I am currently reviewing the Building Societies Act 1986. In my interim statement of 6 July, I said that stringent statutory controls on takeovers would be retained. The review is now focusing on societies' accountability and powers, but I am taking careful note of all the comments I have received about the position of joint account holders. I hope to announce the conclusion of the review soon.

  Official Residences (Expenditure)
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many meetings or functions have been or will be held at No. 11 Downing street in December 1994 and which alcoholic drinks will be available.
  442
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  No such information is available.

  Tourism
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give full details of all interdepartmental and non-governmental consultations carried out in the preparation of Customs and Excise compliance cost assessment No. 6 related to his Budget statement, with regard to the effect of the measures proposed on the international competitiveness of the United Kingdom tourism industry.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  In common with most other Budget measures, there were no such consultations in preparing the compliance cost assessment to which the hon. Gentleman refers. However, Customs and Excise has stated that the assessment will be reviewed in the light of any comments received.

  EU Budget
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the assumptions he made as to the increase in gross domestic product when calculating the United Kingdom contribution to the European Union budget for each year until 1999.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The growth assumptions used were consistent with those set out in the Budget of 29 November.

  Finance Bill
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) on what date he plans to publish the Finance Bill;

  (2) what plans he has to publish the Finance Bill before the House rises for the Christmas recess.

  Sir George Young
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Southport (Mr. Banks) on Thursday 8 December, Official Report, column 330.

  Customs and Excise
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the average amount of VAT collected by one Customs and Excise VAT collection officer annually.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 8 December 1994]: For the year ending March 1994, Customs and Excise deployed 5,429 staff years on VAT visiting. These staff identified errors in traders' records which when corrected resulted in an increase in the net liability of £1,322 million, or an average of £243,507 per staff year. These figures do not take account of errors that traders might have found and corrected themselves.

  Customs and Excise has recently reviewed the way in which it deploys staff to ensure compliance with VAT requirements so as to ensure increased effectiveness. Over the coming years, effort will be refocused on better education to assist businesses to get their VAT declarations right. In parallel with this, targeting of visits and assurance techniques will be improved.

  Mortgage Statistics
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the percentage of those with mortgages who are self-employed, employed on fixed-term contracts or who are employed on a part-time basis.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 8 December 1994]: Estimates from the spring 1994 labour force survey for Great Britain show that of all heads of households who were owner-occupiers with mortgages, 15 per cent. were self-employed; 2 per cent. were employed on fixed-term contracts; and 4 per cent. were working part time either as an employee or self-employed. These three groups make up 19 per cent. of all mortgage holders.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new mortgages have been taken out in each of the last five years(a) in total and (b) by geographic region.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 8 December 1994]: Data for the total number of mortgages advanced are available in table 10.4 of "Housing and Construction Statistics 1983–1993" published by the Department of the Environment. These data are not published on a regional basis. However, the first column in table 10.9 of the same publication gives the percentage breakdown of new mortgages by region only for advances made by building societies.

  Income Statistics
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the change in real personal disposable income over the whole of 1994 and in each quarter of 1994, both in aggregate and on a per capita basis.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 9 December 1994]: At this stage, quarterly information on real personal disposable income in aggregate and on a per capita basis is available only for the first half of 1994. It can be found on the Central Statistical Office database, series CECP and CAIU respectively. The Budget forecast is for no change in the level of real personal disposable income in 1994 as a whole compared with 1993. Quarterly forecasts are not published.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the main expected effects on the public accounts from 1994–95 to 1997–98 of the national lottery, including the effects on general Government expenditure, general Government revenue, the general Government borrowing requirement and the public sector borrowing requirement.

  Mr. Aitken
  [holding answer 9 December 1994]: Proceeds paid into the national lottery distribution fund are part of general Government revenue and spending of these proceeds part of general Government expenditure. The GGR figures in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" include projections of £0.2 billion in 1994–95, £0.7 billion in 1995–96, £0.9 billion in 1996–97 and £1.1 billion in 199798. These figures do not include lottery duty because the net effect of the lottery on tax revenues is expected to be broadly neutral after redistributive effects. The GGE figures include projections of £0.0 billion, £0.5 billion, £1.0 billion and £1.0 billion
  444
  respectively for those years. The difference between these flows in any particular year affects the general Government borrowing requirement and the public sector borrowing requirement. The spending of these proceeds is outside the public expenditure control total.

  British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the main effects on the public sector accounts from 1992–93 to 1997–98 of the re-classification of British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. as a public corporation, including the effects on the public expenditure new control total, general Government expenditure, the general Government borrowing requirement and the public sector borrowing requirement.

  Mr. Aitken
  [holding answer 9 December 1994]: The figures for the control total contained in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" include the following amounts for BNFL's external financing requirements for the years in question:

  £ million

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  EFR

  -392

  -653

  -422

  -411

  -573

  -244

  The reclassification of BNFL as a public corporation in national accounts had no effect on general Government expenditure or the general Government borrowing requirement. However, it did mean that BNFL's market and overseas borrowing became part of the public sector borrowing requirement. The amounts in each year are:

  £ million

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  EFR

  -417

  -679

  -449

  -439

  -601

  -272

  The difference between the two sets of figures represents the payment of the fossil fuel levy to BNFL which is now included in its external financing requirement but was previously outside the control total. These payments have been included in general Government expenditure since the 1993 national accounts Blue Book.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list those services that have been market-tested by his Department and won by the private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  The Attorney-General
  The reprographics service of the Crown Prosecution Service headquarters was market-tested in 1991 and the contract awarded to Williams Lea FM. The value of the contract is approximately £1 million.

  Brendan Smyth
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Attorney-General what information he, the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland or the RUC have about approaches made by Father Bernard Marshall of the Norbertine Canons
  445
  based in County Cavan to a family whose children had been abused in Northern Ireland by Father Brendan Smyth after warrants for the latter's deportation had been delivered by the RUC to the Garda in April 1993 and prior to his subsequent conviction in January 1994; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Wheeler
  I have been asked to reply.

  The RUC investigated an allegation from a member of the public of an attempt to pervert the course of justice by taking a statement from a member of the family of a victim of Brendan Smyth.

  In the light of this statement, it was decided that no further action was appropriate.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Bosnia-Herzegovina
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the value since February 1994 of monthly supplies of humanitarian aid from(a) Government and (b) non-governmental organisations to Bosnia-Herzegovina; and what were the monthly targets.

  Mr. Baldry
  Monthly figures for the value of humanitarian aid to Bosnia-Herzegovina since February 1994 are not available. According to the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs, the value of 1994 aid contributions to the former Yugoslavia reported to the DHA by donors as at 27 October 1994 was:

  $

  Governments

  367,872,094

  European Union

  62,198,805

  UN Agencies

  12,597,735

  Red Cross

  42,054,618

  Non-Government Organisations

  131,254,905

  Others

  7,545,230

  Total

  623,523,387

  Target (tonnes)

  Delivered (tonnes)

  1994

  February

  42,000

  22,000

  March

  47,000

  43,000

  April

  27,000

  25,000

  May

  33,000

  27,000

  June

  31,000

  25,000

  July

  33,000

  22,000

  August

  23,000

  13,000

  September

  23,000

  18,000

  October

  23,000

  25,000

PRIME MINISTER

  Parliamentary Private Secretaries
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the current list of parliamentary private secretaries and the Ministers to whom each is attached.
  446
  The Prime Minister
  The list is as follows:

  Name

  Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Minister for Agriculture— Mr. W. Waldegrave

  Mr. O. Heald

  Minister of State—Mr. M. Jack

  Miss E. Nicholson

  Defence

  Secretary of State—Mr. M. Rifkind

  Mr. H. Bellingham

  Ministers of State—Mr. R. Freeman and Mr. N. Soames

  Mr. S. Coe

  Duchy of Lancaster

  Chancellor of the Duchy—Mr. D. Hunt

  Mr. N. Evans

  Education

  Secretary of State—Mrs. G. Shephard

  Mr. G. Kynoch

  Minister of State—Mr. E. Forth

  Mr. J. Whittingdale

  Employment

  Secretary of State—Mr. M. Portillo

  Mr. D Amess

  Minister of State—Miss A. Widdecombe

  Dr. R. Spink

  Environment

  Secretary of State—Mr. J. Gummer

  Mr. D. French

  Minister of State—Viscount Ullswater, Mr. D. Curry and Mr. R. Atkins

  Mr. J. Hayes

  Foreign Office

  Secretary of State—Mr. D. Hurd

  Mr. M. Robinson

  Ministers of State—Mr. A. Goodlad and Mr. D. Davis

  Mr. E. Garnier

  Minister for Overseas Development— Lady Chalker—and PUSS—Mr. T. Baldry

  Mr. D. Faber

  Health

  Secretary of State—Mrs. V. Bottomley

  Mr. K. Mans

  Minister of State—Mr. G. Malone

  Mr. P. Butler

  Home Office

  Secretary of State—Mr. M. Howard

  Mr. D. Lidington

  Minister of State—Mr. D. Maclean and Mr. M. Forsyth

  Mr J. Arnold

  Minister of State—Lady Blatch

  Mr. J. Clappison

  Laws Officers Department

  Attorney-General—Sir N. Lyell and Solicitor-General—Sir. D. Spencer

  Mr. G. Streeter

  Minister without Portfolio—Mr. J. Hanley

  Mr. P. Atkinson

  National Heritage

  Secretary of State—Mr. S. Dorrell

  Mr. G. Brandreth

  Northern Ireland Office

  Secretary of State—Sir P. Mayhew

  Mr. R. Spring

  Minister of State—Sir J. Wheeler and Mr. M. Ancram

  Mr. R. Robertson

  Prime Minister

  Mr. J. Ward

  Privy Council Office

  Lord President and Leader of the House of Commons—Mr. T. Newton

  Mr. J. Marshall

  Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords—The Viscount Cranborne

  Miss C. Gillan

  Scottish Office

  Secretary of State—Mr. I. Lang

  Mr. S. Coombs

  Social Security

  Secretary of State—Mr. P Lilley

  Mr. P. Merchant

  Ministers of State—Mr. W. Hague and Lord MacKay

  Mr. C. Hendry

  PUSSs—Mr. A. Burt, Mr. J. Arbuthnot and Mr. R. Evans

  Ms J. Lait

  447

  Name

  Trade and Industry

  President of the Board—Mr. M. Heseltine

  Mr. R. Ottaway

  Minister of State—Mr. T Eggar

  Mr. P. Luff

  Ministers of State—Lord Ferrers and Mr. R. Needham

  Mr. A. Rowe

  Transport

  Secretary of State—Dr. B. Mawhinney

  Mr. M. Trend

  Minister of State—Mr. J. Watts

  Mr. T. Dicks

  Treasury

  Chancellor of the Exchequer—Mr. K. Clarke

  Mrs A. Knight

  Chief Secretary—Mr. J. Aitken

  Mr. P. Ainsworth

  Financial Secretary—Sir G. Young Paymaster General— Mr. D. Heathcoat-Amory and Economic Secretary— Mr. A. Nelson

  Dr. C. Goodson-Wickes

  Welsh Office

  Secretary of State—Mr. J. Redwood

  Mr. D. Evennett

  Parliamentary Private Secretaries
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish a current list of(a) all parliamentary private secretaries and (b) unpaid members of the Government.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood).

  The Minister without portfolio is the only member of the Government who does not draw a ministerial salary.

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Prime Minister how many Parliamentary Private Secretaries there are; and if he will provide comparable figures for November 1989, November 1984 and May 1979.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 29 November 1994]: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood).

  Details of parliamentary private secretaries for earlier dates are a matter of public record.

  Building Refurbishment
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Prime Minister 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.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment today at columns 436–39.

  In 1991–92 the kitchens used for catering for official functions in 10 Downing street were refurbished to bring them into line with the requirements of the then new food hygiene regulations. The cost of these works was £122,000 excluding value added tax and fees.

  Energy Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the total expenditure on energy for each property owned or leased by his Department for the use of Ministers in each of the last three years for which figures are available.
  448
  The Prime Minister
  Nil.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what was the total expenditure on energy for offices and buildings by(a) his Department and (b) his agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available;

  (2) what was the total expenditure on energy for (a) No. 10 Downing street and (b) Chequers in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  The Prime Minister
  The total expenditure on energy for 10 Downing street in each of the last three financial years was:

  £

  1991–92

  39,000

  1992–93

  39,000

  1993–94

  33,000

  The Chequers estate is the responsibility of the Chequers Trust.

  Official Residences (Expenditure)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Prime Minister what is his policy concerning the use of No. 10 Downing street for non-official or party political functions.

  The Prime Minister
  Ministers under this and previous Administrations have been allowed—at their own or party expense—to host non-official or party receptions or functions in Downing street. All catering, staff and other direct expenses must be met by the organisers of the event.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Prime Minister how many bottles of(a) whisky, (b) other spirits and (c) wine were bought from public funds for use at No.10 Downing street and the Prime Minister's other official residences in 1993–94; and how much they cost.

  The Prime Minister
  Disaggregated information of this sort could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Prime Minister how many meetings or functions have been or will be held at No. 10 Downing street in December 1994 at which alcoholic drinks will be available.

  The Prime Minister
  Such information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Prime Minister what charges are made to organisations or persons holding non-official or party functions at No. 10 Downing street in respect of overheads or directs costs associated with such functions.

  The Prime Minister
  Where charitable or other non-official events are held at No. 10 Downing street, the organisers are responsible for all catering and staff costs, as well as other miscellaneous direct costs. Organisers may use the kitchens or other facilities at No. 10 Downing street.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Prime Minister how many functions have been held at(a) No. 10 Downing street and (b) Chequers since November 1990 where the cost of refreshments was paid by a political party.

  The Prime Minister
  The answer is:

  (a) 52

  (b) 3

  Shareholders
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Prime Minister what consideration he is giving to how shareholders might be given additional powers to influence boardroom pay and perks.

  The Prime Minister
  Shareholders are already able to influence directors' remuneration. The Government are always ready to consider ideas for improving shareholders' powers or the information which is made available to them. It was announced in the White Paper on competitiveness—CM 2563—that the Government have been reviewing a number of aspects of company law, including directors' duties.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Prime Minister how many parliamentary questions tabled in the last Session of Parliament were not answered on the ground that the information sought was not held centrally by his Department.

  The Prime Minister
  Approximately 1 per cent.

  Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the CSCE summit meeting in Budapest.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Sir M. Neubert) on 7 December 1994,Official Report, columns 220–22.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list those services that have been market-tested by his Department and won by the private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  The Prime Minister
  For these purposes, my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service and Science at column 455.

  Ministerial Travel
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit the state of Oregon, United States of America.

  The Prime Minister
  None.

  Security (Politicians)
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Prime Minister how much has been spent on security for(a) Cabinet members, (b) ex-Cabinet members and (c) other national politicians in each of the last five years.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 9 December 1994]: Since April 1991 about £4.4 million has been spent on the installation of protective security measures at the homes of Cabinet Ministers, ex-Cabinet Ministers and other hon. Members. These measures were provided on the advice of those responsible for protective security and reflected on assessment of the threat to the individuals concerned. All spending is carefully monitored and controlled by those responsible.

  Information in the form requested for before that date is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Security and Intelligence Services
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Prime Minister how many staff have been employed by the security and intelligence services during each of the last five years.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 9 December 1994]: Staff numbers for the security and intelligence services for 1993–94 and 1994–95 were published in the 1994–95 supply estimates—class XIX, Cabinet Office, Privy Council Office and Parliament etcetera. They totalled 10,766 and 10,516 respectively. Figures for earlier years are not publicly available, and I do not propose to publish such data retrospectively.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Prime Minister what has been the budget for the security and intelligence services during each of the last five years.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 9 December 1994]: The expenditure of the agencies was published for the first time in the 1994–95 Supply estimates—class XIX, Cabinet Office, Privy Council Office and Parliament etcetera. Aggregate expenditure in 1992–93 was £859.6 million. Estimated outturn for 1993–94 was £961.3 million and net provision for 1994–95 was £881.5 million. Figures for earlier years are not publicly available, and I do not propose to publish such data retrospectively.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Open Government
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will establish a review of the differential charging policies of Government Departments for information requested under the code of practice on access to official information under the open government initiative.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is considering to improve the openness of government.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I am continuing to implement the policy set down in the White Paper on open government.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much money has been spent on promoting and advertising his White Paper "Open Government" in the past year.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Some £51,000 since April this year.

  Citizens Charter
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment he has made of the performance of the citizens charter.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  The citizens charter has led to considerable improvements in public services. Details of these improvements have been published in the citizens charter reports in 1992 and 1994. There have also been 227 charter mark awards, each one recognising excellence in public service delivery.

  Public Complaints
  Mrs Angela Knight
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress his Department has made in making it easier for citizens to complain about the delivery of public services.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  Well-publicised and easy to use complaints procedures are a key principle of the citizens charter. In addition, our independent complaints task force is looking at how public services handle complaints and where improvements can be made.

  Government Information
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the latest figures for people using Internet to obtain government information.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  In the past two months, there have been 332599 requests for government information from Internet users.

  Building Refurbishments
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will itemise the refurbishment works 452
  undertaken on buildings housing departmental staff in the last three years, indicating the costs involved and the nature of the refurbishments.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  The following refurbishment projects were undertaken and paid for from departmental funds.

  Civil Service College

  Year

  Location

  Cost £

  Description of Project

  1991–92

  Sunningdale Park

  292,000

  Part of an on-going programme to refurbish previously low-quality lecture accommodation, adding improved insulation, new windows, new toilet facilities for disabled students and general upgrade of existing toilet facilities.

  1991–92

  Sunningdale Park

  130,000

  Conversion of a basement store area to provide office accommodation for staff transferred from London.

  1992–93

  Sunningdale Park

  23,000

  Part of an on-going programme to refurbish previously low-quality lecture accommodation, adding improved insulation, new windows, new toilet facilities for disabled students and general upgrade of existing toilet facilities.

  1992–93

  Sunningdale Park

  32,000

  Works to provide a ground floor coffee lounge and bar to enable disabled staff and students access to facilities enjoyed by others.

  1993–94

  Sunningdale Park

  130,000

  Works to upgrade staff leisure facility to enable it to be used by the public at weekends.

  HMSO

  Year

  Location

  Cost £

  Description of Project

  1993–94

  Belfast

  54,000

  Refurbishment of bookshop.

  1993–94

  Belfast

  200,000

  Refurbishment of office accommodation following flood damage due to a burst water main.

  1993–94

  Manchester

  74,000

  Refurbishment of bookshop.

  1993–94

  Birmingham

  40,000

  Refurbishment of reprographics unit allowing surplus space to be reused.

  1993–94

  Norwich

  8,500

  Refurbishment of toilets.

  1993–94

  London

  124,500

  Conversion of warehouse space to provide office accommodation, and upgrading of toilets.

  453

  Occupational Health Service

  Year

  Location

  Cost £

  Description of Project

  1991–92

  Cardiff

  1,805

  Installation of secondary double glazing.

  1991–92

  London

  7,500

  Installation of new fire doors and air conditioning unit.

  1992–93

  Edinburgh

  1,101

  Refurbishment and general uplift of conference facilities.

  1992–93

  London

  6,500

  Creation of a new room to carry out physiotherapy following the award of a contract to OHS by LFCDA.

  1993–94

  Edinburgh

  3,350

  Refurbishment and redecoration of toilet and kitchen facilities adjacent to a conference room.

  1993–94

  London

  9,850

  Installation of air conditioning and redecoration and refurbishment of public reception area.

  Central Cabinet Office

  Year

  Location

  Cost £

  Description of Project

  1992–93

  London

  367,750

  Refurbishment of kitchen in the staff canteen to comply with the requirements of the then new Food Hygiene Act.

  1992–93

  London

  81,000

  Refurbishment of a suite of rooms in 70 Whitehall.

  1992–93

  London

  9,790

  Refurbishment of office accommodation as part of a rolling programme.

  1992–93

  London

  450,000

  Refurbishment of Albany house, following vacation by previous occupants, to provide single-site accommodation for newly created Office of Science and Technology.

  1993–94

  London

  19,990

  Creation of new office space to house support staff for the Scott inquiry team.

  1993–94

  London

  30,700

  Refurbishment of reprographics unit accommodation as part of a rolling programme.

  1993–94

  London

  48,93

  Refurbishment of office accommodation as part of a rolling programme.

  1993–94

  London

  15,675

  Refurbishment of existing office accommodation to provide purpose built suite for switchboard operators.

  1993–94

  London

  2,380

  Refurbishment of existing office to adapt it for use as a computer training room.

  1993–94

  London

  3,520

  Expenditure on refurbishment of a suite of rooms in 70 Whitehall falling to be paid in 1993–94.

  454

  Central office of information

  Year

  Location

  Cost £

  Description of Project

  1991–92

  London

  124,509

  Refurbishment of headquarters office accommodation as part of a rolling programme.

  1991–92

  London

  5,235

  Modifications to power and lighting as part of a rolling programme.

  1992–93

  London

  89,912

  Refurbishment of headquarters office accommodation as part of a rolling programme.

  1992–93

  London

  6,562

  Modifications to electrics as part of a rolling programme.

  1993–94

  London

  120,562

  Refurbishment of headquarters office accommodation as part of a rolling programme.

  1993–94

  London

  58,403

  Modifications to electrics as part of a rolling programme.

  Energy Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the total expenditure on energy for offices and buildings by(a) his Department and (b) his agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  The total expenditure on energy for offices and buildings in my Department and its agencies for each of the last three years was:

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  Cabinet Office

  376,019

  398,743

  374,485

  OPSS agencies

  306,450

  347,831

  334,728

  Central Office of Information

  109,844

  116,504

  113,420

  HMSO

  1,102,000

  1,158,000

  1,120,000

  Tinnitus
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the current work of the Institute of Hearing Research on tinnitus.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  Although work on tinnitus does not currently form a major theme of activity at the Medical Research Council's Institute of Hearing Research, the institute does undertake some tinnitus research in several areas. These include an epidemiological study of risk factors associated with tinnitus and its effects on lifestyle; three studies on the extent of referral by GPs for specialist advice; and methodological research aimed at establishing an improved scale of tinnitus severity. Links with the Nottingham tinnitus clinic are actively maintained. The MRC is always willing to consider soundly-based research proposals in competition with other applications.

  CERN
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's
  455
  Government's policy on investment in new developments at CERN.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  The Government have consistently expressed their support in principle for the next major development planned at CERN, the large hadron collider project. It is widely acknowledged to be the right next step for the organisation and more generally for particle physics at the high-energy frontier. However, the LHC, like many other major international scientific initiatives, will be very expensive. Before giving final approval, therefore, it is essential that the project is based on a fair and sustainable financial framework. This will ensure that the investment made in the project gives the best possible value for money, both scientifically and economically. It is only by ensuring that major international collaborative facilities such as CERN are tightly managed that we will be able to afford the domestic science programmes which will exploit those facilities fully.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those services that have been market-tested by his Department and won by the private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  Those services market tested under the "Competing for Quality" initiative by the Cabinet Office, Office of Public Service and Science, including its agencies, HMSO and COI, and won by the private sector, are as follows:

  Activity Tested (and area)

  Successful Tenderer

  Telephonist Service for Downing Street—Cabinet Office

  Manpower plc

  Office Services—Cabinet Office

  Serco Ltd.

  Recruitment Monitoring—OPSS

  PE International Ltd.

  Facilities Management—CCTA

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  Reprographics—Chessington

  Dytecna Ltd.

