Written Answers of 1 February 1994

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many employees were judged to be guilty of fraud in his Department in each year since 1989; and how many were dismissed.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  In 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993 the number of employees convicted of fraud was, respectively, two, one, none, three and three. Of these, six were dismissed by the Department, and three resigned before any internal disciplinary proceedings were taken.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his Department's policy for dealing with employees found guilty of fraud.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Employees of the Lord Chancellor's Department who are convicted of fraud will be subject to internal disciplinary proceedings. Although each case will be treated on its own merits, serious fraud is regarded as gross misconduct, and will usually lead to dismissal at the conclusion of the internal disciplinary proceedings.

HEALTH

  Regional Health Authorities
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the cost of implementing the regional health authority changes proposed from 1 April 1994.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The proposals announced in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's statement on "Managing the New NHS" on 21 October 1993 will streamline national health service central management. It is not possible to estimate the cost of implementing the propoals at this stage. However, the changes will result in substantial savings which will be reinvested in patient care.

  Public Relations
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all the occasions since 1990 on which an external public relations company or consultant was employed by her Department with the name of the company or consultant involved; and what was the cost of each transaction.

  Mr. Sackville
  The functions that are identified as public relations are normally carried out by the Department's information division.
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  No public relations company or consultant has been directly employed since 1990. During European Drug Prevention Week the organisers sub-contracted a public relations consultant to help produce a video news release. Costs for this cannot be separately identified.

  Paintings and Photographs
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans she has to buy or borrow photographs; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) how many (a) paintings and (b) photographs there are on the walls of her rooms.

  Mr. Sackville
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to acquire any photographs. Four paintings and 11 prints loaned by the Government art collection adorn the walls of her office.

  Overseas Adoption Helpline
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many calls have been received by the overseas adoption helpline in each quarter since it was set up; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  The table lists the number of recorded inquiries received by the overseas adoption helpline since its inception on 11 May 1992.

  Year and quarter

  Number of recorded inquiries

  1992

  May to June

  1124

  July to September

  492

  October to December

  399

  1993

  January to March

  936

  April to June

  598

  July to September

  528

  October to December

  566

  1 This figure covers a seven week period only.

  Learning Disabilities
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children in the northern region have been born mentally handicapped in each year since 1989; and what was the name of the village or town of each child.

  Mr. Bowis
  Severe learning disability is not always detectable at birth. The overall prevalence in the United Kingdom of severe learning disability is estimated to be between three and four per 1,000 population.

  Paediatric Consultants
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many paediatric consultants there were in England in each of the last five years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The available information is shown in the table.
  597

  Hospital paediatric consultants in England as at 30 September each year, in whole-time equivalents

  Paediatrics

  Paediatric neurology

  Paediatric surgery

  Child and adolescent psychiatry

  Total

  1988

  597·2

  11·8

  34·2

  316·9

  960·1

  1989

  678·8

  11·2

  39·5

  310·3

  1,039·8

  1990

  699·1

  9·7

  36·3

  333·3

  1,078·4

  1991

  723·0

  14·7

  47·3

  325·9

  1,110·9

  1992

  768·6

  13·5

  44·4

  304·4

  1,130·9

  Notes: Information is taken from the Hospital Medical and Dental Census for each year. Information about the number of consultants in the community is not available by specialty.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultants have sought early retirement in each of the last five years in each region.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Data collected do not distinguish between consultants and associate specialists and it is not maintained in regional form.

  The total numbers of consultants and associate specialists who retired early under provisions to allow for replacement of senior consultant posts are:

  Number

  1989–90

  75

  1990–91

  45

  1991–92

  38

  1992–93

  35

  11993–94

  48

  1 To 31 December 1993.

  Drug Abuse
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of officers employed on programmes dealing with drug abuse in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Bowis
  Government guidelines state that drug misusers should have access to a range of services, including advice and counselling, in-patient and community detoxification, residential rehabilitation and follow up support, where needed. These services are provided by both the statutory and non-statutory sectors. Services employ a range of staff which may include specialist doctors, drug workers, general practitioners, community psychiatric nurses, social and youth workers. Information on the total of these is not held centrally.

  Mr. Richard Marsh
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 17 December,Official Report, column 1003, what are the particular qualifications, expertise or experience relating to health and social services of her special adviser, Mr. Richard Marsh.

  Mr. Sackville
  I do not intend to comment on the qualifications, expertise or experience of the special adviser to my right hon. Friend.

  International Peto Institute
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress there has been in the construction of an International Peto Institute in Budapest; when she 598
  expects building work to begin; when Her Majesty's Government's obligation to help fund this project will expire; and what assessment she has made of whether the funding pledged by Her Majesty's Government to this project could be more effectively spent in creating an equivalent facility in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Bowis
  Under the agreement between the United Kingdom and Hungarian Governments, further payments are dependent upon the commencement of construction of the International Peto Institute, for which no date has yet been set by the International Peto Foundation. Under this agreement, the institute has to be operational by February 1996 to avoid repayment of all or part of the payments made. Facilities for conductive education are already developing in the United Kingdom.

  Diabetics
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what policy she has for targeting care towards insulin-dependent diabetics who are lone parents.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department has no plans to adopt such a policy.

  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the(a) total budget for diabetic care and (b) the budget for education work among diabetics.

  Mr. Sackville
  Figures for the total budget for diabetic care are not available nor are figures for the budget for education work among diabetics.

  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the numbers of insulin-dependent diabetics in the United Kingdom; and how many of them live alone.

  Mr. SackviHe
  The number of insulin-dependent diabetics in the United Kingdom is not recorded; neither is it recorded how many live alone.

  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she plans to encourage diabetics to be open about their condition to ensure community support.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department has no plans to seek to influence personal decisions of this nature.

  Hypnosis
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy on hypnotism for entertainment; and what research she has sponsored into hypnosis and its consequences for health.

  Mr. Sackville
  The use of hypnotism on stage is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for
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  National Heritage and, on television, for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

  Within the national health service, hospital medical staff and general practitioners can arrange for their patients to receive complementary and alternative therapies, including hypnosis, where they are satisfied that a clinical need for the treatment exists and if the resources can be made available locally, subject to the patient's consent to the treatment. It is widely accepted that hypnosis has a valuable role as an adjunct to medical and psychological treatments and is legitimately practised by a range of reputable therapists. Health professionals are bound by the ethical codes of conduct of their individual professions and, when practising in the NHS, by the terms of their contracts with NHS bodies. The Department has commissioned no research into hypnosis.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all chairs and non-executive directors of NHS trust hospitals who hold a chair or non-executive post at more than one NHS trust; and if she will list the trusts concerned.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Under the National Health Service Trusts (Membership and Procedure) Regulations 1990—SI 2024 Regulation 11(1)(e)—serving chairmen or non-executive directors of national health service trusts may not serve concurrently on the board of another NHS authority or trust.

  Hospital Admissions
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of hospital admissions in the East Anglia region are(a) immediate, (b) within six weeks, (c) within three months and (d) longer than a year; and what the figures were in May 1990.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The latest year for which figures are available is 1991–92, in that year, 56 per cent. of hospital admissions were immediate. Of those admitted from waiting lists, 52·1 per cent. were admitted within six weeks, 69·1 per cent. within three months and 7 per cent.had to wait longer than a year.

  In May 1990, 57 per cent. of admissions were immediate. Of those admitted from waiting lists, 40·7 per cent. were admitted within six weeks, 67·1 per cent. within three months and 4·6 per cent. had to wait longer than a year.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in(a) the East Anglian region and (b) the Great Yarmouth and Waveney district had been waiting more than one year for hospital admission in (i) April 1991 and (ii) the latest available month.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There were 10,175 patients waiting more than 12 months for in-patient or day case treatment in East Anglian regional health authority at 31 March 1991. This included 3,502 patients who had been waiting more than two years. By 30 September 1993, the number waiting more than a year had decreased by 66 per cent. to 3,503 and no one was waiting more than two years.
  600
  The area covered by Great Yarmouth and Waveney district health authority in March 1991 is now covered by Anglian Harbours and James Paget hospital national health service trusts. At 31 March 1991, in the district health authority 1,420 patients had waited more than a year for treatment and 586 of these had waited more than two years. By 30 September 1993 in the trusts, the number waiting over a year had fallen by 68 per cent. to 450 and no one was waiting more than two years.

  Skin Disorders
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which statistics her Department keeps about the prevalence of skin disorders in the United Kingdom(a) by region, (b) by district health authority and (c) by family health services authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department holds data for England and Wales on the incidence of skin cancer, on death rates, on numbers of deaths and on the average annual years of life lost per 10,000 of the resident population by region, district health authoriy and family health services authority. The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys keeps a register of newly diagnosed cases of skin cancer by regional health authority, district health authority and FHSA. It also records the number of deaths by sex and age from diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue by region, district health authority and FHSA. In addition, the Department keeps central statistics by district and regions on leprosy, which is a notifiable disease.

  Health Expenditure
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was spent per head of population in(a) Great Yarmouth and Waveney health district and (b) the East Anglia region in (i) May 1979 and (ii) May 1991; and what is the expected level in April 1994.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information available shows that Great Yarmouth and Waveney health authority's revenue outturn increased from £40,349,819 in 1988–89—1988–89 cash—to £73,181,520 in 1992–1993—1992–1993 cash. Over the same period, East Anglia region's revenue outturn increased from £474,430,697 to £717,980,886. Thepopulation of East Anglia region was 2,034,439 in 1988 and 2,089,398 in 1992, that of Great Yarmouth and Waveney in the same years was 200,091 and 202,255. This represents a spend per head of population in 1988–89 of over £201 in Great Yarmouth and Waveney and £233 in East Anglia as a whole. In 1992–93, the corresponding figures are over £361 for Great Yarmouth and £343 for East Anglia.

  Consultant Referrals
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of consultant referrals in the East Anglia region are(a) immediate, (b) within six weeks, (c) within three months and (d) longer than a year; and what the figures were in May 1990.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Summaries of waiting times for in-patient and day case treatment are given in "Hospital Waiting List Statistics: England" published twice yearly. The latest published figures for September 1993 are available in the Library. Under the patients charter,
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  regional health authorities are required to set local charter standards for waiting times for first out-patient appointments. These are published locally.

  Hospital Treatment
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients from the Great Yarmouth and Waveney health district were treated in hospitals outside the district in the last year in which figures are available; and how many out-of-district patients were treated within the Anglian Harbours hospital trust and the James Paget hospital.

  Mr. Sackville
  My hon. Friend may wish to Contact Dr. Ronald Duncan, Mrs. Kath Currie and Mr. John Wells, chairmen of the Great Yarmouth and Waveney health

  Patient transport services Emergency calls response times 1992–93: England

  Ambulance authority

  Total number of emergency calls resulting in ambulance arriving at scene of incidents (Thousands)

  Response within 8 minutes Per cent.

  Response within 19 minutes (rural) 14 minutes (urban) Per cent.

  Rural authorities

  Cumbria

  15·3

  55·6

  91·2

  Durham

  30·3

  51·6

  97·1

  Humberside

  43·0

  72·8

  99·2

  Northumbria (NHS Trust)

  77·6

  67·8

  99·0

  North Yorkshire

  23·1

  58·8

  95·4

  Derbyshire

  35·2

  46·6

  95·7

  Leicestershire

  32·6

  54·4

  97·0

  Lincolnshire (NHS Trust)

  17·8

  62·2

  95·3

  Nottinghamshire

  54·7

  57·9

  97·7

  Cambridgeshire

  19·1

  40·9

  94·2

  Norfolk (NHS Trust)

  27·5

  57·5

  96·7

  Suffolk

  11·9

  53·2

  92·1

  Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

  59·6

  54·3

  96·9

  Essex (NHS Trust)

  66·1

  57·8

  98·6

  East Sussex

  36·9

  67·7

  97·7

  Kent

  57·8

  55·2

  96·4

  West Sussex

  26·8

  65·6

  97·3

  Dorset

  27·8

  54·6

  96·1

  Hampshire

  46·7

  55·9

  97·4

  Wiltshire

  15·1

  60·7

  95·9

  Isle of Wight

  4·3

  59·5

  97·9

  Berkshire

  28·4

  58·9

  99·0

  Buckinghamshire

  22·1

  62·0

  97·0

  Northamptonshire

  17·8

  68·0

  98·2

  Oxfordshire

  16·1

  51·8

  94·2

  Cornwall (NHS Trust)

  16·5

  41·2

  90·0

  Devon (NHS Trust)

  38·4

  60·2

  98·5

  Gloucestershire (NHS Trust)

  13·5

  57·8

  96·8

  Somerset

  11·8

  58·9

  94·7

  Hereford and Worcester

  21·3

  61·9

  97·1

  Shropshire

  12·7

  51·1

  96·0

  Staffordshire (NHS Trust)

  39·6

  53·4

  95·3

  Warwickshire

  14·4

  49·4

  95·3

  Lancashire

  69·8

  65·9

  98·7

  Urban authorities

  Cleveland (NHS Trust)

  24·2

  73·0

  97·0

  West Yorkshire

  108·2

  55·0

  94·0

  South Yorkshire (NHS Trust)

  56·4

  46·6

  89·9

  Surrey

  44·0

  55·1

  94·8

  London Ambulance Service

  474·5

  11·3

  58·5

  Avon (NHS Trust)

  37·0

  55·5

  90·0

  West Midlands

  140·7

  45·2

  91·1

  Mersey (NHS Trust)

  147·7

  68·1

  95·4

  Greater Manchester

  165·4

  60·5

  97·4

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  authority, Anglian Harbours national health service trust and the James Paget hospital trust respectively, for this information.

  Ambulance Response Times
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the latest figures for response times by ambulances to 999 calls for each of the trust and health authority areas in East Anglia; and what is the average for England as a whole.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on ambulance emergency response times is not collected centrally on an individual health authority or trust basis. The latest available information by ambulance authority is shown in the table.
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  Accident and Emergency Departments
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines have been issued by her Department regarding the need for hospital accident and emergency departments to make staffing provision for possible increased workload caused by occasional, exceptionally high levels of emergency treatment required.

  Mr. Sackville
  Every health authority is required to have contingency plans for dealing with major incidents. However, it is for individual hospitals to determine local staffing levels in accident and emergency departments which, so far as possible, match expected workloads and take account of busy periods.

  Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employees were judged to be guilty of fraud in her Department in each year since 1989; and how many were dismissed.

  Mr. Sackville
  Prior to March 1991, the Department of Social Security was responsible for action on staff discipline for the Department of Health. It will be providing information for 1989 to March 1991.

  The following information gives the number of Department of Health staff judged to be guilty of obtaining money by making false representations since March 1991:
  In 1991, three staff were judged guilty of fraud and two were dismissed. The third was given a severe reprimand.
  In 1992, one member of staff was given an oral warning and another was downgraded.
  In 1993, four staff were dismissed.
  In 1991 and 1992, those not dismissed were guilty of minor offences.

  The penalty imposed depends on the severity of the offence, the member of staff's length of service and previous conduct. In cases of fraud involving significant amounts of money, dismissal is automatic.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her Department's policy for dealing with employees found guilty of fraud.

  Mr. Sackville
  All civil servants are subject to strict rules of conduct and are expected at all times to maintain high levels of integrity. Any member of the Department of Health's staff found guilty of obtaining money or goods by making false representations would be subject to disciplinary penalties which range from a written warning to dismissal. All cases of fraud involving significant amounts of money would result in dismissal.

  Patient Care
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all those services for patient care in East Anglian regional hospitals, Anglian Harbours hospitals trust and the James Paget hospital Gorleston, which have been expanded since May 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The number of patients treated in East Anglian region continues to rise. Since 1982, in-patient activity is up by more than 40 per cent. and day cases up by more than 135 per cent. In the Great Yarmouth and Waveney health authority area the increases were over 40 per cent. and 300 per cent. respectively.
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  Since 1979, the number of hospital doctors in the region has risen by more than 50 per cent. and there have been more than 40 major capital projects in the region costing over £130 million.

  My hon. Friend may wish to contact Sir Colin Walker and Dr. Ronald Currie, chairmen of East Anglian regional health authority and the Great Yarmouth and Waveney health authority respectively, for more details.

  NHS Pay
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision has been made in the NHS budget for 1994–95 for the implementation of the recommendations of the pay review bodies.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health said at the time of the Chancellor's autumn statement, the national health service has been given additional resources of some £1·6 billion for 1994–95. If pay rises are earned through increased efficiency, as the Government urged in their evidence to the review bodies, these resources will make possible an increase in activity of around 4 per cent.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  St. Helena
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visitors and work permits have been applied for by residents of St. Helena; and how many have been granted in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  St. Helenians do not require prior entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom as visitors and the number actually entering the United Kingdom is not separately recorded.

  The number of work permits granted to St. Helenians from 1989 to 1993 is as follows:

  Year

  Work permit

  1989

  51

  1990

  53

  1991

  30

  1992

  34

  1993

  20

  Figures for the total number of applications are not available.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements exist for St. Helenians to be treated for serious injury or disease which cannot be carried out on the island.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The services on St. Helena provide medical attention in the first instance. Patients requiring longer-term treatment are referred to Cape Town or the United Kingdom under arrangements which work well. These referrals travel by the Royal Mail Ship St. Helena.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many St. Helenians have been working(a) on Ascension island and (b) in the Falklands in each year since 1989.
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  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The number of St. Helenians working on Ascension island and the Falkland islands in the years 1989 to 1993 was as follows:

  Ascension Island

  Falkland Islands

  1989

  459

  132

  1990

  470

  209

  1991

  501

  262

  1992

  488

  274

  1993

  534

  214

  Kashmir
  Mr. Godsiff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Indian high commission on the issuing of visas to allow(a) hon. Members and (b) Amnesty International access to that part of Kashmir which is under Indian jurisdiction.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have frequently urged the Indian Government to allow visits by independent observers and human rights groups, including Amnesty International, to Kashmir.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy toward the decision of the International Court of Justice to rule on the legality of nuclear weapons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Our position is that the use of nuclear weapons would have to be judged as lawful or not in the light of the particular circumstances in which they were used, and that it is inappropriate to burden the International Court of Justice with hypothetical questions of this nature.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he will undertake in deciding whether to make submissions to the International Court of Justice on the legality of nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We will be making a submission to the International Court of Justice on the question of the legality of nuclear weapons. Submissions are due to be made by 10 June.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans Her Majesty's Government have to make a submission to the International Court of Justice on the legality of nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We will be making a submission.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he is prepared to submit from British organisations on the legality of nuclear weapons to the International Court of Justice.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None. Our submission to the International Court of Justice will set out the position of the Government on this question.
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  India
  Mr. Godsiff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Indian high commissioner about the continued detention of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Abdul Gani Lone and Shabir Shah.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Her Majesty's high commission in New Delhi has been following the cases of Syed Ali Shah Gilani, Shabir Shah and Abdul Gani Lone and has provided us with regular reports. We have repeatedly raised our concerns about human rights with the Indian Government, and shall continue to do so when we believe such representations are helpful and appropriate.

  Mr. Godsiff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the working methods and constitution of the Indian National Human Rights Commission(a) in general and (b) in relation to its investigation of the Bijbehara massacre; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Indian Human Rights Commission is due to publish its first quarterly report at the end of January. We have not sought to prejudge the operation of the commission before it has established itself. We shall look carefully at its first report which we understand will include an account of the incident at Bijbehara in October.

  Sudan
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government is proposing following the Biro report on human rights issues in Sudan.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Dr. Biro is finalising his report, which he will submit shortly to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. We will work to secure the continuation of his mandate. We will continue to press the Government of Sudan both bilaterally and in international forums over its human rights performance.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's latest estimate of the state of the SPLA factions in the southern Sudan.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Discussions involving the leaders of the SPLA "mainstream" and "united" factions are continuing under the auspices of the IGADD initiative. On 6 January, the faction leaders signed a joint declaration outlining their position on an agenda for peace talks. Together with our European Union partners, we will continue to urge the faction leaders to settle their differences by peaceful means, and to respond constructively to the IGADD initiative.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest information available to the United Kingdom Government about what has happened to the people in the Nuba mountains area of Sudan.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Our information is limited, given the restrictions on access to the area. We remain profoundly concerned, however. We note the assessment in the interim report of the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Sudan that the
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  "violations committed by the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary forces under its control … seem to be of such a grave nature that the fate of the Nuba communities in the area may be questioned".

  We strongly support the rapporteur's recommendation that the Sudanese Government give human rights organisations free access to the Nuba mountains.

  Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many employees were judged to be guilty of fraud in his Department in each year since 1989; and how many were dismissed.

  Mr. Goodlad
  No member of this Department has been judged to have been guilty of fraud since 1989.

  One officer in the diplomatic wing was, however, found guilty in 1992 of false accounting, served nine months' imprisonment and was dismissed from the Department. One other officer was found guilty in 1993 of false overtime claims and was also dismissed.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's policy for dealing with employees found guilty of fraud.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Possible cases of fraud are investigated fully. All cases, other than minor offences, are referred to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider police investigation and, if appropriate, prosecution. Individuals found guilty of fraud would be subject to internal disciplinary proceedings, which would generally lead to dismissal, independently of any action taken by the Crown Prosecution Service.

  Malaysian Arms Deal
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many files marked "Not for NAO eyes" relating to the Malaysian arms deal are held in his Department or in the high commission in Kuala Lumpur.

