Written Answers of 13 December 1994

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which of the appointments made to public bodies by his Department were advertised in the period from April 1992 to December 1993.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Four appointments to the Law Commission were advertised in the period from April 1992 to December 1993, although three of those appointed did not take up post until 1994.

  In addition, two vacancies for barristers on the Legal Aid Board were also advertised in Bar News, a publication distributed to all subscribing members of the Bar.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his Department's policy regarding the use of executive search consultants in making appointments to public bodies; and if he will list(a) the appointments where such consultants have been used and (b) the cost in each case in the period April 1992 to December 1993.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The use of executive search consultants is one of the recruitment options considered when making public appointments. Such consultants were not, however, used in the period in question.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which of the special advisers serving in his Department during the last five years were subject to positive security vetting.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor's Department has not employed any special advisers during the last five years.

  Magistrates Court Service
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he will announce the results of the review conducted by his Department and the magistrates courts service into the operation of the formula for allocating revenue grant to the magistrates courts service.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor has today completed his consideration of the proposals made by the working group, comprising representatives of the service and his Department, and of the representations made by the service regarding those proposals.

  The Lord Chancellor has concluded that the review has demonstrated that the current formula for revenue grant allocation, introduced on 1 April 1992, as set out in the answer given on 18 October 1991, Official Report, column 288, does not represent the best method of allocation. It does not adequately encourage local
  544
  managers to achieve the best value for money in their use of resources, while also reflecting the varying needs of magistrates courts committees. He, therefore, intends to allocate revenue grant in 1995–96, and in subsequent years, on the basis of a revised formula. The allocation formula will operate on the following basis:

  Per cent.

  Average expenditure outturn over the previous 5 years, expressed at constant prices

  45

  The annual estimate of general population produced by the Office of Population Census and Surveys

  10

  Completed weighted caseload, averaged over a 3, growing to 5, year rolling period

  35

  Fine enforcement averaged over a 2, growing to 5, year rolling period

  5

  Time taken to deal with triable either-way and indictable only cases, averaged over a 2, growing to 5, year rolling period

  5

  The Lord Chancellor intends, over the coming years, to reduce the areas of expenditure which are wholly or partially excluded from the cash limiting formula. In a number of instances this will be subject to further consideration, in conjunction with the service, of suitable alternative procedures. There are also a number of further matters he wishes his Department to consider. All of these will be subject to consultation with the service. Copies of a paper setting out the full details of the allocation formula to apply from 1995–96 onwards, the issues for further consideration and the allocations to apply for 1995–96 have been placed in the Library of the House and sent today to members of the Magistrates Courts Consultative Council, the clerks to all MCCs and the chief executives of all paying authorities.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Lord President of the Council which of the special advisers serving in his office during the last five years were subject to positive security vetting.

  Mr. Newton
  All special advisers are currently required to have positive vetting.

TRANSPORT

  Thames Transport
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conclusions the River Thames working group has reached from its study into transport on the Thames.

  Mr. Deva
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conclusions the River Thames working group has reached from its study into transport on the Thames.

  Mr. Norris
  The River Thames working group has now completed its work examining the potential for increasing
  545
  traffic on the River Thames and its report will be published tomorrow. The Thames is a unique river with its own special characteristics, opportunities and problems. The group has concluded that there is scope for increasing freight volumes and for improving tourist services and suggests what is needed to allow this to happen. I will place a copy of the report in the Library tomorrow.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the special advisers serving in his Department during the last five years were subject to positive security vetting.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  All special advisers are currently required to have positive vetting.

  Payment of Bills
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of invoices to his Department were paid within agreed terms or 30 days for the last financial year.

  Mr. Norris
  A total of 93.6 per cent.

  Buses (Wheelchair Accessibility)
  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance is given to bus and minibus manufacturers and operators by his Department on the provision of adequate restraint of wheelchairs in buses and minibuses, on the provision of seat belts to restrain wheelchair occupants and on the suitability of various types of wheelchair for carrying occupants in buses and minibuses; what information he has on the extent to which such guidance has been adopted by bus and minibus manufacturers; and what representations he has received with respect to amendments to any existing guidance or codes of practice covering the above issues.

  Mr. Norris
  Guidance is given in a code of practice entitled "The Safety of Passengers in Wheelchairs on Buses". This code of practice is used by vehicle inspectorate certifying officers when examining vehicles, designed for the carriage of passengers in wheelchairs, for public service vehicle certification. The code deals with the restraint of both wheelchairs and their occupants and takes account of the various types and sizes of wheelchair available, including those powered by electricity. The only deviation which has been allowed from the terms of the code is in respect of low-floor buses and we will review the recommendations of the code when trials on these buses are complete.

  Information on the extent to which manufacturers have taken up this guidance is not available but we are aware that, in addition to PSVs, local authorities and voluntary groups have adopted the recommendations of the code for vehicles which they operate.

  Research
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what sum was spent by his Department on research in each of the last 10 years; what percentage this was of the total annual budget; what is the research budget for the forthcoming year; what percentage this is of his total budget; and what additional new research is to be undertaken.
  546
  Mr. Norris
  The figures requested are given in the following table:

  Year

  Net research expenditure

  Research as a percentage of total expenditure

  1985–86

  25.0

  0.9

  1986–87

  24.6

  0.9

  1987–88

  26.4

  1.0

  1988–89

  27.2

  1.0

  1989–90

  28.6

  0.8

  1990–91

  30.5

  0.7

  1991–92

  36.4

  0.7

  1992–93

  39.7

  0.6

  1993–94

  39.0

  0.7

  1994–95

  38.0

  0.6

  1995–96

  39.0

  0.9

  Gospel Oak to Barking Line
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements will be made after privatisation to fund resignalling of the Gospel Oak to Barking line between South Tottenham and Woodgrange Park; and what is the estimated cost for such works.

  Mr. Norris
  Investment in rail infrastructure is a matter for Railtrack in consultation with the franchising director and train operating companies. This relationship will not be affected by privatisation.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what resignalling, infrastructure repair and improvement works programme for the South Tottenham to Gospel Oak section of the Gospel Oak to Barking line prior to the flotation of Railtrack are planned and authorised by his Department; what arrangements will be made after privatisation to fund such projects where there are economic, social and environmental benefits to the local community; and what is the estimated cost for such planned or projected works.

  Mr. Norris
  I understand that the Barking to Gospel Oak line is being looked at in the context of plans Railtrack is currently developing for the whole of the North London line, in consultation with the train operating company, North London Railways. The signal cabling between South Tottenham and Wanstead Park is currently being replaced and is scheduled for completion by 12 December. Investment in rail infrastructure is a matter for Railtrack in consultation with the franchising director and train operating companies. This relationship will not be affected by privatisation.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the delays to the existing passenger train service caused by the absence of signals between South Tottenham signal box control area and Wanstead Park on the Gospel Oak to Barking line when additional trains are routed over the line; and if the resignalling installation planned between South Tottenham and Woodgrange Park as part of the Liverpool Street resignalling project remains in the resignalling programme currently authorised by his Department.

  Mr. Norris
  The signal cabling between South Tottenham and Wanstead Park is currently being replaced and this has resulted in trains being delayed by 30 seconds. No other delay assessments have been carried
  547
  out. No plans currently exist for full resignalling between South Tottenham and Woodgrange Park.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what restrictions exist on the weight or type of train permitted to use the railway between Woodgrange Park and South Tottenham on the Gospel Oak to Barking line or between South Tottenham and Gospel Oak; why such restrictions exist; what remedial works are planned to eliminate such restrictions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  I understand that the route is classified at 90 tonne gross laden weight for four axle bogie vehicles but, due to lack of capacity on six bridges, the classification is reduced to 75 tonnes. Railtrack plans to strengthen or reconstruct these structures over the next four years.

  Buses
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will support the retention of the traditional double-decker omnibus; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  Yes. a European Commission proposal for a directive on bus and coach construction is expected next year. We will be seeking any necessary amendments to ensure the survival of not only the double-decker but any other type of vehicle whose economic future may be threatened by the provisions of the directive.

  Bridges
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps have been taken to conduct a general condition survey of all road bridges over and under both operational and disused railways in the north London area, following the failure and collapse of Crouch Hill bridge over the former railway alignment in north Islington; what Government funding is available to local authorities, Railtrack or any other authority responsible for maintenance and repair of bridges more than 30 years old; and what information he has as to why the bridge collapsed.

  Mr. Norris
  The authorities responsible for the structures in question are required to ensure that they are maintained in a safe condition and to carry out regular inspections as appropriate.

  The bridge at Crouch hill is owned by the local highway authority, the London borough of Islington. The partial collapse of the bridge occurred while strengthening work was under way. Investigation of the cause of the collapse is a matter for the borough and those involved with the strengthening operations.

  Central Government funding is available to local highway authorities to assist their programmes of bridge assessment and strengthening. This can include funding of the assessment of structures owned by Railtrack.

  Railway Regulator
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many examinations by the railway regulator into track access charges and train leasing costs have been made; when he expects the regulator to report; and if the regulator's conclusions will be placed in the Library.
  548
  Mr. Watts
  The rail regulator informs me that his office is nearing completion of a review of Railtrack's track access charges for both franchised passenger services and freight services. Consultation papers, "Framework for the Approval of Railtrack's Track Access Charges for Franchised Passenger Services" and "Framework for the Approval of Railtrack's Track Access Charges for Freight Services", were published by the office in June and October respectively. A policy statement, "Railtrack's Track Access Charges for Franchised Passenger Services: Developing the Structure of Charges", was published in November. Copies of all these documents have been placed in the Library of the House. The regulator intends to publish final policy statements on the levels of passenger and freight access charges in January.

  The regulator has not undertaken any examination of train leasing costs, which are not subject to his approval.

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the introduction of automated first registration and licensing involves a transfer of an undertaking from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to motor dealers within the meaning of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981.

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

  Letter from Stephen Curtis to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 13 December 1994:
  Thank you for your recent question about the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to the Automated First Registration and Licensing Project. Interpretation of the law is for the Courts and this matter has not been tested in this way. However as always I would be very happy to discuss such matters with members of the staff and their representatives if they consider it would be helpful.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the numbers of commuters likely to benefit form the channel tunnel rail link; and how much subsidy per head he intends to authorise.

  Mr. Watts
  The Government intend to secure substantial capacity on the channel tunnel rail link for domestic passenger services. The four consortia invited to bid for the role of promoter have been asked to submit bids on two bases: to provide capacity for eight and 12 trains per hour each way during the peak. The precise service specification will be determined in the light of the bids received. The amount of subsidy will be determined as a result of the competition currently under way and of the competition which the Government intend to hold at a later stage to select an operator to run domestic services.

  Air Traffic Control
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how much funding is required to complete the new Scottish air traffic control centre;
  549
  (2) when the new Scottish air traffic control centre will be operational;

  (3) on what date the oceanic control centre equipment known as flight data processing system, FDPS II, will be in operation; and where this new equipment will be housed;

  (4) what arrangements are being made to handle the expected increase in air traffic over air space covered by the Scottish air traffic control centre.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 12 December 1994]: The new Scottish centre—NSC—is being built at a cost of approximately £200 million to meet the predicted increase in the level of air traffic movements over Scotland and the north Atlantic. The CAA plans to have the NSC operational by 2000.

  The CAA aims to have the new flight data processing system—FDPS—installed and operational in the NSC by 1998, subject to the satisfactory conclusion of a contract under the private finance initiative.

  Re-sectorisation of the Scottish air space is being carried out to ensure that there is adequate capacity available until the new Scottish centre commences operation.

  Passenger Transport Grant
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what level of metropolitan grant will be payable to the English passenger transport executives for 1995–96; and what total grant will be payable by all passenger transport executives to passenger train operators for 1995–96.

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 12 December 1994]: We intend to lay before Parliament, early next year, a special grant report in respect of the metropolitan railway grant for 1995–96 in England and Wales.

  Total grant payable to the English PTEs will be calculated pursuant to that report, based on the costs of passenger train operations in all the PTE areas.

PRIME MINISTER

  Inward Investment, Chester
  10. Mr Brandreth
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit the City of Chester to discuss inward investment.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no immediate plans to do so. However, I am aware of the success that Chester has enjoyed in recent years in attracting inward investment to the city.

  Ministers
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) how many Ministers there were in the Home Office in 1978; how many there are now; and to what extent the current responsibilities and work of the Department are different from those in 1978;

  (2) how many Ministers there are in the Department of Trade and Industry; how many there were in the Department of Trade and Industry in 1978; and to what extent the current responsibilities and work of the Department are different from those at that date;
  550
  (3) how many Ministers there are in the Department of the Environment; how many were in the corresponding Department in 1978; and to what extent the work and responsibilities of that Department have changed since that date.

  The Prime Minister
  This is a matter of public record. The current details of ministerial responsibilities are contained in the Cabinet Office's "List of Ministerial Responsibilities", which is available in the Library of the House.

  Honours System
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 2 December 1994,Official Report, column 923, if he will identify (a) the 15 people who have had an honour cancelled since 1979 and (b) the nature of the disrepute in each of these cases.

  The Prime Minister
  No. The names have been published in the London Gazette.

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 13 December.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 13 December.

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

  Nagorno-Karabakh
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe with particular reference to Nagorno-Karabakh; what further action Her Majesty's Government propose taking within the UN Security Council in relation to peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh; and whether Her Majesty's Government have been invited to participate in any way in relation to peacekeeping in Nagorno-Karabakh.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made last week,Official Report, 7 December 1994, columns 220–22. In relation to Nagorno-Karabakh, we welcome the outcome of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe's Budapest summit as a positive step towards a peaceful resolution of that tragic conflict.

  We will fully support the co-ordinated efforts of the CSCE Minsk group and the Russian Federation to work with the parties to the dispute in achieving a political agreement which will make it possible to establish a multinational peacekeeping operation. We will be ready to support appropriate action in the United Nations Security Council when that agreement has been reached.

  We have undertaken to provide a small number of signals personnel for a possible CSCE monitoring mission in Nagorno-Karabakh. Any further contribution would have to be considered in the light of our other commitments, and of the conditions under which a peacekeeping operation was to be established.

  Ecclesiastical Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the total number of ecclesiastical appointments for which he is responsible; and if he will list them.

  The Prime Minister
  I have already advised the hon. Member of the main categories of appointments, including church appointments, for which I am responsible. But the total number, including those appointments on which I advise Her Majesty the Queen, cannot be accurately calculated since I have discretion in some cases as to how many appointments I make; and in the case of church appointments, some vacancies fall casually and unpredictably to the Crown by virtue of the royal prerogative.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Prime Minister which of the special advisers serving in his office during the last five years were subject to positive security vetting.

  The Prime Minister
  All special advisers are currently required to have positive vetting.

ENVIRONMENT

  Private Sector Rented Accommodation
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the average private sector residential rent in(a) Southampton, (b) Portsmouth and (c) Hampshire; and, in each case, what is the total number of private sector residential tenancies.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Information is not available on the average private sector residential rent in Southampton, Portsmouth and Hampshire. Details of the number of private sector residential tenancies in these areas are contained in table 20 of the 1991 "Census County Report: Hampshire", part 1.

  Domestic Waste Disposal
  Mr. Scott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities in England dispose of their domestic waste(a) by incineration and (b) by the use of landfill sites.

  Mr. Atkins
  Information on the waste disposal practices of individual local authorities is not held centrally.

  Approximately 20 million tonnes of domestic waste arise annually in England and Wales. Of this, around 85 per cent. is landfilled and 10 per cent. is incinerated. There are currently 21 incinerators for the disposal of municipal waste operating in the United Kingdom.

  Energy Efficiency
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information and data from the 1991 English house condition survey on energy consumption, energy efficiency and condition of housing he has provided to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Data on the subjects mentioned by the hon. Member are contained in the report of the survey, which is a public document.

  Single Regeneration Budget
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each metropolitan district and London borough the value of the funding for the first year of the single regeneration budget, the bid for funds from the first year of the single regeneration budget, the totals received under the urban programme in 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95 and the totals for section 11 funding in 1992–93,1993–94 and 1994–95.

  Mr. Curry
  The bids received for funding new projects under the single regeneration budget and the 201 successful bids announced on 6 December represent comprehensive responses by partnerships to local needs, which in some cases cross local authority boundaries. As a result, the information requested is not available in the form sought, but I sent details of all the successful bids to the hon. Member on 5 December.

  Details of funding provided under the urban programme and section 11 in each metropolitan district and London borough is given in the tables. The section 11 grant allocations for 1994–95 include Home Office funded projects and those funded from the single regeneration budget.

  Funding under the urban programme

  £ million

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95 allocation

  Metropolitan Districts

  Barnsley

  1.995

  1.219

  0.700

  Birmingham

  20.295

  13.558

  6.779

  Bolton

  3.712

  2.055

  0.282

  Bradford

  4.177

  2.865

  1.462

  Coventry

  4.287

  2.786

  1.367

  Doncaster

  2.069

  1.141

  0.627

  Dudley

  1.448

  0.941

  0.461

  Gateshead

  —

  4.798

  2.459

  Kirklees

  1.082

  0.662

  0.343

  Knowsley

  4.749

  2.378

  0.946

  Leeds

  4.783

  3.178

  1.554

  Liverpool

  16.763

  11.043

  5.675

  Manchester

  119.401

  8.349

  3.738

  Newcastle

  215.057

  4.871

  2.378

  North Tyneside

  3.030

  1.974

  0.951

  Oldham

  3.563

  2.384

  0.965

  Rochdale

  3.496

  2.263

  1.047

  Rotherham

  2.067

  1.336

  0.667

  St. Helens

  1.568

  1.098

  0.593

  Salford

  1

  4.280

  1.120

  Sandwell

  4.260

  2.801

  1.261

  Sefton

  1.612

  0.910

  0.516

  Sheffield

  5.482

  3.655

  1.762

  South Tyneside

  4.574

  2.938

  1.502

  Sunderland

  4.650

  3.073

  1 148

  Walsall

  1.662

  0.922

  0.429

  Wigan

  2.555

  1.527

  0.634

  Wirral

  3.377

  2.154

  1.168

  Wolverhampton

  4.782

  3.127

  1 494

  London Boroughs

  Brent

  2.483

  1.351

  0.573

  Greenwich

  1.401

  1.013

  0.436

  Hackney

  4.890

  3.041

  1.269

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  2.321

  1.557

  0.654

  Haringey

  2.747

  1.852

  0.869

  Islington

  7.875

  5.311

  2.445

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1.716

  1.115

  0.546

  553

  Funding under the urban programme

  £ million

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95 allocation

  Lambeth

  7.790

  5.340

  2.731

  Lewisham

  2.278

  1.326

  0.567

  Newham

  2.929

  1.755

  0.811

  Southwark

  2.477

  1.622

  0.669

  Tower Hamlets

  4.011

  2.723

  0.880

  Wandsworth

  2.918

  1.918

  0.450

  1 combined funding given to Manchester and Salford in 1992–93

  2 combined funding given to Newcastle and Gateshead in 1992–93

  Funding Under Section 11

  £ million

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95 allocation

  Metropolitan Districts

  Birmingham

  7.498

  7.895

  5.551

  Bolton

  1.089

  1.171

  0.881

  Bradford

  5.892

  6.084

  4.468

  Bury

  0.409

  0.486

  0.355

  Calderdale

  1.073

  1.165

  0.853

  Coventry

  2.853

  3.033

  2.254

  Doncaster

  0.112

  0.164

  0.119

  Dudley

  1.248

  1.327

  1.030

  Gateshead

  0.031

  0.063

  0.044

  Kirklees

  3.143

  3.472

  2.515

  Leeds

  2.191

  2.542

  1.983

  Liverpool

  0.176

  0.217

  0.165

  Manchester

  2.746

  3.029

  2.329

  Newcastle

  0.438

  0.467

  0.342

  North Tyneside

  0.151

  0.162

  0.116

  Oldham

  2.443

  2.618

  1.968

  Rochdale

  1.455

  1.587

  1.193

  Rotherham

  0.432

  0.476

  0.352

  St. Helens

  0.010

  0.019

  0.014

  Salford

  0.062

  0.065

  0.047

  Sandwell

  1.513

  1.644

  1.281

  Sheffield

  2.642

  2.635

  1.870

  Stockport

  0.100

  0.103

  0.076

  Sunderland

  0.111

  0.116

  0.087

  Tameside

  0.809

  0.825

  0.627

  Trafford

  0.287

  0.329

  0.243

  Wakefield

  0.348

  0.437

  0.322

  Walsall

  2.049

  2.174

  1.598

  Wigan

  0.056

  0.060

  0.044

  Wirral

  0.064

  0.110

  0.087

  Wolverhampton

  1.973

  2.104

  1.575

  London Boroughs

  Barking and Dagenham

  0.335

  0.323

  0.231

  Barnet

  1.479

  1.287

  0.964

  Bexley

  0.093

  0.193

  0.125

  Brent

  2.780

  3.011

  2.142

  Camden

  1.372

  1.602

  1.161

  Croydon

  1.203

  1.446

  1.027

  Ealing

  2.799

  3.682

  2.802

  Enfield

  1.240

  1.644

  1.219

  Greenwich

  1.573

  1.856

  1.354

  Hackney

  4.357

  4.323

  3.382

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  0.916

  1.056

  0.780

  Haringey

  2.183

  3.389

  2.730

  Harrow

  0.877

  0.974

  0.719

  Havering

  0.052

  0.051

  0.039

  Hillingdon

  0.440

  0.496

  0.369

  Hounslow

  1.754

  1.899

  1.390

  Islington

  1.980

  2.103

  1.502

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1.140

  1.204

  0.933

  554

  Funding Under Section 11

  £ million

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95 allocation

  Kingston upon Thames

  0.120

  0.152

  0.107

  Lambeth

  1.260

  1.615

  1.110

  Lewisham

  2.078

  2.178

  1.637

  Merton

  0.521

  0.706

  0.490

  Newham

  3.013

  3.404

  2.462

  Redbridge

  1.182

  1.239

  0.933

  Richmond upon Thames

  0.063

  0.077

  0.056

  Southwark

  2.339

  2.543

  1.965

  Sutton

  0.056

  0.063

  0.047

  Tower Hamlets

  8.922

  9.703

  7.211

  Waltham Forest

  1.893

  2.149

  1.639

  Wandsworth

  1.993

  2.083

  1.608

  Westminster

  1.876

  2.046

  1.543

  Notes:

  The figures include payments to local authorities, grant-maintained schools, further education colleges and sixth form colleges.

  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the successful single regeneration on budget bids in the west midlands region was for housing projects which would previously have qualified for funding under the estates action programme.

  Mr. Curry
  Of the 13 successful west Midlands bids for the single regeneration budget, six contain housing projects which would previously have been eligible to be considered for estate action funding. These housing projects will receive £23 million of the total west midlands SRB funding of £156.686 million.

