Written Answers of 2 February 1994

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Supergrass Evidence
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the use of supergrass evidence in securing the conviction of terrorist suspects.

  Sir John Wheeler
  There are no cases currently pending which would result in the reintroduction of so-called "supergrass trials". If the police in Northern Ireland should come across accomplice evidence that could be used to assist in the prosecution of individuals who have committed acts of terrorism it is, however, right and proper for the Director of Public Prosecutions to consider the use of that evidence in any subsequent proceedings.

  Training and Employment Agency
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was the cost per job outcome delivered by the Training and Employment Agency in 1992–93;

  (2) what was the cost per non-vocational qualification delivery by the Training and Employment Agency in 1992–93.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  Responsibility for the subject matter in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. J. S. Crozier. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from J. S. Crozier to Mr. Andrew Hunter, dated 2 February 1994:

  Parliamentary questions Nos. 84 & 91:
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me to reply to your questions about the cost per job outcome delivered by the Training & Employment Agency (No. 84) and the cost per non-vocational qualification delivery by the Training & Employment Agency (No. 91).

  Question No. 84
  I set out below the average programme cost per job outcome associated with the various Agency services and programmes. All figures relate to 1992/93.

  Placements into employment
  The Agency was able to place 33,590 people into jobs advertised through its local offices. The average cost was £56 per placing.

  Action for Community Employment
  The average cost per place on the Action for Community Employment (ACE) programme, which provides temporary employment opportunities for long-term unemployed adults, was £5,277.

  Training programmes and qualifications
  The Agency's main training programmes are the Youth Training Programme (YTP) and the Job Training Programme (JTP). The main aim of the Agency's training programmes is to provide participants with training leading to qualifications. This is fully reflected in the Agency's targets. While the objective of
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  training is to assist people to find employment, job availability on the Northern Ireland labour market is an ever-present constraint. The Agency's response to this constraint is to push for better qualifications to enhance job opportunities.

  Youth Training Programme
  The average cost per job outcome of the YTP is £9,190. This average relates to training providers in the Community. Employer-led and Further Education sectors. The programme guarantees young people under 18 two years full-time training with work experience or employment.

  Training Centres
  The average cost per job outcome for young people attending Training Centres is £10,926. The Centres provide training mainly leading to NVQ Level 3 and above.

  Job Training Programme
  The average cost per job outcome of the JTP is £7,901. This one-year programme is designed to help unemployed adults to improve their job prospects.

  Costs per job outcome: comment
  The number of jobs used to arrive at the above average costs per job is derived from the first destinations of trainees after leaving the YTP and JTP programmes. Relating expenditure on these programmes to immediate job outcomes can only partially reflect the worthwhileness of the training. We cannot take account of how successful trainees will subsequently be in obtaining employment.

  Question No. 91

  Non-Vocational Qualifications
  You also inquired about the cost of non-vocational qualifications delivered by the Agency. Non-vocational qualifications form an insignificant part of the Agency's overall programme delivery which is almost exclusively vocational. It is not therefore possible to segregate out the costs attributable to non-vocational qualifications.

  Less-favoured Areas
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cattle and sheep farms are wholly or mainly in the less-favoured areas.

  Mr. Ancram
  In the Northern Ireland agricultural census, a farm is classified to the less-favoured area if any of the land which is owned by the farmer is within that area. Any land which the farmer may take under the short-term leasing system known as conacre is disregarded.

  On this definition, there were 15,279 cattle and sheep farms in the LFA at the June 1992 agricultural census and 15,241 in 1993. In each year, the figure includes an estimated 600 to 700 farms with less than half their owned land in the LFA.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the total subsidy to be paid on cattle and sheep in the less-favoured areas in 1994.

  Mr. Ancram
  The total subsidy to be paid on cattle and sheep in the less-favoured areas in Northern Ireland under the suckler cow premium, sheep annual premium and hill livestock compensatory allowance scheme is estimated to be at least £70 million in 1994.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Magistrates Courts Committees
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals his Department has for magistrates courts committees and the employment of their staff as set out in the Police and Magistrates' Courts Bill[Lords].

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor has considered carefully the points raised during the debate on
  699
  the House of Lords Second Reading of the Police and Magistrates' Courts Bill, and in particular the fears that the Bill's provisions could give central Government an inappropriate level of control over the management of the magistrates court service and may undermine the independence of the advice received by magistrates when dealing with individual cases. The Lord Chancellor has also, since the Second Reading debate, met representatives of the Magistrates Association, the Central Council of Magistrates Courts Committees, the Justices' Clerks Society, the Association of Magisterial Officers, and the Standing Conference of Clerks to Magistrates Courts Committees.

  The Government are entirely committed to a locally managed magistrates courts service and to the protection of the judicial independence of the magistracy. We do not believe that these principles are in any way undermined by the Bill. However, in order to place these matters beyond doubt, the Lord Chancellor will table amendments to the Bill at the Lords Committee stage.

  The effect of these amendments will be:

  (a) that the chairman of a magistrates courts committee would be appointed by members of the committee without requiring the approval of the Lord Chancellor;

  (b) that the terms of the contract of employment between chief justices' clerks or justices' clerks and their magistrates court committees should be left entirely to local discretion. The Lord Chancellor would accordingly have no power to require that contracts be for a fixed term or that remuneration be related to performance;

  (c) the renewal of appointments as a chief justices' clerk or justices' clerk would not require the approval of the Lord Chancellor.

NATIONAL FINANCE

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

  Mr. Nelson
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has no plans to buy or borrow photographs.

  Paintings and Photographs
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) paintings and (b) photographs there are on the walls of his rooms.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has 13 paintings and no photographs on the walls of his rooms in the Treasury.

  National Average Income
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what statistics he bases his calculation of the national average income.

  Mr. Nelson
  National accounts estimates are derived from a wide variety of statistics collected by the Central Statistical Office, other Government Departments and other organisations. Details are given in"United Kingdom National Accounts: Sources and Methods", which is available in the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how often during the course of a year the official national average income is recalculated.
  700
  Mr. Nelson
  Quarterly national accounts, including revisions, are published four times each year, in March, June, September and December.

  Budget Consultation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the meetings he has had with hon. Members to discuss representations by their constituents during the Budget consultation process.

  Mr. Dorrell
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor and his ministerial colleagues held a large number of formal and informal meetings with hon. Members in advance of the Budget, at which they had an opportunity to make representations on behalf of their constituents. In addition, Treasury Ministers received and considered a substantial body of correspondence about the Budget from hon. Members on behalf of their constituents.

  Public Sector Pay
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which particular areas of public sector employment(a) are and (b) are not covered by the recommendation that public sector pay bills should not increase.

  Mr. Portillo
  As my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his statement of 14 September 1993 and confirmed in the Financial Statement and Budget Report, in 1994–95 Government Departments will be expected to keep their running costs, including pay budgets, to their 1993–94 level in cash terms, except where, there are significant changes in activity. This is not a freeze on pay settlements and does not pre-empt forthcoming pay negotiations. However, pay increases will need to be funded by efficiency improvements. The Government expect a similar approach to be applied to all other public sector pay groups.

  Departmental Interest Payments
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what are the consequences of the decision in Esso Petroleum Company Limited v. Ministry of Defence for the tax treatment of interest paid by Government Departments.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The effect of this decision is that the provisions of schedule C of the Taxes Acts apply only to interest on Government securities and do not extend to other types of interest payments made by Government Departments. In accordance with this view, payments of interest, other than on Government securities, made by Government Departments after the decision, have not been subject to deduction of tax at source under schedule C. In the light of legal advice, the Inland Revenue and the Government Departments concerned are not taking any steps to seek out, nor make further payments to, the recipients of earlier payments of interest. An Inland Revenue press release which is being issued today provides further details; a copy has been placed in the Library.

  Mortgage Interest Relief
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rise in the basic rate of income tax a household on average income with an average mortgage would have to pay in 1994–95 and 1995–96 to yield the equivalent of the
  701
  reduction in their mortgage interest relief resulting from measures announced in the March and November 1993 Budgets.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 26 January 1994]: The cost of the reduction in mortgage interest relief will be £115·50 a year in 1994–95 and a further £115·50 a year in 1995–96 for individual taxpayers in the category described. A person with an average mortgage is benefiting by £1,920 a year as a result of the reduction in interest rates since 1990. It is not sensible to try to make the comparison with other tax rates that the question invites.

  Earnings
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update to April 1994 the information on net earnings provided in his answer to the hon. Member for Fulham (Mr. Carrington) of 10 February 1987,Official Report, columns 177–78.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: Estimates of the levels of earnings for the top 5 per cent. of earners are not published. The information in the table is based on estimates of these levels derived from distributions of earnings published in the relevant New Earnings Survey for April 1993. Earnings levels are for men or women as appropriate paid at adult rates with pay unaffected by absence. Taxpayers are assumed to have no reliefs or allowances other than the appropriate personal allowance.

  Earnings after Income Tax, National Insurance Contributions1 and Child Benefit, April 1993

  £ per week

  Single man

  485·80

  Married man

  499·00

  Married man with two children under 11

  517·10

  Single woman

  335·30

  1 At the contracted-in rate.

  Taxation
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 20 January,Official Report, column 777, on tax liability by region, if he will provide comparable information for total tax liability by quartile group in each region.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: Available information on the annual reduction in income tax liability by region for the years 1989–90 to 1991–92, compared with the 1978–79 indexed regime is given in the tables. The 1978–79 regime has been indexed by reference to the statutory formula and allowing for independent taxation for 1990–91 and 1991–92. For 1989–90 married couples are counted as one unit. For the purposes of these calculations the indexed regime of 1978–79 is applied directly to the later income base. In practice, retention of the regime, indexed as appropriate, for the intervening years would have led to changes in the income base. In view of the length of the tables, I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Members' Library.
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PRIME MINISTER

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister when the press release accompanying his speech launching Her Majesty's Government's sustainable development strategy at the Banqueting house on 25 January was made available to hon. Members.

  The Prime Minister
  The press release was delivered to the House of Commons Library on 25 January.

  THORP
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if the latest round of Anglo-Irish talks in Dublin covered the security implications for Northern Ireland and the Republic of plans for increased nuclear reprocessing at Sellafield.

  The Prime Minister
  A communiqué was released after the intergovernmental conference and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. Otherwise details of matters discussed at the intergovernmental conference are confidential between the two Governments.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister what further information Her Majesty's Government have officially been asked to supply to the European Commission, pursuant to complaint No. P4695/92 regarding the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield; and what is the timetable for complying with the request.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: The United Kingdom has recently received an informal inquiry from the European Commission. It is the convention that the contents of such correspondence between member states and the Commission are treated in confidence.

  Regional Airports
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has had from the chief executive of Manchester Airport plc in regard to liberalising access to regional airports; what reply he is sending; what action he will take; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received a letter from the chief executive. A reply will be sent as soon as possible.

  Councils of Ministers
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East of 17 January,Official Report, columns 366–67, if he will deposit in the Library videos and transcripts of the televised Councils of Ministers.

  The Prime Minister
  Yes. Videos, dubbed in English where English was not used in the Council, and verbatim records, in the original languages only, are available for televised sessions of Council meetings and will be placed in the Library.

  Interactive Telephone Services Group
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the appointment as chairman of the Interactive Telephone Services Group of the right hon.
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  Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) in respect of the terms of paragraph 105 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers"; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no information which would lead me to believe that this appointment contravenes paragraph 105.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  National Alliance of Women's Organisations
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what core funding he is providing for the National Alliance of Women's Organisations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Insufficient resources are available in 1994–95 to core-fund the National Alliance of Women's Organisations.

  European Elections
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ensure that students of other European Union states studying in the United Kingdom are able to vote in the European elections in June.

  Mr. Maclean
  Students from other member states of the Community will be eligible to apply to be included in the electoral register on the same basis as other Community nationals once Parliament has given its approval to the regulations to extend the franchise.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to launch the advertising campaign relating to the rights of European Union citizens resident in the United Kingdom to vote in the European elections in June.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information about the arrangements for exercising the rights of Community nationals to vote and to stand as a candidate at European parliamentary elections will be distributed once Parliament has approved the regulations to give effect to those rights.

  Community Charge
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 13 January,Official Report, column 275, relating to imprisonment for non-payment of outstanding community charge, if he will now publish the table to which reference was made.

  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 Walley, dated 2 February 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking pursuant to his answer on 13 January, Official Report, column 275, relating to imprisonment for non-payment of outstanding community charge, if he will now publish the table to which reference was made.
  The information you have requested is given in the attached table.
  704

  Receptions into prison service establishments in England and Wales for non-payment of community charge1 April-October 1993

  Month

  Number

  April

  25

  May

  28

  June

  21

  July

  36

  August

  35

  September

  27

  October

  35

  Total

  207

  1 Includes small numbers recorded as non-payment of rates.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, column 150, if he will outline the particular qualifications, expertise or experience relating to his departmental responsibilities of each special adviser listed.

  Mr. Howard
  It is not my practice to comment on the qualifications, expertise or experience of my Department's special advisers.

  Probation and Bail Hostels
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the need for places in probation and bail hostels.

  Mr. Maclean
  Before concluding that 10 per cent. of approved hostel capacity should be reduced, I took account of a number of factors, including the need for places as reflected in levels of occupancy and the cost of maintaining those places to an acceptable standard.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what level of occupancy is assumed in the development of funding allocations to probation and bail hostels.

  Mr. Maclean
  The revenue grant funding formula for approved hostels assumes a normal minimum occupancy level of 80 per cent., which may be temporarily reduced in individual cases of newly opened hostels or hostels being refurbished.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whom he has consulted about his proposals to close 11 probation and bail hostels.

  Mr. Maclean
  The chief probation officers and managing committees whose hostels were affected were notified on 1 December of our closure proposals and given the opportunity to comment.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of stay in probation and bail hostels.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is not readily available in the form requested.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide occupancy figures for
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  each probation and bail hostel in each region of the country for each of the last four quarters for which figures are available.

  Mr. Maclean
  This information is not readily available in the form requested. The occupancy figures for each probation and bail hostel for September 1993, the most recent month available, and for April 1992 to March 1993 as a whole, are as follows:

  Average occupancy in approved hostels

  Area and hostel

  1992–93 (per cent.)

  September 1993 (per cent.)

  Avon

  Ashley House

  71

  75

  Brigstocke Road

  64

  80

  Bridge House

  68

  84

  Bedfordshire

  Bedford Bail

  43

  41

  Napier Road

  68

  60

  Berkshire

  Manor Lodge

  43

  53

  Elizabeth Fry

  53

  47

  St. Leonards

  48

  46

  Wellesley House

  52

  58

  Buckinghamshire

  Milton Keynes

  74

  84

  Cambridgeshire

  Peterborough

  70

  78

  Cheshire

  Bewsey Street

  66

  91

  Bunbury House

  60

  64

  Linden Bank

  79

  70

  Cleveland

  The Crescent

  59

  38

  South Bank

  72

  59

  Cornwall

  Meneghy House

  62

  58

  Cumbria

  Bowling Green

  59

  69

  Derbyshire

  Burden Lodge

  51

  79

  Devon

  Lawson House

  —

  59

  Dudley Centre

  43

  52

  Dorset

  Bournemouth

  68

  47

  Weston

  61

  86

  Durham

  Fir Tree Grange

  40

  50

  East Sussex

  Brighton

  50

  75

  Essex

  Windyridge

  60

  38

  Basildon

  65

  55

  Gloucestershire

  Ryecroft

  39

  76

  Greater Manchester

  Hopwood House

  72

  70

  Wilton Place

  70

  85

  Chorlton

  65

  67

  Withington Road

  68

  69

  706

  Area and hostel

  1992–93 (per cent.)

  September 1993 (per cent.)

  Ascot House

  59

  80

  Parkfield

  42

  —

  Bradshaw House

  52

  64

  St. Josephs

  68

  74

  Hampshire

  Southampton Bail

  52

  77

  Carlisle House

  60

  —

  Dickson House

  48

  68

  The Grange

  55

  64

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  Braley House

  68

  88

  Hertfordshire

  St. Albans

  45

  67

  Humberside

  Queens Road

  55

  54

  Inner London

  St. Edmunds

  42

  64

  KPH

  84

  95

  Ellison House

  53

  70

  Tulse Hill

  59

  51

  St. Vincents

  46

  48

  St. Mungos

  62

  84

  Bedford/Shenley

  64

  66

  Kelley House

  48

  68

  Canadian Avenue

  82

  89

  West Park

  57

  78

  Camden House

  35

  71

  Kent

  Hollywood Manor

  57

  —

  Fleming House

  67

  78

  Dover Bail

  57

  45

  Lancashire

  Highfield House

  75

  65

  Blackburn

  74

  41

  Hoole House

  68

  76

  Leicestershire

  Charnwood Lodge

  59

  85

  Kirk Lodge

  47

  75

  Howard House

  73

  78

  Lincolnshire

  Wordsworth House

  70

  70

  Merseyside

  Southwood

  75

  82

  Merseybank

  42

  74

  Canning House

  64

  58

  Adelaide House

  54

  54

  Middlesex

  Corfton Road

  44

  83

  Seafield Lodge

  67

  88

  North East London

  Westbourne

  73

  74

  Norfolk

  John Boag

  74

  70

  Northamptonshire

  Bridgewood

  72

  83

  Stone House

  69

  36

  Northumbria

  Ozanam House

  66

  82

  St. Christophers

  48

  90

  Pennywell

  74

  76

  Cuthbert House

  73

  87

  707

  Area and hostel

  1992–95 (per cent.)

  September 1993 (per cent.)

  North Wales

  Plas-y-wern

  96

  94

  Ty Newydd

  94

  87

  Nottinghamshire

  Astral Grove

  64

  79

  Southwell

  57

  81

  Trent House

  50

  70

  Oxfordshire

  Abingdon Road

  74

  43

  Clark's House

  72

  73

  Somerset

  Glogan House

  69

  54

  South East London

  Beckenham Road

  54

  85

  South Glamorgan

  Mandeville House

  31

  63

  South West London

  Kew

  52

  87

  South Yorkshire

  Rookwood

  61

  56

  Norfolk Park

  67

  52

  Centre 45

  86

  81

  Town Moor

  72

  53

  Staffordshire

  Wenger House

  65

  82

  Stafford Bail

  65

  81

  Suffolk

  Lightfoot House

  61

  55

  The Cottage

  75

  85

  Surrey

  St. Catherines

  58

  60

  Warwickshire

  McIntyre House

  80

  90

  Kenilworth Road

  49

  71

  West Glamorgan

  Emroch House

  81

  90

  West Midlands

  Sycamore Lodge

  77

  75

  Crowley House

  46

  61

  Bilston

  94

  98

  Stoke Green

  79

  68

  Stonnall Road

  1—

  96

  Welford House

  69

  64

  Marshall House

  86

  91

  Carpenter House

  81

  81

  West Yorkshire

  Howden House

  79

  78

  Walmer Villas

  78

  86

  Albion Street

  33

  85

  Ripon House

  76

  91

  Elm Bank

  90

  80

  St. Johns

  78

  94

  Cardigan House

  69

  91

  1 Denotes hostel which is either closed or has yet to be opened.

  708

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

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

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

  Mr. Howard
  There are five paintings and one print on the walls of my office and five photographic reproductions of paintings on the walls of the ministerial conference room. They are all part of the Government art collection. There are no photographs on the walls of either room.

  Reoffending Rate
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the reoffending rate for convicted persons leaving probation hostels.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is not available.

  Police (Child Maintenance)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in relation to the numbers of police officers threatened with termination of their careers due to indebtedness resulting from assessments of liability as absent parents by the Child Support Agency.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Some Members of Parliament have written to Home Office Ministers on behalf of their constituents about the Child Support Agency's dealings with police officers. They have been informed that the Department of Social Security has responsibility for the Child Support Agency and that it would be for a police officer's senior officer to decide whether and, if so, what management action was appropriate in response to the officer's indebtedness.

  Offenders, Newham
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what percentage of offenders appearing before the courts in the borough of Newham were aged under 21 years in each year since 1988;

  (2) what percentage of offenders appearing before the courts in the borough of Newham were unemployed in each year since 1988.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information is not collected centrally on the employment status of defendants appearing before the courts. The table shows the number and percentage of offenders by age convicted at the Stratford and West Ham petty sessional divisions and at the Crown court who were committed by the above two petty sessional divisions 1988 to 1992. Information on cautioning is available only for police force areas.
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  Number and percentage of offenders aged under 21 and all ages found guilty at Stratford and West Ham petty sessional divisions and at the Crown Court by committing Stratford and West Ham petty sessional divisions and type of offence 1988–92

  Stratford

  West Ham

  Under 21

  All Ages

  Under 21

  All Ages

  Year/Type of offence

  Number

  Per cent.

  (=100 per cent.)

  Number

  Per cent.

  (=100 per cent.)

  1988

  Indictable offences

  345

  47

  728

  346

  33

  1,048

  Summary non-motoring offences

  177

  12

  1,528

  86

  28

  311

  Summary motoring offences

  62

  11

  573

  77

  11

  689

  All offences

  584

  21

  2,829

  509

  25

  2,048

  1989

  Indictable offences

  373

  47

  802

  165

  29

  561

  Summary non-motoring offences

  323

  19

  1,657

  51

  19

  275

  Summary motoring offences

  79

  10

  761

  45

  15

  292

  All offences

  775

  24

  3,220

  261

  23

  1,128

  1990

  Indictable offences

  138

  37

  369

  269

  28

  957

  Summary non-motoring offences

  123

  15

  832

  169

  10

  1,730

  Summary motoring offences

  33

  13

  258

  70

  9

  777

  All offences

  294

  20

  1,459

  608

  18

  3,464

  1991

  Indictable offences

  80

  39

  207

  296

  27

  1,096

  Summary non-motoring offences

  55

  6

  937

  111

  18

  633

  Summary motoring offences

  64

  6

  1,029

  82

  11

  714

  All offences

  199

  9

  2,173

  489

  20

  2,443

  1992

  Indictable offences

  168

  34

  492

  165

  24

  681

  Summary non-motoring offences

  93

  6

  1,656

  66

  19

  347

  Summary motoring offences

  106

  6

  1,757

  41

  11

  381

  All offences

  367

  9

  3,905

  272

  19

  1,409

  Ms Gillian Taylforth
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Metropolitan Commissioner on the manner in which information which was the subject of the Taylforth/Knight libel action was made available by the police to aSun reporter in the first instance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I understand from the Commissioner that the Sun did not obtain this information from the police in the first instance.

  Electoral Register
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how his Department measures the accuracy of the electoral register.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys provides an annual comparison of parliamentary electorates with corresponding estimates of the resident population in the publication "Electoral Statistics (Series EL)", copies of which are in the Library. In addition, following the 1991 census, OPCS conducted research on behalf of the Home Office and the Scottish Office to check the coverage and quality of the 1991 electoral register. Copies of the survey, "Electoral Registration in 1991", are also in the Library.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought 710
  each year since 1978 by each local authority against individuals failing to complete electoral registration forms; and what percentage of the total number of registrations in each authority this represents.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information given in the table shows the number of prosecutions for failing to complete electoral registration forms for the years 1979 to 1989 by petty sessional division within police force areas. The prosecuting local authority cannot be identified from the centrally collected records. Data for 1978 and 1990 to 1992 are not available.

  Data on the total number of electors included in the register in each local authority area can be found in the annual OPCS publication "Electoral Statistics Series EL", published by HMSO, copies of which can be found in the Library.

  Number of prosecutions for failing to complete electoral registration forms by Petty Sessional Division within Police Force Areas 1979–89

  Year and PFA/PSD

  Prosecutions

  1979

  nil

  1980

  nil

  1981

  Hampshire/Basingstoke

  2

  Suffolk/Mildenhall

  1

  South Yorkshire/Doncaster

  1

  England and Wales

  4

  1982

  nil

  1983

  711

  Year and PFA/PSD

  Prosecutions

  Essex—Rochford

  3

  Essex—Southend on Sea

  1

  England and Wales

  4

  1984

  Bedfordshire/Biggleswade

  2

  Essex/Rochford

  4

  Hampshire/Basingstoke

  2

  Norfolk/Cromer

  2

  England and Wales

  10

  1985

  Northamptonshire/Oundle and Thropston

  1

  England and Wales

  1

  1986

  nil

  1987

  Derbyshire/Chesterfield

  4

  Essex/Rochford

  5

  Hampshire/Winchester

  1

  Wiltshire/Marlborough

  2

  England and Wales

  12

  1988

  Bedfordshire/Leighton Buzzard

  1

  Essex/Rochford

  2

  England and Wales

  3

  1989

  Hampshire/Alton

  3

  Hampshire/Basingstoke

  4

  Hampshire/Petersfield

  1

  Leicestershire/Loughborough

  2

  Suffolk/Newmarket

  3

  England and Wales

  13

  Police Authorities
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about his proposals for the constitution of police authorities, as set out in the Police and Magistrates' Courts Bill[Lords].

  Mr. Howard
  I have considered carefully the concerns expressed on Second Reading in another place.

  The Government want to put beyond doubt their intention that the new police authorities should be indpendent. The Government will therefore table amendments to the Bill in another place, as soon as possible.

  The effect of these amendments will be:

  (i) that the chairman of a police authority would be appointed by the members of the authority. We propose that, as now, they should be required to select the chairman annually.

  (ii) the independent members of police authorities will be appointed according to a procedure on the lines of that set out in my reply to the hon. and learned Member for Burton on 17 January, columns 375–77. But the Bill will be amended to provide a statutory basis for the independent selection procedure, and the scheme under which the statutory procedure will operate will be subject to a parliamentary oversight;

  (iii) there will be a power for the Home Secretary to increase the number of members of police authorities in specific cases where in all the circumstances it seems
  712
  appropriate to do so. Where the number of members exceeds 16, one half will be councillors and not more than one third will be independent members.

  Prisons (Sanitation)
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made towards providing prisoners with 24-hour access to sanitation.

  Mr. Michael Howard
  The target for the Prison Service for 1993–94 is to provide through the accelerated sanitation programme 24-hour access to sanitation in at least 4,700 existing prison places. In addition a further 2,400 newly constructed and renovated places, which will have integral sanitation, are scheduled for completion in the year. Eighty-nine per cent. of prisoners currently have 24-hour access to sanitation. This compares with 82 per cent. in March 1993 and 46 per cent. in 1981.