  Mr. Goodlad
  None.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  North Sea Oil
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the total amount of revenue which has accrued to the Exchequer for each year since 1979 from North sea oil, breaking this down into each aspect of the relevant tax regulations.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Revenues raised from North sea oil and gas production by category of tax since 1979–80 have been as follows:

  £ million

  Corporation Tax

  Year

  Petroleum revenue tax

  Supplementary petroleum duty

  ACT setoff

  Main-stream CT

  Royalty

  Total

  1979–80

  1,435

  —

  78

  172

  628

  2,313

  1980–81

  2,410

  —

  97

  244

  992

  3,743

  1981–82

  2,390

  2,025

  270

  411

  1,396

  6,492

  608

  Corporation Tax

  Year

  Petroleum revenue tax

  Supplementary petroleum duty

  ACT setoff

  Main-stream CT

  Royalty

  Total

  1982–83

  3,274

  2,395

  202

  319

  1,632

  7,822

  1983–84

  6,017

  —

  430

  447

  1,904

  8,798

  1984–85

  7,177

  —

  1,244

  1,188

  2,426

  12,035

  1985–86

  6,375

  —

  1,085

  1,831

  2,057

  11,348

  1986–87

  1,188

  —

  1,130

  1,546

  919

  4,783

  1987–88

  2,296

  —

  681

  617

  1,024

  4,618

  1988–89

  1,371

  —

  685

  510

  602

  3,168

  1989–90

  1,050

  —

  495

  248

  575

  2,368

  1990–91

  860

  —

  363

  484

  605

  2,312

  1991–92

  -216

  —

  370

  268

  557

  979

  1992–93

  69

  —

  480

  202

  554

  1,305

  11993–94

  500

  —

  300

  —

  600

  1,400

  1 1994–95 Financial Statement and Budget Report estimate.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 20 December on VAT on domestic fuel reference 0595/29.

  Sir John Cope
  I replied to this letter on 27 January 1994.

  Maintenance Orders
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what part of a maintenance order imposed by the Child Support Agency is allowable against personal taxation.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Payments made under a Child Support Agency assessment, like those made under a court order or legally enforceable written agreement, may qualify for tax relief up to a limit equal to the married couple's allowance, currently £1,720. Where an assessment replaces arrangements first made before March 1988, tax relief may be available up to a limit equal to the payments for which the payer was entitled to relief in 1988–89.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 17 December,Official Report, columns 974–75, if he will outline the particular qualifications, expertise or experience in the economic and financial area of (a) Mrs. Tessa Keswich and (b) Mr. David Ruffley.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  It is not my practice to comment on the qualifications, expertise or experience of my special advisers.

  Gross Domestic Product
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current gross domestic product per head by constituency.

  Mr. Nelson
  The information is not available at this level of detail. The most detailed available estimates of GDP are at the county level. The most recent information available by county is for 1991, which was published in the December 1993 issue of "Economic Trends", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.
  609

  Community Care Expenditure
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the figure for community care expenditure agreed for each of the next three financial years under(a) the Department of Health and (b) other departmental programmes in (i) cash and (ii) real terms.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 27 January 1994]: The level of spending on community care will be determined by individual local authorities, and will reflect their views about local needs and relative spending priorities. The Department of Health programme makes provision for a special transitional grant to local authorities, in recognition of their new responsibilities for community care, amounting to £735·9 million in 1994–95 and £647·6 million in 1995–96, including funding in respect of the arrangements to succeed the independent living fund. A decision on the special transitional grant for 1996–97 has not yet been taken.

  The total of the Department of Health special transitional grant and the transfer from Department of Social Security announced last year, is shown in the table. It should be noted that, apart from the special transitional grant, local authorities are not obliged to spend these amounts on community care; nor need they be confined to these amounts.

  £ million

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  Cash plans

  1,274·5

  1,838·0

  22,56·0

  1993–94 prices

  1,225·5

  1,703·4

  2,039·8

  Comparable figures for the Scottish Office, made up of the DSS transfer and the special grant for implementation and ILF successor arrangements, are as follows:

  £ million

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  Cash plans

  147·3

  158·0

  —

  1993–94 prices

  137·1

  142·2

  —

  The figures for the Welsh Office were provided by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Wales on 25 January, Official Report, column 229.

  In Northern Ireland, the DSS transfer will be £65·3 million in 1994–95 and £100·3 million in 1995–96—£60·8 million and £90·2 million in 1993–94 prices.

  In addition, the Department of Social Security plans to spend £120 million on successor arrangements to the independent living fund in 1994–95, and approximately £1,830 million on benefits for those in residential or nursing home care prior to 1 April 1993. Figures for later years are not available.

  Nora Heeren
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what instructions were given to Customs and Excise officers regarding the inspection of the Nora Heeren;

  (2) if the Customs and Excise conducted a full inspection of the cargo of the Nora Heeren.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: Customs officers were asked to inspect the cargo on board ship, and to inspect the ship's papers relating to it.
  610
  A visual inspection of the cargo, stowed on deck, was carried out. Inspection of the ship's holds was also made so far as it was possible without offloading the cargo ashore.

  Mortgage Interest Relief
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the reduction in mortgage interest relief will be in 1994–95 and 1995–96 for a taxpayer on the average income for households with a mortgage, and with an average mortgage, as a result of measures announced in the March and November 1993 Budgets; and whether this information can be broken down to produce figures for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the English regions;

  (2) what the reduction in mortgage interest relief will be in 1994–95 and 1995–96 for a taxpayer on average earnings with an average mortgage as a result of measures announced in the March and November 1993 Budgets; and whether this information can be broken down to produce figures for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the English regions.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 26 January 1994]: Assuming current levels of mortgage interest rates, the reduction in relief on the average mortgage of £30,000 will be £115·50 a year in 1994–95 and a further £115·50 in 1995–96. For those mortgagors who have mortgages of less than £30,000—about half of all mortgagors—the reduction in relief will be lower. A person with an average mortgage is benefiting by £1,920 a year as a result of the reduction in interest rates since 1990. Forecasts of the average size of mortgages in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the English regions are not available.

PRIME MINISTER

  Nuclear Materials
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will raise at his forthcoming meeting with President Clinton the proliferation risks posed by the international trade in nuclear materials.

  The Prime Minister
  The agenda for my meeting with President Clinton has not yet been fixed.

  No. 10 Downing Street
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will commission a report on the estimated costs of(a) heating, (b) lighting and (c) non-catering staff arising from the use 10 Downing street by private organisations.

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

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 23 November,Official Report, column 33, if he will now list the titles of papers his office has made available to the Scott inquiry.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to him on 5 March 1993,Official Report, column 306.
  611

  Oceanographic Laboratory
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans the Cabinet Office has for an investigation by the efficiency unit of the work of the Proudman oceanographic laboratory.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Kirkcaldy (Dr. Moonie) by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 16 June 1993,Official Report, column 611.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Prime Minister which non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible have been(a) abolished or (b) created since 1979.

  The Prime Minister
  A full list of non-departmental public bodies, in existence for each year since 1979, is available in the following publications: "Report on Non-Departmental Public Bodies" (Pliatzky Report, Cm 7797, January 1980), "Non-Departmental Public Bodies: Facts and Figures 1980", "Non-Departmental Public Bodies: Facts and Figures 1981", and "Public Bodies", published annually from 1982. Copies of these publications are available in the Libraries of both Houses.

  For each year since 1986, lists have been prepared centrally of public bodies which have been created and abolished. Copies will be sent to the Libraries of both Houses. Such summary data for the years 1979 to 1985 were not prepared and could be reconstructed only at disproportionate cost.

  Meetings
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his practice to give substantive details of his meetings showing when he has met and plans to meet in replying to hon. Members' questions on his engagements; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  United Kingdom exports to Malaysia

  £ million, current prices

  Section

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  19931

  Total

  0

  Food and live animals

  8·0

  10·9

  9·5

  7·6

  6·1

  6·9

  6·8

  9·0

  7·7

  12·5

  11·1

  16·2

  112·1

  1

  Beverages and tobacco

  2·3

  3·3

  3·2

  3·4

  3·4

  4·4

  4·2

  5·3

  7·6

  10·9

  10·0

  11·2

  69·2

  2

  Crude materials, inedible, except fuels

  1·9

  1·5

  1·4

  1·8

  1·4

  3·2

  11·9

  14·9

  21·2

  25·8

  24·3

  38·0

  147·1

  3

  Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials

  1·6

  1·9

  1·8

  1·9

  1·5

  1·3

  1·3

  1·4

  5·5

  2·7

  2·3

  2·4

  25·5

  4

  Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes

  0·5

  0·2

  0·4

  0·4

  0·3

  0·3

  0·3

  0·4

  0·4

  0·4

  0·3

  0·5

  4·6

  5

  Chemicals and related products

  33·9

  41·8

  48·3

  56·4

  49·2

  45·6

  51·6

  56·4

  58·6

  58·3

  64·3

  65·3

  629·7

  6

  Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material

  26·0

  35·9

  45·0

  41·1

  26·7

  54·7

  56·8

  66·9

  75·0

  74·7

  79·0

  92·3

  674·1

  7

  Machinery and transport equipment

  109·8

  107·9

  133·3

  128·9

  96·8

  108·2

  145·7

  226·1

  335·4

  356·2

  361·5

  566·7

  2,676·5

  8

  Miscellaneous manufactured articles

  20·7

  24·2

  31·5

  31·6

  29·3

  25·9

  27·7

  35·1

  35·0

  37·2

  77·2

  56·5

  431·8

  9

  Other commodities and transactions

  6·0

  20·7

  8·9

  8·6

  12·3

  7·5

  4·0

  26·1

  4·2

  3·7

  5·8

  12·8

  120·5

  Total

  210·6

  248·3

  283·1

  281·7

  226·9

  258·0

  310·4

  441·5

  550·7

  582·3

  635·9

  861·9

  4,891·2

  1 January to November 1993.

  Notes: Trade categoriesed by Sections of the Standard International Trade Classification.

  Source: Business Monitors MA20 and MM20, Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.
  612

  Iraq
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the companies of individuals which made the representations regarding the sale of machine tools to Iraq referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Amber Valley (Mr. Oppenheim) of 24 November 1992,Official Report, column 580.

  The Prime Minister
  It would be inappropriate to comment on matters which are the subject of Lord Justice Scott's inquiry while it is in progress.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 1 February.

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 1 February.

  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.

  Malaysia
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Prime Minister how many files marked "Not for NAO Eyes" relating to the Malaysian arms deal are held by(a) his secretariat and (b) the Cabinet Office.

  The Prime Minister
  None.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 18 January,Official Report, column 704, what were the major categories of trade, with amounts and dates, that he included in his export figures to Malaysia of £5 billion.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 28 January 1994]: Information of the value of United Kingdom exports to Malaysia since 1982 is given in the table:
  613

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Paintings and Photographs
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to buy or borrow photographs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I have no plans to buy or borrow any photographs.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many(a) paintings and (b) photographs there are on the walls of his rooms.

  Mr. Heseltine
  There are five paintings and no photographs on the walls of my office at the Department of Trade and Industry.

  Tobacco
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what Government grants or subsidies have been made to the tobacco industry in the United Kingdom or abroad in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The following regional selective assistance grants have been paid by the Government to the tobacco industry in the United Kingdom over the last five years. No other assistance has been made available, nor any abroad.

  Financial year

  Amount paid £

  1989–90

  357,285

  1990–91

  78,128

  1991–92

  19,505

  1992–93

  521,502

  1993–94

  232,768

  Newsprint and Timber (Imports)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the annual tonnage and the annual value of imports into the United Kingdom of(a) newsprint and (b) timber for each year since 1980.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is given in the table.

  Annual tonnage and value of United Kingdom imports

  Timber

  Newsprint

  Year

  Weight (thousand tonnes

  Value (£ millions)

  Weight (thousand tonnes)

  Value (£ millions)

  1980

  4,247

  680

  1,074

  283

  1981

  3,763

  600

  1,306

  360

  1982

  4,260

  669

  1,246

  377

  1983

  5,068

  933

  1,244

  383

  1984

  4,792

  1,001

  1,255

  398

  1985

  4,362

  886

  1,217

  414

  1986

  4,870

  994

  1,135

  391

  1987

  5,570

  1,190

  n/a

  n/a

  1988

  6,161

  1,347

  1,459

  600

  1989

  5,787

  1,415

  1,577

  660

  1990

  5,340

  1,397

  1,308

  541

  1991

  4,119

  1,033

  1,334

  574

  1992

  4,254

  1,013

  1,333

  486

  Notes:

  The 1987 figures for newsprint are not separately available from writing and printing paper due to commercial confidentiality.
  614
  Timber is classified under headings 245.01, 246, 247 and 248 of the International Trade Classification. Newsprint is classified under heading 641.1.

  Source: Business Monitor MA20, Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

  Oil and Gas Reserves
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the proportion of United Kingdom oil and gas reserves which have so far been taken from offshore fields.

  Mr. Eggar
  Cumulative oil and gas production to the end of 1992 has been 1,560 million tonnes and 855 billion cu m respectively. The range of estimated reserves on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf—UKCS—that is, onshore and offshore, is as follows:

  United Kingdom initially recoverable reserves (31 December 1992)

  Range of estimates

  Oil (million tonnes)

  Gas (billion cubic metres)

  Lower

  Upper

  Lower

  Upper

  Discovered

  2,170

  3,635

  1,465

  2,720

  Potential additional reserves

  160

  500

  140

  325

  Undiscovered

  530

  3,370

  270

  1,277

  Total

  2,860

  7,505

  1,875

  4,322

  The data are published in table 7 on page 20 of my Department's "Development of the Oil and Gas Reserves of the United Kingdom", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. Part 2 of the publication provides more detail of the reserves and explains how they are estimated. The limits of the ranges should not be regarded as maxima and minima.

  The figures do not provide an indication of the longevity of UKCS reserves. In recent years, the annual increment to estimates of reserves has often been larger than the amount produced in the year. At the end of 1992, for example, estimated remaining proven plus probable reserves of oil were about 135 million tonnes higher than the equivalent at the end of 1991; that is, the reserves increased by 230 million tonnes whilst production in 1992 was 94 million tonnes.

  Exporters (Support)
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to increase support for British exporters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  The Government are more than ever committed to helping United Kingdom companies win in overseas markets. To achieve this, we are developing a long-term export strategy, involving a partnership between Government and industry.

  A particularly good example of the partnership being developed is the export promoter scheme. My Department is recruiting people with private sector experience, on secondment, to act as export promoters. Some 65 are already on board and actively helping business. These secondees bring to government a business oriented way of tackling problems and promoting export opportunities.

  To guide the overall strategy for export promotion, market plans are being drawn up for each of the United Kingdom's top 80 overseas markets. This will help ensure

  615
  that resources are focused to best effect. We are building on the strengths of the United Kingdom capital goods industry; and targeting the overseas markets which offer the best prospects for those strengths.

  Over the past two years the Export Credits Guarantee Department—ECGD—premium rates have been cut by more than a quarter. And in the last Budget the Government announced a further round of reductions—some as high as 20 per cent.—for business with important emerging markets such as Argentina, India, Mexico, Poland, Slovakia and Turkey. By 1996–97, ECGD cover for key markets, where the risks are subject to special controls, will be virtually double the level available in 1991–92.

  Over the next three years, the cover available for important markets like China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Africa will exceed £9 billion. This is in addition to an allocation of US$1 billion already set aside for business with the former Soviet Union.

  These initiatives will build substantially on the current matrix of support available to help our exporters. This will ensure that ever greater numbers of United Kingdom exporters get the first-class support they deserve to help them win in world markets.

  Insolvency Service
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many bankruptcy and company case administrations were completed in each of the last five years(a) by the Insolvency Service and (b) by insolvency practitioners.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  (a) Official Receivers completed their administration, including handing over cases to insolvency practitioners where they have been appointed trustee or liquidator in place of the Official Receiver, of the following numbers of compulsory insolvencies:

  Bankruptcy

  Company

  1989–90

  7,980

  3,861

  1990–91

  10,799

  4,982

  1991–92

  15,516

  5,900

  1992–93

  16,169

  4,957

  1993–94 (9 months)

  16,751

  4,711

  (b) Insolvency practitioners completed the administration in the following number of compulsory insolvencies:

  Bankruptcy

  Company

  1989–90

  N/A

  N/A

  1990–91

  N/A

  N/A

  1991–92

  2,844

  857

  1992–93

  3,024

  1,030

  1993–94 (9 months)

  2,452

  861

  The Insolvency Service does not maintain data on the number of voluntary liquidations completed in any year.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many successful fraudulent trading prosecutions there were in each of the last five years arising from investigations by(a) the Insolvency Service, (b) insolvency practitioners and (c) other bodies.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Prosecutions by my Department for fraudulent trading resulted in 17 convictions in 616
  1989–90, 22 convictions in 1990–91, 11 convictions in 1991–92, 24 convictions in 1992–93 and 26 convictions so far in 1993–94. Records are not kept in such a form that information about the origin of all these cases is readily available, but I can say that 19 of the convictions in 1992–93 arose from investigations by the Insolvency Service, and that 24 of the convictions in 1993–94 arose from such investigations.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many disqualification reports were received by the Insolvency Service in each of the last five years from(a) the Official Receiver and (b) insolvency practitioners.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The number of disqualification reports received was as follows:

  Practitioners

  Official Receivers

  Insolvency

  1988–89

  1,204

  3,005

  1989–90

  1,358

  2,086

  1990–91

  1,617

  2,891

  1991–92

  2,402

  3,769

  1992–93

  2,657

  4,053

  9 months to 31 December 1993

  2,487

  2,841

  A report is received where at least some element of unfit conduct on the part of the director(s) has been identified. Unfit conduct may vary from, for example, an isolated delay in complying with requirements relating to the production and filing of accounts and returns at Companies House to a failure to safeguard deposit monies received from members of the public. It would not therefore be appropriate to institute disqualification proceedings in every case in which a report is submitted.

  Phoenix Companies
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions his Department has instigated criminal prosecutions in each of the years 1991, 1992 and 1993 in relation to possible offences involving the use of phoenix companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  In 1990–91, 11 prosecutions were carried out by my Department for offences under section 216 of the Insolvency Act 1986. The figure for 1991–92 was nine and, for 1992–93, five. So far in this financial year, there have been eight such prosecutions.

  Electricity Franchises
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what further representations he has received from individuals and organisations expressing concern about the postponement of electricity franchises in the 1 Mw to 100 Kw bracket since his answer of 18 February 1993,Official Report, column 318.

  Mr. Eggar
  I received a number of representations during the coal review on this issue. In the White Paper "The Prospects for Coal", Cm 2235, published in March 1993, the Government confirmed that they did not intend to postpone the reduction of the electricity franchise to 100 Kw.
  617

  Nuclear Material
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, columns 184–85, how many of the (a) temporary and (b) permanent withdrawals from safeguards involved plutonium.

  Mr. Eggar
  There have been 70 notifications of withdrawal of plutonium from safeguards since May 1979. These were all either small amounts withdrawn as samples for analytical or research purposes or part of transactions, involving the temporary transfer of plutonium to or from the civil cycle, which did not involve the net transfer of any plutonium from safeguards.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has made available to the Scott inquiry a copy of a letter by L. F. Byrne of Allivane International Ltd. to the export licensing branch of his Department dated 6 April 1988.

  Mr. Needham
  The Department has no record of this document.

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the implications of THORP's beginning operations on 17 January for the delivery of spent fuel from Japan after 1 January under the terms of planning condition No. 9 of the amended planning permission of 6 April 1988 for receipt of spent nuclear fuel granted by Copeland borough council under the Town and Country Planning Act 1971.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a matter for Copeland borough council as planning authority and British Nuclear Fuels plc as operator of the Sellafield site.

  Export Control Compliance
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many copies of his Department's code of practice on export control compliance have been distributed since 21 May 1993.

  Mr. Needham
  Some 3,500 copies have been distributed since 21 May 1993, making a total of 9,500 distributed since publication.

  Departmental Directory
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library a copy of the DTI "Functional Directory".
  618
  Mr. Eggar
  A copy is available in the Library of the House.

  Electricity Pricing
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will undertake a review of the powers of the regulator in respect of electricity pricing.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have no plans for such a review. The Director General of Electricity Supply is free to seek a review of his powers in respect of electricity pricing if he is not satisfied that his existing powers are adequate.

  Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his Department's policy for dealing with employees found guilty of fraud.

  Mr. Eggar
  Dismissal.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many employees were judged to be guilty of fraud in his Department in each year since 1989; and how many were dismissed.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information is as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1989–93

  Nil

  1994

  1

  The employee concerned was dismissed.

  Cetaceans
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what steps he is taking to ensure maximum information on the effect of seismic activity on cetaceans is collected during offshore oil exploration;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to require holders of offshore oil exploration licences to invite independent researchers to carry out surveys of the behaviour of cetaceans during seismic operations.

  Mr. Eggar
  My officials encourage companies to offer facilities to environmental bodies to observe cetaceans. I understand that a number of seismic surveys conducted in blocks licensed during the 14th round have been accompanied by observers from such bodies.

  It is not always possible to do this: adverse weather conditions can force changes to the dates of surveys at short notice, while the small size of some survey vessels means accommodation space is sometimes strictly limited.
  619
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to require operators to carry out preliminary surveys of the distribution and behaviour of cetaceans before carrying out offshore seismic operations or any source testing; and if he will make these surveys publicly available before operations or testing begin.

  Mr. Eggar
  In the 14th round, applicants for blocks in areas frequented by cetaceans were asked to carry out a preliminary environmental survey of all local sensitivities including cetaceans. Before carrying out seismic operations in sensitive areas, licensees are, in any event, expected to consult with the sea mammals research unit. In addition, during the survey, the lowest possible energy settings should be used.

  By seeking such environmental surveys prior to licensing, I have the opportunity to ensure environmental concerns are taken into account when deciding licence awards. Similar arrangements will apply in future. Such surveys are the property of the companies commissioning them.

  Export Licences
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all occasions when hon. Members have sought assistance in obtaining export licences during the past five years to import items from overseas.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 20 January 1994]: My Department is only one of a number of Departments which operate import controls by issuing import licences. Before an import licence can be issued, it is often a pre-requisite that an export licence is provided by the competent authorities of the exporting country. My Department would not expect to know whether assistance had been sought to secure the provision of such an export licence; and no instance are know of.

  The other Departments operating similar licensing controls are the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food—agriculutral products—the Home Office—drugs —the Department of the Environment—wildlife—and the Health and Safety Executive—explosives and fireworks.

  Human Genes (Patenting)
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what guidelines his office has produced on the patenting of human genes; what discussions he has had on this subject with his European counterparts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 28 January 1994]: In accordance with current practice, patents may be granted for inventions relating to human genes of identified function and outside the body if they comply with the usual requirements of patentability—that is, novelty, inventive step and industrial applicability.

