Written Answers of 7 February 1994

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade who are the members currently appointed to the Simpler Trade Procedures Board.

  Mr. Needham
  The information requested is as follows:

  Mr. J. G. Davis, CBE—Chairman

  Mr. J. M. Fetherston, OBE JP—Vice Chairman

  Mr. R. Walker, OBE—Chief Executive

  Mr. R. Dale—Deputy Chief Executive

  Mr. F. R. Mingay, CMG DTI—Ex-Officio

  Mr. M. Brown, HM Customs—Ex-Officio

  Dr. C. J. Bell

  Mr. N. R. Boakes

  Mr. B. J. Kelleher

  Mr. T. B. C. McGuffog

  Mr. M. J. Booth

  Viscount Chelmsford

  Mr. C. J. Clark

  Sir Julian Ridsdale, CBE

  Mr. B. S. Wheble, CBE Hon FCIB

  Mr. M. Williams

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade who are the members currently appointed to the National Research Development Corporation.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In answer to the hon. Member's question as to who are the members currently appointed to the National Research Development Corporation, they are:

  Mr. I. Harvey

  Mr. R. Kathoke

  Dr. J. Morton

  Sir R. Riley

  Industrial Research Establishments
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library a copy of the KPMG report on his Department's industrial research establishments.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I will take a decision on whether to place a copy in to the Library of the House when I have received the final report.

  Power Transmission Lines
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what studies his energy technology support unit has conducted or commissioned into the inhibitive effects of oxidative phosphorylation of electric field exposure from power transmission lines.

  Mr. Eggar
  The energy technology support unit has not conducted or commissioned any research into this subject but we are aware of the reported findings of research in the United States which may be related to it.
  2

  Compact Discs
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations he has received relating to the production and sale of compact discs in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  A small number of representations continue to be received about the price of compact discs. This is an issue currently being considered by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in its inquiry into the supply of recorded music in the United Kingdom.

  Paper Shredders
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many paper shredding machines there are(a) in his private office and (b) in his Department.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information is as follows:

  (a) There is no paper shredder in my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade's private office.

  (b) Excluding "next steps" agencies, my Department has approximately 50 paper shredders distributed among the various management units.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has discussed with the British Standards Institute the report of its policy committee on small businesses on BS5750.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The British Standards Institution's policy committee for small businesses, chaired by Mr. Roger Dunn, has prepared a report on the application of BS5750, the standard for quality management systems, to small firms. The report is published by BSI today and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

  BS5750 is a voluntary standard developed by industry. Many United Kingdom businesses have found it advantageous as a management tool. The report recognises this potential benefit and the overall contribution of the standard to higher and consistent quality in the provision of goods and services. It concludes that the underlying principles are equally applicable to large and small businesses, but that small businesses face particular problems in the course of preparing for and obtaining certification.

  The committee notes that a number of research projects in this field have yet to be completed but goes on to make a number of provisional recommendations to Government, BSI and others. I have discussed these issues with BSI and my officials have consulted other interested parties.

  I accept the recommendation addressed to my Department concerning consultant registration. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has already announced to the House on 7 December Official Report, column 154, a new consultancy brokerage service which will include computer listings of consultants offering advice on quality improvement. This service will itself operate under a quality assured system which will at least maintain, and where possible build upon, the high standards established under the enterprise initiative consultancy scheme. In particular, we shall ensure that the methods used in selecting consultants who apply to be listed will continue to be rigorous. The new service will actively promote BS5750 certification among management

  3
  consultants in general and ensure that potential clients are made aware of those listed consultants who have themselves already achieved certification to that standard.

  We have also agreed to take the lead in a number of other areas. We shall take action as soon as possible, within the managing in the 90s programme, to publish guidance on BS5750 for small firms and for purchasers. We shall facilitate, through business links, the development by training and enterprise councils, chambers of commerce and others of local self-help schemes for small companies. We shall continue to contribute to the cost of research into the difficulties of small firms in this field and will seek a suitable forum for continued oversight of these issues. We shall also ensure that the European Commission is alert to the problem.

  The report recommends action by certification bodies and the National Accreditation Council for Certification Bodies and urges them to adapt their assessment procedures and to consider how fees and charges for small firms can be modified. My Department has consulted these bodies, who have welcomed the report and its recommendations. The NACCB-Association of British Certification Bodies small firms working party and individual certification bodies are actively preparing positive responses on these aspects.

  Insolvency Service
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the outcome of the review of the future of the Insolvency Service.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  On 22 July 1993,Official Report, column 363, I announced a review to consider the scope for improving the way the Insolvency Service performs its functions and, in particular, to look at ways in which official receivers could concentrate more on their investigatory role by involving the private sector more in the mechanical processing work in insolvencies. The review was carried out by Stoy Hayward Consulting.

  I have considered Stoy Hayward's report—a summary of which has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses—and have decided that its findings provide a sufficient basis for further, more detailed work to be done to assess the costs and benefits of and mechanisms for involving the private sector more in those mechanical, processing tasks undertaken by the official receiver in relation to bankruptcy and compulsory liquidation cases. The specification for this further work has been drawn up and a letter of invitation issued. If this work reveals likely value for money gains in pursuing any of the options identified, I will consider whether there should be live trials in one or more regions.

  Private Pensions
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimates he has received from life insurance companies of their liability for compensation payments to people wrongly advised to transfer into private pensions.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Department has written to life offices to ask them to indicate their likely exposure to compensation in respect of mis-selling of personal pensions, and to provide guidance on how the Department expects them to reserve for any such exposure in future Companies Act accounts and DTI returns. Individual responses must remain confidential as between the life 4
  offices and the Department. However, where a life office considers that it is likely to have a liability or a contingent liability, in respect of mis-selling of pension business, the Department expects this to be recognised in the published accounts.

  Charles Barker
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will institute an inquiry into the collapse and resale of the lobbying company Charles Barker; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: If the hon. Member will provide details of the matters which cause him concern, they will be given full consideration.

  Electricity (Safety)
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to ensure that only suitably qualified people advise customers of electricity companies on wiring and safety.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 3 February 1994]: I have no plans for this purpose. The guidelines provided by BS7671—the IEE wiring regulations—are well established and well known in the electrical contracting and associated industries.

  BS7671 applies to the design, selection, erection, inspection and testing of electrical installations. It also makes requirements for safety with the objective of protecting persons, property and livestock against electrical shock, fires, burns and various mechanical hazards. Persons who wish to certify that an installation satisfies the requirements of this standard must be competent for the work. The standard sets out the requirements for competence.

  The safety aspects of this standard are supported by legislation, for example the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what guidelines he has issued to companies regarding the qualifications of employees advising customers on rewiring and safety.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 3 February 1994]: I have not issued any guidelines for this purpose. The guidelines provided by BS7671—the IEE wiring regulations—are well established and well known in the electrical contracting and associated industries.

  BS7671 applies to the design, selection, erection, inspection and testing of electrical installations. It also makes requirements for safety with the objective of protecting persons, property and livestock against electrical shock, fires burns and various mechanical hazards. Persons who wish to certify that an installation satisfies the requirements of this standard must be competent for the work. The standard sets out the requirements for competence.

  The safety aspects of this standard are supported by legislation, for example the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974.
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  Rover Group
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement clarifying the Government's strategy for industry; and what assessment he has made of the implications for that strategy of the sale of Rover Group to the German Company BMW.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: The Government's strategy is to help British industry win. The sale to BMW by British Aerospace of its stake in Rover is consistent with that strategy as Rover, while remaining a separate entity with its own manufacturing design and development facilities in the United Kingdom, will also gain increased export opportunities and better access to much-needed funds for further capital reinvestment. BAe will be able to pursue plans for the turbo-prop and regional jet businesses in Prestwick and Manchester.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has concerning the percentage change in sales in each of the last three years for which figures are available for(a) Rover Group and (b) BMW (i) in the United Kingdom, (ii) in Europe and (iii) in Germany.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: The information requested is set out in the table.

  Rover Group

  Percentage change in sales

  United Kingdom

  Germany

  EC

  1990

  —

  +16·3

  —

  1991

  -18·5

  +59·0

  -9·3

  1992

  -6·0

  +26·0

  -4·0

  1993

  +10·5

  —

  +8·9

  BMW

  Percentage change in sales

  United Kingdom

  Germany

  EC

  1990

  —

  -0·03

  -2·3

  1991

  -10·0

  +16·70

  +12·4

  1992

  +5·0

  +9·90

  +10·7

  1993

  +0·6

  —

  —

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the future impact upon the attraction of investment from Japan of the sale of Rover Group to BMW.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: The long-held welcome which this Government and country have given to investment from Japan is as strong as ever. The advantages we offer have led to our securing 40 per cent. of all Japanese investment in the European Community: these remain in place. I am sure that Japanese industry will continue to recognise these benefits and the strength of our relationship and will make its investment decisions accordingly.

  Manufacturing Companies (Sale)
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his overall policy on the sale of major manufacturing companies to overseas interests.
  6
  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: The Government generally welcome foreign investment in United Kingdom companies. Only in exceptional cases would I consider using the powers I possess.

  Overseas Investors
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to seek in future to encourage overseas business to invest in existing British companies without seeking to change their ownership.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: We shall continue to maintain our successful policies towards both inward and outward investment.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Business Support
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total value of loans awarded by the European investment bank for investments in the European Community in each year since its establishment; and what proportion of the loans were for the financing of projects in (i) the northern region and (ii) the United Kingdom as a whole.

  Mr. Nelson
  A detailed breakdown of the bank's lending is published in its annual report and accounts, copies of which are available in the Library. The figures sought for 1991 and 1992 can be found in the reports for these years. However, it is not possible to obtain the information requested for previous years, since the bank did not then prepare or publish a full breakdown of lending by region.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total value of European Community loans made at competitive rates to small and medium-sized enterprises in each year since its establishment; and what proportion of these loans were granted to businesses in(a) the northern region and (b) the United Kingdom as a whole.

