Written Answers of 3 February 1994

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the latest expenditure forecast for the legal aid budget in the financial year 1993–94.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Brent, South (Mr. Boateng) on 20 January at columns 719–20. Based on the latest information available it seems likely that total net expenditure on legal aid in the financial year 1993–94 will be £1,225 million compared with a provision of £1,283·2 million. The actual outturn will depend on the bills presented and paid between now and the end of the financial year.

  Paintings and Photographs
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to buy or borrow photographs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I have no plans to buy or borrow any photographs.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many(a) paintings and (b) photographs there are on the walls of his rooms.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  There are no paintings and three photographs on the walls of my room.

  "Small Personal Injury Claims"
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he received during the consultation over his document "Small Personal Injury Claims"; and when he expects to announce the results of his consultations.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  My Department has received approximately 150 responses to our recent consultation paper on small personal injury claims. Consultees cover the full spectrum of interests and include solicitors, doctors, insurance companies and consumer groups. Many of their letters deal with the proposals in great detail and provide us with much valuable input and information.

  We are currently considering the points made by consultees and will be taking all arguments they put forward into account when finalising the detail of new procedures. The Lord Chancellor expects to issue draft rules of court and draft forms for consultation by the autumn.
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Electricity Industry
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will strengthen consumer representation covering the electricity industry.

  Mr. Eggar
  I am satisfied that the electricity consumers' committees represent consumer interest effectively and have no plans to change the structure or the scope of their remit. The Director General of Electricity Supply is responsible for the appointment of the committees' members.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the change in electricity prices since 1989.

  Mr. Eggar
  The latest figures available show that domestic electricity prices fell by 0·4 per cent. in real terms between the third quarter of 1989 and the third quarter of 1993. Over the same period, average industrial electricity prices fell by about 4 per cent. in real terms.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will commission a report on the impact of electricity price rises on low-income consumers.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have no plans to commission such a report. Domestic electricity prices have broadly remained stable since privatisation.

  Touche Ross
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if his Department or any agencies for which he is responsible has engaged the services of the firm Touche Ross or any of its partners since 1 July 1993.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department has engaged the services of Touche Ross for new contracts on three occasions since 1 July 1993. During the same period two contracts previously issued were extended.

  Global Warming
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out the basis for the statement at paragraph 19.16 of the report on sustainable development, page 133, that nuclear power provides a source of energy free from the pollutants that contribute towards global warming.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  An analysis of the effect on global warming of nuclear power as well as other fuels is set out in the report "The Impact of UK Electricity, Gas and Oil Use on Global Warming" by N. J. Eyre and L. A. Michaelis of the energy technology support unit, published in 1991.

  This report sets out greenhouse gas emissions for a range of fuel cycles including different forms of electricity generation. The report covers for the electricity fuel cycles the extraction, processing, transport, generation, distribution and utilisation by final user. Even taking into account these aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle, the emissions of greenhouse gases are very low.

  I have arranged for copies of this report to be placed in the Library of the House.
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  Environmental Protection
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade in what ways he intends to explore within the European Community alternatives to a command and control approach to environmental protection as set out in the letter by the Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Technology to Lord Ezra of 17 June 1993.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The United Kingdom national sustainable development strategy, published on 25 January, restates the Government's commitment to using economic instruments, where appropriate, as an alternative to a command and control approach to environmental protection.

  The European Commission has also made clear its wish to use such instruments—most recently in its communication to the Council, "Making the most of the Internal Market: Strategic Programme" (COM (93) 632 final). Officials are in touch with the Commission as specific proposals for action are developed.

  In addition the Government have invited the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment to advise, from the business perspective, on the circumstances in which economic instruments, regulation or other policy instruments would be the most appropriate means for achieving environmental goals. This work will help to inform our examination of future EC proposals for environmental protection measures.

  Oil Sales
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the aggregate sale of oil from the United Kingdom to all recipient countries in(a) monetary values and (b) tonnage for each month since January 1992.

  Mr. Eggar
  Monthly exports of oil from the United Kingdom since January 1992 are as follows:

  United Kingdom oil1 exports

  Value (£ million)

  Volume (thousand tonnes)

  1992

  January

  539

  6,572

  February

  427

  5,217

  March

  511

  6,248

  April

  542

  6,263

  May

  510

  5,862

  June

  493

  5,387

  July

  525

  5,957

  August

  588

  7,069

  September

  515

  6,201

  October

  667

  7,519

  November

  621

  6,531

  December

  628

  6,471

  Total

  6,566

  75,297

  19932

  January

  483

  5,810

  February

  617

  6,500

  March

  629

  5,970

  April

  602

  5,920

  May

  635

  6,300

  June

  579

  6,130

  July

  729

  7,690

  August

  709

  7,800

  September

  622

  7,220

  October

  717

  8,190

  1 Petroleum, petroleum products, and related materials; i.e. Division 33 of the Standard International Trade Classification.

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  2 It should be noted that these figures remain provisional subject to greater revisions than usual. Data on exports to other EC countries are only available up to October.

  Source: Central Statistical Office.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the monthly sale of oil in tonnes from the United Kingdom to Cyprus in each month since July 1992.

  Mr. Eggar
  Monthly exports of oil by the United Kingdom to Cyprus since July 1992 are as follows:

  Volume of United Kingdom oil1 exports to Cyprus

  Tonnes

  1992

  July

  364

  August

  256

  September

  240

  October

  415

  November

  259

  December

  177

  Total

  1,711

  1993

  January

  148

  February

  375

  March

  165

  April

  255

  May

  294

  June

  119

  July

  291

  August

  267

  September

  212

  October

  257

  November

  233

  Total to November

  2,616

  1 Petroleum, petroleum products, and related materials; i.e. Division 33 of the Standard International Trade Classification.

  Source: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

  Car Boot Sales
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to ensure compliance with minimum legislative requirements within the framework of his deregulation policy at car boot sales.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  There is no legislation relating specifically to car boot sales. In so far as car boot sales raise questions of planning law, this is a matter for local authorities and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. In so far as they raise questions of compliance with such legislation as the Trade Descriptions Act or consumer safety regulations, they are a matter for local authority trading standards departments.

  Children (Accident)
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many accidents to children were recorded in each year since 1987.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Statistics on home and leisure accidents to children are published by the Department in the home accident surveillance system annual reports for the years 1987 to 1991—the latest figures available—copies of which are held in the Library of the House. It should be noted that the national figures are extrapolated from a sample of accident cases treated in hospitals.
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  Statistics on road traffic and work accidents are a matter for my right hon. Friends, the Secretaries of State for Transport and for Employment.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the recorded numbers of accidents that children had(a) in the home, (b) on the roads, (c) in school and (d) in playgrounds, in each year since 1987.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The statistics requested in sections(a), (c) and (d) are published by the Department in the home accident surveillance system annual reports for the years 1987 to 1991—the latest available figures—copies of which are held in the Library of the House. It should be noted that the national figure is extrapolated from a sample of accident cases treated in hospitals.

  The answer to section (b) is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.

  Nightwear Safety Regulations
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what further representations he has received from business, medical or consumer organisations about deregulation of the nightwear safety regulations.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Consultation on the Nightwear Safety Regulations 1985, under the deregulation initiative, was concluded on 29 October 1993. Since then my Department has received a further 22 letters from business, medical and consumer interests which added to the general support for the retention of the regulations.

  Loan Guarantee Scheme
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consideration he has given to the experience of T. S. Industrial Development Ltd. based in the Norwich, North constituency in failing to secure lending under the provisions of the loan guarantee scheme; if he will review the current qualification rules on the level of turnover and the number of employees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  There appears to have been no correspondence with DTI about the loan guarantee scheme and T. S. Industrial Development Ltd. Neither has any application for loan guarantee scheme assistance, from this company, been rejected by DTI. No comment on the individual case can, therefore, be made.

  However, all applications for the loan guarantee scheme are reviewed by participating scheme lenders in the first instance and may be rejected by them.

  The qualification rules on level of turnover and the number of employees were reviewed in 1993 and regular reviews are undertaken.

  Parcelforce
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost to the Post Office of establishing Parcelforce as a separate business(a) in total, (b) for its Milton Keynes headquarters and (c) for new distribution and sorting depots.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The establishment of a separate parcels operating unit within the Post Office has been taking place gradually since 1986, to improve efficiency and allow each of the main businesses to focus on its 814
  particular market. Details of the costs involved are commercially confidential; however, all Parcelforce investment projects are required to meet standard public sector investment criteria.

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes have been agreed to the regulation on opencast mining since the publication of the first report of session 1992–93 from the Trade and Industry Committee on British energy policy and the market for coal.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government have published their proposals for amendments to the Opencast Coal Act 1958 in the Coal Industry Bill published on 2 December.

  Regional Assistance
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) of 3 December 1993,Official Report, column 765, what was the total amount spent on (a) regional enterprise grants, (b) enterprise initiative schemes, (c) regional development grants and (d) regional selective assistance in 1992–93 in (i) the United Kingdom as a whole and (ii) each of the regions.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 25 January 1994]: Expenditure in 1992–93 on regional enterprise grants—REG; enterprise initiative schemes—EI; regional development grants—RDG; regional selective assistance—RSA is as follows.

  £ million

  REG

  1EI

  RDG

  RSA

  South East

  —

  6·0

  —

  —

  East

  —

  11·0

  —

  —

  Northern

  1·5

  22·0

  8·3

  28·1

  North West

  1·3

  38·0

  1·3

  18·2

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1·8

  6·3

  1·1

  8·4

  South West

  0·8

  4·7

  —

  5·1

  East Midlands

  0·3

  4·0

  0·3

  0·6

  West Midlands

  0·1

  6·5

  —

  10·7

  England

  5·8

  48·5

  11·0

  71·1

  Wales

  1·1

  3·8

  5·5

  58·8

  Scotland

  2·8

  5·4

  8·9

  59·2

  Great Britain

  9·7

  57·7

  25·4

  189·1

  Northern Ireland

  —

  0·4

  —

  —

  United Kingdom5

  9·7

  458·6

  25·4

  189·1

  1Expenditure relates to the Consultancy Initiative and the SMART and SPUR schemes.

  2Northern region excluding Cumbria.

  3North West region including Cumbria.

  4Includes £0·5 million not allocated regionally.

  5REG; RDG and RSA schemes operate only in Great Britain. Northern Ireland schemes are not directly comparable.

  Fireworks
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has had from the British Standards Institute on the abolition of import licences for fireworks.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 1 February 19941: My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has had no representations from the British Standards Institution relating to abolition of import licences for fireworks.
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  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what further representations he has had from the British Pyrotechnists Association on his proposals to abolish import licences for fireworks with particular reference to category 4;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to amend the Consumer Protection Act 1987 to exclude category 4 fireworks from retail sales.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: On 27 January the British Pyrotechnists Association met my noble Friend Lord Strathclyde, the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Small Firms, to discuss the position of category 4 fireworks under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 following the recent changes by the Health and Safety Executive to the legislation relating to the import of fireworks.

  The powers available in sections 10 and 13 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 are adequate to deal with the sale of category devices to the general public. The association has, however, promised to put forward suggestions for reinforcing the present arrangements for limiting the availability of category 4 fireworks to members of the general public and these will be considered.

  Patent Office
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what will be the cost to the Exchequer of the review of the Patent Office being carried out by consultants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: The fees paid to the consultants carrying out the review of the Patent Office are confidential for commercial reasons.

  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to raise(a) the environmental implications of the new GATT and (b) the economic implications of the international trade in nuclear materials between Europe and other economic areas at the forthcoming world economic summit in Davos.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor attended an informal gathering of world economic leaders in Davos on 28–30 January as part of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting. This meeting was not an intergovernmental summit to discuss specific issues; it was an opportunity for international economic policy makers to discuss longer-term trends in the world economy on an informal basis.

  Petrol Stations
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimates have been made of the cost of implementation of the draft county councils directive 8348/92, stage 1, to petrol stations in rural and urban areas.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have been asked to reply.

  There is currently under negotiation a proposed European Community directive which will introduce a system of petrol vapour recovery during the distribution of petrol. Following consultation with industry and a report
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  from independent consultants, the Government have concluded that typical costs for service stations in the United Kingdom are likely to be in the range of £2,000 to £3,000. There will be variations in individual cases, dependent for example on existing equipment layout.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Goosanders
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will reconsider her decision to allow goosanders to be shot on the River Wharfe; and if she will ensure that this decision will not be used as a precedent for the destruction of goosanders and similar species as a matter of routine.

  Mr. Soames
  The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 provides for the issue of licences to kill or take protected wild bird species for the purpose of preventing serious damage to fisheries. The Agriculture Departments—in England, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food —are responsible for the issue of these licences and they must not be unreasonably withheld.

  Applications for licences are judged on a case by case basis and the issue of any one licence does not set a precedent. Licences to allow shooting, as an aid to scaring, will not be issued unless the applicant has provided sufficient evidence of serious damage to the fishery and where other methods of scaring are shown to be ineffective or impractical and not just difficult to implement. Each applicant is visited by Agricultural Development Advisory Service, the Ministry's wildlife advisers, before a decision is taken on whether or not to issue a licence. All licences issued are to shoot only a restricted number of birds, over a specific site, during the time of year when the serious damage is occurring.

  The licence to shoot goosanders on the River Wharfe was issued only after sufficient evidence of serious damage to the fishery was presented to the Ministry.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what considerations led her to license the Bolton Abbey Estate to kill 14 goosanders on the River Wharfe and on the estate fish farm; what representations and advice she received from English Nature; if she will make it her policy that all species listed under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 will be guaranteed protection in future; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 provides for the issue of licences to kill or take protected wild bird species for the purpose of preventing serious damage to fisheries. The Agriculture Departments—in England, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food —are responsible for the issue of these licences and they must not be unreasonably withheld.

  Applications for licences are judged on a case-by-case basis. Licences to allow shooting, as an aid to scaring, will not be issued unless the applicant has provided sufficient evidence of serious damage to the fishery and where other methods of scaring are shown to be ineffective or impractical and not just difficult to implement.

  The Agricultural Development Advisory Service, the Ministry's wildlife advisers, visit each applicant to assess the case before reporting back to the Ministry. English Nature is consulted locally and its representations are taken

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  into account in making the licensing decision. Nevertheless, the responsibility for the issue of such licences must remain with the Ministry. All licences issued are to shoot only a restricted number of birds, over a specific site, during the time of year when the serious damage is occurring.

  The licences to shoot goosanders on the River Wharfe and on the estate fish farm were issued only after sufficient evidence of serious damage was presented to the Ministry.

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current policy of her Department on the use of bovine somatotropin to increase the milk yield of cows.

  Mr. Soames
  It remains our view that any final Community decision on the marketing and use of bovine somatotropin—BST—should be based firmly on the scientific principles of safety, quality and efficacy, but should take into account the need to avoid international trading problems, to encourage Community-based research industries, and to maintain the competitiveness of the Community's agriculture and food industries.

  BST has been cleared by all advisory bodies, and the European Commission itself has accepted that milk produced from BST-treated cattle is safe. In those circumstances it should be for the market place to determine whether BST has a role to play, and it is inappropriate to introduce fresh criteria. Nevertheless, the Community should benefit from the experience of other countries where BST is available, in particular the United States of America, where approval was recently given and took effect from the beginning of February 1994.

  On that basis, therefore, my right hon. Friend the Minister accepted at the December meeting of the Council of Agriculture Ministers that it was sensible to extend the current moratorium for not more than one year, until December 1994, so that the Council could consider these new developments and experience overseas.

  National Poisons Unit
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what resources have been made available to the national poisons unit for the assessment of(a) pesticides and (b) dietary supplements in 1992 and 1993.

  Mr. Soames
  The Ministry has a specific research contract with the national poisons unit—NPU—to investigate possible cases of poisoning due to dietary supplements and traditional remedies. Payments to the NPU under this contract in the financial years 1992–93 and 1993–94 were £109,000 and £117,000 respectively. MAFF is not funding any work on pesticides at the NPU.

  Sheep Dip
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when she plans to set up a panel to evaluate research into reports of long-term health effects arising from exposure to organophosphorus sheep dips; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  Dr. D. N. Bateman BSc, MBBS, MRCS, MD, FRCP, consultant physician of Freeman hospital,818
  Newcastle upon Tyne; reader in therapeutics; and medical director of the northern region drug and therapeutics centre, has agreed to chair a panel to look into reports of long-term health effects claimed to arise from organophosphorus—OP—sheep dip exposure. In its recent advice, the Veterinary Products Committee pointed to a lack of firm scientific evidence to support any such link, but nevertheless considered that knowledge of potential toxicity should be enhanced. The committee went on to recommend the setting up of a panel of independent medical and scientific experts to address this question, and the Government accepted the recommendation.

  The terms of reference of the panel, which will act as a sub-committee to the Veterinary Products Committee, will be:

  to evaluate research currently available, and in progress, on OP sheep dip products in relation to possible human exposure:

  to advise on any additional work that may be needed to elucidate the potential long term effects on humans of OP sheep dips;

  to advise on the suitability of any projects submitted for research; and

  to report findings to the Veterinary Products Committee, as its sub-committee.

  Prospective members of the panel are now being approached and invited to serve. A further announcement will be made once the panel's composition has been finalised.

  The Government treat with the utmost seriousness any suggestion of potential harm to human health. I am sure that the panel's work will make a valuable contribution in adding to our state of knowledge in this field.

  Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the moneys allocated to decommissioning fishing vessels in the current financial year has been taken up; how many tenders accepted by her Department have not been taken up; how much is left; and what she proposes to do with the remaining moneys.

  Mr. Jack
  As explained in my reply to the hon. Member for Cornwall, South-East (Mr. Hicks) on 14 December, fishermen whose bids have been accepted will receive their grants provided they comply with the rules. Some vessel owners who were successful in the tender have since decided not to go ahead with decommissioning and there may be others who in the event do not submit valid claims. The final position will not be clear until the 1 March closing date for the submission of claims. Any shortfall in the extent of decommissioning flowing from this round will have to be taken into account in future decisions about how the United Kingdom is to meet the targets laid down in its multi-annual guidance programme, which provides that 55 per cent. of the total reduction has to be met by cuts in fishing capacity.

  Currently a shortfall of about £¾ million is expected. In the context of the overall management of the Department's budgets I would expect that expenditure on any subsequent decommissioning schemes could be correspondingly adjusted. A total of £25 million remains available for expenditure on decommissioning in the present and future financial years.
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  Coppicing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what new proposals she has to extend coppicing.

  Mr. Jack
  In 1993 we secured agreement in the EC Council of Ministers that short rotation coppice could be grown on non-rotational set-aside land. On land outside the Arable area payments scheme, short rotation coppice is eligible for grants under the woodland grant scheme. Also electricity generated using coppice as a fuel may benefit from the provisions of the President of the Board of Trade's third Renewables Order imposing a non-fossil fuel obligation on public electricity supply licensees. We are considering whether any further measures to encourage coppice might be necessary, against the background of the common agricultural policy and our own forestry review.

  Organic Farming
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what new proposals she has to increase organic farming production.

  Mr. Jack
  The Government's efforts to encourage British farmers to respond to demand for organic food include a substantial research and development programme and on 10 August 1993 my hon. Friend the Minister announced a proposed organic aid scheme, designed to increase the area under organic production in England threefold.

  My right hon. Friend also met representatives of the organic farming movement recently. It was agreed that there should be further discussions with officials, and another ministerial meeting in the spring concentrating on the role of organic farming in relation to reform of the Community's common agricultural policy.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Inflation
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimate of inflation rates in 1994.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I expect underlying inflation in 1994 to remain safely within its 1 to 4 per cent. target range.

  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the target rate of inflation.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Government announced in October 1992 that they would aim to keep underlying inflation—as measured by the retail prices index excluding mortgage interest payments—in the range 1 to 4 per cent. and to bring it down to the lower half of this range by the end of the present Parliament. This objective was confirmed in the March and November 1993 Budgets. Underlying inflation has been within the target range in each month since October 1992. The most recent figure, for December 1993, showed underlying inflation of 2·7 per cent.

  Public Spending
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement about public spending levels.
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  Mr. Portillo
  The Government are committed to firm control of public spending to ensure that spending falls as a proportion of national income while value for money is constantly improved.

  Family Tax Burden
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he estimates the cumulative tax increases since March 1993 will cost the average family from(a) April 1994 and (b) April 1995.

  Mr. Dorrell
  On average, the main tax-related changes will cost households around £5·30 a week from April 1994, and an additional £3·30 a week from April 1995.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of gross earnings value added tax took up for a one-earner family on average male earnings with two children in 1978–79; and what is the latest estimate.

  Sir John Cope
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms Harman) on 19 January 1994 at columns 635–42.

  Tax Evasion and Avoidance
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he plans to reduce tax evasion and avoidance.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Government are determined to do all they can to curb both tax evasion and avoidance. In line with every budget over the last 14 years, the current Finance Bill includes a substantial package of measures to tackle avoidance. And both the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise will continue under their existing powers to combat tax evasion.

  Demand Level
  Sir David Knox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the level of total demand in the economy.

  Mr. Portillo
  For domestic demand, the most recent figures available are for the third quarter of 1993. By then, it had risen for six successive quarters, to a level over 2¼ per cent. above its trough in the first quarter of 1992. Its growth is forecast to strengthen in 1994.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the total income tax take(a) is currently being contributed by top rate tax payers and (b) was contributed in 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Higher rate taxpayers currently pay 40 per cent. of total income tax compared with 20 per cent. in 1978–79.

  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will set out for each year between 1979–80 and 1988–89(a) the total income, both earned and unearned, (b) the total national insurance contributions and (c) the total income tax paid by (i) the top 1 per cent., (ii) the top 5 per cent., (iii) the top 10 per cent., (iv) the bottom 50 per cent. and (v) all taxpayers;
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  (2) if he will publish tables showing the change in income tax in each year between 1979–80 and 1988–89 as against the 1978–79 indexed regime, broken down into the top one per cent., five per cent., 10 per cent. and bottom 70 per cent. 50 per cent. and 30 per cent., and all taxpayers, giving the number of taxpayers in each category.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 27 January 1994]: This information cannot be provided since the relevant surveys of personal incomes do not include the necessary data on national insurance contributions and these analyses of income tax could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many additional income tax payers there will be in 194–95 as a result of his proposal to freeze the value of personal allowances.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 27 January 1994]: About 180,000 more people will pay tax in 1994–95 under the Budget proposals than if income tax allowances had been increased in line with statutory indexation. About 1·2 million more people would pay income tax in 1994–95 if all tax allowances had been increased in line with statutory indexation since 1978–79.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many more income tax payers will be paying tax at the margin of the higher rather than the basic rate in 1994–95

  Increase (+)/decrease (-) in income tax and national insurance contributions for a single person and a married man (£ per week)

  Multiples of average earnings

  ½

  ¾

  1

  1½

  2

  5

  10

  1994–95

  Relative to 1993–94 tax system

  Single person

  Income tax

  -0·48

  -0·48

  -0·48

  -0·48

  -0·48

  -0·48

  -0·48

  NICs

  1·23

  2·17

  3·10

  4·56

  4·56

  4·56

  4·56

  Married man

  Income tax

  1·17

  1·17

  1·17

  6·13

  6·13

  6·13

  6·13

  NICs

  1·23

  2·17

  3·10

  4·56

  4·56

  4·56

  4·56

  Relative to indexed 1993–94 tax system

  Single person

  Income tax

  -0·05

  -0·05

  -0·05

  1·60

  1·60

  1·60

  1·60

  NICs

  1·30

  2·24

  3·17

  4·18

  4·18

  4·18

  4·18

  Married man

  Income tax

  1·80

  1·80

  1·80

  7·71

  8·52

  8·52

  8·52

  NICs

  1·30

  2·24

  3·17

  4·18

  4·18

  4·18

  4·18

  1993–94

  Relative to 1992–93 tax system

  Single person

  Income tax

  -0·48

  -0·48

  -0·48

  -0·48

  -0·48

  -0·48

  -0·48

  NICs

  -0·14

  -0·14

  -0·14

  1·21

  1·21

  1·21

  1·21

  Married man

  Income tax

  -0·48

  -0·48

  -0·48

  -0·48

  -0·48

  -0·48

  -0·48

  NICs

  -0·14

  -0·14

  -0·14

  1·21

  1·21

  1·21

  1·21

  Relative to indexed 1992–93 tax system

  Single person

  Income tax

  0·05

  0·05

  0·05

  2·33

  2·33

  2·33

  2·33

  NICs

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  Married man

  Income tax

  0·29

  0·29

  0·29

  0·29

  2·71

  2·71

  2·71

  NICs

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  Note:

  1. Average earnings are assumed to be £359·90 per week in 1993–94 and £374·30 per week in 1994–95. Taxpayers are assumed to have no reliefs other than the standard tax allowances, to have no sources of income other than earnings and to pay national insurance contributions at the contracted-in rate.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Glasgow,
  822
  (a) as a result of his proposal to freeze the pesonal allowance and (b) in addition to those under (a), as a result of his proposal to freeze the higher rate threshold.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 27 January 1994]: Compared with statutory indexation of the personal allowance, about 20,000 more people will pay some tax at the higher rate in 1994–95. A further 100,000 more people will pay higher rate tax compared with statutory indexation of the basic rate limit.

  Taxation
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the change in taxation per individual arising from each relevant component of the 1994 Budget, both at current prices and net of indexation, for those at one half and three quarters of average earnings, average earnings, and one and a half, two, five and 10 times average earnings; and if he will provide comparable figures for last year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 26 January 1994]: Figures for the effects of income tax and national insurance contributions changes taking effect in 1994–95 and similar figures for 1993–94 are given in the table. The effects of indirect tax changes will vary with the spending pattern of the individual.

  Garscadden of 3 November, Official Report, column 257,

  823
  how many of the estimated 1·9 million families with children below the income tax threshold in 1993–94 are in paid work.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: Approximately 0·7 million families with children below the income tax threshold in 1993–94 had some earnings from employment or self-employment.

  Taxation (Proportion of GDP)
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the percentage of gross national product taken in all forms of taxation; and what were comparable figures for 1979, 1974, 1970 and 1966.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Taxes and social security contributions are forecast to be equivalent to 34 per cent. of GDP in 1993–94. The comparable figure in 1978–79 was 34¼ per cent.; in 1973–74, 33¾ per cent.; in 1969–70, 37½ per cent.; and in 1965–66, 31¾ per cent.

  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate what the nation's tax burden as a percentage of GDP will be in 1998–99; and what this figure was in 1978–79.

  Mr. Dorrell
  On the basis of the medium term fiscal projections shown in the latest "Financial Statement and Budget Report", non-North sea taxes and social security contributions would be 38½ per cent. of non-oil GDP in 1998–99, when the PSBR is projected to represent a ¼ per cent. of GDP. The comparable figure for 1978–79, when the PSBR represented 5½ per cent. of GDP, was 34¾ per cent.

  Budget Representations
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the most recent representations he has received over the effect of the Budget on families.

  Sir John Cope
  A number of letters have been received about the impact of the Budget on family finances.

  VAT (Fuel)
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has now received about his proposals to impose value added tax on domestic fuel and power.

  Sir John Cope
  I have received a large number of representations.

  Illegal Drugs
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review his Department's relationship with police authorities in the combating of illegal drug importation.

  Sir John Cope
  Customs and the police co-operate closely and successfully through frequent joint operations and their joint staffing of the National Criminal Intelligence Service. The distinct responsibilities of Customs and police, and the arrangements for cooperation, are kept under regular review.
  824

  Insurance Tax
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had concerning his plans to impose taxation on all domestic insurance premiums.

  Sir John Cope
  Treasury Ministers have received a number of representations about the introduction of insurance premium tax. These have been primarily from the insurance industry about the practical implementation of the tax. There have also been some more general representations concerning the scope of the tax.

  Tax Levels
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of income for those on average wages was taken in taxation in(a) 1979 and (b)

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Barrow in Furness (Mr. Hutton).

  Manufacturing Output
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the latest manufacturing output figures.

  Mr. Portillo
  Manufacturing output in the three months to November was up 0·8 per cent. on the previous three months and up 1·8 per cent. on a year earlier. Business surveys point to further increases in the months ahead.