  By the end of 1994, more than 95 per cent. of prisoners should have access to sanitation at all times, a considerable achievement and one of the key measures of progress in providing decent conditions for all prisoners. The other main measure is the reduction of overcrowding and avoidance of the use of police cells. The percentage of prisoners sharing cells designed for one has been reduced from 38 per cent. in 1987–88 to 16 per cent. at the end of 1993. There has been no significant use of police cells since February 1993. These achievements have been possible as a result of the major prison building programme which has added over 18,000 new places since 1979.

  In the face of the forecast increase in the prison population, resources are being directed to providing additional places and the amount of accommodation that it was planned to take out of use for refurbishment during the next two years has been reduced. Although this will preclude completion of the sanitation programme by December 1994, the alternative would have been a return to the prolonged use of police cells and an unacceptable level of overcrowding.

  The Prison Service continues to give very high priority to completing the sanitation programme as soon as possible, within the constraints imposed by the prison population. It aims to complete the programme no later than February 1996, the date recommended by Lord Woolf in his report.

  Reconviction Rates
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in developing a key performance indicator on reconviction rates as envisaged in the Prison Service business plan for 1993–94.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Statistics of the reconviction rates of prisoners following discharge from prison are already published. The progress of the work on performance measures in relation to reconviction rates will be reported in the Prison Service's business plan for 1994–95.

  Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many employees were judged to be guilty of fraud in his Department in each year since 1989; and how many were dismissed.
  713
  Mr. Michael Howard
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: I have asked the Director General of the Prison Service to write to the hon. and learned Member about Prison Service staff. The information in respect of other Home Office staff is as follows:

  1989–90

  One member of staff convicted and dismissed.

  1990–91

  Nil.

  1991–92

  Three convicted; two dismissed and one resigned prior to dismissal.

  1992–93

  Three convicted; two dismissed and one decision pending.

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

  Mr. Michael Howard
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: A member of staff convicted of fraud would normally be dismissed.

DEFENCE

  Gulf War (Soldier's Children)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from Gulf war veterans concerning the health of children fathered by soldiers who had served in Operation Granby.

  Mr. Hanley
  I have received no such representations.

  Allivane International Group
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts his Department placed with Allivane International Group in 1988 for the storage on behalf of Royal Ordnance of explosives and magazine cartridges.

  Mr. Aitken
  No contracts were placed with Allivane International Group in 1988 for the storage of explosives and magazine cartridges on behalf of Royal Ordnance.

  Desert Storm Syndrome
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek from the United States Department of Defence information submitted by United States service men on Desert Storm syndrome.

  Mr. Hanley
  The medical and scientific staffs of my Department are in close and continual contact with their United States Department of Defense counterparts and have made clear the United Kingdom desire to receive all relevant available evidence.

  Artillery Shells (Fuses)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from which United Kingdom companies his Department has purchased M739A1 and M131 fuses for artillery shells since 1984.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department has not purchased any of these fuses since 1984.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the number of service men and women, as to(a) officers and (b) other ranks who are threatened with discharge due to indebtedness arising from assessments made by the Child Support Agency.
  714
  Mr. Hanley
  Service personnel can be liable for discharge where their persistent indebtedness has caused inefficiency or led to indiscipline; however, I am not aware of any instance where this has occurred as a consequence of an increased liability for child maintenance resulting from an assessment made by the Child Support Agency. Counselling is available to those who experience difficulty in managing debts and guidance will be given in dealing with creditors.

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

  Mr. Hanley
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence curently has no plans, but would be willing to consult the hon. Member.

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

  Mr. Hanley
  There are four paintings, three photographs and a print on the walls of the office in MOD main building of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

  RAF Machrihanish
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the current functions of Royal Air Force Machrihanish; and if he will make a statement on those functions which are being withdrawn under his recently announced plans.

  Mr. Hanley
  The primary role of RAF Machrihanish is as a forward operating base available for activation at short notice for United States Navy maritime patrol aircraft assigned to SACLANT. Additionally, the station is used occasionally for training and exercises. The FOB role will remain but the activation time has been extended which will allow the introduction of a care and maintenance regime.

  RAF Honington
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the intended functions of Royal Air Force Honington after the transfer of No. 13 Squadron to Royal Air Force Marham.

  Mr. Hanley
  RAF Honington will beecome the RAF Regiment depot when the RAF Regiment units relocate there from RAF Catterick and RAF West Drayton. It is planned that the airfield will be activated for use in exercises once or twice a year.

  Policy Developments
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what policy developments there have been over the past decade for the time scale as respects the information of Parliament on detailed policy developments within his Department; and if he will make a statement.
  715
  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 8 December 1993,Official Report, column 296. It remains our practice to inform Parliament of policy and other relevant developments as soon as is practicable.

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the future of the Territorial Army in north London.

  Mr. Hanley
  We are continuing to re-examine the operational requirement for, and hence the size and shape of, the Territorial Army. We will make an announcement as soon as our proposals are formulated.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 December,Official Report, column 899, what are the particular qualifications, expertise or experience in the defence area of his special adviser Mr. Crispin Blunt.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is not our practice to comment on the qualifications, expertise or experience of my right hon. and learned Friend's special adviser.

  Defence Expenditure
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what amount(a) in total and (b) as a proportion of gross national product was spent on defence in the last year for which figures are available by (i) each NATO country, (ii) Japan, (iii) Switzerland, (iv) Finland and (v) Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  Details of NATO countries' defence expenditure in 1992 both in total, and as a proportion of gross domestic product, are contained in the 1993 Statement on the Defence Estimates (Cm 2270). Comparable information based on estimates published by the International Institute for Strategic Studies for Japan, Switzerland, Finland and the Republic of Ireland is set out in the table.

  Budget

  Per cent. of GDP

  Japan

  35,900,000,000

  1·0

  Switzerland

  3,700,000,000

  1·5

  Finland

  2,080,000,000

  1·9

  Republic of Ireland

  560,000,000

  1·2

  For consistency with data in the SDE, non-NATO defence expenditures are shown in US Dollars.

  Mutual Weapons Development Programme
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Britain and the United States of America set up the mutual weapons development programme; what was the range of the programme; why it was set up; which United Kingdom Ministry of Defence establishments were involved; and what is the current status of the programme.

  Mr. Aitken
  [pursuant to his answer, 26 January, Official Report, c. 307]: Additional research has now produced some information on the mutual weapons development programme. This was a collaborative programme that arose from the authorisation by the US Congress in 1956 under the mutual security programme of
  716
  financial support for R and D programmes of friendly countries. Information about this programme is limited, but investigation is continuing and I will write to the honourable Member as soon as this is complete.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  D-Day Landings
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what will be the role of Lowe Bell in arranging the programme of events to commemorate the D-Day landings on 6 June 1994; what consideration has been given to carrying out the work in-house; what proportion of the total public expenditure on the programme of events is being paid to Lowe Bell; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sproat
  The D-Day programme is primarily to commemorate the landings by the armed services. But, through a series of appropriate nationwide events, it will also mark the important involvement of the wider civilian population.

  Lowe Bell was chosen, in open competition, to assist the DNH to co-ordinate and publicise these events, to stimulate new ideas for other events and to help organise them, and to raise private sponsorship. Through the DNH it will complement the work done by the MoD and the tourist board.

  The public expenditure on the D-Day commemorations will be affected by the extent of private sponsorship, and by activities which the tourist boards, local authorities and other public bodies undertake. The proportion of this activity represented by Lowe Bell's fee is not yet known. Its fee, as has already been made public, is £62,500.

  Arts (Business Sponsorship)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will estimate the real levels of business sponsorship of the arts, and the percentage change, in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Department of National Heritage relies on the Association for Business Sponsorship of the Arts to provide information on business support for the arts in the United Kingdom. To date, ABSA have carried out three annual national surveys which have identified the following expenditure by business on arts sponsorship:

  £ million1

  Increase/decrease (Per cent.)

  £ million (real terms)2

  Increase/decrease (Per cent.)

  1990–91

  57·1

  —

  63·05

  —

  1991–92

  365·4

  +14·5

  67·91

  +7·70

  1992–93

  57·7

  -11·8

  57·70

  -15·03

  1These figures include business support through corporate membership.

  2Calculated to reflect the effects of general inflation as measured by the GDP deflator.

  3Includes sponsorship of two exceptional initiatives: the Japan Festival and the rebuilding of Glyndebourne opera house.

  Listed Buildings
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what further proposals are being considered in public consultation on English heritage's forward strategy, which could involve a change in current responsibilities for grade II listed buildings outside London.
  717
  Mr. Brooke
  No change is proposed in current responsibilities for grade II listed building casework outside London. Various changes in notification procedures were, however, proposed in annex 8 of the consultation draft of Planning Policy Guidance Note 15"Historic Buildings and Conservation Areas", copies of which are in the Library. The responses to the consultation are being considered.

HEALTH

  Health Service Managers
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the salary of the general manager/chief executive of each health authority and hospital trust in each year since 1990–91;

  (2) if she will collect and publish the salary of the chief executive of each health authority and trust in England on 1 October 1993 and give the percentage increase over the preceding four years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information on the individual salaries of health authority general managers and trust chief executives is not available centrally. General managers in regional, district and special health authorities and family health services authorities are paid on centrally-determined salary ranges. Their individual salaries are dependent on a variety of factors including personal performance against locally set targets. The current salary ranges are set out in "National Health Service Guidelines (HSG(93)58)", a copy of which is available in the Library. The salaries of trust chief executives are matters for trust boards; information on their emoluments is included in annual accounts available locally. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 13 January that from 1 April 1994 each NHS authority and trust will be required to publish an annual report which includes information on the total emoluments of their general manager or chief executive.

  GP Fundholders
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement about the employment conditions and the security of employment for nurses affected by the decision of fundholding general practitioners practices purchasing services from provider units many miles from normal catchment areas.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This is a matter for local contractual arrangements between individual nurses and their employers.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement about the purchasing patterns of fundholding practices in the Macclesfield parliamentary constituency.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In Macclesfield, as elsewhere, fundholders are using their purchasing power to achieve the highest standards of patient care whilst obtaining value for money for the national health service. Service improvements include the establishment of in-house clinics for dermatology and physiotherapy.
  718

  Community Services
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement about GPs obtaining community services for their patients from a considerable distance from their catchment area.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  General practitioner fundholders have the freedom to purchase the best possible health care for their patients from whichever provider unit they judge best. Fundholders must be able to satisfy the regional health authority that the contract offers value for money and a high-quality service for patients.

  Ambulance Response Times
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the latest details of response times by ambulances to 999 calls for each of the health authorities or trust areas within England, and for England as a whole.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney (Mr. Porter) on 1 February at columns 601–2.

  Clinical Effectiveness
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how her policy of basing practice on clinical effectiveness will be implemented in those areas where knowledge of clinical effectiveness is of poor quality or lacking; what steps she is taking to fill these gaps in knowledge; and what efforts are being made to recruit, train and retain the staff needed to do this health service research.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  It is the responsibility of clinicians. in the first instance, to provide the most clinically effective interventions. The national health service research and development strategy aims to promote research into areas where there is a paucity of information and results should have greatest benefits. The research councils and universities take the lead in recruiting, training and retaining staff to carry out health services research, together with professional organisations and charities. The health departments work closely with these bodies with the aim of ensuring that there are sufficient trained researchers to meet the needs of the NHS.

  Clothier Report
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when she expects to receive the findings of the Clothier report;

  (2) if she will list the names of each individual giving evidence to the Clothier inquiry; and if she will list the capacity in which each of them is taking part.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We have now received Sir Cecil Clothier's independent inquiry report, which contains names and details of witnesses. The report will be published shortly and in full.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the terms of reference of the Clothier inquiry; what are the names and qualifications of those holding the Clothier inquiry; and which parts of the Clothier report she will be placing in the public domain.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Sir Cecil Clothier QC, a former health service commissioner, has chaired the independent
  719
  inquiry into incidents on ward 4 at Grantham and Kesteven general hospital between February and April 1991. He has been assisted by Anne McDonald, RSCN, RGN, DipN (London), who is director of quality at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospitals and Professor David Shaw, CBE, FRCP, FRCP (Edin), Emeritus Professor of Clinical Neurology at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

  The report of the inquiry team will be published in full.

  The inquiry's terms of reference were:

  1. To inquire into the circumstances leading to the deaths of four children and injuries to nine others on Ward 4 at Grantham and Kesteven General Hospital during the months February to April 1991 (inclusive).

  2. To consider the speed and appropriateness of the clinical and managerial response within the hospital to the incidents, and to make recommendations.

  3. To examine the appointment procedures, systems of assessment and supervision within the Hospital and Mid Trent College of Nursing and Midwifery respectively, including an examination of the occupational health services available to both the College and the Hospital, and to make recommendations.

  4. To review the recommendations of the regional fact finding inquiry (July 1992) into paediatric services at the hospital and to advise whether any additions or amendments to those recommendations are necessary.

  5. In the light of the events on Ward 4 at Grantham and Kesteven General Hospital between February and April 1991 (inclusive):

  5.1 to advise on the most efficient way for health authorities to be informed of serious untoward incidents and to monitor their handling;

  5.2 to consider whether and, if so, how the regional health authority should be informed of serious untoward incidents and the way in which they are handled.

  6. To consider such matters relating to the said incidents as the public interest may require.

  NHS Management Executive
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether all information held by the NHS Management Executive is regarded as information held centrally.

  Mr. Sackville
  All validated information held by the National Health Service Management Executive is regarded as information that is available centrally. Validated information is that which has been checked by the Department for accuracy, consistency and statistical reliability. The NHS Management Executive also holds a disparate range of administrative and management data obtained from a number of sources which may not be compiled on a comparable basis or use common definitions, or which may contain subjective judgments.

  Psychogeriatricians
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for the last four years the number of psychogeriatricians employed by the NHS.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The available information is shown in the table.
  720

  Hospital doctors in old age psychiatry in England as at 30 September each year, in whole time equivalents

  Year

  Old age psychiatry

  1989

  78·6

  1990

  103·3

  1991

  154·2

  1992

  170·1

  Notes:

  These data include doctors in the following grades: consultants, associate specialists, staff grades, senior registrars, hospital practitioners and clinical assistants.

  Until recently, old age psychiatry was covered by general psychiatrists, but it is now a specialty in its own right. Some general psychiatrists have sub-specialty interest in psychogeriatrics, but these are not collected in the data.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those district health authorities which do not employ a psychogeriatrician.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Psychogeriatric services are purchased on behalf of patients by purchasing and commissioning agencies, and they are responsible for ensuring that these services are available to the local population. They may purchase these services across different district or regional boundaries. At 30 September 1992, 63 of the 252 employing authorities in England employed old age psychiatrists.

  Until recently, old age psychiatry was covered by general psychiatrists, but it is now a specialty in its own right. Some general psychiatrists have sub-specialty interest in psychogeriatrics, but these are not collected in the data.

  Health Authorities
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what were the names and qualifications of the district general manager and the chairman and district health authority members of the South Lincolnshire district health authority in each of the last three years;

  (2) what were the names and qualifications of the Trent regional general manager and the chairman and members of the regional health authority in each of the last three years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Chairmen and non-executive members of the health authorities are appointed for their personal qualities, knowledge and skills and for the contribution they can bring to the strategic leadership of their authority. The selection of both executive and non-executive members of health authorities is a matter for each individual body. The names of the chairman and non-executive members of Trent regional health authority in each of the last three years are:

  Year

  Chairman

  Non-executive members

  1991 and 1992

  Sir Michael Carlisle

  Mr. M Dessau

  Mrs. P. Wildgoose

  Dr. K. Edwards

  Mr. G. Clemons

  Mr. D. Bertram

  1993

  Sir Michael Carlisle

  Mr. M. Dessau

  Mrs. P. Wildgoose

  Dr. K. Edwards (until 31 October 1993)

  721

  Year

  Chairman

  Non-executive members

  Mr. G. Clemons

  Mr. D. Bertram

  Professor C. Campbell (from 1 November 1993)

  The chairman of the South Lincolnshire health authority in each of the years 1991 to 1993 was Dr. J. D. Brackenridge.

  Drug Abuse, Manchester
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people(a) under 16 years of age and (b) under 18 years of age were treated for drug abuse in the Greater Manchester regional health authority area in each of the past three years;

  (2) how many hospital admissions took place in each of the last three years in each of the Greater Manchester regional health authorities from causes associated with drug abuse.

  Mr. Bowis
  These are matters for the North Western regional health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman, Sir Bruce Martin, for details.

  Consultants, Trent
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultants have been suspended in the Trent region in each of the last 10 years; and how many consultants in the region are under suspension at present.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This is a matter for Trent regional health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Michael Carlisle, chairman of Trent RHA, for details.

  Research Units
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 26 November,Official Report, columns 242–44, what discussions her Department has had with research unit directors about the adequacy of the review procedure.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  As stated in the previous reply to the hon. Member, expert peer review of long-term research contracts is well established and unit directors are given the opportunity to comment fully on the text of reports. The present round of site visits was discussed with unit directors when they met with the Department's director of research and development on 27 November 1992.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 26 November,Official Report, columns 242–44, which of the reports of site visits of her Department's research units which have already taken place have been discussed with the relevant unit director; and how soon her Department will be initiating discussions about site visit reports with directors of other units which have alredy been reviewed.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Directors have had an opportunity to comment on reports of site visits to the following units:

  Childhood Cancer Research Group

  National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit

  Medical Care Research Unit

  Centre for Primary Care Research

  Social Medicine and Health Services Research Unit

  National Institute for Social Work Training

  Site visit reports are in preparation for:
  722

  Cancer Screening Evaluation Unit

  Clinical Operation Research Unit

  Social Policy Research Unit

  Dates for visits to the remaining four units have yet to be arranged. In keeping with established review practice, directors will have an opportunity to comment on all reports still outstanding as soon as they become available from the review teams.

  Paediatricians
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines have been issued as to the distance a consultant covering a paediatric unit can live or work away from that unit when on call for that unit.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Employing bodies are encouraged, when drawing up consultants' contracts of employment, to include a requirement to live within a 10-mile radius of their place of work.

  Pinderfields Hospital
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to review the quality, standard and practices of senior management at Pinderfields hospital.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Officials have conducted a rigorous review of the trust's five-year strategic direction and its annual business plan. We have every confidence in the newly appointed trust board and its management team.

  Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her latest information about the current incidence of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; and what information she has as to the ages of persons so suffering.

  Mr. Sackville
  Figures for the total number of definite and probable cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are produced on a yearly basis by Dr. R. G. Will, consultant neurologist at the national CJD surveillance unit, Edinburgh. His reports are available in the Library.

  Forty-eight definite and probable cases of CJD were identified by the surveillance unit between 1 May 1992 and 30 April 1993. Their ages range from 30 to 86.

  Private Beds
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many private pay beds there were in the East London and City health authority in each year since 1986;

  (2) how many private pay beds there were in the North East Thames regional health authority in each year since 1986, and at the latest available date.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information has not been collected centrally since 1 April 1991. The information that is available is shown in the tables.

  Private pay beds-East London and the City health authority

  The City and Hackney

  1986

  6

  1987–88

  2

  1988–89

  4

  1989–90

  4

  1990–91

  4

  723

  Private pay beds—North East Thames regional health authority

  Total

  1986

  43

  1987–88

  103

  1988–89

  129

  1989–90

  133

  1990–91

  129

  Source: SD2A SBH 211 Return (1986) KH02 Return 1987–88 to 1990–91.

  Ambulance Service (Channel Tunnel)
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision has been made for special training for the ambulance service personnel likely to provide service in the channel tunnel; how many such personnel have received specialist training; whether such training has included paramedic instruction; what is the expected reaction time for the ambulance service in the event of an emergency; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Talks are currently taking place between East Kent Commissioning Agency, Kent Ambulance Service and Eurotunnel. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Mr. Mark Outhwaite, chief executive of East Kent Commissioning Agency at 7–9 Cambridge terrace, Dover for details.

  Hospital Capital Trusts
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been spent in cash terms at current prices, and how much per head of population has been spent, on capital projects in the Anglian Harbours hospital trust and the James Paget hospital, Gorleston, in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: The available information is shown in the table.

  Year

  Great Yarmouth and Waveney District Health Authority

  Anglian Harbours National Health Service Trust

  Total spend in District Health Authority area

  District Health Authority population

  Spend per head

  £'000s

  £'000s

  £'000s

  £

  1986–87

  1,149

  —

  1,149

  194,872

  5·89

  1987–88

  1,947

  —

  1,947

  197,641

  9·85

  1988–89

  753

  —

  753

  200,091

  3·76

  1989·90

  1,209

  —

  1,209

  201,950

  5·98

  1990–91

  3,388

  —

  3,388

  202,149

  16·75

  1991–92

  2,493

  2,625

  5,118

  202,047

  25·33

  1992–93

  2,617

  4,267

  6,884

  202,255

  34·03

  Notes:

  1. Population figures for 1986–90 based on 1981 census, 1991 and 1992 figures based on 1991 census.

  2. All figures are historic cash spending.

  3. Records of individual DHAs prior to 1986 are no longer available centrally.

  4. Anglian Harbours NHS Trust was established I April 1991, James Paget Hospital NHS Trust was established 1 April 1993 and figures are not separately identifiable from Great Yarmouth and Waveney DHA figures.

  724

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish details for each standard region of the United Kingdom of the numbers and proportion of the unemployed who possess academic or vocational qualifications.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The latest estimates from the Labour Force Survey for summer—June to August—1993 of the numbers and proportion of the ILO unemployed who possess academic or vocational qualifications, for each region of the United Kingdom, are given in the following table—estimate for Northern Ireland is based on spring 1993 data.

  The Labour Force Survey shows that the ILO unemployment rate for people with no qualifications is about 50 per cent. higher than the rate for qualified people. People qualified to A-level standard or higher have the lowest ILO unemployment rates.

  Numbers and proportions of ILO unemployed who possess academic or vocational qualifications. Not seasonally adjusted.

  Standard regions

  ILO unemployed with qualifications (Thousands)

  Proportion of all ILO unemployed (Percentage)

  South East

  693

  72

  Greater London

  342

  72

  Rest of South East

  352

  72

  East Anglia

  71

  74

  South West

  147

  74

  West Midlands

  186

  62

  East Midlands

  116

  64

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  190

  71

  North West

  217

  68

  North

  129

  70

  Wales

  90

  69

  Scotland

  180

  70

  Northern Ireland (Spring 1993)

  50

  58

  United Kingdom

  2,070

  69

  Source: Labour Force Survey, summer 1993 spring 1993.

  Unfair Dismissal
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the maximum level of the award for unfair dismissal in the year that it was first introduced; what is the equivalent amount upgraded for inflation since that time; and what is the current maximum award.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Compensation for unfair dismissal usually consists of a basic and a compensatory award. The compensatory award, introduced in 1972, was then limited to 104 weeks' pay or £4,160, equivalent to £27,606 today when uprated by the retail prices index, whichever was the less. The current limit is £11,000. The basic award, introduced in 1976, was subject to a maximum limit of £2,400, equivalent to £8,611 today. The current limit is £6,150.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to increase the maximum level of the award for unfair dismissal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is considering the results of the
  725
  consultation exercise in connection with the annual review of these awards and will announce the outcome in due course.

  European Council Meetings
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to make available to Parliament transcripts of European Council meetings.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Meetings of the European Council are not normally held in public. However, some parts of some Council of Ministers meetings are open sessions which are televised. Arrangements are being made to supply videos of open televised sessions to the Library.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment 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 notified and consulted upon.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  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.

  European Social Policy
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will respond to the European Union's Green Paper on European Social Policy before 31 March.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Yes.

  Parental Leave
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what provision is made for parental leave in each other EC state.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Table 5.8 on page 144 of "OECD Employment Outlook July 1990" gives information about general legislative provisions for maternity and parental leave in OECD countries.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment 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 for each of the past three years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The figures set out show the Department's recoveries from the Department of Social Security in respect of financial years 1991–92 and 1992–93 and forecast recoveries for 1993–94.

  £ million

  (i) 1991–92 Outturn

  2·5

  (ii) 1992–93 Outturn

  2·8

  (iii) 1993–94 Estimated Outturn

  3·1

  Earnings
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list the proportions of full-time female manual workers, full-time female non-manual 726
  workers and all full-time female workers with earnings, including overtime, of less than (a) £100, (b) £120, (c) £140, (d) £160, (e) £180, (f) £200 and (g) £220 per week in the parliamentary constituency of Newham, North-West;

  (2) if he will list the proportions of full-time male manual workers, full-time male non-manual workers and all full-time male workers with earnings, including overtime, of less than (a) £100, (b) £120, (c) £140,(d) £160, (e) £180, (f) £200 and (g) £220 per week in the parliamentary constituency of Newham, North-West;

  (3) if he will list the proportions of full-time adult manual workers, full-time adult non-manual workers and all full-time adult workers with earnings, including overtime, of less than (a) £100, (b) £120, (c) £140, (d) £160, (e) £180, (f) £200 and (g) £220 per week in the parliamentary constituency of Newham, North-West.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information available from the New Earnings Survey is provided in the following tables:

  Full time employees in the London Borough of Newham on adult rates— pay unaffected by absence

  Proportion with gross weekly earnings below the following amounts: at April 1993

  £

  Manual women Per cent.

  Non-manual women Per cent.

  All women Per cent.

  100

  ..

  ..

  ..

  120

  ..

  ..

  ..

  140

  ..

  ..

  4·0

  160

  ..

  ..

  7·1

  180

  ..

  6·0

  12·1

  200

  ..

  9·6

  16·2

  220

  ..

  15·7

  22·2

  £

  Manual men Per cent.

  Non-manual men Per cent.

  All men Per cent.

  100

  ..

  ..

  ..

  120

  ..

  ..

  ..

  140

  ..

  ..

  ..

  160

  ..

  ..

  1·5

  180

  ..

  ..

  2·0

  200

  6·5

  6·7

  6·6

  220

  13·0

  9·5

  11·2

  £

  Manual adults Per cent.

  Non-manual adults Per cent.

  All adults Per cent.

  100

  ..

  ..

  ..

  120

  ..

  ..

  ..

  140

  ..