  Mr. Nelson
  Within the institutions of the European Community, there are two sources of loans for small arid medium sized enterprises, the European investment bank and the European Coal and Steel Community. For the EIB, the information sought can be obtained from its annual report and accounts, copies of which are available in the Library. The ECSC, however, does not compile or publish statistics showing what proportion of its lending is directed to small and medium-sized enterprises.

  Indonesia (Ministerial Visit)
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost to public funds of his trip to Indonesia during the Christmas recess; and how many hours of official business he conducted while he was there.

  Mr. Nelson
  The cost of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's visit to the far east during the Christmas recess, with accompanying Treasury officials, was about £31,500. The Indonesian part of the trip involved four and a half days. During this time, my right hon. and learned
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  Friend met the President of Indonesia, a number of senior Indonesian Ministers with responsibility for the economy, the Governor of the Bank of Indonesia and a range of Indonesian and expatriate business people. He also visited a British-funded railway project, together with BP's new polyethylene plant in western Java.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. Nelson
  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 sector representatives.

  VAT Repayments
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of VAT repayments by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise were made within 30 days of receiving a claim in the last year for which figures are available.

  Sir John Cope
  In the financial year ended 31 March 1993, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise made 98·5 per cent. of VAT repayments within 30 days of having received the claims.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the subjects on which his Department formerly answered parliamentary questions but which are now referred by him to an executive agency.

  Mr. Nelson
  The chief executives of the Central Statistical Office, the Office of Her Majesty's Paymaster General, the Valuation Office agency and the Royal Mint have delegated authority to reply to parliamentary questions on day-to-day operational matters within their responsibilities. Since the procedures for publishing chief executives' replies in the Official Report were introduced in October 1992, only three questions have been tabled concerning the operational responsibilities of the executive agencies of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

  Carbon Dioxide Energy Tax
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the fiscal return to the Exchequer during 1994–95 of implementation of the carbon dioxide energy tax as proposed by the European White Paper on employment.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Commission White Paper on "Growth, competitiveness and employment" refers to the CO2/energy tax proposed by the Commission in June 1992 but does not itself propose such a tax. The revenue which would be raised by implementing a tax as proposed in 1992 would depend on a number of factors, in particular: whether it took the place of other energy taxes, such as fuel duties; and decisions on the nature and size of any of the proposed exemptions to the tax.
  8

  Correspondence
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of written inquiries and customer complaints to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise were replied to within 10 working days.

  Sir John Cope
  The latest available figures show that 90 per cent. of all written inquiries and 65 per cent. of all customer complaints to Her Majesty's Customs were replied to within 10 working days.

  Paper Shredders
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many paper shredding machines there are(a) in his private office and (b) in his Department.

  Mr. Nelson
  There is one shredding machine in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's private office and seven in use elsewhere in the Treasury.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment he has made of the implications for open government of the proceedings of the Scott inquiry.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Government have provided Lord Justice Scott's inquiry with all the information it has requested. Any assessment of implications awaits Lord Justice Scott's findings.

  Inherited Defects
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he will take to protect the clinical work that relates to the research into inherited defects of connective tissue currently carried out by the dermatology research group at the clinical research centre at Harrow.

  Mr. David Davis
  The dermatology research group at the clinical research centre will be transferring to the department of pathology at the university of Cambridge in the course of the year. The Medical Research Council has funded the research group for a further five years and has funded new accommodation on the Addenbrooke's hospital site. The team will therefore be able to continue its clinical research programme into inherited defects of connective tissue. In addition, links are being formed with the East Anglia regional genetics centre.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible have(a) been abolished or (b) created since June 1992.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Prime Minister on 1 February,Official Report, column 611.
  9

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Property Investment
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will list the individuals and firms who have ceased to advise the Church Commissioners on commercial property investments in the last three years.

  Mr. Alison
  No firms other than those listed in my answer on 24 January,Official Report, column 1, have advised the commissioners on commercial property investments in the last three years, although there have naturally been changes of personnel within these firms and in their terms of reference. The group advising the commissioners' assets committee on property matters is a new group and was established in response to one of the Lambeth report's recommendations.

  Board of Governors
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will list the current Church Commissioners' board of governors and the date of their appointment.

  Mr. Alison
  The members of the board of governors and their date of appointment are listed:

  Member

  Date of appointment

  The Most Revd and Right Hon. G. L. Carey Archbishop of Canterbury (Chairman)

  Ex-officio1 (19 April 1991)

  The Most Revd and Right Hon. J. S. Habgood Archbishop of York

  Ex-officio1 (18 October 1993)

  The Right Revd J. Waine Bishop of Chelmsford (Deputy Chairman)

  25 February 1982

  Sir Michael Colman First Church Estates Commissioner

  Ex-officio1 (1 April 1993)

  The Right Hon. Michael Alison MP Second Church Estates Commissioner

  Ex-officio1 (19 June 1987)

  Mrs. M. H. Laird Third Church Estates Commissioner

  Ex-officio1 (1 January 1989)

  The Right Revd and Right Hon. D. M. Hope Bishop of London

  30 June 1993

  The Right Revd A. D. Chesters Bishop of Blackburn

  224 September 1992

  The Right Revd P. J. Nott Bishop of Norwich

  30 June 1993

  The Right Revd A. M. A. Tumbull Bishop of Rochester

  28 April 1988

  The Right Revd D. R. Lunn Bishop of Sheffield

  27 June 1984

  The Very Revd J. M. Moses Provost of Chelmsford

  28 April 1988

  The Very Revd B. H. Lewers Provost of Derby

  28 April 1988

  The Venerable G. G. Gibson Archdeacon of Auckland

  1 April 1993

  The Venerable J. Richards Archdeacon of Exeter

  1 April 1993

  The Venerable J. S. Gaisford Archdeacon of Macclesfield

  21 June 1991

  The Venerable G. B. Austin Archdeacon of York

  1 January 1980

  The Revd Canon J. A. Stanley

  28 April 1988

  The Revd Prebendary R. N. Inwood

  1 April 1993

  The Viscountess Brentford

  1 April 1993

  Mr. A. Cooper

  1 April 1993

  Mr. H. Gracey

  21 June 1991

  10

  Member

  Date of appointment

  Mrs. P. R. Granger

  1 June 1991

  Sir John Herbecq

  1 August 1982

  Mr. P. A. Lovegrove

  28 April 1988

  Mr. E. G. Nugee QC

  23 August 1993

  Mr. J. F. M. Smallwood

  17 November 1966

  Mr. D. H. L. Hopkinson (co-opted)

  228 April 1988

  The Very Revd T. E. Evans (co-opted)

  223 February 1989

  Dean of St. Pauls

  1 Ex-officio.

  2 Also served previous terms of office.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Judges (Training)
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much training judges are having on the implementation of the Children Act 1989.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Children Act 1989 requires that cases arising under the Act are heard by judges specifically authorised for the purpose by the Lord Chancellor. Before granting this authorisation, the Lord Chancellor requires that the judge should have had the appropriate training arranged by the Judicial Studies Board. For public law, this involves attending a seminar on the subject of care cases. District judges who handle such cases also receive training. In addition, family work is included in induction and refresher training for district judges and guidance on both public and private law work is given at one-day family law seminars held on circuits and attended by all levels of the judiciary involved in this work. The Judicial Studies Board also holds a conference each year for the family division liaison judges and the designated family judges, which is chaired by the president of the family division.

  Shared Residency Orders
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many shared residency orders have been made since the Children Act 1989 came into force; and how many have been contested.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Shared Access Orders
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many shared access orders have been made since the Children Act 1989 was implemented; and how many of these have been contested.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Contact—formerly access—orders are made on the basis of one application and one order. There is no provision under the Children Act 1989 for shared contact applications or orders. The figures for the number of cases in which multiple contact orders have been made and which of those were contested are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  11

  Judiciary
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will update the information given in his answer of 12 February 1993,Official Report, column 784, to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North regarding the composition of the judiciary.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information—as at 1 January 1994—is set out. The figures for black or Asian office

  Number

  Average age (years)

  Men

  Women

  1Barrister

  Solicitor

  Black/Asian

  Lords of Appeal in Ordinary

  10

  66·5

  10

  —

  10

  —

  —

  Lords Justices

  29

  63·0

  28

  1

  29

  —

  —

  Heads of Division (excludes Lord Chancellor)

  4

  63·0

  4

  —

  4

  —

  —

  High Court Judges

  95

  57·6

  89

  6

  94

  1

  —

  Circuit Judges (includes Official Referees)

  499

  57·8

  472

  27

  439

  60

  2

  Recorders

  813

  52·0

  775

  38

  740

  73

  9

  Assistant Recorders (excludes Assistant Recorders in training)

  432

  45·7

  375

  57

  357

  75

  8

  Stipendiary Magistrates

  78

  53·1

  70

  8

  36

  42

  1

  Industrial Tribunal Chairmen

  73

  56·4

  61

  12

  35

  38

  2

  Value Added Tax Tribunal Chairmen

  4

  60·3

  4

  —

  3

  1

  —

  Social Security Appeal Tribunal Chairmen

  33

  50·3

  23

  10

  8

  25

  —

  1 Or member of the faculty of advocates.

  Landlord Mortgages
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what changes have been agreed following the Law Commission report on transfer of landlord mortgages.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The extensive recommendations in the Law Commission's report on "Transfer of Land: Land Mortgages"—Law Com. No. 204—are still under consideration by the Government.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 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. John M. Taylor
  The total reimbursement by the Department of Social Security in the 1992–93 financial year was £542,025·79; and up to the end of December 1993 was £472,052·53. No earlier figures are available.