  Typing Services—HMSO

  Manpower plc

  Passport Supply and Production—HMSO

  Thomas De La Rue

  Classified Printing—HMSO

  Greenaways

  Office Services: Custody Cleaning—COI

  Royal British Legion Cleancare Ltd.

  Catering—COI

  Gardner Merchant Ltd.

  The total value of these services is just over £3.9 million per annum. Individual contract values are not given as this would prejudice the legitimate commercial interests of those companies involved. Information on the restrictions of publication of commercial data within Government can be found in the code of practice on access to Government information, guidance on interpretation. Information on all market testing activities within central Government is published monthly in the "Market Testing Bulletin", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.

EDUCATION

  Schools, Islington
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will arrange for ballots to be conducted in each secondary school in Islington on the issue of whether the school should apply for grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no powers to arrange for any school to conduct a ballot on whether to apply for grant-maintained status. A ballot, in Islington as elsewhere, may only be triggered by a resolution of the governing body of the school, or by the presentation to the governing body of a parental petition.

  Energy Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the total expenditure on energy for offices and buildings by(a) her Department and (b) her agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Forth
  The total expenditure incurred by this Department on energy in respect of the offices and buildings occupied in each of the last three financial years is as follows:

  £

  1991–92

  577,600

  1992–93

  530,500

  1993–94

  550,600

  The Teachers Pensions Agency shares a supply of electricity with the Department on its Darlington site. It is therefore not possible accurately to disaggregate the agency's energy costs which are included in the figures given.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list those services that have been market-tested by her Department and won by the private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  Mr. Boswell
  The information requested is as follows:

  Service

  Successful contractor

  The Department's publications despatch service

  Westex Ltd.

  Catering at the Department's headquarters

  Gardner Merchant

  Banking services provided to the Teachers Pensions Agency

  Midland Bank plc

  The Department's data preparation service

  Compower Ltd.

  The value of the individual contracts is commercially confidential information.

  Political activity is excluded if there might be a conflict of interest between political activity and the holding of a public appointment. The rules on political affiliation and conflict of interest are laid

  457
  down in the Office of Public Service and Science "Guide on Public Appointments Procedures".

DEFENCE

  Indonesia
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel have been provided by the Ministry of Defence to(a) support sales of planes and other military equipment to Indonesia during the last two years and (b) have been stationed in Indonesia during the last two years; and for what purpose they were there.

  Mr. Soames
  Other than a colonel attached to the British embassy in Jakarta as defence attache and a warrant officer to support him, no military personnel have been stationed in Indonesia for any purpose during the last two years.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 5 December,Official Report, column 108, what was the basis on which he calculated annual savings arising from the market testing of health provision for British forces.

  Mr. Soames
  The level of savings arising from exposing an activity to competition will depend upon the outcome of the exercise to test the efficiency of in-house services and functions against tenders from outside contractors. In the case of health provision for the armed forces, many of the support activities which make up the service are still the subject of feasibility studies to determine objectives, priorities and optimum savings routes. Experience has shown that for departmental purposes, a savings target of at least 15 per cent. of the annual operating cost should be assumed to flow from the exposure of an activity to competitive pressures, but the final savings achieved will depend on the outcome of the market-testing exercise itself, and in many cases will be considerably higher.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those services that have been market-tested by his Department and won by the private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  Mr. Freeman
  In the 30-month period up to September 1994, the Ministry of Defence examined 82 support activities with annual operating costs in the order of £600 million under the Department's "Competing for Quality" programme, which included market-testing activities. This resulted in contracts being placed with the private sector for 46 of these activities covering over two thirds of the total annual operating costs. Full details of individual contracts remain commercial-in-confidence, although some information on contracts awarded as a result of market tests is published monthly in the "Market Testing Bulletin" available from the House of Commons Library.

  EH101 Helicopters
  Sir Patrick McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Royal Air Force to place an order for the EH101 helicopter.
  458
  Mr. Freeman
  We hope to be able to make an announcement shortly on our decision on support helicopters for the Royal Air Force.

  Ministerial Travel (Israel)
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) in what capacity Mr. David Hart took part in his recent visit to Israel; and who paid for his costs;

  (2) who was in the official party during his recent visit to Israel; and who paid for the visit.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. and learned Friend was accompanied by Mrs. Rifkind, Mr. David Hart in his capacity as an independent adviser, Mr. Crispin Blunt—special adviser—the MOD press secretary, two members of his private office staff and an MOD official.

  The costs of the visit were met from public funds with the exception of Mr. Hart, who paid his own costs.

  "Front Line First"
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultancy contracts have been let by his Department as part of the "Front Line First" review; which companies have won contracts; and what sums of money are involved.

  Mr. Freeman
  BAe Sema, Price Waterhouse, Monk Dunstone Associates, McKenna and Co. and P-E International provided advice to the defence costs study. A number of individuals from outside Government, as listed in the answer given to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 29 April,Official Report, column 399, were engaged to provide advice to the defence costs study teams.

  Not all those listed charged for their services, although the companies for which some worked did. Those companies were:

  Capita Managed Services Ltd.

  Jones Lang Wootton

  Trias Management Consultants

  Ian McNeil Associates

  Central Research Laboratories Ltd.

  The total cost in fees to the Ministry of Defence of the work done in the study phase of "Front Line First" inclusive of VAT is £396,597. This total includes an estimate of the elements of the costs of contracts held with BAe Sema and Price Waterhouse prior to the DCS, the terms of which were changed to reflect, inter alia, work done on the DCS.

  RAF Chivenor
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the projected cost of new sewerage works at RAF Chivenor.

  Mr. Soames
  There are no plans for any new sewerage works at RAF Chivenor other than routine maintenance. If it is not possible to find an alternative defence use for the main site at RAF Chivenor following the departure of the RAF, some work would be necessary to link the SAR flight to the local council's main drainage system. The estimated cost of this work is approximately £100,000.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to moving the Sea King search-and-rescue flight currently stationed at RAF Chivenor to St. Mawgan.
  459
  Mr. Soames
  As part of my Department's review of its requirement for military SAR, a number of possible basing options were considered. For the south Wales and west country area, it was concluded that optimum SAR cover could be provided from RAF Chivenor, and the Brawdy flight was subsequently transferred there on 1 July 1994.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent and how much it plans to spend on building works to enable the Sea King flight to operate at RAF Chivenor.

  Mr. Soames
  Some £47,100 has so far been spent and a further £51,100 is planned to be spent on building works at RAF Chivenor to enable the Sea King flight to operate there.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the costs of supporting and RAF Sea King flight at RAF Chivenor in(a) 1994–95 (b) 1995–96 and (c) 1996–97.

  Mr. Soames
  The information requested is as follows:

  £

  1994–95

  nil

  1995–96

  573,000

  1996–97

  1,030,000

  These figures represent the station infrastructure and operating costs. They do not include the costs of operating the SAR flight.

  Fox Hunting
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on fox hunting for members of the armed forces in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Soames
  Fox hunting is undertaken by some members of mounted units as part of normal training, and costs are not separately identified. No additional costs are incurred by my Department as a result of participation in this activity since these are met by the individuals concerned.

  Expenditure
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the percentage fall in defence expenditure from 1984–85 to 1997–98.

  Mr. Soames
  Based on current plans, defence spending is expected to decline by around 28 per cent. in real terms between 1984–85 and 1997–98, as measured by the GDP deflators published in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report", 1995–96—House of Commons No. 12. Outturn in 1984–85 included some expenditure for the security and intelligence services which now falls outside the defence budget.

  Airwork Ltd.
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much his Department is attempting to recover from Airwork Ltd. following work undertaken by that company at RAF St. Athan;
  460
  (2) what is his estimate of the total cost of the damage caused by Airwork Ltd. on the Tornados based at RAF St. Athan.

  Mr. Freeman
  Preparation of my Department's claim, for costs consequent upon the damage to Tornado F3 aircraft caused by Airwork, is not yet complete.

  Aircraft Movements
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft movements by(a) Southampton University Air Squadron and (b) others took place on Saturdays and Sundays in (i) September 1994, (ii) October 1994 and (iii) November 1994 at Aircrafts and Armaments Experimental Establishment Boscombe Down.

  Mr. Soames
  The information requested is as follows:

  Southampton University Air Squadron

  Others

  September

  10

  106

  October

  132

  79

  November

  225

  106

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  International Civil Aviation Organisation
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how often his senior staff meet their colleague in the Department of Transport to discuss British representation at the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  United Kingdom representation on the council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the office and staff is fully funded by the Department of Transport. The posts of United Kingdom representative and alternate United Kingdom representative are filled by the Department of Transport. There are no detailed discussions between FCO and DOT officials on representation. However, FCO and DOT officials have regular and close contact on the international aspects of British aviation policy and the DOT attends meetings held by the FCO to discuss the United Kingdom's policy interests in the whole range of UN specialised agencies.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria govern his decision in respect of the public appointments to which political activity is relevant.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The criteria which govern the composition of the governing bodies of non-departmental public bodies for which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is responsible and to which political activity are relevant are as follows:

  Political activity is relevant where the board needs to cover a range of political experience to support the work of the NDPB in question. This will depend on the political affiliation and experience of the MPs, MEPs and

  461
  Members of the House of Lords from whom the candidates are drawn.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the public appointments in respect of which political party membership is relevant.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The appointments to the boards of non-departmental public bodies for which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is responsible in respect of which political party membership is relevant are:

  Westminster Foundation for Democracy:

  The following are appointed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State:

  Conservative 3, including the chairman—MPs

  Labour 3–2 MPs and 1 MEP

  Scottish National Party 1, representing the smaller parties—currently an MP

  Wilton Park Academic Council:

  The following are appointed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State:

  Conservative 1—MP

  Labour 1—MP

  Liberal Democrat 1—MP

  British Council:

  The following are appointed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State:

  Conservative 1—MP

  Labour 1—MP

  Commonwealth Institute:

  The following are appointed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State:

  Conservative 1—MP

  Labour 1—MP

  Britain-Russia Centre:
  The chairman is appointed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to reflect the composition of the executive committee which consists of a politician from each of the major political parties.

  Conservative 1—MP

  Labour 1—MP

  Liberal Democrat—1 MP

  Britain-China Centre:
  The chairman is appointed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to reflect the composition of the executive committee which is made up of two conservative and two labour MPs and one Liberal Democrat MP.

  Conservative 2—MPs

  Labour 2—MPs

  Liberal Democrat 1—MP

  British Association for Central and Eastern Europe:
  The chairman is appointed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to reflect the composition of the executive committee which is made up of two conservative and two labour politicians and one Liberal Democrat politician.

  Conservative 2—MPs

  Labour 2–1 MP, 1 Peer

  Liberal Democrat 1—MP.

  Jean Pierre Derisbourg
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the European Commission 462
  about the investigation by the EU's external relations inspection unit into the expenses of Jean Pierre Derisbourg.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We attach the utmost importance to encouraging sound financial management in the institutions of the Community, and will insist on appropriate action whenever instances of fraud or mismanagement are apparent. Within the Council, we have pressed the Commission for a report on its investigation into the matter raised by the hon. Member.

  Western European Union
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration they are giving to hold WEU meetings concurrently with meetings of the EU Foreign Affairs Council; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  WEU meets at ministerial level every six months, more often if required in a crisis, with Foreign and Defence Ministers from the 24 nations which are either full members, associate members, associate partners or observers. In the past, there have been occasions when WEU Ministers have met back to back with the Foreign Affairs Council, but it would not be practical to make this a rule.

  Bulgarian Vessels (Safety)
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold urgent talks with the Bulgarian Government to discuss matters of safety of the Bulgarian vessels Afala, Aktinia, Kaprela, Ofelia,and Rotalia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The safety of foreign-flagged vessels in British waters is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. But FCO officials have supported the DOT in discussions with Bulgarian officials about the safety of these vessels. They have also raised the question of safety during separate discussions with the Bulgarians, and have been active in support of the DOT with the flag states of other such vessels.

  I understand that as a result of the repair work that has been undertaken, the Marine Safety Agency has now been able to lift the detention order of the Ofelia, one of the Bulgarian vessels.

  Human Rights (Workplace)
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will meet the director general of the International Labour Organisation to discuss ways of incorporating a social clause supporting human rights in the workplace in the rules and procedures of the new World Trade Organisation.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have no plans to meet the director general of the International Labour Organisation to discuss ways of incorporating a social clause supporting human rights in the workplace in the rules and procedures of the new World Trade Organisation.

  We do not support calls for the inclusion of a social clause in the general agreement on tariffs and trade or other multilateral trade agreements under the auspices of the World Trade Organisation. We remain unconvinced that trade measures are an appropriate or effective way of addressing the issue of workers' rights.

  EC Presidency
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the rota of EC countries holding the presidency to the end of 1997.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The member states holding the presidency will be as follows:

  1995: France

  Spain

  1996: Italy

  Ireland

  1997: Netherlands

  Luxembourg

  Mr. Edsil Charles Fordyce
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now reconsider the decision of his Department to refuse entry into the United Kingdom for Mr. Edsil Charles Fordyce; and if he will make a statement on the criteria used by his Department in deciding on humanitarian visits to the United Kingdom of foreign citizens.

  Mr. Baldry
  Ministers do not intervene in individual cases unless there is evidence of illogicality or procedural error in handling the application or there are exceptional compassionate circumstances.

  Entry clearance officers take all aspects, including those of a humanitarian nature, of an application into consideration when making decisions.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Spanish Government regarding border controls between Spain and Gibraltar.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have repeatedly and vigorously protested at high level to the Spanish authorities about the harassment at the frontier and the disruption to normal movement across the border. We are keeping the position under close review.

  Date

  Place

  Minister

  Cost £

  15–21 November 93

  Pakistan

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd

  3,612.00

  3–7 January 94

  Lebanon, Israel, OTs, Jordan, Malta

  Secretary of State

  82.00

  3–8 January 94

  Kenya, Tanzania

  Lady Chalker

  4,039.00

  24–28 February 94

  Portugal, Spain, Greece

  Secretary of State

  70.00

  4–11 April 94

  Brazil, Falklands

  Secretary of State

  105.00

  18–19 April 94

  Luxembourg, Paris

  Secretary of State

  77.00

  8–10 July 94

  Naples, Economic Summit

  Secretary of State

  14.00

  27 July 94–19 August 94

  Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, India

  Mr. Goodlad

  7,777.00

  2–5 September 94

  Ecuador

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

  3,974.00

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those services that have been market-tested by his Department and won by the private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  Mr. Goodlad
  None of the services market-tested so far by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been won by the private sector.

  Macedonia
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans there are to establish a British Council Office in Macedonia.

  Mr. Baldry
  The British Council has no plans at present to expand beyond the resource centre which it maintains in Skopje but it is alive to the interest and opportunities there and keeps the position under review.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans there are to establish at the British embassy in Macedonia a facility for issuing visas to those wishing to visit the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The embassy in Skopje accepts diplomatic and official applications, refugee cases accepted jointly by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and the Home Office and applications from visitors sponsored by the British Government and the British Council. The premises occupied by the embassy are not suitable for a full visa service.

  Ministerial Travel
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries visited by a spouse accompanying a Minister on overseas visits, since 1 October 1993; which Minister was accompanied; what was the cost of each visit; and what were the dates and the duties undertaken by the spouse during such visits.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The list gives details of visits made by a spouse accompanying a Minister overseas since 1 October 1993. In each case, the spouse carried out an official programme arranged by the post concerned. On each occasion the guidelines in "Questions of Procedure for Ministers" were followed and accord with departmental practice which has existed since at least 1985.
  465

  Date

  Place

  Minister

  Cost £

  11–20 September 94

  Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Japan

  Secretary of State

  282.00

  26—29 September 94

  New York/Canada UNGA 48

  Secretary of State

  4,030.00

  2—10 October 94

  Dependent Territories, Canada

  Mr. Baldry

  2,997.00

  17–21 October 94

  Russia, Estonia, Finland

  Secretary of State

  279.00

  27,338.00

HEALTH

  Spending Statistics
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the per capita spending figure for each(a) district health authority and (b) family health services authority in each of the last four years.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 7 December 1992 at columns 513–18, and to the reply the then Minister for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Dr. Mawhinney), gave him on 26 May at column 305. The per capita spend for district health authorities and family health services authorities for 1991–92 and 1993–94 will be placed in the Library.

  Comparisons of these per capita spend figures need to be treated with caution. First, not all the expenditure covered arises from population-related activities. Secondly, crude populations do not reflect differences in age structure or relative health care need. These differences feature in the formulae used to inform the main allocations made to DHAs.

  NHS Managers
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each year since 1980 the number and cost of managers in the NHS.

  Mr. Malone
  The general management function was introduced in 1984, following acceptance of the 1983 Griffiths report which concluded that the national health service was undermanaged. Interim arrangements existed for general management appointments until permanent selection and appointment arrangements took effect from February 1986. The senior management staff group was created subsequently. For information on the numbers of general and senior managers for the years ending September 1985 through to September 1990, I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough, the then Minister for Health, (Dr. Mawhinney), gave my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, North-West (Sir M. Grylls) on 26 March 1993 at column 755. At 30 September 1991, revised, 1992 and 1993, the number of general and senior managers were 14,500, 17,700 and 20,010 respectively. The increase in numbers over time is largely due to the reclassification of staff from professional and administrative groups, including many senior nurses, as managers. About two thirds of the increase between 1991 and 1992 and almost half the increase between 1992 and 1993 is the result of such reclassification.

  The salary costs for general and senior managers from 1985–86 through to 1988–89 were £10,951,000, £25,677,000, £29,647,000 and £30,513,000 respectively. For the years 1989–90 to 1992–93 I refer the hon.
  466
  Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 3 November at column 1267. The provisional figure for 1993–94 is £606,002,000.

  General and senior managers still account for only 2.6 per cent. of the total NHS work force in England and 3.6 per cent. of total NHS expenditure on salaries and wages. This is not excessive by any standard in a large organisation.

  GP Fundholding
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence she has on the levels of support for fundholding among general practitioners; and what conclusions she draws from that evidence.

  Mr. Malone
  Over 35 per cent. of the population is now registered with a fundholding general practitioner. More general practitioners are preparing to join the scheme from next April and regional health authorities report considerable interest in the extended options for fundholding announced in October.

  From this, and the benefits for patients fundholding is delivering, I conclude that we were right to enable general practitioners to purchase care and improve services for patients in this way and to extend the options to enable them to do so.

  Brain Tumours
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the incidence of brain tumours in the United Kingdom; and what estimate she has made of the accuracy of the figures.

  Mr. Sackville
  In 1989, the latest available figures, there were 2,947 registrations of newly-diagnosed cases of malignant neoplasm of the brain—international classification of diseases in 191—in England. This figure is likely to be an underestimate because accurate diagnosis of many brain tumours is problematic.

  Information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Chiropody
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy towards chiropody in the NHS; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Chiropody treatment within the national health service should be available to those with a clinical need for this service. Provision is determined locally by
  467
  health authorities in the light of their priorities and resources. "Feet first", the report of a joint Department of Health and NHS chiropody task force, was issued to the service in September and aims to assist authorities in developing better, more cost-efficient chiropody services. Copies are available in the Library.

  Energy Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total expenditure on energy for offices and buildings by(a) her Department and (b) her agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  The expenditure on energy for the Department and its agencies is shown in the table.

  1991–92 £ million

  1992–93 £ million

  1993–94 £ million

  Department

  2.514

  2.093

  1.558

  Agencies

  —

  0.230

  0.393

  Notes:

  1. Figures have not been adjusted for inflation.

  2. Figures are not directly comparable from year to year because of organisational changes to the Department following the establishment of next steps executive agencies.

  3. Separate figures are not available for agencies for 1991–92.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what remuneration, allowances and other expenses are received by members of the boards of(a) Hillingdon hospital trust and (b) Portsmouth health care trust.

  Mr. Malone
  Chairmen of national health service trusts receive annual remuneration in the range of £15,125 to £19,285. The annual remuneration of non-executive directors of NHS trusts is £5,000. They are also entitled to claim allowances, at rates set centrally, for travel and subsistence necessarily incurred on trust business. Details of such payments are not available centrally.

  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make an announcement about the fifth wave of national health service trusts.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have today approved 13 applications from hospitals and other units wishing to become national health service trusts. I have also given approval to two trust-to-trust mergers. Details have been placed in the Library.

  AIDS and HIV
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the annual number of(a) new AIDS cases and (b) HIV reports for each year since 1990.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information for the United Kingdom is shown in the table:

  AIDS cases

  HIV infection reports

  1990

  1,268

  2,203

  1991

  1,357

  2,485

  1992

  1,482

  2,432

  1993

  1,609

  2,408

  Treatment Provision (Specialisation)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent she expects trusts within one health authority are(a) to compete and (b) to come to agreements about specialisation of treatment provision; which trend she expects to dominate over the next five years; what assessment she has made of the compatibility of the two purposes; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Competition with the national health service internal market makes a contribution to ensuring the most appropriate and efficient care for patients.

  Mental Health Task Force
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish the report of the mental health task force; what estimate she has made of its resource implications; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  The report of the mental health task force London project "Mental Health in London: Priorities for Action" was published on 27 September, copies of which are available in the Library. The report summarised the key themes from the action plans which had been agreed by district health authorities, in conjunction with local authorities and other agencies, to deliver improvements in the quality and co-ordination of services for severely mentally ill people in London. No separate estimate has been made of the resource implications of these plans which form part of the authorities' overall programme of action to improve services.

  NHS Deficits
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the figures for the deficit of each London NHS trust and district health authority at the end of the last financial year.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 30 November at column 787. Information on national health service trusts will be available shortly.

  Mixed-sex Wards
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress she has made with regard to reviewing the mixed-sex ward policy in favour of single-sex wards.

  Mr. Sackville
  A revised patients charter standard to be issued early next year will require hospitals to inform patients in advance when they will be accommodated on a mixed sex ward for non urgent treatment. The standard also expects hospitals to respect the wishes, wherever possible, of those patients who prefer to be cared for in a single-sex ward or a single-sex bay. Patients can also expect to have access to single-sex washing and toilet facilities while in hospital.

  In some circumstances—for example, in an intensive care unit or an observation unit where specialist nurses are employed—single-sex accommodation may not be available.

  Mundesley Hospital
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment she has made of whether the Anglia and Oxford regional health authority received
  469
  the best possible price for the Mundesley hospital on its disposal;

  (2) if the Anglia and Oxford regional health authority received independent advice on the valuation of the Mundesley hospital prior to its disposal.

  Mr. Sackville
  Regional health authorities managing the disposal of surplus property must follow the guidance contained in "Property Transactions in the NHS", part of the estatecode series. Independent valuation advice is not required where the RHA has suitably qualified in-house staff, which is the case in Anglia and Oxford. The sale of Mundesley hospital is being conducted by the local office of a national firm of chartered surveyors. A sale has not yet been agreed, but the RHA is considering offers made for the property.

  Special Hospitals
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list, for each special hospital, the originating local authority of their patients.

  Mr. Bowis
  This information is not available centrally. I refer the hon. Member to the Special Hospitals Service Authority.

  Psychiatric Hospitals
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of in-patient admissions to psychiatric hospitals has involved the use of the compulsory provision of the Mental Health Act 1988 for each year since its implementation.

  Mr. Bowis
  The information requested, which relates to the Mental Health Act 1983, is shown in the table:

  Year

  Per cent.