  Car Industry
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what economic factors he attributes the performance of the British car manufacturing industry; and what comparison he has made with the performance of similar manufacturers elsewhere in Europe.

  Mr. Portillo
  Car production in the United Kingdom rose by 6½ per cent. in 1993 despite depressed car markets in continental Europe, the fastest growth in any calendar year since 1988. By contrast car production has fallen very sharply in France, Germany and Italy. The United Kingdom car industry's performance has benefited from the Government's policies of low inflation and sound public finances, and by its own efforts to control costs.

  Government Debt
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what growth in the budget deficit would occur if growth in gross domestic product was only 2 per cent. per annum after 1994; what would be the total level of Government debt as a proportion of gross domestic product in each of the next five years on that assumption; and what proportion of the budget deficit in each of the next five years will be incurred by revenue spending at current prices;

  (2) what changes there would be in the budget deficit at a rate of growth in gross domestic product after 1994 of (a) zero per cent., (b) 1 per cent., (c) 2 per cent., (d) 3 per cent. and (e) 4 per cent.; what would be the total level of Government debt as a proportion of gross domestic product in each of the next five years on these assumptions; and what proportion of the budget deficit in each of the next five years would be incurred by revenue spending at current prices.
  825
  Mr. Portillo
  Table 2.5 of the 1994–95 "Financial Statement and Budget Report" shows projections to illustrate the effects on the public sector borrowing requirement of higher or lower growth than the main growth projection in the medium term financial strategy, assuming unchanged policies. On those assumptions public sector net debt would fall to around 36½ per cent. of GDP by 1998–99 in the higher growth case illustrated in the FSBR, and it would rise to around 47¼ per cent. of GDP in the lower growth case. Tables 2.2 and 2.3 of the FSBR set out the main projections and show details of Government revenues and spending, and the current balance of the public sector, over the next five years.

  Cash Dispensers and Credit Cards
  Sir Keith Speed
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the protection of the rights of individuals and companies in cases of disputes involving automatic cash dispensers or credit cards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Government believe that the code of banking practice and the banking ombudsman scheme provide an adequate framework in which disputes about banking services can be resolved.

  Sir Keith Speed
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions his Department has had with the joint stock banks over the problems of phantom withdrawals from cash dispensers.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Treasury has had no recent discussions with the banks on this issue, but officials do keep in regular contact with the Association of Payment Clearing Services who keep them informed about what the banks are doing to improve further the security and reliability of their systems.

  Touche Ross
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his Department or any agencies for which he is responsible has engaged the services of the firm Touche Ross or any of its partners since 1 July 1993.

  Sir John Cope
  Once.

  Incomes
  Sir David Knox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentages of earnings, plus child benefit where appropriate, were taken in income tax and national insurance contributions from each of(a) a single person, (b) a single wage married couple with two children and (c) a single wage married couple with four children at (i) half average male manual earnings, (ii) three quarters male manual earnings, (iii) average male manual earnings and (iv) twice male manual earnings, in the tax years 1990–91 and 1992–93; and what the comparable figures are expected to be for 1993–94.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information is in the tables:826

  Income tax and national insurance contributions1 as a percentage of gross earnings plus child benefit

  2Multiple of average earnings

  Single

  Married, one earner, with two children

  Married, one earner, with four children

  1990–91

  ½

  19·5

  11·4

  10·3

  ¾

  24·4

  18·4

  17·1

  1

  26·8

  22·1

  20·9

  2

  28·8

  25·4

  24·7

  1992–93

  ½

  17·6

  10·3

  9·3

  ¾

  23·1

  17·5

  16·4

  1

  25·8

  21·4

  20·3

  2

  28·2

  25·3

  24·6

  1993–94

  ½

  17·7

  10·7

  9·7

  ¾

  23·2

  17·7

  16·6

  1

  25·9

  21·5

  20·4

  2

  28·7

  25·6

  24·9

  1 National Insurance contributions are at the standard class 1 rate for employees not contracted-out of the state additional (earnings related) pension scheme. Tax is calculated assuming no allowances or reliefs are available other than the standard allowance.

  2 Average earnings are taken to be the average gross weekly manual earnings of full-time males on adult rates with pay unaffected by absence. These are £244·50 and £272·00 in 1990£91 and 1992£93 respectively. In 1993£94 these are estimated to be £281·50 using an illustrative growth rate of 3·5 per cent.

  Sir David Knox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing tax--free incomes, defined as income tax thresholds plus child benefits, as percentages of average male manual earnings for single wage families with one, two, three and four children in each year since 1979–80.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The figures in the table give the levels of income at which there is no net deduction from income, after allowing for the effect of tax allowances, tax rates and child benefit.

  Break-even point1 for a married man expressed as a percentage of average male manual earnings2

  With one child

  With two children

  With three children

  With four children

  31978–79

  49·2

  61·8

  74·1

  87·0

  1979–80

  50·8

  64·2

  77·5

  90·9

  1980–81

  48·2

  60·6

  73·0

  85·4

  1981–82

  45·5

  58·5

  71·4

  84·4

  1982–83

  47·9

  61·3

  74·7

  88·1

  1983–84

  50·5

  64·3

  78·2

  92·0

  1984–85

  52·5

  66·5

  80·5

  94·5

  1985–86

  53·2

  67·0

  80·6

  94·3

  1986–87

  5·30

  66·7

  80·3

  93·9

  1987–88

  51·9

  65·9

  79·9

  93·9

  1988–89

  51·8

  65·7

  79·6

  93·5

  1989–90

  50·1

  63·0

  75·9

  88·7

  1990–91

  49·0

  60·9

  72·7

  84·6

  1991–92

  50·5

  61·9

  73·2

  84·6

  1992–93

  53·5

  65·0

  76·5

  87·9

  41993–94

  52·9

  64·4

  75·9

  87·4

  1 The level of earnings at which income tax paid is equal to the money received through child benefit.

  2 Full-time males paid at adult rates working a full week.

  3 First two children aged under 11; third aged between 11 and 15 and fourth aged 16 or over.

  4 Assuming that the husband receives the full married couple's allowance. Provisional.

  827

  Africa (Structural Adjustment Programmes)
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those African countries currently participating in International Monetary Fund and/or World bank structural adjustment programmes.

  Mr. Nelson
  Twenty-five African countries currently have IMF and/or World bank structural adjustment programmes. Sixteen have IMF programmes: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, The Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Ethopia, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. In addition, Sierra Leone and Zambia have rights accumulation programmes of structural adjustment which earn rights towards IMF resources. Twenty have World bank programmes: Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Egypt, Ethopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. Nelson
  That amount reimbursed by the Department of Social Security to the Treasury in respect of statutory sick pay is £39,335·25 in 1993–94 to date, and £53,964·41 in 1992–93. Figures for earlier years are not available.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Darling), of 26 November 1992,Official Report, column 750, what further inquiry he has made into the BCCI accounts to ascertain whether they facilitated arms deals with Iraq.

  Mr. Nelson
  None. The examination of the facts relating to the export to Iraq of defence equipment and dual use goods is a matter for Lord Justice Scott's inquiry.

  Cheque Clearing
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to investigate the cheque-clearing practices of high street banks.

  Mr. Nelson
  None. The cheque-clearing practices of the high street banks are a matter of contract between banks and their customers.

  Total income tax liabilities, by range of total income tax

  Percentages

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Range of total income lax (lower limit)

  Taxpayers

  Tax

  Taxpayers

  Tax

  Taxpayers

  Tax

  Taxpayers

  Tax

  Taxpayers

  Tax

  1

  4·1

  0·1

  4·0

  0·1

  4·7

  0·1

  4·7

  0·1

  4·3

  0·1

  100

  14·6

  1·9

  14·6

  1·8

  16·2

  1·8

  16·9

  1·9

  15·2

  1·6

  500

  17·2

  5·6

  15·7

  4·8

  14·9

  4·4

  14·2

  4·1

  14·1

  3·8

  828

  Mortgage Interest Relief
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total number of recipients of mortgage interest tax relief is expected to be in 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96; and if he will make a statement of the effects on them of the reductions in the rate of relief announced in the March and November 1993 Budgets.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 26 January 1994]: Working assumptions based on recent trends are shown in the table. Also shown as the average reduction in the relief as well as the saving on an average mortgage as a result of interest rate reductions since October 1990.

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Numbers of single people and married couples with mortgages (millions)

  9·9

  10·0

  10·1

  Average reduction in mortgage interest relief (£ per month)

  —

  7·16

  14·89

  Benefit on an average mortgage from interest reduction since October 1990 (£ per month)

  160

  160

  160

  Personal Allowance
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the value of the personal allowance against income tax in 1978–79 prices in 1978–79, 1984–85 and 1988–89; and what are his estimates for 1993–94 and under his Budget proposal for 1994–95.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 27 January 1994]The information is as follows:

  Personal allowance for a single person at 1978–79prices (£)

  1978–79

  985

  1984–85

  1,135

  1988–89

  1,225

  1993–941

  1,245

  1994–951

  1,205

  1 Assuming that prices increase by 2 per cent, in 1993–94 and 3·25 per cent, in 1994–95 in line with the illustrative assumptions in the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1994–95.

  Inland Revenue Statistics
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update table 2.4 of Inland Revenue Statistics 1993 with data for 1994–95 on the basis of his budget proposals for income tax.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 27 January 1994]: The information is given in the table. Estimates for 1992–93 onwards are based on a projection of the 1991–92 survey of personal incomes.
  829

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Range of total income tax (lower limit)

  Taxpayers

  Tax

  Taxpayers

  Tax

  Taxpayers

  Tax

  Taxpayers

  Tax

  Taxpayers

  Tax

  1,000

  15·9

  8·6

  14·9

  7·6

  13·8

  6·8

  13·3

  6·4

  13·0

  5·8

  1,500

  12·2

  9·2

  13·0

  9·2

  12·3

  8·6

  11·5

  7·8

  10·8

  6·8

  2,000

  9·4

  9·2

  9·4

  8·6

  8·8

  7·9

  9·2

  8·0

  9·4

  7·6

  2,500

  6·6

  7·8

  6·8

  7·6

  6·6

  7·3

  6·8

  7·3

  7·1

  7·0

  3,000

  8·0

  12·1

  9·1

  12·8

  9·1

  12·6

  9·4

  12·6

  10·2

  12·8

  4,000

  4·9

  9·5

  4·5

  8·1

  5·0

  8·8

  5·2

  9·0

  5·7

  9·2

  5,000

  4·7

  13·9

  5·4

  14·7

  5·8

  15·6

  6·0

  15·8

  6·7

  16·6

  10,000

  2·3

  22·2

  2·6

  24·7

  2·8

  26·0

  3·0

  27·0

  3·5

  28·7

  TOTAL

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  Total income tax liabilities, all taxpayers

  Numbers (Millions)

  Amounts (£ billion)

  1990–91

  26·3

  60·4

  1991–92

  25·9

  63·5

  1992–93

  25–3

  63–2

  1993–94

  25·3

  65·0

  1994–95

  25·5

  70·7

  Tax Changes
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update, to take account of the 1994 Budget, the information on tax changes contained in his answer to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) of 21 October 1986,Official Report, columns 812–14.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: Readily available information on the annual reduction in income tax liability, 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 the purpose 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 year would have led to changes in the income base.

  Average reduction in income tax per individual1 in 1993–94 compared with the 1978–79 indexed regime

  Range of individual income in 1993–94 (£)

  Number of individuals 1993–941 (million)

  Total reduction (£ million)

  Average reduction (£ per annum)

  Under 5,000

  3·30

  460

  140

  5,000 to 10,000

  8·20

  3,100

  380

  10,000 to 15,000

  6·10

  4,600

  740

  15,000 to 20,000

  3·90

  4,300

  1,080

  20,000 to 30,000

  3·20

  5,200

  1,600

  30,000 to 50,000

  1·30

  3,400

  2,540

  50,000 to 80,000

  0·31

  2,500

  7,910

  Over 80,000

  0·18

  8,400

  47,700

  Total

  26·70

  31,800

  1,200

  1 Individuals liable to income tax under the 1978–79 indexed regime.

  830

  Average reduction in income tax per individual1 in 1994–95 compared with the 1978–79 indexed regime

  Range of individual's income in 1994–95 (£)

  Number of individuals 1994–951 (million)

  Total reduction (£ million)

  Average reduction (£ per annum)

  Under 5,000

  3·10

  390

  130

  5,000 to 10,000

  8·10

  2,900

  360

  10,000 to 15,000

  6·10

  4,100

  680

  15,000 to 20,000

  4·00

  4,000

  1,000

  20,000 to 30,000

  3·50

  5,100

  1,470

  30,000 to 50,000

  1·50

  3,200

  2,160

  50,000 to 80,000

  0·34

  2,400

  7,190

  Over 80,000

  0·20

  9,300

  47,500

  Total

  26·80

  31,400

  1,200

  1 Individuals liable to income tax under the 1978–79 indexed regime.

  Earnings Statistics
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update to 1994–95 the information on real net earnings provided in his answer to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) of 10 April 1986,Official Report, columns 193–94.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: Estimates for 1994–95 are as follows:

  Income Tax and Income Tax + NIC—1 as percentages of gross earnings

  ⅔

  1

  2

  5

  10

  Multiples of average earnings2

  Single

  Tax

  17·2

  19·8

  26·9

  34·8

  37·4

  Tax + NIC

  25·4

  28·6

  32·1

  36·8

  38·4

  Married without children

  Tax

  14·6

  18·0

  26·1

  34·4

  37·2

  Tax + NIC

  22·7

  26·8

  31·2

  36·5

  38·2

  Real net earnings after Income Tax and NIC (1956–57=100)

  Multiples of average earnings2

  Single

  181·0

  183·9

  191·4

  223·2

  288·3

  Married without children

  176·5

  176·6

  186·8

  218·6

  282·8

  1 At the contracted-in rate.

  2 Full time adult males (all occupations).

  Payroll Giving
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees have registered with the Inland Revenue payroll giving schemes run by employers, pursuant to section 202 of the Taxes act 1988; how many employees
  831
  contributed to charities via a payroll giving scheme; and what was the total amount contributed in the tax year 1992–93.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information is as follows:

  1992–93

  Schemes in force at end of period

  6,638

  Donors (thousands)

  1280

  Gross amounts donated (£ million)

  13

  1 The figure includes only the number of donors at the end of the period.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many appeals against council tax valuations in each London borough have been(a) received and (b) settled; and how many of those settled resulted in a reduced council tax valuation;

  (2) how many appeals against council tax valuations in each London borough have been settled in the last six months; and what was the average cost of settling each appeal.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: The number of appeals received in each of the London boroughs during the initial appeal period up to 30 November 1993 and the numbers settled in the six month period to 31 December 1993 are as shown.

  The estimated average cost of processing a council tax appeal in the current financial year in England is £115. This estimate includes Valuation Office Agency and valuation tribunal costs.
  832
  Statistics relating to settlements which have resulted in a lower council tax band are not available centrally.

  Received

  Settled

  Barking and Dagenham

  652

  78

  Havering

  3,015

  552

  Bromley

  8,056

  1,214

  Croydon

  5,695

  1,020

  Sutton

  2,862

  523

  City of London

  200

  15

  Ealing

  5,480

  1,234

  Hounslow

  3,716

  805

  Barnet

  7,214

  1,214

  Enfield

  5,532

  721

  Haringey

  5,768

  1,127

  Bexley

  3,906

  653

  Greenwich

  3,745

  301

  Lewisham

  3,056

  402

  Brent

  3,484

  578

  Harrow

  2,634

  480

  Hillingdon

  2,777

  577

  Hackney

  3,213

  564

  Islington

  4,943

  894

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  5,220

  1,255

  Kensington and Chelsea

  10,093

  1,924

  Lambeth

  6,733

  797

  Southwark

  5,168

  684

  Camden

  7,322

  1,302

  City of Westminster

  8,095

  1,672

  Redbridge

  3,730

  550

  Waltham Forest

  1,943

  287

  Newham

  1,511

  395

  Tower Hamlets

  1,961

  289

  Kingston upon Thames

  2,304

  439

  Merton

  2,236

  318

  Richmond upon Thames

  4,642

  897

  Wandsworth

  2,436

  354

  833

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Photographs
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to buy or borrow photographs; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The Crown Prosecution Service is obtaining copies of photographs of three former Directors of Public Prosecutions to complete a set of former directors in their headquarters office.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificate
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 13 January,Official Report, column 640, if he will list the leading authorities concerning the duty of a Minister to sign a public interest immunity certificate.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer the hon. Member to the following publications for a consideration of the leading authorities: The "Supreme Court Practice 1993" vol. 1. paragraph 24/5/15 at pages 451–453, and "Archbold Criminal Pleading Evidence and Practice 1993" vol. 1 chapter 12 paragraphs 12–22 to 12–33 at pages 1/1579 to 1/1587. Copies of these extracts have been placed in the Library.

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

  The Attorney-General
  There are eight paintings, and 156 photographs mainly of former Law Officers, on the walls of the Attorney-General's chambers.

  West Midlands Serious Crime Squad
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list(a) the cases in which charges have been dropped and (b) the convictions quashed since the decision by the chief constable of the West Midlands to disband the West Midlands serious crime squad.

  The Attorney-General
  There is no central record of cases involving officers of the West Midlands serious crime squad. Inquiries amongst relevant CPS staff have identified no such cases which have been dropped by the prosecution, but have identified 23 appellants whose appeals have been allowed by the Court of Appeal. The inquiries covered the period from 15 August 1989.

  Police Officers (Criminal Conduct)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Attorney-General how many cases involving allegations of criminal misconduct against police officers were considered by the Attorney-General; and how many of these resulted in prosecutions being brought, in the last three years.

  The Attorney-General
  Allegations that police officers have committed criminal offences are ordinarily reported to the Director of Public Prosecutions in accordance with section 90 of the Police and Criminal 834
  Evidence Act 1984 and not to myself. The DPP consults me where she considers it appropriate to do so having regard to the difficulty or importance of the particular case. In addition, the DPP submits papers in any case where proceedings are considered appropriate for an offence subject to a statutory requirement that my consent be obtained.

  Statistics are not maintained either in the Crown Prosecution Service or my Department as to the number of cases referred to me which relate to police officers The number is very small but precise information could be obtained only by a trawl of all departmental files involving disproportionate expense.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will hold a public inquiry into the activities and performance of the Child Support Agency.

  Mr. Burt
  We have no plans to do so.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library a copy of the Child Support Agency collection enforcement manual.

  Mr. Burt
  There are no plans to do so.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library the departmental guidelines issued to the Child Support Agency specialist tracing section.

  Mr. Burt
  The guidance on specialist tracing is contained within the "Child Support Manual", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) in how many cases in the latest period for which figures are available there has been a refusal by the parent with care to supply information about the absent parent; and in how many of these cases the Child Support Agency accepted that co-operation had been refused with good cause;

  (2) what is his estimate of the arrears outstanding on maintenance payments set by the Child Support Agency both in total and as a percentage of the total amount to be paid;

  (3) in how many cases in the latest period for which figures are available the Child Support Agency has adjusted a maintenance assessment to allow for the recovery of arrears under paragraph 10 of the arrears regulations;

  (4) what estimate he has made of the average weekly maintenance assessment set by the Child Support Agency at the latest date for which figures are available;

  (5) what is the average time between the issue of the inquiry form, and the maintenance assessment, at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Burt
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
  835
  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Donald Dewar, dated 2 February 1994.

  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security, asking various questions about the Child Support Agency's operations.

  At 31 December 1993, 35,600 cases had been received where the requirement to co-operate with the Agency was an issue. In 20,500 of these the Agency accepted that the parent with care had good cause not to co-operate in pursuing a maintenance application.

  Initial estimates were that average weekly maimtenance assessments would be approximately £45–50. Information gathered on assessments completed to date is consistent with these estimates.

  The Agency is not yet in a position to estimate the arrears outstanding on maintenance payments. I regret, also, that information on cases in which Regulation 10 of the Arrears Regulations has been applied is not collected.

  Information on the length of time between the return of the maintenance enquiry form and the completion of the maintenance assessment is not regularly collected in the form requested. From a small sample of cases it is estimated that the average time between the issue of the maintenance enquiry form and the maintenance assessment is approximately 7 weeks.

  I hope you find this reply useful.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what savings the Child Support Agency has made to date.

  Mr. Burt
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: 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. Donald Dewar, dated 2 February 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.

  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.

  Income Support
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of(a) income support or (b) other benefits have been informed by Benefits Agency staff that they would lose their entitlement to benefit if they pursued an educational course; and how many have lost benefit following a decision to study.

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

  Maternity Pay
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which organisations have responded to the consultative document, "Changes in Maternity Pay", published in August 1993.

  Mr. Hague
  The following organisations have responded.

  Association of British Chambers of Commerce

  Association of Local Authorities of Northern Ireland

  Mr. R. E. B. Atkinson

  Bairdwear

  Barclays Bank

  Beck Electronics Ltd.

  Boots

  836

  Bradford and Bingley Building Society

  British Payroll Managers' Association

  British Payroll Managers' Association-conference

  British Railways Board

  British Computer Society-payroll specialists

  British Merchant Banking and Security Houses Federation

  British Apparel and Textile Confederation

  British Association of Professional Hairdressing Employers

  British Bankers' Association

  British Printing Industries Association

  Mr. S. D. Bryant

  BT

  Chemical Industries Federation

  Chessington Computer Centre

  Child Poverty Action Group

  City of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council

  Clares Dickies

  Clydeside Federation

  Confederation of British Industry

  Co-operative Union

  Committee on the Administration of Justice

  Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of Great Britain

  Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

  Crest Nicholson plc

  Dairy Trade Federation

  Daycare Trust

  Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council

  Electrical Association

  Empire Paper LTD

  Engineering Employers' Federation

  Engineering Employers' Federation (Northern Ireland Association)

  Equal Opportunities Commission for Northern Ireland

  Equal Opportunities Commission

  Federation of Small Businesses

  Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors

  Federation of Recruitment and Employment Services LTD

  Field, Fisher, Waterhouse

  Food and Drink Federation

  General Federation of Trades Unions

  GMB—Britain's general union

  GPMU—graphical, paper and media union

  Greater Manchester Low Pay Unit

  Guild of Hairdressers

  Hair and Beauty Studio

  Health Visitors' Association

  Herdman GW Mr.

  Huntingdonshire District Council

  IBM

  ICL

  Institute of Personnel Management

  Labour Relations Agency

  Leeds City Council—equal opportunities unit

  Legal and General

  Local Government Management Board

  Low Pay Unit

  Mail Order Traders Association

  Manchester City Council—welfare rights unit

  Maternity Alliance

  Medical Women's Federation

  Middlesex Area Probation Service

  Millar, Boyd and Reid LTD

  MPG—federation of managerial, professional and general associations

  MSF—the union for skilled and professional people

  NASUWT—the career teachers' organisation

  National Council of Women of Great Britain

  National Childbirth Trust

  National Metal Trades Federation

  National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux

  National Childminding Association

  National Hairdressers' Federation

  National Farmers' Union

  Nationwide Group—staff association

  New Forest DC

  Newcastle on Tyne University

  North British Housing Association

  North-East Derbyshire DC

  Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions

  837

  Northumberland County Council

  Panache—Ladies hair and beauty salon

  Paskins Hotel

  Pay Equity Project

  Payroll Solutions

  Payroll Alliance

  Peterborough Software

  Peugeot

  Police Federation

  Polytechnic and Colleges Employers' Forum

  Post Office

  RJM Business Analysts

  Royal College of Nursing (Northern Ireland Board)

  Royal College of Nursing

  Royal College of Midwives

  Royal College of Midwives (Northern Ireland Board)

  Sainsburys

  Scottish Low Pay Unit

  Shell

  Southcombe Brothers Ltd.

  The Brewers' Society

  The Staffordshire Association of Registered Care Homes

  The Newspaper Society

  The Royal Society

  The Law Society

  The Labour Party

  The Bookshop, Chipping Norton

  Trade Union Council

  UK Federation of Business and Professional Women

  UK Baby Friendly Initiative

  Ulster Unionist Council

  UNISON—the public service union

  University of Glasgow

  University of Strathclyde

  Wandsworth Borough Council

  Waterfront Partnership (for Unigate)

  Whitbread Inns

  Woking Borough Council

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the total number of tenants who received housing benefit in(a) local authority housing, (b) housing association housing and (c) the private rented sector in (i) London and (ii) Great Britain at the latest available date;

  (2) what was the average level of housing benefit paid to tenants in (a) local authority housing (b) housing association housing and (c) the private rented sector in (i) London and (ii) Great Britain at the latest available date.

  Mr. Burt
  Details for May 1992, the latest date for which information is available, are in the table.

  Number of Housing Benefit Cases (Thousands) and Average Amount of Benefit (£/Week) in London and Great Britain in May 1992

  London

  Great Britain

  Local Authority

  Number of cases

  404

  3,030

  Average amount

  39·53

  26·45

  Housing Association

  Number of cases

  72

  341

  Average amount

  40·10

  32·24

  Other private rented

  Number of cases

  187

  948

  Average amount

  52·46

  40·69

  All cases

  Number of cases

  663

  4,318

  Average amount

  43·24

  30·04

  Sources: The Housing Benefit and Community Charge Benefit Management Information System 1 per cent. inquiry for May 1992 and the Income Support Annual Statistical 1 per cent. inquiry for May 1992.
  838
  Notes:

  1. The figures are in benefit units and are rounded to the nearest thousand. A benefit unit may be a single person or a couple.

  2. The information for "Other Private Tenants" excludes that of Housing Association tenants.

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

  Mr. Hague
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 1 February at column 611.

  Child Support Act 1991
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made as to the effects of the Child Support Act 1991 on the number of families entitled to(a) family credit and (b) income support, distinguishing between lone-parent families and the families paying maintenance.

  Mr. Burt
  In the long run it is estimated that increased payments of child maintenance under the Child Support Act will result in some 60,000 to 80,000 lone parent families no longer needing to rely on income support. It is expected that the majority of these will start work and be entitled to family credit. It is further estimated that around 10,000 lone parents already in receipt of family credit will move off this benefit. These estimates are based on data from the family expenditure survey for 1987, 1988 and 1989.

  The Act should not have any significant effect on the number of absent parents entitled to income support or family credit.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the expected saving, in real cash terms, of delaying entitlement to the age allowance component of incapacity benefit by six months.

  Mr. Scott
  Estimated savings are around £10 million per year.

  Note:

  Estimates expressed in constant 1993–94 prices, are rounded to nearest £5 million and are net of offsetting changes in income-related benefit expenditure.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security 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. Hague
  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.

  Departmental Finance Limits
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes there have been in the cash limits or running cost limits of his Department.
  839
  Mr. Scott
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate the cash limit for class XIII vote 4 will be increased by £1,870,000 from £2,558,124,000 to £2,559,994,000. The revision takes account of an increase of £1,806,000—running costs—offset by a corresponding reduction on Department of the Environment: Property Holdings and other services to Government, class VII, vote 6, an increase of £493,000 —of which £484,000 is running costs—offset by a corresponding reduction on Department of Health: administration, miscellaneous health services and personal services, England, class XII vote 3, an increase of £6,000 running costs—offset by a corresponding reduction on Cabinet Office: other services, class XIX vote 1, a reduction of £348,000—running costs—offset by a corresponding increase on Department of Health: administration, miscellaneous health services and personal social services, England, class XII vote 3, a reduction of £47,000 offset by a corresponding increase in Foreign and Commonwealth office: overseas representation, class II vote 1, a reduction of £40,000 offset by a corresponding increase on Department of Employment: programmes and central services, class V vote 1.

  Further running cost changes arise from a reduction of £99,000 for services provided by Department of Health and Social Services (Northern Ireland) on a repayment basis, an increase of £692,000 in value added tax refunds and a reduction of £6,920,000 as a result of a reallocation to capital expenditure.

  As a result of these changes the running cost limit of the Department of Social Security will be reduced by £5,850,000 from £2,921,010,000 to £2,915,160,000.

  The additional requirements are offset by reductions elsewhere and will therefore not add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Family Credit
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects the research by the social policy research unit on the assessment of self-employed earnings in family credit to be published.