  English Nature (Grants)
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he has given English Nature on the issuing of grants to voluntary bodies; and if he will list the nature of the work undertaken by those bodies that have been assisted.

  Mr. Atkins
  English Nature is provided with comprehensive advice on grant giving in its financial memorandum. Summaries of grants given and the work undertaken by grant-aided bodies are included in English Nature's annual reports.

  VAT (Fuel)
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what information he has about the proportion of disposable income which will be used by households to maintain a temperature of 16 deg C inside their homes over the winter months as a result of the imposition of VAT of 17.5 per cent. on fuel, taking account of the compensation package; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the environmental and public health impacts of the imposition of VAT at 17.5 per cent. on domestic fuel bills.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced that the proposed increase in VAT on domestic fuel bills will not now take place.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account had been taken of the information and data obtained for the 1991 English house
  555
  condition survey when calculating the compensation package associated with value added tax on domestic fuel bills.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  It is not possible to specify the account which was taken of any particular source of information among the many that were considered as the package of help for VAT on fuel was prepared. The package directed additional resources to vulnerable groups, especially pensioners, who were among those highlighted in the English house condition survey.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to include energy efficiency in the housing fitness standard following the imposition of VAT on domestic fuel bills; and what proportion of disposable income he considers reasonable for maintaining a temperature of 16 deg C within homes.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  We have no proposals. The proportion of disposable income reasonable for maintaining a temperature of 16 deg C will depend on the disposable income of the individual household.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many parliamentary questions tabled in the last Session of Parliament were not answered

  National Park

  Local authority and number of appointees

  Secretary of State appointees

  Constituencies forming part of National Parks

  Dartmoor

  Devon CC

  11

  7

  Devon West and Torridge

  South Hams DC

  1

  Teignbridge

  Teignbridge DC

  1

  Tiverton

  West Devon DC

  1

  South Hams

  Exmoor

  Somerset CC

  10

  7

  Bridgwater

  Devon CC

  3

  Taunton

  West Somerset DC

  2

  Devon North

  North Devon DC

  2

  Lake District

  Cumbria CC

  16

  10

  Copeland

  Allerdale DC

  1

  Westmorland and Lonsdale

  Copeland DC

  1

  Penrith and the Border

  Eden DC

  1

  Workington

  South Lakeland DC

  1

  North Yorkshire Moors

  North Yorkshire CC

  12

  9

  Langbaurgh

  Cleveland CC

  2

  Richmond (Yorkshire)

  Langbaurgh DC

  1

  Scarborough

  Ryedale DC

  1

  Rye dale

  Scarborough DC

  1

  Hambleton DC

  1

  Northumberland

  Northumberland CC

  18

  10

  Berwick upon Tweed

  Alnwick DC

  1

  Hexham

  Berwick-upon-Tweed DC

  1

  Tynedale DC

  1

  Peak District

  Derbyshire CC

  8

  11

  Derbyshire North East

  Sheffield CC

  2

  Littleborough and Saddleworth

  Staffordshire CC

  2

  Staffordshire Moorlands

  Cheshire CC

  2

  Derbyshire West

  Staffordshire

  Sheffield Hallam

  Moorlands DC

  11

  Colne Valley

  Derbyshire Dales DC

  2

  Macclesfield

  Barnsley MBC

  1

  Sheffield Hillsborough

  Oldham MBC

  1

  High Peak

  556
  on the grounds that the information sought was not held centrally by the Department.

  Mr. Gummer
  Twenty-five.

  Rio Conference
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional measures he intends to introduce to assist in meeting the carbon dioxide reduction targets agreed at the 1992 Rio conference following the Government's decision to abandon the planned second tranche rise in VAT on domestic fuel and power.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Ms Ruddock) on 12 December 1994,Official Report, column 435.

  National Parks
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) which local authorities appoint representatives to serve on national park committees; and how many people each appoint;

  (2) how many people he appoints to each national park committee;

  (3) if he will list all the constituencies which form part of national parks.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information is set out in the table. Information relating to national parks in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
  557

  National Park

  Local authority and number of appointees

  Secretary of State appointees

  Constituencies forming part of National Parks

  North East Derbyshire DC

  11

  Barnsley West and Penistone

  Kirklees MBC

  2

  High Peak BC

  1

  Macclesfield BC

  11

  Yorkshire Dales

  North Yorkshire CC

  12

  8

  Richmond Yorkshire

  Cumbria CC

  1

  Skipton and Ripon

  Richmondshire DC

  1

  Westmorland and Lonsdale

  South Lakeland DC

  1

  Craven DC

  1

  1 These authorities share two places on the Peak Park Board on a two-year rotating basis.

  Housing
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list(a) the sum paid out in housing benefit (i) to council and (ii) to non-council tenants and (b) the sum tenants received in housing revenue account subsidy in each local housing authority area in 1993–94; and what is the size of the surplus or deficit in each local housing authority.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 12 December 1994,Official Report, column 433.

  Hampshire
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total sum claimed in(a) expenses and (b) attendance allowances by councillors on Hampshire district councils and Hampshire county council in the most recent year; and how many councillors in total serve on these councils.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Details of expenses and attendance allowances payments made by local authorities to councillors are not held centrally, but 102 councillors serve on Hampshire county council, and a total of 586 on the Hampshire district councils.

  Housing Association Rents
  Ms Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the percentage change in rents for new housing association assured tenancies between 1989 and 1994; and what has been the change in the retail prices index over the same period.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Lewisham, East (Mrs. Prentice) on 30 November 1994,Official Report, column 724.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to keep the system of local authority funding under review.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  It is already our policy to do so.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will increase credit approvals and capital grants to local authorities in 1995–96 to maintain current expenditure levels.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Capital allocations to local authorities in 1995–96 will reflect the Government's general policy on public expenditure control. However,558
  central Government support is only one means through which local authorities can undertake capital expenditure; they can also finance it out of usable capital receipts from the sale of assets, and from revenue. Authorities therefore have some scope to fund higher levels of capital expenditure if they choose to do so.

  National Non-domestic Rate
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to allowing the national non-domestic rate to be placed under local authority control.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  I have no plans to return the setting of non-domestic rates to local authority control.

  Local Authorities (Pensioners)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is taking to alleviate the additional costs placed on local authorities for compensation to pensioners.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  My right. hon. Friend the Secretary of State laid the Local Government (Compensation for Redundancy) Regulations 1994 before the House on 5 December. These allow local authorities to compensate pensioners whose payments were reduced following the Court of Appeal judgment in Allsop v. North Tyneside MBC. Where authorities choose to make such payments, they must do so from their own available resources.

  Fire Safety
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement regarding the responsibilities of landlords in ensuring fire safety in houses of multiple occupation.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The Housing (Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Regulations 1990—SI 1990 No. 830—require managers of HMOs to ensure the repair, maintenance and good order of means of escape from fire, including display signs, and apparatus, systems and other things provided by way of fire precautions. The manager is also required to take reasonable precautions for the general safety of residents, which can include fire precautions. Failure to comply is punishable by a fine not exceeding level three on the standard scale, which is currently £1,000.

  Local housing authorities have the power to serve a notice under section 352 of the Housing Act 1985, as amended, requiring the person having control of or

  559
  managing the house to provide adequate means of escape from fire and other fire precautions. Failure to comply is punishable by a fine not exceeding level four on the standard scale, currently £2,500. Local authorities may carry out works in default and recover their expenses from the person on whom the notice was served.

  Landlords may also have a general duty under section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 to conduct their undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in their employment are not exposed to risks to their health or safety, and this can include tenants in HMOs. The risks can include fire risks. Failure to comply is punishable by a fine not exceeding £20,000.

  Rented Housing
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate has been made of the number of new homes available for rent which need to be built in the area of each housing authority in England.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The Department does not make such estimates. Local housing authorities make assessments of the full range of housing needs when they draw up their housing strategy statements for their areas. Authorities are expected to publish their statements.

  Non-domestic Rating
  Mr. Waller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes are now proposed to the current system of appeals against non-domestic rating assessments in England and Wales, in the light of responses to the consultation papers.

  Mr. Curry
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, together with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, has decided to streamline the current arrangements and make them simpler for business to use. The changes will apply to appeals against the new rating lists which come into effect on 1 April 1995.

  There was a full and helpful response to the consultation papers we issued in September. There was a warm welcome for our proposals that the Valuation Office agency should notify occupiers direct of their proposed new rateable value in January, instead of leaving them to find it out when they receive their rate bill for 1995–96; to abandon the six-month limit on submission of appeals following a material change of circumstances, or relevant tribunal or court decision; and to shorten from six months to three the period after which the VOA has to pass an unresolved appeal on to the valuation tribunal. We will therefore proceed with all these reforms.

  We had also proposed a tightening up of the current system of time limits for appeals against the values originally shown in the list, which has not worked well. Respondents endorsed our analysis of the problem but many favoured the more radical step of abolishing the time limits altogether, on the grounds that their potential benefits were outweighed by the practical drawbacks. We found their representations persuasive. We have therefore decided that ratepayers should be able to appeal on any of the permitted grounds at any time during the currency of the list.

  These new arrangements will be far easier for business, particularly small business, to deal with and will help to
  560
  ensure speedier settlement of appeals. We will be bringing forward regulations to implement them in the new year.

  Compulsory Competitive Tendering Personnel Services
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his proposals for extending compulsory competitive tendering to local authority personnel services.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The Government announced on 10 November 1992 their intention to extend compulsory competitive tendering to local authority and other defined authorities' corporate and professional services, including personnel services. My officials have subsequently had valuable discussions with a joint services working group which included representatives of the local authority associations and the Audit Commission and Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy on how the CCT regime might be applied to personnel services.

  Following these discussions, we are today issuing a consultation paper inviting comments on the Government's detailed proposals for extending CCT to personnel services. This follows similar consultations for local authorities' housing management, legal, construction and property, IT and finance services. It represents the last of the services which are being considered for inclusion in the CCT regime.

  Copies of today's consultation paper will be placed in the Library. It proposes a definition which captures a range of authorities' personnel services, including training and human resource management, but does not encompass the day-to-day line management functions undertaken by many staff.

  Authorities will wish, for a variety of reasons, to retain certain elements of personnel work in-house, both to enable an authority to fulfil its democratic responsibilities and to act as an expert client for bought-in services. We propose that local authorities be permitted to carry out up to 65 per cent. by value of personnel work using their own staff without going through competition. Authorities will be able to retain at least £300,000 worth of defined activity work in-house free of competition. This is intended to recognise and encourage the mixed economy of in-house and contracted-out service provision which is a feature of personnel services.

  As with previous consultations on professional services, the consultation paper also gives details of modifications which we intend to make to the statutory framework for competitive tendering. This will ensure that authorities will continue to be able to deliver services in a way which meets their own operational objectives.

  Following careful consideration of comments received on the proposals included in this consultation document, I will submit to the House the statutory instrument required under the Local Government Act 1988 to give effect to our proposals. I anticipate that, subject to the conclusions we draw from consultation and to parliamentary approval of the subsequent order defining the activity, CCT for personnel services will take effect from 1 October 1996 in metropolitan districts, London boroughs and certain other defined authorities.

  For shire local authorities, personnel CCT will take effect once the Local Government Commission's review of local authority structure is complete and, where appropriate, changes have been made. The

  561
  implementation timetable for the new police authorities will be the subject of separate consultation.

  My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales are issuing separate consultation papers. The proposals contained therein follow much of what I have outlined above, although implementation dates will again take account of the programme for local government restructuring in both those countries.

  Experience with the services already subject to CCT has shown that competition brings not only financial savings but also significant improvements in the management, efficiency and quality of public services. I fully expect that CCT will bring the same benefits to personnel services.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about compulsory competitive tendering in relation to local government review and reorganisation and about the introduction of CCT for legal services, construction and property services and further manual services.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  On 2 August, my Department issued and invited comments from local authorities, industry and others on draft regulations and a draft guidance paper for shire county and district authorities, containing detailed proposals for the operation of compulsory competitive tendering in shire authorities during the period of local government review and reorganisation. These amplified the proposals announced by my predecessors on 29 March 1993,Official Report, column 55, and 17 December 1993, Official Report, column 1096.

  The Government's main objective in determining these arrangements is to strike the right balance between maintaining and extending the benefits which CCT has brought to local authorities and the users of their services and easing administrative burdens on local authorities undergoing reorganisation.

  One hundred and forty-seven organisations commented on the proposals. I have considered these, and have now made regulations under sections 19 and 26(4) of the Local Government Act 1992. The regulations will be laid next week, and my Department will then also issue the guidance paper to local authorities, a copy of which I shall place in the Library. Both the regulations and the guidance paper take account of the many comments and helpful suggestions received.

  The guidance paper confirms that CCT for professional support services will start to come into effect two years after the coming into being of individual reorganised authorities, giving them good time in which to decide upon their new organisational structure, consider how they wish to organise their business and review their approach to the provision of support services.

  As regards shire counties or districts which are unchanged following local government review, the proposal reflected in the August consultation drafts was that CCT for professional services would start to come into effect from April 1998. However, I have concluded that I wish to reconsider this timetable, in the interests of securing the benefits of competitive tendering as soon as possible in "status quo" authorities. I shall therefore consult local authorities further in the new year on alternative proposals. Any new arrangements,
  562
  if adopted following consultation, will ensure that status quo authorities will have at least as much time to prepare for and implement CCT following the decisions on their future, as the two years provided for reorganised authorities following their establishment.

  The 1992 Act regulations and the guidance paper confirm the timetable arrangements previously announced for the implementation of housing management CCT. Local authorities are making good progress with their preparations, including consultation with their tenants. I have, however, decided to drop the proposal in the August consultation drafts to link the HMCCT exemption for the reorganised authorities to preparation of a detailed specification which their direct service organisations would have to meet.

  For other services already subject to CCT, the requirement to invite external tenders will be lifted in authorities undergoing reorganisation, for the period between the making of statutory reorganisation orders and 18 months after successor authorities take over, in recognition of the pressure of work on outgoing and successor authorities in this period. This exemption does not apply to short-term and low-value contracts which do not normally involve significant administrative effort. These are defined as work which will last for less than 12 months or be less than £200,000 in annual value. I have considered local authorities' arguments for widening this exemption, but have not been persuaded that this would be appropriate. As indicated in the August consultation drafts, all local authorities must at all times maintain DSO accounts, meet the specified financial objectives and maintain services fully to specification.

  The other arrangements provided for in the 1992 Act regulations and guidance paper are as set out in the August consultation proposals. I shall place in the Library a list of the consultation responses received. Copies of individual responses can be obtained through the Library.

  On 2 November, the House approved orders under section 2(3) of the Local Government Act 1988, to extend CCT to legal services, construction and property services, and three further manual services—security work, supervision of on-street parking and management of vehicles. I have now made regulations under section 6(3) of the 1988 Act, which set out the timetable for these services to become subject to CCT, and the proportions of legal services and construction and property services to be subject to completion.

  These regulations give effect to the Government's decisions which my predecessor announced on 14 June 1994, Official Report, column 346, and 19 July 1994, Official Report, column 109, and which I set out to the House on 2 November 1994, Official Report, column 1606, other than as regards the implementation timetable for "status quo" shire authorities, on which, as I have indicated, the Government wish to consult further with local authorities. Further 1988 Act regulations will be made to give effect to the decisions taken on this aspect of the arrangements, following the further consultation.

  Nickel and Vanadium Emissions
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those large combustion plants which emit nickel and vanadium, the fuel they burn, the
  563
  total annual emissions permitted for each plant of nickel and vanadium, the actual total annual emissions of nickel and vanadium for each plant in the last three years and the maximum emission rate of nickel and vanadium for each plant.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer Thursday 8 December 1994]: All large combustion plants burning oil, coal or orimulsion will release vanadium or nickel. The table provides as much information as the inspectorate has been able to assemble without disproportionate expense. This information covers 1993.

  Vanadium release to air

  Nickel release to air

  Site

  Fuel

  Maximum Rate (mgm/m3)

  Annual Permission (tonnes)

  Annual Actual (tonnes)2

  Maximum Rate (mm/m3

  Annual Permission (tonnes)

  Annual Actual (tonnes)2

  National Power Pembroke

  HFO (Heavy Fuel Oil)

  0.21

  1—

  14

  0.042

  1—

  3

  National Power Aberthaw A

  Coal and HFO

  0.583

  1—

  7.5

  0.378

  1—

  5

  National Power Aberthaw B

  Coal and HFO

  0.378

  1—

  7.5

  0.185

  1—

  5

  National Power Uskmouth

  Coal and HFO

  0.22

  1—

  0.16

  0.14

  1—

  0.10

  National Power West Burton

  Coal

  0.15

  1—

  12.3

  0.14

  1—

  8.2

  National Power Blyth A

  Coal

  0.64

  1—

  —

  392

  1—

  —

  National Power Blyth B

  Coal

  0.229

  1—

  —

  0.14

  1—

  —

  National Power Eggborough

  Coal

  0.22

  1—

  —

  0.14

  1—

  —

  National Power Drax

  Coal

  0.22

  1—

  —

  0.14

  1—

  —

  National Power Skelton Grange

  Coal

  0.604

  1—

  —

  0.392

  1—

  —

  Powergen Ince

  Orimulsion or

  27 (1993)

  HFO

  —

  160

  75 (1994)

  —

  1—

  —

  Powergen Ratcliffe-on-Soar3

  Coal

  0.4

  1—

  1

  0.019

  1—

  0.45

  Powergen Drakelow

  Coal and HFO

  —

  1—

  —

  —

  1—

  —

  National Power Rugeley A & B

  Coal and HFO

  0.22

  1—

  —

  0.14

  1—

  —

  National Power Willington

  Coal and HFO

  0.6

  1—

  —

  0.39

  1—

  —

  National Power Ironbridge

  Coal and HFO

  0.22

  1—

  —

  0.14

  1—

  —

  Powergen Richborough

  Orimulsion

  —

  40

  6.17

  —

  1—

  0.81

  Powergen Grain

  HFO

  —

  1—

  less than 50

  —

  1—

  less than 11

  National Power Littlebrook

  HFO

  —

  1—

  less than 348

  —

  1—

  less than 79

  Powergen Kingsnorth

  Coal

  —

  1—

  less than 26

  —

  1—

  less than 31

  National Power Fawley

  HFO

  3

  1—

  —

  —

  1—

  —

  National Power Didcot

  Coal and HFO

  0.22

  1—

  —

  0.14

  1—

  —

  1 No limit specified in the authorisation document.

  2 Annual actual releases have been calculated from information in the application together with 1993-94 operating data. These figures are believed to be reasonably representative of releases for 1993. There is little information available for the last three years.

  3 This power station has limits of 0.435 for vanadium and 0.175 for nickel with respect to releases to water.

  Sites of Community Interest
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with his counterparts in France, Ireland, Spain and Portugal concerning equivalence of progress on the designation of sites of community interest in the Atlantic biogeographical region, pursuant to article 1(c)(iii) of the EU habitats directive.

  Mr. Atkins
  A meeting attended by representatives of the Commission and relevant member states of the Atlantic biogeographic region to establish a common understanding for the application of the directive to the region and on aspects of implementation was held in Edinburgh from 12 to 14 October. Member states reported their progress on the identification of candidate sites of Community interest. Community-wide discussions on these topics are held at regular meetings of the adaptation committee for the directive, chaired by the Commission.
  564
  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution authorises releases of these substances in different ways depending on the detail of the application for authorisation under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the local circumstances. Some of these substances are given specific limits, but, in all cases, there is a residual duty under the Act to use best available techniques not entailing excessive cost to prevent the release of all prescribed substances, which include release to air of vanadium, nickel and their compounds, and to render harmless any other substance, which is not prescribed.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the special advisers serving in his Department during the last five years were subject to positive security vetting.

  Mr. Gummer
  All special advisers are required to have positive vetting.

  Radioactive Waste Disposal
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the contract recently awarded to Safeguard International to assume the responsibilities of the national radioactive waste disposal service was put out to competitive tender.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I have been asked to reply.

  Arrangements for the provision of this service are a management matter for the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Fire Advisory Panel
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the remit of the proposed fire advisory panel will include advice to the Government on national standards.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The Government are currently considering the 61 conclusions and recommendations in the report of the review of fire safety legislation and enforcement in the light of responses to the recent public consultation exercise. No decisions have been taken on any of the recommendations, including those relating to the proposed new advisory panel.

  Morgan Report
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to implement the recommendations of the Morgan report relating to the role of local councils.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government issued their response to the Morgan report in December 1992. A copy was placed in the Library. We see no need to implement the specific recommendations in the report about the role of local authorities in crime prevention.

  Dyfed Powys Police
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the funding of the Dyfed Powys police in both cash and real terms in each year since 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The following table shows the total amounts of Home Office grant, in cash terms and at 1993–94 prices, paid to the Dyfed Powys police between 1987–88 and 1993–94 in respect of both current and capital expenditure.

  Home Office grant payments—Dyfed Powys police

  £ million

  Grant paid

  Grant at 1993–94 prices

  1987–88

  12.154

  17.067

  1988–89

  12.899

  16.977

  1989–90

  15.056

  18.522

  1990–91

  16.038

  18.267

  1991–92

  18.925

  20.281

  1992–93

  20.848

  21.486

  1993–94

  22.828

  22.828

  The balance of the funding is made up of revenue support grant, which is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, national non-domestic rates and a precept on billing authorities for the proportion of the budget met by the community charge or the council tax.

  Armley Prison (Young Offenders)
  Mr. Michael
  to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) remanded and (b) sentenced prisoners aged under 21 years have been received into Armley prison since 1 August 1994; what was the number of such prisoners detained in Armley prison at the most recent convenient date; and why
  566
  prisoners of this age are being held at Armley rather that at Moorland young offender institution.

  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. Alun Michael, dated 13 December 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about young offenders at Leeds prison.
  There are currently no prisoners aged under 21 years detained at Leeds. Such prisoners have been held at Leeds on two occasions since August 1994.
  In one case, a sentenced prisoner aged 20 who had been reclassified as adult was held at Leeds, in view of his record of behaviour in custody. He had taken hostages and committed affray and was unsuited to young offender conditions. He was released from custody in September 1994. The other case involved a remand prisoner who claimed he was 21. He was only held at Leeds for two days until a check with the Registrar of Births proved that he was under 21 and he was transferred to Doncaster.

  British Citizen Children
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases over the past three years immigration enforcement action with a view to removal from the United Kingdom has been commenced against custodial parents of minor British citizen children; in how many such cases a custodial parent has been removed from the United Kingdom whether accompanied or not by the British citizen child or children; what is the breakdown by nationality of parents of British citizen children against whom such enforcement action has been commenced; and at what level of seniority decisions are taken to commence enforcement action which affect the rights of British citizen children.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The level of seniority at which decisions to commence enforcement action against the parent(s) of a British citizen child may vary according to the type of case, but in all such cases the decision to remove the parent(s) is taken at ministerial level.