  Agreement has now been reached within the framework of the European Council on a draft EC directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions, which sets out to harmonise what is patentable in this area along the lines mentioned above. Council is expected to adopt a formal common position shortly.

  I understand that the Office of Science and Technology supports the policy of the Medical Research Council in not filing any futher patent applications for DNA sequences of
  620
  unknown function. The Office of Science and Technology has not, however, produced any guidelines on when patents on human genes should be sought.

  Late Payment
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his Department's consultation on late payment.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: On 30 November 1993, the Department of Trade and Industry issued a consultation paper "Late Payment of Commercial Debt". The consultation paper seeks views from interested parties on possible options to address late payment, including a statutory right to interest and a British standard for prompt payment. Responses have been requested by 31 March 1994.

  Nora Heeren
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if his Department obtained a full cargo manifest of the Nora Heeren.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 24 January, Official Report, column 12.

  European Plug and Socket System
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the safety implications of adopting a harmonised European plug and socket system; what representations he has had from(a) trade and (b) consumer representatives about a harmonised European plug and socket system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 24 January 1994]: CENELEC, the relevant standards-making body, has not published a standard for a harmonised European plug and socket system against which an accurate assessment could be made. In considering whether any change to our present standards might be desirable at some future date full account will be taken of consumer safety issues and the many representations which we have received.

  My Department is in frequent contact with the principal trade associations covering electrical appliances and fittings, and also with such bodies as the British Standards Institution, the Institution of Electrical Engineers, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and the Consumers Association. We have also commissioned an independent analysis of the possible costs and benefits for the United Kingdom. Work is continuing on the final report from the consultants and we expect to publish the full report in the spring to form the basis for a wider consultation.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Grants (Remission of Debt)
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what guidelines are used for the remission of debt on grants issued by his Department.

  Mr. Sproat
  The guidelines used by my Department, and the bodies we sponsor, to determine whether or not to
  621
  write off a particular grant are set out in "Government Accounting". These are that losses are to be written off only after a most careful appraisal of the facts; that Departments satisfy themselves that there is no feasible alternative; and that all reasonable action has been taken to effect recovery. I am satisfied that the control systems for authorising the write off of grants are working effectively in my Department.

  For grants made by sponsored bodies, the decision to write off is, in the first instance, taken by the body, subject to delegated limits. For amounts above those limits, approval by my Department and the Treasury will be required, depending on the sums involved.

  Theatres
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what support his Department intends to give to signed performances in theatres.

  Mr. Brooke
  Each building-based theatre company supported by the Arts Council aims to provide at least one signed performance of each production. Touring companies are also being encouraged to do at least one signed performance at each venue. According to a recent report by the Royal National Theatre, approximately 40 theatres currently provide signed performances. One of the problems in this area has been the shortage of trained personnel. The Arts Council has now provided two training courses for signed theatre interpreters.

  Regional Orchestras
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will estimate the minimum staffing of regional orchestras; and if he will make a statement on the financial situation of those in receipt of public funds.

  Mr. Brooke
  According to the Arts Council, the minimum number of players in each of the major regional orchestras is as follows:

  Number

  Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

  79

  Bournemouth Sinfonietta

  29

  City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

  103

  Halle Orchestra

  98

  Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

  91

  Northern Sinfonia

  37

  Depending on programmes, these numbers can be augmented through the employment of contract musicians. The numbers of administrative staff vary because of the differing situations of the orchestras. For example, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society is responsible for Philharmonic hall as well as the orchestra; and the two Bournemouth orchestras are jointly administered.

  The Arts Council carefully monitors the financial situation of all its clients and, in consultation with the orchestras themselves, would be able to provide the additional information requested.

  Concessionary Television Licence Scheme
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will consider further expanding the concessionary television licence scheme to include those 622
  people who previously lived in sheltered accommodation or institutional care, but who now live at home in consequence of the community care policy.

  Mr. Sproat
  No. The Government have no plans to extend the regulations governing the concessionary television licence scheme.

  Royal Palaces (Accommodation)
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 19 January,Official Report, column 652, what accommodation consists of for the private secretaries and officials of the Queen's households and other households in the grace and favour accommodation at the occupied royal palaces.

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 27 January 1994]: The accommodation that is provided to serving members of the royal household and for which either rent is charged or the benefit of which is taken into account in determining wage and salary levels is as follows:

  St. James's Palace
  17 apartments in total of which 5 have 1 reception room with 1, 2 or 3 bedrooms. 4 have 2 reception rooms with between 2 and 4 bedrooms and 5 have 3 reception rooms with generally 4 bedrooms. The remaining 3 apartments have 4 reception rooms and 4 bedrooms.

  Marlborough House Mews
  5 apartments of which 4 have 1 reception room and 1 to 3 bedrooms and 1 is a bedsit.

  Kensington Palace
  9 apartments of which 1 has 1 reception room and 2 bedrooms, 6 have 2 reception rooms and 2 or 3 bedrooms and 2 have 3 reception rooms with 3 or 4 bedrooms.

  Windsor Castle
  8 apartments within the curtilage of which 2 have 1 reception room with 1 bedroom, 1 has 1 reception room plus 3 bedrooms, 1 has 2 reception rooms with 4 bedrooms, 1 has 3 reception rooms with 4 bedrooms, 1 has 3 reception rooms and 5 bedrooms and 2 have 4 reception rooms with 5 bedrooms.

  Windsor Castle Grounds
  8 apartments, comprising 5 with 1 reception room each and 1 to 3 bedrooms. 2 have 2 reception tooms and 3 bedrooms and 1 has 4 reception rooms and 4 bedrooms.

  Buckingham Palace Mews
  4 apartments, 1 with 1 reception room and 1 bedroom. 2 have 2 reception rooms and 3 bedrooms and 1 has 3 reception rooms and 6 bedrooms.

  Hampton Court Mews
  1 apartment with 1 reception room and 1 bedroom.

  Bushy Park
  2 houses, 1 with 3 reception rooms and 5 bedrooms and 1 with 2 reception rooms and 4 bedrooms.

  "Back to Basics"
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what are the implications of the Government's "back to basics" policy for his Department during 1994.

  Mr. Sproat
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 21 January,Official Report, column 849.
  623
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what working definition of "back to basics" is used by his Department; and what his Department has done in the past three months to implement the policy.

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 20 January 1994]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on 21 January, Official Report, column 849.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will provide a figure for the number of staff in his Department covered by statutory sick pay.

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: The number of staff within the Department of National Heritage excluding its agencies, the Historic Royal Palaces and the Royal Parks, on 31 December 1993 who were eligible to receive statutory sick pay was 333.

  Tower of London
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the total cost of constructing the new jewel house at the Tower of London.

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Historic Royal Palaces under its chief executive, Mr. David Beeton. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from David Beeton to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 27 January 1994:
  The Secretary of State for National Heritage has asked me to reply to your Written Parliamentary Question on what is the total cost of constructing the new Jewel House at the Tower of London.
  The detailed estimate, which I approved before work started on site in October 1992 was £10,007,000. The latest estimate of that total cost is £9,753,819. Work will be completed on the original timetable and the Jewel House opened on the 24 March 1994.
  This total cost has been funded from increased business income, generated by my Agency in the last three years, during which period the annual call on the taxpayer has fallen from £10·26 million (1991–92) to £7·6 million (1993–94). The scheme is forecast to increase the business income of the Tower by £4 million a year.

ENVIRONMENT

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many representations he has received on the subject of the THORP project; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many representations he has received in support of the THORP project; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  A total of 42,500 responses to the public consultation were received. About 15,000 respondents supported THORP. A detailed breakdown of responses is in the BNFL Sellafield further public consultation summary of responses document which is in the House Library.
  624

  Environmental Approach (Launch Meeting)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria were used in choosing to launch Her Majesty's Government's strategy documents on sustainable development, climate change, biodiversity and sustainable forestry, at the Banqueting house on 25 January; and which hon. Members were given advance notice of the date and venue of the launch.

  Mr. Atkins
  The launch in the Banqueting house was primarily a press conference, although in the presence of individuals, or representatives of organisations, who had been associated with preparation of the documents. My right hon. Friend informed the House on 20 January, in answer to a written question from my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre Forest (Mr. Coombs),Official Report column 844, that publication would be on 25 January.

  Hotels (Change of Use)
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce an outcome to his review of the change of use of hotels and guest houses to hostels for social security claimants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Shortly.

  Environmental Conference
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total cost of the environmental conference on Rio two years on held at the Mansion house on 25 January.

  Mr. Atkins
  The conference was held in the Banqueting house, Whitehall, not the Mansion house, and cost approximately £20,000.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how the present policy on high-level waste management is covered by Her Majesty's Government's commitment to meet the responsibility of nuclear waste management by the present generation.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Government's policy is that high-level radioactive wastes should be stored for at least 50 years to allow them to cool. As this is the most appropriate technical means of dealing with the wastes, it is the strategy which best meets our responsibilities to future generations.

  Radioactive Waste Inventory
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial contribution is made by his Department to the radioactive waste inventory.

  Mr. Atkins
  The cost of the radioactive waste inventory is shared between the Department of the Environment and UK Nirex Ltd. The cost to the Department of the 1994 inventory, for which contracts have recently been let, is expected to be £163,871 spread over two and a half years.

  Energy Conservation
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to strengthen part 1 of the Building Regulations relating to energy conservation.
  625
  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 19 January,Official Report, columns 671–72.

  Market Franchises
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number and nature of the representations he has received(a) in favour of the proposal to abolish market franchises and (b) against it.

  Mr. Curry
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms Short) on 18 January,Official Report, column 564.

TRANSPORT

  Airports (Night Flying)
  Mr. Mellor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for revised night flying restrictions for Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted for summer 1994; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  On 10 November 1993 the Secretary of State for Transport published proposals for revised night flying restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted for the 1994 summer season and for the arrangements to apply from winter 1994–95 until the end of the summer 1998 season. Comments on the summer 1994 proposals were invited by 31 December 1993 and on those applying for the longer term by 11 February 1994. As indicated in the consultation paper, airlines normally expect to finalise their timetables for the summer season during January. We acknowledged their need for an early decision by separating the proposals in the consultation paper to enable us to announce conclusions for the 1994 summer season in advance of those for the following years. The conclusions that I have reached relate to the 1994 summer season only and in no way prejudge the conclusions that I may reach in respect of the following four years.

  On 6 July 1993, following an extensive period of consultation, the Government announced a new five-year policy for night restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted whereby quotas, based on the noise rating of aircraft, would provide the basis of control. A quota was announced for each airport which would enable a greater number of movements at night to take place if the quieter types of aircraft were used or fewer movements if noisier types were used. Many people welcomed this approach. However, following judicial review proceedings the court ruled that section 78(3)(b) of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 requires specification of "the maximum number of occasions" on which aircraft may be permitted to take off or land in a specified period.

  The proposals put out to consultation in November were that there should be a movements limit for each airport with the quota system also applying as a supplementary control. An alternative approach was also set out which would dispense with the need for quotas but impose subsidiary limits on movements by the noisier types of aircraft. The responses to the consultation have shown that there is very little support for this alternative approach. I have therefore concluded that the night restrictions for summer 1994 should be in the form of movements limits supplemented by quotas. The movements limits and quotas for each airport for the summer 1994 season will be:
  626

  Movements limits

  Quota

  Heathrow

  3,250

  7,000

  Gatwick

  7,000

  9,550

  Stansted

  6,500

  4,200

  The figures for Heathrow and Gatwick are as proposed in the consultation paper; the movements limit for Stansted is lower.

  I also confirm that the provision in place for the current winter season for end-of-season flexibility up to 10 per cent.—and with penalty for excess thereafter—should apply, as proposed, to the movements limits as well as to the quotas for the summer season.

  I have given careful consideration to the responses from airlines and aviation bodies asking to be allowed more movements, particularly at Heathrow and Gatwick. I have also given careful consideration to the responses from people living around the three airports, the local authorities and other local organisations, that the proposed movements limits and quotas were too high. My aim remains, as previously, to maintain the policy of continuing to protect local communities from excessive exposure to aircraft noise while not unduly restricting those who wish to go about their business at night. I have concluded that the movements limits and quotas which I have confirmed today for all three airports should achieve this.

  At Stansted it remains difficult to predict the likely pattern of traffic wishing to operate at night even only a few months ahead. Although traffic is still growing, operations have not developed quite as fast as they might have and this is reflected in the lower movements limit confirmed today. The movements limit for Stansted is still higher in relation to the quota than that for other airports. This underlines our commitment to quieter aircraft. Services at Stansted are expected to expand. The numbers which I am confirming today should provide an incentive to those who operate those services to use only the quietest types of aircraft at night.

  While the arrangements for reporting on movements and usage of the quota were generally welcomed, some responses raised doubts as to whether they would provide sufficient assurance that the system was being administered properly. It was suggested that the reporting arrangements should embrace "a full audit trail" to provide this assurance. I do not doubt the integrity of those operating the system at present, but it is undoubtedly complex. It is right that people should be assured that it is being operated properly. I therefore welcome the suggestion—and the fact that it has come out of the present consultation—that the reporting arrangements should cover the full audit trail. I am therefore asking the Aircraft Noise Monitoring Advisory Committee to consider how best to achieve this.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provisions have been made to facilitate the introduction of international rail passenger services through the channel tunnel.

  Mr. Freeman
  Major infrastructure improvements have been undertaken on United Kingdom lines to the channel tunnel. Regular services to Paris and Brussels from
  627
  the new dedicated international passenger terminal at Waterloo will begin this year. Day and night time services will also run from regions north and west of London to Paris and Brussels. These services should begin in 1995.

  BR/SNCF and SNCB have on order from a consortium led by GEC-Alsthom a fleet of high-speed trains for use on inter-capital services. BR is responsible for 11 of these Eurostar trainsets. BR is also purchasing from the consortium seven modified versions of these same trainsets to provide daytime services from north of London to Paris and Brussels.

  The board has been considering the financing options for these trainsets and has concluded that leasing arrangements can give commercial and financing benefits. A number of leases have been finalised in 1993–94, through the board's subsidiary, European Passenger Services, to which I have given my approval, and more leases are expected. The Government intend to give a non-statutory guarantee to BRB in respect of its liability under the leases. The guarantee will be notified to Parliament in the usual way.

  A new joint venture company, European Night Services Ltd., has also been set up by BR, SNCF, German and Dutch railways to provide sleeper services through the channel tunnel. European Night Services has entered into a leasing arrangement in respect of the rolling stock which will be used for these services.

  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the forecasts of the number of commuters expected(a) to use the channel tunnel rail link and (b) to leave the channel tunnel rail link at St. Pancras.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is too early to say. The number of commuters using the line and the St. Pancras terminus will depend, among other factors, upon the general level of commuting from Kent into London and upon the precise service pattern adopted.

  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for a direct link between the channel tunnel rail link and crossrail.

  Mr. Freeman
  The proposed connection via Forest Gate and Ripple Lane was ruled out because it would have been expensive, environmentally damaging and possibly impractical.

  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will define the relationship which now exists between his Department and Union Railways following the final announcement of the channel tunnel rail link route.

  Mr. Freeman
  Union Railways continues to have operational responsibility for all aspects of the channel tunnel rail link project. Union Railways is responsible, under the overall direction of the Department of Transport, for the private aspects of the proposed hybrid Bill; and acts, together with European Passenger Services, as project manager to the Department for the competition to transfer UR and EPS to the private sector.

  Vehicle Insurance
  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to the introduction of insurance discs, similar to the tax discs already required, as an additional way of identifying those drivers who fail to insure their vehicles.
  628
  Mr. Key
  As explained in the answer I gave on 23 June 1993 to my hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr. Duncan), there would be some practical problems associated with a windscreen insurance disc system. However, we continue to take the problem of uninsured driving very seriously and would be willing to look again at any proposal for overcoming these drawbacks.

  Transport Policy
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the main points of his programme for a sustainable transport policy.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The main points for a sustainable transport policy are set out in "Sustainable Development —The UK Strategy", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Ports
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out for each port the number of ports state control inspectors in 1993 flag by flag.

  Mr. Norris
  The following are provisional figures for port state control inspections conducted in 1993 by port and by flag:

  By port

  Number

  Aberdeen

  209

  Avonmouth

  27

  Ayr

  1

  Barry

  8

  Belfast

  82

  Blyth

  6

  Brightlingsea

  1

  Cardiff

  239

  Dundee

  1

  Falmouth

  20

  Felixstowe

  1

  Fowey

  7

  Garston

  1

  Glasgow

  95

  Goole

  16

  Great Yarmouth

  16

  Grimsby

  9

  Gunness

  5

  Harwich

  3

  Heysham

  3

  Hull

  248

  Immingham

  22

  Ipswich

  6

  Killingholme

  2

  King's Lynn

  1

  Leith

  47

  Lerwick

  9

  Liverpool

  227

  London

  332

  Lowestoft

  1

  Manchester

  3

  Medway Ports

  1

  Middlesbrough

  130

  Milford Haven

  36

  Montrose

  4

  Mostyn

  1

  Newcastle

  131

  Newhaven

  1

  Newport (IOW)

  2

  Newport (Wales)

  14

  Par

  2

  Peterhead

  1

  Plymouth

  27

  Poole

  9

  Portsmouth

  4

  629

  By port

  Number

  Ramsgate

  5

  Seaham

  4

  Selby

  1

  Sharpness

  3

  Southampton

  219

  Stranraer

  1

  Sullom Voe

  7

  Sunderland

  3

  Swansea

  10

  Tees

  1

  Teignmouth

  4

  Weymouth

  1

  Whitstable

  1

  2. By Flag

  Number

  Algeria

  1

  Antilles (Netherlands)

  27

  Antigua and Barbuda

  123

  Austria

  5

  Azerbaijan

  1

  Bahamas

  216

  Bahrain

  2

  Bangladesh

  3

  Belgium

  8

  Belize

  2

  Bolivia

  2

  Bulgaria

  13

  Canada

  1

  China

  9

  Colombia

  1

  Croatia

  1

  Cyprus

  168

  Czechoslovakia

  4

  Denmark

  120

  Egypt

  6

  Estonia

  10

  Ethiopia

  2

  Faeroe Islands

  2

  Finland

  22

  France

  25

  Germany

  137

  Ghana

  3

  Greece

  107

  Honduras

  23

  Iceland

  1

  India

  16

  Iran

  7

  Ireland

  77

  Italy

  31

  Ivory Coast

  2

  Japan

  7

  Latvia

  15

  Lebanon

  1

  Liberia

  79

  Libya

  3

  Lithuania

  13

  Luxembourg

  12

  Malaysia

  2

  Malta

  90

  Marshall Islands

  1

  Mexico

  2

  Morocco

  7

  Myanmar

  3

  Netherlands

  147

  Nigeria

  11

  Norway

  167

  Pakistan

  6

  Panama

  118

  Philippines

  10

  Poland

  38

  Portugal

  8

  Quatar

  2

  Romania

  6

  Russia

  135

  630

  Number

  St. Vincent and Grenadines

  73

  Saudi Arabia

  1

  Singapore

  12

  Spain

  8

  Sir Lanka

  3

  Sudan

  2

  Sweden

  48

  Switzerland

  3

  Syria

  3

  Taiwan

  1

  Thailand

  2

  Turkey

  9

  Tuvalu

  2

  Ukraine

  18

  C.E.I

  11

  United Arab Emirates

  1

  U.S.A.

  10

  Vanuatu

  3

  A19
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the installation of the hard shoulder on the A19 will be carried out.

  Mr. Key
  There are no proposals to provide a hard shoulder on the A19.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many serious accidents and deaths have occurred on the section of the A19 running through the Easington district in each year since 1991.

  Mr. Key
  The number of personal injury accidents that have occurred on the A19 in Easington district each year since 1991 is:

  Year

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  1991

  2

  6

  45

  1992

  1

  7

  31

  11993

  3

  3

  35

  1 To November.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the section of the A 19 which runs adjacent to Peterlee to be illuminated.

  Mr. Key
  A scheme to provide highway lighting between Passfield way, Peterlee and Sheraton is currently being assessed.

  There are no current proposals to provide highway lighting north of Passfield way.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects emergency telephones to be installed on the A19; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  Work is expected to commence shortly on a scheme to provide emergency telephones on the A19–A168 between Dishforth and Stockton on Tees. A further scheme on the Al9 between Stockton on Tees and the Tyne tunnel is planned.

  The telephones will be provided in existing lay-bys at approximately one-mile intervals where possible with a direct link to the local police control room.
  631

  MV Nora Heeren
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will arrange for an immediate port state control inspection of MV Nora Heeren.

  Mr. Norris
  No; the Nora Heeren is understood to have left United Kingdom waters on 21 January. A port state control inspection of the vessel was conducted at Middlesbrough last September and the Department has no reason to doubt the seaworthiness of the vessel.

  M40
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give figures for traffic flows on the M40 between junctions 4 and 5 during October 1993.

  Mr. Key
  The average daily flows over the month of October 1993 were

  39,310 vehicles Eastbound.

  38,977 vehicles Westbound.

  Flows on weekdays are generally higher than those at weekends.

  Coaches (Weight)
  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department takes to prevent coaches registered in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) elsewhere in Europe of more than 17 tonnes gross weight from using United Kingdom roads.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: Coaches using Britain's roads which are subject to a maximum permitted weight of 17 tonnes are liable to be check weighed by vehicles inspectorate examiners. Those found to be more than 17 tonnes can be prohibited from continuing their journey. Drivers and operators of overweight coaches are also subject to prosecution. If the vehicle is registered elsewhere in Europe they are also reported to their Government for appropriate action.