  1983

  8

  1984

  7

  1985

  7

  1986

  7

  1987–88

  7

  1988–89

  7

  1989–90

  7

  Notes:

  The figures from which the percentages between 1983 and 1986 were calculated, were collected by the mental health inquiry from all mental illness and mental handicap hospitals and units, and include figures from special hospitals and private nursing homes. These were based on calendar years. From 1987–88, the figures refer to financial year and were collected on forms KH15—from all NHS facilities—and K037—from private nursing homes—and also directly from the Special Hospitals Service Authority.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of(a) how much money has been saved by the closure of psychiatric hospitals and (b) where these savings have been spent; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  The information is not available centrally. We have made it clear that any money released from the closure of a mental hospital should be reinvested in community-based services for the same client group.

  Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on her 470
  Department's latest assessment of the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; and what plans she has for treatment within the national health service.

  Mr. Bowis
  Research findings have estimated a prevalence of 1.7 per cent. in a population of primary school boys but there are gender differences and geographical variations in distribution.

  Children with hyperkinetic disorders are seen routinely within child mental health services and paediatric services.

  Mental Health Services
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many district health authorities are currently able to purchase treatment for mentally ill offenders, who are regarded as dangerous and difficult, from hospitals within their own geographical areas.

  Mr. Bowis
  District health authorities are responsible for assessing the health needs of their residents and for purchasing a range of services to meet those needs. Mentally disordered offenders are treated in a range of secure and non-secure settings in accordance with their differing needs. High-security services are provided by the three special hospitals which are funded centrally.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make bridging finance available to enable alternative community mental health services to be developed alongside existing in-patient services; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  It already is.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to ensure that adequate community mental health services are available before any powers of supervised discharge are introduced; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  It is for health authorities to purchase community mental health services to ensure the needs of patients being discharged from hospital are met.

  Vaccinations
  Mr. Renton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she will issue instructions that those people going abroad to countries where vaccinations for diseases including hepatitis A, typhoid and meningitis are necessary on holiday or business should pay the full price at national health service surgeries; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  Hepatitis A, typhoid and meningitis vaccinations are currently provided free of charge to people travelling abroad to high-risk countries.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many parliamentary questions tabled in the last Session of Parliament were not answered on the ground that the information sought was not held centrally by the Department.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many written parliamentary questions have had an
  471
  answer containing the phrase, "This information is not held centrally" in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.

  Session

  Number

  Percentage of total answered

  1989–90

  157

  3.4

  1990–91

  192

  6.2

  1991–92

  130

  8.5

  1992–93

  433

  7.3

  1993–94

  225

  4.5

  Source:

  POLIS

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many written parliamentary questions have been answered with the words "No" or "None" in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The number of parliamentary questions answered by "No" or "None" in the last five Sessions is shown in the table.

  Session

  Number

  1989–90

  41

  1990–91

  31

  1991–92

  16

  1992–93

  116

  1993–94

  117

  Source:

  POLIS

  VAT (Fuel)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what will be the total cost to NHS trusts in the financial year 1995–96 of 17.5 per cent. VAT on heating fuel.

  Mr. Sackville
  The non-domestic supply of fuel and power, including that to hospitals, is subject to value added tax at the standard rate. Information on VAT paid by trusts on supplies of heating fuel is not separately identifiable.

  Secret Files
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 30 November, to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers),Official Report, column 795, what are the subject headings of each of the secret files at her Department; how many secret files were held at her Department in each of the last five years; and for what reasons her Department cannot identify top secret files from those held as secret.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department is able to identify top secret from those held as secret, but to give a breakdown for each of the last five years, and to list each of their subject headings, could be done only at disproportionate cost. However, the majority relate broadly to home and civil defence and co-ordination of emergency planning, and approximately 95 per cent. are held as secret.

  Health Authorities (Public Meetings)
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many public meetings have been held by each trust, district health authority, family health services authority 472
  and regional health authority in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Malone
  Information on the number of authority and trust meetings held is not available centrally.

  Official Secrets Acts
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which staff working in the Department of Health, national health service executive, regional health authorities, district health authorities, family health services authorities, trusts and general practitioner fundholder practices are covered by the conditions of the Official Secrets Acts.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Official Secrets Act 1989 applies, inter alia, to Crown servants. All Department of Health employees are therefore subject to the Act. Staff in other organisations listed will be subject to the Act if they have, or have had, official information, as defined in the Act, in their possession.

  National Health Service Executive
  Mrs. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans exist for the proposed regional offices of the NHSE to hold meetings in public or provide information to the public.

  Mr. Malone
  Regional offices of the national health service executive will not generally hold public meetings but will provide information to the public in accordance with the code of practice on access to Government information.

  Food Allergies
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many physicians in English national health service hospitals are specialists in the treatment of food allergies.

  Mr. Malone
  Information in this form is not available centrally, as a number of clinical specialties treat food allergies.

  Night Calls
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will abandon her proposals in respect of payment for night calls by general practitioners; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) if she will make it her policy to remunerate general practitioners for night calls on an hourly paid basis; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  We are continuing to discuss general practitioners' out of hours remuneration with representatives of the medical profession.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the time taken by the average general practitioner on the average night call from receipt of call to return to home or surgery; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  This information is not available.

  Patient Complaints
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 24 November,Official Report, columns 323–24 on patient complaints, when she will publish data for 1993–94.
  473
  Mr. Malone
  Information on patient complaints for 1993–94 is expected to be available early next year.

  Intensive Care Beds
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will obtain a report as to the reasons why on the evening of 6 December there were no intensive care beds with neurosurgical capacity available within west Yorkshire; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for the Northern and Yorkshire regional health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. John Greetham, chairman of the authority, for details.

  Blood
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what blood or blood products produced in the United Kingdom have been sold internationally; in what amounts; and to which countries.

  Mr. Sackville
  Blood collected by the national blood service is for the needs of the national health service not for sale or export. The amount of blood collected is determined by the needs of NHS hospitals for blood. Blood products are produced from components of donated blood by the bio products laboratory, which is a part of the National Blood Authority. Surpluses of products, that is after NHS demand has been satisfied, may be exported rather than destroyed. The only blood product where present availability significantly exceeds NHS demand is albumin and this is exported worldwide. This avoids waste of valuable resource and supplements NHS income available for patients.

  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what funds were made available during 1993 and 1994 to date to encourage an increase in the amount of blood donated; during which periods; and to what amounts;

  (2) what sum was made available to each blood transfusion service for advertising purposes during the Christmas and new year period of 1994–95.

  Mr. Sackville
  National publicity to retain existing donors and recruit new donors for the national blood service is funded and organised centrally by the Department of Health. In 1993–94, £1.6 million was spent on national publicity. The budget for 1994–95 is £1.2 million. The proportions devoted to advertising at times of potential seasonal shortage and emergencies are 57 and 50 per cent. respectively. Local publicity is generally funded and organised by the National Blood Authority.

  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many operations were cancelled owing to a shortage of blood in 1993 and 1994 to date;

  (2) what considerations led to the decision of the National Blood Authority to increase its stock levels of donated blood for the end of 1994 and the beginning of 1995.

  (3) if she will make a statement on the expected supply of donated blood during the period of reorganisation of the National Blood Authority;

  (4) what was the stock levels of blood held nationally for each month of 1993 and 1994 to date;

  (5) during what periods during 1993 and 1994 to date there was a shortfall in the supply of blood;
  474
  (6) what criteria are used to decide the levels of donated blood kept by the National Blood Authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  The National Blood Authority is responsible for managing and monitoring the blood supply. A difficult balance has to be struck by the authority between unpredictable demand from the national health service and uncertain supply from the planned collection programme. This balance is subject to considerable seasonal and other fluctuations. From figures available centrally, over the last 12 months average blood stocks have ranged from 15,505 units in July 1994, to 27,142 units in February 1994. Blood stock figures for previous years are not available centrally. Although on occasions, including several days in September 1994, stocks fell below what the NBA regard as a safe limit emergency demands for blood have always been met. Figures are not available centrally on whether operations are cancelled.

  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals are in place regarding the transfer of jobs resulting from the proposed merger of blood transfusion centres.

  Mr. Sackville
  The National Blood Authority will produce final proposals after the consideration and evaluation of the comments received during the recent consultation exercise has been completed.

  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list(a) the performance indicator of each of the United Kingdom's blood transfusion centres, (b) the criteria by which any proposed merger will be judged and (c) the percentage number of contracted donors who actually donate at each transfusion centre.

  Mr. Sackville
  The details of the system are a matter for the National Blood Authority. Approximately 5 per cent. of all blood donations take place at transfusion centres.

  Trust Property
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will describe and give the value of the property referred to in the Aintree Hospital National Health Service Trust (Transfer of Trust Property) (No. 2) Order 1994— S.I., 1994, No. 2988;

  (2) if she will describe and give the value of the property referred to in the Hartlepool Community Care National Health Service Trust (Transfer of Trust Property) Order 1994—SI., 1994, No. 2989;

  (3) if she will describe and give the value of the property referred to in the South Lincolnshire Community and Mental Health Services National Health Service (Transfer of Trust Property) Order 1994—S.I., 1994, No. 2991;

  (4) if she will describe and give the value of the property referred to in the Hartlepool and Peterlee Hospitals National Health Service Trust (Transfer of Trust Property) Order 1994—S.I., 1994, No. 2990.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information will be placed in the Library.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those services that have been market-tested by her Department and won by the private sector,
  475
  indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  Mr. Sackville
  Since the beginning of the Department's market-testing programme, the following contracts have been awarded to the private sector:

  Contracts

  NHS Estates Agency Clerical Support

  Manpower

  National Diet and Nutrition Survey of Elderly People

  Social and Community Planning and University College London, and Dunn Nutrition Unit

  Health Survey for England

  Social and Community Planning Research and University College London

  Office and Building Services in Quarry House

  Facilities Management—TFM Granada

  Word Processing and office support—Manpower Security—Centuryan

  Office and Building Services— London

  Security—Reliance Catering—Compass

  Facilities Management—Procord and FBA

  Operation and Redevelopment of the Hospital Episodes Statistics System

  Data Sciences

  Welfare Foods Scheme

  NCH Promotional Services

  Reprographic Services

  Libra Business Services Group

  Storage of Printed Publications

  Her Majesty's Stationary Office

  Internal Audit

  Price Waterhouse

  Editing and Typesetting in the Medical Devices Agency

  Multiplex

  NHS Pensions Agency IT services

  Capita managed services

  Catering

  Gardner Merchant

  Aggregate information on tender values for the Department's 1992–93 programme has already been published in the "Citizens Charter Second Report", available in the Library. Aggregate figures for the 1993–94 programme will be published shortly. Information about individual tender values is considered by the Department as commercially confidential, and cannot therefore be disclosed.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding the risk to humans from BSE following the publication of "Precautions for Work in Human and Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies".

  Mr. Sackville
  We have received one letter regarding the risk to human health from bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she plans following the publication document produced by the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens entitled "Precautions for Work in the Human and Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies".

  Mr. Sackville
  The publication of this guidance has been brought to the attention of those with an interest in the national health service including district and regional directors of public health and consultants in communicable disease control, and also to relevant professional bodies. The Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens will be keeping the guidance under review.

  Working for Patients
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the document "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Malone
  "Working for Patients", which was published in 1989, set out the Government's plans for reform of the national health service. The implementation of these plans has led to major improvements in health services.

  Leeds Health Authority
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking following the further report issued on 8 December by the health service ombudsman in respect of complaints against Leeds health authority; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  Leeds health authority has already taken action to address the issues raised by the commissioner.

  Cot Deaths
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations she has received about child mattresses and cot deaths; and what is her Department's policy on the matter.

  Mr. Sackville
  More than 300 written representations on child mattresses and cot deaths have been received in the Department. In addition many people have telephoned.

  Dr. Kenneth Calman, the Chief Medical Officer, has set up an expert group to steer further work by the Department of Health on cot deaths. The group will be chaired by Lady Limerick.

  The terms of reference for the group are:
  To review the findings of the report on "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome"—the "Turner report", 1991—and any subsequent data on hypotheses linking antimony with unexplained deaths in infants; and to advise the CMO on what further studies should be undertaken to investigate postulated causal relationships between chemicals and cot deaths.

  The group has been asked to review the available material and to provide the Department with advice as quickly as possible.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Hill Farmers
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to encourage hill farmers under 40 years old to remain on the land.

  Mr. Ancram
  The Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland operates a range of measures which either directly benefit or are available to hill farmers. None of these measures is specific to any particular age group.

  In addition to the normal range of common agricultural policy support schemes farmers in the less-favoured areas are eligible for hill livestock compensatory allowances and an LFA supplement under the sheep annual premium scheme.

  As part of its recently announced rural development programme the Department of Agriculture will be giving priority to proposals coming forward from the most deprived rural areas of Northern Ireland which would

  477
  include much of the land owned and worked by hill farmers. The programme will build on the concept of involving local communities in the development of plans for their areas. It may provide assistance for a range of beneficiaries—collectives, co-operatives and rural community organisations—with the aim of strengthening the rural economy and maintaining viable rural communities. There is considerable scope for farmers and their families to become involved in the programme. The EC Leader II rural development initiative will also target partnerships and may assist with such activities as on-farm and off-farm diversification and small rural enterprises.

  Bankruptcies

  Companies wound up

  Total

  1Costs £000

  1987–88

  169

  52

  221

  449

  1988–89

  176

  62

  238

  518

  1989–90

  243

  66

  309

  542

  1990–91

  318

  82

  400

  745

  1991–92

  293

  101

  394

  803

  1992–92

  495

  90

  585

  978

  1993–94

  487

  86

  573

  1,090

  1 The costs column represents salaries and wages and general administration expenses.

  Water Metering
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland further to his statement of 1 December,Official Report, column 1324, what plans he has to introduce water metering in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Moss
  Meters are currently installed for water supplies to commercial, public, industrial and agricultural premises in Northern Ireland. Water supplies used solely for domestic purposes are not metered and there are no plans to introduce routine metering of purely domestic supplies.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many parliamentary questions tabled in the last Session of Parliament were not answered on the ground that the information sought was not held centrally by the Department.

  Sir John Wheeler
  In 13 out of a total of 1,469 questions answered, no information could be provided because of the disproportionate cost involved. In a further 10 questions only partial information could be provided.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those services that have been market-tested by his Department and won by the private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information provided relates to the period April 1992 to September 1994. In each of those cases listed an in-house bid was submitted for evaluation

  Insolvencies
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the cost to the Exchequer, broken down by category, of the process of insolvencies in each of the past seven years; and what has been the number of cases in each category for the same period.

  Mr. Ancram
  The available information is set out in the table. A breakdown by category of the costs of processing insolvencies could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  against tenders from alternative providers and subsequently won by the private sector:

  Sludge Disposal—three tests

  Road Reinstatement

  Catering in Staff Restaurants—10 tests

  IT Mainframe Operation

  Sewer Maintenance—two tests

  Building Maintenance

  Castlenavan Quarry

  In the unique circumstances of Northern Ireland, I would not wish to disclose the names of the successful contractors. We also consider that the disclosure of the tender prices could prejudice fair competition between contractors.

  Patients' Complaints
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 25 November,Official Report, columns 405–6, how many hospital patient complaints there were in the four years prior to 1993–94.

  Mr. Moss
  Information relating to hospital patient complaints was not collected centrally prior to the year 1993–94.

EMPLOYMENT

  Energy Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total expenditure on energy for offices and buildings by(a) his Department and (b) his agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available.
  479
  Miss Widdecombe
  The total expenditure on energy for offices for the financial year 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94 is shown in the table:

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  Employment Department

  1,545,105

  1,524,680

  1,457,767

  Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service

  54,598

  64,685

  86,062

  Health and Safety Executive

  1,205,929

  1,219,112

  1,307,787

  Employment Service

  8,773,640

  9,005,469

  9,088,497

  Labour Statistics
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what was the number of adult(a) male and (b) female part-time workers in Great Britain in April 1993 and the proportion of those workers whose earnings, excluding overtime, fell below (a) £5.88 per hour, (b) £5.53 per hour, (c) £4.15 per hour, (d) £4.00 per hour, (e) £3.50 per hour, (f) £3.00 per hour and (g) £2.50 per hour;

  (2) If he will list the proportions of (a) full-time employees earning less per week than (1) £221.50, (2) £208.53, (3) £156.40, (4) £150.80, (5) £131.95, (6) £113.10 and (7) £94.25, excluding overtime payments and (b) part-time employees earning less per hour than (1) £5.88, (2) £5.53, (3) £4.15, (4) £4.00, (5) £3.50, (6) £3.00 and (7) 2.50, excluding overtime payments giving (a) and (b) in relation to (A) Great Britain as a whole, (B) each county in England, (C) each county in Wales, (D) each London borough and Greater London as a whole and (E) each regional authority and borough in Scotland.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane) on 29 November 1994,Official Report, column 635.

  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the proportion of manual, non-manual and all full-time employees earning less per week than(a) £221.50 (b) £208.53, (c) £156.40, (d) £150.80, (e) £131.95, (f) £113.10 and (g) £94.25, excluding overtime payments, giving each of the above in respect of (i) men, (ii) women and (iii) both sexes by standard economic region, for Great Britain as a whole, and for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  As the information is contained in a number of tables, I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy in the Library.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the effects of the jobseeker's allowance and the test for availability for work on those with a disability; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In our proposals for the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance we recognise, as now, that some people with disabilities may have difficulties in making themselves available for the full range of employment opportunities. They will, therefore, be able to restrict their availability to the type or hours or 480
  work they are able to undertake within the limits of their physical or mental condition. In addition, many people with disabilities will continue to receive incapacity benefit or income support without having to be available for work. However, where people in these groups wish to claim jobseeker's allowance we propose that they should be able to do so, provided they are able to work and meet the other conditions for its receipt.

  Work Start Schemes, South-west London
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of work start schemes now in place in south-west London; and if he will list them.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Work-start has been piloted in four areas: Devon and Cornwall; Kent; Tyneside; and south and south-west London. So far 138 people in south-west London have benefited from this scheme. Eighty-five are still participating and 108 employers have been involved.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those services that have been market-tested by his Department and won by the private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is given in the following table, in line with the code of practice on access to Government information under the citizen's charter initiative. Information on individual tender values is commercially sensitive and cannot be provided, but aggregated total values for the different parts of the Employment Department group are included.

  1992–93 Programme

  Activity

  Winning organisation

  Value

  Employment Department

  Van services

  Inter Departmental Despatch Services

  Parcel Force

  Travel services

  Wagon Lits Travel

  Estates services

  Serco Hadens Facilities Management

  Security-Runcorn

  Pegasus Security Group

  Security-London

  Pegasus Security Group

  Reprographics

  HMSO

  Payroll Services

  Chessington Computer Centre

  Employment Department Total

  £6,748,212

  Employment Service

  Travel services

  Wagon Lits Travel

  Forms supply management/distribution

  Meads of Nottingham Lynx

  Employment Rehabilitation courses

  400 organisations at regional and local level. Records not held centrally.

  481

  1992–93 Programme

  Activity

  Winning organization

  Value

  Jobclubs

  JHP Training

  Midas

  Y Training

  Financial management training

  Unicorn

  Employment Service Total

  £11,553,327

  Health and Safety Executive

  Publications distribution

  Procog Ltd.

  Dillons Bookshops

  Graphics

  Snapz Presentations

  Print unit

  22 external printers invited to bid for work on a job-by-job basis

  Security

  Sigma Security

  Neptune Security

  Estates Management

  Henry Boot

  Turpy Management

  McBain Cooper

  Thorburn Calhoun

  Serco Services

  Health and Safety Executive Total

  £3,493,632

  Total 1992–93 Programme

  £21,795,171

  1993–94 Programme

  Activity

  Winning organization

  Value £

  Employment Department

  Office Services: Records Management

  Rockall Data Services

  Employment Department Total

  926,277

  Employment Service

  Field Staff Training: First Aid

  Red Cross

  Field Staff Training: Management and People Development

  Manchester College of Art and Technology

  Buildings maintenance and new works

  Simons Facilities Management plc Graham and Sibbald Peter, Fall Cowie Associates HSB Partners Drivers, Jonas WS Atkins Procord Ltd. Watts and Partners

  Employment Service Total

  3,640,733

  Total 1993–94 Programme

  4,567,010

  Note:

  The values given in the tables are derived from the successful bid prices on an annual basis.

  Young People
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide estimates of the number of 16 and 17-year-olds not currently in full-time education, work or training.

  Mr. Paice
  In October 1994, on the unadjusted basis there were 15,849 unemployed claimants aged under 18. All 16 and 17-year-olds who are not in education or a job are covered by the Government's guarantee of an offer of a youth training place.

  Employment Policy
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are his policies towards maximising the number of local employees in total employment.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 7 December 1994]: The route to more jobs and fewer people out of work is clear: sound economic policies based on low inflation; a deregulated, flexible labour market; and help for those who need it most, especially the long-term unemployed. We will continue to pursue these policies, which have already led to a fall of over 450,000 in unemployment since the recovery in the labour market began. There is in place a very wide range of help to get unemployed people back into work, and my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor's Budget statement announced the extension of a number of programmes, including workwise, 1–2–1, community action, jobfinder's grant and work trials which will be available in Southwark and Bermondsey.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prevention of Terrorism Acts (Review)
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he has made for the annual review of the Prevention of Terrorism Acts to be carried out; and how interested persons and organisations may submit their views for consideration.

  Mr. Howard
  Mr. J.J. Rowe QC will shortly begin to review the operation of the PTA in 1994. Written observations should be submitted to him c/o Room 647, Home Office, Queen Anne's gate, London SW1H 9AT by 13 January 1995.

  Football Matches (Ticket Touting)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of arrests, cautions and convictions arising from the measures to curb ticket touting at football matches, contained in the Criminal Justice Act 1994; and if he will include details of those arrests, cautions and convictions, including the dates, games and grounds at which they took place.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information on the number of people arrested for specific offences is not collected centrally.

  Information on cautioning and court proceedings data under section 166—summary offence of sale of tickets by unauthorised persons—of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 will not be available until autumn 1996.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals applied for asylum in each year from 1990–91 to 1993–94 and in

  Applications1 received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, decisions1 2 3 and removals, 1990 to end-October 1994

  Number of principal applicants

  Total applications

  Total decisions4

  Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum

  Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave

  Total refused

  Refused asylum and exceptional leave after full consideration

  Refused on safe third country grounds5

  Refused under paragraph 180F of Immigration Rules6

  Removals and voluntary departures7

  1990

  26,205

  4,025

  920

  2,400

  705

  705

  —

  —

  —

  1991

  44,840

  6,075

  505

  2,190

  3,380

  2,325

  270

  785

  —

  1992

  24,605

  34,900

  1,115

  15,325

  18,465

  2,675

  595

  15,195

  1,345

  1993

  22,370

  23,405

  1,590

  11,125

  10,690

  4,705

  745

  5,240

  1,820

  19948 9

  26,765

  17,300

  695

  2,955

  13,650

  10,435

  695

  2,520

  1,605

  1 Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with '—'= unavailable.

  2 Decision figures up to and including 1991 may understate.

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

  4 Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.

  5 Refusals on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.

  6 Refusals under paragraph 180F (paragraph 101 prior to 26 July 1993) of the Immigration Rules for failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period.

  7 Includes any voluntary departure, except deportation cases prior to February 1994, up to and including notification of the decision on the asylum claim, but excludes any subsequent departure.