PRIME MINISTER

  European Investment Fund
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 734, concerning the accountability of the managers of the European investment fund, for what period funds at their disposal have been part of the annual budget of the European Community; what are the names of those who have the duty of appointing the managers of the fund and who appoints them and what are the names, experience, current employment and other relevant interests of the managers already appointed and the number of vacancies.

  The Prime Minister
  The proposed European investment fund cannot be established until the necessary treaty
  12
  holders are believed to be correct, but the formal recording of the ethnic background of applicants for judicial office only began on 1 October 1991, so such information may be incomplete. Aggregated information is not generally kept on the average ages of judges or on their school and university background. However, the results of a recent special exercise in relation to average ages are set out.

  amendment has been ratified by all the European Community's member states. Only then can managers for the fund be appointed. Meanwhile, the situation will remain as follows:

  (a) No funds are at the disposal of the managers of the fund. The funding referred to in my answer of 1 February is the provision taken by the European Community for its planned subscription to the share capital of the fund. This subscription will be paid over four years. The Community's 1994 Budget contains provision for the first tranche and was adopted on 16 December 1993.

  (b) The draft statute of the fund places the ultimate responsibility for appointing the managers of the fund with the fund's general meeting. This meeting would comprise representatives of the fund's shareholders: the European investment bank, the European Community and financial institutions from member states. The EIB and the EC would hold the majority of the share capital, and their representatives at the meeting would be accountable to the EIB's board of governors, and the ECOFIN Council, respectively.

  (c) The draft statute envisages that day-to-day management would be in the hands of a financial committee. This would have three members, one of whom would be a representative of the EIB, one a representative of the EC, and one a representative of the financial institutions. No nomination to this committee can be made until the fund is established.

  Child Nutrition
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations he has received from the National Children's Home in regard to child nutrition; what reply he is sending; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received a letter from the N.C.H. Action for Children. A reply will be sent in due course.

  Paper Shredders
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Prime Minister how many paper shredding machines there are(a) in 10 Downing street and (b) in the Cabinet Office.
  13
  The Prime Minister
  There are five paper shredding machines in 10 Downing street, and five in the Cabinet Office.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Radioactive Wastes (Dumping)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place document A/C1/48/L.17 on prohibition of dumping of radioactive wastes, presented to the United Nations General Assembly in 1993, in the Library.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The document has been placed in the Library.

  Indonesia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he knew about the proposed sale of Hawk aircraft to Indonesia when he visited Jakarta in April 1993; and whether this was discussed.

  Mr. Goodlad
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs was aware of the proposed sale of Hawk aircraft when he visited Jakarta in April 1993. It was referred to during that visit.

  UN Register of Conventional Arms
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will use the description of item column to give details of model type of the equipment, when making the United Kingdom's 1993 return to the UN register of conventional arms.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There are no plans to do so. This is not currently a requirement of the UN arms register.

  Military Equipment Embargoes
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries currently subject to embargoes on the export of British military equipment, when in each case the embargo was imposed and which equipment is covered.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We observe embargoes imposed by the United Nations on Iraq, imposed in 1991; Libya, 1992; Somalia, 1993; Liberia, 1992; Haiti, 1993; South Africa, 1977; and former Yugoslavia, 1991. The scope of United Nations embargoes is not defined; decisions on their application are made at national discretion on a case-by-case basis. We apply all these embargoes to all military equipment.

  We also observe embargoes imposed by the European Union on China, 1989; Syria, 1986; Burma, 1991; and Zaire, 1993. We apply the embargoes on Burma, Zaire and Syria to all military equipment. We apply the embargo on China to weapons and any equipment which could be used for internal repression.

  We also observe a voluntary embargo agreed by the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe on Armenia and Azerbaijan, 1992, which we consider applies to all military equipment.

  In addition, as a matter of declared national policy we refuse to supply military equipment to Argentina, since
  14
  1982,and to Israel, since 1982—in the case of Israel, we decided in 1983 to allow the export of electronic and small non-lethal components provided they did not form part of equipment due to be put into service with the Israeli armed forces in Lebanon.

  In the case of Iran, there have been restrictions since 1979. Stricter guidelines were introduced in 1984 relating to the export of all defence-related equipment. Following a review of export licensing criteria for Iran announced by the President of the Board of Trade in December 1992, new guidelines were announced to Parliament in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs' statement of 1 March 1993.

  In the case of the United Nations embargoes on Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Liberia, Haiti and the former Yugoslavia, the Government have introduced Orders in Council under the United Nations Act 1946. In all other cases, controls are effected under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1992, and its predecessors.

  Export licences have been issued in respect of equipment for United Nations and EC peacekeeping activities and for the protection of those undertaking humanitarian and media work, for example, journalists in former Yugoslavia.

  Biodiversity Action Plan
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the reason, for not including the British Indian ocean territory and the Great Chagos Bank Atoll in the areas covered by i.he biodiversity action plan published on 25 January.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  It was decided that given the special circumstances of the British Indian ocean territory—BIOT—it would not be appropriate for the islands to be included in the national plan for biodiversity.

  Access to Diego Garcia is restricted because of the defence facility on the island. Nevertheless, legislative and other measures have been implemented to protect the territory's environment. BIOT has a conservation consultant who is developing a comprehensive programme for the territory and has close links with the charity, the Friends of the Chagos, an organisation concerned with the conservation of the Chagos archipelago.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the subjects on which his Department formerly answered parliamentary questions but which are now referred by him to an executive agency.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The framework documents of the Natural Resources Institute and the Wilton Park executive agency set out the responsibilities delegated to the respective chief executives. They will normally be responsible for answering questions on those matters for which they are responsible.

  UNESCO
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy towards renewed membership of UNESCO; and if he will make a statement.
  15
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are continuing to keep this matter under close review, but for the moment have taken no decision on whether to rejoin UNESCO.

  Paper Shredders
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many paper shredding machines there are(a) in his private office and (b) in his Department.

  Mr. Goodlad
  There is one paper shredding machine in the private office and an estimated 548 machines in the Department's home and overseas offices.

  United Nations
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the United Kingdom's annual contribution to the funding of the United Nations in each of the last four years.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Details of the United Kingdom's contributions to the United Nations regular budget over the past four years are as follows:

  1991—$44,775,548

  1992—$49,437,654

  1993—$51,229,662

  1994—$51,067,778—provisional

  Sheikh Riaz Ahmad
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what substantive reply he has received from the French authorities concerning Sheikh Riaz Ahmad who was refused leave to enter France in December 1992; how many representations he has now made to the French authorities; how many replies he has now received from the French authorities; what further action he intends to take; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The British embassy has yet to receive a satisfactory explanation as to why Mr. Ahmed was refused entry to France. The embassy has sent eight notes verbales to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs to which it has received four replies, none of which was regarded as satisfactory. On 11 January 1994 the consul-general called at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss Mr. Ahmed's case further. The Ministry agreed to look into the matter again.

  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as I have anything further to report.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards a cut-off convention for fissile materials available for nuclear warhead manufacture.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We supported the United Nations General Assembly resolution last year which called for the negotiation of a convention prohibiting the production of plutonium and highly enriched uranium for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. Although we shall wish to consider very carefully the implications of such a convention for our nuclear deterrent, we recognise the potentially valuable contribution which a multilateral 16
  convention could make to non-proliferation. On 1 February, the conference on disarmament appointed a special co-ordinator to seek the views of its member states on the most appropriate arrangements for a cut-off convention.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 28 January,Official Report, column 424, what has been the total amount received from the United Nations for Britian's contribution of troops, equipment and expertise to the UNPROFOR mission in former Yugoslavia in each year since the operation began.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  UNPROFOR Croatia—UNPROFOR I—began in February 1992, UNPROFOR Bosnia-Hercegovina Command—UNPROFOR II—in September 1992.

  United Nations reimbursements for UNPROFOR I in the financial year 1992–93 totalled £191,663·25. Reimbursements for UNPROFOR I and II in the financial year 1993–94 to date now total £17,120,698·94.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 28 January,Official Report, column 425, if he will list the payments made to his Department by the United Nations in respect of UNPROFOR in the last three financial years covering (a) military observers, (b) military contingents, (c) other costs pertaining to contingents, (d) civilian police monitors, (e) civilian staff costs, (f) international contractual personnel salaries, (g) engineering salaries and material, (h) helicopter operations, (i) fixed-wing aircraft, (j) aircrew subsistence allowance, (k) ground handling, (l) transport operations, (m) other equipment, (n) supplies and services, (o) integrated management information systems, (p) support for peacekeeping mission and (q) technological; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces explained in his answer of 28 January,Official Report, column 424, United Nations reimbursements to date have been made up of standard rate payments for troop costs and rations only. UNPROFOR Croatia—UNPROFOR I—began in February 1992 and UNPROFOR Bosnia-Hercegovina Command—UNPROFOR II—in September 1992. UNPROFOR II was only brought on to United Nations assessed contribution funding from 1 April 1993. The MoD Operation Hanwood withdrew from Croatia in September 1993. United Nations reimbursements have therefore been made in the financial years 1992–93 and 1993–94 to date as follows:

  £

  Financial Year 1992–93

  UNPROFOR I progress payments for troop costs for the period to 31 July 1992

  July 1992

  117,726·45

  February 1993

  73,936·80

  Total

  191,663·25

  Financial Year 1993–94 to date

  UNPROFOR I balance of refunds due for troop costs March to July 1992

  May 1993

  131,899·88

  17

  £

  UNPROFOR I troop costs for the month of August 1992

  June 1993

  216,526·76

  UNPROFOR I troop costs for the months of September and October 1992

  July 1993

  414,643·55

  UNPROFOR I troop costs for the month of November 1992

  August 1993

  190,521·39

  UNPROFOR I troop costs for the month of December 1992

  September 1993

  179,233·43

  UNPROFOR I troop costs for the months of January to March 1993

  October 1993

  535,084·08

  UNPROFOR I and II progress payments for troop costs April to June 1993

  November 1993

  5,419,567·12

  UNPROFOR II rations for the period April to June 1993

  November 1993

  1,038,928·80

  UNPROFOR II rations for the period July to September 1993

  December 1993

  974,359·39

  UNPROFOR I and II progress payment for troop costs for July to September 1993

  December 1993

  5,112,072·48

  UNPROFOR II progress payment for troop costs for October 1993

  January 1994

  1,578,704·56

  UNPROFOR II progress payment for troop costs for November 1993

  February 1994

  1,329,157·50

  Total

  17,120,698·94

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Immigration Laws (Employment)
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which EC countries have laws criminalising employers for employing workers who do not have permission to work under the immigration laws of the country; and for each country how long such legislation has been in existence.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  From the information readily available we understand that most member states of the EC have penalties which involve fines and/or imprisonment for employers who employ foreign nationals who do not have the requisite permission to work. Information as to how long such legislation has been in existence is not available.