  Mr. Burt
  I have today placed in the Library copies of the report "Measuring Low Incomes: Self-Employment and Family Credit" by the social policy research unit at the University of York.

  We welcome this detailed review and plan to introduce a package of measures from April 1994 to improve the family credit service to self-employed families. The fast-track service for people who have recently started work will be extended to self-employed families. Currently the fast track for families of employees clears 95 per cent. of claims received within one week. At the same time the family credit claim pack will enable self-employed people to provide information about their earnings straightaway rather than later. These measures should speed up awards of family credit and make it as simple as possible to get the benefits due to them.

  Within the next few weeks the Department will be issuing a consultative document to interested professional associations and bodies representing self-employed customers to seek their opinions on the issues raised by the report.
  840

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the annual cost to the Exchequer of paying unemployment benefit.

  Mr. Burt
  The cost in 1991–92 was £1,604 million. The estimated out-turn for 1992–93 was £1,838 million and the plans for 1993–94 account for £1,886 million. These figures are recorded in table 1 of the Department's third annual report—Cm 2213—a copy of which is in the Library.

  Community Care Grants
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women were given community care grants in respect of the purchase of essential furnishings when they were re-housed from Women's Aid refuges in(a) Inverclyde, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland in each of the past three years; what was the average amount paid to such claimants; and if he will make a statement.

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

  War Pensions
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for 1 Social Security (1) if he will set out his reasons for and the intended effect of his proposal to change the war pensions scheme by amending the Service Pensions Order to exclude diseases caused by the use or effects of tobacco, or the consumption of alcohol, from the definition of injury in schedule 4 to the order; what representations his Department has received from the Royal British Legion about the proposal; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what responses he has had from members of the central advisory committee on war pensions to his proposal to change the war pensions scheme by amending the Service Pensions Order to exclude diseases caused by the use or effects of tobacco, or the consumption of alcohol, from the definition of injury in schedule 4 to the order.

  Mr. Hague
  The war pensions scheme provides compensation for disablement or death suffered as a result of service in the Armed Forces. The long-standing policy of successive Governments has been that the decision to smoke or drink is a personal one, and that smoking and the consumption of alcohol should be regarded as attributable to service in the Armed Forces only where a severely disabling mental condition itself attributable to service renders the individual incapable of exercising personal choice.

  The proposed amendments follow a recent decision in the High Court and would ensure that the legislation reflects the policy intention.

  Nineteen representations from members of the Central Advisory Committee on War Pensions, including three from representatives of the Royal British Legion, have been received.

  Careful consideration is being given to all the representations, which have been both for and against the proposed change. Members of the committee will be advised when a decision has been reached.
  841

  Touche Ross
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if his Department or any agencies for which he is responsible has engaged the services of the firm Touche Ross or any of its partners since 1 July 1993.

  Mr. Hague
  The Department of Social Security has engaged the services of Touche Ross on the following occasions since 1 July 1993:12 July 1993—Extension of contract let on 16 February 1993 to provide consultancy support to the Benefits Agency Accommodation and Office Services market testing projects.
  July 1993—Consultancy support to the Contributions Agency's Information Systems Strategy.
  August 1993—Quality assurance of the Contributions Agency's management information system.
  August 1993—Consultancy support to the Contributions Agency's market test of data entry activity.
  6 September 1993—Consultancy support for the development and preparation of an outplacement counselling contingency plan for the Benefits Agency Personnel Directorate.

  Pensions
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether married women in receipt of small graduated pensions will be eligible to receive the increase in pension directly attributable to the imposition of VAT on domestic heating fuel.

  Mr. Hague
  The extra help for VAT on domestic fuel will be paid as an addition to the rate of basic retirement pension or income-related benefit. Married women who receive graduated retirement benefit with either a basic retirement pension or an income-related benefit will receive the extra help. Those receiving graduated retirement benefit only will receive no increase beyond normal price indexation.

EDUCATION

  Surplus Places
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has of the number of surplus places that exist in the primary, secondary and special places sectors in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire; and what percentage this represents of the total number of places in each sector.

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Warwickshire, North (Mr. O'Brien) on 31 January 1994,Official Report, columns 517–21.

  LEAs (Spending)
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the estimated amount being spent by each shire local education authority on primary education and secondary education in 1993–94 and the likely amounts for 1994–95 if the 1994–95 total is increased or reduced by the proposed standard spending assessment and reduced or increased by any increase or reduction in the numbers entering schools in 1993–94, assuming that such increases or reductions were spread proportionately between the primary and secondary sectors.
  842
  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information is not available in the form in which it has been requested. I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Teacher Numbers
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list, for each local education authority, how many full-time equivalent teachers were employed in January 1993.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The table shows the full-time equivalent number of teachers employed in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools sector, including self-governing—grant-maintained—schools, in each local education authority in England at January 1993.

  Teacher numbers (FTE) in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary sector in England, including self-governing (GM) schools, as at January 1993

  FTE of teachers

  Corporation of London

  15

  Camden

  1,273

  Greenwich

  2,033

  Hackney

  1,550

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  1,024

  Islington

  1,533

  Kensington and Chelsea

  696

  Lambeth

  1,549

  Lewisham

  1,777

  Southwark

  1,705

  Tower Hamlets

  2,232

  Wandsworth

  1,754

  City of Westminster

  1,188

  Barking

  1,353

  Barnet

  2,597

  Bexley

  1,753

  Brent

  2,030

  Bromley

  2,080

  Croydon

  2,397

  Ealing

  2,130

  Enfield

  2,324

  Haringey

  1,589

  Harrow

  1,581

  Havering

  2,009

  Hillingdon

  1,843

  Hounslow

  1,869

  Kingston upon Thames

  1,051

  Merton

  1,297

  Newham

  1,972

  Redbridge

  1,858

  Richmond upon Thames

  1,029

  Sutton

  1,266

  Waltham Forest

  1,903

  Birmingham

  9,548

  Coventry

  2,752

  Dudley

  2,670

  Sandwell

  2,959

  Solihull

  1,857

  Walsall

  2,575

  Wolverhampton

  2,467

  Knowsley

  1,351

  Liverpool

  4,185

  St. Helens

  1,679

  Sefton

  2,515

  Wirral

  2,963

  Bolton

  2,517

  Bury

  1,467

  Manchester

  4,044

  Oldham

  2,256

  Rochdale

  1,851

  Salford

  2,000

  Stockport

  2,362

  Tameside

  2,036

  Trafford

  1,616

  Wigan

  3,096

  843

  FTE of teachers

  Barnsley

  1,696

  Doncaster

  2,760

  Rotherham

  2,335

  Sheffield

  3,866

  Bradford

  5,004

  Calderdale

  1,827

  Kirklees

  3,632

  Leeds

  6,010

  Wakefield

  2,741

  Gateshead

  1,707

  Newcastle

  2,212

  North Tyneside

  1,765

  South Tyneside

  1,325

  Sunderland

  2,651

  Isles of Scilly

  28

  Avon

  7,612

  Bedfordshire

  4,983

  Berkshire

  6,080

  Buckinghamshire

  5,215

  Cambridgeshire

  5,667

  Cheshire

  8,072

  Cleveland

  5,560

  Cornwall

  3,647

  Cumbria

  4,211

  Derbyshire

  8,098

  Devon

  7,229

  Dorset

  4,389

  Durham

  5,239

  East Sussex

  4,908

  Essex

  12,033

  Gloucestershire

  4,090

  Hampshire

  12,037

  Hereford and Worcester

  5,441

  Hertfordshire

  8,280

  Humberside

  7,740

  Isle of Wight

  997

  Kent

  11,980

  Lancashire

  11,922

  Leicestershire

  7,570

  Lincolnshire

  4,808

  Norfolk

  5,791

  North Yorkshire

  5,954

  Northamptonshire

  5,466

  Northumberland

  2,677

  Nottinghamshire

  8,508

  Oxfordshire

  4,206

  Shropshire

  3,563

  Somerset

  3,595

  Staffordshire

  8,357

  Suffolk

  5,276

  Surrey

  6,677

  Warwickshire

  3,961

  West Sussex

  5,319

  Wiltshire

  4,596

  England

  396,331

  Genetic Screening
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what response he has made to the Nuffield report on genetic screening in relation to the aspects which affect his department.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend welcomes the initiatives of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics in producing this report. He regards it as essential that through the combination of science, religious and health education pupils are equipped to tackle the ethical issues which they will encounter at the various stages of their lives, including those resulting from advances in genetic science.
  844

  Touche Ross
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if his Department or any agencies for which he is responsible has engaged the services of the firm Touche Ross or any of its partners since 1 July 1993.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department has placed one contract with Touche Ross since 1 July 1993, for a financial management and policy review of the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges.

  Education Charters
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the companies commissioned by his Department in 1992–93 to carry out polling and market research in the course of preparing(a) the further education charter and (b) the higher education charter; and if he will list the areas of research, the questionnaires used and the groups questioned.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department for Education commissioned The British Market Research Bureau—BMRB—and Research Services Limited—RSL—for both the further education charter and the higher education charter. BMRB undertook research among students, parents and the wider community and RSL specifically consulted employers. All areas of research undertaken are reflected in both charters.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Brass Bands
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what action he is taking to seek to ensure the continuation of the tradition of civilian brass bands.

  Mr. Sproat
  I am keen to find ways to encourage and help civilian brass bands to flourish. I regard such bands as an important element in our British cultural traditions.

  I have recently received a number of representations about difficulties confronting some of our most prestigious brass bands. I am aware of the wider economic and social factors that might have contributed to specific instances of difficulty; for example, for colliery bands.

  I am also keen to see the brass band tradition strengthened in schools. I shall be raising these subjects with other Government Departments. In order to gain a better understanding of the position from an arts funding perspective, and of the current state of the brass band movement, I am consulting the Arts Council and the British Federation of Brass Bands.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will provide figures for the amount his Department or the Office of Arts and Libraries has been reimbursed by the Department of Social Security in respect of statutory sick pay provision for each of the past three years.

  Mr. Sproat
  The amount of statutory sick pay reimbursed by the Department of Social Security to the Department of National Heritage, excluding its executive agencies, the Historic Royal Palaces Agency and the royal
  845
  parks, from 1 April 1993 to 31 December 1993 was £7,572·73. Reimbursement to the Office of Arts and Libraries in the financial year 1992–93 was £1,393·93. No figures are available for the financial year 1991–92

  Touche Ross
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if his Department or any agencies for which he is responsible have engaged the services of the firm Touche Ross or any of its partners since 1 July 1993.

  Mr. Sproat
  My Department has engaged the services of Touche Ross on two occasions since 1 July 1993. Neither of the agencies for which I am responsible has engaged Touche Ross's services during the same period.

  Broadcasting Restrictions
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will take account in his review of broadcasting restrictions applying in the United Kingdom of the guidelines, issued on 20 January to Radio Telefis Eireann staff, and now applying to broadcasting in the Irish Republic; when he expects to complete his review of broadcasting restrictions; and if he will list the individuals and organisations which he has invited to submit views to him and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  The outcome of the review will be announced very shortly. I do not propose to take special account of guidelines issued by RTE. I have taken account of the views of the broadcasting regulatory authorities in the United Kingdom, of all the main broadcasters themselves, and of those organisations including the NUJ which have directly approached my Department. I have not invited any individuals to submit views.

  Tourism
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much central Government money was spent per head of the population on encouraging tourism in Cornwall in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Sproat
  The information is not available in this form. National and regional programmes funded by the British tourist authority and the English tourist board from grant-in-aid help to support tourism in all areas of the country, but it is not possible to say that a certain proportion of the grant-in-aid is specifically targeted on one particular area. However, the level of English tourist board support for the West Country tourist board, which covers Cornwall, were as follows:

  Financial year

  Amount in £

  1979–80

  82,895

  1980–81

  99,100

  1981–82

  106,600

  1982–83

  114,400

  1983–84

  124,140

  1984–85

  135,850

  1985–86

  141,962

  1986–87

  252,732

  1987–88

  273,911

  1988–89

  288,000

  1989–90

  334,500

  1990–91

  580,570

  1991–92

  582,766

  1992–93

  561,638

  846
  In the current financial year, in addition to the funds allocated by the English tourist board to the West Country tourist board, £400,000 has been allocated to the Cornwall renewal programme.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will publish details of all those who have applied to run the national lottery; when he expects to issue a licence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sproat
  The names and addresses of those organisations which have publicly announced their intention to apply for the main licence to run the national lottery are set out in my response to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Broadgreen (Mrs. Kennedy) on 31 January,Official Report, columns 516–17). The director general of the national lottery will publish a full list of all those who apply after 14 February, which is the closing date for applications. The timing of the issue of the licence to run the national lottery is a matter for the director general.

  Royal Palaces
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what has been the cost of refurbishment of each of the royal apartments in each of the occupied royal palaces in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: The total cost of refurbishment of each of the royal apartments in each of the occupied royal palaces in each of the last three years was:

  £000s

  1991–92

  Apartment occupied by THR The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester at Kensington Palace

  4

  Apartment occupied by TRH The Duke and Duchess of Kent at St. James's Palace

  10

  Clarence House private apartments, occupied by HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother

  45

  TOTAL

  59

  1992–93

  Apartment occupied by HRH The Prince of Wales at St. James's Palace

  6

  Clarence House, private apartments

  35

  Total

  41

  1993–94

  The forecast expenditure is:—

  Apartment occupied by TRH Prince and Princess Michael of Kent at. Kensington Palace

  6

  Apartment occupied by HRH The Princess of Wales at Kensington Palace

  1

  Apartment occupied by HRH The Prince of Wales at St. James's Palace

  43

  Clarence House, private apartments

  2

  Total

  52

  Information on expenditure prior to 1991–92 is not held in the form required.
  847

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

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: Where an employee is found guilty of fraud the circumstances of the case would be thoroughly investigated and an appropriate disciplinary penalty, which might include dismissal, would be invoked.

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

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: The Department of National Heritage was established in April 1992, since when no employees have been found guilty of fraud.

  Department (Set-up Costs)
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what were the total costs, including the acquisition of office premises, of setting up his Department.

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: The total non-recurrent cost of establishing my Department was £8·2 milion plus value added tax. My Department occupies leased premises on the Government estate under an inter-departmental agreement with DoE/Property Holdings. The terms of the leases are commercial-in-confidence.

PRIME MINISTER

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 3 February.

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 3 February.

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

  Review Body Reports
  Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the review body reports.

  The Prime Minister
  The 1994 reports of the review bodies on the pay of school teachers, senior civil servants, the senior military, the judiciary, the armed forces, doctors and dentists, nursing staff, midwives and health vistors and the professions allied to medicine have now been published. Copies are available in the Vote Office and the Library of the House. The Government are grateful to the members of the review bodies for the time and care which they have put into the preparation of the reports.

  The Government's policy is that increases in pay must be fully met from existing budgets. Pay increases for
  848
  public sector staff therefore have to be paid for by greater efficiency, or by savings in the cost of running Government itself. This position was made clear in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement on public sector pay on 14 September, and reaffirmed in his Budget statement and in the Government's evidence to the review bodies. It is fundamental to the Government's response to their recommendations.

  The review bodies have made the following recommendations:
  The School Teachers' Review Body has recommended a 2·9 per cent. increase in teachers' pay.
  The Senior Salaries Review Body has recommended:

  (i) an increase of 2·75 per cent. in the budget for performance-related pay for civil servants at grades 2 and 3, and a 2·75 per cent. increase in the pay of Permanent Secretaries.

  (ii) A 2·75 per cent. increase in the pay of most of the senior armed forces officers in its remit.

  (iii) A 2·75 per cent. increase in the pay of the judiciary.

  The Armed Forces Pay Review Body has recommended a range of increases between 3·0 and 4·4 per cent. averaging 3·6 per cent, for the various ranks in its remit group.
  The Doctors and Dentists Review Body has recommended a 3·0 per cent. increase in salaries, fees and allowances for doctors and dentists and the same increase in intended average net remuneration for general medical practitioners.
  The Review Body for Nursing Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine has recommended a 3·0 per cent. increase in national salary rates and a 2·0 per cent. increase in most leads and allowances.

  The Government have taken its decisions on these recommendations on the basis of its policy on public sector pay. Except in the case of the armed forces, the Government accept the above increases and propose to implement them from the due date of 1 April. The costs will be met from the public expenditure totals published at Budget time. There will be no new money to finance these pay increases, and for the second year running there will be no call on the reserve.

  In the case of the armed forces, the Government believe that the recommendations of the armed forces pay review body are too high to be implemented in full from 1 April. All ranks will receive pay increases of 2·7 per cent. from 1 April 1994, with the blance of the recommended awards paid from 1 January 1995.

  The review body for nursing staff, midwives, health visitors and professions allied to medicine commented that, if the trusts had been ready to implement local pay, it would have recommended an increase in national pay rates for its remit groups of only 2 per cent. rather than 3 per cent., with further increases to be determined locally. The doctors and dentists review body similarly expressed support for moves towards local pay determination. The Government welcome and support these comments and intend to ensure that pay arrangements in both trusts and directly managed units in the NHS provide for a significant measure of local pay determination from next year. The necessary details will be discussed with the trusts and with the professions and with the staff sides in the coming months.

  The senior salaries review body has restated its 1992 recommendation that possible future problems in maintaining its remit groups, particularly the judiciary, should be avoided by raising their pay levels over time. The review body has now recommended that the Government should seek to implement its 1992 recommendations for the judiciary plus annual uprating by 1 April 1999. The Government have already acknowledged the different position of the judiciary amongst the review

  849
  body's remit groups and accepts this recommendation. The Government are currently considering a number of issues relating to the management of the senior civil service and the military. In that context it will take a view on the SSRB's recommendations on pay ranges for senior civil servants and the differential between one and two star officers.

  The review body reports point the way to making further progress in extending performance-related pay in the public services. The doctors and dentists review body and the review body for nursing staff, midwives, health visitors and professions allied to medicine expressed support for developing performance pay at local level and urged that high priority should be given to establishing suitable arrangements in the coming year. The performance pay arrangements recommended last year by the school teachers review body have now been implemented and the review body intends to return to the issue of relating the pay of teachers still more closely to their performance. The senior salaries review body recommends reform of the performance pay scheme for grades 2 and 3 in the civil service through abolition of a standard pay increase, a larger performance pay budget and an increase in the width of pay ranges. The armed forces pay review body has appointed management consultants to assist it in addressing the issue of performance pay in its future work.

  The Government support the review body recommendations on the development of performance-related pay and believe that they represent a valuable and effective contribution to the further development of remuneration in the public services.

  1994 Review body recommendations

  Cost1

  Range of pay increases Per cent.

  £ million

  Per cent.

  Schoolteachers (STRB)

  2·9

  309

  2·9

  Senior Civil Servants, Military and Judiciary (SSRB)

  CS Grades 1–3

  2·75

  1·3

  2·75

  Senior military

  2·75

  0·3

  2·75

  Judiciary

  2·75

  3·6

  2·75

  Total SSRB groups

  2·75

  5·2

  2·75

  Armed Forces

  3·0–4·4

  206

  3·6

  Doctors and dentists (DDRB)

  3·0

  158

  3·0

  Nurses and allied professions (NAPRB)

  Nurses and midwives

  3·0

  234

  3·0

  PAMs

  3·0

  26

  3·0

  Total NAPRB groups

  3·0

  260

  3·0

  1Costs include employers national insurance and superannuation payments to funded schemes.

HEALTH

  General Practitioners
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy that GPs will not charge fees to persons on benefits for evidence in support of claims.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Under their terms of service—schedule 2 to the National Health Service (General 850
  Medical Services) Regulations 1992,—general practitioners are required to issue a defined list of certificates to their patients free of charge, including those needed to support claims for a number of social security benefits. The list of certificates is kept under review.

  Breast Feeding
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what are the figures for mothers breast feeding for each year from 1983.

  (2) what efforts her Department has made to promote breast feeding in the last 10 years.

  Mr. Sackville
  A survey of infant feeding practices is carried out every five years on behalf of the Department of Health. The results of the latest of these surveys were set out in the report "Infant Feeding 1990", a copy of which is available in the Library. In 1985 the percentage of mothers who breast fed was 65 per cent.; in 1990 it was 64 per cent.

  Based on unequivocal medical advice the Government have consistently supported breast feeding as the best means of feeding a baby. Measures have included the implementation of a voluntary code of practice for the marketing of infant formula and the banning of free or subsidised infant formula in national health service hospitals and clinics. The Government have also provided £265,000 in funding for the three voluntary organisations supporting breast feeding and the joint breast feeding initiative—from 1988–1992. In December 1992 it was announced that a national breast feeding working group was to be set up under the "Health of the Nation" initiative to
  "co-ordinate the next stages in a programme of action to promote and facilitate breast feeding, building on the work of the joint breast feeding initiative".

  Dementia
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure that multidisciplinary assessment of people with dementia is available in every district health authority area.

  Mr. Bowis
  Since 1990 general practitioners have been required to offer an annual health check to patients aged 75 and over, and if evidence of severe cognitive impairment is found the GP will refer to the old age psychiatrist. It is for district health authorities to ensure that multi-disciplinary terms are in place to support the assessment of such patients.

  Paediatric and Neo-natal Units
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines apply in relation to minimum nursing and medical staffing levels in paediatric and neo-natal units.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The "Welfare of Children and Young People in Hospital", issued by the Department in July 1991 set the objective that a consultant paediatrician and at least two children's trained nurses should be available 24 hours a day to supervise the care of sick children and newborn babies and that provision of additional specially trained medical, midwifery and nursing staff should be commensurate to the degree of dependency of these children. The guide also commended additional guidance
  851
  available from the English National Board for Nursing Midwifery and Health Visiting and the British Paediatric Association.

  Residential Accommodation
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether she will amend existing guidance on charges for residential accommodation to allow spouses without an occupational pension of their own, to retain 50 per cent. of their partner's occupational pensions when he or she enters long-term care in a residential or nursing home;

  (2) what steps she is taking to ensure that social services departments increase the personal expenses allowance of people in residential or nursing homes where this is necessary to support their spouse at home;

  (3) what provision her Department has made for the continued financial well-being of carers when their relative or spouse with dementia enters long-term care in a residential nursing home.

  Mr. Bowis
  Guidance was sent to local authorities last month in LAC(94)1 reminding them that they have discretion to vary the personal expenses allowance to allow the resident to retain sufficient money to enable him or her to support his or her partner remaining at home where the partner has little or no income or capital of his or her own. This discretion could be extended to allow the resident to support a carer. Additionally, local authorities have discretion to ignore the value of property where a third party—such as someone who was caring for the resident at home—continues to live there. Copies of the guidance are available in the Library.

  Population Statistics
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the estimated population of each NHS region in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The latest population estimates, shown in the table, relate to mid-1991 and mid-1992. These take into account the results of the 1991 census of population. Retrospectively revised estimates for 1982–1990 will be published shortly in the "Office of Population Censuses and Surveys Monitor PP1/94/1", copies of which will be placed in the Library. The original annual estimates for 1981–1990 are available in the PP1 series of OPCS publications, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Estimated mid-year resident population, persons all ages, thousands

  Area

  1991

  1992

  England and Wales

  51,099·5

  51,276·9

  England

  48,208·1

  48,378·3

  Northern RHA

  3,091·7

  3,098·9

  Yorkshire RHA

  3,680·9

  3,698·0

  Trent RHA

  4,719·8

  4,745·0

  East Anglian RHA

  2,082·7

  2,089·4

  North West Thames RHA

  3,579·5

  3,594·2

  North East Thames RHA

  3,786·0

  3,798·5

  South East Thames RHA

  3,704·0

  3,712·9

  South West Thames RHA

  3,033·0

  3,042·7

  Wessex RHA

  2,979·4

  2,993·3

  Oxford RHA

  2,560·0

  2,581·4

  South Western RHA

  3,298·6

  3,315·9

  West Midlands RHA

  5,265·6

  5,277·6

  Mersey RHA

  2,415·8

  2,412·5

  North Western RHA

  4,011·2

  4,018·0

  Wales

  2,891·5

  2,898·5

  Notes: Figures may not add exactly due to rounding.

  Source: Population estimates unit, OPCS.
  852

  Dentists
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists there are in Lancashire; and how many and what percentage undertake private treatment only.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The number of dentists in the general dental service practising in Lancashire family health services authority area on 30 September 1993 was 460. The number of dentists undertaking private treatment only is not available.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the public appointments for which she 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. Sackville
  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.

  Children's Accidents
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the costs to the NHS for children's accidents(a) on the roads, (b) in the home, (c) in schools, and (d) in playgrounds for each year since 1987.

  Mr. Bowis
  The information available is from a study conducted by the Child Accident Prevention Trust with financial support from the Department. The trust estimated that in 1990–91 the cost to national health service hospitals and the ambulance service in treating accidental injuries to children under age 16 was some £230 million. Full information of the location of the accidents was not available, but mortality statistics collected by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys shows that, of the 480 accidental deaths among children in 1991, 283—59 per cent.—were caused by motor vehicle traffic accidents.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department has spent on measures designed to prevent children's accidents for each year since 1987.

  Mr. Bowis
  Within the overall commitment of national health service staff and the Health Education Authority devoted to promoting children's health, a significant but unquantifiable proportion of their time is aimed at accident prevention. The Department has paid the following sums in grant aid to the Child Accident Prevention Trust under section 64 of the Public Health Act 1968:

  Financial Year

  Grant

  1987–88

  71,325

  1988–89

  93,500

  1989–90

  93,500

  1990–91

  106,050

  1991–92

  108,514

  1992–93

  103,000

  1993–94

  113,000

  853

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide figures for the amount her 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. Sackville
  The following amounts of statutory sick pay provision have been reimbursed by the Department of Social Security: 1990–91 £256,874; 1991–92£266,121 and 1992–93 £226,777.

  Independent Schools (Inspection)
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish the revised guidance note to social services departments on the inspection of independent schools under section 87 of the Children Act 1989.

  Mr. Bowis
  We shall issue draft revised guidance for consultation shortly.

  Residential Care
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what current plans she has to change the capital or savings limit of £8,000 over which a person must pay the full cost of a place in residential care.

  Mr. Bowis
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mr. Jones) on 21 June 1993 at column 39.

  Folic Acid
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has conducted to establish whether the taking of preparations containing folic acid by pregnant women reduces the likelihood of the birth of babies with spina bifida; what steps she has taken to publicise this information; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  In October 1991 an expert advisory group was set up in response to the publication of the final results from the Medical Research Council vitamin study group. Its report, "Folic Acid and the Prevention of Neural Tube Defects", published in December 1992, confirmed that women who increase their intake of folic acid before pregnancy can significantly reduce the risk of having a baby with neural tube defects. A copy of the report is available in the Library.

  This advice was disseminated to doctors, senior nurses, midwives, health visitors and pharmacists and the Health Education Authority updated its publications to include the new guidance. The Department of Health has conducted a campaign to publicise findings in the press and media. Posters and complementary leaflets have been widely distributed within the national health service and to professional and voluntary bodies.

  Special Hospitals
  Ms Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide a breakdown by race on the most convenient date, of the inmates held in each special hospital.
  854
  Mr. Bowis
  The information requested is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the Special Hospitals Service Authority, Mrs. Nelson, for details.

  Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many suspected cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease have been identified since 31 May 1992.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individuals have been found to have suffered from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the United Kingdom; how many current suspects there are; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Suspected cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease—CJD—in the United Kingdom are reported to Dr. R. G. Will, consultant neurologist, at the national CJD surveillance unit in Edinburgh.

  One hundred and twenty suspected cases were referred to the CJD unit between 1 June 1992 and 1 January 1994. Following investigation, 69 have been classified as definite or probable cases of CJD.

  Figures for the total number of definite and probable cases of CJD in the United Kingdom each year from 1985 are shown in the table.

  Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the United Kingdom, definite and probable cases by year of death 1985–1993

  Year

  Total

  1985

  28

  1986

  26

  1987

  22

  1988

  22

  1989

  28

  1990

  30

  1991

  36

  1992

  53

  1993

  126

  1 Provisional total.

  Source: CJD Surveillance Unit.

  Note: The final figure for 1993 is likely to show some increase over the provisional total as diagnoses of people dying in 1993 are confirmed retrospectively. It is unlikely, however, to reach the 1992 figure.