  1·6

  1·7

  160

  6·5

  1·6

  3·4

  180

  8·3

  3·7

  5·4

  200

  13·0

  8·0

  9·8

  220

  19·4

  12·2

  14·9

  Note: ".." denotes sample number too small or standard error too large for reliable estimate, or information not available.

  Source: New Earnings Survey.

  Redundancies
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on how many occasions employers failed to provide his Department with the required notice of
  727
  impending redundancies under section 193 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1992 in each of the last five years; how many of these employers were prosecuted under section 194 of that Act; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: The following table shows the number who have notified the Department but who failed to do so within the time limits. In each case an explanation is sought. Section 193(7) provides that where it is not reasonably practicable for the employer to comply with the full requirements, he shall take all reasonable steps to comply as far as possible. Taking account of this, it has not so far been considered appropriate by successive Governments since 1975 to prosecute an employer for failure to meet the notice requirements. The figures include many notifications by insolvent companies.

  Number

  1989

  1,855

  1990

  2,828

  1991

  4,021

  1992

  4,724

  1993

  2,630

  GCHQ
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what response the Government will make to the International Labour Organisation's concern over the ban on union membership at GCHQ; and when the last correspondence took place over this matter between the ILO and Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: The Government made it clear to the ILO when it last

  Passported Benefits from Income Support

  Average weekly value

  1988–89 £

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  Housing Benefit1

  19·01

  21·06

  24·74

  29·35

  34·19

  Community Charge Benefit2

  n.a.

  n.a.

  6·13

  3·83

  4·60

  Cold Weather Payments3

  5·00

  5·00

  5·00

  6·00

  6·00

  Free School Meals

  See note 4

  Free milk and vitamins for pregnant women and children under

  See note 5

  Passported Benefits from Income Support and Family Credit

  Average weekly value

  1988–89 £

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  Social Fund Maternity Payments6

  86·00

  86·00

  100·00

  101·00

  101·00

  Social Fund Funeral Payments6

  497·00

  545·00

  612·00

  706·00

  787·00

  NHS Benefits

  See note 7

  Notes:

  1. Housing Benefit (HB)—the award of Income Support allows the award of maximum HB. Average weekly value relates HB (rent rebates and rent allowances) payable to eligible IS recipients.

  2. Community Charge Benefit (CCB)—the award of Income Support allowed the award of maximum (80%) of CCB. In England and Wales CCB, existed for three years from April 1990 to March 1993. Figures for the average amount of CCB in 1988–89 and 1989–90 are not available. CCB was replaced by Council Tax Benefit (CTB) in April 1993. The award of IS allows the award of maximum (100%) CTB. Information on the average amount of CTB payable is not yet available.

  3. The weekly amount of Cold Weather Payments increased from £5·00 to £6·00 in February 1991. It is only paid for weeks in which the weather forecast is for the temperature to fall to an average equal to, or below, 0 degrees celsius for the period of the forecast. It is payable to Income Support recipients either (a) whose applicable amount includes one or more of the premiums specified in paragraphs 9 to 14 of Part III of Schedule 2 to the General Regulations (pensioner premiums and various premiums paid in respect of a disability), or (b) whose family include a child aged less than 5.

  4. Free School Meals—the responsibility for the provision of school meals rests with local education authorities and with goveming bodies of self-governing (grant-maintained) schools. It is for them to decide the prices they charge for all school meals and as a result prices vary throughout
  728
  reported in February 1993, and will continue to make it clear in future reports, that their overriding objective remains to safeguard national security, but that they are willing to consider any proposals which are consistent with that objective.

  Pyrotechnic Articles
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which EC legislation affects the issue of import licences for pyrotechnic articles.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: To avoid barriers to trade, EC directive 93/15/EEC on explosives for civil uses required the removal of import licensing for those explosives within its scope. It was implemented in Great Britain by the Placing on the Market and Supervision of Transfers of Explosives Regulations 1993 which removed import licence controls for all explosives including pyrotechnic articles.

  The new regulations require explosives, including all pyrotechnic articles, supplied in the United Kingdom whatever their place of manufacture to be authorised by the Health and Safety Executive, and in the case of fireworks, compliance with British Standard 7114 or an equivalent standard. The Government believe that these new provisions will effectively maintain safety standards.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Passported Benefits
  Sir David Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the main passported benefits to which recipients of(a) income support and (b) family credit are eligible; and if he will estimate the average weekly value of each benefit in each year since April 1988.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the table.
  729
  the country. It is not therefore possible to provide a national average figure.

  5. Information about the average weekly value of free milk and vitamins available to recipients of Income Support and Family Credit and their dependents is not available centrally.

  6. The amounts shown are the average awards. Social Fund funeral and maternity payments are made as one-off payments for particular events.

  7. NHS Benefits are not cash benefits. People receiving IS and FC are entitled to full remission of NHS charges for prescriptions, dental treatment and wigs and fabric supports. They are also entitled to free sight tests and the full value of optical vouchers towards the cost of their glasses. They may also have help with the cost of travelling to hospital for NHS treatment. The statistical information collected centrally by the Department of Health does not separate the prescriptions etc provided free of charge to IS and FC recipients from those provided to other beneficiaries of the NHS Low Income Scheme.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost of administering unemployment benefit for Durham in 1993.

  Mr. Burt
  Information in the form requested is not available. The cost to the Employment Service of administering unemployment benefit and income support for Durham in the financial year 1992–93 was £3·8 million.

  War Pension Entitlement
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes he has agreed to make following the review of war pension entitlements.

  Mr. Hague
  None. There has been no such review.

  Social Fund, Lewisham
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the budget for the Lewisham district office social fund for the current year as set at 1 April 1993; whether the budget was subsequently increased; how much remains in the budget; how many applicants have been refused a grant, giving the reasons for refusal; how many applicants have been refused a loan, giving the reason for refusal; how many applicants refused went on to appeal; and how many of these appeals were successful.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 1 February 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Social Fund (SF) in the Benefits Agency's (BA) Lewisham and Brixton District.
  Details of the initial budget allocations for Lewisham and Brixton District for the 1993–94 financial year are in the Library. There has not been any subsequent additional budget allocation this year. The balance outstanding as at 31 December 1993, the latest date for which figures are available, was £252,848 for grants and £778,676 for loans.
  With regard to the number of applicants refused a grant or loan in the District, information on the SF is not kept by SF applicant but by SF application. At 31 December 1993 the numbers of grant and loan applications refused were 6,714 and 5,589 respectively. The reasons for refusal are given at Annex A.
  The new Social Fund Computer System (SFCS), introduced to Lewisham and Brixton in July 1993, collects additional statistics which were not collected under the old system. Many statistical items are collected differently and are not directly comparable with previous years. The old system recorded reasons for refusal per application whereas SFCS records reasons for refusal per item requested. In cases where a partial award is made a reason for refusal will also be appropriate. Therefore, the sum of all reasons for refusal will not equal the number of application refusals.
  There is no right of appeal against discretionary SF decisions. Applicants dissatisfied with a decision may seek a review of the
  730
  decision and this is initially conducted within the District. If still dissatisfied, the applicant can ask for a review by the Independent Review Service (IRS) which is independent of the BA. For the period 1 April 1993 to 31 December 1993, 3,014 review applications were received by Lewisham and Brixton District. These figures include those that requested a review by the IRS. Overall, 873 resulted in a changed decision.
  I hope that you find this reply helpful.

  Appendix A

  Details of grant and loan refusals for the Lewisham and Brixton District 1 April 1993 to 31 December 1993 (latest available data)

  Reason for refusal

  Grants

  Loans

  Not in receipt of Income Support (IS)

  1,541

  1,385

  In receipt of IS for less than 26 weeks

  —

  3,316

  Direction 4 not satisfied

  15,553

  —

  Applicant excluded by Direction

  —

  19

  No serious risk to health or safety

  —

  1,400

  Requested amount below minimum allowable

  9

  162

  Repeat allocation

  381

  389

  Item excluded by Direction

  239

  999

  Alternative item available

  17

  164

  Help available from another source

  43

  247

  Grant awarded on loan request

  —

  862

  Savings over £500 meet cost

  5

  2

  Savings over £1000 meet cost (customer or partner over 60)

  7

  1

  Enough money available to meet crisis

  —

  17

  Total debt exceeds £1000

  —

  57

  Inability to repay

  —

  998

  Insufficient priority

  385

  938

  Other reasons

  50

  319

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much of its target million the Child Support Agency has collected to date; and of that amount how much has been paid as maintenance net of reductions in payments of welfare benefits.

  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 asking how much of the Child Support Agency's target has been collected to date.
  The Agency was set a target for benefit savings. No separate target has been set for collection of maintenance. For the period from April 1993 to December 1993, benefit savings of £214·5 million have so far been reported. This figure does not represent the total amount of savings achieved because some will be scored retrospectively.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the annual salary of the chief executive of the Child Support Agency; and what are the weekly hours of work she is contracted to undertake.

  Mr. Burt
  The current basic salary of Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive of the Child Support Agency, is
  731
  £48,520 plus London weighting of £1,776. Her contract requires at least 36 hours per week, but there is no upper limit.

  Pension Books
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the considerations which led him to give prominence to the title "Social Security" on new pension books; and if he will consider changing the term "Social Security" to "Pension".

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Jim Cunningham, dated 1 February 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question about the wording on the cover of the new Pension Books.
  Firstly, it may be helpful if I explain that the design of the cover of order books is constant across all types of social security benefit, as was the case with old style order books. The reason for this is that the cover does not automatically identify which type of benefit a person is receiving, so that a casual observer cannot identify which social security benefit an individual is in receipt of simply by looking at the cover of an order book. This allows an individual's financial affairs to remain confidential.
  There are also practical considerations if separate covers were required for individual benefits. Perhaps the most significant would be at the printing and assembly stage. Print runs would have to be stopped to allow different covers to be loaded to reflect the type of benefit being paid which would mean additional cost implications. Consideration would also have to be given as to how a book containing a number of benefits combined would be reflected on a cover—order books are issued by benefit groups and a number of different benefits are within each group. This would only add to the difficulty in identifying which cover should be assembled to the foils.
  The design of the order book is constantly under review, and the cover design is a component of many considerations. The last change was introduced primarily as an anti-fraud measure and it may interest you to learn that since the introduction of the new design no counterfeits have been found to be cashed. This is a

  Housing benefit cases by region

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  South East (excluding London)

  473,100

  465,000

  490,200

  533,700

  590,800

  London

  553,100

  523,800

  553,700

  594,800

  640,100

  North (including Cumbria)

  308,900

  302,100

  296,800

  297,500

  294,200

  Wales

  205,000

  204,000

  204,000

  210,000

  235,000

  Scotland

  565,000

  557,000

  542,000

  541,000

  624,200

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  402,300

  391,400

  388,200

  398,100

  388,500

  East Midlands

  237,300

  232,300

  241,800

  247,500

  265,800

  East Anglia

  111,400

  105,100

  111,800

  118,000

  129,900

  South West

  233,300

  234,000

  248,400

  267,600

  288,000

  West Midlands

  383,800

  361,400

  368,800

  387,800

  386,500

  North West (excluding Cumbria)

  524,400

  507,200

  514,400

  522,600

  526,400

  Total

  3,997,600

  3,883,300

  3,960,100

  4,118,600

  4,369,500

  Source:

  The Housing Benefit Management Information System quartely caseload data.

  Notes:

  1. Information prior to 1988–89 is not available.

  2. The data relates to Great Britain; figures for the United Kingdom are not available.

  3. The figures are averages, rounded to the nearest 100, and include estimates for non-responding authorities.

  4. The numbers are in benefit units, a benefit unit may be a couple or a single person.

  5. The data is from a later source than that used for "Social Security Statistics".

  732
  major achievement which should result in significant savings by reducing order book fraud. It is, however, too early to estimate how great these savings will be.
  For the reasons stated above there are no plans to replace the term Social Security with that of Pension.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Housing Benefit
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of(a) council tenants, (b) housing association tenants, (c) private tenants and (d) owner occupiers were in receipt of housing benefit in (i) Inverclyde, (ii) Strathclyde and (iii) Scotland as a whole at the latest available date.

  Mr. Burt
  The available information is in the table.

  Percentage of local authority tenants receiving Housing Benefit

  Percentage of private tenants receiving Housing Benefit

  Inverclyde

  55

  50

  Strathclyde

  60

  55

  Scotland

  60

  50

  Sources: Housing Benefit Management Information System quarterly caseload returns for 1991 and the 1991 Scottish Office tenancy statistics.

  Notes:

  (i) Information on the number of Housing Association tenancies is not available, therefore, the information is included with the private tenants.

  (ii) Owner Occupiers in Scotland have not been eligible for Housing Benefit (rate rebates) since April 1989 when the Community Charge Benefit was introduced.

  (iii) The caseload data is an average of four point in time counts and includes estimates for non-responding authorities, therefore, the information should be regarded only as a general indication.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for the United Kingdom in total, and by standard region including Greater London, the number of households claiming housing benefit for each year since 1978–79.

  Mr. Burt
  [holding answer 21 January 1994]: The available information is in the table.
  733

  Benefits, Newham
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is his current estimate of the number of eligible persons in the borough of Newham who do not claim income support;

  (2) what is his current estimate of the number of eligible persons in the borough of Newham who do not claim housing benefit;

  (3) what is his current estimate of the number of eligible persons in the borough of Newham who do not claim family credit.

  Mr. Burt
  Estimates of take-up of income-related benefits are not available on a regional or local basis. Take-up estimates for Great Britain as a whole can be found in "Income Related Benefits—Estimates of Take-up in 1989" published in January 1993, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Lone parent with two children aged 4 and 6 Earnings and benefits as at April 1994

  Gross earnings

  Tax

  National insurance contributions

  Take home pay

  Income support

  Free welfare foods

  Family credit

  Child benefit

  Rent

  Rent rebate

  Council tax

  Council tax benefit

  Total net income

  Net income after rent and council tax

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (a) Not working after one year on benefits

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  67·55

  6·54

  0·00

  24·60

  32·54

  32·54

  7·65

  7·65

  138·88

  98·69

  (b) Earning £20 per week from part-time working

  20·00

  0·00

  0·00

  20·00

  62·55

  6·54

  0·00

  24·60

  32·54

  32·54

  7·65

  7·65

  153·88

  113·69

  (c) Working full-time

  60·00

  0·00

  1·44

  58·56

  0·00

  0·00

  66·70

  24·60

  32·54

  15·28

  7·65

  2·34

  167·48

  127·29

  70·00

  0·00

  2·44

  67·56

  0·00

  0·00

  66·70

  24·60

  32·54

  9·43

  7·65

  0·54

  168·83

  128·64

  80·00

  0·00

  3·44

  76·56

  0·00

  0·00

  63·30

  24·60

  32·54

  5·79

  7·65

  0·00

  170·25

  130·06

  90·00

  0·00

  4·44

  85·56

  0·00

  0·00

  57·00

  24·60

  32·54

  4·03

  7·65

  0·00

  171·19

  131·00

  100·00

  0·13

  5·44

  94·43

  0·00

  0·00

  50·79

  24·60

  32·54

  2·30

  7·65

  0·00

  172·12

  131·93

  110·00

  2·13

  6·44

  101·43

  0·00

  0·00

  45·89

  24·60

  32·54

  0·94

  7·65

  0·00

  172·86

  132·67

  120·00

  4·13

  7·44

  108·43

  0·00

  0·00

  40·99

  24·60

  32·54

  0·00

  7·65

  0·00

  174·02

  133·83

  Note: April 1993 values have been used for rent, council tax, free school meals and welfare foods as the 1994 values are not yet available.

  Lone parent with two children aged 4 and 6 Earnings and benefits as at April 1993

  Gross earnings

  Tax

  National insurance contributions

  Take home pay

  Income support

  Free welfare foods

  Family credit

  Child benefit

  Rent

  Rent rebate

  Community charge

  Community charge benefit

  Total net income

  Net income after rent and community charge

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (a) Not working after one year on benefits

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  64·50

  6·54

  0·00

  24·15

  32·54

  32·54

  7·65

  7·65

  135·38

  95·19

  (b) Earning £20 per week from part-time working

  20·00

  0·00

  0·00

  20·00

  59·50

  6·54

  0·00

  24·15

  32·54

  32·54

  7·65

  7·65

  150·38

  110·19

  (c) Working full-time

  60·00

  0·00

  1·48

  58·52

  0·00

  0·00

  64·00

  24·15

  32·54

  15·01

  7·65

  2·26

  163·94

  123·75

  70·00

  0·00

  2·38

  67·62

  0·00

  0·00

  64·00

  24·15

  32·54

  9·09

  7·65

  0·44

  165·30

  125·11

  80·00

  0·00

  3·28

  76·72

  0·00

  0·00

  58·60

  24·15

  32·54

  6·69

  7·65

  0·00

  166·16

  125·97

  90·00

  0·00

  4·18

  85·82

  0·00

  0·00

  52·23

  24·15

  32·54

  4·92

  7·65

  0·00

  167·12

  126·93

  100·00

  0·13

  5·08

  94·79

  0·00

  0·00

  45·95

  24·15

  32·54

  3·17

  7·65

  0·00

  168·06

  127·87

  110·00

  2·13

  5·98

  101·89

  0·00

  0·00

  40·98

  24·15

  32·54

  1·78

  7·65

  0·00

  168·80

  128·61

  120·00

  4·13

  6·88

  108·99

  0·00

  0·00

  36·01

  24·15

  32·54

  0·00

  7·65

  0·00

  169·15

  128·96

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 21 January,Official Record, columns 899–902, if he will publish tables, similar to those in his Department's tax benefit model table, showing net weekly spending power for each of a single waged married couple (a) with two children aged four and six years and (b) with three children aged three, eight and 11 years earning (i) £60, (ii) £70, (iii) £80, (iv) £90,
  734

  Spending Power
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 21 January,Official Report, columns 899–902, if he will publish tables, similar to those in his Department's tax benefit model table, showing net weekly spending power for a lone mother with two children aged four and six years under the benefit system as uprated (a) in April 1993 and (b) in April 1994 who is (i) not working, after one year on benefits, (ii) earning £20 a week from part-time working and (iii) working full time and earning (1) £60, (2) £70, (3) £80,(4) £90, (5) £100, (6) £110 and (7) £120 per week.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the tables. We have assumed for the purposes of the question that part-time work is less than 16 hours a week.

  (v) £100, (vi) £110, (vii) £120, (viii) £130, (ix) £140, (x) £150, (xi) £160 and (xii) £170 per week under the benefit system as per its uprating in 1993.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is provided in "Tax/Benefit Model Tables 1993", published in October 1993, copies of which are available in the Library.
  735

  Disability Benefits
  Mr. Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many payments have been made under the special compensation scheme for claimants who claimed(a) disability living allowance or (b) attendance allowance after February 1993; and what is the total amount paid.

  Mr. Scott:
  [pursuant to his reply, 24 January 1994, col. 18]: The answer should have read as follows: No claims to disability living allowance or attendance allowance made after February 1993 have attracted a payment under the special compensation scheme. This is because all claims considered under that scheme must have been received on or after 3 February 1992 and had payment issued prior to 1 April 1993. Additionally, any claim must have suffered a delay of more than eight months, or more than six months in special rules cases.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Farmers Charter
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if her Department has considered initiating a farmers charter in the light of the Chancellor's reference in the Budget speech to the effects of late payment on small business; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The Department has already set out targets for dealing with grant, subsidy and licence applications in "Commitment to Service", which was published in December 1992. In a number of cases, EC legislation determines the dates which apply.

  Dietary Supplements
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the terms of reference of the research being undertaken by the national poisons unit into the toxicity of dietary supplements, sponsored by her Department; what information she has concerning the number of cases of(a) minor and (b) serious medical problems as a result of the consumption of such dietary supplements; what comparative assessment has been made with information of which she is aware, relating to poisoning as a result of organophosphorus or organochlorine pesticide ingestion or absorption over a comparable period of time; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The project currently being carried out at the national poisons unit is commissioned to follow up both clinically and analytically any case reports notified to the unit in which dietary supplements or traditional remedies are implicated. The project is still under way, but interim results show a link between exposure to dietary supplements or traditional remedies and clinical effects in 49 cases out of 5,563 investigated. The interim nature of these results makes comparison with any similar data on pesticides unreliable. The Ministry will use the final results of this project to aid in the formulation of policy on dietary supplements and traditional remedies.
  736

  Intervention Beef
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will inquire into the circumstances under which beef was released by the Intervention Board free of charge to Mr. Ray Woolford, of Lambeth council.

  Mr. Jack
  Yes. I would be grateful if the hon. Member would let me have further details of the circumstances.

  Fishing (Drift Nets)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what rules have been agreed to allow fishing vessels the use of drift nets over 2·5 km in length.

  Mr. Jack
  Since 31 December 1993 the use by Community vessels of drift nets over 2·5 km in length has been prohibited under the provisions of EC regulation 3094/86.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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 notified and consulted upon.

  Mr. Jack
  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.

  Polwhele Veterinary Investigation Centre
  Mr. Hicks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans she has for the future of the Polwhele veterinary investigation centre; what assessment he has made of its performance over the past two and a half years; how she has taken into account the implications for livestock movements following the introduction of the European single market; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The review of the Polwhele veterinary investigation unit has been postponed until the outcome of the review of the animal health and veterinary group, which includes the state veterinary service, is known.

  Forestry
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) in respect of how many forest parks in England she has given an assurance that they will not be privatised; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) if she will list the precise criteria which led the Government to exempt the New Forest from privatisation; how those criteria have been applied to other Forestry Commission lands in England; and if she will list the land affected in each case.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  In giving the assurance that the New Forest will not be privatised, full account was taken of its place in the nation's history and heritage. Ministers will await the advice of the Forestry Review Group before considering what action, if any, should be taken in respect of the ownership and management of other Forestry Commission woodlands, including forest parks.
  737

  Less-favoured Areas
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cattle and sheep farms are wholly or mainly in the less-favoured areas.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  As at the June 1992 agricultural census there were 11,842 farms in England which had at least half their land in the less-favoured areas and were classified as cattle and sheep farms.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is her estimate of the total subsidy to be paid on cattle and sheep in the less-favoured areas in 1994.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The total direct subsidies paid under the hill livestock compensatory allowances, sheep annual premium and suckler cow premium schemes in 1994 on cattle and sheep in the less-favoured areas in England is estimated to be at least £144 million.

EDUCATION

  National Curriculum Council
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much the carpets incorporating the initials NCC in the National Curriculum Council's York office cost to purchase; when they were purchased; and what has happened to them.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The carpet was purchased in 1990, when the National Curriculum Council was fitting out its offices in York. No information on the cost of the carpet is held centrally, and the cost is not separately identifiable from the published accounts of the NCC. The council was dissolved on 1 January 1994 and its former York office, with the carpet still in place, has been transferred to the Secretary of State. It will become the headquarters of the new Funding Agency for Schools from April this year.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education 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 for each of the past three years.

  Mr. Boswell
  In the calendar year 1993 the amount reimbursed was £97,283. Figures for earlier years are not available.

  Funding Agency for Schools
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what rent the Funding Agency for Schools will pay for its office accommodation in York; and what rent the National Curriculum Council paid.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The annual rent for Albion Wharf is £280,724 excluding VAT, which is the sum previously paid by National Curriculum Council. Under the terms of the lease the rent is subject to review every five years with the next review due in June 1995.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what will be the cost of refurbishing premises in York for use by the Funding Agency for Schools; and which organisation will meet the cost of refurbishment.
  738
  Mr. Robin Squire
  The cost of refurbishing Albion Wharf will be around £650,000 excluding VAT, to be met by the Department out of the budget set aside for the establishment of the Funding Agency for Schools.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education 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 notified and consulted upon.

  Mr. Boswell
  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.

  LEA Schools (North Yorkshire)
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the capital allocation for North Yorkshire local education authority maintained schools in 1993–94.

  Mr. Forth
  North Yorkshire LEA's annual capital guideline for 1993–94 is £5·296 million. In addition, the authority has received two supplementary credit approvals totalling £710,000 in the course of this financial year. Voluntary aided and special agreement schools in North Yorkshire have been allocated grant totalling £949,000.

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

  Mr. Boswell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to the hon. Member on Tuesday 1 February,Official Report, column 611.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many new applications have been received from secondary and primary schools to change to grant-maintained status since his answer of 25 October 1993,Official Report, column 436.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Since the answer of 25th October 1993, applications for grant maintained status have been received from 38 primary and 27 secondary schools.