  Committal Proceedings
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusion he has reached on the Royal Commission on criminal justice's recomrnendations regarding committal proceedings.
  18
  Mr. Howard
  The Government have accepted the arguments put forward by the Royal Commission and agreed that committal proceedings should be abolished.

  "Old style" or "full" committals are a costly and cumbersome process. They are open to abuse by the defence, particularly where the witness is also a victim. The much larger number of so-called "paper " committals are largely a formality, serving little purpose.

  Abolishing committals would reduce, in most cases, the time taken by pre-trial procedures and should allow savings to be made in court and legal aid costs.

  In place of committal hearings, we propose there should be a procedure allowing cases to be transferred to the Crown court administratively. This would apply in all indictable-only cases, and in triable either-way cases once a decision on mode of trial has been reached in the magistrates court.

  As recommended by the royal commission, there would still be a procedure under which the defence could argue that there was no case to answer in advance of trial at the Crown court.

  Under the proposed new "transfer for trial" procedure, such an application would in most cases be considered by the magistrates on the papers. But the court would have a discretion to admit oral argument by the defence on application.

  Again as recommended by the royal commission, no witnesses would be called to give evidence in these proceedings. This means there will be no question of vulnerable witnesses being requested to give evidence twice.

  A new clause will shortly be tabled as an addition to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill, which, if approved, will give effect to these proposals.

  Police Performance Targets
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those police forces which had and had not(a) published targets and indicators of performances and (b) published target times for answering telephone calls and responding to incidents requiring rapid reaction by July 1993.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information is not centrally available. Police forces will be expected to publish performance indicators and targets for 1993–94 during the course of 1994–95. Local authorities will also be publishing the Audit Commission performance indicators.

  Immigration
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the current waiting time for interview in relation to settlement applications from spouses or fiances or fiancees in Pakistan;

  (2) what is the current waiting time for interviews in relation to settlement applications from spouses or fiances or fiancees in India.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is published in table 10 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin Issue 33/93 "Control of Immigration: Statistics—First and Second Quarters 1993", a copy of which is in the Library. Statistics for the third and fourth quarters of 1993 will be published in April.
  19

  Overseas Electors
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many citizens living overseas have applied to be registered to vote in elections in each parliamentary constituency.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information on the number of British citizens overseas applying to register as overseas electors is not collected centrally. Information on the number of overseas electors included in the 1993–94 register for each constituency was published by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in "Electoral Statistics 1993"—EL No. 20—copies of which are in the Library. Figures for the 1994–95 register will be published in the summer.

  Taylforth Libel Case
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Metropolitan Commissioner on the release to The Sun newspaper of the facts of the arrest and caution which were the subject of the recent Taylforth libel case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I understand from the Commissioner that a reporter from The Sun telephoned the Metropolitan police press bureau seeking confirmation of the details of an incident on 17 June 1992 on a slip road of the Al. The press bureau confirmed that an incident had occurred, but did not volunteer the names of the persons involved.

  Proxy Voting
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make the application form to vote by post or proxy due to disability or physical incapacity available in braille.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have no plans to do so.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidance is issued to chief constables on the reporting of criminal activity on police command and control systems and in published rates of recorded crime;

  (2) whether each police force throughout England and Wales uses the same criteria in recording criminal activity on police command and control systems and in the publishing of statistics of recorded crime.

  Mr. Maclean
  Statistics of recorded crime are based on rules for classification and counting which are standard for all the police forces in England and Wales. A comprehensive set of counting rules is used by police forces in order to maintain the consistency of recording multiple, continuous and repeated offences. Although these rules are issued centrally, many decisions still have to be taken locally about the recording and counting of criminal incidents.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the report of a crime on a police command and control system which is reported for information only is included in the published crime statistics.
  20
  Mr. Maclean
  The recording process starts when someone reports to the police that an offence has been committed or when the police observe or discover an offence. The police make an initial examination of the facts to determine if there is prima facie evidence that an offence has been committed; if so, a crime report will be made out and if that offence is deemed "notifiable", it will be included in the Home Office crime statistics.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the reporting of a series of criminal acts as a continuous crime on a police command and control system is recorded as a single crime in published crime statistics.

  Mr. Maclean
  Notifiable offences deemed by the police to be of a continuous nature, in accordance with Home Office instructions, will be notified to the Home Office as a single offence and published as such.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the report of a crime on a police command and control system as tampering is recorded in the published crime statistics.

  Mr. Maclean
  The recording of "tampering" offences is dependent on the interpretation of the circumstances surrounding each individual incident. An offence regarded as being attempted theft of/from a vehicle is a "notifiable" offence and would be published in the crime statistics. However, an offence deemed to be interference with a motor vehicle is not "notifiable" and would not be shown in the crime statistics.

  Fire Fighting, Cleveland
  Mr. Bates
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to make a decision on the provision of fire fighting services in Cleveland.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  In the light of advice which my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary has received from the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council and from Her Majesty's chief inspector of fire services, he proposes when local government in Cleveland is reorganised, to establish a combined fire authority for Cleveland. The combined authority will take over the functions under the Fire Services Act 1947 which are currently exercised by Cleveland county council, and will consist of members drawn from the four unitary authorities which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment proposes to establish in the Cleveland area when the county council is abolished.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide figures for the amount his Department has been reimnbursed by the Department of Social Security in respect of statutory sick pay provision for each of the past three years.

  Mr. Howard
  The amounts are as follows:

  £

  1990–91

  3,408,180·95

  1991–92

  2,771,581·37

  1992–93

  2,850,542·04

  21

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

  Mr. Howard
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 1 February 1994,Official Report, column 611.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) 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;

  (2) which appointments since 1979 to public bodies or posts for which he is responsible have included candidates nominated by the Chief Whip's Office; if any nominees by this source have been appointed; and if he will give details.

  Mr. Howard
  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.

  Mandatory Life Sentences
  Mr. Forman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures he follows before he decides what tariff period should be set for persons sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment.

  Mr. Howard
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on 27 July 1993,Official Report, column 863, in response to a question from my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Burton (Sir I. Lawrence).

  Metropolitan Police

  Area establishment and strength profile by rank as at 31 December 1993

  DAC

  Commander

  Chief Superintendent

  Superintendent

  Chief Inspector

  Inspector

  Sergeant

  Constable

  Total

  Variation

  1 Area

  Establishment

  1

  2

  13

  18

  47

  136

  507

  2,525

  3,249

  Strength

  1

  2

  12

  18

  47

  146

  501·4

  2,508·96

  3,326·36

  -12·46

  2 Area

  Establishment

  1

  2

  11

  22

  39

  132

  470

  2,360

  3,037

  Strength

  1

  2

  7

  19

  43

  135

  462

  2,326·14

  2,995·14

  -41·86

  3 Area

  Establishment

  1

  2

  13

  19

  46

  128

  470

  2,527

  3,206

  Strength

  1

  1

  11

  19

  49

  129

  438·15

  2,487·33

  3,180·48

  -25·52

  4 Area

  Establishment

  1

  2

  10

  18

  34

  113

  424

  2,117

  2,719

  Strength

  1

  2

  10

  16

  38

  110

  433·7

  2,018·29

  2,628·99

  -90·01

  5 Area

  Establishment

  1

  2

  11

  16

  37

  121

  399

  1,866

  2,453

  Strength

  1

  2

  11

  14

  35

  124·6

  432·2

  1,987·85

  2,607·65

  154·65

  6 Area

  Establishment

  1

  3

  13

  20

  44

  148

  481

  2,400

  3,110

  Strength

  1

  2

  12

  14

  41

  140

  509·6

  2,400·46

  3,120·06

  10·06

  7 Area

  Establishment

  1

  2

  12

  17

  43

  123

  475

  2,203

  2,876

  Strength

  1

  1

  11

  17

  37

  126

  480·4

  2,170·3

  2,843·7

  -32·3

  22

  Metropolitan Police
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the priorities of the Metropolitan police for 1994–95; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  The priorities of the Metropolitan police for 1994–95 are:

  (i) to deliver the standards defined in the Metropolitan police service charter;

  (ii) to increase the number of notifiable offences solved to 190,000;

  (iii) to increase the detection rate for burglary to a minimum of 15 per cent.;

  (iv) to improve performance against terrorism;

  (v) to improve performance against the criminal use of firearms; and

  (vi) to improve policing performance and quality of service by restructuring the Metropolitan police service.