  Secure Remands (Juveniles)
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the Government intend to defray the costs of local authorities accommodating juveniles subject to court ordered secure remands.

  Mr. Howard
  It is intended that the Home Office will pay fees to local authorities in accordance with a tariff which will be established in consultation with interested parties, including the local authority associations. My Department will initiate discussions about the basis of the tariff in due course.

  Police Funding Formula
  Sir Irvine Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the police funding formula for South Yorkshire; and what assessment he has made of its effect.
  567
  Mr. Maclean
  Under the Government's proposals announced on 1 December, £146.22 million will be available to the South Yorkshire police in 1995–96.

  The new police funding formula has bee constructed by considering the determinants of the need for policing. The approach is similar—but more developed—to that of the formula which has been used since 1990 to distribute additional manpower to forces. Police needs are identified as falling into six main areas—maintaining a stable presence in the community, responding to calls for assistance, dealing with crimes, traffic management, maintaining public order, and community relations. Police pensions are also taken into account.

  The new analyses were considered in the context of factors that have previously been used to assess expenditure needs. We concluded that, for 1995–96, the size of approved police establishments should be included in the formula. As a result, the extent of change next year will be limited.

  Immigration Rules
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will investigate whether Bulgarian replacement crews due to arrive in Glasgow on 8 December are adhering to all immigration rules in respect of the Bulgarian fishing vessels Afala, Aktinia, Kaprela, Ofelia and Rotalia in United Kingdom waters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Under the immigration rules people seeking entry to join a vessel as members of its crew are eligible for admission if they are under contract to join a ship due to leave British waters. If the immigration officer is so satisfied he will grant leave to enter.

  Authority

  1992–93 £ million

  1993–94 £ million

  Cash difference £ million

  Percentage difference

  Dyfed Powys

  20.848

  22.827

  +1.979

  +9.5

  Gwent

  21.852

  21.770

  -0.082

  -0.4

  North Wales

  29.332

  31.105

  +1.773

  +6.0

  South Wales

  67.177

  69.310

  +2.133

  +3.2

  From 1 April 1995 police authorities will become freestanding authorities with their own cash-limited police grant and SSA allocations, the proposals for which were announced on 1 December.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available more grants to the North Wales police authority in order to facilitate the provisions of more police officers and special constables on the beat on housing estates; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Proposed allocations of grant to police forces were announced by my right hon. and learned Friend in reply to a question from the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby) on 1 December at columns 844–45. It is for the chief constable in consultation with his police authority to decide how the available resources should be deployed in the force area.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to meet the police

  Merseyside Police
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial support(a) he provided to Merseyside police in 1993–94 and (b) is proposed for 1994–95; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr Maclean
  Details of Home Office grant payments to Merseyside police in respect of current and capital expenditure are as follows:

  £ million

  Current expenditure

  Capital expenditure

  1993–94 (actual)

  103.267

  3.044

  1994–95 (estimated)

  109.622

  3.708

  Police Authorities, Wales
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was(a) the cash increase and (b) the percentage increase in grants and moneys to each of the police authorities in Wales in the most recent year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  There are no separate standard spending assessments—SSAs—for police authorities in Wales for this or previous years, on which to base year-on-year comparisons. County council SSAs include provision for police services. Expenditure on policing is determined by county councils in the light of their statutory responsibilities, local needs and available resources. Fifty-one per cent. of actual net police expenditure—both capital and current—is met by Home Office grant. The increase in police grant payable to each Welsh police authority between 1992–93 and 1993–94, in cash arid percentage terms, is as follows:

  authority in North Wales to discuss its budget provisions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans at present to meet the North Wales police authority. The setting of the force budget is a matter for the police authority.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are currently held in HMP Winchester; and how long these individuals have been held under Immigration Act powers.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  As at 8 December 1994, a total of five people who had sought asylum were detained at HM prison Winchester. All these cases have spent between two to six months in detention at HM prison Winchester.
  569
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 23 November,Official Report, columns 159–61, how long each of the detainees referred to in table C had been in police cells.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  [holding answer 12 December 1994]: Figures for the length of detention of those detained in police cells on 18 November 1994 are not available retrospectively and details relating to those currently detained could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Applications1 received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, by location of application and month, 1993 to end-November 1994

  Number of principal applicants

  1993

  1994

  Applied in port

  Applied in-country

  Total2

  Applied in port

  Applied in-country

  Total2

  January

  600

  1,355

  1,960

  775

  1,575

  2,350

  February

  440

  1,740

  2,180

  720

  1,285

  2,000

  March

  515

  1,250

  1,765

  770

  1,990

  2,755

  April

  420

  1,400

  1,820

  790

  1,720

  2,505

  May

  660

  1,205

  1,865

  760

  1,895

  2,650

  June

  560

  1,290

  1,850

  735

  1,730

  2,465

  July

  660

  1,335

  1,995

  755

  1,890

  2,645

  August

  590

  705

  1,295

  900

  1,795

  2,695

  September

  625

  1,360

  1,990

  1,315

  2,385

  3,695

  October

  655

  945

  1,600

  950

  2,045

  2,995

  November

  665

  1,140

  1,805

  745

  2,375

  3,125

  December

  925

  1,320

  2,245

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  7,320

  15,050

  22,370

  9,210

  20,680

  29,890

  1 Provisional and estimated figures rounded to the nearest 5.

  2 Figures exclude applications made overseas.

  War Crimes Act 1991
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which audit body is responsible for value for money spent on investigations under the War Crimes Act 1991; what the budget is for these investigations; and what spending is already committed.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Metropolitan police war crimes unit is responsible for investigations carried out under the War Crimes Act 1991 in England and Wales. The unit's expenditure is subject to audit by the Metropolitan police service internal audit branch and the National Audit Office.

  Provision for police specific grant included £500,000 to support the Metropolitan police in their war crimes investigations in 1994–95. After precept, this amount generated a sum of £962,000. A total of £589,850 had already been spent by 31 October 1994 and the remaining is committed expenditure.

  Entry Visas
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present waiting time for interview for entry visas for the United Kingdom at British high commission offices in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India for(a) husbands, (b) wives and (d) fiancés and fiancées.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Information on waiting times to first interview for applicants in the settlement queues in Pakistan and India is published in table 2.5 of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin issue 25/94 "Control of Immigration: Statistics UK First and Second Quarters
  570
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the number of applications for asylum(a) made at ports and (b) made in the country in each month in 1993;

  (2) what was the number of applications for asylum (a) made at ports and (b) made in the country in each month in 1994.

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

  1994" published on 20 October 1994, a copy of which is in the Library. Information on Sri Lanka is not collected centrally.

  Energy Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. Nicholas Baker
  The Home Office leases one property used, for security reasons, as the London residence of the Home Secretary of the day. The total expenditure on energy—gas and electricity—at the property in each of the last three financial years was:

  1991–92: £1,079

  1992–93: £1,628

  1993–94: £4,699

  Disclosure of Evidence
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 2 December,Official Report, column 915, when he expects to complete his consideration on the disclosure of evidence; and what plans he has for announcing the outcome.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  We are making arrangements to give effect to the judgment of the Divisional court in ex parte Hickey and others, which concerned the procedure by which decisions are taken in cases where it is represented to us that a miscarriage of justice has
  571
  occurred. Separately, the case of Mr. Malone, one of the applicants to the Divisional court, was referred to the Court of Appeal on 8 December.

DEFENCE

  Drug Testing
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to introduce random compulsory drug testing in the armed forces.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to introduce random compulsory drug testing in the armed services.

  Mr. Soames
  The House will be aware that we have for some time been working on plans to introduce random compulsory drug tests in the armed forces.

  The Government attach very high priority to tackling the problem of drug misuse. This is reflected in the proposals set out in the recent Green Paper "Tackling Drugs Together". In the spirit of the Green Paper, a number of measures are already taken in the armed forces to educate recruits and service personnel about the dangers of drugs, and the unlawful possession or supply of a controlled substance is contrary to service as well as civilian law.

  Following detailed studies, a broad policy framework was agreed last year for the introduction of a compulsory drug testing regime in each of the three services, should that be judged necessary. I can now announce that, following an anonymous trial of testing procedures in the Army, we have decided as a further deterrent to introduce compulsory drug testing in the Army.

  With immediate effect, Army personnel may be required to provide urine specimens for testing at any time and with no prior warning. Personnel who are tested positive or who refuse to provide a specimen will in the case of officers be required to resign and soldiers will normally be discharged. Lance corporals and below may in certain circumstances be given a second chance and allowed to remain in the Army for counselling.

  The Royal Navy is initiating compulsory drug testing trials, which will allow decisions to be taken as to whether there is a need to introduce a drug testing regime. The Royal Air Force does not need to introduce compulsory drug testing for the moment, but it is keeping its policy under review. In the meantime the RN and RAF will continue to apply other measures to deter drugs misuse.

  Quangos
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many quangos his Department was responsible for(a) in 1979 and (b) in the latest year for which a number is available;

  (2) if he will list (a) those quangos his Department has abolished since 1979 and (b) those quangos established since 1977.

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Scarborough (Mr. Skyes) on 25 November 1994,Official Report, column 458. No records are available prior to 1979.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of quangos to which he is 572
  responsible for appointing members are employed by companies which supply his Department.

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

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many members of quangos to which he is responsible for appointing members have previously served as councillors representing(a) the Conservative party, (b) the Labour party and (c) the Liberal Democrat party;

  (2) how many members of quangos to which he is responsible for appointing members have stood as candidates for boroughs, city, district or county councils for (a) the Conservative party, (b) the Labour party and (c) the Liberal Democrat party;

  (3) how many members of quangos to which he is responsible for appointing members have stood as parliamentary candidates for (a) the Conservative party; (b) the Labour party and (c) the Liberal Democrat party;

  (4) how many known members of (a) the Conservative party, (b) the Labour party and (c) the Liberal Democrat party currently serve on quangos to which he is responsible for appointing members;

  (5) how many members of quangos to which he is responsible for appointing members currently serve as councillors representing (a) the Conservative party, (b) the Labour party and (c) the Liberal Democrat party.

  Mr. Soames
  Members of Ministry of Defence non-departmental public bodies are appointed on the basis of suitability and merit. Information on members' political allegiance and record is neither sought nor held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  United Nations Peacekeeping
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he has had with the Foreign Secretary in drawing up clear operational guidelines for future United Nations peacekeeping.

  Mr. Soames
  The United Kingdom has played an active part in discussions aimed at enhancing the capacity of the United Nations to mount peacekeeping operations. In addition, the British Army is developing a manual on peacekeeping on which there has been consultation with the United Nations. My Department is in regular contact with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on these matters.

  Consultants
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will(a) list those consultancy contracts awarded by his Department in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993 and (b) the purpose of each individual contract.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department's central contracts branch has placed in excess of 500 contracts with consultants in each of the last few years. In addition to this figure, consultancy contracts are placed as part of specific projects and as low value orders of under £10,000. Under the Department's arrangements for the delegation of contractual authority, such contracts are placed without reference to the central contracts branch and so cannot be identified separately.

  In view of this and the large number of centrally placed contracts involved over the last 15 years, an answer to

  573
  this question could be provided only at disproportionate cost and effort.

  Animal Testing
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 2 December,Official Report, column 898, if he will list (a) the type of animals used for experiments and (b) the nature of the experiments for 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993.

  Mr. Soames
  The species of animals used by the Department for experiments were rats, mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, sheep, goats, pigs, miniature pigs, marmosets and rhesus monkeys.

  These experiments were designed to:

  Investigate gravitational effects;

  demonstrate the results of exposure to different pressures of air or oxygen;

  assess the potential harm of chemical or biological agents; devise medical countermeasures;

  demonstrate the efficacy of and safety of medical counter-measures;

  All the experiments involving the use of animals fully meet the spirit and letter of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

  Exercise Iron Tempest
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many close air support missions with cannon were flown by Jaguar aircraft over Salisbury plain training area during Exercise Iron Tempest.

  Mr. Soames
  The planned close air support mission by two Jaguar aircraft on 10 December was cancelled due to poor weather, and no such missions were therefore flown.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to keep the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrence under constant review.

  Mr. Soames
  We continue to keep our defence policy as a whole under review. We believe, however, that our nuclear forces continue to provide the ultimate guarantee of this country's security and remain an important element of NATO's strategy of war prevention.

  Official Service Residences
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what savings he plans to make from the official service residences.

  Mr. Soames
  The review by Sir Peter Cazalet of representational entertainment in the armed forces, which is examining the requirement for senior officers to entertain and the means by which the entertainment should be carried out, will in particular consider whether there are alternative and more cost-effective means than the use of official service residences and other service married quarters, and, in the light of that, whether any properties can be disposed of. I shall report to the House in due course on the outcome of this work.

  Redundancies
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he has had with the 574
  Secretary of State for Employment in formulating a policy for the provision of high-grade training for service personnel made redundant.

  Mr. Soames
  The successful improvements introduced into the services resettlement programme, following "Options for Change", were developed with the full co-operation and assistance of the Department of Employment. In addition to participating in the strategic planning of the programme, Department of Employment staff work closely with my Department to provide a range of services which ensure that those leaving the armed forces have available the advice, training and job search opportunities to help best exploit their service skills in moving to a second career.

  Research
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what sum was spent by his Department on research in each of the last 10 years; what percentage this was of the total annual budget; what is the research budget for the forthcoming year; what percentage this is of his total budget; and what additional new research is to be undertaken.

  Mr. Freeman
  The sums spent on research and development by the Department for the last 10 years were reported in the statistical supplement to the 1994 "Forward Look of Government-funded Science, Engineering and Technology." The expenditure on research and development and the percentage that this expenditure was of total departmental expenditure are as follows:

  R and D expenditure £ millions

  Percentage of total expenditure

  1985–86

  2,018.2

  11.1

  1986–87

  1,941.5

  10.5

  1987–88

  1,910.7

  10.1

  1988–89

  1,879.8

  9.8

  1989–90

  2,028.6

  9.8

  1990–91

  2,062.9

  9.5

  1991–92

  2,267.0

  9.8

  1992–93

  2,220.9

  9.4

  1993–94

  2,461.1

  10.5

  1994–95

  2,314.6

  9.9

  The expenditure on research and development in the coming year has still to be determined, and will be reported in the statistical supplement to the 1995 "Forward Look".

  Information on new research areas is given in paragraph 437 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1994"—Cm 2550.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the special advisers serving in his Department during the last five years were subject to positive security vetting.

  Mr. Soames
  All special advisers are currently required to have a security clearance which will depend on the level of access they require to carry out their duties.

  Military Equipment
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the share by value, and the total value in current and standard prices, of British production of(a) warships, (b) aircraft for military purposes, including the training of pilots, and (c) tanks and other armoured vehicles which was for (i) domestic and (ii) export purposes in each year since 1984.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information is given in the following tables.

  Table 1: Defence production expenditure for domestic (United Kingdom) use

  £ millions

  Sea equipment

  Air equipment

  Fighting vehicles

  Current prices

  1984–85

  1,925

  3,003

  131

  1985–86

  2,128

  2,761

  155

  1986–87

  2,134

  2,644

  148

  1987–88

  2,475

  2,807

  212

  1988–89

  2,421

  2,652

  235

  1989–90

  2,642

  2,717

  180

  1990–91

  2,700

  2,718

  252

  1991–92

  2,809

  2,930

  243

  1992–93

  2,720

  2,460

  149

  1993 prices

  1984–85

  1,210

  1,887

  82

  1985–86

  1,413

  1,833

  103

  1986–87

  1,464

  1,813

  102

  1987–88

  1,784

  2,023

  153

  1988–89

  1,850

  2,027

  180

  1989–90

  2,161

  2,223

  147

  1990–91

  2,350

  2,366

  219

  1991–92

  2,604

  2,716

  225

  1992–93

  2,630

  2,379

  144

  Source:

  Table 1.6 UK Defence Statistics series or from the Defence Analytical Services Agency, table 2.1 "Economic Trends", October 1994.

  Notes:

  Sea equipment includes the full militarisation of the standard equipment.

  Air equipment excludes the cost of training pilots. This information is not available.

  Fighting vehicles excludes maintenance.

  Estimates of 1993 prices were derived from current price figures using the implied deflator for GDP at market prices.

  Table 2: United Kingdom exports of defence equipment

  £ millions

  Warships

  Military aircraft and parts

  Armoured fighting vehicles and parts

  SBAC identified additional aerospace equipment

  Current prices

  1984

  40

  212

  146

  1,310

  1985

  4

  174

  127

  940

  1986

  12

  192

  87

  1,312

  1987

  61

  326

  56

  1,853

  1988

  26

  813

  59

  1,406

  1989

  41

  1,524

  52

  717

  1990

  3

  1,206

  70

  1,904

  1991

  8

  1,367

  66

  807

  1992

  3

  838

  89

  811

  1993

  24

  1,310

  147

  n/a

  576

  Table 2: United Kingdom exports of defence equipment

  £ millions

  Warships

  Military aircraft and parts

  Armoured fighting vehicles and parts

  SBAC identified additional aerospace equipment

  1993 prices

  1984

  25

  133

  92

  823

  1985

  3

  116

  84

  624

  1986

  8

  132

  60

  900

  1987

  44

  235

  40

  1,335

  1988

  20

  621

  45

  1,074

  1989

  34

  1,247

  43

  587

  1990

  3

  1,050

  61

  1,657

  1991

  7

  1,267

  61

  748

  1992

  3

  810

  86

  784

  1993

  24

  1,310

  147

  n/a

  Source:

  Table 1.11 UK Defence Statistics series or the Defence Analytical Services Agency.

  Table 2.1 "Economic Trends", October 1994.

  Notes:

  These figures for exports of identified defence equipment are understated because of dual-use products, for example Land Rovers. The estimates of additional military exports are based on figures from the Society of British Aerospace Companies. They relate only to those items where the official commodity classifications do not distinguish between military and civil aerospace equipment.

  These are liable to alter from year to year in line with changes to the classifications.

  Exports for collaborative projects are excluded.

  Estimates of 1993 prices were derived from current price figures using the implied deflator for GDP at market prices.

  n/a—Not available.

  Departmental Telephone Bills
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were his Department's telephone bills in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department's direct telephone running costs for the year's 1991–92, 1992–93 and 199394 were £67.1 million, £64.9 million and £61.4 million respectively. Figures prior to these dates are not available.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Attorney-General which of the special advisers serving in his Departments during the last five years were subject to positive security vetting.

  The Attorney-General
  There have been no special advisers in the Departments for which I am responsible during the last five years.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which of the special advisers serving in his Department during the last five years were subject to positive security vetting.
  577
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  All special advisers are currently required to have positive vetting.

  Consultants
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his Department's policy regarding the use of executive search consultants in making appointments to public bodies; and if he will list(a) the appointments where such consultants have been used and (b) the cost in each case in the period April 1992 to December 1993.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  It is the policy of my Department to follow the guidance provided in the "Guide on Public Appointments Procedures" which advises that the use of executive search consultants is one option which may be appropriate for certain full and some part-time posts.

  Executive search consultants were used for the appointments of the Director General of the Research Councils and chief executives of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council. The total cost was £78,960 including VAT. This fee was negotiated to cover all four appointments and it is not possible to disaggregate the figure.

  Research Council
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what decisions were taken on the fourth framework programme at the Research Council on 1 December.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  The Council reached agreement on the remaining aspects of the fourth framework programme. This will enable the Commission to issue calls for proposals on most, if not all, of the outstanding specific programmes in December. We believe that the framework programme presents United Kingdom researchers with a worthwhile challenge to which they will be able to respond fully, as they have done in the past.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Casual Staff
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the costs of recruiting, appointing and training casual staff appointed to replace casual staff whose period of placement has expired.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Casual staff are recruited where the requirement for staff is likely to be for less than 12 months. Exceptionally, their appointment can be extended. The need to replace casual staff with other casual staff does not therefore usually arise. Recruitment costs of casual staff are minimal.

  Manufacturing Output
  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
  578
  the change in manufacturing output since (a) 1973 and (b) 1979 together with the change in imports of manufactures.

  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.

  Companies House
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to publish the reports of consultants SRU Ltd. into(a) the privatisation of Companies House, (b) the concept of competing company registrars, and (c) the contracting out of Companies House; and what view was expressed by SRU Ltd. on whether its report into the contracting out of Companies House should be published.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I expect to publish SRU's report on the possibility of contracting out Companies House services when I announce a decision on the future of Companies House.

  Tile Manufacturing
  Ms Walley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 30 November,Official Report, column 705, what criteria he has established to assess the likely impact on the United Kingdom tile and sanitary ware industry of investment projects; and if he will publish details of the assessment he has made of the likely impact of the investment project in Merseyside on existing United Kingdom tile manufacturing.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No specific criteria have been established for the tile and sanitaryware industry. All applications are appraised against published criteria. This includes not only the likely impact that an investment might have on United Kingdom industry but also the extent to which the national and regional economy would benefit from any offer of assistance. This information is commercially confidential and is not available for publication.

  Insolvency Service
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what advice he has received on the effect contracting out of the Insolvency Service might have on the future disqualification and prosecution of bankrupts.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Stoy Hayward reported that the contracting out of the Official Receiver's case administration functions upon the making of the insolvency order would enable him to concentrate more on his investigatory role.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what advice he has received on the effects of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 on the contracting out of the Insolvency Service.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  No decision to contract out has been taken; it is, therefore, too early to consider the issue of Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, the implications of which may not become clear until the nature of proposals in any bidding process could be assessed.

  Fire Safety
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all the organisations and individuals who submitted written responses to the proposals of the interdepartmental fire safety scrutiny team contained in the report "Fire Safety Legislation and Enforcement".

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To date, some 460 organisations and individuals have provided written comments on the report of the interdepartmental scrutiny of fire safety legislation and enforcement.

  I have placed a copy of the list in the Library of the House.

  British Coal Enterprise
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the contribution by British Coal Enterprise to the welfare and economy of coalfield areas; and if he will make a statement on its future.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The job creation and economic regeneration efforts of British Coal Enterprise in areas affected by colliery closures are well known and recognised.

  The Government and British Coal are currently exploring options for the services provided by British Coal Enterprise. No final decisions have been taken about its future.

  EC Legislation
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what liaison arrangements exist between his Department and overseas posts in order to provide him with information about the implementation in other member states of European Community legislation.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Overseas posts are under standing instructions to report on the general position on implementation of single market legislation in other member states; and on implementation of specific measures when requested.

  Pearl Assurance Ltd
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many complaints have been received about Pearl Assurance Ltd. within the past year.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  It is not this Department's policy to disclose publicly information relating to individual companies.