  Medical Treatment
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations she has received identifying instances in which it is alleged that medical treatment is allocated according to the purchaser's ability to pay; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  District health authorities are responsible for purchasing services based on their assessment of the health needs of their local population. It is for clinicians and not managers to decide who needs treatment immediately and who is put on a waiting list.

  Prostate Cancer
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new diagnoses of cancer of the prostate were made in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The latest available information is shown in the table:
  855

  Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of cancer of the prostate (ICD 185)1 for England and Wales. 1983–1987

  Number

  1983

  9,127

  1984

  9,524

  1985

  9,513

  1986

  10,180

  1987

  10,837

  1 International Classification of Disease, 9th Revision

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy on screening for prostatic cancer.

  Mr. Sackville
  The key aim of any screening programme must be to secure a demonstrable improvement in health by increasing length of life and enhancing quality of life. There is, as yet, no evidence to suggest that this would be achieved in relation to prostate cancer. The Department of Health is pursuing research in screening through its own centrally commissioned programme and through the new national health service research and development programme. A copy of the Chief Medical Officer's speech to a recent British Medical Journal conference setting out current policy implementation issues for screening in the NHS will be placed in the Library.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average five year survival rate after diagnosis of prostatic cancer.

  Mr. Sackville
  The average survival rate after diagnosis of prostatic cancer in England and wales is 43 per cent. —based on cancers registered in 1981, the latest year for which a five-year span is available.

  Operating Lease Arrangements
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she has(a) instructed the NHS management executive and (b) notified NHS directors of finance that the provision for capital charge neutrality should no longer be applied when operating lease arrangements are submitted to the management executive for approval as part of the private finance initiative.

  Mr. Sackville
  Yes. Guidance on this matter was included in a letter sent by the director of finance of the National Health Service Management Executive to regional general managers and directors of finance on 7 December 1993, copies of the letter are available in the Library. The relevant passages are:"Regional allocations for capital charges reflect an initial move towards weighted capitation. The capital charges allocation is recurrent, and will be the starting point for further redistribution in 1995/96. The intention is that no distinction should be made between the allocation for capital charges and the allocation for other revenue, and they are used as a single revenue resource.
  "Where they have not already done so, RHAs are expected to start the process of redistribution of capital charges subregionally. The changes detailed above should remove a reported impediment to pursuing private finance options. The allocation a health authority receives will not be affected by changes in the asset base of its providers. Decisions on whether to pursue private finance (eg leasing) or direct purchase options should be based on value for money and transfer of risk criteria. RHAs and Outposts should ensure that this point is clearly understood by DHAs and Trusts".
  856

  GP Fundholders
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 21 January,Official Report, column 888, what reports she has received of breaches of the provisions of the regulations covering the uses to which the earnings of general practitioners in fundholding prctices may be put.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the management fee paid to(a) second wave (b) third wave and (c) fourth wave general practitioner fundholders in each (i) family health services authority, (ii) regional health authority and (iii) nationally in 1992 and 1993–94.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 26 January at column 298. The figures for 1993–94 will not be available until this time next year.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to investigate the use to which general practitioner fundholders have put surplus funds from 1991–92.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The uses to which savings may be put are set out in The National Health Service (Fundholding Practices) Regulations 1993, a copy of which is in the Library. Family health services authorities are responsible for authorising general practitioner fundholders' use of savings in accordance with the regulations.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many fundholding practices there are in the area of the Bexley and Greenwich family health services authority; and if she will list them with the amount of financial surplus for each practice in 1992–93.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Regional health authorities are responsible for managing the general practitioner fundholding scheme in their areas and only regional level information is available centrally. For local information —in the South East Thames region—the hon. Member may wish to contact Peter Barker, chairman of the South East Thames regional health authority.

  Hospital Activity Statistics
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the total cost of producing hospial activity figures; what are the benefits to patients resulting from these figures; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Hospital activity statistics are produced largely as a by-product of operational systems in the health service. This ensures that costs are kept to a minimum, but as a result the extra cost of producing the figures is impossible to quantify.

  The statistics are used at all levels in the national health service and the Department of Health for contracting, monitoring performance and for planning health care. Central statistics are used for—inter alia—monitoring efficiency, securing and distributing NHS funds, accountability to Parliament and the public, support for policy initiatives such as the inquiry into London's health services, and for feeding back comparative performance measures to the NHS in health service indicators.
  857

  Accident and Emergency Ambulance Services
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has commissioned into the benefits of running accident and emergency ambulance services closely integrated to patient and contract services.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have commissioned no such research.

  Ambulance Response Times
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the response times by ambulances to 999 calls within the mid-Essex area for each of the last five years; what was the national average time for England as a whole for the same period; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on ambulance emergency response times is not collected centrally on an individual health authority basis. Information on the Essex ambulance service for each of the last five years is shown in the table.

  Ambulance service emergency response times Percentage of calls responded to within 20 minutes (1988–89 to 1990–91) and 19 minutes (1990–91 onwards)

  Essex Ambulance Service

  1988–89

  87·0

  1989–90

  79·1

  1990–91

  93·7

  1991–92

  96·5

  1992–93

  98·6

  In 1990, following the acceptance of a report from the independent consultants ORH, a tighter response time for rural ambulance services was adopted. The response time target—now the patients charter standard—was changed from 20 to 19 minutes.

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will introduce measures to enable lone parents living on low incomes but not in receipt of benefits to claim free prescriptions, free school meals, free dental treatment and free spectacles; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Help with national health service prescription and dental charges and with the cost of optical services is already available to lone parents under the national health service low income scheme. The scheme ensures that no one need be detered from obtaining necessary medication and treatment on financial grounds. The arrangements for this help and, the legislation governing entitlement to free school meals in Scotland are matters for my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland. The legislation governing entitlement to free school meals in England and Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education.

  Greenwich Healthcare Trust
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the people working in hospitals run by Greenwich healthcare trust who telephoned the Under-Secretary of State for Health in the week beginning Monday 24 January.
  858
  Mr. Bowis
  A number of calls were received in my office. We have no intention of releasing such information as the conversations remain private between myself and the individuals concerned.

  Management Consultants
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost by region of employing management consultants in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 14 December 1993, at column 558.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

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

  Mr. Goodlad
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave on 1 February,Official Report, column 611.

  Anti-personnel Mines
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commowealth Affairs if he will support moves initiated by other Governments to establish a moratorium on the manufacture and export of antipersonnel land mines.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The initiative was proposed by the United States, and was tabled as a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly, calling for a moratorium on the export of anti-personnel land mines that pose grave dangers to civilian populations. The United Kingdom supported this resolution; however, in doing so, we stated our view that anti-personnel land mines directed at military targets are legitimate defensive weapons when used in compliance with the 1981 United Nations weaponry convention. If they are used in accordance with protocol II of the convention, and particularly if they are fitted with a self-destructing or self-neutralising mechanism, they do not pose grave dangers to civilian populations. We therefore think it would be wrong if the possession of self-destructing or self-neutralising anti-personnel mines were restricted to countries with the capacity to manufacture them. We already adhere to the provisions of the 1981 United Nations weaponry convention, and expect to be able to ratify it later this year.

  There was no call for a moratorium on the manufacture of land mines. The United Kingdom has not manufactured or exported conventional anti-personnel land mines since 1982.

  Yugoslavia
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to meet Lord Owen to discuss developments in the former Yugoslavia.
  859
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs expects to meet Lord Owen on 7 February at the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Letterboard
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee how many letters hon. Members may place on the letterboard; when such regulations were agreed; and what proposals the Committee is considering to improve the ability of hon. Members to contact each other through the letterboard.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  The letterboard is intended to receive letters and messages of an urgent nature. For this reason, regulations have been in place for a number of years to limit to a maximum of six the number of letters placed by Members on the letterboard on any one sitting day. Increased demand for this service in recent years has placed further burdens on the letterboard; I have therefore asked the Serjeant at Arms to consider what further short and longer-term measures are needed to improve the system. His proposals will be considered by the Administration Committee and recommendations made to the appropriate authorities.

TRANSPORT

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice he has given to the Director of Passenger Rail Franchising regarding a prioritisation review of rail routes earmarked for early sale; what form such advice took; on what date such advice was issued; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, announced on 2 February 1993 the first seven service groups to be prepared for franchising. On 24 May the Secretary of State announced the remaining 18 groupings to be prepared for franchising, subject to some further work which resulted in a further announcement confirming all 25 groupings on 4 August.

  It will be for the franchising director to decide the order in which franchises are offered for sale, taking into account both their readiness and market interest in bidding. We shall be asking the franchising director to prepare a programme for franchising all passenger services.

  Touche Ross
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department or any agencies for which he is responsible has engaged the services of the firm Touche Ross or any of its partners since 1 July 1993.

  Mr. Norris
  This firm was awarded an accountancy commission in connection with the channel tunnel rail link on 21 January 1994.
  860

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which special advisers in his Department are seconded from other organisations; and what are the organisations and the lengths and terms of the secondments.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Neither of my current special advisers, Sir Idris Pearce and Mrs. Laing, is seconded from other organisations.

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many(a) men and (b) women were employed by DVLA in 1992–93; and how many sick days were taken by (i) men and (ii) women.

  Mr. Key
  The number of staff employed by DVLA at its Swansea headquarters on 31 March 1993 was 2,997—2,232 females and 765 males. Working days lost due to sick absence during 1992–93 were 22,887 for females and 15,905 for males.

  On the same date, DVLA employed a further 1,566 staff—1,026 females and 540 males—in its network of local offices. Working days lost due to sick absences in these offices during 1992–93 were 17,135 but a breakdown by gender is not immediately available. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as the information is to hand.

  Channel Tunnel Concession
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 24 January,Official Report, column 76, what is his Department's broad estimate of the revenue forgone; and what are the estimated parameters of the estimated costs.

  Mr. Freeman
  Since competition for the services provided by the channel tunnel in 2042 cannot be predicted now, and since the requirements for repair and updating of the tunnel nearly 50 years ahead are equally difficult to predict, I am unable to judge either the revenue or the costs flowing from the concession in that year. It follows that I am equally unable to say with any precision what the net present value of the extension which the British and French Governments have granted might be.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which organisations were consulted by his Department, on each of the recommendations of the business deregulation task forces before they were agreed and action proposed in the DTI document, "Deregulation: Cutting the Red Tape".

  Mr. Norris
  Each of the task force recommendations agreed or agreed in principle by the Government has been or will be the subject of appropriate consultation with interested parties.

  Oil Pollution
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet Care for the Wild and other charitable organisations involved to discuss costs incurred in their clean up operation of marine diesel fuel pollutants recently found off the coasts of Scotland and Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.
  861
  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: No. While I recognise the value of the work done by charitable organisations in this field, when they decide to help in clean-up operations they bear the costs themselves. They may have a claim for compensation from the polluter if he can be identified. Beach samples from the affected areas of coastline in Scotland and Northern Ireland have been sent to the Laboratory of the Government Chemist for analysis, and the results are awaited. If it proves possible to trace the polluter, the Department of Transport would consider submitting a combined claim from all those organisations including Care for the Wild who have been involved in clean up activity as a result of these recent incidents.

WALES

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

  Local Education Authority

  Number1 of primary schools

  Number of primary schools that have held ballots

  Outcome of ballot

  Number1 of secondary schools

  Number of secondary schools that have held ballots

  Outcome of ballot

  for GM

  against GM

  for GM

  against GM

  Clwyd

  243

  3

  2

  1

  29

  27

  4

  3

  Dyfed

  313

  1

  0

  1

  31

  0

  0

  0

  Gwenl

  213

  1

  1

  0

  31

  4

  4

  0

  Gwynedd

  190

  1

  1

  0

  23

  0

  0

  0

  Mid Glamorgan

  305

  1

  1

  0

  42

  0

  0

  0

  Powys

  107

  1

  1

  0

  13

  1

  0

  1

  South Glamorgan

  158

  1

  0

  1

  25

  3

  3

  0

  Wesl Glamorgan

  164

  0

  0

  0

  26

  3

  1

  2

  1 The information in these columns relates to September 1993

  2This figure includes one school which has balloted twice

  Farmers Charter
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to set up a farmers charter, with particular reference to the late payment of debts to small business.

  Mr. Redwood
  I intend to publish targets for dealing with grant, subsidy and licence applications in the next financial year.

  Sheep Dips
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received on the question of organophosphate sheep dips; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Veterinary Products Committee has recommended the introduction as soon as possible of a new certificate of competence for sheep dipping, which the Government have accepted. Interested parties have been consulted formally on the proposed order, in accordance with the Medicines Act 1968. Five responses have been received to date. We shall be considering all comments carefully before proceeding.
  862
  Mr. Redwood
  I have no plans to buy or borrow any photographs.

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

  Mr. Redwood
  There are seven on my walls in London and six in Cardiff.

  Schools (Ballots)
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) primary and (b) secondary schools there were in each local authority in Wales by 1 January; how many in each case had held ballots under section 61 of the Education Act 1988; how many ballots in each case resulted in votes in favour of seeking grant-maintained status; and how many ballots in each case resulted in votes against seeking grant-maintained status.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is as follows:

  Wind Farms
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received on the subject of the Welsh Office planning guidelines relating to wind farms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Since the publication of planning policy guidance note No. 22, "Renewable Energy", my right hon. Friend has received two representations about its application to wind energy.

  Beaches
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many beaches in Wales were accorded the EC blue flag in each year since 1990–91; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The numbers of EC blue flag awards in Wales were as follows:

  Year

  Number of awards

  1990

  1

  1991

  3

  1992

  2

  1993

  3

  863

  Abattoirs
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received on the question of increasing weekly animal slaughter units in small and medium-sized abattoirs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The EC fresh meat directive contains arrangements for small slaughterhouses, which can benefit from a special list of structural requirements. They have to comply in full with the EC hygiene rules. Following discussions in the Council of Agriculture Ministers, the Council agreed to increase the throughput limit for small slaughterhouses for which operators wish to take advantage of those arrangements from 12 to 20 units per week until 31 December 1994. During this period the Commission will review the implications of the meat hygiene directives for traditional small businesses. The Government will work closely with the Commission as it carries out this review. No representations have been received recently on this matter.

  Drws y Nant Improvement Scheme
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the Drws y Nant improvement scheme on the Dolgallatt to Bala road will commence; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Draft orders for that scheme are due to be published this spring. Commencement of the work is dependent on the satisfactory completion of those statutory procedures.

  Sheep Annual Premium
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what the closing date was for the submission of Welsh language sheep annual premium forms in 1993; and what it is for 1994;

  (2) what the closing date was for the submission of sheep annual premium forms in 1993; and what it is for 1994.

  Mr. Redwood
  The dates for both types of forms are identical and are:

  1993 scheme

  First application period—15 December 1992

  Second application period—20 February 1993

  Claims received within 10 working days after those dates were also accepted, subject to a 30 per cent. penalty reduction.

  1994 scheme

  First application period—15 December 1993

  Second application period—20 February 1994

  Claims received during the 20 calendar days immediately following these dates will still be accepted subject to a 1 per cent. penalty reduction for each working day which has elapsed.

  House Renovation Grants
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to collect information on the waiting lists for approval of house renovation grants for each district council in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I do not propose to hold such information. It is for local councils to make decisions on grants within six months of receipt of an application and they must determine their own local priorities.
  864

  Capital Receipts
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to relax for a further period the rules regarding use of capital receipts from the sale of council houses.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  None.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much additional funding will be available for each district council in Wales, and for Wales as a whole, as a result of relaxation in the budget of rules regarding the use of capital receipts from the sale of council houses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information is being compiled on the estimated levels of additional usable receipts available to local authorities during the relaxation period. I shall write to the hon. Member when figures are available and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the specific effects on Wales of the sustainable development action plan launched on 25 January.

  Mr. Redwood
  The United Kingdom strategy for sustainable development examines important environment and development issues at the national level over a 20-year period, and considers the role that central and local government, business, the voluntary sector and individual citizens might play in moving the country towards sustainable development. Some important measures are already under way in Wales in support of sustainability, for example the Welsh Development Agency's major land reclamation programme. The Welsh Office will be seeking to ensure that Welsh interests are properly catered for in the follow-up action planned on the strategy.

  Cancer, Gwynedd
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what research has been conducted on the incidence of cancer in Gwynedd; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  In 1987 the Welsh Office commissioned Professor Hubert Campbell to undertake an investigation into cancer rates along the north Wales coast for the period 1974–83. Professor Campbell's report was published in 1988 and a copy was placed in the Library of the House.

  The following reports included sites in Gwynedd within a more general study:
  "Cancer incidence and mortality in the vicinity of nuclear installations in England and Wales 1959–80". Office of Population Censuses and Surveys: Studies on Medical and Population Subjects No. 51. Published by HMSO ISBN 0 11 6910682.
  "Geographical variation in mortality from leukaemia and other cancers in England and Wales in relation to proximity to nuclear installations 1969–78". P. J. Cook-Mozzafari, S. C. Dargy, R. Dell, D. Fomman, C. Herman, M. C. Pike and T. Vincent. British Journal of Cancer (1989) 59, 476–485.

  The Welsh Office is currently investigating the incidence of certain types of cancer around Trawsfynydd and Wylfa nuclear installations. The results will be made available in due course.
  865

  Press Releases
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes have been agreed since his answer of 5 February 1993,Official Report, column 562, on proposals to issue departmental press releases by electronic mail.

  Mr. Redwood
  None.

  THORP
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of representations received from county district and borough councils in Wales on the subject of the proposed thermal oxide reprocessing plant; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment made a full statement to the House on 15 December about the outcome of extensive public consultation in connection with the authorisation of radioactive discharges from the whole Sellafield site. Seventeen of the representations considered received were from Welsh local authorities, six being from county councils.

  Welsh Economic Model
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has agreed to contribute to the funding of a model of the Welsh economy by the Cardiff Business School Welsh economic research unit.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Welsh Office has made no contribution.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what funding the Welsh Development Agency received and from what sources in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information is set out in the following table:

  £million

  Grant in aid

  1'Total gross expenditure

  1979–80

  45·1

  62·6

  1980–81

  65·1

  88·0

  1981–82

  74·0

  88·1

  1982–83

  53·7

  78·2

  1983–84

  37·1

  67·9

  1984–85

  32·1

  70·0

  1985–86

  30·3

  63·5

  1986–87

  31·7

  72·0

  1987–88

  52·3

  98·6

  1988–89

  61·9

  115·1

  1989–90

  69·8

  133·4

  1990–91

  81·2

  149·2

  1991–92

  87·2

  158·3

  1992–93

  78·4

  165·2

  1993–94

  269·6

  2160·6

  1 Gross expenditure is funded from grant in aid, receipts, public dividend capital and borrowings.

  2 Forecast outturns.

  866

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. Redwood
  The amounts reimbursed were:

  £

  1992–93

  91,153·57

  11993–94

  84,661·12

  1April to December.

  Figures for previous years are not available.

  Milk
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many dairy farmers in Wales have already signed and returned contracts to Milk Marque.

  Mr. Redwood
  The number of producers signed up by Milk Marque and other potential buyers is a matter for those concerned.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current timetable for the introduction of the Milk Marque scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Milk Marketing Board has said that it intends to submit amendments to its scheme of reorganisation. One of these is to propose 1 November 1994 as vesting day for Milk Marque. In order for this to be possible, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I would need to make an order extending the present deadline of 1 October for the revocation of the current milk marketing scheme.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times he has granted nature conservation orders for the protection of sites of special scientific interest under section 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; how many are still in operation; how many he has refused in Wales since 1982; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Since 1982, five orders have been made of which two are still in operation. Two have been refused.

  Wales in Europe
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in relation to the publicity material of the Welsh Development Agency, in respect of the Wales in Europe campaign, the Wales European Centre in Brussels and the accords signed with Catalonia, Baden-Würtemberg, Lombardy and Rhône-Alpes.

  Mr. Redwood
  None.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy were reported on farms in Clwyd in 1992
  867
  and 1993; and if he will give the number of beasts affected, indicating the local authority district/borough area.

  Mr. Redwood
  The number of reported cases of suspected bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the county of Clwyd in 1992 was 752, of which 570 cases were subsequently confirmed. In 1993, 730 suspected cases were reported and 542 subsequently confirmed. The figures for 1993 are necessarily incomplete as the basis of the statistics is confirmed cases by report in the appropriate period. It is not possible to indicate the local authority except at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of whether every precaution is taken to ensure that the human food chain remains free of infection by BSE.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Government are advised on matters relating to spongiform encephalopathies by the spongiform encephalopathy advisory committee. The Government are advised that the measures introduced since BSE was identified, which are based on independent scientific advice, prevent any risk of transmission to humans.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what research he has initiated into the potential link between BSE and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  A wide-ranging research programme on BSE is in place, based on the recommendations of the consultative committee on research into spongiform encephalopathies. This committee was reconstituted as the spongiform encephalopathies advisory committee, which reports regularly to the Government. Its last report was issued in June 1992.

  Doctors are asked to report every suspected case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease to the national CJD surveillance unit in Edinburgh. The circumstances of each case are recorded fully and in particular all cases are examined for possible sources of transmission and any occupational factor. The unit was established in 1990 and provided reports in 1992 and 1993.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning BSE and the human food chain, including his advice concerning meat by-products.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health in May 1990 advised:"Beef can be safely eaten by anyone, both adults and children, including patients in hospital".
  This has been repeated by his successor, Dr. Calman. Dr. Calman further stated that he was confident that all necessary action is being taken to safeguard public health.

  Touche Ross
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department or any agencies for which he is responsible has engaged the services of the firm Touche Ross or any of its partners since 1 July 1993.

  Mr. Redwood
  Yes.
  868

  Health Promotion Authority for Wales
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the level and frequency of participation in overseas conferences and seminars of the director and staff of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The chief executive and staff of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales may take part in overseas conferences and visits to the extent that this assists their work in promoting better health in Wales and in generating income for this purpose. The former chief executive of the authority was also professor of health promotion and health education and head of the institute of health promotion at the university of Wales college of medicine and undertook overseas visits in that connection until 2 February 1994.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales concerning the value and volume of consultation work carried out in Brazil; and what evaluation he has carried out or will carry out in relation to such work.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Health Promotion Authority for Wales has not carried out or funded any consultation work in Brazil.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in relation to the Health Promotion Authority for Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  In recent weeks, I have received two letters from the hon. Member.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the duties of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales in relation to the promotion of better health in Latin America.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The primary function of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales is to undertake health promotion activity in Wales. It may only engage in international work where there is a tangible benefit to Wales from that activity. Such activity has not so far included South America.

  Epidemiological Research
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for extensive epidemiological research; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Welsh Office will continue to support United Kingdom-wide epidemiological research in collaboration with other Government Departments—notably the Department of Health—and the research councils.

  Teachers
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each local education authority how many full-time equivalent teachers were employed in January 1993.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is contained in "Statistics of Education and Training in Wales: Schools", No. 2, 1994—table 6.02—published on 2 February 1994.
  869

  Right-to-repair Scheme
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of Wales whether the new right-to-repair scheme for council tenants will apply in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, together with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, laid before the House on Monday 31 January the Secure Tenants of Local Housing Authorities (Right to Repair) Regulations 1994 (SI 1994/133) which will introduce the new right-to-repair scheme in both England and Wales.

  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing, Inner Cities and Construction on 31 January 1994, Official Report, column 477.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Senior Science Posts (Women)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how many female applicants there have been for senior science posts in the public service, Government Departments, agencies and the research councils at civil service grades 3, 4 and 5 and above in the period 1 January 1993 to 18 January 1994; how many female appointments have been made to these grades, by grade; and what assessment he has made as to the consistency of these figures with the policy outlined in the White Paper "Realising our Potential;"

  (2) how many females have been appointed to grade 3 science posts in Government Departments, agencies and the research councils in the past 12 months; and what steps the Chancellor will be making to encourage the appointment of women to these senior posts following the publication of the White Paper. "Realising our Potential".

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Over the last 12 months, there have been six senior science posts—grade 5 and above—within the civil service advertised through open competition and 10 such posts within the research councils.

  For the six posts filled through open competition, there were 21 female applicants—out of a total of 317—none of whom were successful. For the 10 research council posts, there were only two female applicants, and again neither was successful.

  For the 12 months to the end of September 1993, there were 24 senior science posts at grades 3, 4 or 5 filled by internal appointees; no females were appointed. In December, Mrs. Helen Williams was appointed to a grade 3 post as head of the Transdepartmental S and T group in the Office of Science and Technology—OST.

  The White Paper on science, engineering and technology describes women as the country's biggest single most under-valued and therefore under-used human resource. The Office of Science and Technology will shortly be publishing a report by an independent working group of eminent scientists on how to make greater use of the talents of women in science, engineering and technology.
  870

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list each executive agency which has been established since the "Next Steps" initiative commenced; and if he will list any which existed before this initiative.

  Mr. David Davis
  The executive agencies established under the next steps initiative are as follows. No executive agencies existed previously.

  Next Steps Agencies established to date

  Agency

  Launch date

  Accounts Services Agency

  1 October 1991

  ADAS

  1 April 1992

  Army Base Repair Organisation

  1 April 1993

  Building Research Establishment

  2 April 1990

  Cadw (Welsh Historic Monuments)

  2 April 1991

  Central Office of Information

  5 April 1990

  Central Science Laboratory

  1 April 1992

  Central Statistical Office

  19 November 1991

  Central Veterinary Laboratory

  2 April 1990

  Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment

  1 April 1991

  Chessington Computer Centre

  1 April 1993

  Civil Service College

  6 June 1989

  Companies House

  3 October 1988

  Compensation Agency

  1 April 1992

  Defence Accounts Agency

  1 April 1991

  Defence Analytical Services Agency

  1 July 1992

  Defence Animal Centre

  1 June 1993

  Defence Operational Analysis Centre

  1 July 1992

  Defence Postal and Courier Services

  1 July 1992

  Defence Research Agency

  2 April 1991

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

  2 April 1990

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing (Nl)

  2 August 1993

  Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency

  1 April 1992

  Driving Standards Agency

  2 April 1990

  Duke of York's Royal Military School

  1 April 1992

  DVOlT

  1 April 1992

  Employment Service

  2 April 1990

  Fire Service College

  1 April 1992

  Forensic Science Service

  1 April 1991

  Government Property Lawyers

  1 April 1993

  Historic Royal Palaces Agency

  1 October 1989

  Historic Scotland

  2 April 1991

  Her Majesty's Prison Service

  1 April 1993

  HMSO

  14 December 1988

  Hydrographic Office

  6 April 1990

  Insolvency Service

  21 March 1990

  Intervention Board

  2 April 1990

  Laboratory of the Government Chemist

  30 October 1989

  Land Registry

  2 July 1990

  Medicines Control Agency

  11 July 1991

  Meteorological Office

  2 April 1990

  Military Survey

  2 April 1991

  National Physical Laboratory

  3 July 1990

  National Weights and Measures Laboratory

  18 April 1989

  Natural Resources Institute

  2 April 1990

  Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation

  1 April 1992

  NEL

  5 October 1990

  NHS Estates

  1 April 1991

  NHS Pensions Agency

  20 November 1992

  Northern Ireland Child Support Agency

  5 April 1993

  Occupational Health Service

  2 April 1990

  Ordnance Survey

  1 May 1990

  Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland

  1 April 1992

  Patent Office

  1 March 1990

  Paymaster

  1 April 1993

  Pesticides Safety Directorate

  1 April 1993

  Planning Inspectorate

  1 April 1992

  Public Record Office

  1 April 1992

  Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre

  6 July 1989

  Queen Victoria School

  1 April 1992

  Radiocommunications Agency

  2 April 1990

  RAF Maintenance

  2 April 1991

  Rate Collection Agency

  1 April 1991

  871

  Agency

  Launch date

  Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency

  2 April 1991

  Registers of Scotland

  6 April 1990

  Royal Mint

  2 April 1990

  Royal Parks Agency

  1 April 1993

  Scottish Agricultural Science Agency

  1 April 1992

  Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency

  12 April 1991

  Scottish Office Pensions Agency

  1 April 1993

  Scottish Prison Service

  1 April 1993

  Scottish Record Office

  1 April 1993

  Security Facilities Executive

  15 October 1993

  Service Children's Schools (North West Europe)

  24 April 1991

  Social Security Agency

  1 July 1991

  Social Security Benefits Agency

  2 April 1991

  Social Security Child Support Agency

  5 April 1993

  Social Security Contributions Agency

  2 April 1991

  Social Security Information Technology Services Agency

  2 April 1990

  Social Security Resettlement Agency

  24 May 1989

  Teachers' Pensions Agency

  1 April 1992

  The Buying Agency

  31 October 1991

  Training and Employment Agency

  2 April 1990

  Transport Research Laboratory

  2 April 1992

  United Kingdom Passport Agency

  2 April 1991

  Valuation and Lands Agency

  1 April 1993

  Valuation Office

  30 September 1991

  Vehicle Certification Agency

  2 April 1990

  Vehicle Inspectorate

  1 August 1988

  Veterinary Medicine Directorate

  2 April 1990

  Warren Spring Laboratory

  20 April 1989

  Wilton Park

  1 September 1991

  Customs and Excise (31 Executive Units)2

  1 April 1991

  Inland Revenue (31 Executive Offices)2

  1 April 1992

  1Subsequently privatised on 17 December 1993.