  Driving Standards Agency Regional staff in post as at 31 December 1993

  Grade

  North East

  North West

  West Midlands

  1East Nottingham

  1East Cambridge

  Wales

  West

  South East

  Scotland

  Metropolitan

  SEO

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  1

  1

  HEO

  1

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1·5

  EO

  4

  2

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  1

  5

  AO

  13·5

  6

  5

  3·5

  3

  5·4

  4

  8

  5

  18

  AA

  28·5

  18

  13

  10

  6·5

  11·2

  6·25

  15·5

  11

  39·5

  Typist

  1

  0

  0

  0·5

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1·5

  Support

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  P/keeper

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Telephonist

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  51

  28

  21

  17

  11·5

  19·6

  12·25

  27·5

  19

  69·5

  1 A further 22 staff located in the Headquarters office in Nottingham are partially engaged in providing finance services for the Driver Test Booking Services in Nottingham and Cambridge.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Paintings and Photographs
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to buy or borrow photographs; and if he will make a statement.
  632

  London to Warsaw Air Services
  Mr. Channon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about current air services from London to Warsaw; what was the position a year ago; and what are the reasons for the changes that have been made.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 28 January 1994]: There are currently no direct air services between London and Warsaw. I refer my right hon. Friend to the letter I wrote to the hon. Member for Thurrock (Mr. Mackinlay) on 16 November 1993 which was deposited in the Library of the House and which explains the background to the current situation. During the winter season 1992–93 British Airways and LOT each operated a daily return service between London and Warsaw.

  Driving Standards Agency
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the numbers and grades and salary costs of staff at each Driving Standards Agency office affected by the proposed marketing test of the booking of driving tests and the processing of driving test fees.

  Mr. Key
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Driving Standards Agency under its chief executive, Dr. Ford. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Dr. S. J. Ford to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 27 January 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about the Market Testing of DSA's driver test booking service.
  First you asked about the numbers and grades of the staff at each office affected. The staff-in-post information is in the attached schedule.
  Secondly, you asked for salary costs at the Agency offices. In our 1993–94 Business Plan, which was deposited in the Library of the House in May 1993, DSA estimated its total payroll costs for 1993–94 to be £3·6 million for all regional offices and £1·8 million for the headquarters office (although not all of these staff will be affected by the market test).

  Sir John Wheeler
  The Northern Ireland Office Ministers have no plans at present to buy or loan any photographs.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) paintings and (b) photographs there are on the walls of his rooms.
  633
  Sir John Wheeler
  There are 49 paintings and three photographs in the Northern Ireland Office Ministers' rooms.

  Prisoners (Christmas Leave)
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will name the prisoners who were granted Christmas leave in 1993.

  Sir John Wheeler
  No. It would not be appropriate to name the 446 individual prisoners who were granted Christmas leave in 1993.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the public appointments for which he is responsible require advance notice to and consultation with the Chief Whip's office; and which appointments made since 1979 have been so ratified and consulted upon.

  Sir John Wheeler
  It is not the practice of Her Majesty's Government to answer parliamentary questions about discussions and consultations between Departments and offices of Government relating to public appointments.

  Arable Area Scheme
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was(a) the maximum, (b) the minimum and (c) the average amount paid out under the arable area payments scheme in Northern Ireland in the latest available year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding answer 28 January 1994]: Final statistics for the 1993 scheme year are not yet complete. As at 31 December 1993, 96 per cent. of claims had been paid of which: (a) the maximum amount paid out was £33,394; (b) the minimum amount paid was £48·03; and (c) the average amount paid out was £1,241 per applicant.

  Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many employees were judged to be guilty of fraud in his Department in each year since 1989; and how many were dismissed.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The figures are:—

  Number of employees

  Number dismissed

  1989

  —

  —

  1990

  —

  —

  1991

  1

  1

  1992

  3

  2

  1993

  2

  2

  Note: One employee resigned in 1992 at the time of disclosure.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his Department's policy for dealing with employees found guilty of fraud.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The procedures in respect of disciplinary offences are described in the "Departmental Terms and Conditions of Service" which apply to all civil servants. The attention of all staff is drawn to these 634
  conditions. The procedures are invoked following allegations of misconduct, including fraud. A range of penalties, including dismissal, are available to the Department.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fishing Vessels (Safety)
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will extend current grant aid for mandatory safety equipment to fishing vessels under 12m.

  Mr. Jack
  Grant aid is available, in respect of vessels which are required by the Fishing Vessel (Safety Provisions) Rules 1975 to have a United Kingdom fishing vessel (safety) certificate, to meet the relevant safety requirements. Certification applies only to vessels of 12m or more in length. The Department of Transport is considering a House of Lords Select Committee recommendation that a more stringent statutory safety regime should be applied to vessels under 12m. Once a final decision is taken on this, Fisheries Ministers will consider what are the implications for the safety grants scheme.

  Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many employees were judged to be guilty of fraud in her Department in each year since 1989; and how many were dismissed.

  Mr. Jack
  Since 1989, there have been 12 cases of what can be considered fraud, mainly petty theft or incorrect expenses claims, of which five resulted in dismissal.

  GATT
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what matters in regard to the recently completed general agreement on tariffs and trade for EU agriculture policy were discussed at the Agriculture Council of 24–25 January.

  Mr. Jack
  The Agriculture Council met and concluded its agenda on Monday 24 January. It took forward the business following from the decisions at the preceding December Council. Although the GATT Uruguay round on agriculture was not itself on the agenda, its implications for future reform of the fruit and vegetable regime were noted.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on the implications for(a) low-input agriculture and (b) continued protection of countryside habitats of wildlife populations of the GATT completed in December 1993.

  Mr. Jack
  Non-trade-distorting payments, including incentives for environmentally beneficial farming practices such as those that entail habitat protection and reduced use of fertilisers and pesticides, are classed as "green box". As a result, they are exempt from the limitations elsewhere in the agreement, including those on domestic support.

  Bovine Embryo Transfers
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what guidelines the Government have laid down on bovine embryo transfers.
  635
  Mr. Soames
  The Bovine Embryo Collection and Transfer Regulations 1993 require that embryo transfer is carried out by either a veterinary surgeon on the register of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons—RCVS—or a member of an approved embryo transfer team which is under the control of a veterinary surgeon on the register. The RCVS has produced a code of practice for embryo collection and transfer in cattle. The code is published in the 1993 edition of the "Guide to Professional Conduct" which is sent to all those listed on the register. I have arranged for a copy of the code of practice to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Paintings and Photographs
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans she has to buy or loan any photographs; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The Government art collection has a number of photographs in its collection from which the Minister may borrow as she wishes. She has no plans to buy photographs.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) paintings and (b) photographs there are on the walls of her rooms.

  Mr. Jack
  My right hon. Friend has four paintings and one photograph on the walls of her office at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  Arable Area Payments Scheme
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will give(a) the maximum, (b) the minimum and (c) the average amount paid out under the arable area payments scheme in England in the latest available year; and if she will make a statement.

  Milk production and consumption in the EC and the United Kingdom 1987–19914

  '000s tonnes

  19871

  19881

  19891

  1990

  1991

  Dairy Cows milk production2:

  EC

  112,179

  109,800

  198,248

  117,500

  114,865

  of which, United Kingdom:

  15,506

  15,140

  14,943

  15,251

  14,762

  Drinking milk consumption3:

  EC:

  28,978

  28,868

  28,781

  28,542

  28,488

  of which, United Kingdom:

  7,064

  7,077

  7,081

  7,043

  7,039

  1 Excludes the former GDR.

  2 Gross production from the dairy herd, including milk fed to stock and wastage.

  3 Consumption of whole milk, semi-skimmed milk, skimmed milk and buttermilk in product weight. Consumption is derived as production plus imports, less exports, less stock change and less wastage.

  4 EC data are not available for 1992. For the United Kingdom, 1992 production was 14,702,000 tonnes and consumption was 7,072,000 tonnes.

  Salmon
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment she has made of the effect of the decision of the European Court of Justice in joined cases CZ67/8 (Keck), 24 November 1988, on measures by European Community member states to restrict the importation of farmed salmon and other fishery-products from Norway; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 24 January 1994]: I have been asked to reply.
  636
  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 28 January 1994]: Under the integrated administration and control system, a single application for arable area payments must be submitted in respect of all the land farmed by the same individual or organisation and some applications cover a significant number of separate holdings, which may be located in different parts of the United Kingdom. The maximum total payment made to date to an applicant under the 1992–93 arable area payments scheme has been of the order of £1·25 million. Claims under the simplified arrangements for small producers in 1992–93 can range from about £50 up to just over £2,000 for land situated in England. The total amounts paid to date averaged over the total number of applications submitted in England for 1992–93, would give an average payment of slightly less than £13,400. This does not include the final instalment of the area payment for oilseeds, which is due to be made early in 1994.

  Milk
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much milk was produced and consumed in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) the European Community as a whole in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: The quantity of milk produced by dairy cows and the quantity of liquid milk consumed in both the EC as a whole and in the United Kingdom are given in the table.

  Production and consumption in the former GDR is excluded from the EC total for the years 1987 to 1989 inclusive. Production includes deliveries to dairies, sales direct from farms, milk consumed on farm, milk fed to stock and wastage. The drinking milk consumption figure includes whole milk, semi-skimmed milk, skimmed milk and buttermilk. It is derived as production plus imports less exports, less stock change and less wastage.

  The decision of the European Court of Justice on joined cases C267 and C268/91—Keck and Mithouard—of 24 November 1993 is very recent, and its full implications for intra-Community trade are still being considered. The cases relate to national measures which prohibit the reselling of products at prices less than their actual purchase price. In concluding that the purpose of the national measures under consideration was not to regulate trade in goods between member states, the European Court of Justice held that the measures were permissible provided that they had the same effect, in law and in fact, upon all products, domestic or imported, of the same kind, and were not used expressly to prohibit or restrict imports or to inhibit free trade.
  637
  I have no reason to believe that there is any similarity between the situation addressed by the European Court in the cases referred to, and the current situation of over-supply of salmon to the European market.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Liberian Trust Fund
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution Britain has made to the Liberian trust fund; and what are the limitations placed upon the use of those funds.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have contributed $1 million to
  the United Nations Trust Fund for Liberia. The contribution is for humanitarian relief purposes only.

  Humanitarian Aid
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the role of the United Nations agencies in delivering humanitarian aid.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Each of the operational humanitarian agencies of the United Nations has a role in delivering humanitarian aid, according to its individual mandate. Co-ordination of the delivery of such aid is the responsibility of the United Nations department of humanitarian affairs.

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the distribution of aid funds to the eastern European countries and the former Soviet Union.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The main objective of the know-how fund, Britain's programme of bilateral technical assistance to central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, is to help these countries move towards democracy and a free market economy by providing advice and expertise. Total expenditure for 1992–93 was £47·1 million. The public expenditure provision for 1993–94 is £53 million. A list of projects and the latest annual report are in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Aid Programme
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the consequences of the United Kingdom's efforts for developing countries; and what proposals he has to improve the United Kingdom's aid programme.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The effectiveness of the United Kingdom aid programme has been recognised by the development assistance committee of the OECD. My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development's speech at Chatham house on 18 October 1993 described future directions for the aid programme. Copies of the speech are in the Libraries of the House.

  World Bank
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the accountability to Parliament of the United Kingdom board member of the World bank.
  638
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Kingdom executive director of the World bank is appointed by, and accountable to, Her Majesty's Government. The Government are accountable to Parliament for payments made to these institutions.

  South Africa
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all the remaining European Union restrictive measures in force against South Africa.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: The remaining measures are an embargo on exports of arms and para-military equipment to South Africa; an embargo on imports of arms and para-military equipment from South Africa; a refusal to co-operate in the military sphere—that is, a continuing ban on joint military exercises.

  On 4 October 1993, the Foreign Affairs Council lifted the separate ban on accreditation of defence attaches and on official contacts and agreements in the security sphere.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much humanitarian aid is currently supplied by the United Kingdom to the former Yugoslavia; and what information he has on aid supplied by other countries.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 26 January 1994]: We have committed over £157 million, including our share of EC aid, for victims of the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. We were the largest bilateral contributor to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' programmes there in 1993. Other major bilateral donors include the United States, France, Germany, Japan and the Netherlands. We also contribute substantially to the Sarajevo airlift; through our contribution of 2,300 troops to UNPROFOR and through our approximately 140 ODA staff in the field.

  I pay tribute to the courage and dedication of the former ODA driver Paul Goodall who was so brutally murdered on 27 January. Following a review of security procedures with the UN, the ODA resumed convoy operations, on a phased basis, on 31 January. Despite the appalling atrocity committed against our drivers, their colleagues are determined that the aid effort should continue and are keen to resume full operations.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Voter Registration
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the percentage of voter non-registration in each of the age groups(a) from 17 to 24 years, (b) from 25 to 29 years, (c) from 30 to 49 years and (d) over 50 years; if he will publish a breakdown of the estimated number of non-registered voters in each of those age groups by sex and ethnic origin; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr Peter Lloyd
  The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys carried out research on behalf of the Home Office and the Scottish Office Home and Health Department after the 1991 census to assess the coverage
  639
  and quality of the electoral register in Great Britain in 1991. The proportions of eligible people in the survey who were not included in the register, for different groups of people, are set out in the table. Copies of the survey, "Electoral registration in 1991", are in the Library.

  Non-registration by age and sex

  Men Per cent.

  Women Per cent.

  All Per cent.

  Aged 17 (attainers)

  20·3

  24·4

  21·9

  18–19

  10·4

  13·6

  12·1

  20

  21·1

  18·5

  19·5

  21–24

  22·5

  19·3

  20·6

  25–29

  16·6

  12·3

  14·9

  30–49

  7·2

  4·3

  5·8

  50 and over

  2·6

  1·8

  2·1

  Non-registration by ethnic groups

  Per cent.

  White

  6·5

  Black

  24·0

  Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi

  15·1

  Other groups

  23·5

  Secure Training Centres
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which sites are under consideration as locations for the proposed secure training centres for persistent juvenile offenders.

  Mr. Maclean
  A notice was placed in the Official Journal of the European Communities—OJEC—on 5 January inviting expressions of interest from companies to finance, design, build/refurbish, operate and maintain secure training centres either on Home Office land or on alternative sites which they themselves would propose. The deadline for receipt of applications is 11 February 1994. Before then, I cannot say which sites will be considered.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which organisations have been invited to consider the establishment and running of secure training centres for persistent juvenile offenders.

  Mr. Maclean
  Potential providers of secure training centres will be identified through responses to the OJEC notice issued on 5 January 1994. Invitations to tender will be issued following an assessment of the responses received.

  Terrorism
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 18 January,Official Report, columns 475–76, if he will list all those who have been convicted of scheduled, terrorist-related offences held in custody in England and Wales, giving in each case the nature of their conviction, the sentence given and the date on which their sentence began.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  640
  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 1 February 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about prisoners in custody in England and Wales convicted of terrorist related offences.
  Readily available information on prisonerss serving sentences in England and Wales for serious offences related to terrorism is limited to those classified as Category A.
  As at 28 January 1994 there were 44 such prisoners. Details of year of conviction, sentence and offence are set out in the attached table.

  Year

  Sentence

  Offence

  1976

  Life

  Attempted murder and possession of explosives

  1976

  Life

  Attempted murder and possession of explosives

  1976

  Life

  Attempted murder

  1976

  Life

  Attempted murder and conspiracy to cause explosions

  1976

  Life

  Murder

  1977

  Life

  Murder

  1977

  Life

  Murder

  1977

  Life

  Murder

  1977

  Life

  Murder

  1977

  Life

  Murder

  1980

  Life

  Murder

  1980

  Life

  Murder

  1980

  Life

  Murder

  1981

  Life

  Attempted murder

  1983

  30 years

  Attempted murder

  1983

  35 years

  Attempted murder

  1985

  Life

  Murder

  1985

  Life

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1985

  15 years

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1985

  Life

  Murder

  1986

  25 years

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1986

  45 years

  Planting explosives to endanger life

  1986

  Life

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1986

  Life

  Murder and conspiracy to cause explosions

  1986

  Life

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1986

  Life

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1986

  Life

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1986

  Life

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1987

  25 years

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1988

  Life

  Murder

  1988

  17 years

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1988

  20 years

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1990

  30 years

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1990

  30 years

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1990

  30 years

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1993

  30 years

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1993

  Life

  Murder and attempted murder

  1993

  18 years

  Attempted murder

  1993

  22 years

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1993

  20 years

  Arson

  1993

  15 years

  Arson

  1993

  25 years

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1993

  25 years

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  1993

  23 years

  Conspiracy to cause explosions

  Sharon Tabarn
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department has investigated the death after hypnosis of Sharon Tabarn of Hesketh Bank, Lancashire.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There was a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ms Tabarn's death. Such matters are entirely the responsibility of the chief officer of the police force concerned. I understand that an inquest subsequently found that Ms Tabarn died from natural causes.
  641

  Mohammed Riaz and Abdul Raja
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 10 December,Official Report, column 414, when he expects to tell Mohammed Riaz and Abdul Qayyum Raja the life sentences they are to serve; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The decision as to the period to be served for retribution and deterrence was sent to each prisoner individually on 20 December 1993.

  Life Sentences
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many life sentences have been referred to him since he became Home Secretary; what was the racial origin of each prisoner; in how many cases he has(a) increased the sentence recommended, (b) reduced the sentence recommended and (c) not varied the sentence; by what date he expects all those serving life sentences will have been informed of the sentence they are to serve; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Since he took office, my right hon. and learned Friend has received 151 reports from the judiciary in respect of prisoners sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment. Details of their ethnic origin would be available only at disproportionate cost. The cases are being processed in accordance with the arrangements set out in my right hon. and learned Friend's reply to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Burton (Sir I. Lawrence) of 4 November 1993, at columns 376–78. The gist of the relevant judicial recommendations has been disclosed to 128 of these prisoners, and representations have been received from 26 of them. The period for retribution and deterrence—the tariff—has not been set in any of these cases.

  Also, in accordance with the arrangements referred to above, retrospective disclosure is being given to those prisoners whose tariffs have already been set. To date, 91 such disclosures have been made. Representations have been received from six prisoners, four of whom have received decisions.

  We aim to complete the process of tariff setting and retrospective disclosure for all prisoners currently in custody, by the end of this year.

  Prison Dog Service
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made on plans to market test the prison dog service section; and how much the exercise has cost.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 1 February 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about progress with plans to market test the Prison Dog Service; and how much the exercise has cost.
  This market test has been suspended, as under present law contractors in directly managed prisons would be unable to
  642
  exercise powers to stop and search inmates. Provision is included in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill to change this situation and plans for market testing will be re-considered when it becomes law.
  Work on the project is estimated to have cost approximately £10,500, mainly for two staff members temporarily allocated to it.

  Fire Service College
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when the Fire Service college annual report and accounts for the year ended March 1993 will be published;

  (2) what was the financial target set for the Fire Service college on being given trading fund status; and if it has been achieved.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Fire Service college under its commandant chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from B. L Fuller to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 31 January 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked The Fire Service College to write to you directly in reply to two of your Parliamentary Questions about the College.
  The Fire Service College Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended March 1993 were laid before both Houses on 4 November 1993 as part of Votes and Proceedings on that day. Printed copies of the Report should be available shortly but have been delayed due to my negotiating what the cost to the College would be of providing a limited number of copies.
  On being given trading fund status, The Fire Service College was set two financial targets:

  (i) "to manage the funded operations so that the revenue of the fund consists principally of receipts in respect of goods or services provided in the course of the funded operations and is not less than sufficient, taking one year with another, to meet outgoings which are properly chargeable to revenue account."

  (ii) "a further financial objective desirable of achievement by the Fire Service College for the period 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1995 shall be to achieve a minimum return, average over the period as a whole, of 6·5 per cent. in the form of an operating surplus expressed as a percentage of average net assets employed at current values."

  The first was not met in 1992–93, the second cannot be finally assessed until 1995 but the first year showed a return of 0·65 per cent.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Fire Service college has made a loss since achieving trading fund status; and who will make good such a loss.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Fire Service college became an agency operating as a trading fund on 1 April 1992. In the year 1992–93, it made a small operating surplus, but, after allowing for interest on the capital debt, it recorded a deficit of £1·152 million. The college is a Home Office establishment and the situation is being kept under review.

  Prisons (Code of Standards)
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will be publishing the Prison Service code of standards referred in para 7.22 of the Prison Service corporate plan published in April 1993.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  It is hoped to publish a code of standards early in 1994.
  643

  Prison Service Headquarters
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what payment has been paid to Hyperion Properties in respect of the cancellation of the move of the Prison Service headquarters to Derby; and on what basis the payment was made;

  (2) what payment has been made to any company other than Hyperion Properties in respect of the cancellation of the move of the Prison Service headquarters to Derby; and on what basis such payment was made;

  (3) what has been the cost of negotiations between the Prison Service and/or his Department and companies seeking compensation in respect of the cancellation of the move of the Prison Service headquarters to Derby.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 1 February 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the cancellation of the move of Prison Service Headquarters to Derby.
  A payment of a little under £9 million has been paid to Hyperion Properties plc in settlement of their claim for damages for breach of contract following the cancellation of relocation. This payment represents full and final settlement of all claims from Hyperion, their contractor and sub-contractors.
  In addition, £20,000 was paid to Barcol-Air (UK) Ltd in respect of design work for the air conditioning system which would have been installed in the headquarters in Derby.
  The Prison Service's costs in negotiating this settlement amounted to around £128,000.

  Obscene Publications
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the adequacy of the enforcement of the Obscene Publications Act 1959.

  Mr. Maclean
  The enforcement of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 is a matter for the police, and it is for the chief officers concerned to allocate resources to particular police activities. The Government are, however, most concerned to ensure that the law on obscenity is enforced as effectively as possible, and we take special account of the views of those who actually enforce the legislation, particularly when they identify gaps in the law which should be closed. That is why we have come forward in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill with a number of measures designed to improve matters in this area. These were described in the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd) on 7 December 1993, at column 163.