  Post Office
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the automation of Post Office business.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 5 December 1994]: The project to automate the payment of benefit at post offices has two main aims: to provide the post office network with a streamlined and modern business infrastructure; and to help the Benefits Agency ensure that losses through payment fraud are minimised. It will put new electronic terminals in 20,000 post offices and will play a key part in supporting an expanded range of products and services for the 28 million people who visit them each week. When complete it will put post offices
  580
  at the leading edge of using technology to improve services to customers.

  Following rigorous evaluation of formal bids from potential suppliers, five have been asked to develop their ideas further. Detailed proposals will be considered and tested over coming months, with a final decision on the choice of system and supplier being made next winter. We expect to see the first offices automated in the spring of 1996.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Energy Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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. Ancram
  The total expenditure by Northern Ireland Departments and agencies in each of the three years is given in the table:

  1991–92 £ millions

  1992–93 £ millions

  1993–94 £ millions

  Departments

  19.50

  19.09

  19.11

  Agencies

  0.49

  0.59

  1.17

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the latest figures for the number of employees in the(a) catering, (b) clothing manufacture, (c) linen and (d) road haulage industries.

  Mr. Ancram
  The latest available figures from the quarterly employment survey show that at June 1994 there were an estimated 22,990 persons employed in hotels and catering and 14,800 employed in the manufacture of footwear and clothing. More detailed figures on industrial activities such as linen and road haulage are available only from the census of employment. Results from the September 1991 census show that there were 1,866 persons employed in the linen industry and 4,243 in road haulage.

  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been unemployed for more than(a) six months and (b) 12 months.

  Mr. Ancram
  The latest available figures, for October 1994, show that in Northern Ireland 65,326 people have been unemployed for more than six months and 53,049 have been unemployed for more than 12 months.

  Ophthalmology Out-patient Clinics
  Rev. Martin Symth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many referrals from general practitioners to ophthalmology out-patients clinics were made in 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Moss
  The information details the number of general practitioner written referral requests to opthalmology out-patient clinics in Northern Ireland:
  581

  Year

  Number of referrals

  1990–91

  10,452

  1991–92

  13,050

  Hill Farming
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what acreage has been put into regeneration of the natural habitat in hill farming.

  Mr. Ancram
  By June 1994 about 220,000 hectares of hill land had been designated under the environmentally sensitive areas scheme. To date, 30,000 hectares of this area have been entered into agreements under which farmers agree to pursue farming practices which aim to protect and enhance the natural environment of their farms.

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

  Northern £

  Southern £

  Eastern £

  Western £

  1991–92

  5,577,831

  4,502,548

  7,710,908

  3,227,379

  1992–93

  1,012,744

  (2,276,927)

  9,394,771

  2,346,866

  1993–94

  1,543,080

  931,037

  (1,755,150)

  2,233,802

  Notes:

  Figures in brackets indicate "deficits". Figures quoted for 1993–94 exclude surpluses made by general practitioner fundholders.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Colombia
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid was provided to Colombia in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Aid provided to Colombia in financial years 1990–91, 1991–92, and 1992–93 was £3.66 million, £3.789 million and £2.433 million respectively. The provisional figure for 1993–94 is £2.454 million. Assistance included technical co-operation, emergency aid support, aid and trade provision activity, and anti-drugs technical assistance.

  Colombia no longer qualifies for aid and trade provision support, but other programmes continue. Priorities agreed with the Government of Colombia for the technical co-operation programme include the modernisation of public sector administration and the sustainable management of renewable natural resources. Assistance in the latter sector has concentrated on coffee pest and disease control, and the post-harvest processing of fruit and vegetables.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evaluation of the standards of human rights in Colombia his Department has undertaken during the last five years; what were the
  582
  Mr. Ancram
  [holding reply 12 December 1944]: Grant assistance is available to pig producers in Northern Ireland under the sub-programme for agriculture and rural development for the conversion or replacement of existing dry sow accommodation at a grant rate of 30 per cent. of expenditure of up to £25,000.

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

  Mr. Moss
  [holding reply 12 December 1994]: As cash-limited organisations, health and social services boards are not permitted to overspend, that is, to make cash deficits. However, goods and services, for example equipment, building works etcetera, ordered in one financial year are frequently not received until the next. This can lead to "surpluses" in one year, when the allocation has been underspent, and "deficits" in the following year, when that year's allocation is overspent.

  The "surpluses" and "deficits" for Northern Ireland's four health and social services boards for the periods 1991–92 to 1993–94 are as follows:

  findings; how they affected the evaluation of aid to the Colombian regime; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Our ambassador in Bogota reports regularly on human rights in Colombia. Our embassy is in frequent touch with a wide range of governmental and non-governmental organisations in Colombia, as well as with our European Union partners on human rights issues.

  Human rights violations in Colombia have complex causes. Illegal drugs production and trafficking, the activities of guerrilla organisations and military and para-military forces, failure to bring successful prosecutions, as well as conditions of poverty and social inequality all contribute to the high level of abuses there. The administration of President Samper is addressing these issues frankly and openly. The priority which the Government of Colombia attach to these issues is welcome. We wish them success in their attempt to improve human rights observance.

  Human rights considerations have not significantly affected decisions on the nature of our modest bilateral aid programme with Colombia. The programme is entirely technical co-operation, operating mainly through non-governmental organisations and autonomous institutions.

  Rwanda
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he has
  583
  made to the UN Secretary-General's Rwanda emergency normalisation plan.

  Mr. Baldry
  Britain has provided bilateral assistance for priority health care, refugee repatriation, infrastructure repair and help to Rwanda Government ministries. The European Union's new programme of rehabilitation assistance, worth approximately £52 million, will include help for Kigali airport, road repair, health and education. The United Kingdom share of this programme is about £9 million.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have responded to the Rwanda trust fund: how much they have contributed; and what is the proposed United Kingdom contribution.

  Mr. Baldry
  We understand that to date the Dutch have contributed $5 million to the UN trust fund for Rwanda. We will consider whether to make a contribution as part of our preparations for the United Nations development programme round table on Rwanda in January 1995.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution is made by Her Majesty's Government to the training of civilian police in Rwanda.

  Mr. Baldry
  We have not been asked to help bilaterally in training civil police and have no plans to do so given the very different Rwandan and British policing systems.

  European Aid
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he has taken to ensure that the United Kingdom will be able to honour its share of the commitment made at the Edinburgh summit to increase European aid by 60 per cent. by the end of the decade.

  Mr. Baldry
  British contributions to both the European development fund and the EC aid budget are charged to the United Kingdom aid programme. The levels agreed for the aid programme in this year's public expenditure survey, for the years 1995–96 to 1997–98, include provision in each year for these costs. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary would expect to put forward proposals for later years, in future public expenditure surveys, on the same basis.

  Aid Provision
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent the human rights record of a country is a criterion for the provision of aid; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Aid allocation decisions take account of a range of criteria. These include human rights as part of good government. Other criteria include poverty and commitment to appropriate development policies.

  Trade Unions
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of know-how fund money has been allocated by country to the Trades Union Congress or to trade unions to support the development of democratic trades unionism in the countries covered by the know-how fund for the years(a) 1991–92, (b) 1992–93 and (c) 1993–94.
  584
  Mr. Baldry
  The know-how fund has allocated some £200,000 to trades union-related assistance in the region since 1991. Further funds have been allocated, and new projects are being planned.

  The breakdown by country, expressed as a percentage of the total country programmes, is as follows:

  Country

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Bulgaria

  2.49

  0.09

  0.00

  Czechoslovakia

  0.11

  0.53

  0.00

  Czech Republic

  0.00

  0.00

  0.13

  Hungary

  0.02

  0.00

  0.00

  Poland

  0.27

  0.99

  0.00

  Romania

  0.58

  0.00

  0.45

  Russia

  0.00

  <0.01

  <0.01

  Energy Efficiency Projects
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 22 November,Official Report, column 70, about energy efficiency projects, if he will list the members of the British Soviet business consortium awarded the energy efficiency training project for Russia in 1992–93.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Members of the British Soviet business consortium awarded the energy efficiency training project for Russia in 1992–93 were British Gas, British Coal, Scottish Power, NIFES, WS Atkins, Linden Consulting Partnership, BICC-Andover Controls, GEC-Satchwell Controls, Freeman Group, Babcock, Phoenix Burners-Nor Ray Vac, Lighting Enterprises Consultancy and March Consulting Group.

  Eritrea
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what Overseas Development Administration assistance currently goes to Eritrea.

  Mr. Baldry
  In 1993–94 Eritrea received £5.8 million in bilateral assistance, including emergency aid. Eritrea is also a recipient of multilateral assistance to which Britain makes a significant contribution. Our share of the European Union's rehabilitation and development assistance since 1993 is £7 million. Eritrea also receives emergency aid from the European Union.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Royal Palaces
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which(a) occupied and (b) unoccupied royal palaces have fire certificates.

  Mr. Sproat
  Under the terms of the Fire Precautions Act 1971, fire certificates are required only for premises employing more than 20 persons or more than 10 persons above the ground floor. Therefore, only specific areas of royal palaces require fire certificates.

  (a) occupied royal palaces: At Windsor castle, certificates have been issued for the Round tower and the Saxon tower. Applications are being processed for two other areas.
  585
  Applications are being processed for eight areas in other places.

  (b) unoccupied royal palaces: At the Tower of London a certificate has been issued for the new armouries. Applications are being processed for one other area at the tower and two areas at Hampton Court palace.

  Millennium Fund
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to use the millennium fund to build a permanent museum or monument dedicated to those who suffered and died during the period of African enslavement; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  It will be for the millennium commissioners to determine the purposes to which they apply their share of the national lottery proceeds in response to the applications they receive. Copies of the Millennium Commission's detailed guidance on how to make applications for lottery funds, along with those produced by the other distributing bodies, have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Export of Works of Art Review
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when the report of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art, 1993–94, will be published.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The reviewing committee's annual report, 1993–94, has been published today, and copies have been laid before Parliament.

  Television Licence Fee
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what would be the cost of a 25 per cent. reduction in television licence fees paid by single pensioner households; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 12 December 1994]: The current cost of providing a 25 per cent. reduction in television licence fees for all single pensioner households would be about £60 million per annum.

  National Lottery
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps he is taking to monitor the weekly expenditure of households in the United Kingdom on national lottery tickets.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 12 December 1994]: I understand that the family expenditure survey includes an explicit code to capture expenditure on the national lottery.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which of the special advisers serving in his Department since its establishment were subject to positive security vetting.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I do not currently have any special advisers, but all special advisers were required to have positive vetting.

  Energy Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage 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. Dorrell
  My Department was established in April 1992 but did not occupy its own premises until May 1993. In the year 1993–94 we spent £72,089 on energy for offices and buildings. In the current year to date we have spent £39,902.

  My agencies the Royal Parks agency and the Historic Royal Palaces agency are unable to identify the energy costs for offices and buildings as much of their energy expenditure is in respect of lighting and maintaining parks, gardens and grounds.

TREASURY

  Smuggling
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of the effect of the enforced retirement of substantial numbers of Customs and Excise officers on the continuing problem of beer and Scotch whisky smuggling.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The fundamental expenditure review—FER—carried out by Customs and Excise will mean that the Department reduces in size by about 4,000 over five years. All possible steps will be taken to avoid redundancy and it is envisaged that the reductions will be achieved through natural wastage and voluntary severance schemes.

  The amount or resources devoted to detecting the smuggling of alcoholic drinks and tobacco products will not be affected by the FER. Indeed, there will soon be a modest increase in the number of excise verification officers deployed by the Department.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs and Excise officers are involved in reducing drug smuggling and the unauthorised importation of alcoholic drinks in the financial year 1994–95; and how many officers will be involved in each of the next three years.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  In 1994–95 Customs expects to have deployed about 5,100 staff years on drugs control work. As well as including staff years from the customs function, this figure includes elements on investigation, intelligence, legal support, training and information systems.

  Enforcement techniques established in Customs over recent years have increased the use of better targeted, intelligence-led interceptions in place of static routine checks. This has enabled a more effective enforcement effort while allowing freer movement of legitimate traffic. The customs fundamental expenditure review shows that further moves in this direction can be made.

  To combat smuggling of excise goods from other EU member states, Customs has allocated some 240 staff to single market excise work, most of whom are specially trained excise verification officers. The EVO effort is intelligence directed, and is supported by specialist investigation staff and the control measures taken by Excise and VAT visiting officers.
  587
  The resource will not be affected by the fundamental expenditure review. Indeed, there will be a modest increase in the number of EVOs deployed by the Department. However staff numbers for the next three financial years have not yet been finally determined.

  Beer
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from other countries of the European Union about the movement towards parity of duty on beer.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No representations have been received from other countries of the European union about the movement towards parity of duty on beer.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the volume of beer purchased at French ports by customers on day visits from the United Kingdom; and what is his estimate of the effect of such sales on the domestic beer industry.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Customs estimates that before allowing for additional consumption, the total value of personal beer imports from the EU by legitimate cross-border shoppers is equivalent to less than 1 per cent. of the United Kingdom market.

  Manufactures
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the net rate of return on exports of manufactures, as defined in the Central Statistical Office "First Release" (94) 205, for each quarter from 1975.

  Mr. Nelson
  Estimates for net rate of return on exports of manufactures are unavailable. The net rate of return for manufacturing companies defined in the CSO "First Release" is derived from the gross operating surplus and net capital stock employed by such companies. The CSO does not collect information on whether the operating surplus and capital stock employed relate to manufacturing for domestic markets or for export. Many businesses would be unable to provide a meaningful split, particularly of capital stock employed.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what grounds he is forecasting a continuing decline in the United Kingdom share of world trade in manufactures in his "Financial Statement and Budget Report".

  Mr. Nelson
  The United Kingdom is forecast to increase its share of export markets in 1994 and 1995. However, United Kingdom export markets are forecast to grow a little slower than world trade because trade in Europe—our main export market—is projected to rise more slowly than trade between Asian economies.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the Treasury calculates the profitability of exports of(a) manufactures and (b) services; and how these calculations compare with the estimate of profitability of domestic manufacturers.

  Mr. Nelson
  Export profit margins for manufactures are calculated from the ratio of manufacturing export prices to estimated manufacturing costs. Estimates of export profit margins for services are not available. It is estimated that manufacturers' export profit margins have risen faster recently than their margins on production for the domestic market.

  Imports
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evidence he has to show that the increase in non-oil imports in 1994 compared to 1993 mentioned in paragraph 3.5 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report", is due to import substitution rather than a falling off in United Kingdom demand for goods of the same description; and if he will publish the forecast change in import penetration in each of the principle import-competing and export industries in 1994 compared with 1993 and 1992.

  Mr. Nelson
  Import price competitiveness for manufactured goods, which accounts for around 80 per cent. of trade in non-oil goods, is estimated to be more than 6.5 per cent. better than in the first three quarters of 1992. Historical experience suggests that improvements in price competitiveness lead, over a period of time, to lower import penetration than would otherwise have occurred. The Treasury does not publish forecasts of import penetration for individual industries.

  Exchange Rate
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the economic conditions which in the Government's assessment has to be fulfilled before a rate of exchange can be described as competitive.

  Mr. Nelson
  A nation's competitiveness depends on much more than its exchange rate. Our ability to sell goods and services into world markets and achieve a sustained rise in living standards depend fundamentally on improving productivity and controlling costs. Policies directed at permanently low inflation and competitive markets provide the best environment in which to achieve this.

  Inflation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to shadow the deutschmark to bring down the rate of inflation.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Government's monetary policy is clearly set out at paragraph's 2.03 to 2.08 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1995–96". Minutes of the discussion at the Chancellor's monthly monetary meetings with the Governor of the Bank of England are also published. Movements in the exchange rate are considered as part of general assessments of monetary conditions in setting monetary policy. The Government recognise the value of a stable exchange rate but do not set target rates.

  Inheritance Tax Exemptions
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 30 November,Official Report, column 760, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the publicity to make the public aware of access arrangements.

  Sir George Young
  The level of publicity to be given to the agreed public access arrangements required in return for conditional exemption is negotiated on a case-by-case basis by the heritage advisory agencies which have the appropriate experience and expertise. Owners of conditionally exempt land are required to
  589
  submit annual reports to the responsible heritage body covering the undertakings they have given, including the publicity given to the public access arrangements. In addition, the heritage advisory agencies make on-site visits to conditionally exempt land. The Inland Revenue also separately reviews all such cases at five-yearly intervals. There is no evidence that publicity given to public access arrangements is deficient.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the number of countryside sites where public access has been granted by the landowner in return for exemption from inheritance tax in(a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94 and (c) 1994–95 to date.

  Sir George Young
  I refer to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 30 November,Official Report, column 760. As I explained, figures for designations of land alone on a year-by-year basis are not available at acceptable cost.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 30 November,Official Report, column 760, if he will list the counties where public access has been granted by landowners in return for exemption from inheritance tax.

  Sir George Young
  A list for conditionally exempt land alone is not available at acceptable cost. The counties in England where public access has been granted by owners of land and buildings in return for conditional exception from inheritance tax or capital transfer tax are as follows:

  Berkshire

  Buckinghamshire

  Cheshire

  Cornwall

  Cumbria

  Derbyshire

  Devon

  Dorset

  Essex

  Gloucestershire

  Hampshire

  Herefordshire and Worcestershire

  Hertfordshire

  Humberside

  Isle of Wight

  Kent

  Lancashire

  Leicestershire

  Lincolnshire

  Merseyside

  Norfolk

  Northamptonshire

  Northumberland

  North Yorkshire

  Nottinghamshire

  Oxfordshire

  Shropshire

  Somerset

  Staffordshire

  Suffolk

  Surrey

  Sussex

  Warwickshire

  West Yorkshire

  Wiltshire

  Overseas Debt
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much debt owed by developing countries has been cancelled by the Paris Club since the introduction of the Trinidad terms in 1990;

  (2) how much debt owed by severely indebted low-income countries has been cancelled by the Paris Club since the introduction of the Trinidad terms in 1990.

  Mr. Nelson
  The following figures are World bank estimates of debt forgiveness since 1990 by the Paris Club, in net present value terms:

  US$ billion

  (a)

  All Developing Countries

  2.2

  (b)

  Severely Indebted Low Income Countries SILICs (as of end 1993)

  1.7

  Tax Relief
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what circumstances tax relief is available for expenditure in connection with public duties of the taxpayer or of his or her spouse; what limit applies to the amount; and for which individuals exceptional arrangements are made.

  Sir George Young
  There are various tax deductions and reliefs available to individuals in connection with public duties, as for other employees and officeholders. More information is in the Inland Revenue "Guide to Benefits and Expenses"—booklet 480—copies of which are available in the House Library.

  VAT (Public Transport)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the revenue likely to be generated by the imposition of VAT on non-essential public transport during the financial year beginning 1 April 1994.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  None. The changes come into effect from 1 April 1995.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his proposals to extend value added tax on public transport apply to(a) boat trips on (i) inland waterways, (ii) estuaries and (iii) coastal waters, (b) private railways, (c) coach tours and (d) road trains.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 12 December 1994]: The proposed restrictions to the VAT zero-rating for public passenger transport will not affect boat trips—including the Isle of Wight ferry—which are currently zero-rated and which take place on the open sea, inland waterways or other waters to which the general public have access. Coach tours will also be unaffected. Similarly, the VAT position of the other examples cited in the question will remain unchanged except where they are covered by admission charges to places such as theme or safari parks or working museums. In these cases, where admission charges are apportioned at present, they will become wholly liable to VAT at the standard rate.

  Steam Railways
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he intends to apply value added tax to fares on steam railways operated by railway preservation societies.
  591
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I have no plans to disturb the current VAT zero-rating for public passenger transport, including steam railways, where the service is confined to that of public transport in its widely accepted sense. I can confirm that the proposed restrictions to the zero-rating under the VAT (Transport) Order 1994 will not normally affect steam railways, and therefore most operators will be able to continue to apply the zero rate. The exception is when payment for admission to places such as theme or safari parks or working museums includes a steam engine ride. In these cases, where admission charges are

  Figures in £ billions

  Petrol duty

  Derv duty

  VED

  1VAT on petrol and derv

  2VAT on vehicle sales

  Car tax

  1992–93

  8.2

  3.0

  3.3

  1.6

  2.9

  0.6

  1993–94

  8.8

  3.7

  3.6

  1.7

  3.3

  0.0

  1 Derived from Central Statistical Office estimates of consumers' expenditure.

  2 Non-reclaimable VAT.

  The total revenue in 1994–95 expected from all hydrocarbons including minor oils is £14.6 billion from VED £3.8 billion.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the level of real interest rates(a) on 7 December and (b) on 1 December in (i) August 1992 and (ii) 1978.

  Mr. Nelson
  Real interest rates can be calculated in several ways, using either short or longer-term nominal interest rates, and either past or expected future rates of inflation.

  Data on interest rates and inflation are available in the CSO publications "Financial Statistics" table 7.10 and "Economic Trends" table 3.1. Data on expected future inflation rates are published in the Treasury's monthly review of independent forecasters, and the Bank of England's inflation report.

  As at close 1 and 7 December 1994 three-month and 10-year nominal interest rates were:

  3 month

  10 year

  1 December

  6.19

  8.58

  7 December

  6.38

  8.74

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the effect of the 1/2 per cent. increase in lending rates on the cost of the PSBR for the rest of the current financial year; and what is his estimate of the PSBR for the next financial year.

  Mr. Nelson
  The effect of the ½ per cent. increase in lending rates on the cost of financing the public sector borrowing requirement for the current financial year will depend upon the level and structure of interest rates, the rate of inflation and the type of debt issued.

  My latest estimate of the PSBR for 1995–96 is £21.5 billion.

  VAT (Fuel)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost in interest of substituting borrowing for the deficiency caused by not raising VAT on heating from 8 per cent. to 17½ per cent.
  592
  apportioned at present, they will become wholly liable to VAT at the standard rate.

  Tax Yields
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the yield in 1992–93 and 1993–94 and the latest estimate of yield for 1994–95 from(a) petrol duty, (b) derv duty, (c) vehicle excise duty, (d) VAT on petrol and derv rate, (e) VAT on vehicle sales and (f) car tax.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The tax yield is as follows.

  for (a) the rest of the present year and (b) the whole of next year.

  Mr. Nelson
  The cost of servicing any particular amount of borrowing will depend upon the level and structure of interest rates, the rate of inflation and the type of debt issued. My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor announced to the House on 8 December measures to ensure that not raising VAT on fuel and power to 17½ per cent. will have no significant impact on borrowing either this year or next year.

  Imports and Exports
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the amount by which imports and exports of manufactures were under or over-recorded in 1993 compared with the old system of recording in the case of trade with the EEC; and what is his estimate currently.