  2 Departments operating fully on Next Steps lines.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Illegal Immigrants (Employment)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what report he has received at his Queen Anne's gate office concerning the employment of suspected illegal immigrants; when his authority was sought to apprehend such employees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend is routinely advised of proposed enforcement operations of a major or sensitive nature, but his authority has not been sought to apprehend suspected immigration offenders employed at the Home Office, Queen Anne's gate.

  Gatwick Passengers
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for a nationwide operation this week to track down passengers who arrived at Gatwick on 21 December and who were given leave to enter the United Kingdom as visitors; how many such operations he has authorised over the past year, to date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Where there is reason to believe that a passenger from the flight is in breach of the immigration laws, the case will be followed up in the usual way. No nationwide operation is planned, nor was such an operation conducted in 1993.
  872
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (1) pursuant to his answer of 27 January,Official Report, columns 329–30, what is the total cost, to date, of removing passengers on flight ULE966, which landed at Gatwick on 21 December, who were refused entry to the United Kingdom, or granted temporary admission pending removal and removed including the costs of flights and escorts; what was the total cost of detention; where they were detained; if any third party is liable for meeting all or part of the costs of removal or detention; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 25 January, Official Report, columns 162–63, what has been the total cost, to date, of removing from the United Kingdom passengers on flight BA1262 (KT310) which arrived at Gatwick on 15 December, including the costs of flights and escorts; what was the total cost of detaining other of those passengers; where they were detained; if any third party is liable for meeting all or part of the costs of removal or detention; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Those passengers refused entry from flights ULE966 and BAl262 and not removed on the charter flight on 15 December were removed under arrangements made directly by the inbound carrier or its agents and the costs are a matter for them. The total detention cost is still being calculated. Those detained were held in detention accommodation at Gatwick, Newhaven and Campsfield house. Police and Prison Service accommodation was also used.

  Where the carrying company or its agents are given directions under paragraph 8 of schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971 to remove a passenger or to make arrangements to do so, they are responsible for all the costs involved, including those of any necessary in-flight escorts.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received, to date, from the Jamaican high commission in London concerning flight BA1262 (KT310) arriving at Gatwick on 15 December and flight ULE966 arriving at Gatwick on 21 December; what was the nature of those representations; what discussions have taken place between him and his officials and representatives of the high commission; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Immigration Service at Gatwick was in touch with the Jamaican high commission on the days of arrival of both flights.

  As I stated in my reply to the hon. Member on 11 January at column 147 the high commission has maintained a close interest in the treatment of its nationals who were refused entry. A representative of the high commission was among a delegation I met on 18 January.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 27 January,Official Report, column 329–30, what are (a) the names, (b) the ages and (c) the sex of the passengers on flight ULE966 arriving at Gatwick on 21 December who have absconded from temporary admission; what were the terms of the temporary admission which they were granted; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  It is normal practice not to disclose the names of individual passengers. Of the six referred to in my earlier reply, five are females aged 14,16,
  873
  20, 23 and 25 and one is a male aged 16. One further female refused entry, aged 33, failed to report back from temporary admission on 26 January. A woman aged 25 also absconded from temporary admission before a decision was reached in her case.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what period those Jamaican citizens who arrived at Gatwick on 21 December on flight ULE966 and were given leave to enter the United Kingdom were allowed to enter.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The majority sought entry as visitors and were given leave to enter for six months; 20 were given leave to enter until 17 January 1994.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 27 January,Official Report, column 329–30, what were the ages and sex of the children aged 16 years or under who arrived on flight ULE966 who were refused entry; if any were travelling unaccompanied; were any of the 10 who were removed from the United Kingdom were travelling unaccompanied; what is the age and sex of the child who has absconded from temporary admission; and if the child was accompanied.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Of the 14 children referred to in my earlier reply seven are male and seven are female. Details of their ages are as follows:

  3 aged 16

  1 aged 14

  2 aged 13

  1 aged 12

  3 aged 11

  1 aged 9

  1 aged 8

  1 aged 4

  1 aged 3.

  Four were unaccompanied. Four of the 10 children so far removed were unaccompanied. Three children have now absconded, a male aged 16 and two females aged 16 and 14, one of whom arrived unaccompanied.

  Disclosure of Information
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 27 January,Official Report, column 331, what was the nature of the disclosure of information to a newspaper which may have taken place; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The investigation relates to the possibility of unauthorised disclosure to a newspaper of information about an operation conducted by the police and the Immigration Service enforcement directorate.

  Immigration Officers (Powers)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discretion immigration officers may exercise in deciding what period of leave to grant; and for how long those granted leave to enter may lawfully remain in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The immigration rules provide certain periods for which a person seeking entry in various categories should normally be admitted. A person who has lawfully obtained leave to enter will normally be allowed to remain, provided he or she complies with any conditions attached to the leave, until the end of the period granted or the expiry of any variation of that leave.
  874

  Touche Ross
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department or any agencies for which he is responsible has engaged the services of the firm Touche Ross or any of its partners since 1 July 1993.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Home Office has let five contracts to Touche Ross since 1 July 1993.

  Telemillion Scheme
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations have been carried out into the status in terms of the Lottery and Amusements Act 1976 of the telemillion scheme operated by Interactive Telephone Services Group plc.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Any investigation of allegations of criminal offences under the 1976 Act would be a matter for the police.

  Immigration Powers
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 27 January,Official Report, column 329, under what powers, apart from the Immigration (Carriers Liability) Act 1987, he can demand any third party to defray all or part of the costs of (a) detention, (b) escorting and (c) removing from the United Kingdom (i) any person refused entry to visit the United Kingdom and (ii) any person granted temporary admission pending removal who is removed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Those contained in paragraph 19 of schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971.

  Exclusion Order (Withdrawal)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now arrange for the exclusion order issued against the president of Sinn Fein to be withdrawn; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  No.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the planned expenditure on the criminal injuries compensation scheme for each future financial year to 1997–98 at 1993–94 prices.

  Mr. Maclean
  Forecast expenditure on criminal injuries compensation, including the costs of administration, in the next three financial years is currently as follows:

  In cash terms

  At 1993–94 prices

  £ million

  £ million

  1994–95

  212

  204

  1995–96

  223

  206

  1996–97

  170

  153

  No estimate has yet been made in respect of 1997–98.
  875

  Prisons (Drugs)
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to introduce legislation to facilitate drug testing in prisons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  The Government believe it is essential to take action to deal with the problem of illicit drug use in our prisons. I therefore intend to bring forward a clause for inclusion in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill which will allow the Prison Service to test prisoners for drug abuse. In addition to this a new prison rule will be made by statutory instrument under the Prisons Act 1952 which will make the use of illicit drugs a disciplinary offence. I understand my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, will bring forward a similar measure.

  We believe that these measures will play a significant part in tackling illicit drug use and its deleterious effect on the maintenance of good order and discipline in our prisons.

  Prison Education
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has set a minimum standard of education for prisoners to reach before leaving prison; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the curriculum for prison education for specified prisoners throughout the prison system; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will make a policy statement on standards of prison education;

  (4) what is (a) the target and (b) average actual number of education hours per week for prisoners in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  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 front A. J. Butler to Mr. Martyn Jones, dated 3 February 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the provision of education in penal establishments in England and Wales.

  The policies and standards for prison education are set out in the White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice" (Cm 1647), in Prison and Young Offender Institution Rules, in Prison Standing Orders and in supplementary guidance.

  Education programmes should enable prisoners to learn effectively, should particularly identify and provide help for those prisoners who have difficulty reading or writing and who are unable to do simple arithmetic, and should provide appropriate help to those prisoners who have inadequate social skills. Over and above fulfilling these basic needs, programmes aim to develop a broad based educational experience for people in custody.

  Education in prison is provided under contract by Further Education Colleges and other direct education providers in the community and to comparable standards. The curriculum at any individual prison establishment is agreed between the governor and the education provider and will take account of the assessed learning needs of the inmate population. The capabilities and needs of individual prisoners vary, but programmes encourage prisoners to acquire not only worthwhile qualifications but also wider exposure to the arts and handicrafts. Education, other than for young offenders under the age of 17, is not compulsory and setting a minimum educational standard for all prisoners to reach before release would not be appropriate.
  876
  The Prison Service sets overall targets for the number of hours each prisoner should spend on a range of purposeful activities, including work, education and training, but not for individual regime activities. The number of hours that prisoners are engaged in education has, however, increased in recent years from 5·56 million in 1987–88 to 7·57 million in 1992–93.

  Electoral Registers
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions were agreed on the post election review on arrangements for inspecting marked registers after elections in their home electoral district rather than in London.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) on 20 January at column 747. Home Office officials are in consultation with officials in the Lord Chancellor's Department about the suggestion.

  Prison Building
  Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons have completed all the design, town planning and public inquiry stages and are ready to commence building in the next financial year; and how many new prisons are in the course of construction.

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

  Letter front A. J. Butler to Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith, dated 3 February 1994.

  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the new prison building programme.

  There is one new prison currently under construction at Doncaster. This is due to open in the summer this year and will be the twenty-first prison to be built under the current programme.

  A further six new prisons have been announced but it is not planned to begin construction of any of these in the next financial year, 1994–95.

  Sites at Fazakerley in Merseyside and at Bridgend in South Wales have been identified for the first two prisons. The proposal to build a prison on the Fazakerley site was the subject of a non-statutory public local inquiry held between 26 October and 10 November 1993 and we are awaiting the outcome. We have outline planning clearance to build a prison on the site at Bridgend.

  Prostitutes
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women who were engaged in prostitution activities were murdered or severely assaulted in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information available relates to homicide offences in which the relationship between the victim and the suspect has been recorded as prostitute and client, and is set out in the table.

  Similar information on assaults is not recorded centrally.

  Recorded homicides where relationship was prostitute/client

  Year

  Number

  1983

  2

  1984

  —

  1985

  2

  877

  Year

  Number

  1986

  3

  1987

  —

  1988

  3

  1989

  2

  1990

  2

  1991

  —

  1992

  —

  Probation and Bail Hostels
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each of the past three years and estimate for the next three years, the number of probation and bail hostels, the number of places and the occupancy rates; if he will estimate the cost for each place and for each used place; and what are the comparable figures for the cost of gaol.

  Mr. Maclean
  The available information is as follows:

  1. Numbers

  Year

  Number of hostels

  Number of places

  Average occupancy per cent.

  1990–91

  108

  2,190

  79

  1991–92

  111

  2,444

  74

  1992–93

  114

  2,656

  64

  1993–94

  115

  2,690

  70

  1994–95

  107

  2,560

  83

  1995–96

  107

  2,680

  83

  Accidents by Police Force area: 1979–1992

  Rate per Police Officer

  Year of Accident

  Lancashire

  Thames Valley

  Hampshire

  Kent

  Avon and Somerset

  South Wales

  1979

  1·9

  2·8

  2·5

  2·4

  1·9

  1·6

  1980

  1·9

  2·2

  2·4

  2·4

  1·9

  1·5

  1981

  1·8

  2·5

  2·4

  2·4

  1·8

  1·5

  1982

  1·9

  2·6

  2·5

  2·4

  1·9

  1·5

  1983

  1·8

  2·6

  2·4

  2·4

  1·8

  1·4

  1984

  1·9

  2·8

  2·7

  2·4

  1·8

  1·4

  1985

  1·9

  2·6

  2·6

  2·2

  1·7

  1·4

  1986

  1·8

  2·6

  2·5

  2·2

  1·7

  1·5

  1987

  1·7

  2·4

  2·4

  2·1

  1·6

  1·5

  1988

  1·7

  2·4

  2·6

  2·0

  1·7

  1·6

  1989

  1·9

  2·4

  2·6

  2·1

  1·6

  1·7

  1990

  1·9

  2·3

  2·5

  2·1

  1·6

  1·7

  1991

  1·8

  2·0

  2·2

  2·0

  1·5

  1·5

  1992

  1·9

  2·1

  2·1

  2·0

  1·4

  1·5

  Accidents by Police Force area: 1979–1992

  Rate per 100,000 population

  Year of Accident

  Lancashire

  Thames Valley

  Hampshire

  Kent

  A von and Somerset

  South Wales

  1979

  430·3

  438·8

  507·2

  465·0

  410·6

  371·4

  1980

  425·1

  380·0

  496·1

  466·4

  406·9

  363·6

  1981

  415·7

  433·4

  493·7

  468·3

  407·7

  361·3

  1982

  430·2

  446·4

  519·9

  472·9

  416·8

  366·4

  1983

  405·8

  449·2

  496·1

  455·7

  389·5

  342·8

  1984

  430·2

  499·4

  536·4

  465·1

  378·7

  346·6

  1985

  434·1

  459·3

  514·2

  426·4

  364·8

  340·9

  1986

  404·4

  467·5

  508·9

  428·2

  360·6

  355·0

  1987

  391·5

  432·4

  486·5

  405·8

  344·9

  356·0

  1988

  395·3

  438·9

  507·9

  388·7

  357·1

  379·8

  1989

  426·6

  448·8

  520·5

  414·3

  342·6

  409·9

  1990

  435·1

  434·8

  501·8

  407·1

  337·2

  394·0

  1991

  413·0

  383·0

  449·8

  387·3

  317·3

  349·4

  1992

  428·6

  395·0

  445·0

  402·1

  296·7

  346·9

  878

  2. Costs (expressed annually in terms of HO per cent. Home Office grant towards running costs)

  Year

  Cost per place (£)

  Cost per used place (£)

  1990–91

  7,352

  9,306

  1991–92

  7,447

  10,061

  1992–93

  9,130

  14,265

  1993–94

  9,803

  14,005

  1994–95

  9,887

  11,912

  1995–96

  9,974

  12,019

  Figures for the cost of prison places are not readily available in a comparable form.

  Road Accidents
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the number of road accidents(a) per police officer and (b) per 100,000 population for each year since 1979 for the South Wales, Thames Valley, Kent, Lancashire, Avon and Somerset and Hampshire police authority areas; and what were the comparable totals for all non-metropolitan and Welsh non-metropolitan police authority areas.

  Mr. Key
  The information requested is shown in the following two tables.
  879

  Accidents in non-metropolitan areas 1979–92

  Rate per police officer

  Rate per 100,000 population

  Year of accident

  England—non metropolitan areas

  Wales—non metropolitan areas

  England—non metropolitan areas

  Wales—non metropolitan areas

  1979

  2·3

  1·8

  452

  403

  1980

  2·2

  1·8

  442

  391

  1981

  2·2

  1·7

  441

  386

  1982

  2·3

  1·8

  454

  394

  1983

  2·2

  1·6

  432

  367

  1984

  2·3

  1·7

  454

  375

  1985

  2·2

  1·6

  439

  362

  1986

  2·3

  1·7

  443

  373

  1987

  2·1

  1·7

  424

  371

  1988

  2·2

  1·8

  436

  391

  1989

  2·3

  1·8

  454

  411

  1990

  2·2

  1·8

  446

  411

  1991

  2·0

  1·7

  399

  375

  1992

  1·9

  1·6

  393

  361

ENVIRONMENT

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what evaluation he has made of the use of management agreements as a means of protecting sites of special scientific interest; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. Friend considers that the United Kingdom's existing system for preventing damage to notified sites under the SSSI provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the land-use planning system together provide effective safeguards. The financial guidelines, which provide a basis for calculating payments in management agreements, are currently under review. The revised guidelines will be the subject of public consultation before they come into force.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many times he has granted nature conservation orders for the protection of sites of special scientific interest under section 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; how many are still in operation; how many he has refused in England since 1982; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  At 31 December 1993, 29 orders had been made. Of these, 10 have been revoked after satisfactory protection for the site was agreed with the owners, one was revoked after a local inquiry as the site did not meet the legal requirements for an order and 18 are in place. In the majority of these, negotiations towards a management agreement are continuing. Orders have been refused on three occasions. It is a measure of the success of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and of the voluntary principle policy that the Secretary of State has used his powers on so few occasions.

  Local Government Review
  Mr. Marland
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the Government's intentions for the local government review following the High Court judgment of the Lancashire challenge.

  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking in response to the 880
  High Court judgment in the action brought by Lancashire and Derbyshire county councils which deletes as unlawful a sentence from the November 1993 policy guidance to the local government commission.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional guidance he intends to give to the Local Government Commission on the conduct of the review following the High Court decision on Lancashire and Derbyshire on 28 January.

  Mr. Gummer
  The review of local government in England and the work of the Local Government Commission will continue. The Government are not appealing against the court ruling, which makes it clear that the Local Government Commission exercises its own judgment—something that has never been in dispute. The commission's reviews will continue on the basis of the policy guidance issued in November 1993 with the omission of the final sentence of paragraph 3. The aim of the local government review continues to be to provide effective and convenient local government which takes account of community identities. The Government believe that unitary authorities will often be the best way of achieving these objectives. In those cases they will be able to reduce costs and improve the quality and co-ordination of services. They will therefore often provide the best form of local government. Decisions will be taken on commission recommendations in that light. However, there is no national blueprint and the Government do not rule out consideration of two tiers in particular cirumstances, with or without changes to the status quo, where a strong case for that is made.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance he proposes to make available to London boroughs and the common council during 1994–95 in respect of extra costs which those authorities may face as a result of decisions on housing revenue account subsidy in respect of debt inherited from the former Greater London council; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  For 1993–94 my right hon. Friend announced a scheme of special assistance for London boroughs and the common council facing extra costs that year as a result of his decision that housing revenue account subsidy and housing subsidy is not payable under the statute in respect of certain debts inherited from the former Greater London council. Should the House of Lords uphold the judgments of the divisional court and the Court of Appeal in respect of his decision, he proposes to make similar arrangements for 1994–95.

  Betterment Levy
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the collection of betterment levy imposed by the Land Commission Act 1967.

  Mr. Baldry
  It is no longer cost effective to continue pursuing collection of betterment levy. In the 1992–93 financial year, £232,595 has been written off. There remain 52 outstanding cases in England and Wales, totalling £85,676·53. Against this background, I have decided that these cases should also be written off.
  881

  Hydrofluorocarbons
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, if he will make a statement about the production of HFCs.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Government have no plans to ban the production of HFCs because we regard them as important alternatives for some uses of CFCs and HCFCs, particularly in refrigeration. Their production is bound to increase as those substances are phased out. They are, however, greenhouse gases and, subject to the decisions of next year's conference of parties, the climate change convention requires developed countries to take actions aimed at returning their emissions to 1990 levels by 2000. Such actions must not damage our efforts to phase out CFCs and HCFCs as quickly as possible. The United Kingdom's climate change programme, published last week, therefore commits the Government to explore with HFC producers and consumers the scope for agreements to ensure that, where HFCs are used, emissions to the atmosphere are minimised, and that HFCs are not used where emissions are unavoidable if safe, practical and more environmentally acceptable alternatives are available.

  Waste Disposal
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the implication for the operation of local authority waste disposal companies of the recent Court of Appeal judgment on Avon county council's award of a waste disposal contract under the statutory tendering process.

  Mr. Atkins
  The formation of local authority waste disposal companies to which waste disposal authorities transfer the relevant part of their undertakings is envisaged in part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Act also obliges waste disposal authorities to let waste disposal contracts through competitive tender to waste disposal contractors, which may include local authority waste disposal companies. Where a contractor believes that a waste disposal authority has not followed the competitive tendering provisions contained in the Act, the contractor may take action through the courts. The contractor has exercised that option in this instance. There is still the possibility of further legal process, and therefore it would not be appropriate for me to comment more fully on this specific case.

  Housing (Publicity Expenditure)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide details of the breakdown of expenditure on departmental publicity relating to housing matters for 1993–94.

  Sir George Young
  As at 2 February 1993, my Department has committed £767,361.88 for publicity expenditure on housing policies. The breakdown is as follows:

  £

  Advertising

  356,340·99

  Printing

  293,643·77

  Exhibitions

  26,587·13

  Audio Visual

  2,120·88

  882

  £

  Promotions

  3,841·54

  Fulfilment

  33,710·34

  Conferences

  12,014·28

  Distribution

  8,435·45

  Research

  30,667·50

  Living Over the Shop Project
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect his consideration of the report by the housing consultants, Chapman Hendy Associates, on "Living Over the Shop", has had on the Government's policy on the living over the shop project.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: In considering applications for funding under the Department's special grants programme, which was again this year oversubscribed, we took into account all supporting information provided. Unfortunately, the application by the living over the shop project was not successful. The project has previously received grants of £113,000 over three years from the Department and the Housing Corporation.

  The Government remain committed to encouraging the use of empty residential space above shops. Some £10 million of supplementary credit approvals will be available to local authorities for 1994–95: bids amounting to about £40 million have been received and allocations will be announced shortly. In addition, the Housing Corporation will be supporting schemes by housing associations.

  Vacant Properties
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many vacant properties he wishes to bring back into the affordable rented housing sector; and if he will provide a breakdown by(a) Government properties, (b) private sector properties and (c) local authority properties.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 28 January 1994]: On 1 April 1993 there were around 900,000 empty dwellings in England, of which 26,683 were owned by housing associations, 70,909 were owned by local authorities, around 12,400 were owned by the Government and other public sector bodies, and around 765,000 were in private sector ownership, according to statistical returns from local authorities and housing associations. My answer of 24 January to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker), Official Report, columns 23–26, gives further details. The Government wish to see the best possible use made of empty property, regardless of its ownership. They offer encouragement to local authorities and private owners to do so, and have set up a task force on Government Departments' empty homes to help to bring residential property back into housing use. The task force is expected to present its final report to Ministers shortly.

  Building Management
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out(a) by region the proceeds from the sale of the constituent parts of Building

  883
  Management, (b) the amount of money set aside to cover possible redundancy costs and (c) the total number of redundancies and the cost involved.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right

  Building Management Scotland

  Building Management Manchester

  Building Management South East

  Building Management South and West

  (a)Proceeds from the sale including some phased payments (£ million)

  3·5

  -11·5

  Net 10·4

  (b)Agreed limit to the Department's liability for severance costs for those made redundant in the first five years post sale, including staff who did not transfer with the business (£ million)

  15·0

  26·0

  30·0

  25·0

  (c) (i)Total numbers of redundancies to date

  125

  139

  191

  97

  (ii)Of these, total number of staff made redundant by the Purchasers

  0

  0

  2

  1

  (iii)Estimated cost of redundancies to date (£ million)

  4·5

  4·5

  6·0

  3·5

EMPLOYMENT

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much funding has been made available to each TEC 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.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Funding made available to each training and enterprise council in 1992–93 and 1993–94 for

  YT and Credits

  1992–93 Cash terms £ million

  Cash terms £ million

  1993–94 1992–93 prices £ million

  1992–93 prices Percent. +/-

  Hampshire

  17·54

  16·05

  15·54

  -11·38

  Heart of England

  5·70

  5·24

  5·08

  -10·96

  Isle of Wight

  1·86

  1·74

  1·69

  -9·40

  Kent

  18·00

  18·06

  17·49

  -2·82

  Milton Keynes and North Bucks.

  3·99

  51·4

  4·98

  24·77

  Surrey

  4·40

  4·41

  4·27

  -2·93

  Sussex

  11·26

  10·29

  9·97

  -11·49

  Thames Valley Enterprise

  9·23

  12·60

  12·20

  32·21

  AZTEC

  3·62

  3·69

  3·57

  -1·27

  CENTEC

  6·54

  7·43

  7·20

  10·03

  CILNTEC

  7·25

  8·04

  7·79

  7·41

  LETEC

  12·54

  14·17

  13·72

  9·44

  North London

  4·14

  3·89

  3·77

  -9·00

  North West London

  2·46

  2·90

  2·81

  14·18

  SOLOTEC

  9·09

  8·51

  8·24

  -9·33

  South Thames

  9·15

  11·76

  11·39

  24·48

  West London

  6·56

  7·41

  7·18

  9·40

  Bedfordshire

  5·30

  5·60

  5·42

  2·33

  CAMBSTEC

  2·64

  3·20

  3·10

  17·40

  Essex

  16·02

  16·53

  16·01

  -0·06

  Greater Peterborough

  4·50

  4·69

  4·54

  0·94

  Hertfordshire

  13·19

  13·13

  12·72

  -3·59

  Norfolk/Waveney

  10·73

  10·30

  9·98

  -7·03

  Suffolk

  9·53

  9·45

  9·15

  -3·96

  Avon

  11·81

  11·99

  11·61

  -1·67

  Devon/Cornwall

  26·31

  23·83

  23·08

  -12·28

  Dorset

  7·30

  6·66

  6·45

  -11·64

  Gloucestershire

  6·58

  6·41

  6·21

  -5·65

  Somerset

  6·39

  5·79

  5·61

  -12·24

  884
  hon. Friend the Minister for Housing, Inner Cities and Construction on 19 January Office Report column 675, in respect of the Noreast Building Management business.The information on the remaining four businesses is set out in the table.

  (a) youth training and credits, (b) training for work and the programmes it replaced, and (c) business start-up schemes are given in the following tables. Figures for 1993–94 are also shown in 1992–93 prices.

  TEC budgets shown for employment training, employment action and higher technology national training in 1992–93 exclude allowances paid to participants, while budgets for training for work in 1993–94 include these allowances. TEC budgets for the BSUS in 1992–93 include an element for business enterprise training. This is funded through the Department of Trade and Industry in 1993–94.