  The most recent statistics we have for prosecutions under the Obscene Publications Act are for 1992. In that year, there were 213 prosecutions and 171 convictions under section 2 of the Act. Figures for seizures and forfeitures under section 3 of the Act are not collected centrally. However, from inquiries we have made of the two largest forces in England and Wales—the Metropolitan police and Greater Manchester—both of which have specialised obscene publications squads, I understand that a total of 234,386 items were seized by them in 1992.
  644

  Buckley Hall Prison
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Buckley Hall prison will be market tested; if an in-house bid has yet been received; and when the prison will open.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 1 February 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about Buckley Hall prison.
  No in-house bid has yet been received. The process of market testing has started and expressions of interest in tendering were received on 21 January. It is expected that invitations to tender will be issued in early February. The opening of the prison is dependent on the rebuilding programme. It is planned to open the prison in phases and the earliest possible date for the opening of the first phase would be October 1994.

  Asylum
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a breakdown of the number of asylum seekers held in detention on 1 January,(a) by nationality, (b) by length of detention and (c) by immigration status at the time of application.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The available information shows that 622 asylum seekers were held in detention on 21 January; information relating to 1 January is not available.

  The breakdown by nationality is as follows:

  Number

  Afghanistan

  1

  Algeria

  44

  Angola

  17

  Bangladesh

  7

  Benin

  1

  Bermuda

  1

  Brazil

  2

  Bulgaria

  1

  Burma

  1

  Cameroon

  2

  China

  9

  Columbia

  5

  Congo

  2

  Cyprus

  8

  Djibouti

  1

  Egypt

  3

  Ethiopia

  14

  Eritrea

  2

  Ghana

  74

  Guinea-Bissau

  2

  Haiti

  1

  India

  106

  Iran

  2

  Ivory Coast

  12

  Jamaica

  1

  Kenya

  20

  Lebanon

  1

  Liberia

  4

  Libya

  2

  Lithuania

  1

  Malawi

  1

  Morocco

  1

  Niger

  4

  Nigeria

  67

  Pakistan

  20

  Peru

  1

  645

  Number

  Poland

  1

  Romania

  7

  Sierra Leone

  7

  Singapore

  1

  Somalia

  16

  South Africa

  2

  Sri Lanka

  22

  Sudan

  5

  Tanzania

  3

  Tongo

  1

  Tunisia

  2

  Turkey

  53

  Uganda

  2

  Ex-USSR

  4

  Ex-Yugoslavia

  9

  Zaire

  34

  Zambia

  1

  Zimbabwe

  1

  Nationality Doubtful

  1

  Unrecorded

  9

  Total

  622

  The breakdown by length of detention is as follows:

  Length of detention

  Number

  Less than 1 month

  193

  1–2 months

  216

  2–6 months

  133

  6–12 months

  64

  12 months +

  16

  Total

  622

  Of the 622 asylum seekers held in detention, 341 had been detained at the port of entry and 228 were discovered to thave entered unlawfully. They would not, therefore, have had current leave at the time of their application. The remaining 53 detainees are the subjects of deportation action. Of these, 42 are known to have been overstayers at the time of their asylum applications. The status of the remaining 11, who are to be deported on conducive grounds, or on the recommendation of a court, is not recorded.

  Mr. Glens Tarimo
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons Glens Tarimo, being deported to Nairobi on 27 December, was placed on a plane to Khartoum.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Mr. Tarimo was removed to Nairobi via Khartoum, the same route by which he had arrived, in accordance with normal practice.

  Prisons (Market Testing)
  Ms Roddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria will be used to select the next two operational prisons for market testing.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matte 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 Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 1 February 1994:
  646
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about market testing of further operational prisons.
  The approach to the selection of operational prisons for market testing will be to select those where there is the greatest scope for improving performance. The Prisons Board will look at factors such as the extent and quality of regime activities and the cost per place in determining whether good value for money is currently being provided.
  Consideration will also be given to factors which may affect performance, such as the nature of the prisoner population and any limitations of the buildings.

  Crime Victims
  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce provisions, in respect of compensating victims of violent crime, for individual assessment of loss of earnings and other financial loss.

  Mr. Maclean
  The recent White Paper, "Compensating Victims of Violent Crime: Changes to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme", Cm 2434, explained the Government's intention to establish a new tariff scheme, which will come into force on 1 April 1994. Under that scheme, compensation payments to blameless victims of violent crime will be made from a tariff of awards for injuries of comparable severity. The tariff levels have been set by reference to awards made in the recent past by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board which, because they are based on common law damages, include elements for loss of earnings and the other heads of damage. To that extent, the awards will contain an element of loss of earnings, but there will be no separate assessment.

  The new scheme will be more straightforward and claimants should get their compensation more quickly and with less fuss. When the tariff scheme is introduced, the majority of claimants should get as much as or more than they could have expected under the current arrangements.

  Detainees (Escorts)
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) pursuant to his answer of 21 January,Official Report column 927, what was the total amount paid to private security firms for escorting detainees and their dependants overseas in 1993, including ticketing costs;

  (2) what was the total amount paid to Airline Securities Consultants Ltd. for escorting detainees and their dependants overseas in 1993; and what has been the total paid to ASC ever for this purpose.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The total amount paid to private security firms for escorting detainees and their dependants overseas in 1993, including ticketing costs, was £615,035. Information about payments to Airline Security Consultants Ltd. is commercially confidential.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 21 January,Official Report, column 927, who provided the 7 per cent. of in-flight escorts for people being removed at public expense, including deportees, which were not provided by the private sector.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Provincial police forces.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deportees, and how many of their dependants, were escorted by private security firms in 1993.
  647
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Between April and December 1993, 167 people removed under powers in the Immigration Act 1971, including deportees and their dependants, were escorted overseas by private security firms. Statistics for January to March 1993 are not available.

  Deportees (Drugs Administration)
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in what percentage of deportations in 1993 drugs were administered to the deportee or their dependants;

  (2) in what percentage of cases where drugs were administered to deportees or their dependants in 1993 their medical records were checked first.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. It is not normal practice for drugs to be administered to deportees or their dependants. Where medical records are available, they would be consulted as necessary before the administration of any medication.

  New Prisons
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the estimated timetable for the financing, designing, building and opening of the new prisons announced in October 1993;

  (2) when he will be inviting private sector proposals for financing, designing, building and managing the six new prisons which were announced in October last year.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 1 February 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your two recent Questions about the timing of plans for the design, construction, management and finance by the private sector of the six new prisons which were announced in October last year.
  Expressions of interest for the first two of these, in South Wales and on Merseyside, have been invited. Private sector companies interested in bidding for these contracts have been asked to let the Prison Service have their initial responses by 11 February 1994. By 31 March 1994 the Prison Service plans to issue invitations to tender for the two projects. The timetable for the award of contracts and completion of the prisons will depend on the initial responses, but it is intended that the two prisons should be brought into use as speedily as possible.
  Work is currently in progress to identify suitable sites for the other four prisons.

  Dog Attacks
  Ms Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the most recent figures for dog attacks on humans in the metropolitan areas for(a) 1991, (b) 1992 and (c)

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is not available in all the metropolitan areas.
  648

  Ethnic Minorities (Grants)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what total amount of funds have been made available over the last year under(a) the safer cities scheme, (b) section 11 grants, (c) ethnic minority grants and (d) ethnic minority business grant.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  During the 1992–93 financial year funds were made available under these schemes as follows:

  £ million

  Safer cities

  7·7

  Section 11

  129·7

  EMG

  4·0

  EMBI

  0·4

  Safer Cities
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will itemise the expenditure on the administration of safer cities, including printing, advertising and stationery costs as well as worker expenses(a) over the last year and (b) since the scheme was developed.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Since the safer cities programme was launched in 1988, the following expenditure has been incurred on the programme's administration:

  £ thousand

  1988–93

  1993–941

  Totals

  Publicity

  533

  90

  623

  Evaluation

  188

  47

  235

  Administration

  1,619

  309

  1,928

  Salaries

  3,617

  1,013

  4,630

  Surveys

  1,060

  62

  1,122

  Capital

  307

  3

  310

  1 1993–94 figures represent expenditure up to, and including, the third quarter.

  The above mentioned budgets comprise the following categories of expenditure:
  Publicity—producing action plans, annual reports, local brochures-organising seminars and conferences-publicising crime prevention schemes and activities.
  Evaluation—data collection, census statistics, analysis software, analysis consultancies and census boundary data in order to evaluate the Programme.
  Administration—project running costs, including stationery, staff travel and subsistence expenses-office rent and rates-minor office works-recruitment of staff-staff training-workshops and a national conference-equipment maintenance costs
  Salaries—salaries of project staff
  Surveys—local surveys and research work to identify crime problems and solutions, and to evaluate grant-aided schemes-centrally commissioned surveys to assist the evaluation of the Programme
  Capital—project furniture and equipment

  A further breakdown of the programme's expenditure could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

  Fire and Emergency Calls
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing(a) the number of fire and emergency calls per 1,000 population in each fire authority area, (b) the number of fire officers per 1,000 population and (c) the number of fire and emergency calls per officer, for each fire authority are in (a) 1989, (b) 1990 and (c)
  649
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is being collated. I will send a table to the hon. Member as soon as it is available.

  Airline Securities Consultants Ltd.
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the outcome of his Department's investigations into the two other cases apart from Dorothy Nirokedi and Meya Mangeta regarding complaints alleging excessive force by Airline Securities Consultants Ltd.; whether his Department will continue to use Airline Securities Consultants Ltd.; and if he will publish in full the complaints against this company, and his Department's investigations of them;

  (2) what were the names of the deportees involved in the four complaints alleging excessive force in individual cases in which Airline Securities Consultants Ltd. has been employed by his Department to escort deportees; and where they were deported from.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The complaints about the alleged use of excessive force in escorting Mrs. Dorothy Nwokedi and Mr. Meya Mangete have been thoroughly investigated and were found to be unsubstantiated. Two further complaints about the conduct of Airline Security Consultants Ltd. in escorting two people being removed from the United Kingdom are still being investigated. These people have not sought any publicity for their cases and it would not be appropriate to disclose their names. Nor would it be appropriate to publish the complaints made against Airline Security Consultants or the reports of these investigations. I will, however, write to the hon. Member advising her of the outcome when they have been completed. I do not consider there are grounds for suspending the use of Airline Security Consultants Ltd. to escort deportees.

  Research Projects
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those research projects(a) undertaken internally by his Department and (b) commissioned by his Department from external contractors, within the last five years, which have gathered data on the employment status (i) of persons convicted of crimes and (ii) of persons given custodial sentences.

  Mr. Maclean
  This information is not routinely collected, and special research exercises are required to do so. The national prison survey, carried out in 1991, provides the information for a representative sample for persons given custodial sentences. Results are published in "Home Office Research Studies" No. 128. The research and planning unit has recently commissioned a similar survey on offenders on probation "People On Probation", results of which will be available around the end of the year.

  Many of the projects in the research and planning unit's programme include reference of some sort to employment status. The main projects are listed in the table, including publication details of those completed.

  Internal projects

  1. The National Prison Survey 1991: main findings, (HORS No. 128).

  2. Developments in the use of compensation orders magistrates' courts since 1988, (HORS No. 126).

  3. Deductions from benefit for fine default, (RPU Paper No. 60).

  650

  4. Unit fines: experiments in four courts, (RPU Paper No. 59).

  5. Day Centre reconviction rates, British Journal of Criminology 32(3) 1992.

  6. People on probation.

  7. Implementation and use of the combination order.

  8. Predicting sexual reconviction.

  9. Reconviction Prediction score.

  External projects

  10. Custodial and post-custodial work and employment.

  11. Managing the needs of women prisoners.

  12. Imprisonment and family ties.

  13. The dynamics of recidivism.

  Criminology Researchers
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on the granting of permission to criminology researchers to interview prisoners.

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

  Letter from Mr. Derek Lewis to Mr. John McFall, dated 1 February 1994.
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your Question about the policy on granting permission to criminology researchers interview prisoners.
  Requests to interview inmates in prison establishments in England and Wales are considered on the basis of the practicability and likely benefit of the research, the demands of the research project on Prison Service resources, the qualifications of the researcher, and the consent of the prisoner.

  Deportation
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 21 January,Official Report, column 927, what plans he has to ensure that his Department makes appropriate checks on private security firms employed by carriers required by the Immigration Service to effect the removal of a passenger refused leave to enter.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  As I explained in the answer to which the hon. Member refers, carriers are responsible for all the arrangements necessary to comply with directions to remove people refused leave to enter. There are no plans to change these arrangements.

  Hoax Fire Calls
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hoax fire calls per 1,000 population were made in each fire authority area in(a) 1989, (b) 1990 and (c)

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information on malicious false alarm incidents attended by local authority fire brigades is shown in the table.

  Malicious false alarm incidents per 1,000 population by brigade area, 1989–91

  Brigade area

  1989

  1990

  1991

  United Kingdom

  2·3

  2·4

  2·6

  England and Wales

  2·2

  2·3

  2·5

  England

  2·2

  2·3

  2·5

  651

  Brigade area

  1989

  1990

  1991

  England, non-Metropolitan

  1·4

  1·5

  1·6

  Avon

  1·4

  1·4

  1·7

  Bedfordshire

  1·3

  1·3

  1·1

  Berkshire

  1·1

  1·2

  1·6

  Buckinghamshire

  1·3

  1·4

  1·3

  Cambridgeshire

  1·3

  1·3

  1·6

  Cheshire

  1·4

  1·7

  1·6

  Cleveland

  6·8

  6·4

  7·9

  Cornwall

  0·5

  0·5

  0·6

  Cumbria

  1·3

  1·3

  1·6

  Derbyshire

  1·6

  1·6

  1·6

  Devon

  1·2

  1·4

  1·7

  Dorset

  0·6

  0·9

  1·2

  Durham

  3·1

  3·8

  4·0

  East Sussex

  1·0

  0·9

  1·1

  Essex

  1·4

  1·4

  1·6

  Gloucestershire

  1·1

  1·5

  1·5

  Hampshire

  0·5

  0·6

  0·6

  Hereford and Worcester

  1·3

  1·5

  1·4

  Hertfordshire

  0·9

  1·0

  1·0

  Humberside

  2·7

  3·4

  3·4

  Isle of Wight

  0·5

  0·5

  0·7

  Kent

  1·6

  1·3

  1·6

  Lancashire

  2·3

  2·5

  3·1

  Leicestershire

  1·8

  1·9

  1·9

  Lincolnshire

  1·4

  1·5

  1·5

  Norfolk

  0·9

  0·9

  0·9

  North Yorkshire

  0·8

  0·9

  0·8

  Northamptonshire

  1·0

  1·0

  1·1

  Northumberland

  1·2

  1·5

  1·8

  Nottinghamshire

  1·6

  1·6

  1·5

  Oxfordshire

  1·1

  1·4

  1·4

  Shropshire

  0·8

  1·5

  1·9

  Somerset

  0·5

  0·6

  1·2

  Staffordshire

  1·3

  1·4

  1·7

  Suffolk

  0·5

  0·5

  0·6

  Surrey

  1·1

  1·3

  1·2

  Warwickshire

  1·0

  1·3

  1·0

  West Sussex

  1·0

  1·0

  0·9

  Wiltshire

  0·8

  0·8

  1·1

  England, Metropolitan

  3·6

  3·7

  3·8

  Greater Manchester

  4·3

  4·5

  5·1

  Merseyside

  4·7

  4·3

  4·6

  South Yorkshire

  2·7

  2·8

  3·0

  Tyne and Wear

  5·1

  5·4

  6·1

  West Midlands

  3·4

  3·4

  3·6

  West Yorkshire

  3·8

  3·6

  3·5

  Greater London

  3·0

  3·2

  3·2

  Wales

  2·5

  2·7

  2·6

  Clwyd

  1·5

  2·0

  1·8

  Dyfed

  1·6

  1·5

  1·6

  Gwent

  2·6

  3·1

  3·2

  Gwynedd

  1·5

  1·2

  1·1

  Mid Glamorgan

  3·4

  3·5

  3·4

  Powys

  0·7

  0·5

  0·8

  South Glamorgan

  3·7

  3·3

  3·2

  West Glamorgan

  3·1

  3·8

  3·3

  Northern Ireland

  2·5

  2·7

  2·4

  Scotland

  2·7

  3·0

  3·6

  Strathclyde

  3·4

  3·5

  5·0

  Highland and Islands

  0·7

  0·9

  1·4

  Grampian

  0·9

  1·0

  1·2

  Tayside

  2·0

  2·4

  2·3

  Lothian

  3·2

  4·4

  3·8

  Fife

  2·6

  2·0

  2·9

  Central

  2·5

  2·3

  2·2

  Dumfries

  1·6

  1·7

  1·9

  652

  Immigration (Children)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children, and from which countries, have entered the United Kingdom for adoption in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Statistics of children entering the United Kingdom with a view to adoption are not collected centrally.

  Prisoners (Press Interviews)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what rules exist to prevent payment to convicted prisoners or their agents or relatives, as a way of capitalising on their notoriety and crime by granting press interviews;

  (2) if he will consider taking powers to prevent all payments to convicted prisoners who agree to sell their stories to the media.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 26 January 1994]: Prison Service standing orders prohibit sentenced prisoners from engaging in correspondence, or in communicating by telephone about matters, which includes material intended for publication in return for payment. Visits to inmates by journalists or authors in their professional capacity are generally not allowed. In addition, the newspaper industry's code of practice specifically provides that people involved in crime or their associates should not be paid for their stories. It would not be feasible to devise legal restraints sufficiently broad to prevent criminals profiting from published accounts of their criminal activities, while at the same time avoiding unjustifiable restrictions on media reporting of matters of legitimate public interest. Enforcement could be particularly difficult since payment could be made indirectly, covertly or outside the jurisdiction.

  Young Prisoners
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many(a) 18-year-olds, (b) 19-year-olds, (c) 20-year-olds and (d) 21-year-olds were held in Prison Service establishments, both on remand and sentenced, on the last day of each month from 31 January 1992 to the present; and in which establishments they were held;

  (2) how many (a) 15-year-olds, and (b) 16-year-olds, (c) 17-year-olds were held in Prison Service establishments, both on remand and sentenced, on the last day of each month from 31 January 1992 to the present; and in which establishments they were held.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 27 January 1994]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 1 February 1994.
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions asking how many (a) 15-year-olds, (b) 16-year-olds, (c) 17-year-olds, (d) 18-year-olds, (e) 19-year-olds, (f) 20-year-olds and (g) 21-year-olds were held in Prison Service

  653
  establishments, both on remand and sentenced, on the last day of each month from 31 January 1992 to the present; and in which establishments they were held.

  Population1 aged 15 to 21, by type of custody in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales 1992–93

  Age

  Custody type

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  All ages

  September 1993

  Male

  Remand

  34

  100

  387

  734

  832

  741

  802

  3,630

  Sent2

  70

  169

  427

  875

  1,446

  1,632

  1,809

  6,428

  Female

  Remand

  —

  —

  9

  16

  18

  23

  25

  91

  Sent2

  4

  9

  9

  21

  40

  45

  48

  176

  TOTAL

  108

  278

  832

  1,646

  2,336

  2,441

  2,684

  10,325

  June 1993

  Male

  Remand

  35

  87

  399

  723

  764

  717

  735

  3,460

  Sent2

  94

  204

  494

  904

  1,385

  1,440

  1,621

  6,142

  Female

  Remand

  —

  1

  13

  17

  19

  20

  23

  93

  Sent2

  2

  6

  7

  31

  53

  39

  42

  180

  TOTAL

  131

  298

  913

  1,675

  2,221

  2,216

  2,421

  9,875

  June 1992

  Male

  Remand

  29

  71

  493

  646

  721

  701

  621

  3,282

  Sent2

  76

  178

  463

  1,004

  1,404

  1,686

  1,905

  6,716

  Female

  Remand

  —

  —

  9

  11

  20

  23

  21

  84

  Sent2

  1

  7

  11

  32

  41

  32

  44

  168

  TOTAL

  106

  256

  976

  1,693

  2,186

  2,442

  2,591

  10,250

  March 1992

  Male

  Remand

  19

  62

  470

  664

  724

  709

  632

  3,280

  Sent2

  74

  188

  470

  1,027

  1,451

  1,626

  1,870

  6,706

  Female

  Remand

  —

  —

  9

  15

  23

  26

  26

  99

  Sent2

  1

  5

  7

  28

  46

  38

  48

  173

  TOTAL

  94

  255

  956

  1,734

  2,244

  2,399

  2,576

  10,258

  1 Provisional figures

  2 Includes non-criminal prisoners and those sentenced for non-payment of a fine.

  Population1 in prison service establishments, England and Wales aged under 21, by establishment and type of custody on 30 September 1993