  Details of each of the priorities and the way in which they address the key objectives for policing I announced on 3 December, Official Report, columns 786–87, are set out in a corporate strategy document which the Commissioner is, with my approval, issuing today. I am sending copies today to all right hon. and hon. Members whose constituencies fall wholly or partly within the Metropolitan police district and I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list for each division of the Metropolitan police the establishment number by rank and the number of people in post by rank at the latest available date;

  (2) if he will list (a) the sectors created in each division of the Metropolitan police, (b) the establishment level by rank for each sector, and (c) the number of people in post by rank in each sector, at the latest available date.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I understand from the Commissioner that information in the form requested is not held centrally. The table shows the figures for police officers in post by rank at area level as at 31 December 1993.
  23

  DAC

  Commander

  Chief Superintendent

  Superintendent

  Chief Inspector

  Inspector

  Sergeant

  Constable

  Total

  Variation

  8 Area

  Establishment

  1

  2

  10

  14

  34

  122

  406

  1,77

  2,366

  Strength

  1

  2

  8

  15

  32

  118

  402·8

  1,829·2

  2,408·08

  42·08

  Total Establishment

  8

  17

  93

  144

  324

  1,023

  3,632

  17,775

  23,016

  Total Strength

  8

  14

  82

  132

  322

  1,029

  3,705·33

  17,729·53

  23,020·46

  4·46

  Informers
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what payments have been made by the City of London police to Mr. Totterington-Jarvis for information supplied by him; and over what period he was acting as an informer.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The use of informants is an operational matter and entirely the responsibility of the chief officer of the police force concerned.

  Racial Incidents
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when data will be available on the number of racial incidents recorded by each police force in England and Wales for 1993.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In common with other statistics, information on reported racial incidents is now provided by police forces on a financial year basis. Information on the number of racial incidents reported to police forces in England and Wales for the year April 1993 to March 1994 will be available in mid-April.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures his Department has adopted to monitor the incidence of racial harassment and racial attacks in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Every police force in England and Wales is required to monitor the occurrence of racially motivated incidents using a standard definition agreed with the Association of Chief Police Officers, and taking account of Home Office guidance on ethnic classification issued as Home Office circular 70 of 1992. Data are supplied annually to the Home Office via HM inspectorate of constabulary.

  Since April 1993, as part of the national package of core performance indicators for the police, each force will be expected to publish annual data on the total number of reported racial incidents in the force area, and the percentage of these in which further investigative action was taken. This information will be used by HM inspectorate of constabulary to monitor police performance.

  In addition, the British crime surveys of 1988 and 1992 asked ethnic minority victims of crime about racial motivation. A paper on ethnic minorities' experience of crime, including the incidence of racial motivation, is due to be published shortly. The inter-departmental racial attacks group will be considering the latest available data on racial incidents as part of its continuing work programme.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of homicides in 1992 in which racial motivation was a factor.
  24
  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is not available. The police are required to make returns of each known homicide to the Home Office, but are not specifically requested to note whether they consider racial motivation to be a factor.

  Animal Experimentation
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that no future licences will be awarded under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 which would allow ex-pets to be used in research.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  All applications for the use of animals in scientific procedures are considered on their merits, and against the criteria and constraints set out in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. The Act contains strict provisions to guard against the possibility of stray or stolen dogs and cats being used in experiments.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that his Department will not grant licences for research on Dartmoor ponies; and what account he has taken of article 7(3) of directive 86/609 in considering this matter.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  A blanket prohibition would not be appropriate. All applications for the use of animals in scientific procedures are considered on their merits, and against the criteria and constraints contained in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, which is operated in accordance with the requirements of directive 86/609.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to ban the import of wild-caught primates for the use in scientific experiments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Substantial progress has been made in reducing the use of wild-caught primates in British laboratories. The Animal Procedures Committee is considering the practical problems in the way of eliminating such use altogether, and I look forward to receiving its advice in due course.

  Prison Statistics
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 31 January,Official Report, column 574, what is the expected date of publication of "Prison Statistics, England and Wales 1992".

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Publication of "Prison Statistics, England and Wales 1992" is now planned for June 1994. Summary information was published in March 1993 in Home Office statistical bulletin 7/93 "The Prison Population in 1992".
  25

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the second report of the Children's Society and Advisory Committee on Young Offenders, "A False Sense of Security", since it was published on 25 November 1993; and what proposals he has for action on the findings and recommendations of that report.

  Mr. Maclean
  The report made 20 recommendations. They were aimed at preventing and reducing youth crime, improving the youth justice system, dealing with persistent offenders and protecting the public from serious offenders. They have all been carefully considered. In brief, the Government's response is as follows:we have longsupported both community-based crime prevention initiatives—including youth crime prevention panels which directly involve young people themselves—and also local inter-agency co-operation in the juvenile justice system;
  we were already taking action in relation to some of the committee's concerns, such as making funding available for bail support schemes and setting time limits for the stages in court proceedings;
  we agree that the report has made some useful comments on improving the effectiveness of community supervision programmes; this is an objective of the review of national standards—announced by my right hon. and learned Friend on 6 October 1993—for such programmes;
  we think that the report places a proper emphasis on the need for independently inspected high standards of care in secure accommodation for children and for throughcare programmes aimed at rehabilitating such children: we intend that those standards and those objectives should apply in relation to the new secure training centres;
  we think that the independent sector can play a part in the provision of secure accommodation for young people;
  we do not accept the report's recommendation that plans for secure training centres should not be implemented.

  Paper Shredders
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many paper shredding machines there are(a) in his private office and (b) in his Department.

  Mr. Howard
  In the Home Secretary's private office there are three shredding machines. The other information sought is not centrally recorded and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Killings
  Dame Peggy Fenner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murders, how many unlawful killings and how many cases of manslaughter were committed in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many killings were committed by people found to have been of diminished responsibility.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is published in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1992"—Cm 2410—chapter 4 and table 4.2.

  A copy of this publication is in the Library.

  Criminals (Employment Status)
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the employment status of persons convicted of crimes in England and Wales in the last five years for which figures are available.
  26
  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 3 February 1994]The information readily available is given in the table and is taken from a special data collection exercise undertaken in a small number of courts to monitor the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 1991. The statistics are subject to sampling error and may not be representative of all courts in England and Wales. They will also reflect changes in employment status from the date of arrest. Some research studies on this issue were listed in my reply to the hon. Member on 1 February,Official Report, column 650.

  Employment status on date of sentence, for persons sentenced in selected courts1 for indictable offences

  Percentage of total offenders sentenced

  Employment status on date of sentence

  July to August 1992

  January to February 1993

  Currently employed (including self and part time employment)

  19

  18

  Youth or other training scheme

  1

  1

  Unemployed

  63

  70

  Full-time education

  3

  3

  Other

  2

  2

  Not known

  11

  6

  Total number sentenced [=100 per cent.]

  3,100

  3,600

  1Magistrates courts—Bow Street, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff Leicester, Maidstone, Newcastle, Portsmouth and York.

  Crown court centres—Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Doncaster, Kingston, Knightsbridge, Maidstone, Newcastle, Preston and Wolverhampton.

  Deportations
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been deported from the United Kingdom in each of the last three years; and what was the nationality of each person who has been deported.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 27 January 1994]The information requested is given in the table.

  Persons removed from the United Kingdom under the deportation process1

  Geographical region and nationality

  1991

  1992

  19933

  All nationalities

  2,616

  2,583

  2,254

  European Community

  Belgium

  7

  10

  4

  Denmark

  —

  2

  2

  France

  4

  5

  6

  Germany

  5

  5

  10

  Greece

  2

  2

  3

  Ireland

  8

  11

  5

  Italy

  5

  14

  11

  Luxembourg

  3

  —

  —

  Netherlands

  29

  30

  23

  Portugal

  —

  4

  2

  Spain

  3

  3

  2

  Other Western Europe

  Austria

  —

  —

  3

  Cyprus

  12

  16

  11

  Finland

  2

  —

  1

  Malta

  1

  1

  1

  Norway

  2

  2

  1

  Sweden

  2

  1

  2

  Switzerland

  1

  1

  3

  Turkey

  60

  58

  35

  Former Yugoslavia

  37

  13

  10

  Eastern Europe

  Bulgaria

  8

  1

  13

  27

  Geographical region and nationality

  1991

  1992

  19933

  Former Czechoslovakia

  6

  4

  25

  Hungary

  4

  7

  4

  Poland

  128

  126

  155

  Romania

  2

  5

  1

  Former USSR

  1

  —

  6

  Americas

  Argentina

  1

  —

  1

  Barbados

  4

  3

  2

  Brazil

  67

  76

  51

  Canada

  8

  18

  10

  Chile

  4

  3

  6

  Colombia

  72

  78

  67

  Guyana

  6

  5

  12

  Jamaica

  129

  141

  147

  Mexico

  4

  1

  1

  Peru

  12

  10

  8

  Trinidad and Tobago

  2

  9

  5

  United States of America

  45

  42

  32

  Venezuela

  2

  2

  2

  Africa

  Algeria

  156

  115

  64

  Angola

  1

  2

  2

  Egypt

  39

  30

  27

  Ethiopia

  2

  —

  1

  Ghana

  137

  140

  132

  Kenya

  12

  10

  14

  Libya

  3

  5

  2

  Mauritius

  20

  29

  11

  Morocco

  99

  73

  50

  Nigeria

  640

  623

  440

  Sierra Leone

  43

  20

  20

  Somalia

  —

  —

  —

  South Africa

  22

  23

  44

  Sudan

  2

  2

  3

  Tanzania

  12

  19

  11

  Tunisia

  10

  10

  10

  Uganda

  11

  9

  8

  Zaire

  1

  3

  3

  Zambia

  11

  23

  15

  Zimbabwe

  10

  11

  28

  Indian sub-continent

  Bangladesh

  50

  62

  64

  India

  105

  117

  132

  Pakistan

  127

  159

  138

  Middle East

  Iran

  4

  10

  4

  Iraq

  52

  —

  1

  Israel

  14

  10

  10

  Jordan

  4

  1

  5

  Kuwait

  —

  —

  —

  Lebanon

  4

  1

  3

  Saudi Arabia

  1

  —

  —

  Syria

  2

  1

  4

  Yemen

  2

  1

  7

  Remainder of Asia

  China

  1

  3

  7

  Indonesia

  2

  2

  3

  Japan

  16

  7

  9

  Malaysia

  94

  116

  85

  Philippines

  20

  25

  43

  Singapore

  1

  1

  3

  South Korea

  2

  —

  1

  Sri Lanka

  7

  7

  6

  Thailand

  30

  23

  8

  Hong Kong2

  49

  68

  42

  Australasia

  Australia

  14

  5

  9

  New Zealand

  10

  9

  16

  Others

  British Overseas citizens

  —

  2

  —

  Other countries not elsewhere specified

  78

  88

  81

  Less or nationality doubtful

  8

  9

  5

  28
  1 Including persons who departed voluntarily, but excluding illegal entrants removed. In total, some 6,100 persons were removed illegal entrants or under the deportation process, including 400 who departed voluntarily, in the 12 months ending June 1993.