  8 Provisional figures.

  9 Year to October.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 23 November,Official Report, columns 159–61, (1) how long each of the 129 detainees referred to who had been in detention longer than six months had been in detention;

  (2) how many of the detainees in each of the detaining locations listed in his table C were long-term Immigration Act detainees.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The available information is that as at 8 December 1994—103 people who had sought asylum have been in detention for longer than six months and a further 18 have been detained longer than 12 months.

  Information on the number of detained people as at 8 December 1994 who had sought asylum and have been in detention for longer than one month, by location of detention, is provided in the table.

  Number of people detained longer than one month as at 8 December 1994, who had sought asylum, by location of detention.

  Number detained

  Immigration service establishments

  Campsfield House

  132

  Harmonds worth

  72

  Prison service establishments

  Armley

  10

  Belfast

  1

  Birmingham

  34

  Brinsford

  5

  Bristol

  2

  Brixton

  4

  Bullingdon

  1

  Bullwood Hall

  1

  Canterbury

  1

  Cardiff

  1

  484
  the first eight months of 1994–95; how many of these applications were granted; and how many of those who were unsuccessful are known to have left the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Number of people detained longer than one month as at 8 December 1994, who had sought asylum, by location of detention.

  Number detained

  Chelmsford

  3

  Crumlin Road

  1

  Dorchester

  1

  Durham

  1

  Edinburgh

  1

  Elmley

  5

  Erlestoke House

  1

  Exeter

  2

  Feltham YC centre

  2

  Gateside

  1

  Greenock

  2

  Haslar

  75

  Highdown

  3

  Hindley remand centre

  3

  Holloway

  1

  Lewes

  3

  Manchester

  3

  Norwich

  3

  Pentonville

  1

  Risley

  56

  Rochester

  1

  Shrewsbury

  1

  Wandsworth

  5

  Winchester

  4

  Winson Green

  2

  Wolds remand prison

  2

  Wormwood scrubs

  3

  Total

  448

  Prisoners (Psychiatric Treatment)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each prison
  485
  establishment the latest estimate of the number of inmates diagnosed as requiring psychiatric treatment in a hospital environment; and if he will express the figure as a percentage of the individual prison population.

  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. David Hinchliffe, dated 12 December 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of inmates in each Prison Service establishment who have been diagnosed as requiring psychiatric treatment in a hospital environment.
  The most up to date information held centrally on mentally disordered offenders is for 21 September 1994. On that day there were 102 mentally disordered prisoners awaiting transfer to NHS psychiatric facilities of all types. The attached table lists by establishment the prisons in which these prisoners were held and expresses the figure for each individual establishment as a percentage of that prison's daily average population during the week beginning 4 September.

  Establishment

  Number of prisoners awaiting transfer to hospital on 21 September

  Percentage of average daily population for week beginning 4 September

  Bedford

  3

  1.0

  Belmarsh

  3

  0.4

  Birmingham

  2

  0.2

  Blundeston

  1

  0.2

  Bristol

  4

  0.9

  Brixton

  2

  0.3

  Bullingdon

  1

  0.1

  Camp Hill

  2

  0.5

  Cardiff

  3

  0.6

  Dartmoor

  3

  0.5

  Exeter

  2

  0.4

  Feltham

  1

  0.1

  Full Sutton

  2

  0.3

  Gloucester

  5

  2.1

  Gartree

  3

  1.1

  Highdown

  6

  0.9

  Holloway

  13

  2.5

  Holme House

  1

  0.1

  Lancaster Farms

  1

  0.3

  Leeds

  1

  0.1

  Leicester

  2

  0.6

  Lewes

  1

  0.3

  Lincoln

  5

  0.8

  Liverpool

  8

  0.6

  New Hall

  1

  0.6

  Parkhurst

  5

  2.1

  Pentonville

  3

  0.4

  Preston

  3

  0.6

  Shrewsbury

  1

  0.3

  Styal

  1

  0.4

  Swansea

  1

  0.4

  Swinfen Hall

  1

  0.5

  Whitemoor

  3

  0.6

  Winchester

  4

  0.9

  Wormwood Scrubs

  4

  0.5

  102

  Electoral Registration
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what action he is taking to 486
  prevent the distribution of electoral registration forms with advertising material; and what assessment he has made of the extent of the practice;

  (2) what authority electoral registration officers have to take any actions in an official capacity that are not specifically required of them by law;

  (3) what authority electoral registration officers have under law to send out commercial advertising and other material covering statutory electoral registration forms;

  (4) what regulations govern the handing out by an electoral registration officer or a local authority of commercial advertising material with ballot papers in polling booths.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  We are not aware of any cases involving the distribution of advertising material with electoral registration forms and no assessment has been made of the extent, if any, of this practice.

  The duties of the electoral registration officer are set out in representation of the people legislation and the Juries Act 1974. The electoral registration officer's official duties include only those duties imposed by the law relating to elections or the registration of electors. The representation of the people legislation contains no provisions relating to the distribution of commercial advertising and other material with electoral registration forms, but there is no statutory provision prohibiting the distribution of such material.

  Rules for the conduct of parliamentary elections are contained in schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 1983. Similar provisions are contained in the Local Elections (Principal Areas) Rules 1986 and the Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) Rules 1986. The only item which may be given to voters at the polling station is the ballot paper.

  Speeding Offences
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many motorists have been prosecuted for speeding offences in each of the last three years in each police authority region.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is contained in the table:

  Prosecutions for speeding offences by police force area

  Number of offences

  England and Wales

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Avon and Somerset

  4,908

  6,102

  3,074

  Bedfordshire

  2,173

  1,723

  803

  Cambridgeshire

  1,711

  1,748

  1,796

  Cheshire

  3,006

  2,353

  1,444

  Cleveland

  1,370

  1,752

  784

  Cumbria

  4,686

  5,109

  3,030

  Derbyshire

  4,623

  3,645

  2,143

  Devon and Cornwall

  6,377

  3,890

  2,276

  Dorset

  1,812

  1,315

  1,355

  Durham

  1,410

  1,363

  963

  Essex

  11,427

  12,249

  8,146

  Gloucestershire

  5.257

  3,770

  2,011

  Greater Manchester

  10,415

  12,322

  8,698

  Hampshire

  7,706

  7,069

  5,148

  Hertfordshire

  2,441

  2,232

  1,450

  Humberside

  2,017

  1,616

  988

  Kent

  3,393

  2,854

  3,655

  Lancashire

  8,369

  6,366

  3,072

  Leicestershire

  2,953

  2,392

  2,229

  Lincolnshire

  2,908

  3,419

  2,055

  London, City of

  146

  189

  138

  487

  Prosecutions for speeding offences by police force area

  Number of offences

  England and Wales

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Merseyside

  2,529

  2,370

  1,742

  Metropolitan Police District

  13,002

  14,376

  13,226

  Norfolk

  3,332

  3,466

  1,474

  Northamptonshire

  1,875

  1,612

  871

  Northumbria

  3,051

  3,446

  2,368

  North Yorkshire

  3,013

  2,538

  1,238

  Nottinghamshire

  1,665

  664

  344

  South Yorkshire

  2,727

  3,695

  2,077

  Staffordshire

  2,539

  3,007

  1,741

  Suffolk

  2,595

  2,618

  1,655

  Surrey

  3,411

  2,655

  1,668

  Sussex

  3,279

  4,262

  3,118

  Thames Valley

  6,595

  6,257

  3,958

  Warwickshire

  2,550

  2,177

  1,692

  West Mercia

  4,013

  3,712

  3,353

  West Midlands

  6,443

  5,306

  4,623

  West Yorkshire

  6,727

  5,954

  3,802

  Wiltshire

  4,068

  4,170

  2,466

  Dyfed-Powys

  1,108

  897

  676

  Gwent

  1,283

  1,113

  962

  North Wales

  2,708

  2,401

  1,412

  South Wales

  1,359

  1,178

  847

  England and Wales

  168,980

  161,352

  110,571

  Visas
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Macedonian nationals have applied in the last year for visas to visit the United Kingdom at British embassies in(a) Belgrade, (b) Sofia and (c) Zagreb; how many applications at each post were (i) granted, (ii) refused and (iii) decision pending; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The information requested is not available.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those services that have been market tested by his Department and won by the

  Appointed by the Home Secretary

  Appointed by the Designated members of the police authority

  Appointed by the other two members

  Avon and Somerset

  Mrs. S. Perry (Project Controller)

  Mr. D. Heath (Councillor)

  Mr. A. Morris (University Vice Chancellor)

  Bedfordshire

  Ms J. Scholes (Polytechnic Lecturer)

  Mr. A. Hesserman (Councillor)

  Ms D Yates (Marketing Consultant)

  Cambridgeshire

  Dr. P. Hampson (Research Director)

  Mr. J. Horrell (Councillor)

  Miss M. Hyde (Managing Editor-Radio)

  Cheshire

  Mr. A. Mills (Company Director)

  Mr. T. Tilling (Councillor)

  Mrs. C. Young (Citizens Advice Bureau member)

  Cleveland

  Mrs. J. Graham-Bourman (NHS Trust Chairman)

  Mr. E. Cox (Magistrate)

  Mr. D. Stevens (Retired Manager)

  Cumbria

  Mr. J. Harris (Farmer)

  Mr. R. Watson (Councillor)

  Mr. J. Ford (Retired Local Government Officer)

  Derbyshire

  Mr. B. Ashby (Chairman-Property Group)

  Mr. E. Swain (Magistrate)

  Mr. R. Stone (Businessman)

  Devon and Cornwall

  Mrs. N. Cutts (Recruitment Manager)

  Mr. O May (Councillor)

  Mr. T. Lesgood (Chairman—Training and Enterprise Council)

  Dorset

  Mrs. L. Paddison (Managing Director)

  Mrs. J. Dover (Councillor)

  Mr. D. Lovatt (Member—Probation Board)

  Durham

  Mrs. J. Round (College Principal)

  Mr. J. Knox (Councillor)

  Mr. J. Ward (Local Government Officer)

  488
  private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  Mr. Howard
  The table sets out the information requested about activities which have been contracted out to a private sector supplier after a market test where there was an in-house bid.

  Activity

  Supplier

  Value of Contract

  Departmental computer services

  Sema Group plc

  About £50 million over five years

  Buckley Hall prison

  Group 4

  £33 million over five years

  Market test results are published in the monthly "Market Testing Bulletin", a copy of which is placed in the Library.

  Police Authorities
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the names and occupations of the people shortlisted by him to sit as independent members of each of the new police authorities in England and Wales;

  (2) if he will list the names and occupations of the people shortlisted by the selection panels to sit as independent members of each of the new police authorities in England and Wales.

  Mr. Maclean
  Applications for appointment as independent members of police authorities were made on an "in confidence" basis and it would not be appropriate to release the information sought as it could lead to the identification of unsuccessful applicants.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the names and occupations of(a) the people he appointed to the selection panels for each of the new police authorities in England and Wales and (b) the people chosen by the selection panels themselves.

  Mr. Maclean
  The members of the selection panels for each of the 41 police authorities for England and Wales are:
  489

  Appointed by the Home Secretary

  Appointed by the Designated members of the police authority

  Appointed by the other two members

  Dyfed-Powys

  Professor J. Andrews (Chief Executive, Further and Higher Education Funding Council for Wales)

  Mr. W. Evans (Councillor)

  Mrs. H. Lewis (Former district councillor)

  Essex

  Mrs. K. Bennett (Retired Banker)

  Miss J. Hindle (Magistrate)

  Mr. M. Salmon (University Vice Chancellor)

  Gloucestershire

  Mrs. R. Fritchie (Consultant)

  Mr. J. Newall (Councillor)

  Mr. P. Murisamy (member racial equality forum)

  Greater Manchester

  Mrs. L. Clinton (Planning Manager)

  Mr. S. Mercy (Councillor)

  Mr. M. Shields (Chief Executive-Development Corporation)

  Gwent

  Mrs. A. Bennett (Businesswoman)

  Mr. B. Sutton (Councillor)

  Mr. M. Shields (Chief Executive-Development Corporation)

  Hampshire

  Mr. H. Smith (Chartered Accountant)

  Mr. M. Clark (Councillor)

  Mrs. K. Sporle (Local Government Officer)

  Hertfordshire

  Mr. P. Archer (Personnel Director)

  Mr. M. Acland (Magistrate)

  Mrs. J. Parker (Chairman—Probation Committee)

  Humberside

  Professor B. Pettman (Partner— Antiques Gallery)

  Mr. I Cawsey (Councillor)

  Rt. Rev. D. Snelgrove (Bishop)

  Kent

  Mr. J. Louden (Company Executive)

  Mrs. P. Stubbs (Magistrate)

  Mr. W. Jackson (Retired local government officer)

  Lancashire

  Mr. A. Burford (Business Consultant)

  Mr. D. Henning (Councillor)

  Mr. R. Booth (University Rector)

  Leicestershire

  Mrs. S. Spence (Businesswoman)

  Mr. R. Wann (Councillor)

  Mr. J. Mody (Member Board of Visitors Gartree Prison)

  Lincolnshire

  Mr. A Silcox-Crowe (Corporate Services Consultant)

  Mrs. D. Dobson (Magistrate)

  Mr. C. Smith (Newspaper Editor)

  Merseyside

  Mr. J. Entwistle (Solicitor)

  Mr. H. Rimmer (Councillor)

  Mrs. M. Downs (Company Director)

  Norfolk

  Mr. J. Boxall (Insurance Consultant)

  Mr. B. Landale (Magistrate)

  Mr. P. Thain (Director NHS Trust)

  Northamptonshire

  Mrs. S. King (Voluntary Worker)

  Mr. R. Dickie (Councillor)

  Rt. Rev. P. Barber (Bishop)

  Northumbria

  Dr. C. Morton (Personnel Director)

  Mr. M. Gill (Councillor)

  Mr. M. Scott (Former High Sherriff)

  Nottinghamshire

  Dr. D. Edmond (Consultant)

  Mr. C. Winterton (Councillor)

  Mrs. B. Halfpenny (Former County President—Women's Institute)

  North Wales

  Mr. J. Davies (Engineering Consultant)

  Mr. W. Jones (Councillor)

  Mrs. B. Williams (Mature Student)

  North Yorkshire

  Mr. J. Fox (Personnel Manager)

  Mrs. A. Harris (Councillor)

  Mr. R. Leyland (Retired Local Government Officer)

  South Wales

  Mr. P. Allen (Retired Managing Director)

  Mr. B. Murray (Councillor)

  Professor G. Williams (University Lecturer)

  South Yorkshire

  Mr. B. Trueman (Businessman)

  Sir. J. Layden (Councillor)

  Mr. D. Hepworth (Magistrate)

  Staffordshire

  Mrs P. Wilmot (Headmistress)

  Mr. J. Meir (Magistrate)

  Mr. R. Whitfield (Deputy Lord-Lieutenant)

  Suffolk

  Mr. R. Chesterman (Managing Director)

  Mr. M. Hyde (Councillor)

  Mr. W. French (Retired Company Secretary)

  Surrey

  Mr. J. Buckley (Chief Executive)

  Mr. A. Tisdall (Councillor)

  Mr. R. Thornton (Lord-Lieutenant)

  Sussex

  Mr. R. Goddard (Business Consultant)

  Mr. D. Bellotti (Councillor)

  Miss M. Hulmes (Retired Director of Social Services)

  Thames Valley

  Mrs. E. John (Company Secretary)

  Mrs. D. Priestley (Magistrate)

  Mr. P. Floyd (Retired County Solicitor)

  Warwickshire

  Mr. G. Evans (Personnel Director)

  Mr. M. Singh (Councillor)

  Mr. G. Stokes (College Principal)

  West Mercia

  Mr. G. Cooper (Company Director)

  Ms P. Fallow (Councillor)

  Mrs. S. Davis (Councillor)

  West Midlands

  Mrs. A. Bhalla (Community Affairs Correspondent)

  Mrs. M. Whitehouse (Councillor)

  Mr. P. Williams (Retired County Secretary)

  West Yorkshire

  Mrs. J. Searle (Catering Supervisor)

  Mr. T. Brennan (Councillor)

  Mr. J. Botterill (Retired Police Officer)

  Wiltshire

  Mrs. A. Roberts (Managing Director)

  Mr. J. Bush (Magistrate)

  Mr. G. Burgess (Farmer)

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many nominations he has received for appointment as independent members to the new police authorities in England and Wales.

  Mr. Maclean
  The selection panels for the 41 police authorities in England and Wales received a total of 3,751 applications in response to the advertising for these appointments.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the names and occupations of the independent members who will sit on each of the new police authorities for England and Wales.
  490
  Mr. Maclean
  Thirty-eight of the 41 new police authorities for England and Wales have made the initial appointments of their independent members. The information is as follows:

  Authority

  Name

  Occupation

  Avon and Somerset

  Mr. J. Christensen

  Pharmacist

  Mrs. S. Davies

  Retired teacher

  Mrs. C. Djianovic

  Farmer

  Mrs. P. Pyper

  Clerk

  Mr. J. Wagg

  Retired engineer

  491

  Authority

  Name

  Occupation

  Bedfordshire

  Mr. R. Charles

  Adult education tutor

  Mr. J. Hunt

  Retired company manager

  Dr. G. Owen

  Environmental consultant

  Mr. M. Scarlett

  Sales executive

  Mr. M. Thomas

  IT consultant

  Cambridgeshire

  Mr. C. Forsyth

  University lecturer

  Mr. S. Image

  Marketing director

  Mr. P. Loft

  Company director

  Mr. R. Odedra

  Company director

  Ms J. Renfrew

  University lecturer

  Cheshire

  Mr. T. Barker

  Chaplain to the Bishop of Chester

  Mr. R. Hamer

  Retired personnel director

  Mr. R. Nichols

  Solicitor

  Mr. D. Ogden

  Chamber of commerce chief executive

  Mr. M. Rothburn

  Consultant microbiologist

  Cleveland

  Mr. R. Edwards

  Retired IT administrator

  Mr. J. Featherstone

  Retired sales manager

  Mr. D Fewtrell

  Retired company chairman

  Mr. B. Foxton

  Chemicals consultant

  Mr. P. Reeder

  Company chief executive

  Cumbria

  Mr. C. Burns

  Engineering manager

  Ms E. Hawkes

  None

  Mr. D. Hodgson

  Freelance editor

  Mr. B. Kennedy

  Retired marketing manager

  Mr. A. Taylor

  Personnel manager

  Derbyshire

  Mr. A. Bakshi

  Dentist

  Mr. A. Burns

  Engineering director

  Mrs. A. O'Brien

  Company secretary

  Mrs. J. Thornton

  NHS trust member

  Mr. C. Wagstaffe

  Barrister

  Devon and Cornwall

  Ms J. Anderson

  Lecturer in education

  Ms M. Behenna

  Director of education

  Mr. P. Dickin

  Personnel manager

  Mr. L. Hudson

  Retired colonel

  Mr. J. Jasper

  Former training advisor

  Mr. B. Kerslake

  Sales manager

  Dorset

  Mrs. K. Emery

  Bookkeeper

  Mr. P. Geal

  Restaurateur

  Mr. D. Howard

  Headteacher

  Mr. P. Jones

  Publisher

  Mrs. J. Lang

  Solicitor

  Durham

  Mr. G. Hetherington

  Retired prison officer

  Miss C. McEwan

  Management training consultant

  Dr. E. Mason

  IT consultant

  Mr. T. Robinson

  Retired local government officer

  Mr. A. Smith

  Company director

  Dyfed-Powys

  Mr. J. Antoniazzi

  Shop owner

  Mr. B. Evans

  Retired marine pilot

  492

  Authority

  Name

  Occupation

  Mr. I. Gray

  Hotelier

  Mrs. M. Harris

  Farmer

  Dr. E. James

  Retired lecturer

  Mrs. E. Taylor

  Retired caterer

  Essex

  Mr. M. Easteal

  Chief executive of the Local Government Commission

  Mr. W. Garland

  Retired company manager

  Mr. N. Hicks

  Engineer

  Mr. G. Nash

  Retired headteacher

  Ms S. Sootarsingh

  Management consultant

  Gloucestershire

  Mr. K. Amlani

  Retail florist

  Brigadier M. Brown Mr. J. Dunn

  Civil servant Business consultant

  Mrs. M. McLoughlin

  Housewife

  Mrs. C. Wiggin

  NHS manager

  Greater Manchester

  Mr. V. Hodgkinson

  Retired bursar

  Mr. L. Latham

  Company chairman

  Mr. W. McMichael-Phillips

  Retired retail manager

  Mr. I. Murray

  Marketing director

  Mrs. J. Reed

  Retired teacher

  Miss S. Sodha

  Computer programmer

  Gwent

  Mr. D. Burgess

  Engineer

  Mrs. J. Davies

  Retired typing manager

  Mrs. W. Jones

  Pub landlady

  Mr. L. Morgan

  Security manager

  Mr. G. Moss

  Builder

  Hampshire

  Mr. M. Attenborough-Cox

  Accountant

  Ms C. Barratt

  Former secretary

  Mr. S. Copeland

  Bookshop owner

  Mr. M. O'Reilly

  Scouts fundraiser

  Mr. A. Park

  Railway controller

  Hertfordshire

  Mr. M. Berkley

  Company director

  Mr. D. Bucknall

  Health authority chairman

  Mr. P. Holland

  Media consultant

  Mr. B. Lund

  Management consultant

  Mr. N. Shacklock

  Naval security officer

  Humberside

  Mrs. L. Clayton

  Farmer

  Mrs. A. Deehan

  Businesswoman

  Mr. J. Parkinson

  Former estates manager

  Mr. B. Rogan

  Company director

  Mr. T. Whittingham

  Teacher

  Kent

  Mr. B. Bright

  Company secretary

  Mr. G. Clarkson

  Retired chief fire officer

  Ms J. Harrison

  Solicitor

  Mr. S. Maclachlan

  Retired solicitor

  Mr. G. Van Orden

  Brigadier

  Lancashire

  Mr. R. Banister

  Retired engineer

  Mr. G. Dykes

  Civil servant

  Dr. A. Kuchar

  Race relations consultant

  Mrs. L. Taylor

  Training consultant

  Mrs. J. Williams

  IT manager

  Leicestershire

  Mr. P. Billing

  Technologist

  Mrs. A. Freer

  Retired medical receptionist

  493

  Authority

  Name

  Occupation

  Leicestershire

  Mr. M. Harrison

  Retired bank manager

  Mr. D. Saville

  Building society manager

  Mr. C. Snushall

  Company director

  Lincolnshire

  Mr. R. Atkinson

  Retired dock master

  Mr. R. Bayliss

  RAF engineer

  Mr. M. Berry

  Retired food industry consultant

  Mrs. M. Bouch

  Retired teacher

  Brigadier B. Reeves

  Lecturer in business management

  Norfolk

  Mr. M. Anscombe

  Retailer

  Mr. M. Briggs

  NHS manager

  Mr. A. Leckie

  Management consultant

  Mr. P. Papworth

  Agricultural estate director

  Mr. H. Wilson

  Retired TV news director

  Northamptonshire

  Mr. J. Chambers

  Prison officer

  Mr. G. Chowdhury

  Teacher

  Mr. O. Davies

  Retired civil engineer

  Ms J. Quin

  Marketing director

  Mr. R. Sheppard

  Consultant haematologist

  Northumbria

  Mrs. S. Pearson

  Charity director

  Mr. G. Robinson

  Company director

  Mr. R. Tilmouth

  Retired chamber of commerce executive

  Mr. W. Locke

  Estate management director

  Dr. A. Mahmood

  Consultant haemotologist

  North Yorkshire

  Ms S. Campbell

  Retail director

  Mr. E. Christian

  Management consultant

  Mr. D. Collins

  Retired RAF officer

  Ms L. Humphreys

  Housewife

  Mr. R. Peterson

  NHS trust director

  Nottinghamshire

  Mr. S. Balmforth

  Senior operations inspector

  Mrs. J. Kenwood

  Retired customer care manager

  Mrs. C. Revill

  Teacher

  Mr. G. Solway

  Company director

  Mr. J. Woodrow

  Retired civil servant

  South Wales

  Mrs. A. Peters

  Headteacher

  Mrs. V. Rudell

  Teacher

  Mr. C. Stevens

  TV news editor

  Reverend P. White

  Canon of Llandaff cathedral

  Mr. G. Wright

  Trade union official

  Staffordshire

  Mr. M. Beatty

  Company director

  Mr. P. Finister

  Personnel consultant

  Mr. B. Harvey

  Construction consultant

  Mr. A. Millward

  Former postal manager

  Mr. F. Shaw

  Retired building society executive

  Suffolk

  Ms E. Barham

  Mature student

  Mr. A. Bhatt

  Company director

  Mr. G. Egleton

  Public affairs advisor

  Mr. C. Hilder

  Company chairman

  Mrs. C. Laverock

  Former education officer

  494

  Authority

  Name

  Occupation

  Surrey

  Mr. M. Ault

  Marketing director

  Mr. W. Donnelly

  Management consultant

  Mr. J. Gall

  Local government manager

  Mrs. E. Hewitt

  Company director

  Mrs. J. Housden

  University examiner

  Sussex

  Dr. J. Collick

  Rabbi

  Miss S. Haslam

  Farmer

  Mrs. A. Swain

  Education consultant

  Mrs. M. Turner

  Retired playgroup organiser

  Mr. T. Wiggins

  Business consultant

  Thames Valley

  Mr. A. Cluff

  Retired company director

  Mr. E. Domican

  Management consultant

  Mrs. P. Elvin

  Accountant

  Mr. G. Maybury

  Management consultant

  Professor R. Smith

  Education consultant

  Warwickshire

  Mr. A. Bird

  Company director

  Mr. W. Dean

  Head of university business studies unit

  Ms M. Fitzgerald

  University lecturer

  Mr. F. Lockett

  Retired businessman

  Mr. B. Thomas

  NHS trust chairman

  West Mercia

  Mrs. S. Garner

  Businesswoman

  Mrs. H. Gillow

  Retired researcher

  Mr. P. Kelly

  Trade union official

  Mrs. M. Kilbride

  Headteacher

  Mr. D. Watkins

  Retired veterinary surgeon

  West Midlands

  Mrs. F. Adams

  Housewife

  Mrs. B. Pearce

  None

  Mr. G. Richards

  Businessman

  Mr. S. Singh

  Fellow of Warwick University

  Mrs. A. Worley

  NHS trust director

  West Yorkshire

  Mr. J. Harris

  Management consultant

  Mr. J. Horn

  Headteacher

  Dr. M. Hughes

  Management consultant

  Mr. M. Millgate

  Personnel consultant

  Mr. K. Sarathy

  Retired deputy headteacher

  Wiltshire

  Mr. I. Davies

  Chartered accountant

  Mr. D. Jones

  Retired military advisor

  Mr. M. Lee

  Retired RAF officer

  Mr. P. Lefever

  Civil servant

  Mr. H. Woolnough

  Retired army officer

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what methods have been used to encourage nominations for the independent members of the new police authorities in England and Wales.

  Mr. Maclean
  Advertisements were placed in the following newspapers:The Independent on Sunday, The Observer, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Liverpool Daily Post and The Western Mail.

  Officials wrote to members of the public who had expressed an interest in the appointments in response to the White Paper, or who had registered an interest in this

  495
  type of work with the public appointments unit at the Cabinet Office.

  In addition, police authorities were encouraged to bring the appointments to the notice of local community groups whose members might be interested in them.

  Visas
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the visas to be offered to nationals of the former Yugoslavia deemed to be vulnerable and their close dependants have, to date, been issued; how many nationals of the former Yugoslavia have been issued with visas, outside the scheme refereed to, to obtain medical treatment in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  In November 1992, the Government agreed to accept up to 1,000 nationals of former Yugoslavia (and their dependants) considered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to be vulnerable and in need of evacuation. To date, 831 principal applicants and 1,130 dependants have arrived in the United Kingdom under these arrangements. Of these, 77 people came specifically for medical treatment. Other nationals of former Yugoslavia have been admitted to the United Kingdom for medical treatment outside these arrangements, but no central record is kept of the number of visas issued specially for medical treatment.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the countries visited by a spouse accompanying a Minister on overseas visits since 1 October 1993; which Minister was accompanied; what was the cost of each visit; and what were the dates and the duties undertaken by the spouse during such visits.

  Mr. Howard
  Since 1 October 1993 there have been three occasions when the spouse of a Home Office Minister has accompanied the Minister on public duties overseas.

  From 1 January 1994 to 7 January 1994 I was accompanied by my spouse on a trip to the United States of America at a cost of £2,919.35. From 20 August 1994 to 2 September 1994 I was again accompanied by my spouse on a trip to Latin America, which included visits to Argentina, Bolivia and Colombia, at a cost of £5,397.65.

  On both occasions the necessary approval was sought in advance of the visit and full official programmes were followed which had been drawn up by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. These concentrated on charity work relating to Home Office interests, particularly drugs.

  My hon. Friend the Minister for Bexhill and Battle (Mr. Wardle) undertook a trip to Greece from 17 November to 19 November 1993 when he was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department. He was accompanied by his spouse at own cost.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Press Regulation
  Sir David Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he proposes to publish his White Paper on the regulation of the press.
  496
  Mr. Dorrell
  The White Paper on privacy and media intrusion will be published when we have completed our consideration of the legal issues relating to the proposed criminal and civil remedies.

  South Bank(Tourism)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment he has made of the contribution of the south bank of the Thames in Southwark and Lambeth to London's tourism; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sproat
  I consider the south side of the Thames to be an important and integral part of the tourism industry in London. This area has a rich variety of attractions enjoyed by both visitors and residents.

  On 29 November, my right hon. Friend was able to announce an additional £2 million over two years for the promotion of London tourism. This will be matched by the British Tourist Authority from existing resources and it, in conjunction with London First and the London tourist board, will seek to lever in matching funding from the private sector. This substantial new fund will make a significant contribution to further strengthen London's performance in tourism.

  Sport
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what priority the Government give to promoting excellence among the United Kingdom's sporting competitors.

  Mr. Sproat
  The Government attach great importance to the pursuit of high standards of sporting achievement. This and the development of sporting opportunity for young people are the cornerstones of the Government's proposals for reform of the Sports Council which I announced to the House on 8 July,Official Report, columns 584–86.

  Fibre-optic Communications
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the implications of fibre-optic communications for television services in Wales.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Optical fibre networks offer a means of distributing television programmes, information or entertainment to the home. They can create new opportunities for programme makers and broadcasters, and can provide increasing choice for viewers, in Wales and throughout the United Kingdom.

  Foundation for Sports and the Arts
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has received about the Foundation for Sports and the Arts.

  Mr. Sproat
  I have received a number of representations.

  Children's Play
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the time scale for publishing the results of his consultation on the future of children's play.

  Mr. Sproat
  I am currently considering the comments received on future arrangements for children's play submitted as part of our wider consultation on Sports Council restructuring. I have asked the council to provide me with its own view of how its current functions and staffing might be realigned to take account of the proposals set out in our 8 July statement,Official Report, columns 584–86. I shall then take final decisions on policy and the timing of implementation.

  Television (Violence)
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what additional proposals he has for reducing the amount and level of violence on television.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Broadcasters in the United Kingdom are independent of Government but have clear responsibilities with regard to programme content. Earlier this year, my predecessor held meetings with the chairman of the BBC, Independent Television Commission and Broadcasting Standards Council to discuss public concern about television violence. Both the BBC and ITC undertook to monitor the amount of violence and report back and we await their findings.

  Television Transmissions
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will take powers to ensure that television viewers can receive transmissions from the appropriate regional ITV and BBC stations.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No. It is for the broadcasters to determine their own transmission arrangements in the light of their resources and within the constraints of frequency availability and engineering feasibility.

  National Lottery
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement about the operation of the national lottery.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Director General of the National Lottery regulates the operations of the licensed operator, Camelot plc, and would be happy to write to the hon. Member about any operational matters he wishes to raise.

  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to monitor expenditure patterns by households and individuals on national lottery tickets.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have no plans to do so at present.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the latest number of bids received under the millennium fund; how much he envisages will be available for such projects; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Millennium Commission will be inviting applications from 4 January 1995. The commission has already received notification of over 300 potential millennium projects and there have been 4,000 requests for application forms. According to Camelot's forecasts, the Millennium Commission could receive around £1.6 billion between now and 31 December 2000.
  498
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many outlets that have been approved by Camelot for the sale of national lottery tickets remain unconnected to the national lottery ticket sale system; and whether these outlets will be compensated by Camelot for loss of revenue.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This is an operational matter for Camelot Group plc. I have therefore asked Peter Davis, the Director-General of the National Lottery, who is responsible for regulating the operation of the lottery, to write to the hon. Member, placing copies of his response in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is his best estimate of the funding that will flow from the national lottery to assist sport and the arts in 1995–96.

  Mr. Dorrell
  On the basis of forecasts prepared by Camelot Group plc when it submitted its application for the licence to run the national lottery, I estimate that £750 million will be paid to the national lottery distribution fund in 1995–96. As specified in section 22 of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993, each of the five good causes—including sport and the arts—will receive 20 per cent. of the sum remaining in the national lottery distribution fund after expenses have been deducted. This could amount to some £150 million for each sector.

  Tourism (VAT)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment his Department made, prior to the Budget statement, of the effect that imposition of VAT on non-essential public transport would have on the United Kingdom tourism industry.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The application of VAT is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who announced on 29 November that services relating to entertainment or recreational activities and car parking at airports, which include passenger transport, will become wholly standard rated. The measure, which will affect a limited range of businesses, will not involve significant compliance costs for any business category, and is not expected to affect international competitiveness. Indeed, where supplies become wholly taxable at the standard rate instead of being apportioned, VAT accounting requirements will become simpler.

  Sports Councils
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many submissions have been received as a part of his Department's consultation process on the future of the sports councils; how many expressed an opinion on his proposals to(a) restrict sports council direct funding to a core of two to three dozen sports and (b) cut the formal links between the sports council and the regional councils for sport and recreation; and if he will divide the figures into those in favour of his proposals and those against.

  Mr. Sproat
  In accordance with the Government's code of practice on open government, I will publish the facts and analysis which were relevant and important in framing our final decisions on reform of the Sports Council when these decisions are announced publicly. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to his written question of 28 November,Official Report, column 477, for the

  499
  current position on our consideration of responses to the consultation exercise.

SCOTLAND

  Energy Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total expenditure on energy for offices and buildings by(a) his Department and (b) his agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lang
  The information is set out in the tables.

  The Scottish Office and Associated Departments

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  Total1

  3,021,651

  3,203,726

  3,079,573

  1 Includes Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency, which is collocated in a Scottish Office building and separate records are not available.

  Agencies for which the Secretary of State is responsible

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  Scottish Record Office

  97,226

  96,615

  93,895

  Scottish Agricultural Science Agency

  163,649

  165,970

  169,775

  General Register Office

  68,221

  92,450

  92,184

  Students Awards Agency Scotland

  63,240

  70,561

  87,576

  Historic Scotland

  458,000

  411,000

  456,000

  Scottish Office Pension Agency2

  0

  0

  14,871

  Registers of Scotland

  187,618

  214,100

  245,777

  Scottish Prison Service

  2,773,773

  3,273,674

  3,193,684

  Total

  3,811,727

  4,324,370

  4,353,762

  2 Previous years' figures included in the Scottish Office total.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total expenditure on energy for each property owned or leased by his Department for the use of ministers in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lang
  Expenditure on energy at Bute house, the Secretary of State's official residence, was as follows:

  Year

  £

  1991–92

  4,415

  1992–93

  5,216

  1993–94

  5,293

  Health Care Purchases
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent by(a) district health authorities, (b) family health services authorities, (c) regional health authorities, (d) trusts and (e) general practitioner fundholders on health care purchases from non-NHS providers in each of the last three years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In Scotland, the purchase of hospital, community and family health care is primarily the responsibility of health boards. The following table shows expenditure on purchases of health care from private providers:

  Purchases of Health Care from Private Providers

  1991–92 £000

  1992–93 £000

  1993–94 (Provisional) £000

  Health Boards

  2,642

  21,475

  16,255

  GP Fundholders

  34

  131

  23

  Health boards also have contracts with local authorities, hospices and voluntary agencies where these organisations are registered charities undertaking specific contracted activities but information on these is no longer collected centrally. Expenditure by NHS trusts on purchases from private providers in Scotland is not held centrally.

  Food Allergies
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many physicians in Scottish NHS hospitals are specialists in the treatment of food allergies,

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Consultants in various specialties may practise in the treatment of food allergies. Information is not collected on how many doctors carry out such work.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those services that have been market-tested by his Department and won by the private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  Mr. Lang
  Since 1 April 1992, the activities set out in the table have been contracted out as part of my "Competing for Quality" programme.

  Activity

  Awarded to

  Audit of 1st wave NHS Trusts

  KPMG Peat Marwick; Coopers and Lybrand

  Audit of 2nd wave NHS Trusts1

  KPMG Peat Marwick; Price Waterhouse; Ernst and Young

  Audit of 3rd wave NHS Trusts1

  Ernst and Young; Scott Moncrieff; KPMG Peat Marwick; Price Waterhouse

  501

  Activity

  Awarded to

  Audit of NHS Boards1

  KPMG Peat Marwick; Coopers and Lybrand; Price Waterhouse

  Scottish Fire Service Training School Catering

  Gardner Merchant

  Building and Electrical Maintenance Works at HM Prison, Barlinnie

  AMEC

  Marine Laboratory Property Management1

  Bell Ingram

  Maintenance of new microwave radio systems for the Scottish Ambulance Service and other Health Service Users1

  National Transcommunications Ltd.

  Scottish Agricultural Science Agency Security1

  Burns Security

  Scottish Office Pensions Agency pensions administration systems1

  McDonnell Information Systems

  Data Preparation work1

  Saztec; Alpha Numeric

  1 Strategically contracted out without an in-house bid.

  Bids are made to the Scottish Office on a commercial-in-confidence basis by companies and it is the Scottish Office's normal policy not to reveal the values of contracts let for individual market tests. The estimated aggregate value over the lifetimes of the above contracts is £9.7 million. The length of contract ranges from one to seven years.

  General Practitioner Lists
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will itemise the number of patients who have been removed from general practitioner lists because of(a) registration with another doctor, (b) the death or resignation of the doctor, (c) the death or emigration of the patient, (d) removal at the doctor's request and (e) other causes in each of the last five years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 9 December 1994]: The information requested is not held centrally.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the(a) surpluses or (b) deficits recorded by each individual trust in each year since its inception.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 9 December 1994]: The information requested is provided in the table—no deficits have been recorded by individual trusts since their inception:

  NHS trust

  Surplus 1992–93 £000

  Surplus 1993–94 £000

  First wave

  Aberdeen Royal Hospitals

  2,707

  696

  South Ayrshire Hospitals

  480

  727

  Second wave

  Ayrshire and Arran Community Healthcare

  1,021

  502

  NHS trust

  Surplus 1992–93 £000

  Surplus 1993–94 £000

  Caithness and Sutherland

  319

  Dundee Teaching Hospitals

  1,284

  Grampian Healthcare

  3,546

  Monklands and Bellshill Hospitals

  904

  Moray Health Services

  354

  North Ayrshire and Arran

  1,593

  Raigmore Hospital

  1,171

  Royal Alexandra Hospital

  1,114

  Royal Scottish National Hospital and Community

  975

  Southern General

  1,106

  Stirling Royal Infirmary

  899

  Victoria Infirmary

  526

  West Lothian

  1,612

  Yorkhill

  601

  Patients' Complaints
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patient complaints were received per 1,000 patients treated in each year since 1989–90 by region.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 9 December 1994]: This information is not available in the form requested. Information about complaints has been collected centrally since January 1993. Details of the number of primary care consultations are not available but for hospital services the information for 1993–94 is as follows:

  Health board

  Number of complaints per 1,000 patients treated

  Argyll and Clyde

  0.52

  Ayrshire and Arran

  0.68

  Borders

  0.50

  Dumfries and Galloway

  0.62

  Fife

  0.76

  Forth Valley

  0.59

  Grampian

  0.87

  Greater Glasgow

  0.87

  Highland

  0.80

  Lanarkshire

  0.94

  Lothian

  0.81

  Orkney

  0.69

  Shetland

  0.37

  Tayside

  0.70

  Western Isles

  0.33

  GP Fundholders
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide an estimate for the value of fundholding allocations retained by general practitioner fundholders at the year end in each of the last four years by region.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 23 November 1994]: In Scotland, trusts have been progressively introduced since 1 April 1992. Staffing information for 1992 is not readily available centrally. There were 17 NHS trusts at 30 September 1993 and 39 from 1 April 1994; managerial staff information available is shown in the table. The managerial staff figures shown for 1993 and 1994 are not comparable

  503
  as different numbers of trusts may be included within each health board for each of the years. The figures also include staff previously employed by health boards who transferred to trust employment on the establishment of trusts. They also include staff from other staff groups who have transferred to senior manager grades. In addition, new payment arrangements for general and senior managers progressively introduced in Scotland from 1 September 1993 changed the pay threshold to a lower one at which a member of staff can be classified as a senior manager.

  NHSiS Managers in Post within Trusts; by health board1 3

  Whole time equivalent

  19932 30 September

  19942* 1 April

  Scotland

  447.1

  1,149.5

  Argyll and Clyde

  15.0

  46.4

  Ayrshire and Arran

  95.4

  2132.6

  Borders

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  16.4

  Fife

  —

  102.3

  Forth Valley

  26.0

  46.0

  Grampian

  126.6

  130.4

  Greater Glasgow

  66.3

  219.0

  Highland

  28.0

  65.8

  Lanarkshire

  23.8

  79.3

  Lothian

  31.0

  209.1

  Orkney

  —

  —

  Shetland

  —

  —

  Tayside

  35.0

  102.2

  Western Isles

  —

  —

  Source:

  National Manpower Statistics.

  Notes:

  * Provisional data.

  1 Includes general managers, senior managers, staff on A and C grades 7 and above and protected grades.

  2 There were 17 NHS trusts at 30 September 1993 and 39 from 1 April 1994.

  3 Some of the change between 1993 and 1994 is accounted for by staff transferring to senior manager grades. For example, staff employed on estates', A and C, senior nurse manager and other grades have so transferred. This is illustrated by Ayrshire and Arran where over 30 such transfers have occurred between 1993 and 1994.

  4 The pay threshold for classification as a senior manager was lowered in September 1993 from £14,940 to £13,086.

  Pigs
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what grant aid is available to pig producers in Scotland to convert sow tether and stall accommodation.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Grants are not available to pig producers in Scotland for the conversion of sow tether and stall accommodation.

  Agricultural Assistance
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by agricultural scheme the number of claims received after the prescribed closing date which have been allowed for reasons of force majeure in each of the last five years.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Forestry
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by county all Forestry Commission woodlands for sale, indicating for each woodland its size and whether an access agreement is in place to protect public access.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 23 November 1994]: The following Forestry Commission woodlands are currently for sale on the open market:

  County/Region

  Name of property

  Area (hectares)

  England

  Avon

  Fifty Acre Wood

  221

  Old Park Wood

  210

  Three Cornered Wood

  23

  Buckinghamshire

  Stokepark Wood

  265

  Cambridgeshire

  West Wood

  229

  Cornwall

  Hay Wood

  254

  Port Elliot, Pathada and Perdredda

  295

  Treworgey Wood

  217

  Cumbria

  Black Knors

  225

  Derbyshire

  Kennel Wood—part

  36

  Devon

  Bedpark

  28

  Deershill Wood

  211

  Durham

  Stanley Wood Cottages

  331

  Essex

  Hales Wood

  226

  Martins Wood

  24

  Millpond

  23

  Pounce Wood

  25

  Robins Grove

  29

  Whitehill Wood

  25

  Hampshire

  Bassett Green, Land at

  22

  Isle of Wight

  Grammars Common

  217

  Kemphill Moor

  220

  Lincolnshire

  Big Wood

  212

  Big Plantation—Stourton

  28

  Halstead Wood

  226

  Six Acre Plantation

  210

  Stourton Wood

  219

  North Yorkshire

  Cottage Wood

  24

  Hagg Wood

  243

  Lodge Plantation

  29

  Scackleton Moor

  235

  Scoreby Wood

  233

  Nottinghamshire

  Coombs Wood

  216

  Shropshire

  Coed Detton

  214

  Somerset

  Higher Bitcombe

  230

  South Yorkshire

  Owston and Duck Holt Woods

  266

  Suffolk

  Wrights Plantation

  35

  Scotland

  Borders

  Craig Douglas

  2352

  Craigend

  2l8

  Fruid, Land at

  240

  Gala Blocks

  1127

  Central

  Stronvar

  22

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Daljarrock

  251

  Glaik

  262

  Fife

  Kirkton Barns

  226

  Grampian

  Auquharney

  1128

  Braes of Gight

  1137

  Brunthill Wood

  237

  Glenbuchat

  2539

  Greenness

  2115

  Lenabo

  1322

  New Pitsligo

  242

  White Cow Wood

  1448

  Wood of Wrae

  150

  Highland

  Abriachan Plantation

  2865

  Achrugan

  1559

  Ardelve

  226

  Balmore-Craskie

  249

  Balmore-Glencannich

  270

  Balmore-Muchrachd

  229

  Blarnbee

  263

  Duisky

  289

  Garbole

  2696

  505

  County/Region

  Name of property

  Area (hectares)

  Glenmeanie

  2397

  Glen Tarbert

  284

  Inverchoran

  2129

  Loch Ashie

  2437

  Lochlait

  190

  Lundavra

  1148

  Rinuden

  188

  Tote

  2421

  Strathclyde

  Blarghour

  219

  Glenmard

  256

  Kirnan

  2222

  Tayside

  Camusericht

  2295

  Claysykes

  217

  Cowden Wood

  320

  Long

  280

  Mill of Fortune

  2119

  Tulloes

  269

  Wales

  Clwyd

  Coed Graig Goch

  28

  Coed Melin y Moch

  212

  Crown Wood

  229

  Foel Uchaf

  118

  Gelli Wood

  26

  Halton Wood

  279

  Pentre Potes—Coed y Pent

  116

  Dyfed

  Allt Cil y Llyn Fawr

  23

  Allt Llyn Dyfrion

  111

  Bwlch Newydd

  18

  Bylchau Duon

  261

  Cilflower Wood

  15

  Coed Cefn Pwll Hen

  220

  Glan Teifi Wood

  22

  Llwyn y Gwair

  213

  Pant Eynon and Allt y Forlan

  229

  Pencwmfawr

  2>9

  Penhill Wood

  24

  Pont Henri

  121

  Rams Wood

  226

  Scolton Wood

  230

  Tynton

  25

  Ty'r Shyme

  26

  Waun Baglan Wood

  126

  Gwent

  Coed Gwaun Y Ffeiriad

  243

  Ty Fry Big Wood

  217

  White Mill Common and Roughets Wood

  26

  Gwynedd

  Aberdunant

  221

  Coed Ty Uchaf

  214

  Pant y Wrach

  154

  The Glyn

  249

  Powys

  Allt Yscoedreddfin

  29

  West Glamorgan

  Gelligaer

  133

  Nant y Stalwyn

  144

  1 Woodlands where an access agreement has been concluded.

  2 Woodlands where the local authority, or a third party with an interest, declined to enter into an access agreement.

  3 Woodlands where the local authority is considering whether to enter into an access agreement.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Advisory Bodies
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the functions and objectives of(a) the Monitoring Committee on Misleading Price Indications, (b) the Standards Quality and Measurement Advisory Committee, (c) the Energy Advisory Panel, (d) the Advisory Committee for the Joint Environmental Markets Unit and (e) the Advisory Committee on Coal Research.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The information requested is as follows:
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  (a) Monitoring Committee on Misleading Price Indications
  The Committee was formally disbanded in May 1993 by the then Minister for Consumer Affairs.