  Mr. Nelson
  Revised adjustments for under-recording of United Kingdom imports and exports to and from other European Union countries were given in the August 1994 edition of "Economic Trends", which announced the outcome of a review of the Intrastat system carried out by the Central Statistical Office and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise. The effect on the statistics for trade in manufacturers was as follows:

  United Kingdom trade with other European Union countries Manufacturers (SITC Rev, 3 section 5 to 8) (1993, million on a balance of payments basis)

  United Kingdom imports

  United Kingdom exports

  Balance

  Pre review

  55,533

  52,098

  -3,435

  Post review

  55,748

  51,878

  -3,870

  Revision

  +215

  -220

  -435

  The review also established that there were faults in the old system of recording which caused, for example, total imports from other European Union countries to be overstated by an estimated £2,175 million in 1992. Estimates of the effect of the changed recording system at the level of manufactured goods are not available.

  Customs and Excise
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the planned reduction in the number of Her Majesty's Customs officers based at each of the Welsh ports and airports.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 8 December 1994]: The reduction in the number of Her Majesty's Customs officers based at each of the Welsh ports and airports has not yet been decided.

  Changes at particular ports and airports will be determined by the head of the executive unit in Wales. Factors to be taken into account will be the assessment of risk in locations together with his ability to make maximum use of flexible anti-smuggling teams.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many litres of alcohol Customs and Excise officers have intercepted; and what value of drugs and alcohol have been seized by Customs and Excise officers in Devon and Cornwall in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The following amounts have been seized by Customs and Excise officers in Devon and Cornwall over the last three years:

  Year

  Litres of alcohol

  Value of drugs £

  Value of alcohol £

  1992

  54

  10,772,849

  685

  1993

  16,658

  14,487,868

  24,855

  1994 (up to 30 November)

  7,059

  28,199,289

  17,836

  Public Sector Borrowing Requirement
  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 forecasting the PSBR for 1995–96, 1996–97 and 1997–98.

  Mr. Aitken
  [holding answer 12 December 1994]: The assumptions for GDP growth which underlie the PSBR projections are set out in table 3A.1 of the 1995–96 "Financial Statement and Budget Report".

  Market Testing
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. Nelson
  [holding answer 12 December 1994]: In Her Majesty's Treasury, no services have been awarded to a private sector supplier as a result of market testing which involved an in-house team. However, following a strategic decision to contract out most internal audit work, contracts were awarded, following competition, to Price Waterhouse and Touche Ross.

  Consumer Spending and VAT
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were at 1993 prices(a) for 1978 and (b) for the last available year (i) total consumer spending, (ii) the value added tax take and (iii) column (ii) as a percentage of (i).
  594
  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 12 December 1994]: Estimates of consumers' expenditure and value added tax are not readily available at 1993 prices. Information at current prices is available as indicated below on the CSO database which may be accessed via the House of Commons Library.

  Consumers' expenditure—series AIIK

  Total value added tax—series GTAS

  Thin Capitalisation
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy that the thin capitalisation proposals issued by the Inland Revenue on Budget day are intended to apply to the voluntary sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 12 December 1994]: The thin capitalisation proposals were not intended to have an adverse effect on the voluntary sector. It is now apparent that, in some cases, they could do so. I therefore intend amending the provision at the Committee stage of the Finance Bill to exclude charities and their subsidiaries from its scope.

  Occupation Pensions
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list each of the occupational pension schemes covered by Government guarantees and give details of the main elements of each scheme.

  Mr. Aitken
  [holding answer 12 December 1994]: Occupational pension schemes covered by Government guarantees are:

  The National Rivers Authority (Closed Fund);

  British Coal (Closed) Schemes and;

  The Pensioners Sections of the Railways Pension Scheme.

  Details of the pension benefits are available from the schemes themselves.

SCOTLAND

  Health Boards and Hospital Trusts (Property)
  Mr. Galbriath
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses on their property were in private ownership for each health board and hospital trust.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave him on 1 December at column 835.

  Scottish Heart Transplant Centre
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the number of operations predicted for the year 1994 in the initial proposal for the Scottish heart transplant centre;

  (2) how many operations the Scottish heart transplant centre at Glasgow royal infirmary is contracted to do each year.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Greater Glasgow health board's bid in 1991 for the heart transplant service predicted an activity of 25 patients for year one, rising to 50 patients per annum in subsequent years.
  595
  The contracted activity level for heart transplants in 1994–95 has been set at 25 based on the actual activity over the last two years—23 operations in each year.

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

  Mr. Lang
  There was a total of 4,101 written and 425 oral parliamentary questions tabled for my Department between 26 November 1993 and 11 November 1994. Of these, 91 were answered on the basis that the information was not held centrally.

  Schools Finance
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total figure for the financial balances held by all(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information sought is not held centrally. Nor will such information be available generally until devolved school management—DSM—arrangements are fully in place. The target date for final implementation of the DSM arrangements in Scottish schools is April 1998.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will announce his plans for funding the costs of local government reorganisation in 1995–96.

  Mr. Lang
  Following consultation with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, I have decided that, with one exception, all the provision for the costs of local government reorganisation which I expect will be incurred in 1995–96 should be allocated to the new shadow councils rather than to the existing authorities. I plan to allocate a total of £36 million to the shadow councils. This sum is entirely additional to the 1995–96 settlement for the existing local authorities which I announced on 29 November. In terms of section 25 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, the shadow councils may be funded either by grant or by borrowing consent. I am still considering which of these funding methods to use and I shall announce my decision as soon as possible. COSLA is being consulted about the distribution of the £36 million among the shadow councils.

  The one exception is provision of £5 million to cover the estimated cost of the elections of the shadow councils in April. That provision is included in the 1995–96 settlement for the existing authorities. A new grant-aided expenditure—GAE—assessment will be created for this amount and the GAE will be distributed among the nine regional councils on a basis agreed with COSLA.

  It is clearly important that, in order to achieve as smooth a transition to the new structure as possible, the existing authorities play their full part during 1995–96 in helping the shadow councils to prepare for reorganisation. However, I would not expect the existing authorities to incur additional costs next year as a result of reorganisation. My impression is that the preparation work which is already under way in many authorities is, in the great majority of cases, being carried out by
  596
  existing staff. I expect that that will also be the case next year. Where the existing authorities do incur costs next year in preparing for reorganisation, I would expect these to be offset by a rundown in their staffing and other activity as 1 April 1996 approaches. In other words, I would expect to see, in general, changes in one cancelling out changes in the other. But if a situation were to arise in which an existing authority had to undertake a major piece of preparation work which, for example, involved the recruitment of extra staff or the commissioning of consultants, I would expect such work to be undertaken only with the agreement of the relevant shadow council or councils and with the costs being met by that council or those councils concerned.

  I consider that the provision that I am making for reorganisation costs in 1995–96 and the approach which I have outlined with regard to its distribution will ensure that the process of reorganisation will proceed smoothly and efficiently in the lead up to the transfer to the new councils on 1 April 1996.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will announce the provision that he has made in his public expenditure plans for Government-supported expenditure and aggregate external finance in 1996–97 and 1997–98.

  Mr. Lang
  My plans for Government supported expenditure—GSE—and aggregate external financeAEF— for 1996–97 and 1997–98 and the actual figures for 1995–96 which I announced on Budget day are shown in the following table. The plans for 1996–97 and 1997–98 will, in the normal way, be subject to review in future public expenditure surveys.

  1995–96 £ million

  1996–97 £ million

  1997–98 £ million

  GSE

  6,116.9

  6,211

  6,201

  AEF

  5,306.0

  5,336

  5,300

  Community Care

  The above amounts of GSE and AEF are inclusive of the following sums which are being transferred to local authorities in respect of their care in the community and the independent living fund responsibilities.

  1995–96 £ million

  1996–97 £ million

  1997–98 £ million

  172.1

  211.6

  245.0

  Local Government Reorganisation

  In determining my plans for GSE and AEF for the two forward years, I have assumed that the new councils will incur local government reorganisation related costs of £70 million in 1996–97 and £20 million in 1997–98. The 1996–97 figure is £15 million greater than I assumed in my 1993 public expenditure plans. Twelve months ago I estimated that redundancy costs of £15 million would be incurred in 1995–96. I have now transferred this provision to 1996–97. In all, I am assuming that redundancy costs totalling £43 million will be incurred as a result of reorganisation. I am making provision for £40 million of

  597
  these costs to be met in 1996–97 and £3 million in 1997–98. I expect other reorganisation related costs to amount to £30 million in 1996–97 and £17 million in 1997–98.

  The new local government structure will be cheaper to operate than the existing one and I estimate that savings of £40 million per annum will be achieved from 1997–98. I recognise, however, that this full level of annual saving may not be achievable in the first year of the new structure, given that councils are likely to require time to shed the surplus staff which they inherit from the existing authorities. My plans therefore assume a saving of £30 million in 1996–97.

  Overall, therefore, my plans assume reorganisation related net costs of £40 million in 1996–97 and net savings of £20 million in 1997–98.

  Orthopaedic Consultants
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of vacant consultant orthopaedic posts; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  We are aware of two vacant consultant posts in orthopaedic surgery. The establishment of senior registrars in the specialty was increased from 21 to 23 earlier this year.

  Forestry Commission Land
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to ensure that public access is maintained to Forestry Commission land which passes into private ownership.

  Sir Hector Monro
  We introduced arrangements in 1991 for securing continued public access to woodlands sold by the Forestry Commission. We have recently reviewed these arrangements and concluded that they should be strengthened. Further details are given in "Our Forests—The Way Ahead"—Cm 2644—a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of the special advisers serving in his Department during the last five years were subject to positive security vetting.

  Mr. Lang
  During the last five years all special advisers in my Department have been subject to positive vetting.

  Health (Revenue Allocations)
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what revenue allocations he has made to health boards, the Common Services Agency and the State hospital for 1995–96; what allocation provision he has made to those bodies for capital expenditure; and what provision for capital expenditure he proposes to make within the external financial limit for NHS trusts.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has allocated £2,595.3 million to health boards to meet their revenue expenditure commitments on hospital and community health services in 1995–96. The Common Services Agency has been allocated £104.6 million and the State hospital £12.9 million.

  Taken with health boards' own cash releasing efficiency savings these allocations give an increase in
  598
  available resources of 5.1 per cent. for health boards, 0.7 per cent for the Common Services Agency and 4.62 per cent. for the State hospital.

  Capital provision of £18.4 million has been made for direct expenditure by health boards, the Common Services Agency and the State hospital. In addition, my right hon. Friend proposes to provide within NHS trusts' external financing limit for gross capital expenditure of some £212.4 million.

  Details of the allocations are contained in the following table.

  NHS in Scotland Allocations: 1995–96

  Health Board

  Revenue allocation £000

  Capital allocation £000

  Capital provision for trusts by board area £000

  Argyll and Clyde

  217,251

  970

  9,261

  Ayrshire and Arran

  179,324

  0

  17,906

  Borders

  57,702

  110

  2,731

  Dumfries and Galloway

  79,674

  160

  5,634

  Fife

  163,893

  180

  16,039

  Forth Valley

  128,578

  15

  7,213

  Grampian

  249,500

  90

  15,138

  Greater Glasgow

  517,977

  565

  45,080

  Highland

  108,180

  270

  7,276

  Lanarkshire

  249,373

  0

  16,008

  Lothian

  380,652

  110

  33,835

  Orkney

  11,993

  4,845

  N/A

  Shetland

  13,310

  2,960

  N/A

  Tayside

  217,552

  220

  23,405

  Western Isles

  20,895

  2,250

  N/A

  CSA

  104,565

  8,300

  N/A

  State Hospital

  12,938

  5,685

  N/A

  Scottish Ambulance Service

  N/A

  N/A

  9,840

  Unallocated

  N/A

  N/A

  3,000

  Scotland

  2,713,357

  26,730

  212,366

  Travelling People
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has held with the representatives of travelling people in Scotland concerning those sections of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 which relate to trespass; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 7 December 1994]: None. My right hon. Friend has an advisory committee on issues concerned with travelling people, on which the traveller community in Scotland are represented.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if his advisory committee on Scotland's travelling people will draw up guidelines relating to those sections in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 which relate to trespass; how they may be administered by local authorities and police forces; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 7 December 1994]. It would not be appropriate for the advisory committee to issue guidelines on those sections of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 which relate to trespass in Scotland. The Scottish Office has, however, recently issued a guide which gives basic information on the provisions of the Act as it affects

  599
  Scotland. This has been sent to chief executives of local authorities, chief constables and to other interested parties. Interpretation of the new powers on trespass is essentially a matter for the police and the courts to determine. Notwithstanding the new provisions on trespass in the Act, the policy of toleration of illegal encampments will continue to apply where local authorities have not achieved the targets set by the Secretary of State for traveller site provision.

  Hospital Construction, Lanarkshire
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has yet received plans from Lanarkshire health board for the construction of a new hospital; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 5 December 1994]: No. Lanarkshire health board is currently considering plans for the facility that will afford future occupants maximum privacy and dignity.

  Chapter 10.5 Scheme
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will continue to support the chapter 10.5 scheme;

  (2) what recent representations he has received concerning the review of the chapter 10.5 scheme by the Scottish Office; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 8 December 1994]: Representations have been received recently from the Scottish General Medical Services committee and from a number of general medical practitioners.

  The chapter 10.5 payments scheme—so called because it derives from chapter 10.5 of the 1989 White Paper "Working for Patients"—was introduced by the then Secretary of State in April 1990. Its purpose was to safeguard the position of doctors in the less populated parts of Scotland who it was thought might be unable to maintain or increase their income under the revised remuneration arrangements of the new GP contract which placed more emphasis than previously on capitation-based payments. A fund of £1.204 million per annum was established in Scotland. There is no equivalent scheme in England. In the event there has been less of a move towards capitation-based remuneration than expected. The position is currently under review.

  Deprivation
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what recent representations he has received concerning the change in calculation of deprivation payments from an 8 Jarman index to a 7 Jarman index; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will assess the effects of the change in calculation of deprivation from an 8 Jarman index to a 7 Jarman index on the incomes of general practitioners in Scotland; and what comparisons he has made with the incomes of general practitioners in the rest of the United Kingdom.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 8 December 1994]: Representations have been received recently from the Scottish General Medical Services committee and from a number of general medical practitioners.
  600
  There was no change in overall expenditure on deprivation payments to GPs in Scotland as a consequence of the move from a Jarman 8 index to a Jarman 7 index in 1991. The change was designed to be cost neutral. The use of enumeration districts—around 300 people—as the basis of payment rather than post code sectors—around 5,000 people—allows for better targeting of payments.

  I am satisfied that GPs in Scotland are not disadvantaged by the application of a Jarman 7 index in relation to their colleagues in England where the Jarman 8 index continues to be applied at electoral ward level of around 5,000 people.

  In 1993–94 GPs in Scotland received some £3.8 million under the scheme which is currently based in 1981 census data. Negotiations are under way with the profession about updating the scheme using data from the 1991 census.

  Astronomer Royal
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he hopes to fill the position of Astronomer Royal for Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 12 December 1994]Advice will be given shortly to Her Majesty the Queen on an appointment to the Office of Astronomer Royal for Scotland.

  Forth Bridge
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what provision he has made for public expenditure in each of the years 1995–96, 1996–97 and 1997–98 in connection with the planning for and construction of all approach roads and other building operations in connection with the proposed second Forth road bridge; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what financial provision he has made for all expenditure in connection with the proposed second Forth road bridge in 1995–96, 1996–97 and 1997–98; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 12 December 1994]: My right hon. Friend's spending plans include provision for further expenditure on the proposals under examination in the "Setting Forth" studies amounting to £4 million, £2 million and £2 million in the years 1994–95, 1995–96 and 1996–97 respectively. The deployment of these provisions will be dependent on decisions yet to be taken in relation to these proposals and it may be necessary to make additional provision in respect of land claims which may occur in the years in question. My right hon. Friend is currently considering detailed feasibility studies into all aspects of the proposals and the comments received on these studies.

WALES

  Single-sex Wards
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will direct health districts to move to the provision of single-sex wards; and if he will make a statement.
  601
  Mr. Richards
  Hospitals are already required to provide services which take account of an individual's privacy and dignity. The issue of single-sex wards is one that my right hon. Friend and I will consider when the present edition of the patients charter for Wales is reviewed.

  Dual-sex Wards
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many dual-sex wards exist in each of the health districts of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Cot deaths1—infants, and children under 5: Wales 1983–92

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Clwyd

  7

  7

  8

  12

  20

  12

  5

  3

  8

  2

  Dyfed

  7

  0

  8

  13

  5

  11

  5

  11

  8

  1

  Gwent

  9

  9

  12

  7

  13

  14

  14

  8

  6

  6

  Gwynedd

  6

  5

  2

  4

  5

  4

  5

  7

  7

  3

  Mid Glamorgan

  15

  10

  19

  16

  23

  15

  17

  17

  10

  8

  Powys

  3

  4

  7

  3

  5

  3

  0

  4

  2

  2

  South Glamorgan

  14

  12

  16

  12

  14

  10

  12

  7

  10

  4

  West Glamorgan

  4

  3

  5

  8

  13

  14

  12

  5

  4

  7

  Wales

  65

  50

  77

  75

  98

  83

  70

  62

  55

  33

  Source:

  OPCS.

  Note:

  1 All sudden infant deaths where sudden infant death syndrome, cot death or similar term was entered on the death certificate even when other causes were also given. Deaths of children aged one to four are included; there were 29 over the 10-year period.

  1993 data for Wales will be published in an OPCS monitor on 15 December; data for counties will be made available on request from OPCS after that date.

  Energy Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. Redwood
  The required information for my Department is:

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  Welsh Office

  622,399

  553,262

  513,016

  ADAS agency Wales

  1—

  70,126

  49,229

  Planning Inspectorate agency

  1—

  2,298

  2,348

  Cadw agency

  N/A

  N/A

  N/A

  1 Agencies not established.

  N/A. Figures not available.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. Redwood
  My Department has no properties for sole use by Ministers. Ministers have rooms in properties in Cardiff and London. Total Welsh Office expenditure on energy for each of these properties for the last three years was:

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  Cathays Park, Cardiff

  283,155

  293,810

  298,807

  Gwydyr house, London

  9,179

  7,219

  9,456

  602
  Mr. Richards
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Cot Deaths
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cot deaths there have been in Wales for each of the last 10 years, broken down by county.

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

  The Welsh Office is withdrawing from other buildings, saving money on energy in those as it does so.

  Oriel Bookshop
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will discuss with the chairman of the Welsh Arts Council its intention to sell off the Oriel bookshop in Cardiff to HMSO; and if he will seek to ensure that, in any such change the role of the bookshop as a main outlet of Welsh language publications and music in Cardiff will be safeguarded.

  Mr. Richards
  The Arts Council of Wales issued invitations to tender for the management of the book selling operations at the Oriel bookshop in Cardiff on 9 September 1994. The Arts Council will be considering the report of its project board at its meeting on 15 December; some aspects of the report have been submitted to the Welsh Office for approval, and these are under consideration. It will be a matter for the Arts Council as to whether the project board's recommendations are accepted.

  The successful tenderer will need to provide services at least equal to those provided by Oriel, including the provision of Welsh language books and periodicals.

  Since the Arts Council is conducting the contracting-out process in accordance with Government guidance on market testing, and the choice of tenderer rests with the Arts Council, my right hon. Friend and I do not intend to meet the chairman to discuss the matter.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people currently serve on the boards of each of the NHS trusts as lay appointees; and what is the total cost of their emoluments.

  Mr. Richards
  The information requested is included in "Appointments by the Secretary of State for Wales", which is held in the Library of the House and is regularly updated.

  Consultants
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was his Department's expenditure on(a) management and (b) other consultants in each year from 1990 to 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Expenditure on management and other consultants engaged by the Welsh Office is as follows:

  Year

  Total payments £000

  1990–91

  229

  1991–92

  1,109

  1992–93

  1,416

  1993–94

  1,454

  1994–951

  427

  1 year to date

  Since 1993, my Department has significantly reduced its use of consultants which is reflected in the year to date figure 1994–95.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide figures for 1993–94 and 1994–95 to date for the number of occasions on which management or other consultants have been engaged(a) by his office and (b) by non-departmental public bodies in Wales; and what were the total amounts of authorised payments for those consultants in both years.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 21 November 1994): Details of management and other consultants engaged by the Welsh Office are as follows:

  Number of occasions

  Total payments—£000s

  1993–94

  87

  1,454

  1994–951

  37

  427

  1 Year to date.

  Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Home Tuition
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how long it takes on average for each local education authority to arrange home tuition for children; what is the greatest and least time recorded by each local education authority to provide home tuition; and if the speed of provision has improved over the last three years;

  (2) what has been the average time provided for home tuition by each local education authority in each of the last three years; and what was the greatest and least amount of time provided for children in each local education authority;
  604
  (3) how many children received home tuition in each of the last three years; and if he will list the numbers by local education authority, distinguishing between primary and secondary school pupils.

  Mr. Richards
  This information is not available centrally.

  Pupil Exclusions
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children have been excluded in each of the last three years from school(a) temporarily and (b) permanently, listing the schools by local education authority area.

  Mr. Richards
  Figures for each of the last three years are not available. Information on permanent exclusions from maintained schools in Wales was collected by the Welsh Office over a two-year period, starting with the summer term 1990, under the national exclusions reporting system. A total of 192 permanent exclusions were reported during this period. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of the figure because of assurances given as to confidentiality.

  Hospital Tuition
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children received hospital tuition in each of the last three years, if he will list(a) the hospitals where it was provided and (b) the amount of time provided on average along with the greatest and least time provided for children in each hospital.

  Mr. Richards
  Information on the education of children in hospital classes is not held centrally. There is presently one hospital school in Wales, the Harvey Jones adolescent unit, maintained by South Glamorgan local education authority. There are currently 13 children between the ages of 11 and 16 in the unit.

  Wrexham Maelor Hospital
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps were taken to ensure work on phase 2 of the Wrexham Maelor hospital, Wrexham, was carried out according to schedule; and what checks were made on the subcontractors.

  Mr. Richards
  The project management of phase 2 of the Wrexham Maelor hospital was carried out by the Welsh Health Common Services Authority in accordance with the mandatory health building procedural guidance.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many complaints have been received from subcontractors on phase 2 of the Wrexham Maelor hospital, Wrexham, about non-payment from the prime contractor.

  Mr. Richards
  Payment disputes are a matter for the contracting parties. I understand that two subcontractors have complained about aspects of payment and one of them is currently pursuing the matter through court proceedings against the main contractor.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will ensure the availability of free national health dentistry to all who require it; and if he will make a statement.
  605
  Mr. Richards
  This Government remain committed to a comprehensive NHS dental service and the Green Paper "Improving NHS Dentistry" reinforces our commitment"to ensure that all patients who want NHS services have adequate access to them".