  2 British dependent territories citizens and British nationals (overseas) only.

  3 Provisional.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Murdered Service Men (France)
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Attorney-General what discussions he has had with his German counterpart on the prosecution of those responsible for the murder of British service men in France in 1940.

  The Attorney-General
  None. The issue is one for the prosecuting authorities in Germany which have received full co-operation from the Ministry of Defence and our police.

  Group Libel
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Attorney-General what representations he has received on group libel.

  The Attorney-General
  In March 1992 the then Attorney-General and the Lord Chancellor received a copy of a report on group defamation from the board of deputies of British Jews.

  Prosecution Costs
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Attorney-General to what extent the cost of prosecution is taken into account when the Crown Prosecution Service decides whether to prosecute.

  The Attorney-General
  Cost is not a specific factor to be taken into account in the decision whether or not to prosecute. However, as the code for Crown prosecutors makes clear at sections 8(i) and (viii), it may be considered in relation to offences where the penalty is likely to be merely nominal or the guilt of the defendant minimal in relation to that of the principle offenders.

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Attorney-General how many cases were committed to Crown court for trial by the Crown Prosecution Service in 1993; and how many resulted in a conviction.

  The Attorney-General
  During the period January to September 1993, 76,404 defendants were committed for trial in the Crown court in cases where the Crown Prosecution Service had conduct of the prosecution and, over the same period, 60,758 convictions were recorded.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Attorney-General to what extent the public interest is considered by the Crown Prosecution Service when a decision to prosecute is made.

  The Attorney-General
  The decision to prosecute is based, first, on whether there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction. Only if there is such evidence is the public interest considered.

  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Attorney-General whether a record is kept by him of the reasons for discontinuance of prosecution by the Crown Prosecution Service; and if he will make a statement.
  29
  The Attorney-General
  No central record of the reasons for discontinuance of prosecutions is maintained. The Crown Prosecution Service conducted a survey in November 1993 on all cases discontinued by them in that month and I refer my hon. Friend to my written answer to him on 26 January 1994,Official Report, column 246.

  Fraud
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Attorney-General what further proposals he has to improve the effectiveness of the prosecution in cases of financial fraud.

  The Attorney-General
  The review of the handling of serious fraud cases which I anounced in October is due to be completed at the end of this month. It will then be considered by the Law Officers and the two directors.

  Paper Shredders
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Attorney-General how many paper shredding machines there are(a) in his private office and (b) in his Department.

  The Attorney-General
  There are no paper shredding machines in my private office.

  In the Departments for which I am responsible the numbers are as follows:

  Number

  The Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers

  1

  The Treasury Solicitor's Department

  13

  The Crown Prosecution Service

  84

  The Serious Fraud Office

  3

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security 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. Scott
  The information is in the table.

  Statutory sick pay recovered

  £

  1990–91

  5,783,839

  1991–92

  4,589,107

  1992–93

  4,378,963

  Income Support
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons without accommodation were income support recipients in England at May 1992 and at the latest available date, breaking down the figures by age and by employment status.

  Mr. Burt
  The figures fo May 1992 are not available Since publication of these statistics for May 1991, collation of income support information in local benefit offices is no longer undertaken by clerical means but by the income 30
  support computer system. However, although all main functions are in place, work is incomplete on some functions less central to everyday operation. This includes the process to retrieve information on claimants without an address. Steps are being taken to introduce an appropriate retrieval process from the May 1994 statistical inquiry, information from which is expected to be available in early 1995.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) families with children are in receipt of income support and (b) how many children are living on income support in the Greenock and Port Glasgow area; and what were the comparable figures for 1979.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

  Letter from Mr. Michael Bichard to Dr. Norman Godman, dated 4 February 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking about families in receipt of income support in the Greenock and port Glasgow area.
  The complete range of information you requested is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. This is because statistics which reflect the number of families with children are not collected locally on a routine basis. Children are treated as dependants of their parents and their needs are included within their parents claim.
  However, I am able to provide information for Scotland as a whole and this is outlined below. The data has been obtained from the Supplementary Benefit Annual Statistical Enquiry for 1979 and the Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry for February 1993 (These are the latest available figures and are based on a 1% sample of cases).

  Year

  Families with children

  Number of children

  1993

  142,000

  255,000

  1979

  55,000

  109,000

  I hope that this reply is helpful.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many households, from data taken from the annual statistical inquiry, in 1991, 1992 and 1993, are having weekly deductions made from their income support as appropriate, for(a) electricity and (b) gas of (i) under £2 per week and (ii) in each £1 band above £2 per week up to £40 per week.

  Mr. Burt
  The available information is in the tables:

  Income support recipients with deductions for direct payment of fuel costs—May 1991 ASE

  £ per week

  Cases with deductions for electricity

  Cases with deductions for gas

  0·01 to2·00

  1,000

  2,500

  2·01 to 3·00

  2,500

  2,000

  3·01 to 4·00

  5,500

  4,500

  4·01 to 5·00

  7,500

  6,500

  5·01 to 6·00

  7,000

  11,500

  6·01 to 7·00

  9,500

  12,500

  7·01 to 8·00

  7,500

  15,000

  8·01 to 9·00

  8,500

  20,000

  9·01 to 10·00

  8,000

  16,000

  10·01 to 11·00

  6,500

  17,500

  11·01 to 12·00

  6,500

  12,000

  31

  £per week

  Cases with deductions for electricity

  Cases with deductions for gas

  12·01 to 13·00

  5,000

  8,000

  13·01 to 14·00

  4,500

  6,500

  14·01 to 15·00

  4,000

  4,500

  15·01 to 16·00

  2,000

  2,000

  16·01 to 17·00

  2,500

  1,500

  17·01 to 18·00

  2,000

  1,000

  18·01 to 19·00

  1,000

  500

  19·01 to 20·00

  1,500

  500

  20·01 to 21·00

  500

  500

  21·01 to 22·00

  500

  —

  22·01 to 23·00

  500

  —

  23·01 to 24·00

  500

  —

  24·01 to 25·00

  500

  —

  25·01 to 26·00

  500

  —

  26·01 to 27·00

  —

  —

  27·01 to 28·00

  —

  —

  28·01 to 29·00

  —

  —

  29·01 to 30·00

  —

  —

  30·01 to 31·00

  —

  —

  31·01 to 32·00

  —

  —

  32·01 to 33·00

  —

  —

  33·01 to 34·00

  —

  —

  34·01 to 35·00

  —

  —

  35·01 to 36·00

  —

  —

  36·01 to 37·00

  —

  —

  37·01 to 38·00

  —

  —

  38·01 to 39·00

  —

  —

  39·01 to 40·00

  —

  —

  Over 40·00

  —

  —

  Total number of cases with deductions

  96,000

  146,000

  Note The figures have been rounded to the nearest 500, and so do not necessarily add to the totals given.

  Source Income support statistics annual inquiry, May 1991.

  Income Support Recipients with deductions for Direct Payment of Fuel Costs—May 1992 ASE

  Cases with deductions for electricity

  Cases with deductions for gas

  0·01–2·00

  500

  1,000

  2·01–3·00

  2,500

  1,500

  3·01–4·00

  3,500

  4,000

  4·01–5·00

  5,500

  8,000

  5·01–6·00

  7,500

  14,500

  6·01–7·00

  8,000

  19,500

  7·01–8·00

  10,000

  20,500

  8·01–9·00

  7,000

  21,500

  9·01–10·00

  8,500

  27,500

  10·01–11·00

  7,500

  23,500

  11·01–12·00

  7,000

  14,500

  12·01–13·00

  6,000

  10,500

  13·01–14·00

  4,000

  6,500

  14·01–15·00

  2,500

  5,000

  15·01–16·00

  3,000

  4,000

  16·01–17·00

  2,500

  2,500

  17·01–18·00

  1,500

  1,500

  18·01–19·00

  1,000

  1,000

  19·01–20·00

  1,000

  1,000

  20·01–21·00

  1,000

  1,000

  21·01–22·00

  1,000

  1,000

  22·01–23·00

  1,000

  500

  23·01–24·00

  —

  —

  24·01–25·00

  —

  500

  25·01–26·00

  500

  500

  26·01–27·00

  500

  500

  27·01–28·00

  500

  —

  28·01–29·00

  —

  —

  29·01–30·00

  —

  —

  30·01–31·00

  500

  —

  31·01–32·00

  —

  —

  32·01–33·00

  —

  —

  32

  Cases with deductions for electricity

  Cases with deductions for gas

  33·01–34·00

  —

  —

  34·01–35·00

  —

  —

  35·01–36·00

  —

  —

  36·01–37·00

  —

  —

  37·01–38·00

  —

  —

  38·00–39·00

  —

  —

  39·01–40·00

  —

  —

  Over 40·00

  —

  —

  Total number of cases with deductions

  95,000

  192,000

  The figures have been rounded to the nearest 500, and so do not necessarily add to the totals given.