  In addition to the budgets shown in the following tables additional funding has been made available in 1993–94 to TECs to extend BSUS and to provide special measures in coal closure areas. Details by TEC are not yet available.
  885

  1992–93 Cash terms £ million

  Cash terms £ million

  1993–94 1992–93 prices £ million

  1992–93 prices Percent. +/-

  Wiltshire

  6·76

  5·93

  5·74

  -15·04

  Birmingham

  20·64

  18·56

  17·98

  -12·91

  Central England

  5·11

  4·16

  4·03

  -21·15

  Coventry/Warwickshire

  11·86

  11·85

  11·48

  -3·23

  Dudley

  5·20

  4·96

  4·80

  -7·62

  HAWTEC

  5·47

  5·57

  5·39

  -1·38

  Sandwell

  5·46

  5·01

  4·85

  -11·13

  Shropshire

  7·66

  6·30

  6·10

  -20·34

  Staffordshire

  20·57

  20·62

  19·97

  -2·91

  Walsall

  4·32

  3·78

  3·66

  -15·25

  Wolverhampton

  5·24

  5·06

  4·90

  -6·47

  Greater Nottinghamshire

  9·66

  9·26

  8·97

  -7·16

  Leicester

  13·34

  12·98

  12·57

  -5·76

  Lincolnshire

  10·19

  10·73

  10·39

  1·98

  North Derby

  5·09

  4·96

  4·80

  -5·62

  North Nottinghamshire

  7·37

  7·42

  7·19

  -2·49

  Northamptonshire

  6·75

  7·48

  7·24

  7·33

  South Derby

  8·63

  8·42

  8·15

  -5·50

  Barnsley/Doncaster

  12·90

  12·83

  12·43

  -3·67

  Bradford and District

  10·60

  10·69

  10·35

  -2·33

  Calderdale/Kirklees

  9·70

  12·54

  12·15

  25·21

  Humbcrside

  17·90

  16·23

  15·72

  -12·18

  Leeds

  8·80

  7·65

  7·41

  -15·80

  North Yorkshire

  8·00

  7·26

  7·03

  -12·11

  Rotherham

  5·60

  5·71

  5·53

  -1·25

  Sheffield

  9·50

  9·56

  9·26

  -2·54

  Wakefield

  5·30

  4·89

  4·74

  -10·64

  Bolton/Bury

  6·88

  6·86

  6·64

  -3·43

  Manchester

  16·41

  16·21

  15·70

  -4·33

  METROTEC

  5·31

  5·35

  5·18

  -2·42

  Oldham

  4·83

  4·71

  4·56

  -5·55

  Rochdale

  3·77

  4·04

  3·91

  3·79

  South and East Cheshire

  6·48

  7·28

  7·05

  8·81

  Stockport

  4·73

  5·30

  5·13

  8·52

  CEWTEC

  9·46

  9·25

  8·96

  -5·30

  Cumbria

  9·65

  9·74

  9·43

  -2·24

  ELTEC

  9·31

  9·62

  9·32

  0·08

  LAWTEC

  12·79

  13·25

  12·83

  0·34

  Merseyside

  22·75

  27·64

  26·77

  17·67

  NORMID

  7·17

  7·72

  7·48

  4·28

  QUALITEC

  5·07

  5·62

  5·44

  7·36

  Durham

  12·99

  12·86

  12·46

  -4·12

  Northumberland

  7·75

  7·52

  7·28

  -6·02

  Teeside

  15·66

  13·75

  13·32

  -14·96

  Tyncside

  17·04

  18·33

  17·75

  4·18

  Wearside

  7·35

  7·78

  7·54

  2·52

  ET/EA/HTNT (1992–93) TFW (1993–94)

  1992–93 cash terms £ million

  cash terms £ million

  1993–94 1992–93 prices £ million

  1992–93 prices percentage +/-

  Hampshire

  6·64

  11·67

  11·30

  70·22

  Heart of England

  2·15

  3·86

  3·74

  73·88

  Isle of Wight

  0·81

  1·38

  1·34

  65·01

  Kent

  7·72

  14·23

  13·78

  78·52

  Milton Keynes and North Buckinghamshire

  1·58

  2·83

  2·74

  73·48

  Surrey

  2·36

  5·06

  4·90

  107·66

  Sussex

  6·27

  11·04

  10·69

  70·53

  Thames Valley Enterprise

  3·28

  8·48

  8·21

  150·40

  AZTEC

  3·37

  6·83

  6·62

  96·29

  CENTEC

  8·42

  15·61

  15·12

  79·56

  CILNTEC

  7·42

  14·46

  14·00

  88·74

  LETEC

  13·02

  24·00

  23·24

  78·53

  North London

  7·20

  13·16

  12·75

  77·02

  North West London

  2·83

  7·14

  6·92

  144·36

  SOLOTEC

  4·22

  8·24

  7·98

  89·11

  886 887

  1992–93 cash terms £ million

  cash terms £ million

  1993–94 1992–93 prices £ million

  1992–93 prices percentage +/-

  South Thames

  12·90

  25·17

  24·38

  88·97

  West London

  3·38

  7·40

  7·17

  112·04

  Bedfordshire

  2·73

  5·29

  5·12

  87·67

  CAMBSTEC

  1·02

  2·30

  2·23

  118·39

  Essex

  10·07

  12·67

  12·27

  21·86

  Greater Peterborough

  2·22

  4·59

  4·45

  100·25

  Hertfordshire

  4·02

  7·16

  6·93

  72·50

  Norfolk/Waveney

  5·57

  11·29

  10·93

  96·31

  Suffolk

  2·11

  4·65

  4·50

  113·44

  Avon

  8·00

  14·97

  14·50

  81·23

  Devon/Com wall

  11·24

  25·53

  24·73

  119·99

  Dorset

  3·58

  6·70

  6·49

  81·26

  Gloucestershire

  2·54

  5·07

  4·91

  93·32

  Somerset

  2·81

  5·26

  5·09

  81·30

  Wiltshire

  2·68

  5·62

  5·44

  103·10

  Birmingham

  18·60

  22·33

  21·63

  16·27

  Central England

  2·78

  5·08

  4·92

  76·98

  Coventry/Warwickshire

  6·41

  13·16

  12·75

  98·84

  Dudley

  3·11

  5·79

  5·61

  80·31

  HAWTEC

  2·41

  4·87

  4·72

  95·71

  Sandwell

  3·33

  6·42

  6·22

  86·72

  Shropshire

  2·95

  5·52

  5·35

  81·23

  Staffordshire

  6·71

  11·91

  11·54

  71·91

  Walsall

  2·81

  4·83

  4·68

  66·48

  Wolverhampton

  3·36

  5·44

  5·27

  56·81

  Greater Nottinghamshire

  5·35

  10·31

  9·99

  86·64

  Leicester

  5·13

  8·88

  8·60

  67·65

  Lincolnshire

  5·27

  11·78

  11·41

  116·49

  North Derbyshire

  2·30

  5·01

  4·85

  110·97

  North Nottinghamshire

  5·84

  7·46

  7·23

  23·72

  Northants

  2·32

  3·84

  3·72

  60·31

  South Derbyshire

  4·60

  7·74

  7·50

  62·96

  Barnsley/Doncaster

  7·10

  13·74

  13·31

  87·43

  Bradford and District

  5·00

  8·35

  8·09

  61·74

  Calderdale/Kirklees

  6·00

  10·80

  10·46

  74·33

  Humberside

  10·90

  17·75

  17·19

  57·72

  Leeds

  5·90

  13·38

  12·96

  119·64

  North Yorkshire

  3·60

  6·76

  6·55

  81·87

  Rotherham

  3·50

  6·11

  5·92

  69·08

  Sheffield

  7·00

  14·27

  13·82

  97·44

  Wakefield

  3·70

  6·88

  6·66

  80·09

  Bolton/Bury

  3·04

  5·47

  5·30

  74·27

  Manchester

  11·24

  18·17

  17·60

  56·57

  METROTEC

  2·81

  4·72

  4·57

  62·68

  Oldham

  1·90

  3·70

  3·58

  88·61

  Rochdale

  2·58

  4·69

  4·54

  76·06

  South and East Cheshire

  2·68

  4·36

  4·22

  57·57

  Stockport

  1·95

  3·81

  3·69

  89·23

  CEWTEC

  5·90

  11·03

  10·68

  81·06

  Cumbria

  3·35

  6·38

  6·18

  84·45

  ELTEC

  3·91

  7·42

  7·19

  83·80

  LAWTEC

  7·34

  12·37

  11·98

  63·22

  Merseyside

  16·73

  30·04

  29·09

  73·91

  NORMID

  3·05

  5·51

  5·34

  74·97

  QUALITEC

  2·42

  4·72

  4·57

  88·90

  Durham

  9·30

  16·79

  16·26

  74·85

  Northumberland

  3·57

  6·67

  6·46

  80·95

  Teeside

  10·80

  18·31

  17·73

  64·20

  Tyneside

  13·14

  25·15

  24·36

  85·38

  Wearside

  6·64

  12·56

  12·16

  83·20

  888 889

  BES (1992–93) BSUS (1993–94)

  1992–95

  1993–94

  cash terms £ million

  cash terms £ million

  1992–93 prices £ million

  1992–93 prices percentage +/-

  Hampshire

  3·12

  2·04

  1·98

  -36·67

  Heart of England

  1·20

  0·36

  0·35

  -70·94

  Isle of Wight

  0·49

  0·31

  0·30

  -38·73

  Kent

  2·75

  2·34

  2·27

  -17·59

  Milton Keynes and North Buckinghamshire

  0·76

  0·36

  0·35

  -54·12

  Surrey

  1·85

  0·86

  0·83

  -54·98

  Sussex

  3·98

  1·18

  1·14

  -71·28

  Thames Valley Enterprise

  2·40

  1·13

  1·09

  -54·40

  AZTEC

  1·46

  0·76

  0·74

  -49·58

  CENTEC

  4·18

  1·24

  1·20

  -71·27

  CILNTEC

  2·82

  1·80

  1·74

  -38·18

  LETEC

  2·75

  1·06

  1·03

  -62·67

  North London

  2·56

  1·38

  1·34

  -47·79

  North West London

  1·34

  0·66

  0·64

  -52·30

  SOLOTEC

  1·98

  1·89

  1·83

  -7·55

  South Thames

  3·36

  1·81

  1·75

  -47·83

  West London

  1·92

  0·95

  0·92

  -52·08

  Bedfordshire

  1·11

  0·45

  0·44

  -60·74

  CAMBSTEC

  0·88

  0·34

  0·33

  -62·58

  Essex

  2·69

  1·05

  1·02

  -62·20

  Greater Peterborough

  0·60

  0·30

  0·29

  -51·57

  Hertfordshire

  3·00

  1·40

  1·36

  -54·80

  Norfolk/Waveney

  2·16

  1·30

  1·26

  -41·71

  Suffolk

  1·36

  0·87

  0·84

  -38·04

  Avon

  3·60

  1·55

  1·50

  -58·30

  Devon/Cornwall

  5·44

  3·27

  3·17

  -41·78

  Dorset

  2·10

  0·74

  0·72

  -65·87

  Gloucestershire

  1·80

  1·59

  1·54

  -14·45

  Somerset

  1·80

  0·58

  0·56

  -68·79

  Wiltshire

  1·90

  1·60

  1·55

  -18·44

  Birmingham

  3·91

  2·28

  2·21

  -43·52

  Central England

  1·36

  0·97

  0·94

  -30·92

  Coventry/Warwickshire

  2·65

  1·52

  1·47

  -44·45

  Dudley

  0·97

  0·56

  0·54

  -44·09

  HAWTEC

  1·53

  0·92

  0·89

  -41·76

  Sandwell

  1·01

  0·54

  0·52

  -48·22

  Shropshire

  1·43

  0·84

  0·81

  -43·11

  Staffordshire

  3·17

  1·37

  1·33

  -58·14

  Walsall

  0·87

  0·38

  0·37

  -57·70

  Wolverhampton

  1·00

  0·56

  0·54

  -45·76

  Greater Nottinghamshire

  1·80

  1·37

  1·33

  -26·28

  Leicestershire

  2·90

  1·93

  1·87

  -35·54

  Lincolnshire

  1·95

  1·23

  1·19

  -38·91

  North Derby

  1·11

  0·57

  0·55

  -50·27

  North Nottinghamshire

  1·46

  0·90

  0·87

  -40·30

  Northamptonshire

  1·60

  0·90

  0·87

  -45·52

  South Derby

  1·75

  0·51

  0·49

  -71·77

  Barnsley/Doncaster

  1·50

  1·16

  1·12

  -25·10

  Bradford and District

  1·80

  1·20

  1·16

  -35·43

  Calderdale/Kirklees

  2·00

  1·53

  1·48

  -25·91

  Humberside

  3·20

  1·77

  1·71

  -46·43

  Leeds

  2·30

  1·44

  1·39

  -39·36

  North Yorkshire

  2·20

  1·63

  1·58

  -28·24

  Rotherham

  1·10

  0·68

  0·66

  -40·13

  Sheffield

  2·20

  1·04

  1·01

  -54·22

  Wakefield

  1·20

  0·75

  0·73

  -39·47

  Bolton/Bury

  1·53

  0·97

  0·94

  -38·60

  Manchester

  4·32

  2·81

  2·72

  -37·00

  METROTEC

  1·15

  0·76

  0·74

  -35·99

  Oldham

  0·78

  0·46

  0·45

  -42·88

  Rochdale

  0·74

  0·27

  0·26

  -64·66

  South and East Cheshire

  1·36

  0·57

  0·55

  -59·41

  Stockport

  1·52

  0·84

  0·81

  -46·48

  CEWTEC

  2·40

  1·21

  1·17

  -51·17

  Cumbria

  1·60

  1·12

  1·08

  -32·20

  ELTEC

  1·89

  1·09

  1·06

  -44·14

  LAWTEC

  2·76

  1·12

  1·08

  -60·70

  Merseyside

  4·30

  2·35

  2·28

  -47·07

  NORMID

  1·45

  0·78

  0·76

  -47·90

  QUALITEC

  0·62

  0·44

  0·43

  -31·27

  Durham

  2·48

  1·48

  1·43

  -42·20

  Northumberland

  1·30

  0·66

  0·64

  -50·83

  Teeside

  2·38

  1·39

  1·35

  -43·44

  Tyneside

  3·49

  1·27

  1·23

  -64·76

  Wearside

  1·29

  0·50

  0·48

  -62·46

  890 891

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

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister on I February 1994,Official Report, column 611.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were in employment in the Amber Valley constituency, for its nearest equivalent, in(a) 1979, (b) 1983, (c) 1987 and (d) 1992; and what is the latest figure.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information on employees in employment in the Amber Valley parliamentary constituency is available from the periodic censuses of employment, and is given in the following table:

  Employees in employment in the Amber Valley constituency in September of each year.

  Number

  1981

  129,300

  1984

  32,000

  1987

  34,300

  1989

  35,900

  1991

  36,700

  1 The boundary for this parliamentary constituency was revised in 1983 and therefore the information for 1981 is not directly comparable with that in later censuses.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current rate of unemployment in the Amber Valley constituency; what is the latest figure for the south-east; and what is the current average figure for each of the EC countries.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In December 1993, the seasonally adjusted rate of claimant unemployment stood at 9·7 per cent. of the workforce in the South East region. Claimant unemployment rates are not available for areas smaller than the self-contained labour markets known as travel-to-work areas. No figure is available for the Amber Valley constituency.

  Internationally comparable unemployment figures based on the internationally standardised ILO definition of unemployment are published by EUROSTAT in its monthly "Unemployment Bulletin", copies of which are available in the Library. The United Kingdom ILO unemployment rate is below the EC average and is falling.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were placed in employment by(a) Kilwinning and (b) Irvine jobcentres in each month since April 1992.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 3 February 1994:
  892
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the number of people placed into employment by Kilwinning and Irvine Jobcentres each month since April 1992.

  Tables are attached which show this information.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Placings achieved by Irvine and Kilwinning Jobcentres April 1992 to March 1993

  Month

  Irvine jobcentre

  Kilwinning jobcentre

  April 1992

  342

  175

  May 1992

  309

  188

  June 1992

  341

  180

  July 1992

  299

  124

  August 1992

  366

  90

  September 1992

  285

  135

  October 1992

  434

  224

  November 1992

  393

  99

  December 1992

  155

  58

  January 1993

  304

  137

  February 1993

  318

  138

  March 1993

  226

  78

  Placings achieved by Irvine and Kilwinning Jobcentres April 1993 to December 1993

  Month

  Irvine jobcentre

  Kilwinning jobcentre

  April 1993

  321

  117

  May 1993

  344

  137

  June 1993

  388

  146

  July 1993

  351

  139

  August 1993

  332

  151

  September 1993

  356

  142

  October 1993

  448

  154

  November 1993

  428

  129

  December 1993

  219

  44

  Unemployed People, Cornwall
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much central Government money was spent on schemes to help unemployed people in Cornwall in each year since 1979 in total and per person unemployed; and if he will list which schemes are included in these totals for each year.

  Miss Widdecombe
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Industrial Disputes
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of days lost in industrial disputes in relation to the size of the work force in each EC country in(a) the latest year for which information is available and (b) 10 years previously.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The latest available data are given in the following table:

  Working days lost per thousand employees in employment1 2

  1992

  1982

  United Kingdom

  20

  250

  Belgium

  40

  170

  Denmark

  30

  50

  France

  30

  130

  Germany (Federal Republic)

  60

  4—

  Greece

  52,910

  830

  Ireland

  220

  500

  893

  1992

  1982

  Italy

  6200

  1,280

  Netherlands

  10

  50

  Portugal

  60

  170

  Spain

  670

  360

  1 It should be noted that there are some differences in coverage between each country's statistics. More details can be found on page 550 of Employment Gazette December 1993.

  2 Data are not available for Luxembourg.

  3 Data relates to 1980.

  4 Less than five days lost per thousand.

  5 Data relates to 1991.

  6 Data relates to 1991.

  Lettuce Growing
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many inspections were made by the Health and Safety Executive agricultural inspectorate of lettuce-growing establishments in each month since January 1993; and how many cases of misuse of pesticides were found by the agriculture inspectorate in each month since January.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is not readily available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Between 1 April 1992 and 31 March 1993, the latest year for which information is available, inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive's agricultural inspectorate made a total of 40,051 visits which includes visits to lettuce and other salad production establishments. During the same period agricultural inspectors investigated 206 pesticides incidents.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the cost of administering unemployment benefit in the Greenock travel-to-work area in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Dr. Norman Godman, dated 3 February 1994:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the cost of administering unemployment benefit in the Greenock travel-to-work area in each of the past five years.

  Perhaps I should make it clear that as the Employment Service Is responsible for administering several other benefits in addition to Unemployment Benefit, it is not possible to provide information on the payment of Unemployment Benefit only. Therefore the figures relate to the administration costs for all benefits paid to clients. In addition, as our records of local office running costs are retained for only the last three complete financial years. I am consequently unable to provide information in respect of those financial years prior to 1990–91. The information below is in respect of the area covered by the Greenock and Port Glasgow offices, which more or less approximates to the Greenock travel-to-work area.

  Given these provisos, the relevant costs, which include staff salary and other running costs, such as fuel and telecommunications, are as follows:
  894

  Financial year

  Non-integrated £

  Integrated £

  Total costs £

  1990–91

  606,942

  Nil

  606,942

  1991–92

  300,208

  561,186

  861,394

  1992–93

  Nil

  1,235,560

  1,235,560

  These figures give a total cost for the three years of £2,703,896 broken down into £907,150 for costs related to Unemployment Benefit Offices (UBO) and £1,796,764 for those related to Employment Service Jobcentres (ESJ).

  However, I must emphasise that these figures are not strictly comparable. As you may be aware, since 1990 the Employment Service has been pursuing a policy of bringing together Unemployment Benefit Offices and Jobcentres with the aim of providing a more efficient and effective service to our clients. Our Inverclyde offices have featured as part of this programme of integration, Greenock in November 1991 and Port Glasgow in March 1991. The figures provided for the periods after integration, therefore, include job broking costs as well as benefit administration costs.

  Given the fact that staff in our integrated offices are responsible for all aspects of Employment Service work, it is not possible to provide any further accurate or meaningful breakdowns in these costs.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Essex Training and Enterprise Council
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how much total funding has been made available for the Essex TEC expressed in cash terms and with the percentage change from the previous year for each financial year of its existence;

  (2) how much funding has been made available for the Essex TEC in 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94 expressed in cash terms and with the percentage change from the previous year for (a) youth training and credits, (b) training for work and the programme it replaced and (c) business start-up allowance; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The following table provides the information requested for each full year of the training and enterprise council's existence.

  Funding for TECs is negotiated annually by officials from the Department who ensure that budgets are sufficient to meet priority local needs. Officials also ensure through regular reviews that TECs deliver quality training and enterprise support in a cost-effective way.

  Essex TEC

  1991–92 £ million

  1992–93 £ million

  1993–94 £ million

  Youth/training credits

  13·712

  15·313

  16·712

  Per cent, change

  —

  11·68

  9·14

  Training for Work

  5·637

  6·026

  6·133

  Per cent, change

  —

  6·9

  1·78

  Business start up allowance

  0·424

  0·670

  0·863

  Per cent, change

  —

  58·0

  28·8

  Total

  19·773

  22·009

  23·708

  Note:

  All figures except 1993–94 are based on actual spend.

  1993–94 figures are estimated, based on contracted amounts.

  TfW figures include the programmes replaced by TfW, including Employment Training, Employment Action and HTNT.

  BSU figures are based on the amounts paid for starts and survivors.

  Figures do not include the following interest-free loans:

  (i) a Working Capital Loan of £1,774K the balance of which was repaid in 1992–93.

  (ii) Fixed Asset Loans totalling £650K which are written off over five years between July 1990 and July 1995. The balance of these loans is currently £168K.
  895

  Jobcentre, Brixham
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will instruct his agents in Brixham to engage in the fullest consultation on the building of a new job centre in the old bus station site; and what is his policy on(a) leasing or (b) building new buildings for the purposes of employment.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 3 February 1994:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about a new Jobcentre in Brixham, and about our policy on leasing or building new buildings.

  For commercial reasons it is our policy not to comment on specific locations for prospective sites for new jobcentres. I can however, confirm that the Employment Service (ES) is considering a number of options in the Brixham area, and that all of these will be subjected to the fullest consideration and fully evaluated.

  All options, including leasing and purchase of new buildings, will be subject to an investment appraisal in accordance with Treasury guidelines.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Job Shops
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his annual budget for running job shops in England; how many staff are employed; and how many of the premises are owned by his Department or leased by it and at what annual cost.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 3 February 1994:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the annual cost of running Jobcentres in England, the number of staff employed and how many offices are owned or leased.

  The annual budget provided for running the Employment Service (ES) Local Offices' in England for 1993–94 was some £729 million, which includes premises operating costs of £122 million.

  The ES employs around 43,000 staff in 1,021 offices in England. Of these buildings 607 are Departmental Estate properties, administered by the ES, and 414 are Common User Estate properties, administered by Property Holdings.

  I hope this is helpful.

DEFENCE

  Airmisses
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the date, location, altitude, aircraft types and joint airmiss working group determination of cause, for all category C airmiss reports involving military aircraft in the period from 1 January 1990.
  896
  Mr. Hanley
  A list of all category C airmiss reports involving military aircraft in the period from 1 January 1990 will be placed in the Library of the House.

  "Feedback"
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the current issue of the Royal Air Force inspectorate of flight safety publication "Feedback".

  Mr. Hanley
  No. "Feedback" is an internal Royal Air Force document for official use only. It is intended to provide early and practical guidance to service air and ground crews in their particular environment.

  Harrier Jet (Wirestrike Incident)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the wirestrike incident involving a Royal Air Force Harrier in north Norway on 15 November 1993.

  Mr. Hanley
  The aircraft was on a routine training exercise and struck power cables while flying through a fjord at 335 ft. The aircraft suffered minor damage and was able to land at a diversion airfield. The cause of this incident is currently under investigation by an RAF board of inquiry.

  Skyguard Radar
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the purpose of Royal Air Force Provost and Security Service monitoring by Skyguard radar of aircraft flying at altitudes higher than 2,000 ft.

  Mr. Hanley
  The purpose of deploying the Skyguard radar system in its low flying monitoring role is to observe military aircraft flying below 2000 ft. However, some tracking of military aircraft flying above 2000 ft is unavoidable. The Skyguard system comprises two radars; a search radar and a tracking radar. Aircraft in the area of monitoring are picked up on the search radar initially before the tracking radar is set to observe a particular aircraft in detail. Only when the tracking radar has locked on to an aircraft can its height be established. Once an aircraft has been identified as flying above 2000 ft, attention is turned to monitoring other aircraft in the area.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the system for reporting of breaches of low flying regulations recorded by Skyguard radar; to which units or offices such breaches are reported; and what are the mechanisms for instituting disciplinary proceedings.

  Mr. Hanley
  Following any apparent breach of low flying regulations recorded by Skyguard, the RAF police conducts further inquiries to identify the aircraft concerned and interview the aircrew. A report is then passed to my Department's secretariat—Air Staff—and copied to other interested parties, including the commanding officer of the aircrew concerned. Where breaches of low flying regulations are not the subject of court martial or summary disposal proceedings under the service discipline Acts, responsibilty for action lies with the commanding officer of the aircrew.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what equipment is carried by RAF police in covert
  897
  monitoring of low flying without use of Skyguard radar; how many aircraft have been observed by such non-radar covert monitoring in each year since 1990; and how many apparent breaches of low flying regulations were detected by these monitoring deployments.

  Mr. Hanley
  Covert monitoring of low-flying aircraft without the use of Skyguard is carried out visually by experienced RAF Police observers following a survey of the chosen site. The relative heights and distances of local landmarks are taken into account when conducting the survey.

  The number of aircraft observed using these methods since 1990 are as follows:

  Year

  Number of aircraft observed

  1990

  177

  1991

  533

  1992

  276

  1993

  347

  Four apparent breaches of low flying regulations were detected during these covert monitoring deployments.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the changes in policy since February 1992 concerning the release of statistical information on the results of Skyguard monitoring of low flying; and what were the reasons for those changes.

  Mr. Hanley
  Since November 1992 it has been my Department's policy to notify hon. Members in advance when Skyguard low flying monitoring is planned to take place in their general area and arrange for the equipment to be available for the public to see at the end of the deployment. The decision to release statistical information on the results of the monitoring flowed from the revised arrangements.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the equipment used by the RAF police on Skyguard radar deployments to monitor low flying includes radio equipment capable of receiving transmis-sions on the common radio frequency for the United Kingdom low flying system.

  Mr. Hanley
  No.

  Flying Hour (Definition)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Defence what definition of flying hour is used in the recording of flight time by British military aircraft.

  Mr. Hanley
  British military aircraft record flight time as being from the moment an aircraft takes off to the moment it lands, as opposed to commercial aircraft where flight time includes the time the aircraft taxies for departure and on arrival.

  Tornado Accident, County Durham
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances of the accident involving a Royal Air Force Tornado F3 aircraft in County Durham on 21 October 1993.
  898
  Mr. Hanley
  The aircraft, on a routine training sortie flying at 2,000 ft and 300 knots, suffered a major fuselage fuel leak and an associated engine flame-out. Shortly afterwards, the aircraft caught fire. Both crew members ejected safely. The cause of the accident is currently being investigated by a RAF board of inquiry and a summary of its findings will be produced in the normal way. A copy of the summary will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Harrier Accident, Evesham
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances of the accident involving a Royal Air Force Harrier near Evesham on 14 January.

  Mr. Hanley
  The aircraft was on a routine training sortie when it crashed near the village of Aston Somerville. The pilot, a member of the United States Marine Corps on an exchange tour with the RAF, unfortunately died in the accident. An investigation into the cause of the accident is being conducted by an RAF board of inquiry.

  Harrier Accident, Bristol Channel
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances of the accident involving a Royal Navy Sea Harrier in the Bristol channel on 5 January.

  Mr. Hanley
  The accident involved a Royal Navy Sea Harrier FRS2 from 899 Squadron, based at RNAS Yeovilton. The aircraft was flying low over the sea when an engine malfunction caused the pilot to eject. The aircraft came down approximately 15 miles west of Chivenor. The pilot was uninjured. The cause of the accident is currently under investigation.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the current issue of the Royal Air Force publication "Low Flying Update".

  Mr. Hanley
  The document is classified and cannot therefore be released.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reports have been received from aircrew on operational low flying training sorties in the tactical training areas, of sightings of other military aircraft on non-operational low flying training sorties flying at less than 500 ft minimum separation distance.

  Mr. Hanley
  Central records of such reports are not maintained. However, the indications are that such reports have been received on only a very small number of occasions.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will specify the nature of each of the breaches of low flying regulations listed in his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley of 18 October 1993,Official Report, column 57, and the height at which each aircraft was recorded as flying.

  Mr. Hanley
  All of the apparent breaches of low flying regulations listed in my answer to the hon. Member of 18 October 1993,Official Report, column 57, were in respect of height, except for the following which were apparent breaches of an avoidance:
  899

  Date

  Location

  Type of aircraft

  Nationality

  16 July 1991

  Eshott Airfield

  F4

  German Air Force

  2 July 1992

  Beverly/Linley Hill Aerodrome

  Tornado

  RAF

  It is not my Department's policy to release detailed information such as the recorded height of aircraft involved in apparent breaches of low flying regulations.

  British Goods
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to increase the purchase of British-manufactured goods for the armed services.

  Mr. Aitken
  To achieve the best value for money, wherever possible, we place contracts by means of open competition. British companies have proved highly competitive to the extent that, over the past five years, we estimate that some 90 per cent. of defence equipment expenditure was spent with United Kingdom industry. My Department provides British defence industry with as much information as possible about its future procurement plans, and Ministers and officials meet regularly with epresentatives of defence industry trade associations.