  Secondary Schools (Performance)
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many copies of the secondary school performance tables were published by his Department.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  A total of 109 separate booklets containing secondary school performance tables were published in November 1993, of which some 1,087,600 copies have so far been distributed.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many copies of the secondary school performance tables were sent to primary schools in each
  739
  local education authority; what criteria were used in determining how many copies would be sent; and for what purpose the tables were provided.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Every primary and middle school in England with 10-year-old pupils on roll was sent 50 copies of the performance tables booklet for their local education authority area. The decision to send a standard number of booklets to each primary and middle school was taken on the grounds of overall economy and efficiency. The tables contain useful information for parents considering which secondary schools would best suit their children, and help parents and others to be better informed about the standards being achieved in schools in their area.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the budgeted expenditure for(a) publication and (b) distribution of the secondary school performance tables.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The total budget for the 1993 performance tables exercise, covering secondary, 16 to 18,

  Pupils aged 10(1) in maintained and non-maintained schools in each Local Education Authority in England January 1993

  Pupils in non-maintained schools

  LEA

  Pupils in maintained schools primary, middle secondary and special

  Special

  Independent

  All pupils aged 10

  Corporation of London

  25

  0

  69

  94

  Camden

  1,315

  0

  485

  1,800

  Greenwich

  2,611

  0

  105

  2,716

  Hackney

  2,080

  0

  283

  2,363

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  1,112

  0

  152

  1,264

  Islington

  1,837

  0

  12

  1,849

  Kensington and Chelsea

  767

  0

  690

  1,457

  Lambeth

  2,387

  0

  93

  2,480

  Lewisham

  2,569

  0

  129

  2,698

  Southwark

  2,571

  0

  211

  2,782

  Tower Hamlets

  2,626

  0

  14

  2,640

  Wandsworth

  2,014

  0

  243

  2,257

  Westminster

  1,160

  0

  335

  1,495

  Barking and Dagenham

  1,836

  0

  0

  1,836

  Barnet

  3,032

  0

  385

  3,417

  Bexley

  2,487

  0

  56

  2,543

  Brent

  2,733

  0

  212

  2,945

  Bromley

  2,787

  1

  359

  3,147

  Croydon

  3,395

  0

  548

  3,943

  Ealing

  2,971

  0

  466

  3,437

  Enfield

  2,894

  0

  118

  3,012

  Haringey

  2,211

  0

  145

  2,356

  Harrow

  2,288

  0

  231

  2,519

  Havering

  2,686

  0

  62

  2,748

  Hillingdon

  2,561

  1

  279

  2,841

  Hounslow

  2,276

  0

  63

  2,339

  Kingston upon Thames

  1,251

  0

  223

  1,474

  Merton

  1,617

  0

  256

  1,873

  Newham

  3,113

  0

  14

  3,127

  Redbridge

  2,519

  0

  301

  2,820

  Richmond upon Thames

  1,261

  0

  455

  1,716

  Sutton

  1,687

  0

  148

  1,835

  Waltham Forest

  2,542

  0

  67

  2,609

  Birmingham

  13,527

  0

  434

  13,961

  Coventry

  3,791

  0

  146

  3,937

  Dudley

  3,619

  0

  21

  3,640

  Sandwell

  3,710

  0

  21

  3,731

  Solihull

  2,484

  0

  154

  2,638

  Walsall

  3,344

  0

  62

  3,406

  Wolverhampton

  3,106

  0

  102

  3,208

  Knowsley

  2,134

  0

  20

  2,154

  Liverpool

  6,217

  10

  140

  6,367

  St. Helens

  2,311

  0

  52

  2,363

  Sefton

  3,497

  10

  219

  3,726

  Wirral

  4,092

  6

  246

  4,344

  Bolton

  3,378

  3

  128

  3,509

  740
  and national unauthorised absence tables, was £1·9 million. The production of the secondary and 16 to 18 tables has cost £864,800 to date, and the cost of distributing the tables amounts to some £386,100; requests for the tables are still being received. It is not possible to separate the production and distribution costs as between the secondary and the 16 to 18 tables.

  Year Six Pupils
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many year six pupils there are in each local education authority.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information is collected from schools in England on the number of pupils in each age group rather than year group. The numbers of pupils in January 1993 who were aged 10 at the beginning of that school year—most of whom were in year group six—are shown in the table.
  741

  Pupils in non-maintained schools

  LEA

  Pupils in maintained schools primary, middle secondary and special

  Special

  Independent

  All pupils aged 10

  Bury

  2,099

  0

  128

  2,227

  Manchester

  5,611

  0

  238

  5,849

  Oldham

  3,015

  0

  102

  3,117

  Rochdale

  2,725

  0

  36

  2,761

  Salford

  2,657

  0

  144

  2,801

  Stockport

  3,320

  29

  261

  3,610

  Tameside

  2,809

  0

  13

  2,822

  Trafford

  2,457

  0

  192

  2,649

  Wigan

  3,888

  0

  0

  3,888

  Barnsley

  2,717

  0

  12

  2,729

  Doncaster

  3,796

  5

  62

  3,863

  Rotherham

  3,208

  0

  24

  3,232

  Sheffield

  5,395

  0

  153

  5,548

  Bradford

  6,655

  0

  236

  6,891

  Calderdale

  2,422

  0

  62

  2,484

  Kirklees

  4,877

  3

  67

  4,947

  Leeds

  8,103

  7

  400

  8,510

  Wakefield

  3,800

  0

  156

  3,956

  Gateshead

  2,314

  0

  79

  2,393

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  2,950

  17

  367

  3,334

  North Tyneside

  2,287

  9

  79

  2,375

  South Tyneside

  1,912

  0

  8

  1,920

  Sunderland

  3,834

  0

  80

  3,914

  Isles of Scilly

  26

  0

  0

  26

  Avon

  10,331

  0

  863

  11,194

  Bedfordshire

  6,788

  0

  434

  7,222

  Berkshire

  8,336

  2

  1,095

  9,433

  Buckinghamshire

  7,476

  0

  787

  8,263

  Cambridgeshire

  7,769

  0

  487

  8,256

  Cheshire

  11,594

  8

  519

  12,121

  Cleveland

  7,624

  0

  162

  7,786

  Cornwall

  5,479

  0

  162

  5,641

  Cumbria

  5,642

  0

  192

  5,834

  Derbyshire

  10,842

  7

  332

  11,181

  Devon

  11,098

  14

  814

  11,926

  Dorset

  6,523

  8

  637

  7,168

  Durham

  7,209

  0

  183

  7,392

  East Sussex

  6,633

  9

  880

  7,522

  Essex

  17,628

  8

  1,007

  18,643

  Gloucestershire

  6,013

  6

  516

  6,535

  Hampshire

  17,442

  13

  1,462

  18,917

  Hereford and Worcester

  7,669

  11

  703

  8,383

  Hertfordshire

  11,211

  2

  1,207

  12,420

  Humberside

  10,711

  0

  251

  10,962

  Isle of Wight

  1,344

  6

  61

  1,411

  Kent

  17,272

  42

  1,377

  18,691

  Lancashire

  17,226

  15

  579

  17,820

  Leicestershire

  10,891

  0

  466

  11,357

  Lincolnshire

  6,744

  0

  338

  7,082

  Norfolk

  7,945

  0

  487

  8,432

  North Yorkshire

  7,610

  5

  698

  8,313

  Northamptonshire

  7,197

  6

  364

  7,567

  Northumberland

  3,779

  0

  77

  3,856

  Nottinghamshire

  11,833

  9

  417

  12,259

  Oxfordshire

  5,899

  11

  836

  6,746

  Shropshire

  4,870

  2

  403

  5,275

  Somerset

  5,022

  2

  591

  5,615

  Staffordshire

  12,597

  0

  350

  12,947

  Suffolk

  7,099

  0

  532

  7,631

  Surrey

  9,385

  41

  2,438

  11,864

  Warwickshire

  5,532

  0

  410

  5,942

  West Sussex

  7,326

  6

  806

  8,138

  Wiltshire

  6,495

  0

  434

  6,929

  England

  549,392

  334

  36,210

  585,936

  1 Ages as at 31 August 1992

  742 743

  Chief Inspector of Schools
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will place in the Library a copy of every letter to hon. Members from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 24 January 1994]: Professor Sutherland has agreed to make available in the Library any letter which he sends to an hon. Member on a matter raised in a parliamentary question which has been referred to him for reply by my right hon. Friend or other Ministers.

WALES

  Diesel Fuel Duties
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will discuss with bus operators in Wales and other involved parties the impact of the increase in diesel fuel duties on local bus services in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  No. The effect on operators' costs will be minimal—as little as 1 per cent. of their total operating costs. Services in Wales should not be greatly affected.

  Cwmcarn Secondary School
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) when the headteacher of Cwmcarn grant-maintained secondary school in Gwent retired;

  (2) how the early retirement of the headteacher of Cwmcarn grant-maintained school, Gwent, was financed.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply of 17 December 1993, columns 1078–79, to the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mrs. Taylor).

  Uplands Acidification
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what strategy is being considered by the Welsh Office to combat the effects of uplands acidification; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  A significant programme of action is under way in the United Kingdom to reduce the emissions which cause acid rain. This includes measures to reduce emissions from the power industry, the fitting of catalytic converters to all new cars and the implementation of pollution controls under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  In addition, the Welsh Office, in conjunction with the National Rivers Authority and the Countryside Council for Wales, is promoting research and monitoring on the environmental impact of acid deposition in upland Wales.

  Development Agency
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what Welsh Office scrutiny there is of the working of the Welsh Development Agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Welsh Development Agency, like other non-departmental public bodies, is subject to a range 744
  of controls, directions and monitoring as required by the Welsh Development Agency Act 1975. Targets, objectives and performance measures are set in the context of the corporate planning cycle. The agency's finances are monitored on a monthly basis and its accounts are audited by the National Audit Office.

  House Condition Survey
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales who conducted the interim house condition survey; what was the date originally scheduled for publication; what is the date currently scheduled for publication; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The 1993 Welsh House Condition Survey has been conducted in two stages. The first stage was a social survey undertaken by Research and Marketing Ltd. The second stage included a physical survey which was carried out by Bailey Widnell. Both contracts were placed after competitive tendering.

  Our provisional intention was that the results of the surveys be available early this year. We now expect them to be published in the spring.

  Magor-Castleton Motorway
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to publish the submissions received on the consultation exercise on the proposed Magor to Castleton motorway.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Relevant details will be announced when a decision is taken on whether or not to proceed with any of the published routes. This is currently anticipated by the summer of 1994.

  Emergency Highway Works
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if arrangements similar to the special arrangements for emergency work referred to by the Secretary of State for Transport in respect of the introduction of full competition for local authority highway works in England will apply in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Yes. The implementation date is 1 October 1997, which takes account of proposals for local government reorganisation.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions since 1982 in Wales a potentially damaging operation to a site of special scientific interest has been carried out following the failure to reach a management agreement as set out in section 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested by the hon. Member about potentially damaging operations is not available in the form requested. Available data on damage to SSSIs up to 31 March 1991 can be found in the Nature Conservancy Council's annual reports. Damage since 1 April 1991 can be found in the Countryside Council for Wales annual reports. Copies are available in the Library of the House.
  745

  Less-favoured Areas
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cattle and sheep farms are wholly or mainly in the less-favoured areas.

  Mr. Redwood
  In June 1992 there were 13,715 cattle and sheep farms wholly or mainly within the less-favoured areas in Wales.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the total subsidy to be paid on cattle and sheep in the less-favoured areas in 1994.

  Mr. Redwood
  The total direct subsidies paid under hill livestock compensatory allowances, sheep annual premium, and suckler cow premium schemes in 1994 on cattle and sheep in the less-favoured areas in Wales is estimated to be £157 million.

  Farm Accidents
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many accidents were reported on farms in Wales in 1992–93; and what measures were taken to increase awareness of accident prevention.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have been asked to reply.

  In the agriculture and horticulture industry in Wales in 1992–93 a provisional total of 65 occupational injuries were reported to enforcing authorities. Information on the number of injuries which occurred on farms cannot be separately identified.

  The Health and Safety Executive is carrying out an extensive programme of measures aimed at helping to reduce the numbers of injuries and to increase awareness of health and safety in the agricultural industry. These measures include targeting inspection at those workplaces that present the greatest risk, extensive advisory and publicity work, and liaison with the industry to improve the safety of agricultural equipment.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Pergau Hydro-electric Project
  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 Pergau hydro-electric project there are within his Department; and how many are at the British high commission in Malaysia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Six. The high commission in Malaysia does not hold any such files.

  The marking "Not for NAO Eyes" is used in accordance with long-established practice. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's internal audit unit regularly checks to ensure that the marking is not abused.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the instruction from the Foreign Secretary to the permanent secretary of the Overseas Development Administration dated 4 July 1989.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The document to which the hon. Member refers is dated 4 July 1991. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 31 January 1994 at column 493.
  746
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the memorandum to the Minister for Overseas Development from the permanent secretary of the Overseas Development Administration dated 7 February 1989.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Permanent Secretary's memorandum to which the hon. Member refers is dated 7 February 1991. The Public Accounts Committee was informed that, in accordance with usual practice, this internal document would not be released. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will prepare a full memorandum in response to the request now expected from the Foreign Affairs Committee following their decision of 26 January.

  Special Adviser
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Afairs, pursuant to his answer of 17 December,Official Report, column 961, if he will outline the particular qualifications, expertise or experience relating to the Overseas Development portfolio of the special adviser, Mr. Maurice Fraser.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  It is not my practice to comment on the qualifications, expertise or experience of special advisers.

  Horn of Africa
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to meet his counterparts in the European Union to discuss a joint response to forecast food deficits in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The food aid needs of countries in the Horn of Africa, including Ethiopia and Eritrea, were discussed by officials of the European Community and its member states on 13 January. The European Commission indicated that they expect to provide some 250,000 tonnes of food to Ethiopia and Eritrea through various channels during 1994. Member states are considering their individual responses. A further meeting on 3 March will review the position.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for the supply of emergency food aid following forecasts of crop deficits in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have allocated 10,000 tonnes of relief food aid for Eritrea and 15,000 tonnes for Ethiopia since 1 November 1993 from our 1993–94 national food aid programme. This food is being channelled through various NGOs. We will shortly be considering the possibility of further allocations from our 1994–95 programme.

  Crop Deficits
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received regarding forecasts of crop deficits in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have received reports of joint FAO/WFP crop and food supply assessment missions carried out in November and December 1993 for both Ethiopia and Eritrea. Additional information has been received from the British embassy in Addis Ababa and various NGOs.
  747

  Environmental Appraisal Manual
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes the Overseas Development Administration has made to the "Manual of Environmental Appraisal" since April 1992.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There have been no changes. We plan to review the manual on a three-year cycle, but sections can be amended in the interim if there are key developments.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Correspondence
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what proportion of correspondence received by(a) his Department and (b) each of his Department's agencies receives (i) an acknowledgement within five days and (ii) a substantive reply within 15 days.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 17 December 1993]: Current practice is for acknowledgements of correspondence to be sent immediately in cases where it is clear that a substantive reply cannot be given without consultation or research. Substantive replies are sent to correspondence as quickly as possible, but detailed analysis of response times could not be prepared except at disproportionate cost. The Privy Council Office has no responsibility for any agencies.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

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

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: None.

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

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: Employees suspected of fraud would be dealt with under disciplinary procedures and, where appropriate, the criminal code. An employee subsequently found guilty would normally be dismissed.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

  Brazil
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom relations with Brazil.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We enjoy excellent relations with Brazil.

  Honduras
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Honduras concerning human rights.
  748
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Our ambassador in Tegucigalpa regularly reminds the Honduran authorities of the concern in this country over human rights and is in frequent contact with the Honduran human rights ombudsman. European Union ambassadors discussed human rights with the presidential candidates before the November elections.

  Poland
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Poland in relation to the applications by Poland to join the European Union and NATO.

  Mr. Hurd
  We strongly support Poland's wish to join the European Union.

  We welcome Poland's intention to take part in the "Partnership for Peace" programme, which indicates its willingness eventually to take on the responsibilities of NATO membership.

  Far East (Exports)
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department is doing to encourage exports to the far east.

  Mr. Goodlad
  All FCO posts in the far east have export promotion as a top priority. They seek out export opportunities, advise British companies on the business to be won in their markets, lobby on their behalf for major contracts and against discrimination, organise visits by Ministers and trade missions with the specific object of winning business amongst other tasks. I am happy to say, for example, that our exports to China were 72 per cent. up in the first 11 months of 1993 compared to 1992, to the Philippines 50 per cent., to Thailand 39 per cent., to South Korea 21 per cent., to Malaysia 50 per cent., to Hong Kong 32 per cent., to Singapore 24 per cent., to Japan 17 per cent. and to Taiwan 20 per cent.

  Middle East
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had about the middle east peace process; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary visited Lebanon, Israel, the Occupied Territories and Jordan from 3–6 January. The Prime Minister met Crown Prince Hassan of Jordan in London on 11 January. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I held discussions with the Lebanese Prime Minister in London on 25 and 26 January. I am encouraged by the determination of all the parties to make progress towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.

  Western European Union (Membership)
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place concerning the widening of Western European Union membership by the inclusion of countries in eastern and central Europe.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Western European Union Council of Ministers of 22 November requested the WEU
  749
  Permanent Council to study the possibility of an enhanced status for the countries of central and eastern Europe to allow them to participate to a greater extent in WEU activities.

  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future relationships between the Western European Union and the countries of central and eastern Europe, in the light of the adoption of the "Partnership for Peace" policy at the recent NATO summit.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Discussions have taken place between the Western European Union Permanent Council and representatives from central and eastern Europe, following on from the agreement reached at the 22 November WEU ministerial meeting, regarding the possibility of an enhanced relationship with the WEU for these countries. Any such enhanced relationship would be complementary to and compatible with the links developed through NATO's "Partnership for Peace".

  Malaysia
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom relations with Malaysia.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Our relations with Malaysia are excellent. We have close links in many fields, especially trade, defence and education. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister visited Kuala Lumpur last September, and the King of Malaysia paid a state visit to this country in November.

  Social Policy (European Community)
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the European Commission to discuss EC social policy.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I have contacts over a wide range of issues with representatives of the European Commission. On special social policy ssues, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment, who has responsibility for this area, is in regular contact with Commissioner Padraig Flynn.

  China
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom relations with China.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We attach importance to the United Kingdom's relations with China, which cover a broad range of issues. We have a shared responsibility under the Joint Declaration for the future of Hong Kong. We have a good working relationship in the UN Security Council. Our commercial relationship is expanding rapidly, with United Kingdom exports up by 72 per cent. in the first 11 months of last year.

  Belize
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Belize.
  750
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Our relations with Belize remain close and warm.

  Russian Parliament
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action his Department is taking to establish firm links and lines of communication with the new Russian Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We look forward to regular contacts with the new Russian Parliament. The Speaker of the House has invited the chairman of the State Duma, Mr. Rybkin, to visit the United Kingdom later this year. We have established the £500,000 British programme for democracy financed by the know-how fund to help foster, among other things, interparliamentary contacts and provide training for new parliamentarians and officials.

  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to meet representatives of the United States Government to discuss the implementations of the GATT agreement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I am sure that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will be discussing GATT implications again with the Americans in the near future.

  Japan
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last visited Japan to discuss trade links; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed our trade links with a number of Japanese Ministers including the Prime Minister, during his visit to Japan in April 1993. I did so too during my visit in November. Our commercial relationship is making good progress. Despite continuing recession in Japan, British exports during the first 11 months of 1993 rose by 17 per cent. compared with the same period in 1992.

  Foreign Policy (Co-operation)
  Sir David Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he proposes to have discussions with his European Union partners concerning the strengthening of intergovernmental co-operation on foreign policy.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs meets his European Union partners regularly to discuss the strengthening of intergovernmental co-operation on foreign policy.

  South Africa
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what requests he has received concerning assistance with the process of the election in South Africa; and if he will make a statement.
  751
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  On 14 January the UN Security Council approved the Secretary-General's report containing his proposals for international assistance for the South African elections. These provide for an international contingent of 2,840 observers, of which 1,778 will be provided by the UN. The United Kingdom will contribute to the UN, EU and Commonwealth observer operations.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contributions Her Majesty's Government are planning to make to the groups monitoring the planned South African elections in April.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Britain is contributing to the UN, EU and Commonwealth observer operations. The exact number of British observers has yet to be finalised.

  Paraguay
  Mr. Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom relations with Paraguay.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Relations with Paraguay are good. There were several high-level British visitors to Asuncion in 1993. We hope that President Wasmosy can visit Britain later this year.

  European Union (Enlargement)
  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement regarding progress towards European Union enlargement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Significant progress has been made towards the enlargement of the European Community and we look forward to the early accession of the four EFTA applicants. We remain committed to the target date for accession of 1 January 1995.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what agreements have been made with other EC states and the United Nations on policy on the use of air strikes to protect(a) Bosnian Muslims and (b) humanitarian aid.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  At the NATO summit on 10–11 January, allies reaffirmed their readiness, in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions, to carry out air strikes to prevent the strangulation of Sarajevo and other threatened areas. NATO is also prepared to use air power, if requested, in support of UNPROFOR operations, including the delivery of humanitarian aid.

  Soviet Republics
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the current conflicts within certain of the republics of the former Soviet Union.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are concerned at the growing human toll and humanitarian problems resulting from the conflicts in Georgia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Tajikistan. We continue to work for resolutions through the international bodies involved, notably the CSCE and the UN.
  752

  Sudan
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will initiate a debate on Sudan in the United Nations Security Council.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have no plans to do so at this stage. We have to be sure that recourse to the Security Council would achieve the right outcome.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current position of negotiations with China over the future of Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We seek co-operation with China for a smooth transition in Hong Kong. On arrangements for the 1994 and 1995 elections, despite 17 rounds of talks, we have so far been unable to reach agreement. It was necessary for the Governor to begin the legislative process on the more urgent issues in December. We wish to continue discussion with China on the remaining electoral issues in the time available. We will also continue to seek rapid solutions, through the joint liaison group, to the many other outstanding issues related to the transition, not least those concerning Hong Kong's new airport.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had recently to encourage the peace process in former Yugoslavia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On 27 January my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met Lord Owen in London. On 31 January he met the United Nations Secretary-General and the Canadian Foreign Minister in New York and on 1 February he met the American Secretary of State in Washington. Next week he shall meet his European Union counterparts in Brussels.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what physical assistance has been offered to the United Nations commission of inquiry into alleged war crimes in former Yugoslavia to excavate alleged mass burial sites; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom has offered no physical assistance to the excavation of alleged mass graves. Instead the United Kingdom has concentrated its efforts on the collation of substantiated evidence on war crimes by the MOD's defence debriefing team. Three batches of evidence have so far been submitted to the United Nations commission of experts.

  Land Mines
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what international agreements cover the provision of assistance for clearing land mines.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Article 9 of protocol II to the 1981 UN weaponry convention provides that at the end of a conflict
  753
  "the parties shall endeavour to reach agreement, both among themselves and, where appropriate, with other States and with International organizations"
  on assistance to remove or render ineffective minefields and mines.

  Latin America
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to boost trade links with Latin America.

  Mr. Goodlad
  All Foreign and Commonwealth Office posts in Latin America have export promotion as a top priority. They seek out export opportunities, advise British companies on the business to be won in their markets, lobby on their behalf for major contracts and against discrimination, organise visits by trade missions and Ministers with the specific object of winning business amongst other tasks. I am happy to say that our exports to Latin America have increased by 26 per cent. over the past 12 months.

  Somalia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the cost of the military operation in Somalia in 1993.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The total cost to the United Nations of UNOSOM in 1993 was $487,363,740. The United Kingdom pays 6·373 per cent. of peacekeeping costs on the United Nations scale of assessment. The United Kingdom contribution to UNOSOM in 1993 was therefore $30,982,123.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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 notified and consulted upon.

  Mr. Goodlad
  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.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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 for each of the past three years.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The DSS has reimbursed the following amounts to the FCO and the ODA in respect of statutory sick pay provision over the past three financial years:

  Financial year

  FCO £

  ODA £

  1991–92

  142,550·24

  41,683·55

  1992–93

  167,586·00

  50,137·02

  11993–94

  111,067·08

  36,655·78

  1April to December 1993.

  754

  Liberia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what legal provisions govern the British Government in contributing to the ECOMOG initiative in Liberia and other regional peace-keeping troops.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Kingdom made a $1 million contribution to the United Nations trust fund for Liberia, and this contribution was restricted to humanitarian relief purposes. It is a long-standing policy of successive Administrations that overseas aid is not used for defence purposes.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been made to the United Kingdom's relations with Liberia following the passage of Security Council resolution 788.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have given strong support in the United Nations Security Council to the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, to bring about a ceasefire in Liberia. We look forward to the establishment of a Liberian national transitional government.

  Nigeria
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent changes have been made to United Kingdom sanctions against the military Government of Nigeria.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the written reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 2 December 1993, at column 680.

  North Atlantic Assembly
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who will replace the Earl of Kimberley as a Lords member of the United Kingdom delegation to the North Atlantic Assembly.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My noble Friend Lord Lyell has been approached and has indicated that he would be content to do so.

TRANSPORT

  Market Testing
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 15 December,Official Report, column 709, if consultants from the firm Touche Ross have talked to any vehicle registration office staff as part of the advice of the agency on its overall marketing testing strategy.

  Mr. Key
  In advising DVLA on its market testing strategy Touche Ross consultants interviewed the senior management of the vehicle registration offices.

  M1
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the contractors to complete their current work around junction 9 on the M1; and if he will make a statement.
  755
  Mr. Key
  The contractors expect the work to widen the M1 between junctions 9 and 10 to be substantially complete by the middle of February, but this date could be affected by adverse weather conditions. Minor operations will continue beyond then but should not cause delays to traffic.

  Road-widening Schemes
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all proposed road-widening schemes in England with the year when he expects the work to begin and be completed together with the estimated cost of each scheme.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend will announce, in the near future, the national road schemes on which works are planned to start in 1994–95, and the results of the current review of road programme priorities.

  A6(M)
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest cost of the A6(M) Stockport north-south bypass.

  Mr. Key
  The estimated cost of the published proposals for A6(M) Stockport north-south bypass is £113 million.

  Rail Regulator
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the rail regulator's statutory powers under the Railways Act 1993 come into force.

  Mr. Freeman
  Section 1 of and schedule 1 to the Railways Act 1993, which provide for the appointment of the Rail Regulator and for remuneration, staff and other procedural matters arising from his appointment, came into force on the passing of the Act on 5 November 1993. The remaining statutory powers of the regulator are expected to come into force at the beginning of April 1994 when the main provisions of the Railways Act are due to be commenced.

  Trunk Roads (Underbridges)
  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 19 January,Official Report, column 600, if he will list each of the three underbridges on motorways and the 65 underbridges on all-purpose trunk roads.