  It is for health authorities to assess the adequacy of NHS dental services in their locality and it is for them to decide on the extent of community dental services they need to contract in light of local circumstances. Family health services authorities are encouraged to seek the Secretary of State's permission to employ salaried dentists in areas where there is a shortfall in service provision.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which of the special advisers serving in his Department during the last five years were subject to positive security vetting.

  Mr. Redwood
  All special advisers are currently required to have positive vetting.

  Health Service Staff
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the costs of(a) managers and administrators and (b) medical staff in the health service in Wales for each year from 1979 to 1994.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 21 November 1994]: The information requested is set out in the table:

  Medical and front-line support

  (1) Administrative and clerical £000

  (2) Directly employed NHS staff £000

  (3) FHSA contractual staff £000

  1979–80

  27,837

  159,593

  27,238

  1980–81

  33,986

  220,857

  36,434

  1981–82

  36,702

  239,751

  40,921

  1982–83

  37,504

  261,243

  46,444

  1983–84

  42,697

  278,551

  50,538

  1984–85

  46,136

  303,396

  56,803

  1985–86

  48,130

  327,455

  55,020

  1986–87

  50,430

  360,269

  63,485

  1987–88

  57,170

  408,732

  70,996

  1988–89

  63,526

  475,481

  82,607

  1989–90

  73,630

  542,564

  86,186

  1990–91

  87,367

  593,407

  91,753

  1991–92

  107,018

  626,260

  121,454

  1992–93

  117,687

  683,080

  124,219

  Source:

  Annual accounts—financial returns of HAs, SHAs, FHSAs and Pembrokeshire NHS trust.

  Notes:

  (1) Final figures for 1993–94 are not yet available.

  (2) Column (1) figures include the salaries and wages of general and senior managers, and administrators and clerks in health authorities, SHAs, FHSAs and Pembrokeshire NHS trust, including agency staff.

  (3) Column (2) figures include the salaries of medical, dental, nursing, professional and technical staff employed in HAs, SHAs, FHSAs and Pembrokeshire NHS trust. They exclude the costs of ancillary, maintenance and ambulance staff.

  (4) Column (3) figures include the estimated earnings and staff costs of GPs and dentists. Those for pharmaceutical and ophthalmic contractors cannot be disaggregated from service costs and are not included.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of(a) managers and
  606
  administrators and (b) medical staff working within the health service in Wales in each year from 1979 to 1994.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 21 November 1994]: The information is given in the table:

  Medical and front-line support

  1Administrative and clerical (whole-time equivalents)

  2Directly employed NHS staff (whole-time equivalents)

  3FHSA contractual staff (numbers, of people employed full-time or part-time)

  1979

  6,229

  25,303

  2,329

  1980

  6,287

  26,749

  2,373

  1981

  6,398

  27,629

  2,415

  1982

  6,446

  28,391

  2,500

  1983

  6,530

  28,824

  2,572

  1984

  6,675

  29,700

  2,618

  1985

  6,837

  30,606

  2,692

  1986

  6,969

  30,959

  2,725

  1987

  7,087

  31,780

  2,811

  1988

  7,326

  32,239

  2,863

  1989

  7,667

  32,839

  2,936

  1990

  8,185

  33,160

  2,979

  1991

  8,865

  33,548

  3,000

  1992

  9,498

  34,318

  3,037

  1993

  10,082

  34,517

  3,075

  1994

  9,905

  N/A

  N/A

  1 These figures include all administrative, clerical and managerial staff employed by health authorities, NHS trusts, family health services authorities and the Welsh Health Common Services Authority at 30 September.

  2 These figures include:

  —medical and dental staff—working in the hospital and community health service, excluding hospital practitioners and clinical assistants.

  —nurses and midwives—excluding pre-registration learners

  —professional and technical staff.

  Since 1991, student and pupil nurses have been classified as students and are no longer included in NHS staff figures.

  3These figures include GPs, principal and assistant dentists, ophthalmic medical practitioners and ophthalmic opticians. Staff directly employed by contractual staff—e.g., practice nurses—are not included since complete information is not collected centrally.

  Tourism
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total value of section 4 grants distributed by the Wales tourist board in(a) 1991, (b) 1992 and (c) 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  [holding answer 12 December 1994]: The amounts for the years in question are:

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 –

  1993–94 £

  3,617,000

  3,738,000

  4,092,000

EDUCATION

  Performance Tables
  10. Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what prospects there are for the assessment of added value in schools arising from the introduction of testing and the publication of performance tables.
  607
  Mr. Forth
  We are giving priority to the development of a reliable measure of value added by schools. The report by the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority taking this work forward has just been published and copies have been placed in the Library. My right hon. Friend has now commissioned the SCAA to undertake further developmental work.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proposals she has for making school performance tables a measure of value added.

  Mr. Forth
  We shall include value added in school performance tables as soon as reliable, easily understood measures are available. As the recent report by the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority recognised, such measures cannot be calculated until the same cohort of pupils has been reliably tested at different ages.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the latest figure she has for the number of schools that have now voted in favour of grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  To date, a total of 1,153 schools in England have voted in favour of grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the circumstances in which she has required a second ballot on grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Under the Education Act 1993, a second ballot on whether a school should apply to become grant-maintained is required if fewer than 50 per cent. of eligible parents vote in the ballot, or the result is a tie.

  My right hon. Friend has powers to declare a ballot void and require that a fresh ballot be held if it appears to her that the ballot has not been held in accordance with provisions in the 1993 Act, that the governing body has not acted in accordance with the statutory guidance, that there has been interference in the ballot process or that voting in the ballot has been influenced to a significant extent by false or misleading information.

  To date, six ballots have been declared void using the powers in the 1993 Act and those they superseded in the Education Reform Act 1988. In one case, this was as a result of the dissemination of false or misleading literature. Ballots held at the other five schools were declared void because of irregularities in the electoral roll.

  Self-defence Courses
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans she has to introduce self-defence courses for girls in schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  None. It is for schools to decide what to offer their pupils outside of the minimum statutory national curriculum which applies to all pupils, regardless of gender.

  School League Tables
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans she has to provide new data in school league tables.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend will be consulting in due course on the content of the 1995 performance tables, taking account of feedback on this year's tables. In the longer term performance tables will include the national 608
  curriculum assessment results of 11-year-olds and, as soon as reliable and easily understood measures have been developed, data on value added.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she has made of the extent to which the Government's school league tables reflect the true record of schools, with particular reference to Rochdale.

  Mr. Forth
  The information in the performance tables was provided by or checked with the schools concerned prior to publication. We have not been notified of any errors in the data in respect of schools in Rochdale.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what support he has received from educational organisations for the introduction of league tables for schools.

  Mr. Forth
  In commenting earlier this year on proposals for the 1994 round, many organisations acknowledged that the annual performance tables provide information that parents and others want about the performance of schools and colleges. A range of different views were expressed about the coverage and presentation of the data.

  School Funding
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement about funding for schools for the coming year.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Education standard spending will increase by 1.1 per cent. in 1995–96. Local authorities will decide what to spend on the various services for which they are responsible, including schools.

  Pupil Numbers, Liverpool
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children in Liverpool are currently educated in schools with classes of over(a) 30 children and (b) 35 children; and how many such classes there are.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  In January 1994, 14,250 pupils were in 439 classes of more than 30 and, of these, 960 pupils were in 26 classes of more than 35. But the great majority of Liverpool pupils were in classes smaller than these.

  Discretionary Grants
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations she has received regarding the availability of discretionary grants.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend has received representations from a variety of sources about the availability of discretionary awards.

  Further Education, Rotherham
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on the funding of further education in Rotherham.

  Mr. Boswell
  The funding of further education in Rotherham is a matter for the Further Education Funding Council.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking to further the spread of pre-school education and playgroups.

  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement about her future plans for the expansion of nursery education.

  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans her Department has to expand nursery provision for children under the age of four.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has established a task force to draw up proposals to implement my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's commitment to provide a pre-school place for all four-year-olds whose parents wish them to take it up. We are looking at a range of options to achieve the Prime Minister's target. As the expansion is achieved we want to ensure that it will add to the choice parents have among a range of provision—public, private and voluntary.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress has been made in her policy in respect of universal nursery education.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education is looking at a range of options and is consulting widely with practitioners and existing providers of pre-school provision with a view to drawing up detailed proposals to fulfil my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's commitment to provide, over time, a pre-school place for all four-year-olds whose parents wish to take it up.

  Technology Colleges
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools have now obtained technology college status.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  To date, 50.

  Expenditure Priorities
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what advice she gives local education authorities in respect of their priorities for expenditure.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  It is for local authorities to make their own decisions about spending priorities within the total resources available to them. We do, however, encourage spending in particular areas through our specific grants programmes and through the allocation of credit approvals.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on the record of(a) city technology colleges and (b) the CTC in Birmingham, in the school league tables.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Devonport (Mr. Jamieson) on 5 December 1994,Official Report, column 125. The table shows something of the progress that the city technology colleges are making. Of the 10 CTCs which had pupils taking GCSEs in 1994, four bettered the average of their local education authority on the measure of five or more GCSEs at A to C, four improved their results over last year, and all exceeded the
  610
  local LEA average for pupils gaining one or more grades A to G.

  Kingshurst CTC in Solihull takes pupils from Solihull and from Birmingham. The college's GCSE results are above the national average, on a par with the Solihull average, and well above the average for Birmingham.

  State Schools (Private Industry)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the policy of attracting private industry into state schools; and if she will be considering a new approach to providing vocational education in schools.

  Mr. Forth
  The Government's education policy has consistently encouraged greater interaction between business and schools. The latest data show that 90 per cent. of maintained secondary schools and over half our primary schools now have links of some kind with business, and the range and nature of the interaction is growing broader. General national vocational qualifications are already providing a new approach to vocational education in schools. More than 1,500 schools are now approved GNVQ centres. In October, a GNVQ scholarship scheme was launched with sponsorship from 12 major companies.

  Language Training
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans she has to improve the linguistic abilities of children; and if she will examine the best practises in language training in other EEC countries.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend aims to raise linguistic competence principally through the national curriculum, which requires all pupils between the ages of 11 and 16 to study a modern foreign language. She also provides grant to the Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research, whose working brief is to promote a greater national capability in languages. In addition, she recently announced plans to extend the specialist schools programme to include modern foreign languages.

  My right hon. Friend is informed of practice in other member states through our participation in European Community activities such as the Lingua programme.

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on section 11 funding for the next financial year.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend keeps these matters regularly under review with ministerial colleagues. She was pleased that her Department has been able to contribute £5 million in each of the 1995–96 and 1996–97 financial years towards the additional funding for section 11 grant announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary on 22 November Official Report, column 64.

  Capital Expenditure
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations she has had from the
  611
  Confederation of British Industry on the length of the capital expenditure programme replacement cycle.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  None.

  Research
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what sum was spent by her Department on research in each of the last 10 years; what percentage this was of the total annual budget; what is the research budget for the forthcoming year; what percentage this is of her total budget; and what additional new research is to be undertaken.

  Mr. Forth
  The sums spent on research and development by the Department for the last 10 years were reported in the statistical supplement to the 1994 "Forward Look" of Government-funded science engineering and technology. The expenditure on research and development and the percentage that this expenditure was of total Departmental expenditure are as follows:

  R&D Expenditure

  Percentage of total expenditure

  £ million

  1985–86

  70.7

  2.9

  1986–87

  68.9

  2.7

  1987–88

  105.4

  3.7

  1988–89

  73.4

  2.1

  1989–90

  75.1

  1.5

  1990–91

  87.8

  1.6

  1991–92

  53.0

  0.8

  1992–93

  43.4

  0.6

  1993–94

  22.3

  0.2

  1994–95

  123.1

  0.2

  1 Provisional

  The R and D figures do not include research carried out or funded by the Department's funding agencies.

  Total departmental expenditure covers central Government expenditure and grants to local authorities within the Department of Education's programme.

  The expenditure on research and development in the coming year has still to be determined, and will be reported in the statistical supplement to the 1995 "Forward Look".

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which of the appointments made to public bodies by her Department were advertised in the period from April 1992 to December 1993.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department placed no advertisements for the members of public bodies during the period in question. It did, however, place an advertisement for the first chief executive of the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority, as responsibility for that appointment lay with the Secretary of State.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which of the special advisers serving in her Department during the last five years were subject to positive security vetting.

  Mr. Boswell
  All special advisers have been positively vetted.

  Higher Education (Application Refusals)
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is her estimate of the annual number of students whose applications to take courses at colleges of higher education are refused.

  Mr. Boswell
  Higher education colleges received some 162,000 applications for entry to full-time undergraduate courses by the polytechnics central admissions system during the 1992–93 applications cycle. On the broad assumption that each applicant made on average 3.2 applications, this is equivalent to some 51,000 total applicants. Some 32,000 students were admitted to the relevant courses in the academic year 1993–94. This suggests that an estimated 19,000 or 37 per cent. of applicants may have gained entry elsewhere, withdrawn from the system, deferred entry or been refused places. These figures include applicants who will not have been considered suitable for higher education.

  Student Awards
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether there is any difference under the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1994 in the assessment of parental income in respect of a student whose parents are(a) marred or (b) cohabiting on the assumption that the parents in either case have identical financial circumstances and no other dependants.

  Mr. Boswell
  Under the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations the assessment of the parental income of married and cohabiting parents in identical financial circumstances will usually be the same, unless one of the cohabiting parents is wholly or mainly financially dependent on the other.

  Schools Expenditure
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the total figure for the financial balances held by all(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department is at present collating the information on balances contained in the outturn statements prepared by local education authorities for the financial year 1993–94 under section 42 of the Education Reform Act 1988, and I will write to the hon. Member when this work is complete.

  Older People (Learning)
  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what contribution her Department has made in 1994 to follow up the European Year of Older People and Solidarity between Generations in 1993.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department for Education is committed to working with employers and other providers of education and training to maximise participation and attainment by people of all ages, as the national targets for education and training make clear.

  Specifically, the Department provides a programme of grants to a number of voluntary bodies–including the Pre-Retirement Association–for work with older learners. The Department also funds the family literacy initiative, which promotes inter-generational learning.

HEALTH

  Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Trust
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she or her Department has had with the chairman of the Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Health Care NHS Trust, following his remarks in the course of a mental health review meeting in January 1994; what plans she has to seek his resignation; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 20 October at columns 310–11.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what level of financial support the National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts receives from her Department.

  Mr. Sackville
  In the current financial year, the Department has, to date, agreed to payments totalling £58,500 towards the cost of specific projects undertaken by the National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts. The Department does not offer financial support to the association's general running costs.

  GP Fundholding
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will make a statement on representations by Angela Fulter, director of the King's Fund, on the use of general practitioner fundholders' resources for the purchase of property and property improvements to fundholder premises;

  (2) what arrangements she is intending to make for the return to the taxpayers of financial resources used by fundholders for the purchase of property and property improvement to fundholders' premises, where fundholder general practitioners dispose of their practices' pecuniary interests on retirement.

  Mr. Malone
  Under the National Health Service (Fund-holding Practices) Regulations 1993, general practitioner fundholders may use efficiency savings to improve practice premises where this is for the benefit of patients. These rules are kept under review. Fundholding general practitioners may not use efficiency savings to purchase new premises.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence she has of fundholding general practitioner practices selling premises purchased out of public funds for windfall profits.

  Mr. Malone
  None.

  Prescriptions
  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her best estimate of the average number of prescription items used each year by people over state retirement age.

  Mr. Malone
  In 1993, some 176.5 million prescription items were dispensed free of charge by community pharmacists and appliance contractors in England to people who declared on their prescription form that they were either a woman aged 60 and over or a man aged 614
  65 and over. This equates to an annual average of 17.6 prescription items per head for each person of state retirement age or over, resident in England.

  Burnley Health Care NHS Trust
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 6 December,Official Report, columns 133–34, what considerations she took into account when deciding to correspond privately with the former chairman of Burnley Health Care NHS Trust.

  Mr. Malone
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State took all relevant factors into account, in particular her duties in respect of the National Health Service Trusts (Membership and Procedure) Regulations 1990 and reports of recent events at Burnley Health Care NHS Trust, in deciding to write privately to the former chairman.

  NHS Patient Statistics
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated by the national health service on an(a) out-patient and (b) in-patient basis in 1979, 1986, 1990 and 1993.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table:

  General and acute specialties

  Thousands

  Out-patients first attendances

  Ordinary admissions and day cases finished consultant episodes

  1979

  6,771

  15,099

  1986

  7,835

  16,446

  1990–91

  7,593

  6,936

  1993–94

  8,832

  8,205

  Notes:

  1 Figures have been adjusted to take account of the change from discharges and deaths to finished consultant episodes.

  Sources:

  1979 and 1986, SH3 returns; 1990–91 and 1993–94, KHO9 and KP70 returns.

  Life Expectancy
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was life expectancy for men and women at one year, in 1979, 1986, 1990 and 1993.

  Mr. Sackville
  Data on life expectancy at birth in England and Wales for men and women in 1993 are not available. Life expectancy data for the years 1979, 1986, 1990 and 1992, the last available year, are shown in the table:

  Year

  Males

  Females

  1979

  70.3

  76.4

  1986

  72.1

  77.9

  1990

  73.1

  78.8

  1992

  73.8

  79.2

  "The Health of the Nation"
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on which dates the Cabinet Committee on "The Health of the Nation" met between October 1992 and October 1994;
  615
  and on which dates its sub-committees met during the same period.

  Mr. Sackville
  Details of the timing of meetings of ministerial committees are not given.

  Non-executive Directors
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list(a) the vocational and (b) party political background of the non-executive directors of (i) Brighton Healthcare NHS Trust, (ii) South Downs Healthcare NHS Trust, (iii) the Brighton family health services authority and (iv) East Sussex district health authority; and which of them live in the area covered by the body concerned.

  Mr. Malone
  The names and occupations of non-executive directors of Brighton Healthcare NHS Trust and the South Downs Healthcare NHS Trust are as shown.

  Brighton Healthcare NHS Trust

  Mr. J. Whicker: Retired bank director

  Mr. R. Stiles: Chartered surveyor

  Ms S. Innes: Consultant, The Open College

  Professor C. Carnall: Director of Graduate Studies

  Vacancy

  South Downs Health NHS Trust

  Mr. Q. Barry: Solicitor

  Mrs. J. Langston: Youth worker

  Lady H. Trafford: Company director

  Mr. R. Brett: Bank area director

  Mr. R. Davenport: Information systems manager

  NHS trusts do not have a defined catchment area in which directors could be deemed to live.

  The appointment of non-executive members of district health authorities and family health services authorities is a matter for regional health authorities which have details of vocational background and addresses of appointees.

  Information on the political affiliation of appointees is not collected.

  Long-term Care
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what savings have been made since April 1993 for the national health service by the transfer of funding of continuing care of elderly people to local authorities;

  (2) what consideration she has given to using the savings from the transfer of funding of continuing care to local authorities to be available for the use of councils in providing this service.

  Mr. Bowis
  As a pre-condition of the community care special transitional grant, local authorities have been required to reach agreements with health authorities on their respective responsibilities for long-term care. When reaching these agreements we have made it clear that any changes to long-term care responsibilities should be agreed between the two agencies, including, if appropriate any transfer of resources under section 28A of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1977.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to ensure that people with acute health needs in continuing care are cared for in hospital and not in a domestic setting.

  Mr. Bowis
  On 12 August we issued, for consultation, draft guidance on national health service responsibilities 616
  for meeting long-term health care needs. The guidance reminded health authorities that they have a responsibility for securing care for people with continuing health care needs. Such care can be provided in a variety of settings, including hospitals or appropriate facilities in the independent sector.

  Orthopaedic Posts
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of vacant consultant orthopaedic posts; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Malone
  There were 31 vacant consultant posts in trauma and orthopaedics in England at 30 September 1993. As a snapshot of vacancies on a single date, they may not fairly reflect the average number of vacancies over the year as a whole.

  Multiple Births
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many sets of(a) twins, (b) triplets, (c) quadruplets, (d) quintuplets and (e) sextuplets were born in England in 1993; what was the total number of maternities in England and Wales; and how many multiple births of each type were conceived as a result of (i) in-vitro fertilisation, (ii) gamete intra-fallopian transfer and (iii) other forms of assisted conception.

  Mr. Sackville
  There were 668,511 maternities in England and Wales in 1993, of which 8,302 resulted in twins, 234 in triplets, 12 in quadruplets and one in sextuplets.

  Information on multiple births in 1992 following assisted conception—the latest year for which figures are available—is contained in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's annual report. Copies of this report are available in the Library.

  NHS Staff Salary Costs
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 3 November,Official Report, column 1267, if she will now update the information on NHS staff salary costs to include figures for 1993–94 and a recalculation of figures for previous years on the new 1993–94 basis.

  Mr. Malone
  Information on 1993—94 national health service staff salary costs will be placed in the Library. Information on previous year figures at 1993–94 prices was included in the reply I gave the hon. Member on 3 November at column 1267.

  Research
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what sum was spent by her Department on research in each of the last 10 years; what percentage this was of the total annual budget; what is the budget for the forthcoming year; what percentage this is of her total budget; and what additional new research is to be undertaken.

  Mr. Malone
  The sums spent on research and development by the Department of Health over the last 10 years were reported in the statistical supplement to the "Forward Look of Government-Funded Science, Engineering and Technology 1994", and earlier editions of the "Annual Review of Government Funded Research
  617
  and Development". These figures are set out in the table, together with the percentage of the total Department's spending represented by the research.

  Year

  DH research spending (£ million)

  Percentage of total DH spending spent on research

  1985–86

  20.1

  5.56

  1986–87

  28.8

  7.40

  1987–88

  28.4

  6.88

  1988–89

  33.7

  8.04

  1989–90

  38.7

  5.65

  1990—91

  47.0

  6.83

  1991–92

  56.2

  7.90

  1992–93

  53.0

  6.86

  1993–94 (estimate)

  54.1

  3.88

  1994–95 (estimate)

  50.1

  3.14

  These figures exclude spending on the national health service and on NHS research and development. The constituent parts of total departmental spending have changed over the last 10 years, making comparison difficult across different years.

  Department of Health expenditure on research and development in the coming year has still to be determined, and will be reported in the statistical supplement to the 1995 forward look.

  New and future Departmental strategic research initiatives within the Department's centrally commissioned programme include studies in primary care, mental health services, community health services, personal social services, public and environmental health, information technology, skill mix, effectiveness of purchasing models and prescribing.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the special advisers serving in her Department during the last five years were subject to positive security vetting.