  Source: Income support statistics annual inquiry, May 1992.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how man claimants of invalidity benefit(a) under the age of 35, (b) between 35 and 45, (c) between 45 and 55 and (d) over 55 years, receive both an additional pension and an occupational pension; how many of these in ach age group are (i)women and (ii) men.

  Mr. Scott
  Information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is the tables.

  Invalidity Benefit claimants receiving Additional Pension as at 4 April 1992—latest date information is available

  Age

  Total

  Men

  Women

  Under 35

  112,000

  56,000

  56,000

  35 to 44

  142,000

  86,000

  57,000

  45 to 54

  257,000

  165,000

  93,000

  55 and over

  719,000

  609,000

  109,000

  Total

  1,230,000

  916,000

  314,000

  Notes:

  1. Age as at 31 march 1992.

  2. Based on a 1 per cent. Sample of claimants of invalidity benefit in Great Britain, rounded to the nearest thousand.

  3. Figures may not total due to rounding.

  Estimated proportion of invalidity benefit recipients receiving occupational pension:

  Age

  Total Per cent.

  Men Per cent.

  Women Per cent.

  Under 45

  5

  5

  10

  45 to 54

  30

  30

  30

  55 and over

  55

  55

  35

  Total

  40

  45

  25

  Notes:

  Source: 1990 and 1991 family expenditure surveys, figures rounded to nearest 5 per cent.

  2. Sample too small to breakdown under 45 age group further.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of state for Social Security what is the average amount of(a) additional pension and (b) occupational pension paid to invalidity benefit claimants who are (i) men and (ii) women.

  Mr. Scott
  As at 4 April 1992, the latest date for which information is available, average amounts of additional pension and occupational pension paid to invalidity benefit claimants was as follows:
  33

  Additional pension1

  Occupational pension2

  £

  £

  Men

  15·21

  65

  Women

  8·13

  65

  1 Based on a 1 per cent, sample of invalidity benefit claimants in Great Britain.

  2 Estimated using data from the family expenditure surveys. Estimate subject to significant margins of error.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security 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. Hague
  Each of the task force recommendations agreed or agreed in principle by the Government have been or will be the subject of appropriate consultation with interested parties.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was, in each year since 1991,(a) the number and (b) the percentage of claimants of sickness and invalidity benefit in (i) the north of England and (ii) in the United Kingdom who had transferred from unemployment benefit; and what was the numbers of claimants of unemployment benefit in each standard region who in each year since 1991, ceased claiming unemployment benefit and were not returned to either work, income support or other benefits.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not available.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the subjects on which his Department or its predecessors formerly answered parliamentary questions but which are now referred by him to an executive agency.

  Mr. Scott
  Next steps agency chief executives are usually asked to reply to parliamentary questions about the

  Table 1

  Uprating date

  Rate of Child Benefit plus Child Dependency Increase for first child1

  Gross adult weekly average earnings2

  As a percentage of gross adult weekly average earnings

  Equivalent value of benefit at April 1993 prices

  £

  £

  £

  November 1979

  11·10

  100·60

  11·0

  25·90

  November 1980

  12·25

  120·20

  10·2

  24·79

  November 1981

  12·95

  132·40

  9·8

  23·40

  November 1982

  13·80

  142·40

  9·7

  23·47

  November 1983

  14·10

  156·70

  9·0

  22·87

  November 1984

  14·50

  167·00

  8·7

  22·42

  November 1985

  15·05

  178·70

  8·4

  22·06

  July 1986

  15·15

  189·10

  8·0

  21·84

  April 1987

  15·30

  198·90

  7·7

  21·13

  April 1988

  15·65

  218·40

  7·2

  20·80

  April 1989

  16·20

  239·70

  6·8

  19·93

  34
  day-to-day operational matters of their agency and on subjects for which they have delgated responsibility, as set out in their agency's framework document.

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out(a) the list of tendering organisations, (b) the successful organisation, (c) the value of the contract and (d) the criteria used for determining the successful organisation, in relation to the provision of health screening for Benefits Agency staff at their headquarters at Quarry house, Leeds.

  Mr. Burt
  The health screening exercise currently being carried out at Quarry house, Leeds, is part of a three-year DSS nationwide health screening programme due to be completed by March 1994.

  For reasons of commercial confidentiality, it is not possible to provide a list of the tendering organisations, but they comprised four private sector health care providers and one national health service regional health authority1.

  The successful tenderer was the British United Provident Association—BUPA.

  The Department is contractually obliged to pay for each screening carried out on volunteer personnel, aged 35 and over. BUPA's success in encouraging take-up therefore dictated the final cost, which will total almost £3 million.

  The criteria used to determine the successful tenderer were:

  (i) financial stability;

  (ii) overall approach to quality to ensure integrity of service;

  (iii) logistical planning;

  (iv) quality of mobile units;

  (v) previous experience of similar programmes;

  (vi) capacity to meet the Department's specification;

  (vii) overall value for money within a predetermined budget.

  1 The NHS regional health authority withdrew its bid as it could not provide fully equipped and self-contained mobile screening units.

  Child Benefits
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the combined value of child dependency addition and child benefit for the child of a widow or invalidity pensioner at current and April 1993 prices and as a percentage of average earnings in November 1979 and at each subsequent uprating date.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the tables:
  35

  Uprating date

  Rate of Child Benefit plus Child Dependency Increase for first child1

  Gross adult weekly average earnings2

  As a percentage of gross adult weekly average earnings

  Equivalent value of benefit at April 1993 prices

  April 1990

  16·90

  263·10

  6·4

  18·99

  April 1991

  17·95

  284·70

  6·3

  18·96

  April 19923

  19·40

  304·60

  6·4

  19·65

  April 1993

  19·80

  316·70

  6·3

  19·80

  Table 2

  Uprating date

  Rate of Child Benefit plus Child Dependency Increase for subsequent children1

  Gross adult weekly average earnings2

  As a percentage of gross adult weekly average earnings

  Equivalent value of benefit at April 1993 prices

  £

  £

  £

  April 19923

  18·65

  304·60

  6·1

  18·89

  April 1993

  19·05

  316·70

  6·0

  19·05

  Source: The abstract of social security statistics 1993

  1 The figures apply to both widows and invalidity pensioners.

  2 Rounded to the nearest 10p.

  3 From April 1992, the combined rate of child benefit and child dependency increases for the first child and subsequent children diverged. Table 2 reflects the rate in payment for subsequent children from that point.

  Private Pensions
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he is taking to ensure that employers take back into occupational schemes staff who have been wrongly advised to transfer to a private pension.

  Mr. Hague
  Whether employees who have transferred out of an occupational pension scheme are allowed to rejoin the scheme is for the trustees of individual schemes to decide in the light of their scheme's rules.

  Paper Shredders
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many paper shredding machines there are(a) in his private office and (b) in his Department.

  Mr. Hague
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no paper shredding machines in his private office. The information for his Department is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Maternity Pay
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to announce the changes to statutory maternity pay required by the EC pregnancy directive.

  Mr. Hague
  We have analysed the responses to the consultation document and will be making an announcement shortly.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the cost of the various leaflets produced by the Child Support Agency explaining the child maintenance scheme.
  36
  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Peter L. Pike, dated 31 January 1994:
  Dear Mr. Pike
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking for details about the cost of the leaflets produced by the Child Support Agency.
  To date, the total cost of the first editions and, if appropriate, reprints of the leaflets published by the Agency has been £769,716·23. I have provided a breakdown of the figures on the attached Annex.
  I hope that you find this information useful.
  Yours sincerely.

  Leaflets and brochures

  Cost £

  Parents who live apart

  356,239·00

  Advice for employers

  23,114·00

  Reviews and Appeals

  39,450·00

  Guides to Child Support

  82,696·00

  Notes for advisors

  84,669·00

  Feedback

  14,758,87

  Maintenance assessment information

  72,914·10

  Framework document

  14,633·88

  Business Plan

  16,491·38

  CSA Charter

  30,644·00

  Paying child maintenance direct from earnings

  8,595·00

  Proposed changes to legislation

  25,511·00

  TOTAL

  769,716·23

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  National Lottery
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consultations he has held with the Sports Council with regard to the effective distribution of national lottery moneys.
  37
  Mr. Sproat
  My Department is in regular contact with the Sports Council to discuss matters relating to the distribution of national lottery funds. I shall soon be formally consulting the chairman of the Sports Council on directions under section 26 of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 regarding matters to be taken into account when distributing lottery proceeds.

  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many organisations have expressed an interest in running the national lottery.

  Mr. Sproat
  I understand that the director general has received seven letters of intent. Although I cannot give details of these, I can confirm that six organisations have made public their intention to bid for the main licence to run the lottery. These are:

  Camelot Group plc

  Games for Good Causes plc

  The Great British Lottery Company

  N. M. Rothschild

  Rainbow UK Ltd.

  The UK Lottery Foundation

  I understand that the director general will make public the list of those who have bid after tenders have been returned on 14 February.

  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will meet representatives of the Sports Council to discuss distribution of national lottery moneys.

  Mr. Sproat
  In accordance with my statutory obligations, I will be consulting all the distributing bodies, including the Sports Council, on the directions I intend to issue to them under section 26 of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. I will consider whether to meet the Sports Council as part of that process.

  News Accuracy
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has received about the accuracy of news film reports on television and pictures in newspapers.

  Mr. Brooke
  I am not aware of any recent representations about the accuracy of news or film reports on television, but I do receive representations from time to time about pictures in newspapers.