  Mr. Key
  The list is as follows:

  Motorways

  Road

  Bridge name

  M4

  Cutbridge No. 2

  M54

  Queensway

  M621 (S)

  South Leeds I/C 13 Railway

  All Purpose Trunk Roads

  Road

  Bridge name

  Road

  Bridge name

  A1

  Ease Drain extension

  A11

  Bourne

  A11

  Barton Mills five ways

  A140

  Thwaite

  A16

  Lucks

  A16

  Surfleet

  A16

  Kelsey

  A17

  Beckingham

  756

  Road

  Bridge name

  Road

  Bridge name

  A31

  Malwood farm CC South

  A33

  Itchen No. 1

  A33

  Compton flyover north

  A34

  Strongford O/A widening

  A4

  Henley branch railway

  A4

  Loddon (Tyford)

  A4

  Old river (north)

  A40

  Wilton east bound extension

  A41

  Stone

  A41

  Heath

  A41

  Nell railway

  A41

  Greenfield lock canal

  A417

  Abbey way

  A423

  Henley

  A423

  Kidlington Canal

  A423

  Duchess

  A446

  Railway flood No. 17A

  A45

  Sowe

  A465

  Wormbridge

  A47

  Constitution hill

  A483

  Llynclys

  A49

  Wayford

  A49

  Beeston canal

  A5

  Caves Inn N/B extension

  A5

  Montford

  A50

  Dove flood culvert No. 3

  A500

  Hough railway

  A51

  Wardle canal

  A51

  Henhull canal

  A556

  Heyeswood railway main line

  A556

  Allens west

  A556

  Nether Tabley

  A57

  Tom Otter's

  A590

  Yarl (Orig M/Arch)

  A595

  Loop road No. 1

  A596

  Micklethwaite 2

  A596

  Micklethwaite 3

  A6

  Leicester road railway

  A6

  Clophill

  A61

  A61 interchange west

  A61

  A61 interchange east

  A61

  Alfreton brook (M/Arch)

  A61

  Sowell A railway

  A629

  Eastburn works (M/Arch)

  A269

  Mill Ing

  A630

  Railway bridge No. 71

  A638

  Rossington south

  A638

  Rossington north

  A646

  Hepton new

  A646

  Luddenden foot extension

  A646

  Mytholmyroyd canal

  A65

  Townend Hellifield

  A65

  Coniston Aire

  A650

  Hard Ings road

  A66

  Eden

  A696

  Ponteland

  A7

  Longtown

  Principal Roads (Maintenance)
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money has been allocated by his Department to each local highway authority in transport supplementary grant and credit approvals for the maintenance of principal roads of more than local importance in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Key
  Transport supplementary grant and credit approvals were first allocated for structural maintenance of principal roads forming part of the primary route network in 1992–93. This was extended to cover all principal roads in 1993–94. The figures are:

  Structural maintenance—accepted expenditure in £k

  Authority

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  City of London

  0

  0

  0

  Barking and Dagenham

  0

  867

  399

  Barnet

  0

  140

  175

  Bexley

  0

  847

  1,103

  Brent

  0

  287

  828

  Bromley

  212

  420

  432

  Camden

  1,617

  1,566

  1,139

  Croydon

  0

  1,480

  1,144

  Ealing

  0

  285

  386

  Enfield

  0

  270

  309

  Greenwich

  379

  510

  477

  Hackney

  185

  385

  600

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  0

  420

  761

  Haringey

  255

  1,270

  1,012

  Harrow

  0

  0

  318

  Havering

  0

  90

  69

  Hillingdon

  0

  170

  278

  Hounslow

  0

  215

  414

  Islington

  900

  730

  935

  Kensington and Chelsea

  0

  0

  142

  Kingston upon Thames

  820

  563

  472

  Lambeth

  145

  255

  537

  Lewisham

  100

  50

  231

  Merton

  250

  140

  189

  Newham

  30

  140

  204

  757

  Authority

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Redbridge

  0

  765

  535

  Richmond upon Thames

  41

  111

  200

  Southwark

  0

  0

  381

  Sutton

  150

  170

  180

  Tower Hamlets

  1,847

  6,995

  3,440

  Waltham Forest

  170

  415

  251

  Wandsworth

  275

  503

  664

  Westminster

  570

  480

  336

  Bolton

  550

  1,015

  722

  Bury

  300

  630

  688

  Manchester

  779

  1,330

  1,363

  Oldham

  200

  775

  779

  Rochdale

  500

  315

  686

  Salford

  970

  940

  964

  Stockport

  222

  350

  955

  Tameside

  431

  1,285

  938

  Trafford

  140

  290

  251

  Wigan

  435

  370

  536

  Knowsley

  456

  860

  953

  Liverpool

  1,400

  1,500

  2,200

  St. Helens

  95

  160

  142

  Sefton

  378

  550

  185

  Wirral

  190

  360

  259

  Barnsley

  536

  565

  750

  Doncaster

  1,445

  1,421

  1,129

  Rotherham

  219

  522

  478

  Sheffield

  1,000

  2,711

  2,773

  Gateshead

  185

  275

  300

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  541

  736

  1,300

  North Tyneside

  200

  840

  650

  South Tyneside

  93

  385

  560

  Sunderland

  1,044

  2,006

  1,482

  Birmingham

  2,000

  4,392

  3,196

  Coventry

  854

  825

  406

  Dudley

  670

  1,400

  1,256

  Sandwell

  1,555

  1,740

  1,644

  Solihull

  125

  120

  151

  Walsall

  110

  770

  755

  Wolverhampton

  460

  880

  791

  Bradford

  1,000

  2,100

  1,454

  Calderdale

  352

  1,277

  2,262

  Kirklees

  1,795

  3,510

  2,609

  Leeds

  1,000

  6,086

  3,271

  Wakefield

  827

  1,686

  1,300

  Avon

  2,530

  2,470

  1,660

  Bedfordshire

  777

  1,210

  1,041

  Berkshire

  1,370

  2,150

  1,346

  Buckinghamshire

  1,350

  2,190

  1,412

  Cambridgeshire

  1,410

  2,555

  1,801

  Cheshire

  4,480

  7,520

  5,429

  Cleveland

  856

  1,940

  1,715

  Cornwall

  1,490

  2,340

  2,008

  Cumbria

  1,916

  2,100

  1,426

  Derbyshire

  1,592

  1,810

  1,394

  Devon

  2,570

  4,040

  3,893

  Dorset

  400

  1,295

  926

  Durham

  1,106

  1,255

  1,252

  East Sussex

  890

  1,963

  1,913

  Essex

  1,652

  2,588

  2,949

  Gloucestershire

  1,054

  1,500

  1,409

  Hampshire

  1,200

  4,985

  4,183

  Hereford and Worcester

  1,332

  2,030

  1,744

  Hertfordshire

  500

  2,870

  1,954

  Humberside

  2,342

  3,856

  3,035

  Isle of Wight

  0

  600

  594

  Kent

  4,340

  7,879

  7,273

  Lancashire

  2,004

  2,160

  3,381

  Leicestershire

  2,240

  1,915

  2,011

  Lincolnshire

  1,360

  2,027

  2,146

  Norfolk

  2,616

  3,542

  2,730

  Northamptonshire

  3,431

  3,800

  2,076

  Northumberland

  1,007

  2,210

  1,998

  North Yorkshire

  2,332

  4,575

  3,752

  Nottinghamshire

  1,733

  3,530

  2,990

  Oxfordshire

  1,789

  1,833

  1,791

  Shropshire

  1,109

  1,750

  1,680

  Somerset

  710

  1,733

  1,390

  Staffordshire

  4,000

  5,420

  4,323

  758

  Authority

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Suffolk

  2,411

  3,050

  3,075

  Surrey

  443

  2,712

  3,484

  Warwickshire

  560

  1,050

  1,710

  West Sussex

  1,375

  1,738

  1,859

  Wiltshire

  0

  1,292

  1,348

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 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 notified and consulted upon.

  Mr. MacGregor
  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.

  Citizens Charter
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the amount of money paid to the travelling public by British Rail under the terms of the citizens charter.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail launched the passengers charter in March 1992. I understand that between April 1992 and November 1993 it paid £4·4 million in compensation to passengers under the terms of the charter.

  Highway Works (Competitive Tendering)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the amount of money for contract administration and monitoring that will be added to client costs under the proposed full competition for local authority highway works in England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  I expect that any additional costs incurred by local authorities will, on average, be more than recouped by the efficiency and financial benefits gained.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the details of the special arrangements for emergency work referred to in the announcement of the introduction of full competition for local authority highway works in England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  I am consulting the local authority associations on a proposal that emergency works should continue to remain exempt from competition requirements. This would give local authorities maximum flexibility in responding to unpredictable situations.

  Drivers (Training)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether training of drivers undertaken under the Road Traffic (Carriage of Dangerous Substances, Packets etc.) Regulation 1986 will be accepted under the Road Traffic (Training of Drivers of Vehicles Carrying Dangerous Goods) Regulations 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  Drivers of vehicles over 3·5 tonnes gross weight carrying dangerous goods in packages must
  759
  undertake approved training and hold a vocational training certificate from 1 January 1995, as required by EC directive 684/89. The training requirements have been well publicised and were introduced after full consultation.

  The 1992 regulations allowed a two-and-a-half year transitional period until the end of 1994 for drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods in packages to obtain a certificate.

  Traffic Cones Hotline
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total cost of the traffic cones hotline to date; and what is the precise purpose of the hotline.

  Mr. Key
  Separate costs of the cones hotline are not available since they have been met from the existing running costs budget. No staff have been employed exclusively on hotline activity.

  The purpose of the hotline is to enable road users to complain to the Department if they see parts of the trunk road and motorway network which appear to have been coned off unnecessarily. The complaint is then followed up within the Department.

  In most cases there will be a good reason, although not necessarily an obvious one, for the cones to be in place, and the Department undertakes on request to provide a written explanation of what it is. If there is no good reason, the Department undertakes to get the cones removed.

  Motorways
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has commissioned into high speed electronic debiting for urban motorways.

  Mr. Key
  We are currently putting in hand a programme of research and trials to develop an electronic charging system suitable for use on the British motorway network. We shall shortly be inviting industry to submit proposals and equipment for study and assessment.

  Design, Build, Finance Unit
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the design, build, finance unit to commence work; and if he will give details of staffing appointments.

  Mr. Key
  A reorganisation of the Department's staff has established a small unit to develop design, build, finance and operate contracts. This will put into effect the policy announced by the Secretary of State on 2 December, in response to the results of the consultation paper "Paying for Better Motorways". The units' staffing is building up as the workload increases.

  Projects and Contracts
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a table setting out each contract or project for which his Department is currently inviting bids from(a) financial, (b) political or (c) other consultants, the nature of each contract or project and the bidding time scale for each project; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 19 January 1994]: The information is as follows:
  760

  Consultancy contracts or projects for which bids are currently invited

  Nature of contract or project

  Bidding timescale (Tender return date)

  (a) Financial consultants

  Insurance advice consultancy

  13 December 1993

  Channel tunnel rail link: Reporting accountants

  4 January 1994

  Review of DVOIT Ltd. balance sheet

  13 January 1994

  Study into DBFO contracts

  February 1994

  (b) Political consultants

  (c) Other consultants

  Channel tunnel rail link; technical advisers

  8 December 1993

  The effective sealing of cracks and fissures in pavements

  15 December 1993

  National roads network assessment system: Software program

  4 November 1993

  Specialist consultancy support for MSSD

  15 October 1993

  Coastguard magazine

  12 November 1993

  DOT newspaper

  12 November 1993

  Appointment of a consultant to update and survey the network using DOT's high speed road monitor

  21 December 1993

  Design and supervision of the installation of new national motorway communications system (M1 J24 to J30)

  27 January 1993

  South London trunk roads: Maintenace and improvement

  9 December 1993

  River Thames working group—Analysis of transport potential of the River Thames

  10 February 1994

  Arbitration on user charges at United States airports

  10 January 1994

  Accident/Incident database

  6 January 1994

  1991 LATS database appointment of marketing agents

  14 January 1994

  Recruitment of a property consultant

  4 January 1994

  Trial audit of free issue equipment

  4 January 1994

  Investigation into the integrity of transmission stations

  February 1994

  Investigation into alternative methods of connecting police control offices to the motorway transmission system

  February 1994

  Market research into the accuracy of the DVLA database

  Early February 1994

  PACT (Pilot actions for combined transport) study

  7 February 1994

  Site supervision of installation of new communications equipment (M1 J38 to J42)

  17 January 1994

  Assignment based technology for modelling within congested areas

  20 January 1994

  Monitoring of bus priorities

  28 January 1994

  Exhaust emission testing

  21 January 1994

  Advice on surveys on use of accessible buses

  24 January 1994

  Monitor and survey of lighting on trunk roads in London

  not available

  West London trunk roads: Maintenance and improvement

  not available

  Birmingham northern relief road: Financial and technical resolution panel

  not available

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a table setting out each separate contract or project awarded to(a) financial, (b) political or (c) other consultants by his Department in connection with any schemes or proposals for inclusion in the private finance initiative or joint public/private funding, the dates on which each contract or project was commissioned by his Department, the successful company or individual awarded the contract or project and the total amount paid to each company or consultant; and if he will make a statement.
  761
  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 19 January 1994]The information is as follows:

  Private finance initiative and joint public/private funding contracts and projects

  Contract let date

  Project

  Company

  Value (£ thousands)

  (a) Financial Consultants

  1986

  Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Assessment of Proposals

  J. Henry Schroder Wagg

  Not available

  13 November 1989

  Birmingham Northern Relief Road: Assessment of Proposals and Financial Advice on Concessions Agreement

  Coopers & Lybrand

  1,374

  5 August 1991

  Birmingham Western Orbital Route: Assessment of Proposals

  West Merchant Bank

  276

  26 April 1992

  Second Severn Crossing: Financial and Technical Disputes Resolution Panel

  12 individuals

  98

  28 January 1992

  Independent Review of Union Railways' work on CTRL

  Samuel Montagu & Co. Ltd.

  223

  27 May 1992

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link

  Samuel Montague

  342

  27 May 1992

  Birmingham Northern Relief Road: Financial Advisers

  Coopers Lybrand Deloitte

  300

  8 August 1993

  Project Structure and Competition to appoint private sector participant in CTRL

  Hill Samuel Bank

  366

  (b) Political Consultants

  —

  —

  —

  —

  (c) Other Consultants

  16 August 1984 and 17 September 1991

  Second Severn Crossing: Development of Requirements, Assessment of Proposals and Government Agent

  G. Maunsell & Partners W. S. Atkins

  3,624

  9 July 1987

  Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Engineering

  Mott MacDonald

  2,130

  13 April 1989

  Second Severn Crossing: Drafting of the Concession Agreement

  McKenna & Co.

  504

  10 October 1989

  Birmingham Northern Relief Road: Development of Proposals

  Sir Owen Williams & Partners

  2,199

  1990

  Birmingham-Manchester Corridor

  Sir Owen Williams & Partners

  13

  19 December 1990

  Birmingham Northern Relief Road: Drafting of Concessions Agreement

  McKenna & Co.

  890

  May 1990

  Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Communications and Signals

  Mott MacDonald

  306

  14 August 1991

  Severn Crossing: Government Representative for existing bridge

  Flint & Neill Partnership

  1,190

  29 November 1991

  New Tamar Crossing: Route identification study

  W. S. Atkins

  414

  August 1991

  Mersey Crossing: Route identification study

  Oscar Faber TPA

  202

  June 1991

  Birmingham Western Orbital Route: Advice on traffic capacity

  Oscar Faber TPA

  25

  October 1991

  Birmingham Western Orbital Route: Development of Proposals

  Rendell Palmer Tritton

  41

  14 May 1992

  Lower Thames Crossing: Feasibility Study

  Consortium led by G. Maunsell & Partners

  785

  22 June 1992

  Independent Review of Union Railway's work on CTRL: Engineering advice

  W. S. Atkins

  166

  22 June 1992

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link; Appointment of Engineering Consultants to Assist Financial Advisers

  W. S. Atkins Planning Consultants

  90

  23 November 1992

  Channel Tunnel Risk Assessment Study

  Electrowatt Engineering Services Ltd.

  Phase 1 = 15 Phase 2 = 550

  17 December 1992

  Legal advice on competition for private sector partner in CTRL

  McKenna & Co.

  Not available

  15 December 1993

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link; Appointment of Engineering Consultants to Assist Financial Advisers (Extn)

  W. S. Atkins Planning Consultants

  12

  27 January 1993

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link; Independent Review

  W. S. Atkins Planning Consultants

  15

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

  Mr.Norris
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: Employees convicted of fraud are subject to the Department's disciplinary procedures and are liable to dismissal.
  762
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many employees were judged to be guilty of fraud in his Department in each year since 1989; and how many were dismissed.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]The figures for 1989 are not immediately available.

  Since 1990, two employees were judged guilty of fraud in the Department: one in 1992 and one in 1993. On both occasions the individual concerned was dismissed.
  763
  In addition, in application of departmental policy, two employees who had been convicted of fraud outside the Department were also dismissed, one in 1991 and one in 1992.

  Traffic Cones (Security)
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what publicly funded research has taken place into the provision of transparent traffic cones in those situations where security is an important consideration.

  Mr. Howard
  I have been asked to reply.

  Proposals for enhancing public security are always considered with care. In this case the proposal from one of my hon. Friend's constituents for the development of a transparent traffic cone was referred to the Metropolitan police anti-terrorist branch and the police scientific development branch. The police have concluded that transparent cones are unlikely to be of significant security benefit in Great Britain. Publicly funded research on possible designs, and in particular on whether a transparent cone could be produced which conformed to BS standard 873, has not therefore been carried out.

  London Stansted Airport
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy that airlines should be given specific opportunities to operate from London Stansted airport to the United States of America as part of a new air service bilateral agreement.

  Mr. Norris
  The United Kingdom has already offered the immediate removal of all restrictions on United States and United Kingdom carriers' access to Stansted as part of a proposal made last December for a liberalised United Kingdom/United States air services agreement.

  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which American airlines have been refused licences to operate from London Stansted airport since 1990 under the transatlantic air travel bilateral restrictions.

  Mr. Norris
  Several US airlines have expressed interest over this period. Most recently, last June, we turned down a request from TWA for a unilaterial concession. We were disappointed that the United States were not prepared to accept an offer we made at that time which would have allowed this service to go ahead.

  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to what extent the demand for transatlantic services fromn London Stansted airport has been represented at the negotiations on the air travel bilateral restrictions to date.

  Mr. Norris
  The Airport Operators Association, of which BAA plc is a member, attends the UOIKJUS liberalisation negotiations as part of the United Kingdom's delegation team.

  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received to date in favour of freeing London Stansted airport from the transatlantic air travel bilaterial restrictions.

  Mr. Norris
  My officials and I have received a variety of written and oral representations in recent months.
  764
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the extent to which air travel bilateral restrictions which frustrate the demand for transatlantic services from London Stansted airport.

  Mr. Norris
  The UK/US air services bilateral arrangements allow any of the six US carriers currently serving London to operate some or all of their services from Stansted if whey wish to do so. I assess carefully the implications of requests from US carriers for further rights to serve Stansted as they arise.

  Microlight Aircraft
  Sir Patrick McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what progress is being made in discussions with the French authorities to raise the overall weight limits of microlight aircraft from 390 kilograms to 450 kg; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what progress is being made towards establishing a European standard to define a microlight aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  Responsibility for the safety regulation of civil aviation, including microlights, within the United Kingdom, rests with the Civil Aviation Authority. The Authority also participates fully in discussions, with other national aviation authorities, aimed at developing harmonised aviation requirements. I will therefore ask the chairman of the Authority to write to the hon. Member in response to his questions.

  Waste Dumping
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will discuss with local government organisations the changes required in International Maritime Organisation regulations following the incident on 30 December 1993 involving the MT Stort Kestrel, to prevent the dumping of noxious substances and other waste by shipping.

  Mr. Norris
  My Department is indeed prepared to enter into discussion with local government organisations on the International Maritime Organisation's regulations on the discharge of noxious liquids.

  Tax Concessions (Germany)
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he will take to assist the competitive position of the British shipping industry following the German Government's decision to extend tax concessions for investors in shipping companies.

  Mr. Norris
  A number of non-fiscal measures have been introduced or are proposed, including those announced on 15 December by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport,Hansard, column 698–99. Issues of fiscal policy are primarily for my right hon. and learned friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

  Plutonium Nitrate (Transport)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes he has under consideration relating to the transportation of plutonium nitrate.

  Mr. Norris
  My Department is preparing to implement the code for the safe carriage of irradiated nuclear fuel,
  765
  plutonium and high-level radioactive wastes in flasks on board ships, which was agreed by the assembly of the International Maritime Organisation in November 1993.

  MV Iran-Sokan
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions since 1985 the cargo ship MV Iran-Sokan has docked at ports in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Norris
  The available information indicates that the Iran-Sokan was in port in London in June 1987 and March 1988, and in Immingham in June 1993.

  A38
  Mr. Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the A38 trunk road between Exeter and Plymouth meets the necessary criteria to be designated as an A(M) road; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  Roads with A(M) and M designations are built to broadly similar engineering standards and are subject to the same legal requirements. The A38 between Exeter and Plymouth does not presently meet the necessary criteria for such roads. However, as my hon. Friend is aware, a study of the future needs of this important but environmentally sensitive route is being carried out as quickly as possible.

  Marine Pollution
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he was first notified of the recent marine diesel fuel pollution incident off the coasts of Scotland and Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what actions he has taken, and on what dates, to clear up the marine diesel fuel pollutants recently discovered off the coasts of Scotland and Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will give full details of the extent of marine diesel pollution in the last 10 days off the coast of Northern Ireland and Scotland; and which parts of the United Kingdom have been affected;

  (4) if he will instigate an urgent marine accident investigation branch and marine pollution unit investigation into the circumstances causing marine diesel pollution off the coast of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answers 1 February 1994]The Department's Marine Pollution Control Unit was first informed of pollution on the east coast of Northern Ireland on 10 January 1994. Oiled birds were reported coming ashore on the east coast of Northern Ireland from Newcastle, Co. Down to Glenarm, Co. Antrim. Small patches of beached oil were reported, but not in significant quantities. Two days later on 12 January scattered pancakes of oil were found on the shoreline from Ballywater in the North to Ballyquintin point in the South with the heaviest depositions at Portavogie. Clean-up action was carried out by the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) on 10 and 11 January. MPCU requested beach samples to be sent to the laboratory of the Government chemist for analysis—the results are still awaited. On 12 and 17 January aerial reconnaissance by MPCU did not reveal any floating oil at sea.
  766
  Pollution incidents on the coasts of Strathclyde—Ballentrae and Turnberry—Dumfries and Galloway, Port Patrick, were reported to the MPCU between 14 and 17 January. In the Strathclyde region, isolated globules of oil were found on a 6·75 mile stretch of beach south of Ballentrae, and small amounts of oil have also been found on rocks at Turnberry point. In Dumfries and Galloway, oil described as liquid oil clinging to seaweed was found on the beach at Port Mara and Port Kale, near Port Patrick. Clean-up action was carried out by Kyle and Carrick district council over this period, and it was requested to send beach samples to the LGC for analysis. The results are not yet known. MPCU's aerial surveillance aircraft flew over the area on 12, 17, 22 and 24 January, but no floating oil at sea was detected.

  There is no evidence to suggest that this pollution originated from a recent marine accident. Neither the Marine Accident Investigation Branch nor the Marine Pollution Control Unit is aware of any incident in the vacinity of the affected areas to which the pollution could be attributed. In the circumstances, there is nothing for the MAIB to investigate. The direction of any further action by the MPCU will depend on the outcome of the analysis of beach samples by the LGC.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  European Regional Assistance
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether all parts of Birmingham will remain eligible for European regional development fund.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Mr. Streeter) on 28 January,Official Report, column 409.

  European Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total budget awarded under the European regional development fund to the Commission initiatives of(a) ENVIREG, (b) INTERREG, (c) PRISMA, (d) RECHAR, (e) RESIDER, (f) REGEN, (g) REGIS, (h) RENAVAL, (i) STAR, (j) STRIDE, (k) TELEMATICS, and (l) VALOREN in each year since their establishment; and what was the total budget of each awarded to (i) the northern region and (ii) the United Kingdom as a whole.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  European regional development fund allocations to Community initiatives are shown in the table. Allocations by year are not available. For several of the initiatives, in the United Kingdom only Northern Ireland has been eligible.

  ERDF allocations to community initiatives 1993 prices

  Million ecu

  Total EC

  Total UK

  Northern Region

  (a) ENVIREG4

  547

  18

  —

  (b) INTERREG

  1960

  3—

  3—

  (c) PRISMA4

  120

  6

  —

  (d) RECHAR

  325

  158

  26

  (e) RESIDER

  131

  5

  0

  (f) REGEN

  384

  0

  0

  (g) REGIS

  207

  0

  0

  (h) RENAVAL

  2—

  71

  41

  767

  Total EC

  Total UK

  Northern Region

  (i) STAR

  933

  14

  0

  (j) STRIDE

  402

  29

  2

  (k) TELEMATIQUE4

  215

  5

  0

  (l) VALOREN

  472

  6

  0

  1 Represents total allocations under European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund, and guidance section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund. Allocations by fund not readily available.

  2 Information on total EC allocations not readily available.

  3 Allocations not made to individual Member States.

  4 Only Northern Ireland eligible in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total budget awarded to the EC's European regional development fund, in each year since its establishment; and what proportion of this was granted to (i) the northern region and (ii) the United Kingdom as a whole.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  European regional development fund allocations in each of the years 1975 to 1993 are shown in the table:

  ERDF ALLOCATIONS

  Million ecu, current prices

  Total EC

  Total UK

  Northern Region

  1975

  250

  86

  17

  1976

  388

  142

  45

  1977

  386

  146

  46

  1978

  561

  151

  28

  1979

  962

  260

  41

  1980

  1,138

  243

  41

  1981

  1,637

  361

  69

  1982

  1,845

  449

  105

  1983

  2,127

  458

  57

  1984

  2,383

  621

  65

  1985

  2,495

  585

  43

  1986

  3,328

  513

  58

  1987

  3,662

  628

  89

  1988

  3,827

  563

  105

  1989

  4,666

  511

  84

  1990

  5,227

  462

  11

  1991

  7,175

  586

  55

  1992

  8,901

  655

  98

  1993

  10,407

  893

  65

  Regional Enterprise Grants
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will itemise the expenditure on the administration of regional enterprise grants, including printing, advertising and stationery costs as well as worker expenses(a) over the last year and (b) since the scheme was developed.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Expenditure on the administration of regional enterprise grants in England in 1992–93, the first year for which figures have been published, totalled around £1 million. Publicity costs, which included printing, advertising and stationery costs, totalled £3,400 for the same year. Comparable figures for the years since the scheme began in 1988 are not available.
  768

  English Estates
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will itemise the expenditure on the administration of English Estates, including printing, advertising and stationery costs as well as worker expenses(a) over the last year and (b) since the scheme was developed.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  English Estates is a body which has been in existence in various form since 1936. Its activities have developed over that period. Figures going back to 1936 are not available. Forecast running costs for 1993–94 are as follows:

  £ million

  Maintenance of premises and sites

  4·4

  Personnel costs

  8·2

  Office Expenses

  2·0

  Professional fees and charges

  3·9

  Research and development

  0·4

  Advertising and marketing

  2·3

  Note: Figures include the cost of activities carried out on behalf of the Rural Development Commission.