  Mr. Sackville
  All special advisers are currently required to have positive vetting.

  Patients' Complaints
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 24 November,Official Report, columns 323–24, when she will publish data for 1993–94 on patient complaints.

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 12 December,Official Report, column 472.

EMPLOYMENT

  Career Development Loans
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many inquiries about career development loans were received(a) during the 199394 financial year and (b) in response to his Department's advertising campaign.
  618
  Mr. Paice
  During the 1993–94 financial year 90,275 career development loan inquiries were received, of which 36,390 were in direct response to the CDL advertising campaign.

  Labour Statistics
  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of(a) men and (b) women are economically active at age 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65 years and over.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The available information from the labour force survey is given in the following table:

  Economic activity rates by age—spring 1994 (not seasonally adjusted) Great Britain

  Per cent.

  Age (years)

  Males

  Females

  55

  82

  64

  56

  79

  59

  57

  74

  57

  58

  75

  51

  59

  70

  45

  60

  66

  34

  61

  57

  30

  62

  50

  25

  63

  46

  21

  64

  39

  18

  65 and over

  7

  3

  Source:

  Labour force survey.

  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his current estimate of the number of people who leave the work force each year; and if he will differentiate between those who leave due to retirement, ill-health, unemployment and other reasons.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Of those people classified as economically inactive—that is, not employed or ILO unemployed—in the spring 1994 labour force survey for Great Britain, 1,020,000 people said that they had been in employment a year earlier. Reasons given for leaving their last job were: retirement, 22 per cent.; ill-health, 16 per cent.; redundancy, dismissal or a temporary job ending, 15 per cent.; other reasons, 47 per cent.

  Further, of those people classified as ILO unemployed in spring 1994, 760,000 people said they had been in employment a year earlier. The reasons given for leaving employment were: redundancy or dismissal, 32 per cent.; temporary job ending, 18 per cent.; other reasons, 50 per cent.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of staff employed by the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The total number of staff employed by the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last five years is shown in the table:
  619

  Year (1 April)

  Number of staff employed by HSE

  1990

  3,698.0

  1991

  3,877.0

  1992

  4,321.0

  1993

  4,537.5

  1994

  4,544.5

  Note:

  Figures show full-time equivalent staff.

  Part-time staff counted as 0.5.

  Apprenticeships
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration he has given to the German model of a firm employment status for apprentices and industry-agreed allowances for trainees; and what plans he has to recommend it in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Paice
  It is up to employers offering apprenticeship training to decide on employed status and wage levels. Under modern apprenticeships the aim is to offer apprentices employed status as soon as possible and to ensure that realistic wages or allowances are set which reflect the cost of training to the employer and the expectation on behalf of the trainee of higher wages when qualified.

  Pay Differentials
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what study he has made of the effect of reduced pay differentials in Germany.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The Department has made no such study.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to encourage employers to lower pay differentials.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  None. Pay is a matter to be determined by the employers and employees concerned. Employers are best able to judge what pay is needed to recruit, retain and motivate their employees at all levels.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the role of pay differentials in the development of trust between workers and management.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  None. Pay is a matter for the employers and employees concerned.

  Managerial Pay Awards
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister about managerial pay awards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State periodically discusses pay at all levels and its implications for the economy and jobs with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and colleagues. As the Government have made clear on a number of occasions, the remuneration of directors is a matter for companies and their shareholders, within the framework of company law.

  Management and Work Force Co-operation
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to encourage co-operation between management and work force in United Kingdom industry; and if he will review his policy.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The Government believe that co-operation between management and workers is best promoted on a voluntary basis. Only in this way can companies develop flexible arrangements which suit the needs of their business and their employees. Legislation, such as the European works councils directive, is too rigid and not the way to encourage good practice. Compulsion would restrict flexibility, add to costs and stifle innovation.

  The Government continue to encourage voluntary employee involvement practices. Our joint campaign with the Confederation of British Industry, "Managing for Success", offers guidelines on involving employees in aspects of business performance.

  The Government published a booklet, "The Competitive Edge", describing good practice and successful examples of employee involvement, in May this year. A copy is available in the Library.

  FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

    Cuba
    Mr. Wigley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the USA Government to seek the normalisation of relationships with Cuba; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Douglas Hogg
    We believe that United States-Cuba relations are primarily a matter for the two Governments concerned, not third parties.

    United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
    Mr. Fisher
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his preferred number of members of UNESCO's board.

    Mr. Douglas Hogg
    We are of the opinion that international bodies operate more efficiently and cost effectively with small governing bodies. We were therefore not happy with the decision taken at the recent 145th session of the executive board to recommend an increase in the size of the board from 51 to 58. We would have preferred the executive board to recommend a decrease in its size. Failing that, we would have liked to see the status quo maintained.

    Mr. Fisher
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what he estimates would be the cost of renewing the United Kingdom's membership of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

    Mr. Douglas Hogg
    We estimate that the cost of renewing the United Kingdom's membership of UNESCO would be £11 million per annum.

    Mr. Fisher
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his preferred level of
    621
    subsistence payments to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation based members.

    Mr. Douglas Hogg
    We believe that subsistence rates for the UNESCO executive board meetings should be paid only to members from least developed countries and the level reduced to bring it in line with the arrangements in the other UN specialised agencies. At present, all UNESCO executive board members receive a daily subsistence rate based on 140 per cent. of the UN rate plus $$5 for the duration of the twice-yearly executive board sessions.

    Rwanda and Zaire
    Miss Lestor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements have been made to protect humanitarian aid workers operating in the refugee camps in Rwanda and Zaire.

    Mr. Douglas Hogg
    The non-governmental organisations working in the Rwandan refugee camps have, with the advice and assistance of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, made their own security and contingency arrangements. We maintain regular contact with British NGOs and UN agencies over the security in the camps and are continually monitoring the situation.

    The UN Secretary-General recently outlined several options for international action to address the security situation in the camps. The Security Council has asked him to investigate the practicalities of the proposals and we await his further response.

    East Timor
    Mr. Cousins
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he received a letter and petition about East Timor from the justice and peace group of St. Charles' church, Gosforth; and when he proposes to reply to it.

    Mr. Douglas Hogg
    We have been unable to trace any letter from the justice and peace group of St. Charles' church. A petition with a large number of signatories from the Gosforth area was received in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 20 May 1994. No reply was sent because in the absence of any covering letter it was unclear to whom it should be addressed. If the hon. Member would like to forward a copy of the justice and peace group's letter, I would be happy to reply.

    Nuclear Weapons
    Mr. Robin Cook
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been Her Majesty's Government's response to the proposal of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany for the establishment of an international nuclear weapons register; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Hurd
    We and other NATO allies have explained our reservations about this proposal to the German Government.

    Mr. Robin Cook
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the establishment of an international nuclear weapons register;

    (2) what discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts on the proposal of the Federal Republic of
    622
    Germany to establish an international nuclear weapons register; and if he will make a statement on their progress.

    Mr. Hurd
    We have discussed the German proposal with NATO allies. We have concluded that the proposal would not make the positive and practical contribution to nuclear arms control which the German Government hoped.

    Mr. Robin Cook
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been Her Majesty's Government's response to President Yeltsin's invitation to all five nuclear weapons states to enter strategic nuclear arms control talks.

    Mr. Hurd
    We took careful note of all President Yeltsin's references to nuclear arms control in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly. We have not received any detailed representations from the Russians.

    Disarmament Conference
    Mr. Robin Cook
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recommendations his Department is making regarding the current review of the agenda of the conference on disarmament; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Hurd
    We participate actively in the review of the agenda of the conference on disarmament. We want the agenda to reflect a sensible balance between nuclear and conventional issues.

    Non-proliferation Treaty
    Mr. Robin Cook
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is Her Majesty's Government's policy to seek a consensus decision on the extension of the non-proliferation treaty at next year's extension conference.

    Mr. Hurd
    We will be seeking an indefinite and unconditional extension of the non-proliferation treaty. We would welcome it if that decision could be achieved by consensus.

    Mr. Robin Cook
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's assessment of the progress that has been made towards the achievement of the objectives of articles I and II of the non-proliferation treaty since its entry into force.

    Mr. Hurd
    We believe that there has been widespread compliance with both articles since the treaty entered into force in 1970. But we have at times been concerned about suspected nuclear weapons development programmes which would have been in breach of treaty obligations.

    Mr. Robin Cook
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's assessment of the progress that has been made towards the achievement of the objectives of article IV of the non-proliferation treaty since its entry into force.

    Mr. Hurd
    We believe that there has been considerable progress towards the wide use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

    Mr. Robin Cook
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment Her Majesty's Government have made of the compatibility of a significant increase in the capability of the United Kingdom's strategic nuclear forces with its obligation under article IV of the non-proliferation treaty.
    623
    Mr. Hurd
    The effect of recent changes to the. United Kingdom's nuclear forces will be to reduce the explosive power of our operational nuclear inventory by more than 25 per cent. below the 1990 level.

    Nuclear Tests
    Mr. Robin Cook
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards including a clause in a comprehensive test ban treaty that would permit nuclear tests to be conducted under exceptional circumstances.

    Mr. Hurd
    We would expect a comprehensive test ban treaty, in line with a number of international treaties in this field, to include a clause allowing parties to exercise their national sovereignty by withdrawing if they decided that extraordinary events related to the subject matter of the treaty had jeopardised their vital national interests.

    Mr. Robin Cook
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards including a clause in a comprehensive test ban treaty that would permit state parties to withdraw from the treaty after five or 10 years if they felt that further testing was required.

    Mr. Hurd
    The conference on disarmament is examining many proposals, including on withdrawal from a CTBT after a certain period, but no decisions have yet been taken. We have made clear our desire to secure an indefinite, effective and verifiable treaty which bans all nuclear tests.

    Mr. Robin Cook
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's policy regarding the choice of the implementing authority for a comprehensive test ban treaty; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Hurd
    The CTBT authority will need to implement an effective and verifiable treaty. It is too early to decide on the details of the authority's organisation and operations.

    Negative Security Assurance
    Mr. Robin Cook
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will consider removing the condition attached to the United Kingdom's negative security assurance which exempts non-nuclear weapons states that are in an alliance or association with a nuclear weapons state from that assurance.

    Mr. Hurd
    No. We would not wish to forswear the possible use of our nuclear deterrent in the case of an attack on the United Kingdom, its dependent territories, its armed forces or its allies by a non-nuclear weapons state in association or alliance with a nuclear weapons state.

    Casablanca Conference
    Mr. Worthington
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the Casablanca conference, its outcome and British involvement.

    Mr. Douglas Hogg
    I led a delegation of over 50 British business men and officials to the economic summit for the middle east and north Africa held in Casablanca 624
    from 30 October to 1 November. We fully share the objective of promoting regional economic development and, in particular, encouraging private sector involvement. We and our EU partners will continue to support this initiative through our participation in the follow-up conference to be held in Amman next year, and through the regional economic development working group which the EU chairs.

    Arms Trade
    Mr. Worthington
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions are currently taking place with(a) the United Nations, (b) the European Union or (c) other international forums on means of restricting the arms trade.

    Mr. Douglas Hogg
    The United Kingdom strongly supports international efforts to promote responsibility in arms exports. Last month in the first committee of the UN General Assembly, the EU tabled a draft resolution proposing a UN code of conduct on conventional arms transfers. But after considerable opposition from other delegations, the draft resolution was withdrawn. An EU working group on conventional arms exports meets regularly. We are currently involved in multilateral negotiations on proposed new arrangements to promote transparency and responsibility in transfers of conventional arms and sensitive dual-use goods.

    Western Sahara
    Mr. Worthington
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the registration of voters in the Western Sahara has now been completed; what assessment he has made of the extent to which parties accept that this has been done in a fair way; and when the referendum on the future of the Western Sahara will take place.

    Mr. Douglas Hogg
    The deadline for the submission by the parties of applications to vote passed on 25 October. Individuals can still register their applications. Polisario has expressed concern at the large number of last-minute applications submitted by the Moroccan authorities. The UN is still identifying the voter applicants. Despite the UN Secretary-General's recent announcement that additional UN offices will be opened to process applications, this exercise is expected to take several months. It is unlikely that the referendum will be held before next summer.

    Special Advisers
    Mr. Milburn
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which of the special advisers serving in his Department during the last five years were subject to positive security vetting.

    Mr. Baldry
    All the special advisers in my Department during the past five years have been subject to positive security vetting.

    Entry Clearance
    Mr. Mans
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to lay before
    625
    the House the first report by Lady Anson, the independent monitor of refusal of entry clearance where there is no right of appeal.

    Mr. Hurd
    I have arranged for Lady Anson's first report to be laid before both Houses today and copies to be placed in the House Libraries. I welcome the report and note Lady Anson's recommendations, which will be carefully considered. Some have already been implemented.

  AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

    Coarse Fishing
    Mr. David Howell
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received concerning changes to the protective close season for coarse fishing; and if he will make a further statement.

    Mr. Jack
    We have received some 250 objections, from angling bodies, conservation organisations and individuals, to various aspects of the National Rivers Authority's proposals for the introduction of uniform arrangements in England and Wales for a close season for coarse fish. These included objections to both the proposed abolition of the close season on those stillwaters which are at present subject to such restrictions and to the proposed imposition of a close season on waters where currently no such rules apply. The NRA has now submitted its proposals for confirmation. In deciding whether to confirm the proposals, we will take into account both the NRA's case for proposing these changes and the objections to them that we have received.

    British Fishery Protection Service
    Mr. Gill
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if British fishery officers are authorised to work outside the United Kingdom.

    Mr. Jack
    Yes. British sea fishery officers have powers under the Sea Fish Conservation Act 1967, as amended, to enforce fisheries legislation on all vessels within British fishery limits and on UK fishing vessels anywhere outside those limits.

    Mr. Gill
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the British fishery protection service is authorised to work outside the limits of the waters under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom.

    Mr. Jack
    All commissioned officers of the Royal Navy's fishery protection squadron are empowered, as British sea fishery officers, to enforce European Union fisheries legislation on all vessels within British fishery limits and on UK vessels anywhere outside these limits. The Royal Navy's fishery protection squadron may also undertake operations relating to the protection of UK vessels from harassment within or outside British fishery limits.

    Slaughterhouses
    Mr. Olner
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total number of slaughterhouses in England with EU export certificates for each standard region of the United Kingdom.
    626
    Mrs. Browning
    MAFF's records of slaughterhouses in England are maintained by state veterinary service region. At 8 December 1994 the number of slaughterhouses fully approved under EC directives 64/433/EEC for red meat and 71/118/EEC for poultry meat and therefore eligible to export to other member states of the European Union was 75 and 135 respectively. The breakdown by English region was:

    Region

    Red meat

    Poultry meat

    Eastern region

    17

    44

    South Eastern region

    7

    15

    South Western region

    16

    12

    Midlands and Western region

    20

    42

    Northern region

    15

    22

    Embassies
    Mr. Steen
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what contacts his Department has with the British embassy in Paris and the staff there dealing with agricultural matters;

    (2) what contacts his Department has with the British embassy in The Hague and the staff there dealing with agricultural matters.

    Mr. Jack
    Our agricultural attachés in all EU countries provide an important service in monitoring and reporting on developments in agriculture, food and fisheries matters. They also play a vital role in conveying the views of the United Kingdom Government to the Governments in their host countries. My Department is, therefore, in frequent contact with attachés on a wide range of agricultural and related issues.

    Special Advisers
    Mr. Milburn
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which of the special advisers serving in his Department during the last five years were subject to positive security vetting.

    Mr. Jack
    During the last five years all special advisers to the Minister have been subject to positive vetting.

    Lindane
    Mr. Corbett
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he has conducted into the pesticide lindane in relation to breast cancer.

    Mrs. Browning
    The Ministry has not conducted specific research on lindane in relation to breast cancer. However, the independent advisory committee on pesticides has reviewed a very substantial body of evidence on the toxicology of lindane in the course of a recent review of its non-agricultural uses. The committee concluded that the approved non-agricultural uses represent no unacceptable risk to human health. The committee is currently reviewing the agricultural uses of lindane. The relevant evidence will be studied in the course of this review. The Department of Health committee on carcinogenicity will be looking into the relationship between organochlorine pesticides, which include lindane, and breast cancer in March 1995. However, most of the data which will be considered relates to another organochlorine, DDT.

    Animal Transportation
    Mr. Morley
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 7 December,Official Report, column 290, (1) what were the whereabouts of the official Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food veterinary surgeon during the period in which the animals were left in unattended lorries in France on the night of 1 December;

    (2) if the veterinary surgeon employed by the shipping company was in a position to feed and water the animals in the livestock lorries that were left without drivers in France on the night of 1 December.

    Mrs. Browning
    It was intended that a veterinary officer should fly with the drivers to meet the vessel at Cherbourg in order to monitor the arrangements at disembarkation. However, the flight did not take place so the officer remained in this country. The veterinary surgeon employed by the company was not in a position to feed and water the calves in the livestock lorries which were delayed in Calais as this could not be done without unloading the calves from the lorries.

    Mr. Morley
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how long the animals flown from Coventry airport to France, back to Coventry airport, and subsequently back to France again on the night of 6 December and morning of 7 December remained in the aircraft; what provision there was for them to be fed, watered and rested during the journey; and if he will make a statement;

    (2) what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that all the animals flown from Coventry airport, to France, back to Coventry airport, and subsequently back to France again on the night of 6 December and morning of 7 December were fed and watered within 15 hours of the start of their journey and that all aspects of the journey plan for these animals were complied with.

    Mrs. Browning
    [holding answer 12 December 1994]: I am informed that the calves journeyed from premises in Somerset to Coventry airport, where they were loaded under official supervision for a flight to Rennes. Local turbulence prevented the plane from touching down at Rennes, so it returned to Coventry airport, where the calves were unloaded under official supervision. The calves were then sent back to their home premises where they were immediately given suitable liquid food and subsequently inspected by a local veterinary inspector. He was satisfied with their condition but administered prophylactic treatment. The entire journey, including the aborted landing and return to the premises of origin, took 15½ hours.

    Private Finance Initiative
    Mr. Brazier
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the actions being taken by his Ministry to meet the aims of the private finance initiative.

    Mr. Waldegrave
    I have identified two areas where I believe there is scope for attracting private finance.

    My officials, assisted by those of Property Holdings, are developing schemes for a new office building at Crewe and either a redevelopment of our present offices at Northallerton or a new building there. If these are successful the schemes will be taken forward under the private finance initiative with the private sector funding
    628
    the projects and bearing any land acquisition, design, construction and ownership risks. On completion the Ministry will take leases on the new buildings based on partial or full occupancy.

    Officials are also examining, with Property Holdings, the scope for using private finance to refurbish our increasingly aged Whitehall buildings. Expenditure is likely to be some years off because of the complexity of the scheme. Suitable temporary accommodation will need to be found for some of the staff whilst work is in progress. We would expect the provision of temporary accommodation to be part of the private finance package. Detailed costings are not available but the whole scheme is likely to be in the tens of millions of pounds range.

    My Ministry will continue to require authorities responsible for flood defence and coast protection schemes to obtain private sector contributions towards the cost of capital works needed to facilitate current or future developments, and will strongly encourage authorities to do so where defences provide a particular direct benefit to a business.

    Bovine Somatotropin
    Mr. Morley
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he intends to publish his response to the consultation exercise on BST before the December meeting of the Council of Agriculture Ministers.

    Mrs. Browning
    [holding answer 9 December 1994]: A list of those who responded has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. A full set of responses has been available in the Library of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food since September 1994. The Government will not be issuing a formal response but all the replies have been carefully considered, along with the other representations received, and as indicated in the consultation letter, a copy of which is also in the House Library, will be borne in mind in the current discussions in Brussels.

    Milk
    Mr. Campbell-Savours
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates have been made as to the volume in litres of black market milk trading; what factors he believes are responsible for the current black market in milk; and if he will forecast what the consequences will be of the market in black milk with particular reference to its effect on the price and demand for milk.

    Mr. Jack
    [holding answer 12 December 1994]: The Intervention Board is currently investigating information that it has received concerning allegations about illegal trading in milk. The extent of these alleged irregularities has not yet been established, so it is impossible to say how much milk is involved or the effect this matter may be having on the market for milk. Anyone involved in illegal trading in milk runs the risk of a heavy fine, payment of super-levy on undeclared sales of milk and, possibly, imprisonment.

    Rabies
    Mr. Tyler
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will commission an independent and authoritative full economic audit of current policy and
    629
    practice to prevent the spread of rabies to the United Kingdom following the report of the Agriculture Select Committee.

    Mrs. Browning
    [holding answer 12 December 1994]: The Government are carefully considering the Agriculture Select Committee's report and will publish its response in due course.

  SOCIAL SECURITY

    Benefits
    Mr. Wicks
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average amount of all social security and related benefits paid to those on(a) the lowest decile and (b) the second lowest decile of earnings; and what percentage of total earnings this represents for each year since 1979.

    Mr. Burt
    The available information is in the table.

    The average amounts of social security and related benefits shown are for those in each of the lowest two deciles of earnings. The average benefit income is then presented as a percentage of average earnings for each decile.

    Average amount of benefit income in the lowest two deciles of earnings and these amounts as a percentage of average earnings in the lowest two deciles.

    Average amount of benefit income in:

    Average amount of benefit income as a percentage of average earnings in:

    Lowest decile of earnings £ per week

    Second lowest decile of earnings £ per week

    Lowest decile of earnings Per cent.

    Second lowest decile of earnings Per cent.

    1979

    46

    13

    101

    12

    1981

    49

    15

    121

    15

    1987

    46

    17

    99

    16

    1988–9

    38

    13

    74

    11

    1990–1

    44

    17

    89

    14

    1991–2

    49

    21

    108

    18

    Notes:

    1. The analysis is on a benefit unit basis: a benefit unit being a single adult or a couple together with any dependent children. All benefit units reporting some earnings have been ranked by their level of gross earnings; the lowest and second lowest deciles of earnings have been selected from these rankings. Earnings and benefit income are the averages of the amounts for the requested deciles. Earnings are gross of income tax and national insurance contributions. For employees, earnings relate to the usual gross amount. Earnings include income of the self-employed which relates to profit or loss over the latest 12-month period for which information is available.

    2. Benefit income includes all income-related and non-income-related benefits plus the value of free school meals, free welfare milk and free school milk.

    3. The source of the data is the households below average income datasets for 1979, 1981, 1987, 1988–89, 1990–91 and 1991–92, where for example 1991–92 is the combined calendar years of 1991 and 1992. Data for the intervening years are not available.

    4. All benefit income figures are rounded to the nearest pound and are expressed in April 1994 prices.

    Retirement Pensions
    Mr. Dewar
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures estimating the cost of reintroducing earnings uprating for the retirement pension and other linked benefits beginning in April 1997 on the basis of the assumptions used in "Options for Equality in State Pension Age", giving annual figures in current prices over a 10-year period.