  (b) Standards Quality and Measurement Advisory Committee (SQMAC)

  The SQMAC became the Measurements Advisory Committee, MAC, on 1 July 1994. The function of the MAC is to advise the Department on:
  —the effectiveness with which the National Measurement System supports UK industry, and
  —the priorities which the Department should assign to programmes of work undertaken to meet the demands of the national measurement system.

  Its objectives are:
  —advising on the broad objectives, balance and strategy for Government support of measurement and proposing effective means for the delivery of that message to business in general in support of wealth creation;:
  —advising on the commercial opportunities resulting from the research and development carried out by contractors, in support of the national measurement system;
  —contributing to an annual longer term perspective, as input to the Department's annual "Forward Look" at programme expenditure over the next five years and longer;
  —identifying key priorities for the UK measurement system within a European and global context;
  —taking account of the advice of technical experts (Working Groups), to advise on priorities for funding.

  (c) Energy Advisory Panel

  The function of the panel is to assist in the preparation of the annual energy report which the Government undertook to prepare, as explained at paragraphs 3.31 and 3.32 of the White Paper "The Prospects for Coal: Conclusions of the Government's Coal Review" (CM 2235, March 1993). The panel's objectives are:-
  —to offer views on the structure, content and balance of the report against the background of Government energy policy as outlined in the White Paper.

  (d) Advisory Committee for the Joint Environmental Markets Unit (JEPU)

  The function of the committee is to advise the Department on the priorities and future work of JEPU. Its objectives are:-
  —to consider how Government and industry can most effectively identify and exploit environmental market opportunities at home and overseas;
  —to assess and recommend specific actions to pursue these objectives.
  —to consider how to encourage firms, particularly small and medium sized enterprises to take up new environmental opportunities.

  (e) Advisory Committee on Coal Research
  The advisory committee was established in 1993 to provide advice to the Department with respect to its coal research and development programme. The terms of reference for the Committee and its membership are listed in annex B of Energy Paper 63, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the functions and objectives of(a) the Advisory Council on Research and Development for Fuel and Power, (b) the Offshore Industry Liaison Committee and (c) the Overseas Projects Board.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) Advisory Council on Research and Development for Fuel and Power
  The council's primary function was to give Minister's detailed technical overview of the research and development plans of the nationalised energy industries. The privatisation of these industries essentially removed the need for this function and

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  with the establishment of the Energy advisory panel in October 1993, ACORD was dissolved.

  (b) Offshore Industry Liaison Committee
  The function of the committee is to advise the Minister responsible for the oil and gas sector regarding the progress of the United Kingdom offshore supplies industry on the United Kingdom continental shelf. Its objectives are;
  — to analyse problems affecting the competitiveness of the industry, identify gaps in its capability and propose strategies for improving its performance and coverage.

  (c) Overseas Project Board
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 7 July 1994, Official Report, column 295.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy in respect of the requirement on the Official Receiver to implement the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 when the Official Receiver is undertaking the investigation of possible offences referred to him by contractors undertaking case administration work.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Legal advice indicates that the role of official receivers in conducting further interviews of bankrupts and company directors would remain unchanged.

  Package Travel Directive
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which member states of the European Union have transposed the package travel directive into their national law; and on which dates.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The United Kingdom implemented the directive on package travel, package holidays and package tours on 23 December 1992.

  Information on the transposition of Community legislation into national law is available on the Commission's CELEX database. This records that the directive has been implemented by the following other member states—the date given is that of the latest piece of implementing legislation shown on the database:

  Belgium—1 April 1994

  Denmark—21 September 1993

  France—17 June 1994

  Luxembourg—6 July 1994

  Netherlands—26 January 1993

  Portugal—6 May 1994

  Germany, Spain, Greece, Ireland and Italy are not recorded as having implemented the directive. In Spain implementation is the responsibility of the regional governments.

  Energy Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total expenditure on energy for offices and buildings by(a) his Department and (b) his agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Total expenditure on energy by the DTI and its agencies was as follows:

  £000

  1991–92

  5,950

  1992–93

  5,490

  1993–94

  5,377

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  Because agency and departmental staff are co-located on some sites, it is not possible to provide accurate information for expenditure by agencies separately.

  Exports
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his oral answer of 23 November,Official Report, column 583,whether he will show the percentage increase in United Kingdom exports between 1990 and 1992 compared with the weighted average increase in exports from other developed countries, the number of those countries which did better than the United Kingdom and the number which did worse, and which countries on the basis of the latest quarterly figure in each case have done better than the United Kingdom since 1992 and which have done worse.

  Mr. Needham
  In $US terms United Kingdom exports grew 2.8 per cent. between 1990 and 1992, compared with 9.2 per cent. for the weighted average of the remaining OECD countries. Eighteen countries did better than the United Kingdom and four worse.

  Based on the latest available quarterly figures the following eleven OECD countries did better than the United Kingdom in terms of increasing exports in SUS terms since 1992: Australia, Canada, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and USA. Ten countries did worse than the United Kingdom: Austria, Belgium/Luxembourg, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and Switzerland. There have been no internationally published Danish export figures since the introduction of Intrastat in January 1993.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his oral answer of 23 November,Official Report, column 583, what has been the change since October 1990 in United Kingdom export unit values for finished manufactures in terms of dollars; and what have been the figures in (a) Germany, (b) France and (c) Italy.

  Mr. Needham
  United Kingdom export unit values for finished manufactures in terms of $US increased 1.2 per cent. between October 1990 and August 1994. Comparable figures for Germany, France, and Italy are not readily available, and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his oral answer of 23 November,Official Report, column 583, if he will publish the United Kingdom share of the volume of exports of manufacturers by the main manufacturing countries in 1970, 1978 and each year from 1987 to 1993; and if he will add corresponding figures for France and Italy.

  Mr. Needham
  The United Kingdom figures, where available, are given in the CSO publication "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics—Annual Supplement 1992", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. Corresponding figures for France and Italy could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his oral answer of 23 November,Official Report, column 583, what was the reduction in the deficit on the balance of trade in finished manufactures this year to date at an annual rate compared with 1992 in respect of (a) all countries and (b) for the EEC.
  509
  Mr. Needham
  Information on United Kingdom trade in finished manufactures in total and to the EC is available from the Central Statistical Office's central shared database and is published in the monthly review of external trade statistics. The database and the publication may be accessed from the Library of the House.

  Manufactures
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his oral answer of 23 November,Official Report, column 583, what was the increase in output of manufacturing (a) since 1973 and (b) between 1964 and 1973; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is available from the Central Statistical Office's central shared database which can be accessed in the Library of the House. Manufacturing output is growing strongly: in the three months to October output was 5.3 per cent. higher than a year earlier.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his oral answer 23 November,Official Report, column 583. what was the level of import penetration of the United Kingdom market for manufactures in 1979, 1988, 1990, 1992 and 1993 together with his forecast for 1994.

  Mr. Needham
  The information requested was published until 1989 in "Business Monitor MQ12", which is available in the Library of the House. The Central Statistical Office expects to publish provisional 1993 figures in the "Monthly Digest of Statistics" early in 1995. Figures for 1990 and 1992 are not available.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his oral answer of 23 November,Official Report, column 583, what was the level of import penetration in the market for manufactures in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) France and (c) Italy.

  Mr. Needham
  The information requested was published until 1989 in "Business Monitor MQ12", which is available in the Library of the House. The Central Statistical Office expects to publish provisional 1993 figures in the "Monthly Digest of Statistics" early in 1995. The information requested with respect of France and Italy is not readily available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his oral answer of 23 November,Official Report, column 583, whether he will publish the latest figures for import penetration of the United Kingdom market for manufactures by two-digit sectors of the standard industrial classification.

  Mr. Needham
  The Central Statistical Office expects to publish provisional 1993 data on import penetration by industry sector, in the "Monthly Digest of Statistics", early in 1995.

  Exchange Rates
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his oral answer of 23 November 1994,Official Report, column 583, what has been the change in the nominal exchange rate for sterling against (a) the Deutschmark, (b) the ecu and (c) the non-ecu currencies since February 1993, together with his estimate of the likely effects on imports and exports of finished manufactures.
  510
  Mr. Needham
  A selection of exchange rates, including the Deutschmark and the European currency unit, are regularly published in the Central Statistical Office's financial statistics, table 7.1A, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. An exchange rate index for non-ecu currencies is not available and could be calculated only at disproportionate cost. The Government's assessment of trade performance, published in chapter 3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" took into account all relevant factors, including past movements in exchange rates.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his oral answer of 23 November 1994 Official Report, column 583, what has been the fall in the value of sterling and the lira since August 1992 together with (i) the balance of visible trade in 1992, 1993 and this year to date in each case in terms of dollars and (ii) the increase since August 1992 in producer prices.

  Mr. Needham
  Between August 1992 and October 1994 the values of sterling and the lira against the US$ fell 21.0 and 40.4 per cent. respectively. Between August 1992 and July 1994 United Kingdom and Italian producer prices for manufacturing increased 5.1 and 10.1 per cent. respectively.

  Visible trade balances

  US$ million

  1992

  1993

  January 1994 to date

  United Kingdom

  -23,148

  -19,833

  -9,9131

  Italy

  -10,320

  20,760

  11.9402

  Note:

  1 Up to August 1994

  2 Up to June 1994

  Sources:

  OECD Main Economic Indicators, CSO

  Motor Vehicles
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the value of imports and exports of motor vehicle components in 1992, 1993 and 1994 to date for trade with the EEC, together with his estimate of the import content of cars produced or assembled in the United Kingdom in 1973 and 1993 for trade with(a) all countries and (b) the EEC.

  Mr. Needham
  Figures of trade in motor vehicle components with EC countries are published in "Business Monitors" MA20 for 1992, MQ20 for 1993 and 1994 to date—which are available in the Library of the House.

  Information on the import content of cars produced or assembled in the United Kingdom is not held centrally, and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  "Marketing Your Business"
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much was paid to Strategic Consultants for "Marketing Your Business"; and if he will list other contracts between his Department and this company over the last three years.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  "Marketing Your Business" was one of a series of business skills seminar workbooks which were originally written in 1988 by a group of experienced training providers on behalf of the Training Agency. It is
  511
  not possible to identify the separate cost of writing this workbook. Since April 1992 Strategic Consultants Limited has undertaken the following contracts for my Department:
  July 1992—Testing and editing material for two business skills seminar titles—cost £4,284
  December 1992—Review and revision of business skills seminar material (5 titles)—cost £5,875
  February 1994—Revision of business skills seminar material (3 titles) - cost £7,373

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost of producing and distributing "Marketing Your Business"; how many copies were produced; how many have been withdrawn; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  "Marketing Your Business" was one of a series of business skills seminar workbooks originally written in 1988 by a group of experienced training providers on behalf of the Training Agency. It is not possible to identify the separate cost of writing this workbook. The printing, publishing and sale of business skills seminar workbooks is licensed by Her Majesty's Stationery Office to Vector Business Development and involves no cost to my Department. I understand that around 50,000 copies have been produced and distributed since 1988. Distribution has now ceased.

  Radioisotopes
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what types, quantities and values of radioisotopes and nuclear materials have been imported from the Russian Federation since 1992.

  Mr. Needham
  The information requested is not available due to commercial confidentiality.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information has been provided to his Department in regard to the licensing of the imports of radioisotopes from the Russian Federation by Amersham International.

  Mr. Needham
  Information which businesses provide in support of applications for import licences is treated as commercially confidential.

  Hualon
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give details of the representations he has received objecting to the Government grant to Hualon to set up in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Eggar
  Since Hualon's plans first became known my Department has received representations from five organisations within the textile industry and two members of the public.

  US Product Liability Laws
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to assist small firms who export to the United States of America to meet the requirements of US product liability laws.

  Mr. Needham
  My Department regularly provides advice to small firms on US product liability requirements.

  A "North America Now" publication on US product liability was prepared earlier this year for DTI by an American lawyer practising in London, and is freely
  512
  available to British companies. DTI has also held, throughout the United Kingdom, a number of "North America Now" seminars, involving experts in legal and insurance aspects of US product liability.

  Copyright
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how he proposes to implement in United Kingdom law the Council directive on the term of protection of copyright and certain related rights, 93/98 EEC.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  I intend to implement Council directive 93/98 EEC by regulations amending the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 made under the powers conferred by section 2 of the European Communities Act 1972. The regulations will take into account comments received in response to a consultative document recently issued by my Department on certain matters which the directive leaves to be decided by member states.

  National Fibre Optic Network
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects a national fibre optic network to be in place.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The Government's policy of telecommunications liberalisation has encouraged substantial investment in modern telecommunications networks. The promotion of competition between interconnected networks is essential if the full benefits of liberalisation are to be realised for consumers. The main fixed link telecommunications operators already have wholly fibre optic trunk networks, and provide fibre optic links to business customers. Cable TV operators are providing fibre closer to the home.

  Optical fibre is one of a number of technologies which can be used to provide residential customers with access to communications networks—including optical fibre, coaxial copper cable, copper wire, radio or satellite. For many residential consumers the superhighway applications now being developed are likely to be delivered through using advanced compression technologies over copper networks rather than through wholly fibre optic networks. This process is already underway.

  Information Superhighway
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to develop the information superhighway.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The Government published a Command Paper, "Creating the Superhighways of the Future: Developing Broadband Communications in the UK", on 22 November, which set out the Government's vision for establishing information superhighways in this country, building on the billions of pounds of investment in telecommunications networks and infrastructure made by the private sector in recent years. Copies are available in the Libraries of both Houses and on the Internet.

  Steel
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations he has made to the
  513
  European Commission on the subject of state aids to national steel industries, with particular reference to subsidies provided by the Italian and Spanish Governments; and with what result.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have urged the European Commission—most recently at the Industry Council on 8 November—to intensify its monitoring of the state aid cases agreed in December 1993 to ensure that the strict conditions agreed then are adhered to; and I obtained a firm commitment that they would take firm action against breaches, including repayment of the subsidy. I am determined that the highly efficient, unsubsidised United Kingdom industry should not be disadvantaged by illegally subsidised competition.

  Aluminium
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations he has made to the European Commission on the subject of state aids to national aluminium industries, with particular reference to subsidies provided by the Italian and Spanish Governments; and with what result.

  Mr. Eggar
  My officials recently met the Commission to pursue the aluminium state aid cases which my right hon. Friend brought to our attention. When the Commission has completed its inquiries I will write to inform him of the result.

  Balance of Trade
  Sir Patrick McNair-Wilson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish details of the United Kingdom balance of trade with other members of the European Union for the years since the establishment of the single market.

  Mr. Needham
  The information requested is published in the 1994 issue of "The Pink Book—United Kingdom Balance of Payments", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. Table 9.1 gives the UK balance of trade with other members of the European Union for each year from 1983 to 1993.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those services that have been market tested by his Department and won by the private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Of the services market tested, and where an in-house bid was made, the IT services contract was won by Hoskyns Group plc. The contract value will depend on the volume of work.

  Mortgage Insurance
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he is taking to ensure that mortgage providers draw consumers' attention to sources of mortgage insurance other than that supplied by the said mortgage provider.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 8 December 1994]: I am not taking any such action; nor am I persuaded that it would be appropriate to do so. The protection which consumers need is to be told by any person who offers them insurance whether that person is an independent
  514
  intermediary or is offering only the products of a restricted range of insurers. Such disclosure is a requirement under the general insurance business code of practice of the Association of British Insurers.

  Cot Mattresses
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what advice he is currently giving retailers on the sale of cot mattresses.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 25 November 1994]: The Department has been in close contact with the Department of Health over recent claims that cot deaths have resulted from the use of fire retardant treatments in cot mattresses. The theory that flame retardants in cot mattresses released toxic gases, which 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—the Turner report, 1991—that this theory was not supported by the experimental evidence.

  The Department of Health has advised that there is nothing in the recent claims which invalidates the conclusions of the Turner report of May 1991 and that there is no reason for retailers to withdraw cot mattresses from sale.

  The Chief Medical Officer of Health has recently set up a working group of experts to study the questions which were raised by the current media speculation surrounding the research contained in the Rubens Institute study. The Department will be kept fully informed of their deliberations.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the changes in ECGD premium rates for political risks, by country, for 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96 and 1996–97.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 8 December 1994]: ECGD premium rates are reviewed annually. As political risk premiums are set individually for each country, the type of cover required and the terms of individual transactions, it would not be cost-effective to calculate and detail the changes in rates for each country over this period. However looking at all countries overall, ECGD's political risk premiums have fallen on average broadly as follows in the years in question:

  1993 by around 20 per cent.

  1994 by around 7.5 per cent.

  1995 by around 10 per cent.

  Any changes to rates for 1996 will depend on the outcome of future reviews.

WALES

  Cynon Valley
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has received the report on the Welsh Development Agency's action in relation to the development of certain sites in the Cynon valley.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Welsh Development Agency commissioned an inquiry, undertaken by Grant Thornton, into the actions of the agency in connection with the
  515
  development of sites in the Cynon valley, Mid Glamorgan. These arose from the establishment of a joint venture board in 1991 comprising the WDA, Cynon Valley borough council and Mid Glamorgan county council. I have received a copy of the report from the chairman of the agency.

  The report notes that the inquiry team was granted full access to the agency and Welsh Office papers and also to those of a number of other organisations. It concludes that there is no evidence of improper pecuniary gain or collusion by any of the parties. It concludes, too, that conflicts of interest which arose were properly declared and dealt with by agency board members. But the report identifies weaknesses in the agency's procedures and serious lapses in management control over its joint venture activities. It also questions whether value for money was secured.

  The agency chief executive has informed me that he is sending a copy of the Grant Thornton report and the agency's response to the recommendations to the Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts. I note the comprehensive remedial action contained in the response of the new management and I will be discussing the report's findings and the proposed measures with the chairman. The chairman of the agency agrees with me that the former management's conduct fell short of the standards we expect.

  The report examines a number of transactions which also involve Cynon Valley borough council. The council did not allow Grant Thornton access to certain papers, but I hope that those concerned will study the report carefully and, where appropriate, carry out their own investigation of these matters. It would, of course, be for the district auditor to respond to any requests for an inquiry into the council's activities.

  The chief executive as accounting officer has also informed the Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts about other matters which the new management of the agency has been investigating which go back many years. These concern redundancy and pension payments, the underwriting of share issues, the engagement of consultants, procurement issues and breaches of delegated authority. Some of these instances of non-compliance continued until earlier this year.

  I have considered the agency's past underwriting activities. The agency has not engaged in underwriting or sub-underwriting since 1991 and has no plans to do so. In my view, however, this is no longer an appropriate role for the WDA, even in relation to Welsh-based companies, and I have so informed the board.

  The chairman has assured me that he will continue to investigate and expose all instances of non-compliance which the agency can identify, however long ago they might have occurred, and to continue to act swiftly wherever necessary to bring agency practice and procedures in line with the proper stewardship of public funds. The new management of the agency understands the standards which I and this House expect of it. The chairman has also assured me that he and his senior management team attach the highest importance to open communication between the agency and my Department.

  A copy of the Grant Thornton report and the agency's response to the recommendations have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes he proposes to make to the cash limits for class XV, vote 2 and to the local authority capital cash limit for his Department for the current financial year.

  Mr. Redwood
  The cash limit on class XV, vote 2 will be reduced by £6,750,000 from £160,331,000 to £153,581,000. The local authority capital limit tWO/LACAP—will be increased by £6,750,000 from £476,465,000 to £483,215,000.

  The reduction in the cash limit for vote 2 results from a forecast underspend on urban regeneration schemes and lower than forecast costs for land reclamation projects on account of reduced inflation and competitive pricing.

  The increase in WO/LACAP provides for expenditure on information technology for local government reorganisation.

  Neither of the proposed changes will add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Railways
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps his Department will be taking to enable Welsh railway lines to meet the required rate of return both before and after privatisation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  It is for Railtrack to determine Welsh rail investment priorities in the light of its commercial discussions with customers and the availability of resources. These resources might include any support for projects sponsored by local authorities under the strategic development scheme. I do not expect these arrangements to change after the privatisation of Railtrack.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the importance of a railway infrastructure in the overall process of encouraging inward investment and job creation in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Communications are important in the attraction of inward investment and to indigenous companies in Wales. The Government's proposal to transfer the responsibility for the railway to the private sector ensures that they develop in a way that is appropriate to the needs of the industry.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guarantees his Department has sought on the subject of socially necessary services in the Welsh railway network; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The franchising director is responsible for deciding passenger service requirements to be included in franchise agreements. My right hon. Friend and I have recently met him and he is aware of the situation in Wales.

  Tourism
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest estimate of the total number of people employed in the tourism industry in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The number of employees employed in tourism-related industries in Wales was 79,300 in September 1991 according to the 1991 census
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  of employment. Employment data at this level of industrial activity are only collected in the biennial censuses of employment and 1991 is the latest year for which data are available. The figure includes only those industries which are classified as tourism related in table 1.14 of Employment Gazette, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what safeguards are in place to protect dental services to the public where an area is not served by a dental practice taking NHS patients; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Richards
  Family health services authorities are able to apply to the Secretary of State for permission to employ salaried dentists in areas where there is a shortfall in NHS provision. The community dental service acts as a safety net for those unable to obtain treatment under the general dental services.

  In addition, a general practitioner may refer patients requiring emergency treatment to an oral surgery department of a general hospital.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many dentists there are in each Welsh constituency who are prepared to take new patients under the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Richards
  The information is not held centrally. Dentists are independent contractors who are free to choose who they can accept onto their NHS dentist list. Most dentists have NHS patients on their lists but may open and close their books to new patients on a daily basis.

  If any person has difficulty in obtaining treatment from a general dental practitioner, they should contact their local family health services authority, which is best placed to advise on local availability of dental treatment. This includes reference to the community dental service which offers a safety net provision for those unable to secure NHS treatment from a general dental practitioner.

  A483 (Pool Quay)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many fatalities have occurred in road accidents on the A483 trunk road at Pool Quay, Powys since 1 January 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Since 1 January 1988, there have been three fatalities on the A483 trunk road in the vicinity of Pool Quay, Powys. These fatalities occurred on 19 January 1988, 1 February 1993 and 26 November 1994.