  Age

  Establishment

  Custody type

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  Male

  Aylesbury

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  4

  27

  74

  95

  Bedford

  Remand

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  Birmingham

  Remand

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  3

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Brinsford

  Remand

  2

  13

  41

  63

  69

  59

  Sentenced2

  7

  26

  44

  41

  41

  42

  Brixton

  Remand

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  2

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Bullingdon

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Camp Hill

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  Cardiff

  Remand

  1

  1

  11

  16

  30

  17

  Sentenced2

  —

  2

  2

  4

  3

  4

  Castington

  Sentenced2

  —

  1

  5

  46

  79

  107

  Chelmsford

  Remand

  —

  —

  6

  12

  17

  18

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  1

  3

  2

  654
  The available provisional information is given in the attached tables.
  655

  Age

  Establishment

  Custody type

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  Deerbolt

  Remand

  1

  1

  3

  5

  3

  1

  Sentenced2

  24

  34

  56

  54

  75

  85

  Dorchester

  Remand

  —

  —

  2

  6

  8

  11

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  6

  Dover

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  5

  34

  63

  72

  Elmley

  Remand

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Exeter

  Remand

  —

  —

  4

  10

  13

  10

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  4

  3

  4

  Feltham

  Remand

  1

  22

  40

  79

  105

  80

  Sentenced2

  11

  40

  101

  83

  70

  101

  Finnamore Wood

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  12

  29

  32

  Full Sutton

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Garth

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Glen Parva

  Remand

  6

  14

  50

  84

  81

  70

  Sentenced2

  1

  3

  16

  82

  146

  148

  Gloucester

  Remand

  —

  4

  9

  20

  28

  17

  Sentenced2

  —

  1

  2

  6

  1

  5

  Guy Marsh

  Sentenced2

  7

  14

  53

  24

  32

  27

  Hatfield

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  2

  36

  63

  67

  Haslar

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  Hindley

  Remand

  4

  3

  32

  51

  79

  62

  Sentenced2

  —

  2

  2

  17

  17

  23

  Hollesley Bay

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  3

  36

  61

  72

  Holme House

  Remand

  3

  7

  8

  24

  91

  17

  Sentenced2

  1

  1

  4

  10

  18

  21

  Huntercombe

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  1

  22

  69

  55

  Lancaster Farms

  Remand

  —

  8

  26

  52

  57

  62

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  4

  27

  40

  55

  Lewes

  Remand

  —

  —

  3

  2

  9

  9

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  5

  Lincoln

  Remand

  —

  —

  10

  20

  25

  21

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  5

  10

  14

  Liverpool

  Remand

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Low Newton

  Remand

  8

  6

  23

  52

  48

  43

  Sentenced2

  —

  2

  1

  9

  11

  13

  Moorland

  Remand

  8

  18

  53

  120

  91

  95

  Sentenced2

  —

  6

  18

  46

  65

  84

  Northallerton

  Sentenced2

  —

  1

  1

  9

  15

  14

  Norwich

  Remand

  —

  3

  4

  5

  13

  16

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  1

  1

  4

  2

  Onley

  Sentenced2

  16

  25

  45

  69

  123

  125

  Pentonville

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Portland

  Sentenced2

  —

  1

  11

  52

  120

  115

  Reading

  Remand

  —

  —

  21

  39

  35

  43

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  8

  15

  7

  Rochester

  Remand

  —

  —

  10

  24

  42

  29

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  3

  Stoke Heath

  Remand

  —

  —

  8

  22

  17

  23

  Sentenced2

  —

  2

  16

  38

  57

  67

  Swansea

  Remand

  —

  —

  12

  13

  22

  21

  Sentenced2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  Swinfen Hall

  Sentenced2

  —

  1

  10

  21

  38

  62

  Thorn Cross

  Sentenced2

  1

  7

  20

  36

  64

  63

  Usk

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  10

  23

  21

  Woodhill

  Remand

  —

  —

  9

  13

  17

  10

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  3

  2

  2

  Total

  104

  269

  814

  1,609

  2,278

  2,373

  Remand

  34

  100

  387

  734

  832

  741

  Sentenced2

  70

  169

  427

  875

  1,446

  1,632

  656 657

  Age

  Establishment

  Custody type

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  Female

  Askham Grange

  Sentenced2

  1

  3

  —

  1

  5

  7

  Bullwood Hall

  Sentenced2

  —

  2

  —

  2

  7

  7

  Drake Hall

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  4

  2

  6

  7

  Durham

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  East Sutton Park

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Holloway

  Remand

  —

  —

  3

  7

  6

  8

  Sentenced2

  1

  —

  —

  6

  5

  2

  Low Newton

  Remand

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  —

  New Hall

  Remand

  —

  —

  5

  4

  2

  5

  Sentenced2

  2

  2

  1

  3

  5

  5

  Pucklechurch

  Remand

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  3

  Sentenced2

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  3

  Risley

  Remand

  —

  —

  1

  4

  8

  5

  Styal

  Remand

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Sentenced2

  —

  2

  —

  5

  11

  11

  Total

  4

  9

  18

  37

  58

  68

  Remand

  —

  —

  9

  16

  18

  23

  Sentenced2

  4

  9

  9

  21

  40

  45

  1 Provisional figures.

  2 Includes non—criminal prisoners and those sentenced for non-payment of a fine.

WALES

  Housing Revenue Account
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the amount of housing revenue account subsidy for 1993–94 and 1994–95 for each district council in Wales, and for Wales as a whole, showing the percentage increase or decrease in each case.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The amount of housing revenue account subsidy claimed by each authority in Wales as a whole in 1993–94 is given in the following table. Comparable information for 1994–95 is not yet available as first subsidy claims for that year are not due until April.

  Housing revenue account subsidy entitlement

  Local authority

  Aberconwy BC

  1,613,843

  Alyn and Deeside DC

  2,566,612

  Arfon BC

  2,860,306

  Blaenau Gwent BC

  10,967,070

  Brecknock BC

  759,755

  Cardiff CC

  23,291,119

  Carmarthen DC

  2,348,352

  Ceredigion DC

  1,932,664

  Colwyn BC

  2,194,617

  Cynon Valley BC

  4,914,395

  Delyn BC

  2,957,483

  Dinefwr BC

  1,486,992

  Dwyfor DC

  958,012

  Glyndwr DC

  803,215

  Islwyn BC

  5,242,264

  Llanelli BC

  7,501,220

  Lliw Valley BC

  4,157,709

  Meirionnydd DC

  1,238,429

  Merthyr Tydfil BC

  7,588,053

  Monmouth BC

  3,815,493

  Montgomeryshire DC

  496,002

  Neath BC

  4,921,454

  Newport BC

  10,363,902

  Ogwr BC

  7,702,537

  Port Talbot BC

  4,668,643

  658

  Local authority

  Preseli Pembs DC

  2,848,229

  Radnorshire DC

  525,905

  Rhondda BC

  8,301,654

  Rhuddlan BC

  1,276,569

  Rhymney Valley DC

  11,347,929

  South Pembs DC

  1,427,901

  Swansea CC

  17,353,927

  Taff Ely BC

  6,816,221

  Torfaen BC

  13,076,949

  Vale of Glamorgan BC

  3,612,705

  Wrexham Maelor BC

  7,839,056

  Ynys Mon BC

  4,438,990

  Wales

  196,216,176

  Children (Benefits)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children there were in families receiving supplementary benefit in Wales in 1979; and how many children there were in families receiving supplementary benefit/income support in Wales at the latest available date.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information requested is shown in the following table. The latest available information relates to February 1993.

  Children of supplementary benefit/income support recipients in Wales

  Year

  Number of children1

  1979

  57,000

  1993

  165,000

  Sources:

  Supplementary benefit statistics annual enquiries, November 1979.

  Income support statistics quarterly enquiry, February 1993.

  1 All figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand. Children are defined as being under 16 years of age.

  659

  Vehicle Registration Mark
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales further to the Minister of State's letter to the hon. Member for Newport, West of 19 November 1993, when his Department expects to conclude consideration of the possible amendment of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1987 to allow the use of the "D" —Dysgwr—symbol in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  This matter is currently receiving consideration and I will make an announcement when all the implications have been addressed fully. In the meantime, the hon. Member will wish to note that there exists no bar on learner drivers using a D plate in conjunction with an L plate.

  Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many employees were judged to be guilty of fraud in his Department in each year since 1989; and how many were dismissed.

  Mr. Redwood
  In 1991, one officer was found in breach of departmental regulations and dismissed. A criminal conviction for fraud followed.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his Department's policy for dealing with employees found guilty of fraud.

  Mr. Redwood
  All cases of misconduct are investigated and considered on their merits.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency provided a reference for the former chief executive of the Welsh Development Agency to the Further Education Funding Council.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have arranged for the chairman's office to reply to the hon. Member and for a copy of that letter to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when a senior official of the Welsh Office provided a reference to the Further Education Funding Council for the former chief executive of the Welsh Development Agency.

  Mr. Redwood
  On 29 November 1993.

  Council Housing Receipts
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest estimate of the amount of cash(a) in Wales and (b) in each of the accounts of the local authority housing authorities from the sales of council houses.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The latest local authority estimates of usable capital receipts from the sales of council houses held at 31 March 1993 are given in the following table:

  Usable capital receipts from the sales of council houses, at 31 March 1993

  £'000

  Alyn and Deeside

  0

  Colwyn

  384

  Delyn

  0

  660

  £'000

  Glyndwr

  285

  Rhuddlan

  627

  Wrexham Maelor

  106

  Carmarthen

  353

  Ceredigion

  197

  Dinefwr

  0

  Llanelli

  0

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  1,468

  South Pembrokeshire

  1,322

  Blaenau Gwent

  901

  Islwyn

  458

  Monmouth

  1,566

  Newport

  0

  Torfaen

  1,615

  Aberconwy

  672

  Arfon

  141

  Dwyfor

  144

  Meirionnydd

  0

  Ynys Mon

  71

  Cynon Valley

  0

  Merthyr Tydfil

  602

  Ogwr

  702

  Rhondda

  0

  Rhymney Valley

  570

  Taff Ely

  91

  Brecknock

  791

  Montgomeryshire

  694

  Radnorshire

  125

  Cardiff

  1,450

  Vale of Glamorgan

  5,659

  Port Talbot

  1,138

  Lliw Valley

  1,432

  Neath

  77

  Swansea

  95

  Total Wales

  23,736

  Source: Local Authority returns 1994.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Attorney-General how many employees were judged to be guilty of fraud in his Department in each year since 1989; and how many were dismissed.

  The Attorney-General
  The following numbers of employees were convicted of offences of fraud or dishonesty in the Departments for which I am responsible:

  Number

  1990

  One

  1991

  Nil

  1992

  Nil

  1993

  One

  11994

  One

  1 To date.

  Two of these employees were dismissed and the third resigned while suspended from duty.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Attorney-General what is his Department's policy for dealing with employees found guilty of fraud.

  The Attorney-General
  Employees found guilty of fraud or dishonesty are liable to be dismissed under the relevant Department's disciplinary procedures.
  661

  Drugs (Unsuccessful Prosecutions)
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Attorney-General how many(a) successful and (b) unsuccessful prosecutions for drug offences in England and Wales have been launched in each of the past three years.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information for 1990 to 1992 is given in the table. 1993 data will not be available until the autumn.

  Number of successful and unsuccessful prosecutions for drug offences 1990–1992

  England and Wales

  Convicted (Successful)

  Not Convicted (Unsuccessful)

  Year

  Prosectuions [= 100 per cent.]

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  1990

  27,930

  24,558

  88

  3,372

  12

  1991

  28,285

  23,455

  83

  4,830

  17

  1992

  28,308

  22,678

  80

  5,630

  20

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will provide figures for the amount his Department has been reimbursed by the Department of Social Security in respect of statutory sick pay provision since April 1992.
  662
  Mr. David Davis
  The amount of statutory sick pay reimbursement due to the Office of Public Service and Science is offset against employer's national insurance contributions payable to the Department of Social Security. The amount offset between 1 April 1992 and December 1993 was £56,300.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many of the names on the public appointments unit central list are known to be politically active.

  Mr. David Davis
  Details of political affiliation are not sought by the public appointments unit. From the information made available by candidates, only 13 per cent. of those on the central list are known to have been members of a political party.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the current savings that have resulted up to January from the introduction of market testing in the civil service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 20 January,Official Report, columns 775–76.
  663

EMPLOYMENT

  Wages
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average wage of(a) a male and (b) a female working in Durham for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested can be found in tables 110 and 113 of part E of the new earnings survey for each year from 1979 to 1993.

  Paintings and Photographs
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to buy or borrow photographs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have no plans to buy or loan any photographs from the Government art collections or elsewhere.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) paintings and (b) photographs there are on the walls of his rooms.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have four paintings belonging to the Government art collection in my room. There are 49 photographic portraits of past Secretaries of State for Employment and senior staff in my waiting room; these photographs belong to the Department.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 17 December,Official Report, column 1031, what are the particular qualifications, experience or expertise relating to employment policy of the special adviser, Mr. Michael McManus.

  Mr. David Hunt
  It is not my practice to comment on the qualifications, expertise or experience of my special adviser.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) pursuant to his answer of 13 December,Official Report, column 515, if he is yet in a position to place in the Library a list of the directors of each training and enterprise council and the companies or organisations which they represent;

  (2) if he will place in the Library a list of the directors of each training and enterprise council in 1992–93 and the companies or organisations which they represented.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The list of current directors will be available in the Library from 4 February 1994. It will cover the training and enterprise councils for England and will be updated quarterly.

  The information requested for 1992–93 is not held centrally, and the cost of obtaining it would be disproportionate.

  Employees (Food)
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the statutory provisions or relevant circulars or guidance from his Department affecting employers' powers to restrict the kinds of food made available to employees at their place of work.
  664
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There are no provisions in employment or health and safety legislation governing this matter; nor has this Department issued any such guidance or circulars.

  Maternity Leave
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will supply the figures for the number of weeks, after having their babies, that working women have off before they return to work, for each of the years since 1983.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information for each year since 1983 is not available. However, the survey "Maternity Rights in Britain" by the Policy Studies Institute, based on research co-funded by the Department, indicates that in 1988 working women returned to work after a median of 19 weeks absence following child birth.

  ILO Conventions
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the number of International Labour Organisation conventions deratified by the United Kingdom; and how many have been ratified by each other EC state.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Over the years, successive United Kingdom Governments have denounced 10 conventions. The United Kingdom is currently bound by 69 conventions. The number of conventions by which other EC states are bound is shown in the table:

  Number of ILO conventions to which EC states are currently bound (as at 31 December 1992)

  Number

  Belgium

  71

  Denmark

  59

  France

  102

  Germany

  64

  Greece

  58

  Ireland

  48

  Italy

  90

  Luxembourg

  55

  Netherlands

  76

  Portugal

  63

  Spain

  106

  United Kingdom

  69

  Sources: ILO Lists of Ratifications by Convention and by Country; ILO Chart of Ratifications of International Labour Conventions

  Stansted Airport
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many representations he has received to date about the effect of the transatlantic air travel bilateral restrictions on employment at and around London's Stansted airport.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received seven representations on this matter.

  Redundant People
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has concerning schemes administered by the North Derbyshire training and enterprise council which offer subsidies to employers to take on redundant people; and if he will make a statement.
  665
  Miss Widdecombe
  The North Derbyshire training and enterprise council offers a wide range of support to unemployed people to help them acquire the skills they need to get and keep jobs. This includes encouraging employers to recruit unemployed people by assisting with the cost of training.

  Redundancies
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many requests he has received for information regarding notification procedures for impending redundancies as required under section 193 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992;

  (2) how many requests for information regarding notification procedures for impending redundancies under section 193 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 have been denied on the grounds of confidentiality; to what type of information confidentiality applies; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what criteria he uses when deciding that confidentiality applies to the operation of parts of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Department receives requests from time to time for information about individual notifications of redundancies made by employers under section 193 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. Records are not kept of such requests. The Department's policy, based on legal advice, is that such information is given and treated in confidence. The Department is not able to comment on individual notifications unless details of those notifications have already been made publicly available by the employer.

  GCHQ
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in what circumstances the Government would allow unions to represent again employees at GCHQ.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Government have made it clear that their overriding objective remains to ensure the maintenance of continuous operations at GCHQ for the protection of national security. It is necessary to ensure that the staff are not subject to potential conflicts of loyalty. The Government are willing to consider any proposals which are consistent with that objective. All staff at GCHQ are free to join the Government Communications Staff Federation which is listed as a trade union under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. More than 50 per cent. have done so.

DEFENCE

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) of 11 January,Official Report, column 7, if he will place in the Library the papers his Department submitted to the joint Department of the Environment—Ministry of Agriculture assessment of THORP for the consultation exercise; and if he will set out
  666
  the basis of his statement that conversion of nuclear material to military purpose can be achieved only with extreme difficulty.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department participated in the preparation of the statement of Government policy on reprocessing and the operation of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield, which was made public on 4 August 1993. No submissions have been made since then by my Department in respect of the consultation or decision on the new Sellafield discharge authorisation. A copy of the statement of Government policy has been placed in the Library of the House.

  I have nothing to add to the position set out in paragraph 51 of that statement, on the usefulness of plutonium from THORP for weapons purposes.

  Vickers Armoured Vehicle
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if it is his intention to acquire the Vickers mark II armoured vehicle for the British Army.

  Mr. Aitken
  No.

  Horizon Programme
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the Horizon programme.

  Mr. Aitken
  Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding in July last year, a joint project office was established in London in November of last year, to manage Project Horizon, the common new generation frigate, on behalf of the United Kingdom, France and Italy. Two international consortia are now being formed to conduct competitive project definition for the combat management system to be contracted later this year. And a competition is underway for the selection of the United Kingdom member for the international joint venture company which will design and build the three first of class ships, which we currently plan to enter service around the turn of the century.

  Departmental Dwellings
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number and location of(a) dwellings and (b) vacant dwellings owned by his Department in (i) each district of Hampshire and (ii) Hampshire as a whole.

  Mr. Hanley
  Statistics on Ministry of Defence dwellings are not maintained by local authority districts and such information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  As at 31 December 1993, the Ministry of Defence owned 8,288 dwellings in Hampshire, of which 1,051 were vacant, located as follows:

  Stock

  Vacant

  Aldershot

  2,405

  390

  Bordon

  673

  77

  Farnborough

  104

  9

  Middle Wallop

  509

  61

  Oakhanger

  92

  4

  Odiham

  581

  11

  Portsmouth area

  3,446

  386

  Worthy Down

  478

  113

  667
  Many of the vacant properties were either undergoing or awaiting major maintenance work or already allocated to service families who were due to move in shortly.

  In addition, 1,003 properties, of which 188 were vacant, were in the process of being sold.

  South Citadel Building, Whitehall
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts were placed for refurbishment of the command centre under the south citadel building in Whitehall between 1979 and 1985; who were the main contractors; and what was the value of each contract.

  Mr. Aitken
  Four main contracts were placed for the refurbishment of the command centre under the south citadel building in Whitehall between 1979 and 1985. The contractors were Griffiths McGee Demolition Co Ltd, Mirrless Blackstone Stamford Ltd, Taylor Woodrow Construction Ltd and Hayward Tyler Ltd. The total value of the four contracts when let was approximately £700,000.

  Nimrod Aircraft
  Dr. David Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF Nimrod aircraft are allocated to royal duties.

  Mr. Hanley
  No Nimrod aircraft are specifically allocated to royal duties, although aircraft can be made available in the search and rescue role should it be considered necessary on any occasion.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Nimrod aircraft were on royal duty in Australia on 26 January.

  Mr. Hanley
  None.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Nimrod aircraft there are in the RAF.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Royal Air Force currently has 33 Nimrod aircraft.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF Nimrod aircraft are located overseas.

  Mr. Hanley
  Two Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft are scheduled to depart the United Kingdom to conduct routine training in the Mediterranean on Tuesday 1 February. In addition to routine training deployments, Nimrod aircraft do deploy from time to time to Sicily from where they contribute to the NATO and Western European Union forces conducting maritine operations in the Adriatic; the next deployment is due to begin on Friday 4 February.

  Search and Rescue
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to alter the numbers of search-and-rescue helicopters based at the royal naval bases at(a) Portland and (b) Culdrose.

  Mr. Hanley
  There are no current plans to alter the numbers of search and rescue helicopters at the royal naval air stations at Portland and Culdrose.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current number of SAR helicopters based at the royal naval bases at(a) Portland and (b) Culdrose.
  668
  Mr. Hanley
  Currently, three of the Sea King Mk4 helicopters held at the royal naval air station Portland are equipped for search and rescue operations. One duty aircraft provides day time cover with another held on standby. The royal naval air station Culdrose has a squadron of five Sea King Mks helicopters, all of which are capable of search and rescue operations. One aircraft is on duty at all times while another is held on standby.

  Malaysian Arms Deal
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many files marked "Not for NAO eyes" relating to the Malaysian arms deal are held in his Department.

  Mr. Aitken
  None.

  SSN Flotilla
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the modernisation of the SSN flotilla.

  Mr. Aitken
  I am pleased to announce that we have today placed a contract with Ferranti Thomson Sonar Systems—FTSS—for the full development and initial production of sonar 2076 which will be fitted to Trafalgar class fleet submarines.

  The contract has been awarded following competition and covers the provision of four boat sets and supporting shore equipment. At a price in excess of £180 million it is the largest single sonar order placed for some time and will continue to keep the Royal Navy at the forefront of sonar technology and capability into the foreseeable future.

  The contract is likely to create a number of new jobs and will safeguard hundreds of others at FTSS and at many sub-contractors, and will be welcomed by British industry.

EDUCATION

  Technology College Status
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools have now expressed an interest in obtaining technology college status.

  Mr. Patten
  There has been a very encouraging level of interest from schools and businesses. More than 200 schools have made inquiries to my Department or the City Technology Colleges Trust on the technology college initiative.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Jack Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement about the progress of the scheme for grant-maintained schools in Northumberland.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  There is only one self-governing school in Northumberland at present—a much smaller proportion than in the country as a whole. But there is considerable interest at other schools, representatives from 50 of which attended one of the Department's conferences about grant-maintained status last year.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to establish freephone lines to advise the
  669
  public on grant-maintained school status on a national and regional basis; how long he expects such lines to be in operation; if they will offer a 24-hour a day service; and what is the estimate of cost.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend has no such plans.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what has been the cost of the recent press advertisements promoting the availability. of information concerning grant-maintained school status.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The cost of the present series of advertisements, designed to provide factual information on grant-maintained status to parents, governors and schools, will be about £200,000.

  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils are now being educated in self-governing grant-maintained schools.

  Mr. Patten
  Over 530,000 pupils are now being educated in 814 self-governing schools. This represents 16 per cent. of England's secondary school population, and a significant and growing proportion of all primary school pupils.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools within Greater London have opted out of local education authority control; and how many have applications being considered by his Department.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  By 31 January, 145 schools were operating with grant-maintained status in the Greater London area, and two more had been approved for incorporation on 1 April. In addition, 14 schools had applications for grant-maintained status under consideration, and another six had voted in favour but had not yet published proposals.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many state-funded nursery school places are available in south Liverpool; and what is the annual demand for them.

  Mr. Forth
  Figures for south Liverpool are not held centrally. Nor is information collected on the demand for or supply of nursery school places as such. The Department's statistics relate to pupils attending maintained schools in whole local education authority areas.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what calculation he has made of the percentage of three and four-year-olds that could be provided for by local education authorities if the element in the standard spending assessment for nursery education was used fully for this purpose.