  Manufacturing Programme
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what sum of money has been allocated for the manufacturing, planning and implementation studies programmes for 1993–94; what proportion thereof had been allocated as at 31 December; and how many (i) successful, (ii) unsuccessful and (iii) pending applications there have been for assistance under the programme.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The forecast for the grant payments under the manufacturing planning and implementation studies programme is £3·5 million for 1993–94, of which £2·9 million had been committed on 31 December 1993. Total grant payments for the scheme is £8·75 million.

  A total of 312 applications were received by the closing date, 31 May 1993. A total of 120 cases were successful and have been awarded grant status; a further 28 applications are pending. Fifty-nine applications were unsuccessful; the remainder chose not to pursue their applications.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what sum of money has been allocated for publicity and promotion of the manufacturing, planning and implementation studies programmes for 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The manufacturing planning and implementation studies programme was launched in February 1991. The spend profile for promotion is as follows:

  £

  February 1991 to March 1992

  75,000

  April 1992 to May 1993

  52,793

  This gives a total of £127,793 for the promotion of the programme. Since the closure of the scheme to new applications on 31 May 1993 there has been no further promotion spend.
  769

  Chief Scientist
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the change in his Department's post of chief scientist.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Over the last 18 months I have redefined the Department's science and technology policies to relate more closely to my overall focus on competitiveness and to the Government White Paper on Science and Technology. In recognition of this, elements of the recently announced organisational change in my Department involve the integration of delivery of these policies with the sectoral and regional organisation for the support of industry.

  One result of this reorganisation, which will take effect on 1 March 1994, is that the rationale for the post of chief adviser on science and technology in its present form no longer applies. Therefore a successor to the current holder, Dr Geoffrey Robinson, will not be appointed when Dr Robinson returns to the private sector at the beginning of March. Dr David Evans—formerly chief scientist at the Department of Energy—has been appointed head of the technology and innovation policy division, and will have overall responsibility for the Department's science and technology policies and programmes.

  Cornwall (Government Expenditure)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much central Government money was spent on developing and supporting(a) manufacturing industries and (b) businesses in general in Cornwall in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It is not possible to provide a fully comprehensive answer without a disproportionate cost. The figures account for moneys paid to Cornish Enterprises under the regional development grant II, regional selective assistance and regional enterprise grant schemes, which have been the major source of grant over the period in question.

  Financial year

  Manufacturing total

  Service total

  Total

  1979

  1,112,767

  —

  1,112,767

  1980

  1,450,468

  —

  1,450,468

  1981

  1,384,159

  —

  1,384,159

  1982

  887,701

  —

  887,701

  1983

  521,376

  —

  521,376

  1984

  561,718

  —

  561,718

  1985

  1,464,826

  330,000

  1,794,826

  1986

  3,703,031

  735,892

  4,438,923

  1987

  4,900,029

  867,014

  5,767,043

  1988

  7,017,236

  728,182

  7,745,418

  1989

  5,623,299

  461,929

  6,085,228

  1990

  2,366,027

  367,705

  2,733,732

  1991

  2,032,525

  1,037,275

  3,069,800

  1992

  2,193,816

  646,372

  2,840,188

  1993

  3,122,380

  641,736

  3,764,116

  Total

  27,106,973

  5,816,105

  32,923,078

  Export Control Regulations
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many companies or individual exporters have contacted his Department's export control organisation regarding the application of export control regulations since the guidance at page 84 of his Overseas Trade Board's plan was published.
  770
  Mr. Needham
  The British Overseas Trade Board's annual report for 1992–93 and forward plan was published on 9 June 1993. From that date to 27 January 1994 my Export Control Organisation's inquiry unit received just over 25,000 telephone calls and fax messages about a wide range of export control matters.

  Arms Exports
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will now list those countries which receive United Kingdom aid to which arms have been exported in each of the last 14 years.

  Mr. Needham
  In recent years about 140 countries have been recipients of the United Kingdom's bilateral aid. To examine any correlation between each of those countries and the issue of export licences for arms for each of the past 14 years could be undertaken only at disproportionate expense.

  Matrix Churchill
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what communications he has had with the United States Secretary of Commerce in regard to the trading links between Matrix-Churchill Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio and the United Kingdom Matrix Churchill company.

  Mr. Needham
  None.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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 for each of the past three years.

  Mr. Eggar
  The sums reimbursed were as follows:

  £000

  11993–94

  204

  1992–93

  281

  1 To end December.

  Figures for earlier years are not available.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the public appointments for which he is responsible require advance notification to, and consultation with, the Chief Whip's Office; and which appointments made since 1979 have been so notified and consulted upon.

  Mr. Eggar
  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 appointment.

  Regional Policy
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Baord of Trade what further changes he is planning in regional policy since his answer of 23 June 1993,Official Report, column 227.
  771
  Mr. Sainsbury
  Regional policy is kept under continual review. Since June 1993 there have been several changes to our regional policy. The new assisted areas map was announced on 23 July 1993. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 4 November 1993 plans to introduce a single regeneration budget and integrated regional offices from April 1994. Details of the European Commission's decisions about objective 2 and 5b areas under the structural funds were announced recently.

  Electronic Mail
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to issue departmental press releases by electronic mail.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department's press releases, in common with those of other Government Departments, are already released electronically through the Central Office of Information's electronic news distribution system.

  Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many representations his Department has received relating to the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation; and what consideration he has given to them in deciding on the future of British Coal.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Department has received some 50 representations about the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation. I and my officials are in touch with British Coal and CISWO about the future provision of welfare services.

  Competitiveness
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the sectors of industry and services that have been reviewed by his competitiveness unit.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The competitiveness division is concerned with the overall competitiveness of all parts of manufacturing and services. The DTI's 15 sector divisions have each been considering the competitiveness of their particular sectors.

  Spirits (Hungarian Quotas)
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations his Department has made to the Hungarian Government about the restrictive quotas applied to Scotch whisky and other imported spirits.

  Mr. Needham
  My Department has a close working relationship with the scotch whisky industry both through the Scotch Whisky Association and through many individual producers. Some of the larger companies have offices in Budapest and are well known to British embassy officials.

  Through this network we have been aware of the difficulties which importers of spirits face in this market for some considerable time, and have raised these when appropriate with Hungarian counterparts. We have also been active in giving support to the industry's representations to the Hungarian Administration. In some areas—for example, labelling—progress has been made.

  The Hungarian quota system for imported spirits remains a concern and one which has been exacerbated by
  772
  the announcement of what appear to be even more restrictive terms for the current year. We are now considering what might be done, balancing the needs of the industry with our experience of the Hungarian market as one in which insensitive lobbying can be counter-productive.

  Export Credit Guarantees Department
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has completed the review of ECGD arrangements for allocating claims recoveries to exporters.

  Mr. Heseltine
  As a result of a review of its IT systems, it became clear that ECGD was applying different interpretations of similar terms in different guarantees when allocating recoveries to its policyholders. The Cardiff office, which handled short-term guarantees, interpreted ECGD's legal rights differently in a particular respect from the London office which handles medium and long term guarantees, the Cardiff interpretation being in certain cases more generous to the exporter than the London interpretation. When this emerged ECGD at once put a hold on the further allocation of certain categories of recovery and sought legal advice on what has proved to the an exceedingly complex matter.

  I have now received considered legal advice on all aspects of this matter. It is now clear how the relevant provisions of the guarantee should be interpreted and all future recoveries, including those currently held by ECGD, will be allocated between the exporter and ECGD in accordance with the London interpretation. This will mean that some policyholders will receive a lower share of recoveries than they had in the past. The hold on payments to its customers which ECGD has imposed while the review has been in progress will now be ended.

  ECGD has estimated that the amounts which it has paid to policyholders since 1975 which are in excess of what is now considered to be the correct legal entitlement could total up to £83 million.

  Given the complexity of this issue and the difficulty and cost of establishing the case of recovering these excess payments from a large number of exporters the Government have decided not to pursue their legal right to seek restitution of these excess payments. I believe that this represents a realistic balance between the interests of the taxpayer and of the exporter.

  Shipbuilding
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the North East Shipbuilders Ltd./British Shipbuilders closure document as agreed between the United Kingdom Government and the EC in 1988;

  (2) if he will list the package of aid approved by the EC in December 1988 intended to cover costs associated with the closure of North East Shipbuilders Ltd./British Shipbuilders.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answers 1 February' 1994]: No. It is not the Government's policy to make available the details of agreements entered into with the European Commission where, as in this case, they contain commercially sensitive information.

  An aid package worth some £45 million in total was agreed for those affected by the closure. It comprised the following three main elements: first, an enterprise zone for

  773
  Sunderland; secondly, English Estates received £7 million for the provision of advance factory space; and, thirdly, some £10 million was made available over three years to Sunderland Enterprise and Training Ltd. and the Wearside Opportunity. This aid finance has been almost entirely taken up.

  English Estates
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the total amount spent by English Estates in providing new factory premises and serviced sites in Barrow and Furness since June 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: English Estates has spent £5·1 million in the Barrow-in-Furness travel-to-work area since June 1991. Of this, some £1 million has been used to assemble sites for the town centre redevelopment and the remainder has gone on the development of 34,500 sq ft of managed workspace to help encourage the formation of new businesses, 33,000 sq ft of workshops/small factories and 46,000 sq ft of large detached factories for both indigenous companies and inward investors.

  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many acres of serviced industrial land have been provided by English Estates in Barow and Furness since 1991 under the Cumbria special support initiative announced by the Government in June 1991.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: Since Cumbria county council is well advanced with its own site reclamation/servicing programmes, assisted by derelict land grant, English Estates has supported these efforts by acquiring 7·5 acres of serviced land. It has also been working with the county council to identify further locations in the Barrow-in-Furness travel-to-work area where land can be brought forward. Feasibility studies are well advanced on two possible sites involving around 30 acres in total.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to include the consideration of environmental matters such as energy efficiency in the joint OFGAS/DTI consultation paper on the licensing and competition arrangements for independent gas suppliers.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: I expect the efficient use of gas to be one of the aspects to be considered in the consultation document.

SCOTLAND

  Care in the Community
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who is responsible for the loan charges when a council makes a grant to a charitable trust, in order to house people under the care in the community iniatitive; how many grants of this nature have been made by Scottish local authorities since 1983; and what is the total amount of subsidy that has been given.

  Mr. Lang
  When a local authority incurs a capital debt as a consequence of making a capital grant to a charitable 774
  trust in such circumstances, each year the outstanding debt will be included in the calculation of the loan charges element of the annual distribution of aggregate external finance to that authority.

  Information is not held centrally on the number of grants made by local authorities of the type identified by the right hon. Member, nor on the amounts involved. It is therefore not possible to estimate the amount of loan charges support which has been given for such grants.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the planned expenditure on care in the community in(a) Inverclyde, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  Planned expenditure on community care services is entirely a matter for local authorities to determine.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the hon. Members defeated in Scotland in the general election of June 1987; and which of them were subsequently given public appointments.

  Mr. Lang
  The following hon. Members were defeated in Scotland in the general election of June 1987:

  Michael Ancram

  John Corrie

  Sir Alex Fletcher

  Peter Fraser (now Lord Fraser of Carmyllie)

  Barry Henderson

  Roy Jenkins (now Lord Jenkins of Hillhead)

  Michael Hirst (now Sir Michael Hirst)

  Anna McCurley

  John MacKay (now Lord MacKay of Ardbrecknish)

  Albert McQuarrie (now Sir Albert McQuarrie)

  Gerald Malone

  Alexander Pollock

  Gordon Wilson

  None currently holds appointment on bodies for which my Department has responsibility. The information held centrally by my Department does not show whether defeated Members were appointed to such bodies earlier.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of appointments made by him to Scottish health board trusts; and if will give details of the political party affiliations of those appointed.

  Mr. Stewart
  So far, my right hon. Friend has appointed 38 chairmen and 165 non-executive directors to NHS trusts. Party political affiliations are not relevant to such appointments and such information is neither sought nor held centrally although in some cases, such as those referred to in the reply to the hon. Member's other question today, a person's political affiliation may be obvious.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the codes of practice governing the making of appointments to public bodies by Ministers.

  Mr. Lang
  The general procedures for the making of public appointments is contained in the Cabinet Office publication "Guide on Public Appointments Procedures" which is available in the Library of the House.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of the public appointments for which he is
  775
  responsible require advance notice to and consultation with the Chief Whip's Office; and which appointments made since 1979 have been so notified and consulted upon.

  Mr. Lang
  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.

  Forestry Commission Land
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all land owned by the Forestry Commission in the Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale constituency; and what plans he has to sell off Forestry Commission land in the Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale constituency under the current disposals programme.

  Mr. Lang
  The Forestry Commission is preparing a list of all its woodlands in the right hon. Member's constituency, and this will identify those which the Commission is currently selling or planning to sell. I shall send a copy to the right hon. Member and I shall also arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Research Projects
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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 crime and (ii) of persons given custodial sentences.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The following research reports contain data on the employment status of persons convicted of crimes: the first three were in-house projects and the remainder were externally commissioned. Unless otherwise stated, the reports were published by the Scottish Office central research unit.

  1. "A Survey of Fine Defaulters in Scottish Courts" published in 1990.

  2. "Diversion from Prosecution: Diversion to Social Work" published in 1992.

  3. "The Deferred Sentence in Scotland" published in 1992.

  4. "Treatment as an Alternative to Prosecution: Diversion to the Douglas Inch Centre" published in 1989.

  5. "Sentenced to Serve: The Operation and Impact of Community Service by Offenders" published by Avebury Press in 1992.

  6. "Making Amends: Justice for Victims and Offenders: An Evaluation of the SACRO Reparation and Mediation Project", published by Avebury Press in 1992.

  A further two research reports contained data on the employment status of those given a custodial sentence. These were "The Prison Survey 1990–91" and "A Survey of the Employment Aspirations and Skill Levels of Offenders in Young Offenders Institutions" published by the Scottish Prison Service, 1992. Both were in-house projects.

  Tourist Boards
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will, in his deliberations on the future of Scottish area tourist boards, respect the wishes of both the Edinburgh and the Borders tourist boards in respect of whether or not to have a combined board;
  776
  (2) if he will make a statement on the reorganisation of the structure of Scottish area tourist boards.

  Mr. Lang
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister with responsibility for tourism in Scotland on 26 January,Official Report columns 314–15.

  Student Grants
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the level of Government expenditure on student grants in Scotland in(a) higher and (b) further education in each academic year since 1990–91; what are the expected levels of expenditure for 1993–94 and 1994–95; and how much was spent per registered student in each of these years;

  (2) what amount of Scottish university student fees was paid by Her Majesty's Government in each academic year since 1990–91; what is the expected level of expenditure for 1993–94 and 1994–95; and how much was spent per registered student in each of these years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Awards made under the students' allowances scheme to students in higher education cover maintenance, travel and fees and are available to eligible students attending full-time or sandwich courses provided by institutions, including universities, in the United Kingdom which led to a first degree or comparable qualification, or to a diploma. They are also available for full-time courses of initial teacher training. Similar support for courses in further education is the responsibility of the education authorities.

  Departmental records of expenditure and plans relate to financial years. The actual expenditure on maintenance and tuition fees, and the average expenditure per award holder in the financial years 1990–91 to 1992–93 are shown in the table. The table also shows the total announced expenditure for 1993–94 and 1994–95.

  Total expenditure

  Average per student1

  Fees £ million

  Maintenance £ million

  Fees £ million

  Maintenance £ million

  1990–91

  39,145

  95,189

  1,145

  1,347

  1991–92

  74,217

  117,268

  2,071

  1,456

  1992–93

  86,603

  136,471

  2,251

  1,523

  21993–94

  4218,223

  158,243

  —

  —

  31994–95

  4158,914

  158,360

  —

  —

  1 Average per award holder.

  2 Announced expenditure including winter supplementary estimate.

  3 Planned.

  4 Covers total fees expenditure. It is not possible to distinguish between expenditure on fees to universities and to other institutions.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much funding has been made available to each training and enterprise council in 1992–93 and 1993–94, expressed in cash terms and real terms, and giving a real terms percentage change from the previous year, for(a) youth training and credits, (b) training for work and the programmes it replaced and (c) business start-up allowance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  There are no training and enterprise councils in Scotland. The funding of local enterprise
  777
  companies is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the chairmen of these bodies to write to the hon. Member.

  Sheep Annual Premium
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what delay there has been in payment of sheep annual premium to Scottish farmers in the last 12 months.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The processing of claims for payment under the 1993 sheep annual premium scheme has been slower than in previous years because of complexities arising from the introduction of sheep annual premium quotas. Payments began in October 1993 compared to the end of August in the previous year and have continued since then at regular intervals.

  Prisons (Drug Abuse)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons have died in prisons as a direct result of the abuse or misuse of(a) lawful drugs and (b) unlawful drugs in each year since 1978.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In the period from 1 January 1978 to 31 December 1993 there has been only one death in Scottish prisons from abuse or misuse of drugs: in 1983 a prisoner died from an overdose of unlawful drugs.

  Strathclyde
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to receive the findings of the Parliamentary Boundaries Commission in respect of Strathclyde; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has no locus at this stage of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission's review of constituencies in Scotland. The commission is required to submit its report with respect to the whole of Scotland, showing the constituencies into which it recommends the country should be divided, by 31 December 1994.

  Conservation
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the number of economic developments which have been(a) delayed and (b) discontinued by way of objections raised under the terms of the European Community directive on the conservation of natural habitats of fauna and flora.

  Sir Hector Monro
  None.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on wildlife conservation on Forestry Commission land.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: One of the main aims of the Forestry Commission's forest enterprise is to enhance the wildlife conservation value of its woodlands as a whole and to safeguard special habitats. Wildlife conservation is an integral part of forest enterprise's multi-purpose forest management which integrates wood production, conservation, recreation and amenity.
  778
  In achieving these aims, forest enterprise undertakes a wide range of conversation projects. It manages some 400 sites of special scientific interest and 46 forest nature reserves and undertakes projects for many species of flora and fauna. All of its forest districts have prepared conservation plans which identify sites where conservation should be the principal management objective, and specify what action is to be taken in these sites.

  Forest enterprise has set down its commitment to best environmental practice in the form of an environmental code which states that it:

  (i) produces wood only from sustainable sources;

  (ii) identifies and manages special habitats, protects and maintains archaeological features and carries out positive management for threatened species;

  (iii) maintains expertise in environmental science and seeks a sound understanding of the interaction of its activities with the wider environment through available research and consultation with expert authorities;

  (iv) promotes environmental awareness and understanding amongst its staff and the outside world;

  (v) aims to minimise environmental disturbance in its operations and to meet the Forestry Authority's water, landscape and nature conservation guidelines;

  (vi) works to conservation plan for all its forests and actively manages to maintain and enhance conservation value;

  (vii) maintains close liaison with regulatory bodies and environmental organisations in order to keep in touch with their views on environmental policies and practices.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the costs of implementing the European Community directive 92/43 EEC on the conservation of natural habitats of fauna and flora; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland announced to the House on 8 December 1993 that Scottish Natural Heritage would be allocated £39.851 million in the financial year 1994–95. This represents an increase of 10·5 per cent. on Scottish Natural Heritage's grant-in-aid for 1993–94. Scottish Natural Heritage has been instructed to accord the highest priority to work to implement the EC habitats directive. It is not, however, possible to make a firm estimate of costs specific to habitats directive implementation until work to implement the directive is further advanced.

  Courts (Vulnerable Witnesses)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what research he has commissioned in respect of the circumstances surrounding the position of vulnerable adults when giving evidence in court proceedings; if he will place a copy of the results in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The treatment of vulnerable witnesses is a matter which is kept under review. Police units for assisting women who are the subject of sexual or other assault operate in all parts of the country. The Crown Office has a committee part of the remit of which is to keep under review commitments in the justice charter to improved arrangements for witnesses. Arrangements exist at local level to assist and support vulnerable witnesses before they attend court to give evidence. Present research relates to the use of closed circuit television to enable children to give evidence in
  779
  criminal cases outwith the court room. The results of that research will be used to advice decisions on new research proposals in this general field.

  Prisons (Suicide)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons have died by their own hand in prisons in each year since 1978; and what were the means by which such deaths were brought about.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is set out in the table:

  Year

  Means

  Total

  1978

  Hanging (2), cut throat (1), jumping (1)

  4

  1979

  Hanging (2), jumping (1)

  3

  1980

  Jumping1

  1

  1981

  Hanging (3) solvent inhalation (1)

  4

  1982

  Hanging

  3

  1983

  Hanging (4), overdose (1), cell fire and asphyxiation (1)1

  6

  1984

  Hanging (4), inhalation of toxic fumes in cell fire (1)

  5

  1985

  Hanging

  6

  FTE

  As at April

  Unified

  1989

  1990

  19911

  19921

  19931

  Grade

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  2

  7

  —

  8

  —

  7

  —

  7

  —

  7

  —

  3

  22

  1

  21

  1

  23

  1

  21

  2·5

  20

  3

  4

  10

  —

  10

  —

  14

  1

  14

  1

  13

  2

  Total

  40

  1

  40

  1

  45

  2

  43

  3·5

  41

  5

  1 Medical staff at these grades are included in the figures with effect from 1 April 1991.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland main occupational group, as defined by Treasury, in each Office in each of the past five years in terms of occupational grades.

  Number of Staff (FTE) employed by The Scottish Office, by occupational group2

  FTE

  Occupational group

  As at 1 April

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  a. The Scottish Office, excluding Scottish Prison Service1

  Open Structure2

  681·0

  723·5

  621·0

  627·5

  656·5

  Administration Group

  2,857·5

  2,881·0

  2,888·0

  2,833·0

  2,856·5

  Economist group

  9·5

  9·5

  11·5

  11·5

  13·5

  Information Officer Group

  24·0

  27·5

  28·5

  26·0

  27·5

  Librarian Group

  13·5

  14·0

  14·0

  13·5

  12·0

  Statistician Group

  8·0

  10·0

  11·0

  9·0

  15·0

  Secretarial Group

  555·0

  568·5

  568·5

  545·0

  543·0

  Science group

  215·0

  219·0

  224·0

  225·0

  223·5

  Professional and Technology Group

  301·5

  296·5

  291·0

  288·5

  245·5

  Graphics Officer Group

  3·0

  3·0

  2·0

  3·0

  2·0

  Legal Group

  5·0

  7·0

  9·0

  5·0

  6·0

  Curatorial/Conservation Group

  10·0

  17·0

  22·5

  27·5

  27·0

  Research Officer Group

  14·5

  16·0

  16·0

  15·0

  18·0

  General Service Group

  372·5

  353·0

  448·5

  423·0

  396·0

  Departmental Groups

  625·0

  587·5

  588·0

  555·5

  569·5

  Industrial Grades

  578·0

  542·0

  538·5

  524·0

  486·5

  6,273·0

  6,275·0

  6,282·0

  6,132·0

  6,098·0

  b. Scottish Prison Service1

  Non-Industrial Grades

  3,726·5

  3,920·5

  3,929·0

  4,154·5

  4,544·0

  Industrial Grades

  77·0

  79·0

  75·0

  74·0

  81·0

  3,803·5

  3,999·5

  4,004·0

  4,228·5

  4,625·0

  780

  Year

  Means

  Total

  1986

  Hanging (5), jumping (2)1

  7

  1987

  Hanging (6), inhalation of vomit, asphyxia and solvent abuse (1)

  7

  1988

  Hanging

  7

  1989

  Hanging (5), self-inflicted wounds to left arm (1)

  6

  1990

  Hanging (2), self strangulation (1)

  3

  1991

  Hanging

  4

  1992

  Hanging

  9

  1993

  Hanging

  1

  1Died in hospital.

  Civil Servants
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) males and (b) females have been employed in each of the four senior grades in the Scottish Office in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Lang
  At 1 April each year the numbers of staff —expressed as full-time equivalents—employed in each of the four senior grades in the Scottish Office were as follows:

  Mr. Lang
  The full-time equivalent numbers of staff by if he will list the number of staff employed in the Scottish of the past five years are shown in the table.
  781

  Occupational group

  As at 1 April

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Total

  Scottish Office Core and Agencies

  10,076·5

  10,274·5

  10,286·0

  10,360·5

  10,723·0

  1 The Scottish Prison Service became an agency with effect from 1 April 1993. Prior to this, staff in prisons headquarters were counted in the Scottish Office, excluding SPS, figures.

  2 There is no formal classification of posts or individuals by occupational group for staff at unified grade 7 and above—such staff are counted in the "Open Structure" group.

  Nurse Grading Appeals
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, for each health board area, the number of nurse clinical grading appeals which are pending at the different levels of the appeals procedure; what are the amounts of money involved in these claims; what proposals he has to improve the processing of appeals; and when he expects the whole exercise to be completed.

  Mr. Stewart
  I understand that there were no nurse clinical grading appeals outstanding at health board level on 21 January 1994. On the same date a total of 586 appeals were outstanding at Scottish and national levels, a reduction from 960 in May 1993. The breakdown of these by health board is given in the table.

  No estimate of the total sum of money involved in these claims has been made. The nursing and midwifery staffs negotiating council is currently discussing new procedures to speed up and streamline the appeals process and I expect that the bulk of the outstanding cases in Scotland will be cleard by early 1995.

  Outstanding Nurse Clinical Grading Appeals in Scotland

  Health board

  Scottish appeals committee outstanding

  National level appeals outstanding

  Total

  Argyll and Clyde

  1

  26

  27

  Ayrshire and Arran

  13

  4

  17

  Borders

  1

  11

  12

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  16

  16

  Fife

  1

  44

  45

  Forth Valley

  40

  64

  104

  Grampian

  10

  5

  15

  Greater Glasgow

  14

  46

  60

  Highland

  —

  11

  11

  Lanarkshire

  24

  39

  63

  Lothian

  1

  56

  57

  Orkney

  —

  —

  —

  Shetland

  1

  3

  4

  Tayside

  85

  62

  147

  Western Isles

  —

  8

  8

  CSA

  —

  —

  —

  State Hospital

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  191

  395

  586

  Homelessness
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were classified as homeless at the latest available date in(a) Inverclyde, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of 1 December 1993,Official Report, column 479.
  782

  Mental Health Officers
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many social workers attained the mental health officer qualification in each of the regional and island council areas in each of the past four years; what is the total number of such qualified social workers in each of these areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  Information on the number of social workers who have attained the mental health officer qualification is not held centrally. Information supplied to the Scottish Office by local authorities on the number of main grade and senior social workers who have undertaken the mental health officer course in the period October 1989 to October 1992 is set out in the table.