    Mr. Arbuthnot
    The table gives the estimated additional cost of uprating retirement pension and other linked benefits in line with earnings, from 1997. The consultation document "Options for Equality in State Pension Age" used an assumption of an increase in earnings 1.5 per cent. greater than prices. The same assumption has been applied to derive this estimate.

    Year

    Extra costs (£ billion at April 1994 prices)

    1997–98

    0.5

    1998–99

    1.1

    1999–00

    1.6

    2000–01

    2.2

    2001–02

    2.8

    2002–03

    3.4

    2003–04

    4.0

    2004–05

    4.7

    2005–06

    5.3

    2006–07

    6.1

    Source:

    Government Actuary's Department.

    Funeral Expenses
    Mr. Dewar
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the(a) mean and (b) median payment for funeral expenses from the social fund for the latest period for which figures are available; how many applicants were successful in that period; how many of the grants made were between £875 and £1,000; and how many were over £1,000.

    Mr. Roger Evans
    The information is set out in the table. It is for the current financial year to 30 November.

    Since 1988–89, the average funeral payment award has been rising by 6 per cent. per annum more than the rate of inflation and the total cost has risen from £18 million to over £60 million in 1993–94.

    Number of funeral payment awards April-November 1994

    44,428

    Number of awards made between £875 and £1,0001

    8,718

    Number of awards over £1,000

    19,791

    Average award size

    £919

    Median award size1

    £967

    Source:

    Benefits Agency's policy, budget and management information system.

    Note:

    1 These figures are estimates based on data which provide the number of awards by cash bands of £100. The available data on cash band do not take account of payments that are returned in the accounting period in which the awards were made.

    Mr. Dewar
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will define the category of remote relatives being those who may no longer claim funeral
    631
    expenses in terms of his announcement of changes to the social fund rules announced on 30 November;

    (2) how many of the applicants receiving grants for funeral expenses from the social fund during the latest period for which figures are available he estimates would not have been eligible to claim if the limitation excluding remote relatives announced by him on 30 November had been in force.

    Mr. Roger Evans
    From April 1995, a funeral payment may not be awarded to a claimant where another close relative had equal or closer contact with the deceased, and either that relative is not in receipt of a qualifying benefit1 or has capital exceeding the disregard for a social fund funeral payment.

    Funeral payment awards by cashband1

    Year

    0 to £200

    £201 to £400

    £401 to £600

    £601 to £800

    £800 to £1,000

    over £1,000

    Southern Territory

    1991–92

    1,604

    1,430

    1,724

    4,173

    5,777

    2,712

    1992–93

    1,537

    1,252

    1,317

    3,239

    6,208

    5,742

    1993–94

    1,504

    1,165

    1,142

    2,113

    6,033

    10,246

    Wales and Central Territory

    1991–92

    1,960

    1,894

    2,915

    7,598

    6,604

    2,140

    1992–93

    1,795

    1,706

    2,199

    6,074

    9,183

    4,399

    1993–94

    1,834

    1,584

    1,800

    4,664

    10,490

    8,598

    Scotland and Northern Territory

    1991–92

    1,403

    1,429

    2,082

    5,320

    5,118

    1,751

    1992–93

    1,156

    1,239

    1,583

    4,134

    6,283

    4,235

    1993–94

    1,185

    1,183

    1,386

    3,190

    6,929

    7,150

    Note:

    1The available data on awards by cash band do not take account of payments that are returned in the accounting period in which the awards were made.

    Source:

    Benefits Agency's policy budget and management information system.

    Income Support
    Mr. Dewar
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) whether the restrictions to income support assistance with mortgage interest payments from(a) April 1995 and (b) October 1995 will apply equally to households claiming (i) a disability premium, (ii) a severe disability premium, (iii) a carer's premium, (iv) a disabled child premium, (v) disability living allowance, (vi) the higher rate care component of disability living allowance, (vii) a lone parent premium, (viii) a pensioner premium or (ix) people who are terminally ill;

    (2) whether the restrictions on income support assistance with mortgage interest payments from (a) April 1995 and (b) October 1995 will apply equally to households where the claimant or partner is over 60 years of age;

    (3) whether the restrictions in income support with mortgage interest payments from (a) April 1995 and (b) October 1995 will apply equally to households in which the claim has resulted from marital breakdown or the death of a spouse.

    Mr. Roger Evans
    The reduction in the capital limit to £100,000 from April 1995 will apply equally to all income support claimants except where a loan has been taken out to adapt a dwelling for the special needs of a disabled person. As now, any loan taken out for this
    632
    A precise estimate of the impact of this change is not available. However we estimate that about 1,5002 relatives and acquaintances will be affected.

    1Funeral payment qualifying benefits are income support, family credit, disability working allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit.

    2Less than 2 per cent. of all awards using 1993–94 figures.

    Mr. Bradley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social fund grants were awarded for between(a) £10 and £100, (b) £200 and £400, (c) £400 and £600, (d) £600 and £800 and (e) thereafter up to the sum of £2,000 for funeral expenses, by region in each of the last three years.

    Mr. Roger Evans
    [holding answer 6 December 1994]: The information that is readily available is set out in the tables. It is by Benefits Agency territory.

    purpose will not count toward the capital limit. A disabled person, for this purpose, is defined in the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987, S.I 1987 No. 1967, schedule 3 paragraph 7B. This definition will remain unchanged in April 1995.

    The October 1995 changes will be subject to wide consultation and the position of particular groups will be considered during the consultation process. The position of pensioners will be protected.

    Cold Weather Payments
    Mr. Dewar
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what he estimates to be the full year cost of changes announced in the Budget and uprating statements of the cold weather payments and the home energy efficiency scheme.

    Mr. Roger Evans
    Cold weather payments will rise to £8.50 from 1 November 1995. The full year cost of this change will depend on the number of cold weather payments made, but if the same number of payments are made as in 1993–94, costs will increase by £3.15 million between 1994–95 and 1995–96.

    The Department of Environment have agreed additional resources of £30 million in each of the next three years for the home energy efficiency scheme—a 43 per cent. increase in funding compared with expenditure in 1994–95.
    633
    Mr. Pike
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the total annual cost for(a) cold weather payments and (b) the home energy efficiency scheme for 1994–95 and 1995–96; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Roger Evans
    On the assumption of the same number of cold weather payments made in 1993–94, expenditure is estimated at £14.7 million in 1994–95, and £17.85 million in 1995–96.

    The total annual cost of the home energy efficiency scheme including 2.55 per cent. management costs will be £75.2 million in 1994–95, almost double the amount available in 1993–94. In 1995–96, it will be £106.2 million, an increase of 43 per cent. on the previous year.

    Children
    Mr. Denham
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children live in households receiving(a) income support or (b) family credit in the areas covered by Benefits Agency offices serving predominantly (i) Southampton, (ii) Portsmouth, (iii) Hampshire, (iv) Dorset (v) East Sussex, (vi) West Sussex, (vii) Kent, (viii) Berkshire and (ix) Surrey.

    Mr. Roger Evans
    The best estimated information available is set out in the table, but some figures, particularly those for family credit, are estimated from a small number of sample cases and should therefore be treated with caution.

    Number of children1 in households receiving Income Support and Family Credit paid by Benefits Agency offices predominantly serving2 the areas shown

    Area

    Income support3 thousands

    Family Credit4 thousands

    Southampton

    17

    5

    Portsmouth

    16

    4

    Hampshire

    73

    23

    Dorset

    25

    8

    East Sussex

    34

    10

    West Sussex

    27

    7

    Kent

    81

    20

    Berkshire

    33

    9

    Surrey

    22

    6

    Notes:

    1Income support figures include children under 16 and dependants aged under 19 still living in the parental home. Family credit figures include children under 16 and aged 16 to 18 if still in full-time education.

    2A Benefits Agency office has been regarded as predominantly serving an area where more than half of its case load resides in the area.

    3Source: "Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry" February 1994,5 per cent. sample of income support awards.

    4 Source: 5 per cent. sample of family credit awards at 30 April 1994.

    5All figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.

    Mortgage Interest
    Mr. Dewar
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures broken down by claimant group for the number of recipients of income support assistance with mortgage interest payments who receive help for(a) less than two months, (b) over two months, (c) over six months and (d) over nine months, giving the most recent available figures.

    Mr. Roger Evans
    Details are only available for the number of claimants who were receiving mortgage 634
    interest payments at the point in time when the survey was carried out. These are set out in the table:

    Income support claimants with mortgage interest payments

    Number of mortgage interest claimants by duration of current IS claim

    Less than 2 months 000

    2–6 months 000

    6–9 months 000

    9 months or more 000

    Pensioner

    2

    5

    3

    87

    Sick/Disabled

    2

    6

    5

    64

    Lone parent

    5

    11

    9

    96

    Unemployed

    20

    47

    23

    126

    Other

    3

    7

    3

    27

    All cases

    31

    76

    42

    399

    Source:

    "Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry" February 1994.

    (1) Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand and may not sum.

    Mr. Denham
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the total annual savings accruing to his Department in each of the next five years from the proposed changes to the availability of income support for mortgage interest payments; and what assumptions he has made in making those calculations with regard to the number of people who will not be eligible under the new rules for such payments and the average level of income support no longer payable.

    Mr. Roger Evans
    I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on Thursday 8 December at column 363.

    Back-to-work Bonus
    Mr. Dewar
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the proposed back-to-work bonus will be transferable from one spouse to another.

    Mr. Roger Evans
    The back-to-work bonus will normally be attributed and paid to the person who has made the claim for benefit under which entitlement to the bonus is accrued. In certain circumstances, for example where couples separate, it may be appropriate to transfer bonus amounts between partners. We are looking at the detailed mechanisms for achieving this.

    Agency Heads
    Mr. Spellar
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 5 December,Official Report, column 2, what considerations led to his decision not to give the details of the terms of employment of heads of agencies.

    Mr. Hague
    The total remuneration for each agency chief executive appears in their agency accounts. Their entitlement to a performance bonus is largely dependent upon the achievement of a range of specific targets published in the individual business plans. However, the personal pay arrangements for individual members of staff remain confidential.

    Income-related Benefits
    Mr. Dewar
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the effect on the numbers of claimants of(a) income support, (b) housing benefit, (c) family credit, (d) community charge or council tax benefit and (e) all income-related benefits of the freeze in the limits for capital or savings since 1988.

    Mr. Roger Evans
    The upper capital limit was raised in April 1990 from £6,000 to £8,000 in income support and family credit and to £16,000 in housing benefit and
    635
    community charge benefit. Had the lower capital limit of £3,000 been increased in line with the retail prices index to 1994–95 prices, it is estimated that a further 10,000 claimants would become entitled to income support. The effect on the numbers of those claiming other income-related benefits is negligible.

    Note:

    Estimate based on data drawn from the 1990–91–92 family expenditure surveys, uprated to 1994–95 prices and benefit levels, making adjustments for numbers with capital reported on the 1993 statistical inquiry.

    Numbers of claimants are rounded to the nearest 5,000.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the average housing benefit paid to private sector tenants in(a) Southampton (b) Portsmouth and (c) Hampshire; and, in each case, what is the total number of claimants.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is set out in the table:

  Private sector Housing Benefit recipients

  Private sector average weekly Housing Benefit £

  Southampton

  9,350

  51.81

  Portsmouth

  8,530

  50.29

  Hampshire

  40,510

  49.92

  Source:

  Housing Benefit Management Information System 100 per cent. count taken at the end of August 1994.

  Notes:

  (1) Figures are for benefit units which may be a single person or a couple;

  (2) The caseload and average for Hampshire include Southampton and Portsmouth;

  (3) Private sector includes housing associations.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the effect of the abolition of the adult dependency increase paid with unemployment benefit on the number of claimants of income-based jobseeker's allowance in the first 182 days of a claim.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  It is estimated that, at any one time, 5,000 people would be entitled to income-based jobseeker's allowance as a result of there being no adult dependency increase in the contributory element.

  Notes:

  (1) Assumes 2.4 million unemployed; 500,000 unemployment benefit cases.

  (2) Estimates rounded to the nearest 5,000.

  (3) Based on 1993 and 1994 unemployment benefit statistics and the policy simulation model using 1990–91–92 family expenditure survey data.

  (4) Assumes contributory entitlement lasts six months.

  (5) Estimates do not include tax or behavioural implications.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the cost to public funds of the child maintenance review pack published by the Child Support Agency; and if he will make a statement as to the amount of money earmarked for the Child Support Agency in 636
  each of the last two years and, within that budget, how much was earmarked for literature, supporting documents, papers, forms, letters of explanation and other material.

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

  Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 13 December 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the cost of Child Support Agency publications.

  The following data show the costs for 1993–94.

  Financial Year 1993–94

  Operating costs: £109 million

  Publications: £2.5 million

  Financial Year 1994–95

  Estimated budget: £185 million

  Publications: £3 million

  Six hundred and forty thousand Child Support Maintenance Review packs have been ordered since April 1993 at a cost of £328,000 over both financial years.

  I hope this reply is helpful.

  Fraud
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security at what financial threshold the decision is taken on the prosecution of an individual or organisation for social security fraud.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The Benefits Agency uses no financial threshold when deciding whether to initiate criminal proceedings. Each case is considered individually and the amount of benefit overpaid is only one of a number of factors taken into account.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the level of social security fraud.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  In the year ending March 1994 Benefits Agency fraud investigators identified 312,000 irregularities and saved an estimated £654 million. Although the full extent of social security fraud is not known, we are examining ways of producing a reliable estimate of the sum which might be involved.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the members of the panel on assessment of incapacity who did not agree to publication of their names were or are employed by(a) the Benefits Agency medical service, (b) the Department of Social Security and (c) the Department of Health; how many had medical qualifications; when he decided that the names of members of the panel on assessment of incapacity should not be published without their agreement; what were his reasons for so deciding; if he sought the agreement of organisations responding to the consultation document on assessment of incapacity to the publication of their names in annex 2 to the report "The Medical Assessment for Incapacity Benefit"; and if he will seek the consent of members of the sub-group on mental health and incapacity, who agreed to publication of their names in the report "The Medical Assessment of Incapacity Benefit", to the disclosure of their membership of the sub-group.

  Mr. Hague
  Of the 10 panel members who did not want their names published, one is employed by the
  637
  Benefits Agency medical service, one by the Department of Social Security and one by the Department of Health. Of the 10, six have medical qualifications. The panel members undertook their work as individuals and it was considered appropriate that the wishes of those who did not want their names to be made public should be respected.

  The organisations listed in annex 2 of the report were responding to a public consultation and it was appropriate for their interest to be acknowledged.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which of the special advisers serving in his Department during the last five years were subject to positive security vetting.

  Mr. Hague
  In accordance with current guidance, all special advisers are required to have positive vetting. This Department has complied with this during the last five years.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many public appointments(a) he is

  Col. 1

  Col. 2 Date of introduction

  Col. 3 Date from which current rate applicable

  Col. 4 1995 value if increased in line with prices since date at col. 3 £

  Col. 5 1995 value if increased in line with average earnings since date at col. 3 £

  (a) £1,000 widow's payment.

  April 1988

  April 1988

  1,417.90

  1,583.00

  (b) £3,000 and £8,000 capital limits for income support and family credit:

  £3,000

  April 1988

  April 1988

  4,179.80

  4,748.90

  £8,000

  April 1988

  April 1990

  10,119.45

  10,600.50

  (c) £3,000 and £16,000 capital limits, for housing benefits:

  £3,000

  April 1988

  April 1988

  4,179.80

  4,748.90

  £16,000

  April 1988

  April 1990

  20,238.95

  21,200.95

  (d) £2 per day earnings limit for unemployment benefit.

  July 1948

  March 1982

  3.85

  5.00

  (e) £12 earnings limit under the normal idle day rule.

  December 1989

  December 1989

  16.10

  17.35

  (f) £5 and £15 earnings disregards for income support:

  £5.00

  April 1988

  April 1988

  6.95

  7.95

  £15.00

  April 1988

  April 1988

  20.85

  23.80

  (g) £5, £10 and £25 earnings disregards for housing and council tax benefits:

  £5

  April 1988

  April 1988

  6.95

  7.95

  £10

  April 1988

  April 1988

  13.95

  15.85

  £25

  April 1988

  October 1990

  31.60

  33.15

  (h) £10 war pension disregard for income-related benefits.

  April 1988

  April 1990

  12.65

  13.75

  (i) £10 disregard of charitable or voluntary payments

  April 1988

  April 1990

  12.65

  13.25

  (j) £20 disregard of income from a boarder, (plus half of charge in excess of £20).

  April 1988

  April 1990

  25.25

  26.45

  (k) £200 disregard of a training bonus.

  September 1988

  September 1988

  283.55

  316.70

  (l) £15 maintenance disregard for income-related benefits other than income support.

  April 1992

  April 1992

  17.10

  16.85

  (m) £10 disregard of student loans.

  September 1990

  September 1990

  12.65

  13.25

  (n) £35 occupational pension limit for unemployment benefit.

  April 1981

  April 1981

  74.20

  98.70

  (o) £200 savings limit for the lower rate of voluntary unemployment deduction.

  November 1980

  April 1988

  278.70

  316.70

  638
  responsible for making and (b) require his approval, including those not listed in "Public Bodies", and if he will divide this figure into (i) appointments to executive bodies, (ii) appointments to advisory bodies and (iii) other appointments.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is in the table.

  Number of appointments the Secretary of State is responsible for making

  Number of appointments that require approval from the Secretary of State

  Executive bodies

  11

  2

  Advisory bodies

  1876

  0

  Other bodies

  19

  0

  1 This figure includes 798 members of local war pension committees.

  Means Testing (Limits)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update the information given in his answer of 27 October,Official Report, columns 794–98, by substituting 1995–96 values for current values in columns 4 and 5 of the table.

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is set out in the table:
  639

  Col. 1

  Col. 2 Date of introduction

  Col. 3 Date from which current rate applicable

  Col. 4 1995 value if increased in line with prices since date at col. 3 £

  Col. 5 1995 value if increased in line with average earnings since date at col. 3 £

  (p) £27 (£8 if living in a hostel) protected earnings and the £1 margin over protected earnings, where income support is paid after a trade dispute is recoverable.

  April 1988

  April 1988

  37.55

  42.70

  (q) £52.50 rate of statutory sick pay.

  April 1990

  April 1990

  65.35

  69.60

  (r) £100 maternity payment from the Social Fund.

  April 1987

  April 1990

  126.50

  132.50

  (s) £500 and £1,000 capital limits for maternity and funeral payments from the Social Fund:

  £500

  April 1990

  April 1990

  632.50

  662.50

  £1,000

  April 1990

  April 1990

  1,264.95

  1,325.10

  (t) £75 limit on additional expenses included in a funeral payment from the Social Fund.

  April 1987

  April 1987

  107.85

  127.95

  (u) 25 pence age addition to retirement pension.

  September 1971

  September 1971

  1.60

  2.70

  (v) £10 Christmas bonus.

  December 1972

  December 1972

  67.15

  98.45

  (w) £2,500 exempt payments limit for recovery of benefits from compensation payments.

  September 1990

  September 1990

  3,110.80

  3,312.65

  (x) £30,000 vaccine damage payment.

  March 1979

  April 1991

  33,661.30

  36,269.90

  Notes:

  (1) The figures have been rounded to two decimal places.

  (2) In each step of the calculation the amount has been rounded to the nearest 5p.

  (3) The retail prices index—all items—and the retail prices index—all items except housing ROSSI—as published by the Central Statistical Office have been used for the prices uprating—ROSSI in relation to amounts which apply to income-related benefits.

  (4) Average earnings index—whole economy unadjusted—as published by the Employment Department has been used to calculate the earnings uprating.

  Benefit Uprating
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list details of the April 1995 benefit uprating, including those benefit rates, disregards and capital and income limits which will not be increased.

  Benefit Description

  April 1994£ per week

  April 1995£ per week

  Child Dependency Increase: increase in earnings limit pertaining to second or subsequent children

  16.00

  16.00

  Christmas Bonus

  10.00

  10.00

  Compensation recovery small payments limit

  2,500

  2,500

  Council Tax Benefit, Disability Working Allowance, Family Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support: disregard from grant for students' books and equipment

  273.00 per year

  276.00 per year

  Housing Benefit:

  Disregard from students' eligible rent:

  London

  24.80

  25.00

  Elsewhere

  17.20

  17.35

  Child's earning disregard

  5.00

  5.00

  Where disabled child premium is payable

  15.00

  15.00

  Overriding Income Disregard

  10.00

  10.00

  Family Credit: free living accommodation treated as earnings

  12.00

  12.00

  Incapacity Benefit—the additional rate frozen at April 1994 levels (the earnings-related additional pension currently paid with Invalidity Benefit) no fixed rate

  no fixed rate

  Industrial Death Benefit, Widows Pension Initial Rate

  57.65

  57.65

  Income Support Mortgage: limit on outstanding capital with which Income Support will help with interest repayments

  125,000

  100,000

  Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis and Miscellaneous Diseases Scheme Death Benefit (lump sum)

  300.00

  300.00

  Social Fund:

  Funeral Payment

  No limit

  Maximum of 875.00

  Additional Expenses

  75.00

  75.00

  War Pensions:

  Education Allowance

  Maximum of 120.00 per year

  Maximum of 120.00 per year

  640
  Mr. Hague
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Thanet, North (Mr. Gale) on 8 December at column 376.

  The table refers to benefit rates, disregards and capital and income limits which are not covered by the table of main benefit rates which has been placed in the Library.
  641

  Benefit Description

  April 1994 £ per week

  April 1995 £ per week

  Parents and other Dependants Pensions:

  One parent

  Maximum of 75.00 per year

  Maximum of 75.00 per year

  Two parents

  100.00 per year

  100.00 per year

  Other adult

  54.00 per year

  54.00 per year

  One juvenile

  26.00 per year

  26.00 per year

  More than one juvenile (aggregate)

  75.00 per year

  75.00 per year

  Single Pensioners
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the numbers and percentage of single pensioners whose total income is below(a) £80 per week, (b) £75 per week and (c) £70 per week.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  [holding answer 9 December 1994]: The information is in the tables.
  642

  Table 1. Estimated number and percentage of single pensioners with net before housing costs income under £80, £75, £70 (1992).

  £80

  £75

  £70

  Numbers

  1,700,000

  1,400,000

  1,100,000

  Percentages

  39

  31

  26

  Table 2. Estimated number and percentage of single pensioners with net before housing costs income under £80, £75, £70 (1992).

  £80

  £75

  £70

  Numbers

  2,900,000

  2,700,000

  2,500,000

  Percentages

  65

  61

  57

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