  Mr. Forth
  It is for local education authorities to determine what type and level of educational provision to make for under-fives. The number of under-fives who could be supported with a given level of expenditure would depend on the type of provision, mode of attendance and take up of places. Many parents choose to make use of the many and varied alternative provisions made by the significant voluntary and private sector.
  670
  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list those local education authorities which spend more than the element in the standard spending assessment for nursery education on providing places in nursery schools, units or classes.

  Mr. Forth
  This information is not held centrally.

  Ms Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received on recent policy announcements on the availability of nursery education.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend has received a large number of representations on nursery education in recent months.

  Truancy
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the correlation between truancy rates and teaching standards.

  Mr. Forth
  Many factors contribute to truancy, some of them outside the immediate control of schools. However, evidence from Office for Standards in Education inspections and other research suggests that there may be factors in pupils' classroom experience which contribute to the disaffection of some pupils and encourage them to stay away from school.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to cut down truancy.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department is currently supporting expenditure of some £9·6 million in 71 English local education authorities under the reducing truancy programme of the grants for education support and training —GEST—scheme 1993–94. The programme will be extended in 1994–95 to include a "Truancy Watch" component as a means of promoting community involvement. Approved projects will be announced shortly.

  Ministerial Visits
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he will next be visiting Rochdale to discuss the educational needs of its population.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to visit Rochdale.

  Performance Tables
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools improved their performance in the school performance tables last year over that of the previous year.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The tables show that, on the most widely used measure of school performance—the percentage of 15-year-old pupils gaining five or more A to C grades at GCSE—62 per cent. of schools improved their performance in 1993 as compared with 1992. This is a most creditable performance by the schools concerned.
  671

  Capital Expenditure
  Mr. Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from Cornwall county council about the level of its financial allocation for capital expenditure projects for 1994–95; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  None. Local education authority bids for capital are dealt with consistently and fairly, in line with published criteria. Cornwall's annual capital guidelines are a reflection of the extent to which its plans for spending matched these criteria.

  Education Policies, Redbridge
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received in the last year about the education policies of the London borough of Redbridge.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend has received several representations, including from the hon. Member, about the admission of pupils to schools in Redbridge.

  Religious Education
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimates have been made of the adequacy of the supply of teachers of religious education.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Our target intakes for initial teacher training provide for a 31 per cent. increase in recruitment to RE courses up to 1996–97—well above the average for secondary subjects. We review these targets annually.

  Capital Works
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the current estimate of outstanding capital works in schools in England.

  Mr. Forth
  Information from the 1991 National Audit Office report on school buildings suggests that some £2 billion, at 1990 prices, was required to deal with the outstanding capital needs of school buildings. In 1994–95, Government support for capital and repair work at maintained schools will total over £600 million, much of which will go towards improving the school stock.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Pope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to reduce the amount of time it takes local education authorities to produce statements of special educational needs.

  Mr. Forth
  Subject to Parliament's approval, from September this year regulations will set time limits within which statements must be made and a code of practice will provide guidance on how those limits should be met. Normally, the process should take no more than 26 weeks from start to finish.

  Dearing Report
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what has been the response of the teacher unions and associations following the publication of the Dearing report on the national curriculum and testing.
  672
  Mr. Robin Squire
  All the teacher unions have recognised the improvements to the national curriculum and testing embodied in the Dearing report. I welcome the subsequent action of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers and the National Association of Schoolmasters/ Union of Women Teachers in calling off their boycott of national tests. I hope that the National Union of Teachers will follow suit so that we can continue to raise standards in our schools in the interests of pupils.

  Training Targets
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent representations he has had from employers about national education and training targets.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend welcomes the continuing support from employers for the national education and training targets. He shares the view expressed to him by employers that the challenge presented by the targets must be met if the country is to remain competitive in the international marketplace.

  Surplus Places
  Mr. Olner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will reconsider the formulae by which he calculates surplus places in small schools in rural areas.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department assesses surplus places in the same way for all schools based on their physical capacity. We have always made it clear, however, that whether surplus places can be removed will depend on the type of school concerned and where it is.

  Further Education
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of secondary school pupils taking post-16 education remain in the same school rather than transferring to sixth-form colleges or other educational institutions.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Of the 16-year-olds who remained in full-time education in 1992–93, the proportion in school was 50·5 per cent.; 46·5 per cent. were in the same secondary school as when they were 15 years old, and 4 per cent. had transferred to another school. The proportion in sixth-form colleges was 12·2 per cent., while 37·3 per cent. went to other colleges of further education.

  School Discipline
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proposals he has to(a) improve discipline in schools and (b) reduce the number of exclusions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend recently issued for consultation draft guidance on behaviour and discipline and on exclusions from school. The aim of the guidance is to help schools to improve standards of behaviour and to reduce the need to exclude pupils. Consultation lasts until 11 March, with a view to issuing guidance in final form in May.
  673

  Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many employees were judged to be guilty of fraud in his Department in each year since 1989; and how many were dismissed.

  Mr. Boswell
  No employees of this Department have been found guilty of fraud since 1989.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his Department's policy for dealing with employees found guilty of fraud.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department's policy is to dismiss any employee who is convicted by the courts of fraud.

  Education Expenditure (Cornwall)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much central Government money was spent per head of the population on education in Cornwall in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Regional Offices (Training)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will give details of the training to be given to civil servants who will staff the proposed regional offices within the Department for Education.

  Mr. Boswell
  With effect from 1 May 1994, a group of staff working at the Department for Education will be given specific responsibility for regional links and for ensuring proper co-ordination with those Departments represented in the Government's integrated regional offices. Staff will be provided with training as appropriate to their individual needs.

  Student Publications
  Mr. Wicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effect of his policy on student unions on the charitable work carried out by student rags.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Government are determined to reform student unions and to secure that the principles of choice, democracy and accountability are universally observed in their activities. It is not our intention to jeopardise student services, for which funding will remain available in institutions' budgets.

  Office for Standards in Education
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the cost of the setting up of the Office for Standards in Education.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  When Ofsted was created on 1 September 1992, it incurred gross expenditure for the remainder of the financial year of £7·7 million.

  Regional Offices
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the estimated cost of setting up regional offices within his Department.
  674
  Mr. Boswell
  The Department has no plans to set up regional offices.

  Dance and Drama
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many local education authorities made full discretionary awards for accredited courses for dance and drama in 1987 and in 1993; and if he will estimate the total population in the authorities that now make no discretionary awards at all.

  Mr. Boswell
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Music and Arts Advisory Services
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which local education authorities still have(a) a music advisory service and (b) an arts advisory service.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information on these discretionary services is not collected by the Department. It is the Government's policy that, wherever possible, decisions about the need for such services and how best to obtain them should rest with the schools. Local education authorities may provide them if there is sufficient demand locally.

SCOTLAND

  Glenlight Shipping
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the criteria used by the Scottish Office in deciding the level of subsidies to shipping companies for general cargo and timber transportation; which Scottish companies are currently in receipt of these subsidies for general cargo and timber transportation; how much these subsidies have amounted to during each of the last five years for(a) general cargo and (b) timber transportation; and how much the Glenlight Shipping Company has received in respect of its transportation of timber for Caledonian Paper plc.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Each shipping operator's tariff rebate subsidy—TRS—allocation is based on the operator's estimates of traffic to be carried within the specified period and on previous years' actual traffic carried as compared with forecasts. The companies currently operating within the TRS scheme are listed in the table. All companies within the TRS scheme are eligible to receive subsidy on both general cargo and timber transportation. It is up to each individual company to decide on a commercial basis which commodities they wish to carry. Information is not available in the form requested for subsidy disaggregated between different commodities. The total amount of TRS paid during the last five years is also listed.

  Companies operating within the TRS scheme:

  P&O Scottish Ferries

  Orcargo

  Orkney Line Ltd.

  Shetland Line Ltd.

  Dennison (Shipping) Ltd.

  Easdale Island Shipping Line

  Gardner Shipping (Scotland) Ltd.

  Glenlight Shipping Ltd.

  Hay & Company (Lerwick) Ltd.

  Roderick Cunningham (Scalpay) Ltd.

  675

  P&O and bulk shippers' tariff rebate subsidy 1989–90 to 1993–94

  P&O

  Bulk Shippers

  1989–90

  4·3

  1·0

  1990–91

  5·0

  1·6

  1991–92

  4·2

  2·0

  1992–93

  4·3

  2·2

  11993–94

  6·8

  3·1

  1 Provision.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what contact there has been between the Scottish Office and Caledonian Paper plc concerning the recent closure of the Glenlight Shipping Company and the implications for the operation of Caledonian Paper plc; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Glenlight Shipping Ltd. has not closed. The company is still operating, but has taken the commercial decision to discontinue bulk shipping operations in the highlands and islands area apart from the carriage of timber. The Scottish Office is continuing to provide tariff rebate subsidy to the company on the basis of eligible cargoes carried. There has been no contact between the Scottish Office and Caledonian Paper plc regarding this matter.

  Timber Barges
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the public subsidies payable by the Scottish Office to companies operating timber barges; and if he will retain the level of subsidy at the current levels.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are currently 10 shipping companies operating within the tariff rebate subsidy scheme and each of them is eligible for subsidy for the transportation of timber. Currently only one company, Glenlight Shipping Ltd., operates timber barges. The bulk

  Region and route number

  Section detrunked

  Date

  Borders

  A68

  That superseded by new section north of Packman's bridge to north of Drygrange bridge

  2 March 1989

  A7

  Ladhope Vale

  1 April 1991

  A68

  That superseded by Newtown St. Boswells bypass

  1 April 1991

  A1

  That superseded by Dunglass diversion

  1 April 1993

  Central

  A9

  That superseded by Dunblane bypass

  1 April 1991

  Dumfries and Galloway

  A75

  That superseded by Rinford bypass

  1 April 1989

  A75

  That superseded by Castle Douglas bypass

  1 April 1989

  A75

  That superseded by Glenluce bypass

  1 April 1990

  A75

  That superseded by Annan bypass

  1 April 1990

  A701/75

  That superseded by Dumfries bypass

  1 April 1991

  A701

  That superseded by Ae bridge diversion

  1 April 1991

  A75

  That superseded by Blackcraig improvement

  1 April 1992

  A75

  That superseded by Carrutherston to Hetland improvement

  1 April 1992

  A74

  Small sections of slip road to Kirkpatrick Fleming to Gretna special road

  1 April 1993

  Fife

  A92/987/907

  Admiralty interchange to Kirkcaldy

  1 April 1991

  A91

  Petheram roundabout, St. Andrews

  1 April 1993

  676
  transport of timber currently attracts a TRS rate of 40 per cent. Arrangements for the operation of the TRS scheme in 1994–95 have not yet been finalised.

  Trunk Roads
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria he uses to determine that a trunk road should be detrunked.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Whether or not a road should cease to be a trunk road is a question of whether it should form part of a national system of routes for through traffic. Where a road ceases to fulfil a significant role in serving long-distance traffic, it will, therefore, be appropriate to detrunk it.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultation is carried out before a trunk road is detrunked.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  As a matter of practice, consultations take place with all the local authorities for the area through which a road passes prior to publication of a notice by the Secretary of State of his intention to detrunk the road.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many roads or sections of roads in north-east Fife have been detrunked in the last five years for which information is available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  One. A Section of the A91 road at Petheram roundabout, St. Andrews was detrunked on 1 April 1993.

  Mr. Menzies-Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by region the roads or sections of roads that have been detrunked in the last five years for which information is available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is given in the table.
  677

  Region and route number

  Section detrunked

  Date

  Grampian

  A96

  That superseded by Forres bypass

  1 April 1989

  A92

  That superseded by Murcar to Balmedie improvement

  1 April 1989

  A92

  That superseded by Ellon bypass and Tipperty diversion

  1 April 1990

  A96

  That superseded by Inverurie bypass

  1 April 1991

  Highland

  A9

  That superseded by Mound bridges, Sutherland

  1 April 1989

  A830

  That superseded by Lochailort to Polnish bridge diversion

  1 April 1989

  A830

  That superseded by Mallaig to Glasmacardoch Bay diversion

  1 April 1989

  A9

  That superseded by Dunbeath bridge diversion

  1 April 1990

  A835

  That superseded by Garve railway bridge improvement

  1 April 1990

  A9

  That superseded by Dornoch Firth crossing

  1 April 1992

  A87

  That superseded by Dornie bypass

  1 April 1992

  Lothian

  M8

  Newbridge to Dechmont connecting roads

  31 March 1989

  A68

  That superseded by Sherriffhall roundabout

  1 April 1989

  A7

  That superseded by north Middleton diversion

  1 April 1990

  A7

  That superseded by Dalkeith western bypass

  1 April 1992

  Strathclyde

  A82

  That superseded by Arden to Auchentulloch diversion

  1 April 1989

  A82

  That superseded by Auchendennan to Arden bypass

  1 April 1989

  A82

  That superseded by Luss to Camus nan Clais improvement

  1 April 1990

  A76

  That superseded by Cumnock and Auchinleck bypass

  1 April 1992

  A74

  That superseded by Millbank to Nether Abington special road

  1 April 1992

  A82

  That superseded by Luss bypass

  1 April 1992

  A77

  That superseded by Bennane Hill bypass

  1 April 1992

  A74

  That superseded by Elvanfoot to Paddy's Rickle bridge special road

  1 April 1993

  A80

  City of Glasgow district boundary to Crow Wood superseded by Stepps bypass

  1 April 1993

  Tayside

  A972/929

  That superseded by Kingsway to Powrie improvement

  1 April 1989

  A91
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the future of the A91 road from the M90 to Cupar.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are at present no plans which would affect the future of the A91 from the M90 to Cupar. The question whether the whole of the A91 should be retained as a trunk road is one which we shall consider as part of an examination of the whole of the trunk and primary route network consequent upon reorganisation of local government.

  Rose McCormack
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to examine the circumstances surrounding the death of Rose McCormack and her baby in Grangemouth.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate is fully aware of the circumstances of these tragic deaths, since their 678
  circumstances were reported by the police to the procurator fiscal at Falkirk, who in the normal way examined in detail what had occurred.

  Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many employees were judged to be guilty of fraud in his Department in each year since 1989; and how many were dismissed;

  (2) what is his Department's policy for dealing with employees found guilty of fraud.

  Mr. Lang
  Staff who are involved in fraud are dealt with under departmental disciplinary proceedings. A range of disciplinary penalties is available, including dismissal. Depending on the circumstances of the case criminal proceedings may also be brought against the member of staff concerned.

  The number of financial frauds which have been recorded since 1989 are as follows:

  679

  Year

  Number

  1989

  2

  1990

  1

  1991

  5

  1992

  2

  1993

  5

  Eight of the cases have resulted in dismissal.

  NHS Trusts (Pay)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cars each national health service trust and health board has bought as part of a payment package for senior personnel in the last year; and what is the average value of such cars.

  Mr. Stewart
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 24 January,Official Report, column 74, on the percentage rise of national health service trust chief executives' pay between 1992 and 1993, how many chief executives exceeded the 1·5 per cent. norm for settlements; and by how much in each case.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: The information requested is not available centrally.

  Dounreay
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has received from Atomic Energy Authority Technology in regard to its imminent plans to increase radioactive discharges from its Dounreay reprocessing plant in Caithness.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Following an application by AEA Technology for revised limits Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate is currently reviewing the AEA Technology authorisations to dispose of solid, liquid and gaseous wastes. The applications for revised certificates of authorisation have been placed on public registers where they are available for inspection, at the offices of the inspectorate and at the offices of Caithness district and Highland regional councils.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many appointments he has made within his responsibilities as Secretary of State for Scotland for each year since June 1987.

  Mr. Lang
  The information held centrally by my Department does not show the number of appointments made in any given year. The total number of appointees at 1 September 1993 to non-departmental public bodies, NHS bodies and nationalised industries which are the responsibility of my Department is shown in the summary tables in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1993", copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House. Information about the total numbers of appointees in earlier years is available in previous editions of this annual publication.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many relatives of Conservative hon. Members have been appointed to public bodies in Scotland since 1987; and if he will make a statement.
  680
  Mr. Lang
  The relationship of those appointed to non-departmental bodies sponsored by my Department is neither sought nor recorded.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all public body appointments made by him where the current annual salary is(a) over and (b) under £10,000.

  Mr. Lang
  The remuneration of those appointed to non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department is listed in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1993", copies of which are in the Libraries of the House.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will name the local councillors appointed to Scottish hospital trusts, giving the political affiliation in each case.

  Mr. Stewart
  On the basis of the information held centrally the position is as follows:—

  Party

  Angus Community NHS Trust

  Mr. G. Norrie

  Independent

  Caithness and Sutherland Hospitals NHS Trust

  Rev. A. Murray

  Independent

  Mr. J. Rosie

  Independent

  Dumfries and Galloway Acute and Maternity Hospitals

  NHS Trusts

  Mr. E. Gibson

  SNP

  Mr. G. Willacy

  Labour

  Dundee Healthcare NHS Trust

  Mr. I. Borthwick

  Independent

  East and Midlothian NHS Trust

  Mr. P. Fawcett

  Labour

  Grampian Healthcare NHS Trust

  Mr. J. M. Humphrey

  Conservative

  Hairmyres and Storehouse Hosptials NHS Trust

  Mrs. M. Mitchell

  Conservative

  Perth and Kinross NHS Trust

  Mr. J. Mathieson

  Conservative

  Renfrewshire Healthcare NHS Trust

  Mr. B. Baird

  Conservative

  West Lothian NHS Trust

  Mr. P. Johnston

  SNP

  Yorkhill NHS Trust

  Mrs. J. E. Cameron

  Conservative

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will name the members of political parties appointed by him to public bodies each year since 1987; and if he will give the political affiliation of each.

  Mr. Lang
  Appointments are made on the basis of aptitude and merit. I do not make appointments of members of political parties in that capacity and no central record is kept of the political affiliation of those appointed to public bodies.
  681

  Scottish Homes
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if Scottish Homes is seeking revenue subsidy for housing associations from local authorities in all parts of Scotland; and what such grants have already been made.

  Mr. Lang
  Scottish Homes does not seek revenue subsidy for housing association from local authorities. If associations undertake activities jointly with local authorities, the funding of such activities is for negotiation between the parties concerned.

  Criminals (Employment Status)
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the employment status of persons convicted of crimes in Scotland in the last five years for which figures are available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The only information collected centrally on the employment status of persons convicted of crime relates to crimes of homicide and can be found in the statistical bulletin, "Homicide in Scotland 1983–1992".

  Highlands and Islands Objective 1 Plan
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when he expects to announce the location of the secretariat for the administration of the highlands and islands objective 1 plan; how many personnel he expects to be employed within the secretariat; and when the appointment of the head of administration will be announced;

  (2) what representations his Department has received regarding the location of the secretariat for the administration of the highlands and islands objective 1 plan; if he will give details of any submissions which have suggested locating the venture outwith Inverness district; and if he will give details of the submissions which have suggested locating the venture on an island.

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  [holding answer 28 January 1994]: As part of the process of drawing up the highlands and islands objective 1 plan, the Scottish Office has had discussions with the various agencies involved about the possibility of establishing a programme executive within the Highlands and Islands Enterprise area. Those discussions have focused on locating the executive in the Inverness area, although not necessarily within Inverness district. There have been no formal submissions on the location, but in responding to the draft plan, the following suggestions were made:

  Organisation

  Proposed location

  Sutherland District Council

  Sutherland

  Argyll and Bute District Council

  Oban

  Ross and Cromarty District Council

  Ross and Cromarty

  Western Isles Islands Council

  Western Isles/Stornoway

  Shetland Islands Council

  Shetland

  Strathclyde Regional Council

  Argyll and Bute

  Lewis Council of Social Service

  Western Isles

  Western Isles Objective 1 Group

  Western Isles

  An announcement about the appointment of the programme director will be made shortly. Under the terms of an interim agreement with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the director will be employed by HIE and his office will be located in their headquarters in Inverness.
  682
  One of his initial tasks will be to prepare more detailed proposals for the functioning of the executive including staff numbers and their location.

  European Structural Funds
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he will take to ensure that assistance from the European structural funds, under objective 1, will be channelled into crofting.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 28 January 1994]: Crofters already benefit from a range of national and EC structural support measures which will continue under objective 1. In addition, the objective 1 plan which was recently submitted to the European Commission allows for consideration to be given to additional measures to help crofters to increase efficiency and improve the quality of their produce.

  GP Fundholders
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the general practitioner fundholders operating within the Ayrshire and Arran health board area; what is the size of the budgets under their control; and if he will make a statement on the criteria which GP practices have to fulfil in order to gain fund holding status.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: Three fund-holding practices have been operating within the board area from 1 April 1993: Dr. Richardson and partner, Institute avenue, Catrine combined with Dr. Cleland and partners, High street, Mauchline; Dr. Thomson and partners, 8 Cathcart street, Ayr and Dr. McSherry and partners, 9 Frew terrace, Irvine.

  Details of the allotted sums, or funds, determined by the health board and deployed by a GP fundholding practice are published annually in each individual practice's audited annual accounts. Such audited accounts are not yet available for 1993–94.

  The health board is required to determine each application according to the National Health Service (Fundholding Practices) (Scotland) Regulations 1993— SI 1993 No. 488. The main criteria to be fulfilled to gain GP fundholding status are that the practice, or group of practices, must have a list size of at least 6,000 patients; the fundholding application must be made by all members of the practice partnership; the practice must demonstrate that it has the managerial capability and resource plans necessary to manage a fund effectively and efficiently; and it must have a computer system to support the effective and efficient management of the fund.

  Dental Practices
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many dental practices accepted national health service patients in(a) Inverclyde, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole in each year since 1978–79.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: No information is held on dental practices. The number of individual dentists registered on health board dental lists to provide national health service general dental services in each of the four health board areas within Strathclyde region and the total number of dentists registered in

  683
  Scotland is contained in the table. Information for individual local government districts and regional areas is not available.