  Housing
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidance he has given to district councils on the inspection of properties(a) prior to the award of housing benefit and (b) after it has been awarded.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Housing benefit regulations do not require properties to be inspected.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are in place to ensure that properties in multiple occupation do not present any safety or public health hazards.
  518
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Houses in multiple occupation must meet standards of fitness for human habitation and fitness for the number of occupants. They must have adequate means of escape from fire and adequate fire precautions. Local authorities have powers to enforce these requirements.

  Bridgend and District NHS Trust
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many responses to his consultation paper on the re-organisation of health service administration supported his proposal to transfer the Bridgend and District NHS trust to the West Glamorgan area health authority; and from whom they were received.

  Mr. Richards
  The Bridgend and District NHS trust does not form part of any health authority. The following respondents to our consultation explicitly supported establishing a new health authority responsibility for commissioning health care for people in West Glamorgan and Bridgend: Clwyd DHA; Gwent Health Commission; Dyfed FHSA; Nevill Hall and District NHS trust; Swansea NHS trust; University Hospital of Wales and Royal Cardiff group; Swansea/Lliw Valley CHC; Children in Wales; MENCAP; and Health Promotion Wales.

  Community Care
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the Assembly of Welsh Counties social services committee in relation to the adequacy of funding and the consistency of working arrangements with health commissioning authorities in relation to community care for(a) the prospective 199495 outturn and (b) 1995–96.

  Mr. Redwood
  Community care funding and the distribution of community care resources between county councils is discussed by the Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government Finance, which includes the Assembly of Welsh Counties. The resources are allocated to county councils in accordance with distribution formulae ratified by the WCCLGF.

  Working arrangements between local authorities and health authorities are for local agreement. The White Paper, "Caring for People", Cm. 849, and subsequent guidance have stressed the need for joint working.

  Health Authority Finance
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were(a) the surpluses and (b) the deficits recorded by each health authority in each of the last tree years.

  Mr. Richards
  The information requested is as follows:

  Health authority

  1991–92 £000

  1992–93 £000

  1993–94 £000

  Clwyd

  2,703

  (3,312)

  119

  East Dyfed

  (2,176)

  (112)

  (751)

  Gwent

  500

  1,915

  4,434

  Gwynedd

  (231)

  (998)

  (1,002)

  Mid Glamorgan

  (478)

  1,687

  (573)

  Pembrokeshire

  1,234

  (2,126)

  94

  519

  Health authority

  1991–92 £000

  1992–93 £000

  1993–94 £000

  Powys

  (126)

  116

  (1,593)

  South Glamorgan

  1,103

  (906)

  2,654

  West Glamorgan

  101

  566

  2,430

  Source:

  Health authorities annual accounts.

  Notes:

  (i) 1993–94 figures are provisional.

  (ii) Figures in bracket indicate deficits.

  Sea Fisheries Committee
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in relation to the setting up of a unified sea fisheries committee structure for Wales

  Mr. Redwood
  Along with other interested parties I have received a paper prepared by the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee on options for the future structure of sea fisheries committees in Wales.

  Wrexham Maelor Hospital
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total cost of phase II of the Wrexham Maelor hospital, Wrexham.

  Mr. Richards
  The final construction cost of phase II of the Wrexham Maelor hospital was £21,035 million including fees and VAT.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the prime contractor and sub-contractors on phase II of the Wrexham Maelor hospital, Wrexham.

  Mr. Richards
  The main contractor for phase II of the Wrexham Maelor hospital development was Alfred McAlpine Building North and the only nominated sub-contractor was Evans Lifts Ltd. Additionally there were a substantial number of sub-contractors engaged by the main contractor.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those services that have been market tested by his Department and won by the private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  Mr. Redwood
  The following list covers the period October 1992 to date:

  Service

  Organisation

  Tender value

  Managing agents for building works

  Kirkham, Williams and Lewis of Newport, Gwent

  Not available. Fee based call-off contract.

  Staff training

  Training Services (Wales) Ltd. of Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan

  Total not available. Part call-off contract. Fee for three years non-call-off element £286,750, excluding VAT.

  Pigs
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what grant aid is available to pig producers in Wales to convert sow tether and stall accommodation.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  None. Producers have eight years from 1991 over which to spread these costs.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Farming
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many people were employed in the farming industry in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement about the unemployment rate among former farm workers.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 1 December 19941: a) The number of people employed in the farming industry in the United Kingdom at June in each of the last five years is shown in the table:

  Number of persons working on holdings in the United Kingdom—

  1989 to 1994—farmers, growers and workers

  Year

  Number

  1989

  646300

  1990

  644,600

  1991

  630,500

  1992

  624,400

  1993

  622,300

  19941

  615,600

  Notes:

  (a) Source: Agricultural and Horticultural June census.

  (b) Includes estimates for minor holdings in England, Wales and Northern Ireland but not for Scotland.

  (c) In England and Wales figures exclude School children but include trainees employed under an official youth training scheme and paid at agricultural wages board rates or above. In Scotland and Northern Ireland school children and all trainees are excluded.

  (d) Figures include farmers, growers, partners, directors, spouses, managers, regular and hired workers, seasonal and casual workers.

  1 Provisional figures only.

  The labour force survey conducted in spring 1994—this is a sample survey of 65,000 private households in the United Kingdom carried out every spring since 1984—showed that there are approximately 31,000 unemployed people in the United Kingdom who recorded their last occupation as farming. This represents an unemployment rate for this socio-economic grouping of 7 per cent., which is significantly lower than the equivalent rate for all socio-economic groupings in the United Kingdom which at this time was 10 per cent.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will set up a working group of officials from his Department and representatives of the fishing industry to review the burdens of existing legislation on fishermen as it relates to bureaucracy;

  (2) what representations he has received on deregulation relating to the burdens of bureaucracy on the fishing industry.

  Mr. Jack
  Following representations from the fishing industry, I secured last June a commitment from the
  521
  European Fisheries Commissioner that the Commission would examine how the body of regulation under the common fisheries policy could be simplified. We invited our industry to make suggestions for simplification but it has not yet been able to offer any. A meeting with the industry is now planned which I hope will be able to make some useful progress.

  Ostriches
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what current legislation exists to protect the welfare of ostriches at slaughter;

  (2) how many ostriches were slaughtered in each year since 1991;

  (3) what consideration he has given to introducing provisions to protect the welfare of ostriches at slaughter;

  (4) if he will make a statement on the welfare of ostriches at slaughter.

  Mrs. Browning
  The welfare of ostriches at slaughter is currently protected by the general provisions of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968 which make it an offence to cause unnecessary pain or unnecessary distress to livestock on agricultural land and the Protection of Animals Act 1911 which makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any domestic animal. New welfare at slaughter legislation to implement the EC slaughter directive will be introduced next year and will provide additional protection for ostriches when slaughtered.

  There is no commercial slaughter industry for ostriches at present in this country. Some small numbers will have been killed on farms since 1991 but no figures are available. Officers of the State Veterinary Service will monitor any developments in this area.

  Research and Development
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the projected expenditure by his Department on research and development in(a) 1994–95 and (b) 1995–96.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My Department's total research and development expenditure for 1994–95 and 1995–96 is estimated to be £136 million and £140 million respectively.

  Nitrates
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the cost of implementing nitrate-vulnerable zones in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Jack
  Farmers in nitrate-vulnerable zones will be affected in different ways, depending on such factors as the type of enterprise, stocking density and existing storage capacity for organic manure-for example, arable farmers who are already following good agricultural practice should incur no significant cost as a result of the rules which will apply in vulnerable zones. Some intensive livestock units may, however, incur costs through having to transport manure off farm, and provide additional storage during the closed period for the application of organic manure. Costs are being examined and a compliance cost assessment will be issued when the detailed draft action programme of measures is published in 1995.
  522
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the level of nitrate pollution in the River Stour in Essex and Suffolk; and what information he has about the state of the River Rhine in Germany.

  Mr. Jack
  Figures for nitrate pollution in the River Stour taken at Langham-the abstraction point used for drinking water purposes-for the 1992 calendar year are set out:

  1992

  Nitrate mg/l

  06 January

  30.88

  08 January

  33.05

  20 January

  49.17

  28 January

  41.64

  03 February

  48.73

  05 February

  47.40

  17 February

  38.36

  25 February

  36.77

  02 March

  33.36

  04 March

  34.38

  16 March

  32.69

  24 March

  31.81

  30 March

  77.08

  01 April

  88.60

  14 April

  27.60

  28 April

  33.05

  05 May

  27.55

  12 May

  25.03

  18 May

  18.03

  27 May

  17.01

  01 June

  15.24

  03 June

  15.24

  15 June

  17.19

  23 June

  14.00

  29 June

  5.89

  08 July

  12.36

  13 July

  11.03

  21 July

  17.81

  27 July

  13.51

  05 August

  13.29

  10 August

  13.07

  18 August

  16.57

  24 August

  9.88

  09 September

  14.09

  14 September

  14.57

  22 September

  19.71

  28 September

  44.30

  07 October

  45.19

  12 October

  42.00

  20 October

  32.29

  27 October

  55.38

  04 November

  47.84

  09 November

  40.71

  17 November

  57.15

  23 November

  54.93

  02 December

  62.02

  07 December

  58.03

  15 December

  61.58

  With the Stour exceeding the nitrate parameter of 50 mg/litre eight times out of the 48 samples taken at the abstraction point, the river is considered a polluted water under the terms of the EC nitrate directive and the Nayland nitrate vulnerable zone has been proposed on this basis. We have no detailed information of the nitrate

  523
  pollution in the River Rhine. However, Germany is expected to designate its entire territory as a nitrate vulnerable zone.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list(a) the distribution by

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  October

  November

  December

  1987

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  2

  4

  3

  9

  1988

  6

  4

  4

  2

  3

  9

  24

  86

  106

  102

  56

  66

  1989

  24

  18

  17

  11

  8

  8

  13

  16

  13

  11

  2

  —

  The following tables are of the animals in the cohort study confirmed to have BSE, sorted into six-monthly periods by date of clinical onset and giving details of

  1987–88

  Period

  September

  October

  November

  December

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  July-December 1991

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  January-June 1992

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  July-December 1992

  —

  1

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  January-June 1993

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  July-December 1993

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  January-June 1994

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  July-December 1994

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  1

  2

  1

  5

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  6

  1988–89

  Period

  September

  October

  November

  December

  January

  February

  March

  April

  Total

  July-December 91

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  January-June 92

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  July-December 92

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8

  January-June 93

  2

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  July-December 93

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  January-June 94

  —

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  8

  July-December 94

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  Total

  5

  5

  2

  3

  0

  0

  0

  1

  133

  1 Total for September 1987—April 1989.

  Horticultural Survey
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the cost to date of the study of the horticultural sector initiated in October 1993.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 7 December 1994]: In addition to my own time, and that of my small team of industry advisors, given without charge, I was assisted on an ad hoc basis by a grade 7 official from our horticulture division. The costs, including staff time and travel costs, amounted to about £12,000. As part of the project, we also contributed £10,000 to the Fresh Produce Consortium/Strathclyde university study on the future of the wholesale markets.

TRANSPORT

  Vehicle Licensing
  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for introducing continuous licensing for 524
  month of the dates of birth of each animal in the BSE cohort study and (b) the date of birth of each animal that has been confirmed with BSE in each six-monthly period from the start of the cohort study.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The following is a table, by month and year of birth, of the number of animals in the cohort study:

  month and year of birth. It is not known how many of the confirmed cases are offspring and how many are controls as the study is being carried out blind:

  commercial vehicles and heavy goods vehicles to mitigate problems of illegal operation.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government have no plans to introduce continuous licensing for goods vehicles in excess of 3.5 tonnes. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has, however, announced his intention to introduce a number of other measures for goods vehicles—including clarifying their definition and weight, and reducing the number of concessionary classes—which will help to reduce evasion.

  M11 Link Road
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total cost to his Department and the Highways Agency(a) to occupy the premises in Claremont road, Leytonstone and (b) for the security and associated costs of the M11 link road project as a whole; if he will break this expenditure down into its main components; and if he will indicate the extent of the continuing cost.
  525
  Mr. Norris
  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. Harry Cohen, dated 12 December 1994:
  I have been asked to write to you in response to your Parliamentary Question about the costs of occupying Claremont Road and security costs for the Al2 Hackney Wick to M11 Link Road as a whole, since these are operational matters for the Highways Agency.
  We estimate the cost to the Agency of last weeks operation at Claremont Road at about £1 million.
  The protestors' action also meant that we were unable to salvage valuable materials from the properties, which had to be rapidly demolished and the resultant rubble carted away to the tip at a cost of £100,000.
  The total for other security and associated costs for the whole Link Road project since construction began in September 1993 is about £3 million for security staff costs, together with £185,000 paid in fees to Brays Detective Agency and legal costs of about £180,000.
  Levels of security are geared to the perceived likelihood of protest action involving trespass on to sites. If current levels are maintained, expenditure on security staff would be about £500,000 per month. The situation is, however, monitored all the time and if the activity of protestors diminishes, as it now should, this expenditure could, in turn, be reduced. Similarly expenditure on Brays Detective Agency, currently about £25,000 per month, will be reviewed but there remains continuing involvement for them with injunction proceedings at least until the end of January 1995.
  Legal costs in this connection will run at about £4,000 per month, but this figure could be higher dependent upon the number and length of Court hearings, which are unpredictable at present.

  Eastern European Fishing Vessels
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current estimate of the number of former eastern bloc fishing vessels in United Kingdom waters within the harbour limits of Lerwick; in each case how many are klondykers; what assessment he has made of the implications for safety of life at sea arising from such vessels; and if he will make a statement.

  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. Bradley to Ms Joan Walley, dated 12 December 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of former eastern bloc fishing vessels within the harbour limits of Lerwick.
  The number of fishing vessels within the harbour limits fluctuates daily in response to changes in weather conditions and the location of the fish shoals. At midday on Tuesday 6 December there were 59 former eastern bloc fishing vessels in Lerwick harbour, all of which are considered to be klondykers. Each of these klondykers has been inspected by surveyors from the Marine Safety Agency (MSA) since the second inspection campaign began in July 1994.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which vessels from the former eastern bloc have been subjected to port state control within the last 18 months; which vessels were klondykers; and if he will give the date and details of the inspections.

  Mr. Norris
  This is an operational matter for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
  526
  Letter from R Bradley to Ms Joan Walley, dated 12 December 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Question about the port state control inspections carried out on vessels from the former eastern bloc.

  During the past 18 months, ships from the following former eastern bloc countries have been inspected:

  Country

  Number of inspections of klondykers

  Number of inspections of other ships

  Total number of port state inspections

  Azerbaijan

  —

  1

  1

  Bulgaria

  14

  15

  29

  Croatia

  —

  4

  4

  Czechia

  —

  5

  5

  Estonia

  4

  9

  13

  Georgia

  —

  5

  5

  Latvia

  19

  23

  42

  Lithuania

  11

  18

  29

  Poland

  1

  48

  49

  Romania

  —

  11

  11

  Russia

  132

  227

  359

  Ukraine

  9

  40

  49

  The Marine Safety Agency publishes monthly a report of ships which have been detained in United Kingdom ports. Full details of former eastern bloc ships inspected and detained since June 1994, when publication began, can be found in these reports.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will request his shipping Minister to include in his visit to Shetland a visit to Lerwick harbour to assess the implications for safe shipping, search and rescue and marine pollution from former eastern bloc-owned klondykers.

  Mr. Norris
  My noble Friend the Minister for Aviation and Shipping visited the Shetland islands on 4 November 1994. His visit included an informative and useful discussion with the chief executive and chairman of the Lerwick harbour trust, as well as providing an opportunity to see at first hand the problems posed by the klondykers.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what joint discussions he has held with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Scottish Office to resolve any problems arising from the klondyker fleet.

  Mr. Norris
  My noble Friend the Minister for Aviation and Shipping met my hon. Friend the Minster with responsibility for agriculture and the environment at the Scottish Office on 31 October to agree a joint approach to tackling the problems arising from the klondyker fleet. The Scottish Office will be consulting on proposals to limit the numbers of fish transshipment licences and to introduce an advance notice requirement for licence applications. In addition, my officials have had several meetings with their counterparts in the Scottish Office, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Our Departments are working together to produce a further consultation paper on additional measures which could be taken to ensure adequate standards of safety and insurance on these ships.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to establish whether vessels from the former eastern bloc anchored within United Kingdom waters are fully insured.

  Mr. Norris
  Only oil tankers are required to carry proof of adequate liability insurance. The Marine Safety Agency's inspections of foreign fish factory ships have therefore not included a check of insurance documents.
  527
  There is, however, clear evidence that few, if any, of these ships carry adequate insurance.

  Energy Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total expenditure on energy for offices and buildings by(a) his Department and (b) his agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Norris
  The figures are as follows:

  (a)Department of Transport Total

  199–93£

  1993–94£

  1994–95£

  4,455,870

  4,379,338

  4,377,023

  (b) Executive agencies total

  3,937,470

  3,950,681

  3,748,965

  The figures for 1992–93 and 1993–94 include agencies created at the start of 1994–95.

  Donaldson Report
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when and how he proposes to implement each of the recommendations of the Donaldson report.

  Mr. Norris
  I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris) on 29 November Official Report, columns 657–59.

  Vehicle Inspectorate
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the roadside enforcement activities of the vehicle inspectorate between April and September 1994; how many people were employed; and how many prohibition notices were issued to(a) heavy and light goods vehicles, (b) buses and (c) coaches.

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

  Letter from R. Oliver to Ms Joan Walley, dated 12 December 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about roadside enforcement activities at the Vehicle Inspectorate.
  The Vehicle Inspectorate employed, on average, 237 Vehicle Examiners and 164 Traffic Examiners on its roadside enforcement activities between April and September 1994.
  I attach a table (Annex A) which shows the number of prohibition notices issued for the same period.
  If you have any further questions about these data please contact me.

  Number of prohibition notices issued by VI from April to September 1994

  HGV

  PSV

  LGV

  Total

  Roadworthiness

  Enforcement

  11,996

  1,706

  1,552

  15,254

  Traffic Enforcement

  2,658

  47

  227

  2,932

  Total

  14,654

  1,753

  1,779

  18,186

  Notes:

  i. Roadworthiness Enforcement includes all prohibitions, although some of the inspections may not have taken place at the roadside.
  528
  ii. Traffic Enforcement includes all over weight prohibitions issued, including those issued at port checks, and foreign vehicle prohibitions for drivers' hours offences.

  iii. We have used the Inspectorate's standard definitions—Heavy Goods Vehicles, Public Service Vehicles and Light Goods Vehicles. We are not able to break down these groups further—for instance between buses and coaches.

  Great Central Railway
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much is owed by the Highways Agency to the Great Central Railway in respect of work carried out at(a) Thurcaston on the A6 and (b) on the same road between Loughborough and Quorn; and when these payments will be made.

  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. Mike Hall, dated 12 December 1994:
  I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about monies owed by the Highways Agency to the Great Central Railway in respect of work carried out on the A6 at Thurcaston and between Loughborough and Quorn.
  The only outstanding payment is a further advance of £13,500, plus interest, in respect of compensation for the works at Thurcaston. The payment is being processed and will complete the 90 per cent. advance payment of compensation required by the Land Compensation Act. The balance, with interest, will be paid as soon as final settlement is reached.

  Motorway Cleaning
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how motorway cleaning is funded; and what is its annual cost;

  (2) how often the M1 in Northamptonshire is cleaned.

  Mr. Watts
  These are operational matters for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. James Pausey, dated 12 December 1994:
  The Minister for Railways and Roads has asked me to answer your questions to the Secretary of State about motorway cleaning.
  The Highways Agency is responsible for ensuring trunk motorways are kept clean in accordance with a statutory Code of Practice issued under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. We spend some £5 millions annually from our maintenance budget on litter clearance, sweeping, grass cutting and other associated cleansing activities. In addition, regular safety patrols are undertaken to check, amongst other things, for hazardous debris.
  In Northamptonshire, the County Council is our Agent Authority for this maintenance work. Daily safety inspections are carried out on the M1. Any debris causing a safety hazard to road users is removed as quickly as possible—usually immediately. The presence of litter on the verges and side slopes is noted and cleared as soon as possible. The hard shoulder is swept mechanically every 8–10 weeks. Because of the dangers inherent in gaining access to the central reserve, and the disruption to traffic, cleaning there is undertaken in conjunction with routine or emergency maintenance operations to meet the standards of the Environmental Protection Act.

  Road Accidents
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road accidents occurred where bus
  529
  lanes and pedestrian crossings meet in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Norris
  The required information is not available.

  Radioisotopes
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many transportation licences his Department has issued for the import of radioisotopes from the Russian Federation in each year since 1992.

  Mr. Norris
  None. The Department issues package design approvals for the safe transport of radioactive material. Import licences are issued by the Department of Trade and Industry.

  Channel Tunnel Freight Trains
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he is having and with whom about the channel tunnel freight trains and the possible effects this service will have on the local environment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Watts
  I have met some hon. Members for constituencies traversed by channel tunnel freight trains. I am visiting the West London line on 15 December. A demonstration of new electric locomotives and new rolling stock will be arranged in the new year.

  Noise Pollution
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement concerning potential similar cases arising from building the A46–47 link road and the eastern district distribution road in Leicester following the recent Court of Appeal decision to allow Colonel David Owen full compensation for the noise blight which has devalued his home; and what assessment he has made of the effects of potential claims for blight and the rise in costs on the continued viability of the A46–A47 link road and the EDDR.

  Mr. Watts
  The right to compensation where an interest in land is depreciated by noise from the use of a new or improved highway is set out in part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973. In addition section 246 of the Highways Act 1980 provides highway authorities with a discretionary power to acquire by agreement land to mitigate the adverse effects of constructing or improving a highway.

  The A46–A47 link road and the EDDR are roads for which Leicestershire county council is the highway authority. I am advised that the county council does not exercise its discretionary powers in respect of the purchase of properties. Information about the cost of these local road schemes can be obtained from the county council.

  Highways Agency
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what public service standard he has set the Highways Agency in terms of response times of reaction to telephoned or written queries from local authorities and members of the general public.
  530
  Mr. Watts
  Standards for dealing with correspondence are set out in the Highways Agency's business plan. The agency is required to reply to all correspondence within 15 working days of receipt.

  Age Concern
  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from Age Concern as part of its 1994 annual campaign on transport and mobility; what other representations he has received; and what action his Department has taken to implement the recommendations of the campaigns.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department has worked closely with Age Concern at national and regional level throughout the year. Ministers and officials have taken part in Age Concern conferences. These have provided an opportunity to hear at first hand the concerns of older people and to work with them in developing appropriate solutions.

  We will continue to give priority to meeting the needs of older people as public transport users, pedestrians and motorists.

  European Year of Older People
  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contribution his Department has made in 1994 to follow up the European Year of Older People and Solidarity between Generations in 1993.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department has, through conducting research and issuing guidelines and advice to local authorities, manufacturers, operators and individuals, continued to develop and promote solutions to the problems faced by older people as public transport users, pedestrians and motorists.

  Tyres
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that part-worn tyres imported into the United Kingdom for resale meet the standards required by British law.

  Mr. Norris
  Further to the answer I gave on 18 November,Official Report, column 119, the measure which applies to both domestic and imported tyres was laid in Parliament on 8 December 1994.

  Rolling Stock Leasing Companies
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to ensure that the rolling stock leasing companies which remain in the public sector have sufficient passenger train stock to meet the demands of Regional Railways Central in the summer peak of 1995; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Watts
  The three rolling-stock leasing companies own almost the whole British Rail passenger fleet. I am not aware of any prospective shortfall of trains to be leased to the central train operating unit in summer 1995.