  Number of main grade/senior social workers undertaking the mental health officer course, where course commenced by October 1992

  Year course concluded

  Region

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Borders

  —

  6

  4

  —

  Central

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  2

  —

  2

  Fife

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Grampian

  11

  8

  —

  —

  Highland

  2

  1

  2

  —

  Lothian

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Strathclyde

  4

  25

  —

  —

  Tayside

  —

  6

  —

  —

  Orkney

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Shetland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Western Isles

  —

  —

  —

  1

  NHS Dental Patients
  Dr. Godman
  To ask sthe Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were registered as national health service dental patients in(a) Inverclyde, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole in each year since 1978–79.

  Mr. Stewart
  Formal arrangements for patients to be registered with a specific dentist were introduced under the new contract for general dental practitioners on 1 October 1990. The number of people registered in each of the four health board areas within Strathclyde region and the total number registered in Scotland is contained in the table. Information for individual local government districts and regional areas is not available.

  Number of people registered with a dentist in Scotland as at 31 March

  Health Board Area

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Argyll and Clyde

  146,481

  212,879

  211,071

  Ayrshire and Arran

  170,743

  219,701

  199,510

  Greater Glasgow

  296,476

  456,581

  472,401

  Lanarkshire

  150,452

  233,418

  242,743

  Scotland—Total

  1,710,947

  2,485,531

  2,528,268

  783

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions since 1982 in Scotland a potentially damaging operation to a site of special scientific interest has been carried out following the failure to reach a management agreement as set out in section 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Information on damage to sites of special scientific interest is contained in the annual reports of the former Nature Conservancy Council and the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland, copies of which are in the Library.

  Scottish National Theatre Company
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Arts Council concerning the creation of a Scottish National Theatre Company; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  There has been no recent discussion between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Scottish Arts Council on the subject of a Scottish national theatre. I understand, however, that a working party was established recently by the Scottish Arts Council to assess the demand and potential remit of a national theatre company. It would be for the Scottish Arts Council to determine whether such a company, if established, should be supported by its funds.

  Less-favoured Areas
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cattle and sheep farms are wholly or mainly in the less-favoured areas.

  Sir Hector Monro
  In June 1993 there were 13,443 main holdings classified as cattle and sheep farms wholly or mainly in the less-favoured areas.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the total subsidy to be paid on cattle and sheep in the less-favoured areas in 1994.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The total direct subsidy paid under the sheep annual premium, suckler cow premium and hill livestock compensatory allowance schemes in 1994 on cattle and sheep in the Scottish less-favoured areas is estimated to be over £180 million.

  NHS Helpline
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many calls have been received by the NHS helpline in Scotland each month since its inception.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: Information on the total number of calls, both interactive and non-interactive, which have been made to the NHS helpline each month since it came into operation is as follows:

  Number

  29 October—20 November 1992

  759

  21 November—18 December 1992

  710

  19 December 1992—15 January 1993

  674

  784

  Number

  16 January—12 February 1993

  1,303

  13 February—12 March 1993

  1,140

  13 March—9 April 1993

  1,214

  10 April—7 May 1993

  834

  8 May—–4 June 1993

  975

  5 June—2 July 1993

  1,128

  3 July—30 July 1993

  1,236

  31 July—27 August 1993

  861

  28 August—24 September 1993

  801

  25 September—22 October 1993

  1,059

  23 October—19 November 1993

  765

  20 November—17 December 1993

  644

  18 December 1993—14 January 1994

  561

  Total

  14,664

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of setting up the NHS helpline in Scotland and the cost to date; what has been the total cost of administering the service to date; how many staff have been employed; and what is the salary of the head of the NHS helpline.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: The NHS helpline was set up in October 1992 at a cost of £72,401; and total expenditure to date on operational and publicity costs is £330,912. The service is operated on behalf of the NHS in Scotland management executive by Network Scotland on a contractual basis with the cost of administering the helpline met from within the contract price. Network Scotland employs a project supervisor and up to four part-time operators to work specifically on the NHS helpline. The salaries of Network Scotland employees are not known.

  Holyrood House
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the cost to his Department of Holyrood house in each of the last 10 years; and how this cost was divided between major categories of expenditure.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: The information for the most recent five years is:

  Programme expenditure £

  Staff costs

  Total

  £

  £

  £

  1989–90

  771,667

  307,856

  1,079,523

  1990–91

  860,833

  288,636

  1,149,469

  1991–92

  723,000

  334,346

  1,057,346

  1992–93

  696,600

  338,530

  1,035,130

  1993–94

  671,550

  337,852

  11,009,402

  1 Estimate.

  These costs include all expenditure directly attributable to the palace but not professional and central administration. Information for previous years was not collected on a comparable basis.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what grace-and-favour accommodation is available at Holyrood house; who occupies it; and how costs are allocated between the occupants and his Department.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: I understand that there is no grace and favour accommodation at the palace of Holyrood house.
  785

  Shameless Indecency
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the adequacy of the enforcement of the law of shameless indecency in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: I am not aware of any particular difficulties in enforcing this aspect of the common law. The statistics show that in 1992 more than double the number of persons were charged with shameless indecency than in 1988 and nearly double the number of persons were convicted of that offence by the courts.

  Irvine Development Corporation
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions his Department is planning to have with tenants' groups within Irvine new town on safeguarding the interests of development corporation tenants.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: Responsibility for discussion and consultation with the tenants lies with the development corporation. I understand that it has already held meetings and issued newsletters and plans to continue this practice.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the timetable for the disposal by Irvine development corporation of its housing stock.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: Our policy guidance to corporations encourages them to maximise tenure diversification in the period prior to wind-up. This will involve sales to tenants under right to buy and rent to mortgage and sales of all new build and vacant houses to housing associations.

  For the remaining tenanted stock, the development corporation is to submit its strategy to the Secretary of State by 31 December 1994 and once approved successor landlords will be invited to submit bids for the stock. Tenants will choose their successor landlord in ballots to be held around six months before wind-up.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many tenancies are currently managed by Irvine development corporation; how many Irvine development corporation tenants have opted to purchase their properties for each year since the introduction of the legislation allowing this; what are the current values of(a) Irvine development corporation's housing stock, (b) Irvine development corporation's commercial assets and (c) Irvine development corporation's headquarters; and what is Irvine development corporation's current annual turnover and its annual expenditure.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: There is no standard definition of turnover which can be applied to the new towns. The annual accounts of each town are prepared to a common style and disclose income arising from rents, grants, subsidies and other sources together with the income and outgoings on property transactions. The latest accounts which are contained in the corporation's annual report for 1992–93 are available in the Library of the House. These accounts also provide the net book value of the corporation's assets at 31 March 1993.
  786
  Valuations for individual properties do not appear since it is commercial inappropriate to provide these for properties which will be sold in the near future.

  The tenancies managed by the corporation at 1 January 1994 were:

  Number

  (a) Housing

  3,668

  (b) Industry

  92

  (c) Commercial

  83

  (d) Other, including agricultural

  161

  The numbers of corporation housing tenants who have opted to purchase their house under the right-to-buy provisions are as follows:

  Number

  1980–81

  21

  1981–82

  15

  1982–83

  79

  1983–84

  74

  1984–85

  94

  1985–86

  86

  1986–87

  192

  1987–88

  196

  1988–89

  279

  1989–90

  353

  1990–91

  261

  1991–92

  167

  1992–93

  138

  11993–94

  133

  1 To 1 December 1993.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what precise measures he will take to ensure the rights of Irvine development corporation tenants to transfer to a local authority landlord, following the Government's planned reforms of Scottish local government.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: The tenants of Irvine development corporation will be able to choose their successor landlord in ballots to be held before wind-up. My right hon. Friend agreed in February 1992 that the local authority could bid to be the successor landlord and the detailed guidance issued to development corporations and local authorities makes clear what is expected of all bidders. Local government reform does not alter this.

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

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: As at 27 January 1994, 7,280 staff in the Scottish Office, excluding the Scottish Prison Service, and the associated departments were covered by statutory sick pay.

  Regional Selective Assistance
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many companies have been awarded regional selective assistance in Scotland and have subsequently not met the terms of the original award;

  (2) from which companies his Department has managed to recoup regional selective assistance; how much regional

  787
  selective assistance was recovered for each of the last five years; and from how many companies these moneys were recovered during each year of this period.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 26 January 1994]: It is envisaged that some investment projects may for good reason be revised, after an offer of regional selective assistance has been made. In some such cases the payment of assistance may still be justified according to the terms of the original offer. In other cases where changes occur which cannot be readily accommodated within the terms of the offer, the Department treats the project either as failed or reduced in scale and will seek repayment of grant paid or reduce the level of offer as appropriate. In the five years to 31 December 1993, 121 projects where some grant had been paid were treated as failed, the principal reason being the liquidation or receivership of the company.

  Details of grant recoveries from individual companies are commercially confidential and are not divulged. The recovery figures requested are given in the table.

  Amount recovered £ million

  Number of companies

  1989

  0·022

  2

  1990

  1·117

  9

  1991

  0·239

  7

  1992

  0·610

  4

  1993

  1·610

  5

  Cars (Allocation)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many cars have been allocated to the managers, advisers and administrators employed by the NHS trust hospitals in each of the last two financial years.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 27 January 1994]: This information is not held centrally.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Citizens Charters
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the total cost so far of(a) producing and (b) distributing (i) each of the citizens charters and (ii) the documents associated with each of them.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Production and distribution costs of publishing the Citizen's Charter White Paper (Cm 1599) and the Citizen's Charter First Report: 1992 (Cm 2101) are borne by HMSO, which expects to recover the costs through sales revenue. The cost of producing and distributing the leaflet guides to the Citizen's Charter White Paper and First Report are £900,000 and £440,000 respectively. Individual public service organisations are responsible for producing and distributing their own charters for those who use their services. The total costs of these, as far as we are aware of them, are set out in the table.
  788

  Costs of publication and distribution of charters and associated documents

  Department/Organisation

  Cost £

  OPSS

  Guide to Citizen's Charter White Paper (Cm 1599)

  900,000

  Guide to Citizen's Charter First Report (Cm 2101)

  440,000

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  42,269

  British Rail

  250,000

  HM Customs and Excise

  306,948

  Employment Department

  630,808

  Department for Education

  5,262,639

  Department of the Environment

  79,418

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  41,779

  Department of Health

  4,101,227

  Inland Revenue

  5,000

  London Underground

  362,000

  Lord Chancellor's Department

  131,000

  Department of Social Security

  257,160

  Northern Ireland Civil Service

  518,700

  Scottish Office

  419,000

  Welsh Office

  622,148

  Total

  14,370,096

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list for each of the last five years by Department(a) the number of approaches to the public appointments unit for names, (b) how many public appointments unit nominees have been forwarded in response to those approaches in (a), and (c) how many of these nominees have been appointed to a public body as a result.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The number of requests for names of candidates is not kept by individual Department, and the numbers of names put forward in response to such requests is not recorded. Aggregated information is available as follows:

  Year

  Number of approaches to the public appointments unit(PAU)

  Number of PAU nominees known to have been appointed

  1988–89

  215

  117

  1(44)

  1989–90

  242

  133

  (32)

  1990–91

  188

  140

  (63)

  1991–92

  258

  121

  (57)

  1992–93

  308

  128

  (67)

  1 Number of female nominees appointed.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many names have been(a) added to and (b) deleted from the public appointments unit central list since 1990.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Since January 1990, 1,578 new names have been added to the central list and 2,513 names have been deleted. The total number of names on the list is currently 5,015.

  Charterline
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the cost of uniforms worn by staff answering telephones at the charterline offices in Havant, Hampshire.
  789
  Mr. David Davis
  There is no direct cost to the Citizen's Charter Unit for uniforms worn by staff answering Charterline calls. The Charterline pilot is operated under a service contract by IBM's National Call Management Centre at Havant, and uniforms are provided as an integral part of this service.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much money has been spent on publicising the charterline scheme.

  Mr. Davis
  A total of £542,010 has been spent on publicising the Charterline scheme.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment he has made of the pilot charterline scheme's first nine months of operation.

  Mr. Davis
  In background research more than 92 per cent. of people thought that Charterline should be launched; 84 per cent. of those who use Charterline are happy with the service. We will be reviewing the pilot study at the end of March.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his estimate of the cost of extending the charterline scheme to cover the whole of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Davis
  It would be possible to extend the Charterline scheme to cover the whole of the United Kingdom at minimal additional cost if the current call rates were repeated across the country. The total cost of running Charterline would depend on operating and advertising costs. The pilot will run until the end of March 1994. At the end of the pilot study we will make decisions about its future, which will include options for extending the service and the costs of doing so.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans there are to extend the charterline scheme to cover the whole of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Davis
  Charterline is currently a pilot available to citizens in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. This pilot will run until the end of March 1994. At the end of the pilot study we will make decisions about its future, which will include options for extending the service.

  Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what selection criteria are used for appointing persons to serve on the board of the Duchy of Lancaster's benevolent fund.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 31 January at column 469.

  "Charter News"
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the cost of publishing and printing "Charter News" issue No. 2; how many copies are being distributed; and what is the total contract with Forward Publishing Ltd. worth; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The cost of publishing and printing "Charter News" issue No. 2 was £35,036. Approximately 790
  110,000 copies are being distributed. Details of the contract with Forward Publishing Ltd. are commercially confidential.

  Science Budget
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the distribution of the science budget in 1994–95.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The distribution of the science budget for 1994–95 represents the first allocation of funding to the new research council system outlined in the White Paper on Science, Engineering and Technology which I presented to the House on 26 May 1993. On 1 April 1994 three new research councils come into existence, namely the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council. The activities of the Agricultural and Food Research Council and the Science and Engineering Research Council will transfer to the new and existing research councils on 1 April.

  I have discussed the allocations with the Director General of Research Councils and have decided that, subject to parliamentary approval of the Supply Estimates in due course, the science budget of £1,236.5 million should be allocated as follows:

  Allocations for 1994–95

  £ million

  Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

  171·8

  Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

  364·0

  Economic and Social Research Council

  58·9

  Medical Research Council

  269·2

  Natural Environment Research Council

  155·4

  Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council

  184·9

  Royal Society

  20·1

  Royal Academy of Engineering

  2·2

  OST initiatives/policy studies, CEST subscription

  3·6

  Other, including payments to pensioners of the Science and Engineering Research Council and industrial quota CASE awards

  6·4

  TOTAL

  1,236·5

  These figures include additional funding for activities of high scientific priority and also for the introduction of some new pilot schemes targeted specifically at researchers working alongside industry. Further details are set out in the paper "Allocation of the Science Budget 1994–95" which I have placed in the Library of the House.

  Charter Marks
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total estimated cost of the charter mark regional seminars for 1994 and the additional costs of promoting and publishing charter marks.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  A decision has yet to be taken on the number of charter mark seminars to be held, and I am not yet able, therefore to give an estimated cost.

  In 1993, we spent £105,000 to announce the scheme, and £345,000 to announce the charter mark winners. The figures are likely to be similar this year.
  791

  Citizens Conference
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the cost of the service for the citizen conference held on 7–8 December; who were the organisers; what was the contract worth; and what fees were paid to speakers.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The service for the citizen conference held on 7–8 December 1993 was organised by Touchstone Exhibitions and Conferences Ltd.

  The organisers bore all the costs of the conference, including payment to speakers.

  Duchy Benevolent Fund
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list for each of the last five years the organisations in(a) Lancaster and (b) the borough of Pendle that have benefited from grants and donations from the Duchy of Lancaster benevolent fund; and if he will give the amounts in each case.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Duchy of Lancaster benevolent fund has been maintained to provide income to be used for benevolent purposes primarily in the County Palatine. In making donations attempts have been made to distribute them fairly between the counties of Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside; although from time to time one area may appear to have received greater benefit than others. Donations have been made to causes which are known to duchy authorities and also in response to recommendations received.

  Several charities who have received money from the fund in turn made donations to organisations and individuals resident in the County Palatine. Therefore an accurate reflection of precise geographical distribution of donations over the last five years would be difficult to obtain and would entail disproportionate cost.

  I am, however, arranging for lists of donations made to charitable organisations within the County Palatine for the past five years to be placed in the Library of the House.

  The offer I made to the hon. Gentleman in 1992 for a more detailed briefing on duchy matters remains open.

ENVIRONMENT

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply of 25 November 1993 to the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz),Official Report, column 186, if he will now name the cities that he has visited since his appointment as Secretary of State.

  Mr. Gummer
  Further to my answer to the hon. Member for Bootle (Mr. Benton) on 1 December 1993,Official Report, column 1030, I have since visited Norwich, Newcastle, Telford and Prague. I said I visited 45 towns and cities. They are:

  Manchester

  Bristol

  Cambridge

  Rochester

  York

  Peterborough

  Coventry

  London

  Birmingham

  Ipswich

  Leicester

  Cheltenham

  Liverpool

  Oxford

  Portsmouth

  Harrogate

  Nottingham

  Tonbridge

  Derby

  Stoneleigh (Warks)

  Gloucester

  Harpenden

  792

  Newmarket

  Hertford

  Newbury

  Buckingham

  Kings Lynn

  Huntingdon

  Thurrock

  Woodbridge

  Southend-on-Sea

  Felixstowe

  Hastings

  Stowmarket

  Bury St. Edmunds

  Brussels

  Chorley

  Luxembourg

  Stratford

  New York

  Datford

  Monte Carlo

  Chatham

  Paris

  Bakewell

  Council Housing Repairs
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the total cost of carrying out necessary repairs to local authority housing; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  The priority placed on stock repairs and levels of expenditure are matters for local authorities. However, estimates of the works required, related to different standards of repair and to the characteristics of local authority property, are provided by the quinquennial English house condition survey. A report of the most recent survey was published in August 1993 and copies have been placed in the Library.

  Housing Lets
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the numbers of local authority lets and housing association lets in each year since 1979.

  Sir George Young
  The number of local authority lets and estimates of housing association lets in each year since 1979 are as follows:

  Local authority (000s)

  Housing association1 (000s)

  Total lettings

  of which new lettings

  Total lettings

  of which new lettings

  1979–80

  438

  275

  45

  37

  1980–81

  444

  275

  51

  42

  1981–82

  415

  251

  52

  43

  1982–83

  439

  256

  55

  45

  1983–84

  429

  246

  58

  47

  1984–85

  429

  240

  60

  49

  1985–86

  437

  247

  62

  51

  1986–87

  430

  244

  64

  52

  1987–88

  426

  242

  67

  54

  1988–89

  410

  236

  70

  57

  1989–90

  390

  229

  76

  60

  1990–91

  401

  240

  77

  63

  1991–92

  407

  239

  86

  71

  1992–93

  400

  230

  109

  91

  1 Figures for the number of housing association lets in England have been available only since 1989–90. Figures for the previous years have been estimated on the basis of England and Wales data available for those years.

  Source:

  Local authority—HIP1 Returns

  Housing association—HAR10/1 returns

  Ministers
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the dates between which each Secretary of State and Minister of State has held office in his Department since 1979.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information is set out:
  793

  Date

  Secretaries of State

  Peter Shore

  April 1976 to May 1979

  Michael

  May 1979 to 6 January 1983

  Heseltine

  Tom King

  6 January 1983 to 8 June 1983

  Patrick

  9 June 1983 to 2 September 1985

  Jenkin

  Kenneth

  2 September 1985 to 21 May 1986

  Baker

  Nicholas

  21 May 1986 to 24 July 1989

  Ridley

  Christopher

  24 July 1989 to 28 November 1990

  Patten

  Michael

  28 November 1990 to 11 April 1992

  Heseltine

  Michael

  11 April 1992 to 27 May 1993

  Howard

  John

  27 May 1993 to date

  Gummer

  Ministers of State

  Reg Freeson

  March 1974 to May 1979

  Dennis

  March 1974 to May 1979

  Howell

  Tom King

  May 1979 to 6 January 1983

  John

  May 1979 to 8 June 1983

  Stanley

  Lord

  6 January 1983 to 10 September 1984

  Bellwin

  Ian Gow

  9 June 1983 to 2 September 1985

  Kenneth

  10 September 1984 to 2 September 1985

  Baker

  Lord Elton

  25 March 1985 to 10 September 1986

  William

  2 September 1985 to 25 July 1988

  Waldegrave

  John Patten

  2 September 1985 to 15 June 1987

  Dr Rhodes

  11 September 1986 to 15 June 1987

  Boyson

  Michael

  15 June 1987 to 3 January 1990

  Howard

  Lord

  15 June 1987 to 10 January 1988

  Belstead

  Earl

  10 January 1988 to 24 July 1989

  Caithness

  John

  25 July 1988 to 24 July 1989

  Gummer

  David

  25 July 1988 to 13 April 1992

  Trippier

  David Hunt

  25 July 1989 to 4 May 1990

  Michael

  3 January 1990 to 29 November 1990

  Spicer

  Michael

  4 May 1990 to 13 April 1992

  Portillo

  Sir George

  29 November 1990 to date

  Young

  Lady Blatch

  22 May 1991 to 13 April 1992

  John

  14 April 1992 to 27 May 1993

  Redwood

  David

  14 April 1992 to 27 May 1993

  Maclean

  David Curry

  27 May 1993 to date

  Tim Yeo

  27 May 1993 to 4 January 1994

  Robert

  4 January 1994 to date

  Atkins

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution the THORP at Sellafield 794
  makes to his strategy of sustainable development

  Mr. Atkins
  Reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel recovers uranium and plutonium, which may then be recycled. Provided that the necessary regulatory requirements are met, the Government believe that it should be a matter of commercial judgment whether spent fuel should be reprocessed or alternative fuel management options pursued.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had from the Irish ambassador to the United Kingdom and the Irish Minister for Energy, Transport and Communications, following his announcement of his decision to give authorisation for THORP to open.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Secretary of State received a visit from the ambassador in London of the Republic of Ireland on 16 December 1993. The ambassador raised a number of points with regard to THORP on behalf of his Government.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the nuclear waste arising comprised by low-level waste, disposed of at Drigg, originates from foreign spent nuclear fuel reprocessed at Sellafield.

  Mr. Atkins
  I understand that at the end of March 1993, some 5 per cent. of low-level waste disposed of at Drigg has arisen from reprocessing spent fuel from overseas.

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

  Mr. Gummer
  Five paintings and one photograph, as well as 14 prints.

  Charities
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce measures to ensure that all charities are entitled to bid for Government grants available for environmental work.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department's environmental action fund is the main source of grants for environmental work. The fund is available to voluntary organisations and a number of registered charities get grants.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of II January,Official Report, column 1, what are the particular qualifications, experience or expertise relating to the work of the Department of the Environment of his special adviser Mr. James Gray.

  Mr. Gummer
  It is not my practice to comment on the qualifications, expertise or experience of my political special advisers.
  795

  Climate Change
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which(a) university or (b) independent research departments were consulted in the preparation of the report on the United Kingdom climate change programme published on 25 January.

  Mr. Atkins
  Nineteen universities and research institutes responded to the discussion document on Britain's carbon dioxide programme that was published in December 1992. In addition, many universities and research institutes were invited to attend workshops in March 1993 and a conference in May 1993, to discuss the options for the completion of Britain's carbon dioxide programme. A list of these respondents and invitees is set out.

  Advisory Council on Science and Technology

  Birmingham University

  Cambridge University

  Energy Technology Support Unit

  Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development

  King's College London

  Lancaster University

  Leeds Metropolitan University

  University of Leeds

  University of Liverpool

  Manchester Metropolitan University

  Open University

  University of Oxford

  Science Policy Research Unit

  Silsoe Research Institute

  Highway maintenance grant-related expenditure for 1989–90 and standard spending assessment since 1990–91 for each highway authority

  £ million

  Local authority

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  City of London

  0·505

  1·346

  1·650

  2·486

  2·415

  2·734

  Camden

  3·613

  5·078

  5·885

  5·868

  5·494

  5·715

  Greenwich

  5·752

  7·356

  8·663

  7·668

  7·635

  7·568

  Hackney

  3·989

  5·287

  6·055

  6·065

  5·662

  5·966

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  3·021

  4·262

  4·852

  5·185

  4·712

  4·918

  Islington

  3·092

  4·222

  4·975

  5·369

  4·747

  4·925

  Kensington and Chelsea

  2·892

  4·112

  4·623

  4·385

  4·388

  4·671

  Lambeth

  5·259

  6·656

  7·810

  7·239

  7·161

  7·433

  Lewisham

  5·004

  6·662

  7·934

  7·988

  7·632

  7·953

  Southwark

  4·716

  6·653

  7·812

  7·366

  6·850

  7·151

  Tower Hamlets

  3·587

  4·612

  5·297

  5·192

  5·025

  5·360

  Wandsworth

  4·774

  6·714

  7·819

  7·804

  7·655

  8·123

  Westminster

  5·320

  8·241

  9·641

  9·483

  8·760

  9·654

  Barking and Dagenham

  3·346

  4·290

  4·678

  4·666

  4·383

  4·275

  Barnet

  5·855

  7·946

  9·102

  9·402

  8·672

  8·686

  Bexley

  4·774

  6·230

  6·924

  7·188

  6·650

  6·691

  Brent

  5·504

  7·149

  8·033

  7·989

  7·209

  7·226

  Bromley

  7·652

  9·558

  10·952

  10·873

  10·013

  10·034

  Croydon

  7·509

  10·111

  11·041

  11·234

  10·333

  10·416

  Ealing

  6·373

  8·368

  8·998

  8·738

  8·310

  8·619

  Enfield

  5·625

  7·407

  8·202

  8·471

  7·715

  7·943

  Haringey

  3·685

  4·957

  5·581

  5·676

  5·499

  5·551

  Harrow

  4·397

  5·612

  6·104

  6·445

  5·790

  5·816

  Havering

  4·801

  6·588

  7·495

  8·182

  7·941

  8·194

  Hillingdon

  5·814

  7·870

  8·676

  9·130

  8·396

  8·423

  Hounslow

  4·149

  5·571

  6·405

  6·951

  6·598

  6·535

  Kingston upon Thames

  3·096

  4·251

  4·745

  4·794

  4·559

  4·752

  Merton

  3·910

  5·192

  5·860

  5·824

  5·532

  5·534

  Newham

  4·689

  6·008

  6·579

  6·544

  6·389

  6·575

  Redbridge

  5·237

  6·279

  7·297

  7·801

  7·121

  7·168

  Richmond upon Thames

  3·764

  4·724

  5·419

  5·209

  5·055

  5·177

  Sutton

  4·075

  5·525

  5·888

  5·679

  5·652

  5·719

  Waltham Forest

  4·429

  5·809

  6·533

  6·564

  6·180

  6·226

  Bolton

  7·174

  9·814

  10·948

  9·786

  9·407

  9·810

  Bury

  4·840

  6·522

  7·157

  7·129

  6·656

  6·689

  Manchester

  14·871

  19·332

  22·192

  21·014

  20·541

  20·156

  Oldham

  6·483

  6·962

  7·605

  7·727

  7·002

  6·849

  Rochdale

  5·703

  6·378

  7·570

  7·110

  7·157

  7·030

  Salford

  6·653

  9·826

  10·667

  10·157

  10·527

  10·581

  796

  Southampton Energy and Transport Working Group

  Staffordshire University

  Transport Research Laboratory

  UK Centre for Economic and Environmental Protection

  University of Sussex

  University College London

  University College of Wales

  University of Wales

  Local Roads Spending
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the spending assessment for each local authority for spending on maintainance of local roads in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Baldry
  The highway maintenance element of the standard spending assessment for each highway authority for the years 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95 are shown. SSAs were introduced in 1990–91. The figures shown for 1989–90 are the sum of the separate elements for normal maintenance, winter maintenance, and street lighting within the system of grant-related expenditure assessments which operated until 1989–90.