  Number of dentists on health board dental lists in Scotland at 31 December

  Year

  Argyll and Clyde

  Ayrshire and Arran

  Greater Glasgow

  Lanarkshire

  Scotland

  1978

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1,188

  1979

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1,207

  1980

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1,251

  1981

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1,294

  1982

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1,334

  1983

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1,379

  1984

  113

  110

  263

  131

  1,360

  1985

  115

  112

  263

  133

  1,392

  1986

  122

  114

  282

  137

  1,456

  1987

  132

  122

  289

  142

  1,511

  1988

  133

  113

  299

  137

  1,528

  1989

  137

  112

  328

  140

  1,587

  1990

  141

  118

  337

  142

  1,626

  1991

  157

  118

  340

  147

  1,666

  1992

  160

  120

  348

  141

  1,680

  1993

  165

  126

  358

  147

  1,774

  1 Information before December 1984 is not available for dentists registered with individual health boards

  Prescriptions
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of prescriptions dealt with in each year since 1978–79; and, of this total, how many were(a) free of charge, (b) covered by a pre-payment certificate, (c) paid for as a straightforward commercial transaction and (d) paid for in some other way.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: The available information is as shown in the table.

  No breakdown is available between those prescription items which were free from charges and those covered by a pre-payment certificate. Column 5 shows, where available, the value of the pre-payment certificates issued in the respective years. No information is available regarding prescriptions paid for in some other way.

  NHS prescriptions (Scotland)

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  Year

  Number of prescription items

  Number dispensed free of charge

  Number paid for directly

  Value of pre-payment certificates £

  Million

  Million

  Million

  Million

  1978–79

  35·78

  22·35

  13·43

  N/A

  1979–80

  35·61

  23·16

  12·45

  N/A

  1980–81

  35·49

  24·88

  10·61

  N/A

  1981–82

  35·46

  26·23

  9·23

  0·85

  1982–83

  36·50

  27·69

  8·81

  1·00

  1983–84

  37·24

  28·77

  8·47

  1·10

  1984–85

  37·77

  29·75

  8·02

  1·27

  1985–86

  37·87

  30·53

  7·34

  1·45

  1986–87

  38·51

  31·56

  6·95

  1·64

  1987–88

  40·05

  33·27

  6·78

  1·81

  1988–89

  41·12

  34·41

  6·71

  2·02

  1989–90

  43·25

  36·36

  6·89

  2·27

  1990–91

  44·37

  37·70

  6·67

  2·63

  1991–92

  46·48

  39·89

  6·59

  3·07

  1992–93

  48·30

  41·79

  6·51

  3·50

  684

  Dental Treatment
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pregnant women received free dental treatment in each year since 1978–79.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: All pregnant women and women who have had a child within the previous 12 months are exempt from NHS dental charges and receive free dental treatment. Information is recorded on courses of treatment rather than individual patients treated. The total number of courses of dental treatment received by pregnant women and nursing mothers is contained in the table.

  Number of courses of dental treatment for pregnant and nursing women in Scotland

  Year (calendar)

  Number of courses of treatment

  1978

  80,009

  1979

  82,830

  1980

  89,207

  1981

  92,253

  1982

  93,947

  1983

  93,066

  1984

  92,608

  1985

  95,162

  1986

  98,565

  1987

  98,390

  1988

  98,796

  1989

  107,981

  1990

  103,873

  1991

  118,000

  1992

  118,060

  1993

  115,436

  Council House Sales
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authority houses have been sold since the introduction of right-to-buy legislation in each district council area.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: The information requested is set out in the table.

  685

  Right to buy sales of local authority dwellings

  Area

  2Number

  Scotland

  201,485

  Fife

  Berwickshire

  821

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  1,412

  Roxburgh

  1,527

  Tweeddale

  451

  Central

  Clackmannan

  2,307

  Falkirk

  8,201

  Stirling

  3,534

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Annandale and Eskdale

  1,688

  Nithsdale

  2,524

  Stewartry

  907

  Wigtown

  1,428

  Fife

  Dunfermline1

  6,878

  Kirkcaldy

  7,340

  North East Fife

  3,153

  Grampian

  Aberdeen

  7,716

  Banff and Buchan

  3,695

  Gordon

  1,932

  Kincardine and Deeside

  1,009

  Moray

  3,547

  Highland

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  454

  Caithness

  998

  Inverness

  1,996

  Lochaber

  963

  Nairn

  327

  Ross and Cromarty

  1,364

  Skye and Lochalsh

  241

  Sutherland

  401

  Lothian

  East Lothian

  4,989

  Edinburgh

  15,611

  Midlothian

  4,132

  West Lothian

  4,944

  Strathclyde

  Argyll and Bute

  2,063

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  439

  Clydebank

  2,940

  Clydesdale

  1,849

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  1,143

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  1,881

  Cunninghame

  5,079

  Dumbarton

  2,321

  East Kilbride

  588

  Eastwood

  600

  Glasgow

  25,297

  Hamilton

  5,684

  Inverclyde

  2,875

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  3,588

  Kyle and Carrick

  5,518

  Monklands

  5,586

  Motherwell

  6,351

  Renfrew

  9,027

  Strathkelvin

  3,135

  Tayside

  Angus

  3,681

  Dundee

  8,704

  Perth and Kinross

  4,918

  Islands Councils

  Orkney Islands

  533

  Shetland Islands

  503

  Western Isles

  692

  686

  1 Return outstanding for quarter 2 1993.

  2 Sales from October 1980 to June 1993.

  Milk
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secetary of State for Scotland how many gallons of milk were consumed in Scotland in the most recent year for which figures are available; and how many gallons of milk were produced in Scotland in that year.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: The volume of milk produced and sold through milk marketing schemes in Scotland in 1992 was 1,156 million litres. The volume used for consumption as liquid milk was 662 million litres.

  Meigle Cottage Hospital
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the representations his Department has received regarding the future of Meigle cottage hospital.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: Since March 1991, the Scottish Office Home and Health Department has received 37 letters from 29 individuals regarding the future of Meigle cottage hospital.

  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what details of population growth for the Blairgowrie cottage hospital and the Meigle cottage hospital which were used to determine the hospital needs for both these catchment areas.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: Tayside health board has responsibility to assess the needs of the local population and to obtain appropriate services to meet these needs. In doing so, it takes into account a wide range of factors including predicted changes in the size and composition of the local population. In the particular case of Meigle and Blairgowrie, I understand that the health board used the population projections of the General Registrar's office.

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library the report by the Forestry Commission on the review of access to Forestry Commission woodlands after sale.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: I shall arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library shortly.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Goode Report
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures he proposes to reform the law on pensions in the light of the Goode report.

  Mr. Hague
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 31 January.
  687

  Rhinitis
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he has had with the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council regarding its proposed inquiry into occupational rhinitis; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I wrote to the chairman of the council, on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 23 September 1993, asking the council to consider and advise on whether the present prescription of the prescribed disease D4—inflamation of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory passages or mouth—should be changed and, if the council concludes that it should, for recommendations on revised terms of prescription.

  Housing Benefit
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if a person enrolled on a full-time training course supported by(a) training for work or (b) the European social fund and attending an educational establishment, is eligible for (i) housing benefit or (ii) council tax benefit; how their training allowance is taken into account in assessing the amount of benefit they should receive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  A person attending a full-time training for work course is eligible for housing benefit and council tax benefit, subject to normal rules. The training allowance is taken into account in assessing benefit entitlement, but any payment reimbursing travelling expenses, any training premium and, in certain circumstances, any living away from home allowance is disregarded.

  A person attending a full-time training course supported by the European social fund, which does not fall within the definition of a training allowance, is ineligible for housing benefit and council tax benefit unless he or she is a member of the vulnerable groups, including disabled people and lone parents.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide full details of the arrangements for awarding performance-related pay to staff employed by the Child Support Agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Total cost of DSS proposals for 1993–94 and PES period

  £ million, cash

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  Phasing

  5

  35

  20

  15

  Increase in protected income margins to £30 and 15 per cent.

  5

  35

  50

  60

  Reduction in additional deduction rate

  Negligible

  5

  5

  5

  Reduction of 25 per cent, in the amount of maintenance for caring parent once child 11, and again at 14

  Negligible

  10

  10

  15

  Total cost of proposals

  15

  85

  85

  95

  Effect of rescheduling of work to accommodate implementation of changes

  30

  15

  —

  —

  TOTAL effect of programme costs

  45

  100

  85

  95

  Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest £5 million. Amounts less than £2·5 million are treated as negligible. Totals may not sum because of rounding.
  688
  Mr. Burt
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Warley, West (Mr. Spellar) by the chief executive of the Child Support Agency on 19 January 1994, at column 797.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the estimated reduction in yield to the Child Support Agency arising in a full year from the reduction in extra maintenance payments from 25p in every additional pound of assessable income to 15p and 20p if there are two children;

  (2) what is the estimated reduction in yield in a full year to the Child Support Agency arising from the reduction of one quarter in the care element of the maintenance requirement for a child over 11 years and of a further quarter when the youngest child reaches 14 years;

  (3) what is his estimate of the total sum forgone by the Child Support Agency as a result of the changes to the child support system announced by his Department on 22 December;

  (4) if he will estimate the reduction in yield to the Child Support Agency of the phasing proposals set out in the Child Support (Miscellaneous Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 1994;

  (5) what is the estimated reduction in yield to the Child Support Agency arising in a full year from the increase in the level of protected income above income support from £8 to £30 and the lop in the pound to 15p.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much money he has made available for the cost of the modifications announced on 22 December 1993 to the Child Support Act 1991.

  Mr. Burt
  The estimated costs of the changes to the assessment formula and of the extension to the provisions for phasing in new amounts of maintenance are in the table.

  These estimates are derived using the assumptions about volume of cases, taking account of factors such as time taken, throughput and compliance rates underlying the figures published in the agency's business plan, and do not, at this stage, make any allowance for changes in these variables in response to this package of changes.
  689
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated cost to the Child Support Agency of the withdrawal of the collection fee in cases where maintenance is being paid direct to the parent with care.

  Mr. Burt
  It is not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the cases affected. The number is likely to be small, so it is anticipated that the cost will therefore be minimal.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest estimate of the Child Support Agency's administrative budget for 1993–94 and for the next three financial years.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the table.

  £ million

  1993–94

  120

  1994–95

  135

  1995–96

  136

  Sources:

  1993–94 Winter Supplementary Estimate, November 1993.

  1994–96 DSS Departmental Report 1993.

  Invalidity benefit spells commencing by period

  Period

  Total spells commencing (ii)

  Total spells

  Total spells

  All men

  Per cent.

  All women

  Per cent.

  7 June 1971 to 3 June 1972

  636,000

  526,000

  83

  110,000

  17

  5 June 1972 to 2 June 1973

  416,000

  365,000

  88

  51,000

  12

  4 June 1973 to 1 June 1974

  453,000

  400,000

  88

  53,000

  12

  3 June 1974 to 31 May 1975

  459,000

  403,000

  88

  56,000

  12

  1 September 1975 to 6 June 1976

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  7 June 1976 to 4 June 1977

  520,000

  440,000

  85

  79,000

  15

  6 June 1977 to 3 June 1978

  562,000

  473,000

  84

  89,000

  16

  5 June 1978 to 2 June 1979

  621,000

  518,000

  83

  103,000

  17

  4 June 1979 to 31 May 1980

  543,000

  439,000

  81

  103,000

  19

  2 June 1980 to 30 May 1981

  365,000

  283,000

  78

  81,000

  22

  1 June 1981 to 29 May 1982

  303,000

  229,000

  76

  74,000

  24

  5 April 1982 to 2 April 1983

  305,000

  225,000

  74

  80,000

  26

  4 April 1983 to 31 March 1984

  278,000

  205,000

  74

  72,000

  26

  2 April 1984 to 30 March 1985

  272,000

  199,000

  73

  73,000

  27

  1 April 1985 to 5 April 1986

  285,000

  207,000

  73

  78,000

  27

  7 April 1986 to 4 April 1987

  284,000

  202,000

  71

  83,000

  29

  6 April 1987 to 2 April 1988

  282,000

  201,000

  71

  81,000

  29

  4 April 1988 to 1 April 1989

  280,000

  199,000

  71

  81,000

  29

  3 April 1989 to 31 March 1990

  284,000

  208,000

  73

  76,000

  27

  2 April 1990 to 30 March 1991

  288,000

  204,000

  71

  83,000

  29

  1 April 1991 to 4 April 1992

  323,000

  233,000

  72

  90,000

  28

  Notes:

  (i) All figures are for Great Britain and are based on a 2·5 per cent. sample up to 1974–75; a 2 per cent. sample up to 1977–78; and a 1 per cent. sample thereafter. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand and percentages are rounded to the nearest whole per cent.

  (ii) May include two or more spells commencing for the same person.

  (iii) Figures include spells where benefit is not paid because of entitlement to overlapping benefits.

  (ix) There are no figures available for 1975–76 as this was an incomplete statistical year.

  Invalidity Pension
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to make to people whose entitlement to earnings-related invalidity pension based on contributions paid since 1978 is to be abolished will receive a refund of the contributions proportionate to the reduction in benefit.
  690
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the Child Support Agency will be publishing an annual report; and how the public will be able to obtain it.

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

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Hugh Bayley, dated 31 January 1994:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Child Support Agency's annual report.
  As stated in its Business Plan for 1993–94, the Agency intends to publish an Annual Report in the summer of 1994. Copies will be placed in the Library of the House, and will also be available from the Agency's headquarters at Millbank Tower.
  I hope you find this letter helpful.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the number of successful claims for invalidity benefit for each year since inception of the scheme broken down by sex; and what proportion of claims by each sex represented the total.

  Mr. Scott
  National insurance contributions correctly paid at the time of payment are not refundable. We have no plans to change this position.
  691

  Social Fund Loans
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families were refused loans from the social fund because they were too poor to repay them or because they were considered of insufficient priority within the budget.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. General information on refused loan applications is published in my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State's annual report on the social fund for 1992–93, which is in the Library.

  Hearing Loss
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many representations he has received on the increasing of minimum assessment to 20 per cent. in cases of hearing loss among ex-service men; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many representations he has received from associations representing ex-service men and women on the proposed increase to 20 per cent. of the minimum assessment figure of those suffering from hearing loss; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  Information is not available on how many further representations have been made since the change became effective.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of ex-service men and women receiving war service and disability pensions suffer from hearing defects; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Benefits (Calculation)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to reduce the nominal amount of income assumed on savings for calculation of benefits.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 16 December, at column 837.

  Bronchitis and Emphysema (Compensation)
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will extend the recent arrangements to compensate former mineworkers who suffer from severe bronchitis and emphysema as a result of their employment to make similar provision for workers in the steel industry who suffer from these diseases as a result of the conditions of their employment.

  Mr. Scott
  We have no such plans. The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council concluded in its report "Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema", Cm 2091, that, on present evidence, it could not recommend prescription of the diseases in relation to metal production workers.

  Income Support Personal Allowance
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if a step-child living with a parent with care is taken into account for the purposes of deciding if the absent parent's liability for the income support personal allowance is reduced to 50 per cent.
  692
  Mr. Burt
  No.

  Child Support Act 1991
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate how much it will cost to implement the modifications announced on 22 December 1993 to the Child Support Act 1991.

  Mr. Burt
  The final cost of implementing the changes is difficult to estimate as the impact extends over several years, until all phasing cases are dealt with. Initial indications suggest that the total work involved would cost in the region of £3 million, which it is intended to absorb within current estimates.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the cost of the modifications announced on 22 December 1993 to the Child Support Act is being made available from the budget for(a) 1993–94 or (b) 1994–95.

  Mr. Burt
  The changes will have some effect on expenditure in the current financial year: this will be met from the Reserve and will not add to the planned total of public expenditure. A supplementary estimate will be sought shortly. The main financial impact of the changes will be in 1994–95 and subsequent years.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) whether the assessment forms issued to absent parents under the terms of the Child Support Act 1991 indicate that any information disclosed in the assessment forms will be disclosed to the other parties directly involved in that assessment;

  (2) whether the assessment forms issued to absent parents under the terms of the Child Support Act 1991 indicate that any information disclosed in the form is confidential and for the use of the Child Support Agency only.

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

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 31 January 1994:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security requesting information about the maintenance enquiry forms used by the Child Support Agency.
  When the Agency takes on a case, the absent parent is sent a maintenace enquiry pack. In this pack, the absent parent is advised that, as part of the Department of Social Security, the Agency is bound by very strict rules of confidentiality. The pack also makes clear that, unless ordered to do so by Court Order, the Agency will not normally disclose an address or telephone number to the other party without the absent parent's specific permission.
  In addition, the Child Support Agency Charter states that, like the courts, the Agency is required by law to let both parents know what financial information was used to make the maintenance assessment.
  I hope that you find this reply useful.

  Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many employees were judged to be guilty of fraud in his Department in each year since 1989; and how many were dismissed;
  693
  (2) what is his Department's policy for dealing with employees found guilty of fraud.

  Mr. Hague
  Allegations of internal fraud are investigated under the Department's disciplinary procedures. Where an employee is considered, on the balance of probabilities, to have committed such an offence, dismissal would be appropriate.

  Since 1989, a total of 68 officers have been dismissed in such circumstances or have resigned during the course of an investigation. The yearly breakdown is as follows:

  Number

  1989

  9

  1990

  6

  1991

  13

  1992

  18

  1993

  21

  1994 to date

  1

  Pensions
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 17 January,Official Report, columns 424–25, if he will list the organisations and individuals which have been issued with a copy of the consultation document on age-related benefits.

  Mr. Hague
  [pursuant to his reply, 24 January 1994, columns 20–22]: The following organisation also received copies of the consultation document on age-related rebates: Confederation of British Industry.

  Industrial Injury Claims
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what amount was recovered, under section 22 of the Social Security Act 1989, from the damages paid to victims of industrial injury for Durham for each year since 1989.

  Mr. Scott
  This is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Gerry Steinberg, dated 31 January 1994:

  September 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  April 1992 to March 1993

  April 1993 to December 1993

  Number of benefit claimants who have repaid benefits to the CRU

  3,390

  19,181

  44,398

  25,888

  Sum of money recouped by the CRU from benefit claimants

  £3·6 million

  £25·4 million

  £51·3 million

  £56 million

  I hope my reply has been helpful.

  Pensioners (Benefits)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give his Department's estimate of the number of people in receipt of state old-age pensions who are also in receipt of(a) housing benefit and (b) income support for each year since 1980; and what he estimates the figure will be for 1994–95.
  694
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking about the amount recovered, under Section 22 of the Social Security Act 1989, from damages paid to victims of industrial injury in Durham since 1989.
  Firstly, I should explain that the information is not available in the precise format requested. This is because information held is by Benefits Agency (BA) Districts whose boundaries do not correspond exactly with those of counties. I have, however, provide below information relating to the BA Districts of North and South Durham which most closely cover the Durham area.
  The Recovery Scheme did not begin to operate until September 1990 and the amount recovered for the period September 1990 to March 1991 is £862·00
  From April 1991 to March 1992 the amount was in the region of £30,000; from April 1992 to March 1993 it was £558,000.
  The total amount recouped for the period April 1993 to the latest date that figures are available, December 1993, is in the region of £733,000.
  I hope this reply is helpful.

  Compensation Payments
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the total number of benefits claimants who have been awarded compensation for injury or disease and who have repaid benefits to the compensation recovery unit under the Social Security Act 1990, in each year since 1990;

  (2) what was the total sum of money claimed back under the Social Security Act 1990 by the compensation recovery unit from benefit claimants who have been awarded compensation for injury or disease in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Scott
  This is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. John Denham, dated 31 January 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking about the numbers of benefit claimants who have been awarded compensation for injury or disease and have repaid benefits to Compensation Recovery Unit in each year since 1990; and the total recovered in these cases.
  I have provided the information you require in the table below. It should be noted, however, that figures are only available from the Recovery Scheme's inception in September 1990 up to December 1993, the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Burt
  The available information is in the table.

  Estimated number (000s) of cases where state retirement pension is received

  Year

  With housing benefit only

  With both housing benefit and income support

  With income support only

  1988

  1,040

  920

  692

  1989

  1,070

  810

  538

  1990

  1,051

  788

  629

  1991

  1,048

  682

  620

  1992

  1,049

  626

  721

  695
  Sources:

  Income Support Statistics Annual Enquiries May 1988 to May 1992.

  Housing Benefit Statistics Annual Eqnuiries May 1988 to May 1992.

  Notes:

  1. Average figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand and are per benefit unit and not per individual. A benefit unit may be a single person or a couple.

  2. For all years, Housing Benefit has been defined as rent rebate and rent allowance.

  3. The Income Support scheme was not introduced until April 1988; Housing Benefit information prior to this date in the form requested is not held.

  4. There will be an element of double counting in the 1988 figure for those on Income Support only, as this includes both claimants and partners where both are in receipt of a state Retirement Pension.

  5. Estimates for 1993–94 and projected figures for 1994–95 are not available.

  Pension Schemes
  Mr. Jeremy Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is his estimate of the payments per employed worker into occupational or private pensions schemes for each year since 1980; and what he estimates the figure will be for 1994–95.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is in the table. Estimates for 1994–95 are not available.
  696

  Year

  Workforce1 (millions)

  Aggregate payments2 (£ billions)

  Payments per employed worker (£)

  1980

  25·301

  13,350

  527·60

  1981

  24·323

  16,490

  677·90

  1982

  23·888

  16,954

  709·73

  1983

  23·595

  17,763

  752·80

  1984

  24·051

  18,542

  770·90

  1985

  24·354

  19,059

  782·60

  1986

  24·354

  19,540

  803·00

  1987

  24·774

  20,304

  819·60

  1988

  25·580

  21,401

  836·60

  1989

  26·231

  24,537

  935·40

  1990

  26·514

  25,289

  953·80

  1991

  25·691

  28,294

  1,103·30

  1992

  25·119

  29,152

  1,160·60

  1 Size of the employed workforce in June of each year, 1980 to 1992 (United Kingdom seasonally adjusted to include those in full-time and part-time employment, self-employment, and the armed forces).

  2 Aggregate payments into occupational and personal pensions by employees and employers at current prices. The information relates only to current payments into occupational or personal pensions by both employers and employees. The data does not give a full picture of total pension rights being accrued as these will continue to increase during any contribution holidays.