  Railtrack
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when Railtrack will publish its 10-year plan for the railway industry; and who will undertake this role after Railtrack has been privatised.
  531
  Mr. Watts
  Railtrack will publish its first 10-year investment plan next year. It will continue to be required under the terms of its network operator's licence to do so annually after privatisation.

  Rail Investment
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the forecast level of investment for(a) Railtrack, (b) BR and (c) European passenger services for 1995–96; and if he will indicate under each heading how much of this expenditure is committed to projects already authorised and how much is available for investment in projects not yet authorised.

  Mr. Watts
  Overall investment in the railway industry in 1995–96 is expected to be of the order of £1 billion, of which around a quarter will be financed by the private sector. A detailed breakdown will not be available until the individual budgets have been settled.

  Rail Finance
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what grant will be payable to the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising in respect of support for passenger services in 1995–96;

  (2) what the external financing limits will be for (a) BR and (b) Railtrack in 1995–96.

  Mr. Watts
  The 1995–96 external finance limits for BR and Railtrack, and support to passenger services, will be set out in the "Transport Report 1995".

  Road Safety
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the cost of the present publicity programme "Kill your Speed, Not a Child".

  Mr. Norris
  Some £2.65 million.

  Public Transport (Definition)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the definition of public transport used by his Department.

  Mr. Watts
  Any form of domestic passenger service by road, rail, air or water which is available for use by the public at large in return for the payment of a fare.

  Air Traffic Control
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions the Scottish air traffic control centre has been overloaded by excessive flights over the past five years.

  Mr. Norris
  Before 1993 if air traffic controllers considered that their workload on their sector had become too high they could submit a report which was investigated by both the unit management and the safety data analysis unit at Gatwick. The figures in Scotland for the period 1989 to 1992 were:

  1 sector incident in 1989

  4 sector incident in 1990

  2 sector incident in 1991

  1 sector incident in 1992

  In 1993, a new recording system was introduced which cannot be directly compared with the previous system.
  532
  There were 13 investigations in 1993 and 10 investigations so far in 1994.

  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what method is used to deal with excess flight pressure on the air traffic control system; and how many times this has been used in the past five years.

  Mr. Norris
  Within the United Kingdom, National Air Traffic Services establishes a flow rate for each sector of air space which takes into account air traffic controller manning. In order to prevent air traffic control demand exceeding the agreed level in United Kingdom air space the London flow management unit, situated at Heathrow, applies departure and flow restrictions measures. Such measures are designed to ensure that safety is not compromised and are applied throughout the busy times of the day.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those services that have been market-tested by his Department and won by the private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  Mr. Norris
  Items in the Department's "Competing for Quality" programmes which have resulted in contracts being let to the private sector are listed.

  Item

  Contractor(s)

  Annual value (£ million, excluding VAT)

  IT and facilities management

  EDS

  13.895(a)

  Computer bureau facilities

  Digital

  0.238

  Distribution services

  Eros Marketing Support, HMSO (b)

  0.146

  Stationery supplies

  Dudley Stationery

  0.300

  Book and periodical procurement

  Dawsons, HMSO (b)

  0.346 (c)

  Office machinery

  AM International, Highway Business Systems, Dahle, Berrys of Holborn, HMSO (b)

  0.129

  Vehicle Certification Agency: microfilming, data storage and reprographics

  REM Office Systems— Bristol

  0.015

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency forms design

  Claydon Heeley

  0.080

  Vehicle Inspectorate: I strategy support

  EDS

  0.240

  Vehicle Inspectorate: roller brake testing maintenance

  VL Test Systems

  0.265

  533

  Item

  Contractor(s)

  Annual value (£ million, excluding VAT)

  Vehicle Inspectorate: weighbridge maintenance

  Metler Toledo

  0.220

  Coastguard property management

  HSB Partnership, Povall-Worthington, Bell Ingram, W S Atkins

  0.440

  Road Workers (Injuries)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department has of injuries to workers on(a) motorways, (b) other trunk roads and (c) other roads during each of the last five years involved in (i) construction, (ii) repairs and (iii) cleaning; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Health and Safety Executive does not record information on injuries to road workers in the form requested.

  The table shows the number of injuries to workers while carrying out road surfacing work and highway maintenance for the last five years:

  Injuries to workers1 arising from surfacing and highway maintenance work as reported to the Health and Safety Executive's Field Operations Division 1989–90 to 1993–94—provisional

  Year

  Fatal

  Surfacing3 Major5

  Over 3 days5

  Total

  1989–90

  7

  133

  1,613

  1,753

  1990–91

  6

  109

  1,464

  1,579

  1991–92

  4

  92

  1,219

  1,315

  1992–93

  7

  95

  981

  1,083

  1993–97

  4

  105

  744

  853

  Year (b)

  Highway Maintenance4 Fatal

  Major5

  Over 3 days6

  Total

  1989–90

  1

  37

  1588

  1626

  1990–91

  1

  68

  1467

  1536

  1991–92

  —

  51

  1198

  1249

  1992–93

  3

  53

  926

  982

  1993–947

  —

  42

  814

  856

  1 Employees and self-employed people.

  2 Years commencing I April.

  3 Includes road building and repair.

  4 Includes street cleaning, maintenance of street furniture and gritting, etcetera.

  5 As defined under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 and are chiefly amputations, serious fractures and other injuries causing hospitalisation for more than 24 hours.

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

  7 Provisional.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Family Benefits
  Mr. Wicks
  To ask the Secretary of state for Social Security how many families have been eligible for, and what has been the cost to public funds of,(a) family income supplement and (b) family credit since their introduction.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Information is not available on the total numbers eligible for the two benefits.

  The table provides details of the number of families receiving either family income supplement or family credit in each year since 1971 and the benefit expenditure for each financial year.

  Financial year

  Families in receipt2 000's

  Cost3 £ million

  Family Income Supplement (FIS)1

  1971–72

  55

  4

  1972–73

  92

  10

  1973–74

  106

  13

  1974–75

  79

  12

  1975–76

  63

  12

  1976–77

  71

  18

  1977–78

  81

  25

  1978–79

  89

  24

  1979–80

  74

  27

  1980–81

  89

  42

  1981–82

  124

  66

  1982–83

  158

  94

  1983–84

  204

  123

  1984–85

  207

  126

  1985–86

  201

  130

  1986–87

  220

  161

  1987–88

  224

  180

  Family Credit1

  1988–89

  281

  394

  1989–90

  319

  425

  1990–91

  327

  494

  1991–92

  353

  626

  1992–93

  448

  929

  1993–94

  515

  1,091

  Notes:

  1 Family Income Supplement was introduced in August 1971 and replaced by family credit in April 1988.

  2 Source:

  —for 1971–72 to 1973–74 based on a 20 per cent. sample of awards.

  —for 1974–75 to 1987–88 based on a 10 per cent. sample of awards.

  —for 1988–89 to 1993–94 based on a 5 per cent. sample of awards.

  Figures given are for September in each financial year with the exception of 1987–88 where the figure is for October.

  3 Source:

  Various editions of the public expenditure White Paper and departmental report.

  Energy Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total expenditure on energy for offices and buildings by(a) his Department

  535
  and (b) his agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Burt
  The available information is in the tables.

  Year

  £

  DSS Total

  1991–92

  14,213,000

  1992–9293

  15,600,000

  1993–9294

  16,121,000

  Benefits Agency

  1991–9292

  10,799,109

  1992–9293

  11,788,296

  1993–9294

  10,412,815

  Contributions Agency

  1991–9292

  2Not applicable

  1992–9293

  Not applicable

  1993–9294

  1,483,226

  Information Technology Services Agency

  1991–9292

  2,901,788

  1992–9293

  3,126,456

  1993–9294

  3,094,726

  Resettlement Agency

  1991–9292

  512,103

  1992–9293

  340,360

  1993–9294

  305,808

  Child Support Agency

  1993–9294

  448,425

  DSS (HQ)

  1991–9292

  1Not applicable

  1992–9293

  344,888

  1993–9294

  376,000

  Notes:

  A number of the agencies which form the Department have not been in existence for three years.

  1 In the year 1991–92 the DSS—HQ—was not responsible for payment of energy costs, therefore details are not held by the Department.

  2 The Contributions Agency was not responsible for energy costs in the years 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Policy measure

  Benefit expenditure effect in 1996–97 £ million

  Benefit expenditure effect in 1997–98 £ million

  Relevant clause(s) in Jobseekers Bill

  Contributory entitlement six months

  -70

  -180

  Clause 5(1)

  No Adult Dependency Increases in contributory benefit

  -10

  -20

  Clause 4(1) and Schedule 2(20)

  Unified rates of benefit: effect on 18–24 year old claimants

  -20

  -30

  Clause 4(1)

  Treatment of income from occupational and personal pensions

  -10

  -10

  Clause 4(1) and Schedule 1(7)

  Waiting days in income-based JSA

  -40

  -40

  Schedule 1(4)

  Anti-fraud measures

  -10

  -10

  Clause 27 and 28

  Benefit sanctions

  -10

  -10

  Clauses 15 and 16

  Treatment of earnings: disregard £10 per week per couple; partners may work up to 24 hours

  +20

  +20

  Clauses 3(1), 4, 9 and 10

  Net effect

  +140

  -270

  Notes:

  1. Assumes 2.4 million unemployed; 500,000 unemployment benefit cases; inflow into claimant unemployment of 3.8 million.

  2. All estimates rounded to nearest £10 million.

  3. Figures may not sum due to rounding.

  4. Estimates in cash prices.

  5. Excludes measures related to back to work bonus and national insurance contribution rebate.

  6. Benefit sanction estimates are net of hardship payments.

  7. Estimates are net of any effects in other benefits.

  8. Based on 1993 annual statistical inquiry, 1993 and 1994 unemployment benefit statistics, 1993–94 adjudication officer statistics and the policy simulation model using 1990–91–92 family expenditure data.

  9. The estimated effects relating to adult dependency increases unified rates assume contributory entitlement lasts six months.

  Benefit savings are also likely to arise from aligning the treatment of earnings for contributory claimants with that for income-based claimants. Further information is currently being collected to allow this to be assessed.

  Jobseekers Bill
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the elements of the Jobseekers Bill which promote the assistance of persons without a settled way of life.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Clause 25 in the Bill allows the Resettlement Agency to complete its task of disengaging the Government from the running of resettlement units by funding more appropriate provision provided by voluntary organisations, local authorities or private organisations.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy in respect of people who make themselves voluntarily unemployed or who refuse job vacancies continuing to receive automatic hardship payments under the allowance.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Sanctioned claimants will not receive automatic benefit payments under the jobseeker's allowance. Claimants who are not in vulnerable groups will receive no benefit for the first two weeks of a sanction; thereafter, they may receive hardship payments at a reduced rate if they can demonstrate that they or their partner would otherwise suffer hardship. Claimants in vulnerable groups—those with children, who are sick or pregnant or have a sick or pregnant partner, or who have caring responsibilities—may have access to hardship payments throughout the period of the sanction.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much of the expected reduction in expenditure on benefits of around £140 million in 1996–97 and £270 million in 1997–98 as a result of the introduction of the jobseekers allowance will arise from each clause of the Jobseekers Bill

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is set out in the table. Estimates do not take account of tax or behavioural effects.
  537
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his assessment of the number of people who will give up work as a result of their unemployed partners being eligible for non-means-tested benefit for only six months instead of 12 months under the jobseekers allowance.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Of the 165,000 people estimated to lose entitlement to contribution-based jobseekers allowance as a result of the length of contributory entitlement being reduced to six months, 55,000 are estimated to have partners with earnings. It is not possible to provide an estimate of the number of these partners who may decide to give up work once contributory benefit is lost. However, any such effect is likely to be small as most couples in this position will be substantially better off with one partner in work than with neither.

  We will also be introducing measures which are designed to encourage the partners of jobseekers allowance and income support claimants to remain in work, including increasing the partner's hours threshold from 16 to 24 hours, and introducing the back to work bonus.

  Notes:
  Estimated using the policy simulation model with 1990–91–92 family expenditure survey data and the 1993 and 1994 unemployment benefit statistics.
  All estimates rounded to the nearest 5,000.

  Youth Aid and Barnardo's Report
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what response he has made to the Youth Aid and Barnardo's report of 1993, a copy of which has been sent to him.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Since publication of the report, we have substantially improved access to youth training; the number of young people awaiting a youth training place for eight weeks or more has dropped significantly to around 2,400. Our policy remains one of encouraging young people to take up education, work or training, not dependency on benefits, although income support remains available to young people at risk of severe hardship.

  National Insurance
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women in the United Kingdom were still paying the reduced married women's national insurance contributions in 1993–94 at the latest available date.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Broadgreen (Mrs. Kennedy) on 21 October,Official Report, column 381. Information regarding 1993–94 is not yet complete.

  Habitual Residency Test
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what additional resources or training has been given to local Benefits Agency staff to implement decisions under the habitual residency test; and what safeguards exist to ensure the test is not applied in a racially discriminatory way.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
  538
  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Max Madden, dated 9 December 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the introduction of the habitual residence test.
  An allocation of £800,000 has been distributed among Benefits Agency (BA) District offices and the need for any additional resources is being kept under review as management information is collected about the impact of the new procedures.
  Prior to the introduction of the test, self instruction training material was produced by the BA in conjunction with staff from the office of the Chief Adjudication Officer. This material set out the requirements imposed by the test and was issued to Managers of all local BA offices. Managers are responsible for deciding who amongst their staff should receive the training.
  The BA is committed to equal opportunities and has published an equal opportunities policy statement which makes it clear that no form of discrimination, whether against customers or staff by customers or staff, will be tolerated. This policy statement has been implemented through local action plans that are regularly monitored. Any complaints or suggestions of discrimination will always be treated seriously and immediately investigated by management. In addition, the Chief Adjudication Officer's staff are currently conducting a monitoring exercise to confirm uniformity in the application of the test and decision making throughout the country and as a part of this exercise will this month hold seminars with local Adjudication Officers.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Information Technology
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the bid by Computer Sciences Corporation to take over the day-to-day running of the information technology operations and support services of the Information Technology Services Agency.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The deadline for initial bids for this procurement was 12pm on 2 December 1994. No bid had been received from Computer Sciences Corporation by this deadline.

  Divorce Settlements
  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to be able to make a statement to the House regarding clean-break divorce financial settlements for wives and children.

  Mr. Burt
  The Government are aware of the concerns about the treatment of clean-break settlements in the child support arrangements. We have been conducting our own review of the child support system and are now considering carefully the recent report of the Social Security Select Committee. We will respond with proposals for policy changes in due course.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will now summarise in a report to the House the responses to his consultation paper on the Government's proposals in regard to discrimination against disabled people, or place a summarised version of the responses in the Library.

  Mr. Hague
  I intend to publish an analysis of the responses when it is available. Copies will be placed in the Library.
  539
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will make it his policy to draft his proposed Bill on discrimination against disabled people in such a way that its scope will not prevent any attempt to substitute a disability rights commission, with the powers provided for by the Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill, for the proposed National Disability Council;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to draft the money resolution for his proposed Bill on discrimination against disabled people in such a way as not to preclude amendments to substitute a Disability Rights Commission, with the powers provided for by the Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill, for the proposed National Disability Council.

  Mr. Hague
  We are in the process of drafting the Bill. The Bill's scope and the money resolution will depend on the final contents. It is not our intention to draft the Bill in such a way as to rule out full discussion of this issue.

  Pensions
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the amount of the normal uprating in April 1995 for(a) a single pensioner not on income support, (b) a pensioner couple not on income support, (c) a single pensioner on income support, (d) a pensioner couple on income support and alongside set out the money over and above that uprating for VAT home heating compensation.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 8 December to my hon. Friend the Member for Thanet, North (Mr Gale),Official Report, column 376.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list those services that have been market-tested by his Department and won by the private sector, indicating the organisation that won the tender and its value.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The information requested by the hon. Member is published in the "Market Testing Bulletin", copies of which are held in the Library.

  Project

  Value £ million

  Successful tenderer

  ITSA Audit

  1.2

  CSL Ltd

  HQ A and OS Facilities Management

  0.68

  TFM (Granada)

  CA Cleaning

  0.73

  ISS Contract Cleaning Ltd

  BA Storage Archives

  0.46

  Britannia Data Management

  ITSA ACC1 Livingston

  6.1

  ISSC

  BA Publishing

  4.08

  Management Employee Buyout

  BA A and OS Wales & Central AD3

  1.39

  Group 4

  BA Storage Printed Materials

  2.56

  HMSO

  BA A and OS Longbenton

  0.86

  Manpower plc

  BA A and OS Wales & Central AD2

  1.28

  Procord Ltd

  BA A and OS Wales & Central AD3

  0.59

  Turner & Townsend FM

  BA A and OS Southern AD7

  2.25

  BET Facilities Management

  BAA and OS SAD1

  2.07

  Group 4

  540

  Project

  Value £ million

  Successful tenderer

  ITSA Security Guarding

  0.42

  Wakenhut UK

  BA A and OS Southern AD4

  5.13

  Haden Facilities Management

  BA A and OS Wales & Central AD2

  1.26

  BET Facilities Management

  BA A and OS Southern AD2

  5.07

  BET Facilities Management

  BA A and OS Wales & Central AD5

  2.63

  Procord Ltd

  BA A and OS Southern AD5

  4.82

  Serco Ltd

  BA A and OS Wales & Central AD7

  3.88

  BET Facilities Management

  BA A and OS Wales & Central AD2

  1.32

  BET Facilities Management

  BA A and OS Southern AD7

  1.51

  BET Facilities Management

  BA A and OS Southern ADI

  1.09

  Group 4

  BA A and OS Scotland & Northern AD1

  0.83

  Mowlem Facilities Management

  BA A and OS Wales & Central AD1

  0.72

  Mowlem Facilities Management

  BA A and OS Wales & Central AD1

  0.18

  Reliance Security Services

  BA A and OS Scotland & Northern AD2

  3.6

  BET Facilities Management

  BA A and OS Wales & Central AD6

  0.77

  Turner & Townsend FM

  BA A and OS Quarry House Facilities Management

  10.84

  TFM Granada

  BA A and OS Quarry House Word Processing

  Manpower

  BA A and OS Quarry House Office Support

  Manpower

  BA A and OS Quarry House Security

  Centuryan

  BA A and OS Quarry House maintenance

  Crown House AMT

  BA Training Wales & Central AD1

  212.48

  Group 4

  BA Training Wales & Central AD2

  Group 4

  BA Training Wales & Central AD3

  Group 4

  BA Training Wales & Central AD5

  City College Manchester

  BA Training Wales & Central AD6

  City College Manchester

  BA Training Southern AD4

  Plymouth College

  1 The cost of the service that went out to tender for the Quarry house contracts cannot be broken down into individual contracts as this is a notional figure.

  2 Due to the nature of the market test BA Training was submitted to, much of the information cannot be obtained at contract level, having been calculated on a national level at the time. The value of £12.48 million therefore includes the 16 in-house wins.

  VAT (Fuel)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much compensation towards the
  541
  extra cost of value added tax on domestic fuel there will be within the benefit rates from next April for pensioners and disabled people.

  Mr. Lilley
  Average amounts of compensation are shown in the table. Fuel prices have fallen in real terms over the last two years inclusive of VAT. Pensioners and disabled people should therefore have experienced gains in addition to those due to VAT compensation next year exceeding the impact of eight per cent. VAT on average fuel bills.

  VAT: 8 per cent, of estimated average fuel bill, for each group of recipients, in 1995–96 —per week £

  Compensation in 1995–96—per week. (includes amounts added into benefit rates in 1994–95 and 1995–96) £

  Pensioners1

  0.85

  0.90

  Disabled people2

  0.90

  1.00

  1 The average of VAT and compensation for all single people over pension age, and all couples where the head of the couple is over pension age.

  2The average of VAT and compensation for all single disabled people, and all couples where at least one person in the couple is disabled.

  Note:

  Modelled using the 1990–91–92 family expenditure surveys, uprated to 1995–96 levels. Amounts of VAT and compensation are calculated at benefit unit level. Estimates of VAT for pensioners are similar—within 5p—to those produced by Age Concern from the 1993 family expenditure survey.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the changes to his proposals, consequent upon the decision not to proceed with the second phase of value added tax on domestic fuel following his annual review of national insurance contributions.

  Mr. Lilley
  The revised contribution rates and thresholds are in the table.

  CLASS 1

  Lower Earnings Limit1 £58 a week

  Upper Earnings Limit £440 a week

  Employees contributions2

  Initial rate 2 per cent.—on earnings up to the LEL

  Main rate 10 per cent. —on earnings between the LEL and UEL

  542
  Employer contributions2

  Weekly earnings

  Contribution rate

  £58-£104.99

  3 per cent.

  £105-£149.99

  5 per cent.

  £150-£204.99

  7 per cent.

  £205 and over

  10.2 per cent.

  CLASS 2

  Self employed rate1 £5.75 a week

  Limit of net earnings for exception from

  Class 2 liability1 £3,260 a year

  CLASS 3

  Voluntary contributions rate £5.75 a week

  CLASS 4

  Lower Profits Limit £6,640

  Upper Profits Limit £22,880

  Contribution rate 7.3 per cent.

  Note:

  1 Revised in light of the decision not to proceed with the second phase of VAT. 2 Not contracted-out rates shown. A contracted-out rebate of 3 per cent. for employers and 1.8 per cent. for employees applies to earnings between the lower earnings limit and the upper earnings limit.

  Benefit Upratings
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost, in a full year, of full uprating of child dependency additions of all categories using their year of introduction as a base.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  [holding answer 5 December 1994]: The estimated net cost would be £90 million in 1994–95:

  Notes:

  1. The estimate has been calculated by:

  (i) taking the child dependency increase rate—CDI—for the eldest child payable in 1948, the year of introduction; then

  (ii) inflating that figure to take account of upratings from 1948 up to and including April 1994. The percentage rate of increase used is the same as that of personal retirement pension; then

  (iii) deducting the rates of child benefit payable from April 1994 to arrive at the rates that would apply for both the eldest child and subsequent children; then

  (iv) following conversion to an annual gross figure, applying an offsetting reduction on expenditure on income-related benefits.

  2. The estimate excludes the cost of restoring sickness benefit, maternity allowance and unemployment benefit CDIs, which were discounted with effect from November 1984.

  3. The estimate has been rounded to the nearest £5 million and should be treated with caution owing to small sample sizes.

  OVERSEAS AID
  OVERSEAS AID
  PERGAU DAM FUNDING
  PERGAU DAM FUNDING
  ST. DUNSTAN'S
  ST. DUNSTAN'S
  REFUGEES: NOTIFICATION TO UNHCR OF DETENTION IN CUSTODY
  REFUGEES: NOTIFICATION TO UNHCR OF DETENTION IN CUSTODY
  OVERSEAS DOMESTIC WORKERS
  OVERSEAS DOMESTIC WORKERS
  >BRITISH AEROSPACE: UNDERTAKINGS
  >BRITISH AEROSPACE: UNDERTAKINGS
  TRIDENT
  TRIDENT
  LEGAL AID ABROAD
  LEGAL AID ABROAD
  UNREGISTERED PHYSIOTHERAPISTS
  UNREGISTERED PHYSIOTHERAPISTS
  COT DEATHS
  COT DEATHS