  Comparisons between years are complicated by the transfer in recent years of funding for the structural maintenance of bridges and principal roads from the revenue to the capital account—and therefore from SSAs to transport supplementary grant and credit approvals. A total of £310 million was transferred between 1991–92 and 1993–94.
  797

  Local authority

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Stockport

  7·661

  10·334

  11·069

  11·395

  10·849

  10·435

  Tameside

  6·506

  8·074

  8·984

  8·523

  8·666

  8·430

  Trafford

  6·327

  8·672

  9·559

  9·424

  9·501

  9·128

  Wigan

  7·520

  8·993

  10·178

  10·151

  9·592

  9·765

  Knowsley

  3·288

  4·200

  4·800

  4·871

  4·557

  4·560

  Liverpool

  11·916

  14·833

  17·544

  16·950

  16·908

  16·544

  St. Helens

  4·778

  5·277

  6·293

  6·272

  5·830

  5·612

  Sefton

  5·969

  7·406

  8·554

  8·523

  8·191

  8·025

  Wirral

  6·666

  8·066

  9·481

  10·297

  9·187

  9·011

  Barnsley

  5·374

  6·229

  7·107

  7·008

  6·949

  6·853

  Doncaster

  8·311

  8·310

  10·024

  10·258

  10·926

  10·922

  Rotherham

  7·513

  9·193

  10·471

  10·948

  10·445

  10·253

  Sheffield

  15·928

  19·780

  23·830

  24·189

  23·791

  23·575

  Gateshead

  6·804

  8·360

  9·851

  10·601

  10·404

  10·425

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  8·243

  11·330

  13·254

  12·478

  12·266

  11·858

  North Tyneside

  4·592

  6·298

  7·066

  7·497

  6·861

  6·713

  South Tyneside

  3·661

  4·343

  5·356

  6·005

  5·721

  5·298

  Sunderland

  6·987

  8·563

  10·950

  11·585

  11·596

  11·674

  Birmingham

  24·361

  32·928

  37·420

  37·024

  36·330

  35·532

  Coventry

  7·694

  10·498

  10·855

  10·944

  10·416

  10·144

  Dudley

  7·653

  10·066

  11·269

  10·425

  10·736

  10·805

  Sandwell

  8·263

  10·458

  11·753

  11·616

  11·277

  11·042

  Solihull

  4·599

  6·398

  7·608

  7·816

  7·825

  8·020

  Walsall

  6·324

  8·225

  9·186

  8·739

  9·295

  9·288

  Wolverhampton

  6·971

  8·796

  9·721

  8·853

  8·818

  8·636

  Bradford

  11·889

  14·578

  16·721

  16·146

  17·684

  17·619

  Calderdale

  5·243

  5·937

  6·737

  6·840

  6·495

  6·394

  Kirklees

  11·816

  13·583

  14·767

  14·758

  13·454

  13·365

  Leeds

  20·965

  25·845

  28·712

  29·077

  27·634

  27·244

  Wakefield

  9·095

  11·086

  11·904

  11·506

  11·403

  11·592

  Avon

  27·054

  34·653

  38·456

  38·735

  36·341

  36·177

  Bedfordshire

  10·147

  15·210

  18·156

  19·611

  19·024

  20·607

  Berkshire

  16·264

  24·181

  26·011

  29·150

  26·304

  27·776

  Buckinghamshire

  16·256

  21·803

  24·031

  25·717

  24·803

  24·886

  Cambridgeshire

  17·521

  21·777

  25·240

  24·528

  23·710

  26·323

  Cheshire

  25·121

  31·175

  34·432

  33·974

  33·167

  33·426

  Cleveland

  15·546

  17·901

  21·091

  22·299

  20·294

  20·170

  Cornwall

  16·491

  18·972

  20·928

  21·807

  21·290

  22·348

  Cumbria

  18·506

  20·786

  23·070

  23·651

  22·472

  24·152

  Derbyshire

  22·991

  26·449

  30·587

  31·272

  29·857

  29·441

  Devon

  37·653

  40·106

  45·563

  47·063

  44·571

  42·514

  Dorset

  19·307

  21·758

  24·680

  24·632

  24·273

  24·292

  Durham

  16·616

  17·529

  20·393

  20·411

  19·703

  19·626

  East Sussex

  15·425

  19·265

  21·909

  21·323

  20·964

  21·195

  Essex

  33·436

  49·024

  54·349

  58·392

  58·308

  61·069

  Gloucestershire

  14·989

  16·483

  19·757

  19·572

  17·787

  17·589

  Hampshire

  37·859

  49·329

  54·702

  56·154

  53·316

  53·424

  Hereford and Worcester

  21·586

  23·126

  26·858

  25·462

  25·114

  24·968

  Hertfordshire

  23·672

  31·649

  37·628

  40·077

  38·130

  39·142

  Humberside

  23·160

  25·382

  28·254

  28·845

  28·174

  27·795

  Isle of Wight

  3·095

  3·520

  3·899

  4·161

  3·471

  3·773

  Kent

  39·260

  53·727

  59·197

  60·187

  56·555

  58·102

  Lancashire

  36·612

  41·530

  46·932

  49·675

  47·659

  47·570

  Leicestershire

  26·868

  31·251

  34·390

  34·327

  33·807

  33·956

  Lincolnshire

  19·502

  23·527

  25·984

  25·918

  24·686

  26·586

  Norfolk

  24·218

  26·876

  32·135

  31·243

  30·802

  33·100

  Northamptonshire

  14·992

  20·428

  21·889

  21·614

  20·925

  21·014

  Northumberland

  13·226

  14·953

  16·518

  16·631

  16·094

  17·209

  North Yorkshire

  25·910

  28·674

  32·843

  32·232

  32·435

  32·796

  Nottinghamshire

  26·617

  31·417

  35·238

  36·575

  33·168

  33·109

  Oxfordshire

  12·877

  16·075

  17·826

  19·749

  18·011

  18·862

  Shropshire

  13·908

  16·056

  17·861

  17·505

  17·014

  18·430

  Somerset

  18·058

  20·657

  24·493

  25·265

  23·170

  23·088

  Staffordshire

  27·904

  31·949

  37·490

  35·720

  35·301

  35·265

  Suffolk

  17·266

  19·349

  22·108

  21·721

  24·177

  24·421

  Surrey

  28·356

  40·281

  43·183

  44·727

  39·855

  42·446

  Warwickshire

  11·220

  13·739

  16·535

  16·843

  17·153

  17·641

  West Sussex

  17·021

  22·052

  24·461

  24·006

  22·885

  23·249

  Wiltshire

  15·026

  19·099

  21·975

  21·955

  20·064

  19·712

  Isles of Scilly

  0·112

  0·144

  0·158

  0·168

  0·133

  0·144

  Note: The grant-related expenditure for 1980–90 is the sum of the normal maintenance, winter maintenance and street lighting components; for shire counties this is prior to any assignment to shire districts. For all authorities it excludes professional and technical services.
  798 799

  Depleted Uranium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress made by Her Majesty's pollution inspectorate in assessing the effects of test firing of depleted uranium ammunition on the environment.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Ministry of Defence carries out a programme of regular environmental monitoring at its Eskmeals site. The results of this monitoring are made available to HMIP.

  Local Government Ombudsman
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what sanctions govern the enforcement of rulings arrived at by the local government ombudsman on complaints from the public.

  Mr. Baldry
  A local authority which declines to comply fully with the remedies imposed by the ombudsman must publish a statement of its reasons for failing to implement the report in local newspapers at its own expense, together with a statement about the matter provided by the ombudsman.

  Conservation Areas
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will designate parts of Cardigan bay, the Bristol channel and St. George's channel as special areas of conservation under directive 92/43/EEC.

  Mr. Atkins
  The list of sites which member states shall designate as special areas of conservation must be agreed with the Commission by 1998 and the site designation process must be completed by 2004.

  The Government's scientific advisers are preparing their recommendations for the United Kingdom's proposed special areas of conservation. It is therefore premature to comment on whether and when specific sites might be designated.

  Retirement Housing
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) from what groups representing(a) leaseholders and (b) managing agents and landlords he sought advice during the formulation of the code of conduct for retirement housing;

  (2) when he expects to be able to publish the code of conduct for retirement housing; and if it will be compulsory.

  Sir George Young
  Section 87 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 gives the Secretary of State for the Environment powers to endorse codes of good management practice submitted to him for approval. The Act prevents the Secretary of State from approving any code unless he is satisfied that arrangements have been made to ensure that it has been brought to the notice of those likely to be affected by it.

  The Act also provides that any code which is approved will be admissible evidence and where relevant may be taken into account in any court proceedings relating to the management of residential property.

  So far, no such codes have been submitted for approval, but I understand that the Royal Institution of Chartered
  800
  Surveyors and the Association of Retirement Housing Managers have published draft codes of practice and are consulting on them widely.

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

  Mr. Gummer
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 1 February by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister,Official Report, column 611.

  Housing Association Grant
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria have been agreed by the Housing Corporation for the allocation of housing association grant to developing housing authorities.

  Sir George Young
  Housing Corporation resources are distributed on the basis of the housing needs index. The allocation of housing association grant to housing associations is made by the Housing Corporation in accordance with the following criteria: to meet the priority housing needs identified by local authorities in the most cost-effective way; to achieve targets set by Ministers for programmes such as low-cost home ownership, rehabilitation and rural housing; and, in choosing between bids to meet a particular objective, to achieve value for money in terms of the volume of housing to be delivered from a given HAG input subject to the performance of an association, its ability to deliver a good management service once the development is completed and any local authority views about the proposed development.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each London borough the total discounted value of houses and flats sold by them for each year since 1980.

  Sir George Young
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 January 1994,Official Report, columns 242–244, to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle).

  Council Tax
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals have been lodged since the 1992 valuations of homes for the purpose of assessing council tax; and how many of these cases have now received a final adjudication.

  Mr. Baldry
  During the eight-month period allowed for appeal, expiring on 30 November 1993, the Valuation Office agency received 860,305 proposals to alter the council tax bands of dwellings in England. Of these, 175,206 had been settled by 31 December 1993.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department expects all the currently outstanding appeals against house valuations for the purposes of assessing council tax to have received a final adjudication.
  801
  Mr. Baldry
  The Valuation Office agency has six months from the date of its receipt to consider proposals to alter the council tax banding of dwellings. If not resolved at the end of this period, cases are referred as formal appeals to a valuation tribunal.

  The Valuation Office agency and the valuation tribunals are expected to have dealt with nearly 700,000 or 80 per cent. of cases in England by the end of 1994. This would be almost within a year of the end of the appeal period. Any remaining appeals will be settled as quickly as possible in 1995.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether local authorities will be expected to repay with interest any overpayments received in council tax arising from wrong valuations of properties subsequently revised under the appeals system.

  Mr. Baldry
  There is no provision in the regulations on council tax appeals for the payment of interest when an appeal has been determined in the taxpayer's favour. The sums at stake in such appeals are generally modest and the cost of administering an interest payment scheme would be disproportionate.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people are employed within his Department investigating possible improvements to the standard spending assessment system.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. member to the reply my right hon Friend gave to the hon. Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) on 28 January,Official Report, columns 433–34.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the representations made by Westminster city council to his Department prior to the current year's standard spending assessment allocation.

  Mr. Baldry
  Since March 1993 we have received a number of letters from Westminster dealing with a number of issues concerning the review of standard spending assessments and the proposals for 1994–95.

  In addition, my right hon. Friend met the leader of Westminster city council on 13 October 1993 to discuss the review of standard spending assessments for 1994–95.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the representations made by Wandsworth borough council to his Department prior to the current year's standard spending assessment allocation.

  Mr. Baldry
  Since March 1993 we have received two written representations from the London borough of Wandsworth on the calculation of standard spending assessments for 1994–95.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the authorities that have made representations to his Department, supporting the use of day visitors as a method of measuring grant need.

  Mr. Baldry
  The following local authorities made representations in support of the use of data on day visitors in the calculation of standard spending assessments, during the review of standard spending assessments or during consultation on the provisional revenue support grant settlement for 1994–95:
  802

  Bath City Council

  Birmingham City Council

  London Borough of Brent

  Brighton Borough Council

  Chester City Council

  Chester-le-Street District Council

  Cleethorpes Borough Council

  East Lindsey District Council

  Epsom and Ewell Borough Council

  Great Yarmouth Borough Council

  London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

  Harrogate District Council

  Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

  Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

  London Borough of Greenwich

  High Peak Borough Council

  North Norfolk District Council

  Norwich City Council

  Nottingham City Council

  Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council

  Sheffield City Council

  Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council

  South Lakeland District Council

  Southend-on-Sea District Council

  Stoke on Trent City Council

  Suffolk Coastal District Council

  Tendring District Council

  Thanet District Council

  Thurrock Borough Council

  Torbay Borough Council

  Uttlesford District Council

  London Borough of Westminster

  Weymouth and Portland Borough Council

  Woodspring District Council

  We also received a joint representation from the seven west midlands metropolitan districts in support of the inclusion of day visitors in the calculation of standard spending assessments.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretry of State for the Environment if he will list the authorities that have made representations to his Department supporting the use of homelessness figures as a method of measuring grant need.

  Mr. Baldry
  The following local authorities made representations in support of the use of data on homelessness in the calculation of SSAs, during the review of SSAs or during consultations on the provisional revenue support grant settlement for 1994–95:

  London Borough of Barnet

  London Borough of Brent

  Brighton Borough Council

  Broxtowe Borough Council

  Bury Metropolitan Borough Council

  London Borough of Ealing

  East Hertfordshire District Council

  Elmbridge Borough Council

  London Borough of Enfield

  Gloucester City Council

  London Borough of Greenwich

  London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

  London Borough of Haringey

  London Borough of Harrow

  Hartlepool Borough Council

  London Borough of Hillingdon

  London Borough of Lambeth

  London Borough of Lewisham

  London Borough of Newham

  Reading Borough Council

  Thurrock Borough Council

  London Borough of Tower Hamlets

  Westminster City Council

  803

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions since 1982 in England a potentially damaging operation to a site of special scientific interest has been carried out following the failure to reach a management agreement as set out in section 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I assume the hon. Member requests details of damage occurring to sites of special scientific interest —including those sites subject to a nature conservation order—after notice of a potentially damaging operation has been given by owners and occupiers. I regret that such information is not available in this form, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Information on damage to SSSIs and proposed SSSIs generally is contained in the annual reports of English Nature and of the former Nature Conservancy Council, copies of which are in the Library.

  Local Government Finance
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 21 January,Official Report, column 871–72, if he will publish a breakdown of the totals spent from usable capital receipts into areas of local authority spending

  Mr. Curry
  This information is not available. Local authorities' capital financing decisions are, in general, taken on a corporate basis covering the whole of their

  Published Targets

  Making a corporate commitment campaign signatory targets

  3M:

  A global target of a 20 per cent, reduction in energy use to produce a kilogram of good product from 1990 to 1995; and a 20 per cent, reduction in the amount of energy required to support a square meter of non-manufacturing space from 1990 to 1995;

  Allied Lyons plc:

  Following significant earlier savings, the company has set energy, effluent and water savings targets of around 2 per cent, per annum, over a three to five-year time scale;

  BAA plc:

  A 10 per cent, reduction in consumption in all airport operations by December 1994, with the expectation of a further 5 per cent, saving in the following four years; and an initial 10 per cent, improvement in non-airport operations by January 1995;

  BT plc:

  A 15 per cent, reduction in energy consumption over five years to 1997;

  Babcock Energy Ltd.:

  A 10 per cent, reduction in energy costs in 1993–94;

  Bank of England:

  A 15 per cent, reduction in energy consumption over five years to 1998;

  Birmingham International Airport plc:

  As one of its energy targets, a further 5 per cent, reduction in kilowatt hours per passenger, based on the moving annual total;

  Bowring Services Ltd.:

  A minimum 5 per cent, annual reduction in energy costs;

  British Gas plc:

  A 15 per cent, saving over five years;

  Cheltenham and Gloucester Building Society:

  Twin goals to reduce energy costs by 10 per cent, within two years and energy consumption by 10 per cent, by the end of 1996;

  DHL International:

  An improvement in fuel efficiency of 15 per cent, over three years commencing with a target of 8 per cent, in the year October 1993–94, and a 15 per cent, improvement in energy use at operational sites by the end of 1994, rising to 20 per cent, in 1995 and 25 per cent, in 1996;

  Eley Ltd.:

  A 5 per cent, reduction in energy consumption in 1993, taking production volume changes into account;

  English Nature:

  A 15 per cent, reduction in energy consumption over five years;

  Fina plc:

  A performance improvement target for energy costs of 10 per cent, and a 5 per cent, reduction in energy consumption for individual areas of the company over a two-year period ending December 1994;

  Forte:

  An initial target to reduce energy and water consumption by 10 per cent, without reducing the level of service, quality or customer comfort;

  804
  capital programme. Information on the financing of capital expenditure for individual services is not therefore collected by the Department.

  Energy Efficiency Targets
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has had to his call in November for organisations to publish energy efficiency targets.

  Mr. Gummer
  I have called for a partnership between Government, business and the voluntary sector to help the United Kingdom meet its CO2 emission reduction targets. As part of that, I have urged all organisations to set up proper environmental and energy management systems, including the setting of clear targets and systems to monitor performance and report against those targets.

  Much remains to be done both by business and the public sector in this area, but I welcome the lead given by the organisations listed which, as signatories of the marking a corporate commitment campaign, have published energy efficiency targets and are working to secure the commercial and environmental benefits that result from good energy management. I hope others will follow this lead.

  The public sector is also playing its part. Central Government and health authorities and trusts are working to meet a 15 per cent. cut in energy consumption in the five years 1991–96; while the local authority associations are promoting similar aspirational targets for individual local authorities.
  805

  IBM:

  A worldwide corporate goal of implementing energy efficient improvement projects to achieve 4 per cent, savings year on year;

  J. Sainsbury plc:

  A target of a 5 per cent. annual saving on the difference between actual energy used and the predicted energy which should have been if utilised in the most efficient manner;

  Nationwide Building Society:

  A 15 per cent. target over five years with the expectation that this could be increased to 20 to 25 per cent, in the longer term;

  National Westminster Bank plc:

  A 15 per cent. reduction in energy consumption by the end of 1995;

  Rockware Glass Ltd.:

  Co2 emissions in 2000 will not exceed 1992 values;

  Rover Group:

  A 5 per cent. per annum reduction in 1991 energy and Co2 levels adjusted for the number of standard production hours worked and degree days during the year;

  Safeway Stores plc:

  A real saving of at least 10 per cent. over five years;

  Sterling Organics:

  A programme of improvement projects which will reduce energy consumption by 6 per cent, in the two years ending 1994, against a baseline of 1992;

  Tesco plc:

  A further 5 per cent. reduction in energy use in each of the next two years;

  Texaco Ltd.:

  Improve the energy index at its Pembroke refinery by 1 per cent. each year over the next five years; and save 15 per cent. of its energy consumption in its headquarters building in 1994;

  Toshiba (Manufacturing Operations):

  A 16 per cent. improvement in energy use by 1995;

  Warwick International Ltd.:

  A 20 per cent. improvement in energy use per unit of product produced in 1993 and 1994;

  University College London:

  A 15 per cent. reduction in effective energy use over five years to 1998.

  Electricity Companies

  Man web plc:

  A 10 per cent. reduction in own electricity use in the three years to 1994 95;

  Norweb plc:

  A 15 per cent. reduction in own electricity consumption over five years to 1996;

  Northern Electric plc:

  To reduce own energy usage by one third over the next five years;

  Nuclear Electric plc:

  A 5 per cent. reduction in overall energy bill in 1993;

  Southern Electric plc:

  A 20 per cent. reduction in energy consumption in office buildings over the next five years.

  Local Authorities

  Basingstoke and Dean Borough Council:

  15 per cent. reduction in effective energy use in five years to 1998;

  Bedfordshire County Council:

  15 per cent. reduction in energy costs over five years to 1991 and then 10 per cent, by 2000;

  Cleveland County Council:

  7·5 per cent. for educational establishments while Cleveland police authority has set a target of 10 per cent, over one year for its buildings;

  Cotswold District Council:

  15 per cent. over five years to 1997;

  Ipswich Borough Council:

  15 per cent. over five years to 1998;

  Leicester City Council:

  To complement a 14 per cent. reduction in Co2 emissions over the past five years, the council intend to reduce Co2 emissions by 50 per cent. of the 1990 level by the year 2025;

  London Borough of Hounslow:

  To reduce 1992 energy consumption by 20 per cent. by the end of 1997, with consequent Co2 emission reductions in excess of 20 per cent., by investing 10 per cent. of the annual energy budget in a programme of building and plant improvements, and by encouraging and implementing responsible energy management measures;

  London Fire and Civil Defence Authority:

  A 10 per cent. reduction in energy consumption over five years to 1994–95.

  London Borough of Sutton:

  4 per cent. energy savings in this financial year and a 15 per cent. saving over 10 years.

  Northamptonshire County Council:

  To reduce energy and water consumption and CO2 emissions by a further 15 per cent. over five years commencing April 1994;

  Nottingham City Council:

  A 10 per cent. reduction in energy consumption by 1994–95; a further 5 per cent. by 1996–97 with up to a 50 per cent. reduction by the year 2027;

  Oxfordshire County Council:

  On course to reduce their energy use in council buildings by 15 per cent. over the five years to 1998;

  Redditch Borough Council:

  A 15 per cent. reduction in energy costs over three years to 1995;

  Stratford on Avon District Council:

  A 5 per cent. reduction in the 1992–93 level of normalised energy consumption by March 1995;

  806

  807

  Suffolk Coastal District Council:

  Following cumulative reductions to date of some 5,000 tonnes of Co2, emissions, the council intends to reduce energy consumption by a further 10 per cent. in the five years to 1998;

  West Sussex County Council:

  A Co2, reduction target of 50,000 tonnes per year by 2000;

  Woking Borough Council:

  A 20 per cent. reduction in energy consumption in five years to 1998.

  Northumberland Special Protection Area
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that English Nature extend the period of consultation of the proposed special protection area for the coast of Northumberland.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: The consultation period has already been extended to 10 weeks, two and a half times the period normally given for such consultations. I see no reason for a further extension.

  EU Habitats Directive
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to make additional financial resources available to implement the European Union directive—92/43/EEC—on the conservation of natural habitats of wild fauna and flora; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: The Secretary of State for the Environment has asked his advisers on nature conservation, English Nature, to give implementation of the habitats directive the highest
  808
  priority for resources. Grants in aid to English nature for the financial year 1994–95 will be £40·405 million, an increase of 6·56 per cent. over the current year.

  Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his Department's policy for dealing with employees found guilty of fraud;

  (2) how many employees were judged to be guilty of fraud in his Department in each year since 1989; and how many were dismissed.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: Disciplinary action is always taken, with dismissal as the ultimate sanction when the evidence justifies it.

  The table sets out the number of employees disciplined for fraud and the number ultimately dismissed in the years from April 1989—Property Services Agency in brackets.

  Employees disciplined for fraud

  Employees dismissed

  1989

  1

  —

  1990

  1

  (2)

  —

  (2)

  1991

  3

  (1)

  3

  (1)

  1992

  5

  (2)

  1

  (1)

  1993

  2

  —

  NORTH ATLANTIC ASSEMBLY:UK DELEGATION
  NORTH ATLANTIC ASSEMBLY:UK DELEGATION
  ARMS EXPORTS TO FORMER SOVIET UNION: POLICY
  ARMS EXPORTS TO FORMER SOVIET UNION: POLICY
  MAGISTRATES'COURTS COMMITTEES
  MAGISTRATES'COURTS COMMITTEES
  DEPRIVATION PAYMENTS SCHEME
  DEPRIVATION PAYMENTS SCHEME
  COMMUNITY CARE
  COMMUNITY CARE
  VALUATION OFFICE AGENCY
  VALUATION OFFICE AGENCY
  LISTED BUILDING REPAIRS: VAT LEVEL
  LISTED BUILDING REPAIRS: VAT LEVEL
  A.127: IMPROVEMENT
  A.127: IMPROVEMENT
  NIGHT FLYING RESTRICTIONS AT LONDON AIRPORTS
  NIGHT FLYING RESTRICTIONS AT LONDON AIRPORTS
  GRANT-MAINTAINED SCHOOLS
  GRANT-MAINTAINED SCHOOLS
  NURSERY EDUCATION
  NURSERY EDUCATION
  SCIENCE DEGREES
  SCIENCE DEGREES
  SCHOOLS: SURPLUS PLACES
  SCHOOLS: SURPLUS PLACES
  POLICE AUTHORITIES
  POLICE AUTHORITIES
  PRISONERS: ACCESS TO SANITATION
  PRISONERS: ACCESS TO SANITATION