  Garelochhead Training Centre
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many training man days were spent on the Garelochhead training area in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Hanley
  Details for Garelochhead are available only from the financial year 1987–88 onwards:

  Financial year

  Man training days

  1987–88

  54,500

  1988–89

  67,183

  1989–90

  73,289

  1990–91

  56,621

  1991–92

  63,342

  1992–93

  79,182

  11993–94

  31,308

  1To December.

  The lower than average figure for 1993–94 is due to a reduction in capacity on account of works services.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those categories of armed forces personnel whose national health service prescription charges are reimbursed from his Department's funds; and what was the total cost of this provision in the latest year for which data are available.

  Mr. Hanley
  All armed forces personnel are entitled to free medical and dental treatment. As a part of this condition of service national health service prescription charges paid by service personnel based in the United Kingdom may be reimbursed from funds within my Department. Figures relating to the cost of this provision 900
  are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The entitlement to free medical and dental treatment is one of the many factors taken into account by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body when comparing pay levels in the armed forces with those in civilian employment.

  Glen Douglas Depot
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future use of the Glen Douglas armaments depot.

  Mr. Hanley
  The NATO armaments depot—NAD—at Glen Douglas is currently used for ammunition storage by the Royal Navy, the US and the Netherlands. Following the United States' decision to withdraw its holdings, it was announced on 2 December 1993 that the task of storing and maintaining RAF ammunition would be transferred from RAF Chilmark to NAD Glen Douglas. Work has already commenced on the transfer which should be completed, on current plans, by the end of 1994.

  Hercules Accident
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the summary of the report on the accident to a Royal Air Force Hercules aircraft on 27 May 1993.

  Mr. Hanley
  A summary of the RAF board of inquiry's findings will be placed in the Library of the House shortly.

  T80U Tank
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's receipt of a tank from Russia for research purposes.

  Mr. Aitken
  In 1992 a Russian T80U tank was imported for defence research and development purposes.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any department of his Ministry has taken delivery of a T80U main battle tank.

  Mr. Aitken
  Yes. A Russian T8OU tank was imported for defence research and development purposes.

  Defence Cuts
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage reductions have been made in the total number of(a) armed forces, (b) military establishments, (c) naval craft, (d) aircraft, (e) munitions factories, (f) naval dockyards and (g) regiments since 1979; and what were the numbers in each case in 1979 and at the latest available date.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows:
  901

  (a) Armed Forces

  1979

  Latest

  Royal Navy and Royal Marines

  Regulars

  73,500 (1 January 1979)

  57,427 (1 November 1993)

  Reserves

  35,300 (1 January 1979)

  31,100 (1 April 1993)

  Total

  108,800

  88,527

  Total percentage change

  -19

  Army

  Regulars (including Gurkhas)

  156,200 (1 April 1979)

  130,900 (1 January 1994)

  Reserves

  59,400 (1 April 1979)

  64,100 (1 December 1993)

  Total

  215,600

  195,600

  Total percentage change

  -10

  Royal Air Force

  Regulars

  85,400 (1 January 1979)

  78,900 (1 April 1993)

  Reserves

  30,600 (1 January 1979)

  47,800 (1 April 1993)

  Total

  116,600

  126,700

  Total percentage change

  +9

  (Date of information in brackets).

  (b) Military Establishozents. There are several possible definitions of the term "Military Establishment". On any definition, the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Records for 1979 are not held.

  (c) Naval Craft. The figures for the number of major warships (vessels of frigate size and above) are as follows:

  1979

  Latest

  1103

  265

  1 As at 1 January 1979.

  2 As at 31 December 1993.

  Total percentage change: -37.

  (d) Aircraft. Figures available for 1979 only cover squadrons, flights or regiments, and do not give numbers of individual aircraft. Because the numbers of aircraft within units has changed over the years, a percentage change figure based on the numbers of units would not be meaningful. The available figures are as follows:

  Royal Navy

  1 January 1979

  13 squadrons plus 49 flights

  1 April 1993

  18 squadrons plus 34 flights

  Army

  1 April 1979

  6 Army Air Corps regiments

  1 January 1994

  5 Army Air Corps regiments

  Royal Air force

  1 April 1979

  14 Strike/Attack squadrons

  5 Offensive Support squadrons

  4 Maritime Patrol squadrons

  5 Reconnaissance squadrons

  16 Air Defence squadrons

  1 Airborne Early Warning squadron

  9 Air Transport squadrons

  2 Tanker squadrons

  2 Search and Rescue squadrons

  Total: 58

  1 February 1994

  7 Strike/Attack squadrons

  5 Offensive Support squadrons

  3 Maritime Patrol squadrons

  902

  5 Reconnaissance squadrons

  7 Air Defence squadrons

  1 Airborne Early Warning squadron

  14 Air Transport squadrons

  1 Tanker squadron

  2 Search and Rescue squadrons

  Total: 45

  (e) Munitions Factories. Records of royal ordnance factories in 1979 are not held. Royal Ordnance ceased to be part of the Ministry of Defence in January 1985.

  The figures are as follows:

  (f) Naval Dockyards

  1979

  1994

  5

  2

  Percentage change: -60 per cent.

  (g) Regiments Taking "regiments" to mean front-line units, the figures are as follows:

  Regular Army front-line units

  1 April 1979

  1 January 1994

  Royal Armoured Corps Regiments

  19

  10

  Royal Artillery Regiments

  22

  15

  Royal Engineer Regiments

  9

  12

  Infantry Battalions

  56

  45

  SAS Regiment

  1

  1

  Army Air Corps Regiments

  6

  5

  Total

  113

  88

  Total percentage change: -22 per cent.

  TA Front-line units

  1 April 1979

  1 January 1994

  Royal Armoured Corps Regiments

  5

  5

  Royal Artillery Regiments

  5

  5

  Royal Engineer Regiments

  7

  9

  Infantry Battalions

  37

  36

  SAS Regiments

  2

  2

  Total

  56

  57

  Total percentage change: +2 per cent.
  903

  Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if it is the Government's policy to seek the negotiation of a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty by September 1996.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory), on 31 January,Official Report, column 481.

  RAF Byelaws
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what directions or guidance of a general nature now apply in respect of the arrest, detention, charge and prosecution of a person under either the RAF Lakenheath Byelaws 1986—SI 1986/480—or the RAF Mildenhall Byelaws 1986—SI 1986/479;

  (2) what directions or guidance of a general nature have been given to the Ministry of Defence police and the Crown Prosecution Service in the last five years concerning the arrest, detention, charge and prosecution of a person under either the RAF Lakenheath Byelaws 1986 —SI 1986/480—or the RAF Mildenhall Byelaws 1986—SI 1986/479.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Ministry of Defence police is an operationally independent body responsible for policing the defence estate in accordance with the provision of the Ministry of Defence Police Act 1987. One of its duties is to enforce military byelaws. Those applicable at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall are extant but under review. In November 1993 general guidance was given to MDP by its chief constable not to arrest for byelaws offences at these sites until the review process is complete.

  MDP continues, however, to escort trespassers off the premises for their own safety or may make arrests if other non-byelaws offences such as criminal damage are committed or suspected.

  The Crown Prosecution Service is an independent prosecuting authority which does not accept instructions from outside agencies.

  Paveway III Bomb Fuse
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research is being conducted by his Department on collateral damage to humans caused by the use of the Paveway III multi-function bomb fuse in laser-guided bombs deployed by the RAF.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department conducts research into a wide range of weapon technologies and effects, many of which are relevant to precision-guided systems, with the aim of improving performance in line with evolving

  Property and location

  Disposal position

  28A Colliergate—ex. Sandhill Hotel—York, Yorkshire

  With defence land agent for disposal

  29 Pembridge Gardens, London W11

  Group value grade II

  33 Upton Scudmore, Wiltshire

  Being offered to tenant for purchase

  ACIO Edinburgh, 73 Hanover Street, Edinburgh

  Will be sold during 1995

  904
  military requirements for increased reliability and accuracy and reduced collateral damage. The RAF is currently equipped not with Paveway III but with the Paveway II guidance kit which provides a precision bombing capability and can be used in conjunction with the multi-function bomb fuse, and the UK 1,000 lb bomb.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much plutonium British Nuclear Fuels plc has stockpiled at Sellafield on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Aitken
  The United Kingdom does not hold significant stocks of weapons-grade plutonium which is not required for our operational stockpile of weapons.

  Mr. Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what occasions it has been necesssary for him to appeal to the Secretary of State for the Environment against a local authority's refusal of planning permission for the destruction of listed buildings or properties regarded as having heritage importance; and whether he consults the Department of National Heritage before deciding how to dispose of Ministry of Defence property of heritage significance.

  Mr. Hanley
  To date, there have been no occasions when it has been necessary for my Department to appeal to the Secretary of State for the Environment against a local authority's refusal to grant permission to demolish an historic building. Kennet district council has refused a recent application for consent to demolish Gore Cross farmhouse, grade II listed building. We are awaiting the outcomee of an appeal which was submitted and subsequently heard by means of an informal planning inquiry during December 1993. Currently the Department does not consult the Department of National Heritage as a matter of routine when considering proposed disposals of historic buildings, although this is currently under review by my officials.

  Mr. Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the buildings, docklands, barracks, sites or premises that have a significant heritage value and that have become or are likely shortly to become redundant to the requirements of his Department; what action he is taking to dispose of each of these properties; from whom and at what stage he obtains advice with regard to the preservation of properties of heritage importance; and what factors dictate whether heritage aspects should be subordinated to financial considerations.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows. The listed and scheduled properties have been identified as redundant by the Department and the current position over their disposal is shown:
  905

  Property and location

  Disposal position

  Bawdsey Manor, Bawdsey, Suffolk

  With defence land agent for disposal

  DRA Christchurch

  With defence land agent for disposal

  East Camp, RAF Hendon, Hendon

  Officers' mess has been offered to Middlesex university. The entrance way, control tower and Grahame White hanger are currently up for sale

  Hilton Farm, Steading, Rosyth

  Sale expected to be completed during 1994–95

  Horseshoe Barracks, Shoeburyness, Essex

  Planning negotiations in progress with Southend council. Site cannot be sold until accommodation has been provided for the Sergeants' mess and an archaeological survey undertaken

  Peninsula Barracks, Winchester, Hampshire

  Joint MOD/Crown estate disposal

  RAF Greenham Common, Newbury, Berkshire

  Greenham lodge sold subject to contract Mews cottage sold subject to contract West lodge to be remarketed as original offers too low

  Royal Arsenal Woolwich, Woolwich, London

  With defence land agent for disposal

  Royal Marine Barracks, Eastney, Hampshire

  Eastney fort and north wing of museum to be sold to Hampshire county council. Remainder of museum to be sold to the trustees of the museum. Both sales to be completed mid-1994

  Royal Naval Armaments Depot, Priddy's Hard, Gosport, Hampshire

  Heritage area and Palmerston fortifications to be sold to Gosport borough council

  St. George Barracks (North), Gosport, Hampshire

  Disposal linked to future of Royal Clarence yard

  Waltham Abbey

  Steering committee preparing case for transfer of heritage holding to a trust

  Property and location

  Proposed action

  ACIO Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells, Kent Angelsey House, Aldershot, Hampshire

  To be sold on relocation of explosive ordnance unit.

  Carlton House, Stirling HMS Nelson—Gunwharf—Portsmouth, Hampshire

  Two listed buildings currently used by the Army will be declared surplus.

  RAF Hullavington

  Royal Naval Hospital, Stonehouse, Plymouth, Devon

  We are conducting a systematic review of all our historic buildings to determine which should be retained by the Ministry of Defence, in their current or alternative use, and which should be disposed of expeditiously to ensure their preservation by finding a suitable alternative use.

  Following the transfer of responsibility for the upkeep of its property, including historic buildings, from the Property Services Agency in 1990, the Department has been putting in place new arrangements. An official has also been nominated to be the focal point for policy on hisoric buildings and is in active consultation with the Department of the Environment conservation unit, Department of National Heritage and the national heritage bodies over the preservation of properties of heritage importance. Defence Works Services has appointed a conservation architect who is available to advise all of our property managers, who also call upon specialist conservation consultants to produce quadrennial reports on each listed and scheduled historic building.
  906
  These properties have been identified for disposal but not action has yet been taken:

  When disposing of historic buildings the Department aims to achieve sympathetic and suitable alternative uses which assure their preservation whilst retaining a duty to secure the best price that can reasonably be obtained.

  Staff Requirement (Air) 1242
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the progress of staff requirement (air) 1242;

  (2) when he expects to announce the result of the contest for the low-level laser-guided bomb under staff requirement (air) 1242.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 17 January 1994,Official Report, column 441. I hope to be able to announce the results of the competition by April 1994.
  907

  Touche Ross
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to if his Department or any agencies for which he is responsible has engaged the services of the firm Touche Ross or any of its partners since 1 July 1993.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department, including its agencies, has placed six contracts with Touche Ross since 1 July 1993. These exclude local purchase orders, of small value, information on which is not held centrally.

  Arms Sales
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the levels of arms sales to(a) Malaysia, (b) Indonesia, (c) Jordan, (d) Oman, (e) Thailand, (f) Nigeria and (g) India for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Aitken
  It has been the policy of successive Governments not to reveal details of arms sales to individual countries. However, "Defence Statistics 1993" gives information on the value of sales by region in table 1.11. A copy of this has been placed in the Library of the House.

SCOTLAND

  NHS (Staff Cars)
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1990 the expenditure on staff cars for each(a) health board and (b) NHS Trust in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  This information is not held centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

  Leisure Facilities
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement listing in descending order the net changes in the leisure and recreation and sports facilities and swimming pools grant-aided expenditure assessment for 1994–95 for each Scottish local authority; and if he will similarly list the amounts awarded to each Scottish local authority for this element of grant-aided expenditure in 1993–94 and in 1992–93.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is set out in the table. The treatment of this GAE assessment has been changed for 1994–95 following a decision by the joint Scottish Office—COSLA distribution committee of the working party on local government finance to discontinue the secondary indicator for the assessment. This indicator —the number of unemployment benefit recipients per 1,000 population—was no longer considered to be plausible.

  Leisure and Recreation: Sports Facilities and Swimming Pools Table 1: Changes in GAE (Ranked)

  Net change in GAE 1993–94 to 1994–95 (Ranked) £000

  Aberdeen

  819

  Gordon

  410

  Perth and K

  349

  908

  Net change in GAE 1993–94 to 1994–95 (Ranked) £000

  Banff

  306

  Edinburgh

  298

  Kincardine

  284

  NE Fife

  236

  Moray

  234

  Eastwood

  194

  Angus

  177

  Bearsden

  175

  Stirling

  126

  Strathkelvin

  124

  Inverness

  117

  East Lothian

  115

  Shetland

  107

  Dunfermline

  106

  Ettrick

  104

  Roxburgh

  73

  Midlothian

  71

  Orkney

  69

  Kyle and C

  66

  Annandale

  62

  Nithsdale

  57

  Stewartry

  56

  Berwick

  56

  East Kilbride

  54

  Badenoch

  51

  Ross and C

  45

  Argyll and Bute

  44

  Clydesdale

  41

  Nairn

  26

  Tweeddale

  25

  Lochaber

  25

  West Lothian

  18

  Cumbernauld

  15

  Skye and L

  3

  Caithness

  -5

  Sutherland

  -6

  Clackmannan

  -12

  Falkirk

  -16

  Dumbarton

  -26

  Western Iisles

  -30

  Wigtown

  -34

  Hamilton

  -79

  Renfrew

  -96

  Clydebank

  -104

  Kilmarnock

  -115

  Cumnock

  -142

  Kirkcaldy

  -160

  Monklands

  -173

  Cunninghame

  -185

  Motherwell

  -213

  Inverclyde

  -243

  Dundee

  -261

  Glasgow

  -3,008

  Scotland

  232

  Table 2: GAE 1992–93–1994–95

  Grant aided expenditure 1992–93 £000

  Grant aided expenditure 1993–94 £000

  Grant aided expenditure 1994–95 £000

  Berwick

  216

  222

  278

  Ettrick

  382

  424

  528

  Roxburgh

  383

  436

  509

  Tweedale

  181

  191

  216

  Clackmannan

  745

  772

  759

  Falkirk

  2,156

  2,236

  2,221

  Stirling

  1,184

  1,211

  1,338

  Annandale

  431

  489

  551

  Nithsdale

  751

  824

  881

  Stewartry

  299

  301

  357

  909

  Grant aided expenditure 1992–93 £000

  Cram aided expenditure 1993–94 £000

  Grant aided expenditure 1994–95 £000

  Wigtown

  488

  489

  455

  Dunfermline

  1,884

  2,011

  2,117

  Kirkcaldy

  2,260

  2,440

  2,280

  Nefife

  831

  888

  1,124

  Aberdeen

  2,562

  2,869

  3,688

  Banff

  1,036

  1,052

  1,358

  Gordon

  772

  839

  1,250

  Kincardine

  550

  597

  881

  Moray

  1,074

  1,124

  1,358

  Badcnoch

  161

  168

  218

  Caithness

  404

  421

  416

  Inverness

  895

  973

  1,090

  Lochaber

  334

  354

  379

  Nairn

  132

  134

  160

  Ross and C

  766

  760

  804

  Skye and L

  200

  199

  203

  Sutherland

  212

  205

  199

  East Lothian

  1,171

  1,158

  1,273

  Edinburgh

  6,412

  7,168

  7,466

  Midlothian

  1,165

  1,171

  1,243

  West Lothian

  2,335

  2,402

  2,420

  Argyll and Bute

  988

  999

  1,044

  Bearsden

  458

  469

  643

  Clydebank

  828

  816

  711

  Clydesdale

  814

  849

  890

  Cumbernauld

  1,009

  1,060

  1,075

  Cumnock

  760

  802

  660

  Cunninghame

  2,261

  2,373

  2,188

  Dumbarton

  1,252

  1,320

  1,294

  East Kilbride

  1,178

  1,311

  1,365

  Eastwood

  706

  700

  893

  Glasgow

  14,001

  14,402

  11,394

  Hamilton

  1,701

  1,794

  1,715

  Inverclyde

  1,660

  1,638

  1,395

  Kilmarnock

  1,242

  1,370

  1,255

  Kyle and C

  1,591

  1,658

  1,724

  Monklands

  1,793

  1,856

  1,683

  Motherwell

  2,403

  2,528

  2,314

  Renfrew

  3,104

  3,253

  3,157

  Strathkelvin

  1,215

  1,231

  1,355

  Angus

  1,235

  1,273

  1,450

  Dundee

  2,768

  2,954

  2,693

  Perth and K

  1,557

  1,579

  1,928

  Orkney

  224

  233

  302

  Shetland

  258

  265

  372

  Western Isles

  464

  483

  453

  Scotland

  77,844

  81,742

  81,974

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland where the membership of the distribution committee of the working party on local government finance is drawn from; and if he will indicate specifically what representation Scottish local authorities have on this committee.

  Mr. Stewart
  Membership of the committee comprises Scottish Office officials, members of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities' secretariat and representatives of a number of local authorities. Each regional authority provides one member. There are six members from district authorities and one representing the islands authorities. Additionally there are four technical advisers to the committee who are also local authority officials. The local authority representatives are nominated by COSLA.
  910

  Community Charge
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidelines his Department has issued to Scottish local authorities in respect of pursuing unpaid community charge where the costs of pursuing the debt exceed the amount owed; what representations he has received from local authorities on this matter; and what plans he has to amend the current guidance to allow local authorities to write off community charge in situations where the costs involved in pursuing amounts owed exceed the amount being owed.

  Mr. Stewart
  My Department has not issued any guidance to local authorities on this matter which is for each authority to consider in consultation with its auditor. My right hon. Friend last received representations from local authorities on this issue in 1991.

  Health Boards
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list any voting members of health boards who are also employed by those boards as managers or administrators showing the salaries paid in each case.

  Mr. Stewart
  Executive members of health boards are those who are employees of the board. They are all voting members. The present executive members are listed. Salaries are determined by the boards and details are not held centrally.

  Argyll and Clyde Health Board

  Mr. I. C. Smith

  Dr. A. A. Reid

  Ayrshire and Arran Health Board

  Mr. J. M. Eckford, OBE

  Mr. N. R. Lammie

  Mrs. M. Durie

  Dr. D. Walker

  Borders Health Board

  Mr. D. A. Peters, OBE

  Dr. I. A. McDonald

  Mr. J. S. Wilson

  Mrs. A. Weston

  Dumfries and Galloway Health Board

  Mr. D. J. Banks

  Mr. D. McEachran

  Mr. P. J. Kelly

  Mr. A. P. Milligan

  Dr. I. H. MacLean

  Fife Health Board

  Miss P. Frost

  Mr. M. D. Murray

  Mrs. J. Edey

  Dr. I. G. Jones

  Forth Valley Health Board

  Mr. D. F. Hird

  Dr. D. C. Moir

  Grampian Health Board

  Mr. F. E. L. Hartnett, OBE

  Mr. A. J. Cumming

  Dr. H. R. M. Wilson

  Dr. J. G. Paterson

  Greater Glasgow Health Board

  Mr. C. M. Gordon

  Mr. T. A. Divers

  Dr. H. J. G. Burns

  911
  Highland Health Board

  Mr. R. R. W. Stewart

  Dr. G. V. Stone

  Mr. M. S. Iredale

  Mr. D. T. Wright

  Lanarkshire Health Board

  Professor F. Clarke, CBE

  Dr. J. B. P. Ferguson

  Mr. M. Docherty

  Mr. B. Gill

  Miss E. Hastings, OBE

  Lothian Health Board

  Mr. J. Lusby

  Dr. H. Zealley

  Mr. P. Wilson

  Dr. L. Burley

  Mr. P. White

  Orkney Health Board

  Mr. G. W. Jackson

  Mr. R. L. Allan

  Shetland Health Board

  Mr. B. J. Atherton

  Dr. F. C. Cox

  Mr. D. P. P. Eva

  Mrs. M. S. Henderson, OBE

  Tayside Health Board

  Miss L. Barrie

  Mr. J. R. Hudson

  Miss E. A. Edwards

  Western Isles Health Board

  Mr. R. Mullan

  Mr. G. N. Stobbs

  Lothian Health Board
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on expenditure by Lothian Health on(a) the refurbishment of its headquarters building and (b) the appointment of waiting list managers, contracts managers and any other administrative staff in connection with recent reorganisations.

  Mr. Stewart
  The refurbishment of Lothian health board's headquarters building will cost approximately £950,000, the bulk of which is expected to fall in the current financial year.

  The appointment of staff is a matter for the board and the trust in Lothian.

  Apprentices
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many 16 to 18-year-olds were undergoing apprenticeship training in Scotland in the 12-month period ended(a) December 1990, (b) December 1991, (c) December 1992 and (d) December 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  This information is not available in the form requested. However, information from the labour force survey shows the numbers of 16 to 18-year-olds involved in apprenticeships in Scotland in the spring of each year from 1990 to 1993 as set out in the table:

  Numbers of 16 to 18-year-olds involved in apprenticeships

  Period

  Number

  Spring

  1990

  23,824

  1991

  26,825

  912

  Period

  Number

  1992

  25,996

  1993

  19,495

  Private Nursing Homes
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many elderly persons were living long term in private nursing homes in Scotland in the 12-month period ended(a) December 1992 and (b) December 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  Information is not available centrally on persons in private nursing homes. The number of beds in private nursing homes in Scotland, as at 31 March 1993, was 16,477. It is estimated that over 85 per cent. of nursing home residents are persons over the age of 65.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the trend in the numbers of persons in Scotland availing themselves of youth training including credits and training for work schemes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  Youth training is demand-led. There is a downward trend in the number of young people in training due in part to the effect of demography. In addition more young people leaving school are moving into further or higher education, which has the effect of further reducing the potential client group. This can be seen when comparing those who entered youth training for the first time between April and September in 1992 and 1993 respectively. In 1992 over 15,000 joined youth training for the first time while in the same period in 1993 only around 12,500 did so.

  The number of persons in training under training for work has also decreased since the programme started in April 1993. The introduction of the programme took place at the same time as the launch of an increased range of opportunities available to unemployed people through the Employment Service.

  Sheltered Housing
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will release additional funds to Scottish local authorities to enable them to increase their sheltered housing facilities; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Substantial resources totalling some £405 million have been made available to local authorities for capital investment in public sector housing in 1993–94. For 1994–95 additional resources will be made available to enable local authorities to contribute to the care in the community policy including the provision of sheltered housing. I will announce these allocations shortly.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children received pre-five education in state schools in Scotland in the academic years 1991–92 and 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.
  913
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The number of children attending education authority nursery schools and Departments in Scotland in 1991–92 was 45,238 and in 1992–93, 46,992. This confirms that the year on year rise in children receiving nursery education since 1979 is continuing.

  Elderly People (Day Care)
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will release additional funding to Scottish health boards to enable them to increase the numbers of day care places they provide for the elderly; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  Health boards receive generous financial resources to allow them to purchase all health services for which they are responsible. It is for health boards themselves to set priorities for spend in accordance with the needs of their area. Other agencies, principally social work departments, have a part to play in the provision of day care.

  Health boards and social work departments are aware that day care is one of the priorities set out in the White Paper, "Caring for People".

  Nurse to Patient Ratio
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average nurse to patient ratio in Scottish NHS hospitals in the 12-month periods ended(a) December 1992 and (b) December 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  The ratio of qualified nurses working in hospitals to 1,000 weighted patients was 10·9 in 1992 and 10·7 in 1993. The change reflects improvements in the deployment of staff, improvements in the management of patient care in hospitals and increases in day case surgery.

  Heart Surgery
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons aged 65 years and over received major heart surgery in Scottish hospitals in the 12-month period ended December 1990 and in the 12-month period ended December 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  The number of cardiac procedures performed in Scottish hospitals on people aged 65 and over in 1990 and in 1993 is set out in the table.

  Number of cardiac procedures in Scottish hospitals by age (65 and over) and procedure 1990 and 1993

  Year procedure

  Total

  1990

  Valve Surgery Procedures

  216

  Coronary Bypass Procedures

  446

  Other Ischaemic Heart Disease Procedures

  18

  Other Cardiac Procedures

  12

  Total Procedures

  692

  19931

  Valve Surgery Procedures

  210

  Coronary Bypass Procedures

  615

  Other Ischaemic Heart Disease Procedures

  5

  Other Cardiac Procedures

  18

  Total Procedures

  848

  914
  11993 Totals are provisional.

  The figures show an increase of 22·5 per cent. in the total number of procedures performed in this age group.

  Nurse to Carer Ratio
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the ratio of trained nurses to carers working within Scottish NHS hospitals in the 12 months ended December 1992 and in the 12 months ended December 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  The number of carers working in the NHS in Scotland cannot be identified centrally. The ratio of qualified nurses, including midwives but excluding teachers and senior nurse managers, to unqualified nurses was 1·78:1 on 30 September 1992 and 1·76:1 on 30 September 1993, the most recent dates for which information is available.

  Care in the Community
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional support facilities have been given to the elderly in Scotland who are cared for under Her Majesty's Government's community care provisions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  Older people form one of a number of client groups to benefit from our community care arrangements. These include involving users and carers in planning services, individual assessment of needs, greater choice of services and, where appropriate, the appointment of a care manager to ensure that appropriate packages of care are developed to meet the individual's assessed needs.

  To date we have made available to local authorities over £80 million to implement our reforms. This will enable local authorities to provide and develop a wide range of services for elderly people including residential care, day and domiciliary services, aids and adaptations to houses. It is, however, for individual local authorities to decide for themselves the particular services which they provide in response to their assessment of local needs.

  I believe that elderly people will be among the principal beneficiaries of our reforms.

  Geriatric Patients
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will increase funding to Scottish health boards for the dedicated purpose of providing physiotherapy treatment to long-stay geriatric patients in NHS hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  It is for health boards themselves to organise physiotherapy services in accordance with the assessed needs of their area.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to ensure that all Scottish health boards guarantee to retain a minimum number of long-stay geriatric beds within hospitals which currently have a geriatric facility; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  The distribution of NHS facilities is a matter for health boards to decide in the light of their assessment of needs.

  The national health service will continue to provide long-stay care for patients who need continuing consultant

  915
  led medical and nursing care. People whose needs are primarily for social care and whose health needs can be met by the primary care services will be the responsibility of the local authority and resources will transfer to them from the national health service. Health boards and social work authorities are developing joint strategies which fully reflect this policy.

  Health Centres
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will release to Scottish health boards additional funding to be used for redecorating local health centres; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  Capital and revenue allocations for 1994–95 to Scottish trusts and health boards were announced in December 1993. For small-scale expenditure, priorities are determined locally.

  School Boards
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools within each Scottish education authority area currently have school boards; and what were the figures for 1993.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information on the current number of school boards is not available. The most recent information relates to May 1992, based on the 1991–92 round of biennial parental elections. The figures for 1992 are taken from statistical returns made to the Scottish Office Education Department by education authorities:

  Education Authority

  Number of Primary School Boards

  Number of Secondary School Boards

  Borders

  52

  9

  Central

  90

  16

  Dumfries and Galloway

  81

  16

  Fife

  95

  17

  Grampian

  182

  31

  Highland

  138

  25

  Lothian

  163

  47

  Strathclyde

  770

  169

  Tayside

  120

  31

  Orkney

  15

  6

  Shetland

  21

  9

  Western Isles

  24

  13

  Strathclyde Divisions

  Argyll and Bute

  63

  9

  Ayr

  133

  30

  Dumbarton

  104

  23

  Glasgow

  186

  42

  Lanark

  183

  36

  Renfrew

  101

  29

  Assisted Places
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which private schools in Ayrshire have pupils under the assisted places scheme; how many pupils are supported at each institution; and what is the cost to the Scottish Office of this support.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information for school year 1992–93 is as follows:916

  School

  Number of assisted pupils

  Total cost £

  Drumley House

  3

  10,790

  Wellington School

  55

  183,265

  Departmental Information Points
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement outlining progress in establishing the Scottish Office's information points; and what costs have been incurred so far.

  Mr. Lang
  Twenty information points have been established in existing Department offices throughout Scotland. Two have been set up in citizens advice bureaux offices in Airdrie and Kirkaldy, and four more information points will be opened shortly. Estimated set up operational costs amount to some £26,000. This sum was included in the figure of £175,000 quoted in my reply of 24 January,Official Report, columns 71–2.

  NHS Trusts
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many secretarial staff employed by agencies are presently doing work at those hospitals which have been granted trust status but where the changeover has not yet come into effect.

  Mr. Stewart
  This information is not held centrally.

  NHS (Staff Cars)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will ensure that when official cars are provided for senior executives in the NHS the recipients will be required to pay for their private motoring.

  Mr. Stewart
  NHS senior executives on NHS Whitley Council conditions of service are required to pay for the private use of officially supplied cars in accordance with these conditions of service. For those on NHS trust conditions of service, arrangements for the use of cars will be determined by the trust remuneration committee.

  SSSIs
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times he has granted nature conservation orders for the protection of sites of special scientific interest under section 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; how many are still in operation; how many he has refused in Scotland since 1982; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  My right hon. Friend has made 14 nature conservation orders under section 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and 11 are still in force. On no occasion has he refused a request from the Nature Conservancy Council, the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland or Scottish Natural Heritage to make such an order.

  Tourist Boards
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what study he has made of the costs of tourist boards between local authorities in the last two decades; and what is his future estimate of the cost of tourist boards.
  917
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The network of area tourist boards was extended throughout Scotland from 1983 onwards. Their funding position has been as follows:

  Non-Commercial Income

  Year

  STB/HIE Gram

  LA Grant

  Commercial Income

  Total

  £

  per cent

  £

  per cent

  £

  per cent

  £

  1983–84

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1984–85

  1,218,247

  27

  1,974,932

  44

  1,280,958

  29

  4,474,137

  1985–86

  1,328,925

  26

  2,168,955

  42

  1,642,070

  32

  5,139,950

  1986–87

  1,423,850

  25

  2,361,628

  41

  1,947,374

  34

  5,732,852

  1987–88

  1,470,972

  22

  2,682,548

  40

  2,609,998

  39

  6,763,518

  1988–89

  1,513,739

  19

  3,182,322

  40

  3,216,361

  41

  7,912,422

  1989–90

  1,957,940

  21

  3,942,270

  42

  3,532,980

  37

  9,433,190

  1990–91

  2,227,720

  17

  5,706,580

  43

  5,365,490

  40

  13,299,790

  1991–92

  2,185,090

  14

  6,901,290

  45

  6,290,160

  41

  15,376,540

  1992–93

  2,443,000

  14

  7,329,000

  44

  7,063,000

  42

  16,835,000

  1993–94

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1 Figures not compiled for first year of operation.

  I expect funding arrangements to continue to follow roughly the same pattern.

  Enterprise Companies
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the public relations companies employed by each of Scotland's local enterprise companies; and what is the annual cost of these services to each of the companies.

  Mr. Stewart
  Services contracted for by the local enterprise companies are an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I will ask the chairmen of those bodies to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which agency is employed by Scottish Enterprise to handle its public relations; and what is the annual cost of these services to Scottish Enterprise.

  Mr. Stewart
  This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I will ask its chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the set-up costs of each of Scotland's enterprise companies.

  Mr. Stewart
  On I April 1991 Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise took over the resources, including staff and buildings, formerly administered by the Scottish development agency, the Highlands and Islands development board and the Training Agency in Scotland. Set-up costs were subsumed within the overall running costs of the new networks and cannot be identified separately. No additional provision was made available to take account of the set-up costs of the new bodies.

  Telephone Information Line
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 24 January,Official Report, columns 71–72, what assessment has been made of the inquiries received by the Scottish Office's information line; what was the nature of the inquiries raised; what were the main subjects raised; and what percentage of calls related to these main subject areas.

  Mr. Lang
  Calls received on the Scottish Office enquiry line form a small proportion of the 8,000 or so calls
  918
  per week dealt with by the Scottish Office central enquiry unit Calls relate to a wide variety of the subjects for which the Scottish Office is responsible. No central record is kept of the details of individual calls received since the central enquiry unit's task is to put the caller in touch as quickly as possible with the person in the Department who can best deal with the subject of the enquiry.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 24 January,Official Report, column 71, how many calls have been received by the Scottish Office's information line in each month since its establishment.

  Mr. Lang
  The number of calls to the Scottish Office enquiry line each month since its introduction has been:

  Number

  October 1993

  797

  November 1993

  740

  December 1993

  452

  1January 1994

  155

  11st to 21st.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. Lang
  The information is set out in the table, which covers the Scottish Office—excluding the Scottish Prison Service—and the associated departments:

  1990–91 £

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  328,374

  256,418

  291,390

  Diabetics
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is(a) the total budget for diabetic care, (b) the budget for education work among diabetics and (c) the expenditure for each health board in these categories.
  919
  Mr. Stewart
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Universities (Academic Staff)
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a profile of academic staff at Scottish universities in terms of age and department.

  Full-time non-clinical academic wholly university funded staff in the eight traditional Scottish universities, 1992–93

  Cost centre

  Age under 25

  25–29

  30–34

  35–39

  40–44

  45–49

  50–54

  55–59

  60 and over

  Total

  Education

  —

  2

  7

  13

  21

  25

  17

  19

  3

  107

  Medicine, dentistry and health

  4

  28

  28

  59

  62

  70

  45

  40

  8

  344

  Engineering and Technology

  3

  22

  64

  58

  81

  94

  95

  48

  27

  492

  Agriculture, forestry and veterinary science

  4

  25

  24

  26

  27

  35

  20

  13

  11

  185

  Biological, mathematical and physical sciences

  3

  48

  101

  138

  180

  272

  258

  168

  67

  1,235

  Administrative, business and social studies

  12

  71

  109

  147

  165

  221

  149

  66

  32

  972

  Achitecture and planning

  —

  5

  6

  7

  5

  10

  13

  9

  3

  58

  Language, literature and area studies

  6

  34

  42

  35

  45

  102

  116

  30

  27

  437

  Other Arts

  1

  11

  29

  36

  56

  78

  78

  54

  26

  369

  Other

  —

  —

  4

  —

  2

  3

  3

  2

  —

  14

  Total

  33

  246

  414

  519

  644

  910

  794

  449

  204

  4,213

  Full-time academic staff in the four new Scottish universities, 1992–93

  Age

  Under 30

  30–34

  35–39

  40–44

  45–49

  50–54

  55–59

  60 and over

  Total

  98

  177

  252

  295

  334

  231

  145

  61

  1,593

  Local Authority Boundary Changes
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish representations received regarding local authority boundary changes for Dumbarton district.

  Mr. Stewart
  It is not normal practice to publish correspondence received by Government Departments unless the correspondent has agreed to this. Since publication of the White Paper, "Shaping the Future—The New Councils", a number of representations have been received in relation to the Government's proposals as they effect Dumbarton district. Most of these have been in support of the proposed inclusion of Helensburgh and Cardross withn Argyll and Bute. Some letters have also requested that the Luss and Arden area be included within Argyll and Bute.

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

  Mr. Lang
  None.

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

  Mr. Lang
  There are six paintings on the walls of my room in Dover house, London, none in my room in St Andrew's house, Edinburgh, and one in my room at the House of Commons. I have no photographs on the walls.
  920
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Figures for full-time non-clinical academic staff whose salaries are wholly met from general university funds are given for the eight traditional universities in the following table. Figures for the four new universities are given for full-time academic staff by age only as a departmental breakdown is not available.

  Ambulances (Response Times)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the latest figures for response times by ambulances to 999 calls for each of the health authorities or trust areas within Scotland; and what is the average for Scotland as a whole.

  Mr. Stewart
  The response times for the latest period available are as follows:

  Responses (1 April 1993 to 30 November 1993)

  Health Board Area

  0–8 minutes per cent.

  14–21 minutes per cent.

  Argyll and Clyde

  55

  95

  Ayr and Arran

  45

  92

  Borders

  58

  94

  Dumfries and Galloway

  62

  89

  Fife

  61

  97

  Forth Valley

  56

  96

  Grampian

  63

  90

  Greater Glasgow

  47

  86

  Highland

  61

  96

  Lanarkshire

  46

  95

  Lothian

  62

  96

  Tayside

  66

  95

  Orkney

  49

  82

  Shetland

  44

  72

  Western Isles

  59

  84

  Scotland Average

  56

  91

  Target

  (50)

  (95)

  921

  Queensferry (Second Road Bridge)
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish the results of the feasibility study ready into a second road bridge at Queensferry; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 28 January 1994]: Feasibility studies into aspects of the proposals for a second Forth road bridge at Queensferry and associated road links are nearing completion. The findings will be made available to interested parties, subsequently we will consider whether or not to proceed with the proposals in due course.

  European Affairs (Responsibility)
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many engagements he has carried out in his role as Minister responsible for European affairs; and what engagements he has planned for the next six months;

  (2) what additional resources were made available in terms of staff and finance to his Department upon a Minister being appointed to be responsible for European affairs; how often this Minister has travelled abroad to discharge his responsibilities; which countries have been visited; and for what purpose.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 28 January 1994]: In view of the importance of the European Union and of European Community policies to Scotland and to Scottish interests, in May of last year I invited my noble Friend the Minister of State to take responsibility for general European issues within the Scottish Office. In addition, all Ministers in the Scottish Office continue to look after European affairs within their own areas of responsibility, and I myself continue to be actively involved in European issues.

  In the course of their responsibilities all Scottish Office Ministers have undertaken engagements with European dimensions and will continue to do so as the opportunity arises. For example, in November last year I addressed the annual general meeting of the Scottish Council of the European Movement and in December opened the Europartenariat in Glasgow and my noble Friend the Minister of State attended a meeting in December held by the Local Government International Bureau for the United Kingdom members of the Committee of the Regions.

  In addition to domestic engagements, Ministers have also visited other member states to further Scottish interests in the European context. Last year, I visited Brussels in January and September to attend meetings of the joint Environment and Transport Council, of the joint Foreign Affairs and Agriculture Council and of the Agriculture Council and to undertake other engagements relating to Scotland's interests in Europe including meetings with Commissioners Milian and Brittan and with the Scottish European Association and Scotland Europa.

  In November last year my noble Friend the Minister of State visited Brussels to attend a meeting of Justice and Interior Ministers, to meet Scottish MEPs and to undertake other engagements relating to his responsibilities for general European issues; and in December he visited Strasbourg to participate in Scottish Week at the European Parliament. My hon. Friend the Minister for Fisheries in Scotland visited Brussels or Luxembourg on four occasions in 1993 to attend meetings of the Fisheries Council; in addition he visited Cologne to promote
  922
  Scottish exports at the ANUGA food fair and in January this year visited Brussels for a meeting with Commissioner Paleokrassas.

  My hon. Friend the Minister for Tourism in Scotland visited Bavaria in February last year to promote Scotland as a tourist destination. My hon. Friend the Minister for Industry in Scotland visited Lille in June last year to support the Scottish presence at the Europartenariat event and Munich in December to participate in discussions about employment issues.

  In response to the growing importance of the European dimension, the Scottish Office undertook a thorough review in 1991 of the way in which it conducts its European business. This resulted in the establishment of a European central support unit within the Scottish Office, currently staffed by one official at grade 7 level, one at higher executive officer level and one at executive officer level with clerical support. The unit is responsible for advising Ministers on general European issues of concern to Scotland.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland from which legally qualified persons he has had requests to see the evidence which he alleges he has in respect of two Libyans alleged to be involved in the crash of Pan Am 103.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 28 January 1994]: My noble and learned Friend, the Lord Advocate, has received requests from one Justice Zawi of the Libyan Supreme Court and from the noble Lord, Lord Macaulay of Bragar QC and Mr Alistair Duff, solicitor, acting on behalf of the two Libyan accused. My noble and learned Friend Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, the then Lord Advocate, made a full statement of facts available to the Libyan authorities when the arrest warrants were issued in November 1991. That statement contained more detail than would be required for extradition in most European countries.

  The Lord Advocate has received a number of private requests from lawyers representing different interests, in the main civil, for information concerning the case and he has, in accordance with normal practice, declined to make evidence relating to the case against the two Libyans available to third parties.

  Old People's Homes
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of old people's homes, and the number of nursing homes in the Blairgowrie cottage hospital and Meigle cottage hospital catchment areas.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 31 January 1994]: The information is not available in the form requested. However, the number of old people's homes and nursing homes in Tayside at 31 March 1993 is as follows:

  Residential Care Homes

  Number

  Local Authority

  30

  Private

  60

  Voluntary

  59

  Nursing Homes

  37

  923

  NHS Computers
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how the NHS computer system pilot scheme at Crosshouse and Ayrshire Central hospitals is being funded; what assessment he has made of the impact on existing service provision at the hospitals; what plans there are to change the existing staff structures in hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: The funding of the outpatients administration system pilot scheme at Crosshouse and Ayrshire central hospitals is being provided jointly by the site and from central funds in accordance with normal practice. The new computer system will automate a number of outpatient administration functions which are presently done manually and introduce other functions not currently available with a view to making more efficient uses of hospital services and resources.

  I understand that there are no plans to change the existing staff structure of the outpatient services in these two hospitals.

  Labour Statistics
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new jobs have been created in the parliamentary constituency of Greenock and Port Glasgow in each year since 1975.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: The information requested is not available.

  Strathclyde

  Number of murder victims

  Number of murders of police officers

  Number of officers in post

  Number of assaults on police officers1

  Male

  Female

  1975

  32

  0

  6,070

  386

  N/A

  1976

  38

  1

  6,007

  424

  N/A

  1977

  37

  0

  5,725

  422

  142

  1978

  27

  0

  5,947

  405

  549

  1979

  25

  0

  6,454

  405

  470

  1980

  35

  0

  6,509

  373

  211

  1981

  21

  0

  6,484

  361

  264

  1982

  34

  0

  6,491

  342

  278

  1983

  30

  1

  6,474

  342

  N/A

  1984

  31

  0

  6,449

  343

  170

  1985

  26

  0

  6,463

  353

  102

  1986

  34

  0

  6,390

  379

  104

  1987

  32

  0

  6,347

  426

  272

  1988

  23

  0

  6,305

  463

  544

  1989

  29

  0

  6,353

  534

  2,989

  1990

  20

  0

  6,249

  555

  2,854

  1991

  30

  0

  6,203

  587

  2,827

  1992

  53

  0

  6,172

  625

  2,786

  1Figures for 1977 to 1987 record number of officers assaulted.

  N/A—Not Available.

  Scotland

  Number of murder victims

  Number of murders of police officers

  Number of officers in post

  Number of assaults on police officers2

  Male

  Female

  1975

  43

  0

  11,656

  676

  N/A

  1976

  57

  1

  11,533

  740

  N/A

  1977

  60

  0

  11,105

  767

  811

  1978

  42

  0

  11,477

  748

  1,157

  1979

  40

  0

  12,280

  736

  1,122

  1980

  47

  0

  12,419

  771

  924

  1981

  42

  0

  12,379

  749

  876

  1982

  48

  0

  12,433

  719

  824

  1983

  54

  1

  12,435

  713

  N/A

  1984

  53

  0

  12,415

  722

  922

  924
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list job losses in each year since 1975 in the parliamentary constituency of Greenock and Port Glasgow; and what was the level of youth unemployment in the same year.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: Information in the form requested is not available. No data are available for parliamentary constituencies on redundancies.

  With regard to youth unemployment, data by age are only available quarterly from October 1983. The information is available on the NOMIS database in the House of Commons Library. Library staff are ready to assist in accessing the information.

  Police Officers (Assaults)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of(a) murders, (b) murders of police officers, (c) assaults upon police officers, giving degrees of seriousness of injury and (d) policemen and policewomen in post in each year since 1975 in (i) Inverclyde, (ii) Strathclyde and (iii) Scotland as a whole.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: The information in respect of Strathclyde and Scotland is set out in the tables. Statistics for Inverclyde, and information on the degrees of seriousness of injury resulting from assaults on police officers, are not held centrally.
  925

  Number of murder victims

  Number of murders of police officers

  Number of officers in post

  Number of assaults on police officers2

  Male

  Female

  1985

  41

  0

  12,455

  761

  718

  1986

  48

  0

  12,504

  838

  745

  1987

  48

  0

  12,470

  933

  1,058

  1988

  135

  0

  12,434

  1,020

  1,397

  1989

  41

  0

  12,593

  1,157

  4,131

  1990

  36

  0

  12,520

  1,257

  4,306

  1991

  53

  0

  12,493

  1,353

  3,989

  1992

  79

  0

  12,576

  1,460

  4,422

  1Excludes Lockerbie air disaster.

  2Figures for 1977 to 1987 record number of officers assaulted.

  N/A—Not Available.

  Substance Abuse
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the number of people who died in each of the past seven years as a result of the abuse or the misuse of(a) tobacco, (b) alcohol, (c) heroin, (d) cocaine and (e) cannabis; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: The available information is as follows. It is estimated that some 10,600 people in Scotland die each year from smoking-related illnesses, including lung cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke. In some 600 cases a year the cause of death, as recorded on the death certificate, is a disease identified as being alcohol-related; however alcohol plays a part in the deaths of many more people through its contribution, for example, to hypertension, violence and road accidents. In the year from 1 November 1991 it is estimated that between 80 and 120 habitual misusers of controlled drugs died as a direct result of drug misuse; many of these cases will have resulted from the misuse of several drugs and reliable estimates cannot be offered in relation to the role of particular drugs.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what recent representations he has received concerning funding for drug and alcohol addiction treatment centres; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what proposals he has concerning the funding of drug and alcohol addiction treatment centres; whether

  Change 1987–93

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Number

  Per cent.

  Bed complement, Number

  Scotland

  16,237

  15,910

  15,343

  14,689

  13,878

  13,199

  12,283

  -3,954

  -24.4

  Argyll and Clyde

  1,463

  1,462

  1,264

  1,264

  1,197

  1,196

  1,180

  -283

  -19·3

  Ayrshire and Arran

  878

  878

  861

  861

  756

  744

  740

  -138

  -15·7

  Borders

  288

  276

  270

  255

  255

  249

  248

  -40

  -13·9

  Dumfries and Galloway

  617

  617

  617

  617

  451

  457

  430

  -187

  -30·3

  Fife

  1,070

  1,050

  925

  925

  857

  754

  730

  -340

  -31·8

  Forth Valley

  857

  820

  850

  800

  750

  740

  714

  -143

  -16·7

  Grampian

  1,641

  1,573

  1,520

  1,499

  1,396

  1,345

  1,271

  -370

  -22·5

  Greater Glasgow

  3,536

  3,533

  3,495

  3,195

  2,914

  2,744

  2,488

  -1,048

  -29·6

  Highland

  655

  655

  579

  499

  489

  489

  444

  -211

  -32·2

  Lanarkshire

  1,468

  1,405

  1,405

  1,302

  1,346

  1,204

  954

  -514

  -35·0

  Lothian

  2,220

  2,184

  2,175

  2,131

  2,122

  1,993

  1,789

  -431

  -19·4

  Orkney

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  17

  17

  —

  Shetland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Tayside

  1,536

  1,449

  1,374

  1,333

  1,312

  1,259

  1,227

  -309

  -20·1

  Western Isles

  8

  8

  8

  8

  33

  25

  51

  43

  537·5

  Length of stay of patients resident percentage

  1 year or less

  35·6

  35·6

  36·3

  37·4

  38·1

  39·3

  138·4

  —

  —

  Over 1 year

  64·4

  64·4

  63·7

  62·6

  61·9

  60·7

  161·6

  1 As at 31 December 1992.

  926
  money obtained by way of European Community structural funds can be used for such purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: The drugs task force, led by my noble and learned Friend the Minister of State, has received reports from health boards, social work departments, drug liaison committees and other organisations about facilities for drug misusers. This subject will be considered by the task force at a future meeting.

  No recent representations have been received about the funding of alcohol addiction treatment centres.

  The principal aim of the European structural funds is to assist the economic development of areas experiencing particular structural and economic difficulties. Drug and alcohol addiction treatment centres would not therefore be eligible for support from this source.

  Psychiatric Hospitals
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) long-stay and (b) short-stay psychiatric beds have been closed in each year of the health board areas in each of the past seven years.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: The information requested is not available in the form requested. The bed complement for psychiatric beds in total and the percentage of patients using psychiatric beds on 31 March each year from 1987 to 1993 is as follows.
  927

  Inverclyde Royal Hospital
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the persons appointed to the posts of members of the Inverclyde Royal Hospital Trust, with the dates of appointments, length of such appointments and remuneration.

  Date of appointment

  Appointed until

  Annual remuneration £

  Chairman

  Mr. James Kinloch

  6 December 1993

  30 November 1997

  17,145

  Non-executive Directors

  Mrs. Margaret Bruce

  23 December 1993

  31 March 1996

  5,000

  Mr. Norman Cunningham

  23 December 1993

  31 March 1996

  5,000

  Mr. Robert Henderson

  23 December 1993

  30 November 1997

  5,000

  Mr. Martin McGeehan

  23 December 1993

  31 March 1996

  5,000

  Mrs. Jane MacMillan

  23 December 1993

  30 November 1997

  5,000

  Cervical Smears
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the number of women who have had to undergo medical and/or surgery treatment as a result of the reported misreading of cervical smear test slides at the Inverclyde Royal hospital; what forms of treatment have been taken; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: The re-reading of the cervical smear slides at Inverclyde Royal hospital led to around 440 women requiring further investigation and/or treatment. It is not possible to say how many of these patients required treatment as a result of the original misreporting of the smear results.

  The forms of treatment include colposcopy without biopsy, colposcopically-directed selective biopsy, cold coagulation and conization of the cervix.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the procedures adopted by the Argyll and Clyde health board in response to the misreporting of the cervical smear tests at the Inverclyde Royal hospital, Greenock.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: Argyll and Clyde health board accepted the main thrust of the recommendations directed at them by the Inverclyde inquiry report and a task force was set up to advise the board on the action to be taken.

  The proposals by the task force are to be implemented through a comprehensive purchasing plan based on service specification for all components of the board's cervical screening programme including targets and quality control procedures. The purchasing plan is to be presented to the board for approval at its meeting in February and it will be for provider units to deliver the service required through contracts.

  The task force is also currently considering the implications of the rationalisation of the cervical cytopathology services. An extensive consultation exercise is currently underway involving relevant laboratory consultants, clinicians and outside experts. The task force is expected to complete this exercise and report with recommendations to the board by May.
  928
  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: The information requested on the appointments made by my right hon. Friend to the board of the Inverclyde Royal and Rankin Memorial hospital NHS trust is set out in the table. Details of the executive members of the board, who are appointed by the non-executive directors, are not held centrally.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many women underwent cervical smear tests in each of the health board areas for the latest available year; what these figures are as percentages of women of the appropriate age range; what is the proportion of those who develop carcinomas before being recalled; and what is the recall period for each region.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: Information is available only on the number of smears processed and not the number of women examined. Figures for 1992—the latest available—are as follows:

  Number of cervical smears examined

  Percentage of eligible population

  Scotland

  485,368

  84·6

  Argyll and Clyde

  41,769

  80·5

  Ayrshire and Arran

  33,925

  85·8

  Borders1

  —

  91·6

  Dumfries and Galloway

  12,921

  91·2

  Fife

  32,656

  88·0

  Forth Valley

  30,658

  85·6

  Grampian

  54,897

  90·2

  Greater Glasgow

  87,424

  80·1

  Highland

  24,290

  88·1

  Lanarkshire

  45,177

  79·7

  Lothian

  86,294

  85·4

  Orkney1

  —

  91·8

  Shetland1

  —

  91·6

  Tayside

  35,357

  87·3

  Western Isles1

  —

  78·8

  1 Smears of women in Borders, Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles health board areas are included in figures for Lothian, Grampian (Orkney and Shetland) and Highland health boards respectively.

  Information on the proportion of women who develop carcinomas before being recalled is not available.

  All health boards in Scotland are now operating a three-year call/recall system.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 20 January,Official Report, column 759, whether the target time of 14 days for the processing and notifying the results of cervical smear tests includes the processing time for general practitioners, hospitals or clinics to report the results to their patients.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: Yes.
  929
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many women living, or formerly living, in the catchment area of the Inverclyde Royal hospital have as yet not been traced in relation to the recall programme following the discovery of the misreporting of cervical smear test slides at the hospital's cytology laboratory; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: As of 31 January 1994 there were 16 women with non-negative results on rescreening still to be traced. Of these 15 are believed to be in the United States, and one woman in Europe. The health board is continuing to pursue links to trace the remaining women. Approaches have been made to the United States internal revenue service to ascertain whether they can help in tracing the women.

  Scottish Enterprise
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of the report by the Monitor Group into the future of the electronics sector in Scotland by the Monitor Group; if the report will be made public; and what action Scottish Enterprise has taken following the report.
  930
  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 26 January 1994]: The report was prepared by the monitor group as part of a wider task to develop, with the Scottish electronics forum, a strategy for the electronics sector in Scotland. The total cost of that work was £480,000.

  The text of the report has not yet been published since Scottish Enterprise does not consider the report on its own to be fully representative of all the associated work undertaken to develop the wider strategic approach. But I understand that its plans to pull this wider range of material together with the report itself, with a view to publication.

  It is for Scottish Enterprise to decide how the work it commissioned from the monitor group should be taken forward; and I understand it is considering, with the Scottish Electronics forum, how that might best be done. Scottish Enterprise is willing to provide further details about the current position, or to meet the hon. Member to discuss the matter further, if that would be helpful. I have therefore written to the chairman of Scottish Enterprise asking him to write direct to the hon. Member about this matter.

  GENOCIDE CONVENTION: RATIFICATION
  GENOCIDE CONVENTION: RATIFICATION
  LAW OF THE SEA CONVENTION
  LAW OF THE SEA CONVENTION
  CABINET MINUTES
  CABINET MINUTES
  TRANSFERABLE TAX ALLOWANCES
  TRANSFERABLE TAX ALLOWANCES
  POLICE AUTHORITY MEMBERSHIP: ROLE OF LORDS LIEUTENANT
  POLICE AUTHORITY MEMBERSHIP: ROLE OF LORDS LIEUTENANT
  PRISONERS: DRUG TESTING
  PRISONERS: DRUG TESTING