  Tourism
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to bring public funding of tourism promotion in England up to the levels per tourist head awarded to other parts of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sproat
  We have no such plans. My right hon. Friend will continue to set the level of tourism funding in England according to his judgment of relative spending needs and priorities in England. The levels of spending in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are matters for the respective Secretaries of State.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to reduce the current deficit on tourism.

  Mr. Sproat
  The long-term growth in the number of United Kingdom residents going abroad for their holidays 38
  is a consequence of increasing affluence and improved travel services. My Department will continue to support the work of the British Tourist Authority and the English tourist board in ensuring that both overseas residents and our own citizens are aware of what this country has to offer.

  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to promote tourism in London and the south-east.

  Mr. Sproat
  The south-east, especially London, is one of the country's most important destinations for both domestic and overseas visitors. It is the role of the tourism industry, with support from the English tourist board and the regional tourist boards, to maximise the visitor potential. The British Tourist Authority features the south-east, and particularly London, strongly in its overseas promotion activities.

  The London tourist board has created a London visitors council to strengthen the input of its commercial members to the work of London First.

  On 14 January we launched a royal parks competition asking for ideas and designs for refurbishing the Marble arch area including Speakers' corner. This area has international importance with hundreds of thousands of people visiting it each year.

  On 28 January, I announced plans to encourage more public events within the royal parks. The royal parks will soon be unveiling its largest ever programme of summer entertainment. To complement this, I intend to encourage medium to large-scale events that would add to the public's enjoyment of the royal parks, while not detracting from their unique character.

  D-Day (50th Anniversary)
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussions he has had with the Southern tourist board about celebrating the 50th anniversary of D-day; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sproat
  My officials and I have been in regular contact with the Southern tourist board about the organisation and promotion of D-day commemoration events in the south of England, and will continue to do so.

  Arts Council
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the progress of his monitoring of the Arts Council's efficiency.

  Mr. Brooke
  I refer to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin) on 26 November 1993,Official Report, columns 211–12.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what further representations he has had about the level of Government grant to the Arts Council.

  Mr. Brooke
  My Department continues to receive a number of representations about the level of Government support for the arts.

  Grant Write-offs
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what criteria his Department uses in deciding whether to write off a particular grant.
  39
  Mr. Sproat
  In accordance with the criteria set out in "Government Accounting", a grant is written off by my Department only after a most careful appraisal of the facts, if there is no feasible alternative and once all reasonable action has been taken to effect recovery.

  Royal Palaces
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the total cost of maintenance and running costs of the royal palaces in each of the last five years; and how much his Department has received for each of those years from the royal household to assist with those costs.

  Mr. Brooke
  The cost of maintaining the occupied royal palaces has been as follows:

  £ million

  1988–89

  19·7

  1989–90

  17·2

  1990–91

  22·5

  1991–92

  24·0

  1992–93

  21·9

  As part of the bargain struck with successive sovereigns, all surplus revenue from the Crown estates is surrendered to the Exchequer. This income is around £70 million a year.

  ITV Company Mergers
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment he has made of the consequences for viewers and for employees of the recent merger of ITV companies.

  Mr. Brooke
  Changes in ownership do not alter the provisions of the Broadcasting Act 1990 and the terms of the Indepedent Television Commission licences. These should ensure original programmes nationally as well as regional programmes and production.

  "News At Ten"
  Mr. Khabra
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what recent discussions he has had with the chairman of the Independent Television Commission over proposals to alter the timing of "News at Ten".

  Mr. Brooke
  None. The chairman of the Independent Television Commission is well aware of the views of Parliament on this issue.

  Sports Council
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he next intends to meet the chairman of the Sports Council to discuss the public funding for athletics.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have no plans to meet the chairman of the Sports Council to discuss the funding of athletics. Financial support for individual sports is a matter for the Sports Council to determine in accordance with its own policies and priorities.
  40

  British Library
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will publish the report of his Department's consultants Kennedy and Donkin into the British Library project; if he expects the completion date for the project set to be adhered to; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  Construction of the first phase of the project is substantially complete. A start has been made on the final phase of construction, and its structural frame is 75 per cent. complete. This completion phase is on schedule and I do expect the building to be completed in 1996 as planned.

  The handover of the first phase of the building to the library has been delayed, first by problems with the bookshelving and more recently by problems with the electrical wiring. The bookshelving problem has been overcome, at the contractors' expense, and the installation is now complete. The essence of the wiring problem is that inspections have revealed installed low voltage wiring with damaged insulation. Plans for rectifying the faults in the installation of the wiring are being agreed with the contractor concerned.

  I do not propose to publish the Department's report commissioned from the consultants Kennedy and Donkin. It is a contractually sensitive document.

  English Heritage
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage for how many of English Heritage's properties there have so far been negotiations concerning the transfer of their management to local authorities.

  Mr. Brooke
  Since the publication of its forward strategy in October 1992, English Heritage has held negotiations for the alternative management of 102 sites, of which 46 would involve the transfer of management to local authorities. Of these, 40 are currently the subject of active discussion with 28 local authorities and one agreement has been completed. For the remaining five, interest has either been withdrawn or negotiations are in abeyance. Prior to October 1992, English Heritage had reached agreement with local authorities over some form of local management for 11 properties.

  Elstree Film Studios
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what action he proposes to safeguard the future of Elstree film studios in Hertfordshire.

  Mr. Brooke
  There is nothing I can usefully add to the answer I gave on 6 December to a question on the same subject by my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton),Official Report, column 2.

HEALTH

  Consultancies
  Ms Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the(a) accountancy firms and (b) merchant banks to which her Department awarded private consultancy work in 1992 and 1993, together with a list of the consultancies concerned and the amount paid.
  41
  Mr. Sackville
  The Department has employed the following accountancy firms in 1992 or 1993 for consultancy work:

  Coopers Lybrand Deloit

  Ernst and Young

  KPMG

  Price Waterhouse

  Robson Rhodes

  Touche Ross

  We are unable to list the consultancies concerned and the amounts paid as this would breach contractual agreements and jeopardise future value for money.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on which occasions since 1979 her Department has employed the services of external consultants; and if she will give details of the purposes for which they were employed and the cost of employing them.

  Mr. Sackville
  It is not possible to list the use of external consultants back to 1979 and to list them giving details of purpose and cost would require commercial in confidence information to be made public in a way that would breach contractual agreements and jeopardise future value for money. We can however state that the use of external consultants in the Department must be justified under one of the following headings:

  (i) Specialist skills required that do not exist in the Department,

  Number of children born with missing or deformed limbs1—ICDs 775.0–755.9—notified to office of population of censuses and surveys in each year 1983 to 1992 for the Northern RHA and individual DHAs

  Residence

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Northern RHA

  96

  128

  109

  118

  105

  112

  95

  65

  87

  56

  Hartlepool

  4

  5

  6

  0

  2

  4

  5

  1

  2

  3

  North Tees

  6

  10

  4

  6

  6

  8

  5

  2

  1

  2

  South Tees

  10

  8

  12

  10

  9

  13

  6

  7

  7

  7

  East Cumbria

  4

  1

  3

  5

  6

  6

  3

  1

  5

  3

  South Cumbria

  5

  10

  4

  5

  6

  9

  8

  0

  6

  10

  West Cumbria

  5

  8

  6

  6

  6

  6

  1

  5

  3

  5

  Darlington

  2

  4

  7

  11

  2

  2

  4

  1

  6

  0

  Durham

  9

  9

  11

  14

  14

  14

  13

  7

  2

  0

  North West Durham

  0

  1

  6

  4

  3

  3

  2

  2

  0

  0

  South West Durham

  0

  3

  4

  6

  4

  7

  11

  4

  8

  4

  Northumberland

  9

  17

  11

  8

  7

  15

  8

  6

  17

  5

  Gateshead

  2

  10

  8

  5

  7

  4

  5

  7

  6

  6

  Newcastle

  4

  5

  5

  6

  3

  4

  4

  7

  8

  4

  North Tyneside

  2

  4

  2

  9

  7

  7

  7

  5

  3

  2

  South Tyneside

  8

  13

  8

  9

  6

  2

  3

  4

  5

  1

  Sunderland

  26

  20

  14

  14

  15

  8

  10

  6

  8

  2

  North Durham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  1 ICD (International Classification of Disease) ninth revision.

  Note: Prior to 1990 all malformations, however minor, were reportable to OPCS. In January 1990 an exclusion list was introduced. As a result minor malformations of the toe, coded to ICD 755.6 were no longer notifiable.

  To protect the confidentiality of individuals we are unable to provide information on a single village or town.

  Grantham and Kesteven Hospital
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has received relating to nursing and medical staffing levels at Grantham and Kesteven hospital in each of the last five years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Data on staffing levels at this level of detail are not available centrally.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time consultant paediatricians are currently
  42

  (ii) Specialist skills exist but they are needed for higher priority objectives,

  (iii) Where management have taken a decision to contract out the work,

  (iv) Where impartiality is fundamental to the success of the project.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on which occasions since 1990 her Department has employed the services of external consultants; and if she will give details of the purposes for which they were employed and the cost of employing them.

  Mr. Sackville
  There have been numerous occasions since 1990 that the Department has found the need to employ the assistance of external consultants. Detailed information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Birth Defects
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will investigate the number of children in the Northern region who have been born with missing or defective limbs over the last 10 years;

  (2) how many children have been born with missing or defective limbs in the Northern region in each year since 1989; and if she will list the village or town of each child.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.

  employed at the Grantham and Kesteven hospital; and how many were employed at the time of the Beverley Allitt case.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Data on medical staff at local level are not available centrally.

  Clinical Complaints Procedure
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each year since 1990 for each hospital in England, by department, how many complaints have been pursued and have succeeded under the clinical complaints procedure.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information held centrally about complaints is categorised as follows:
  43

  —by region.

  —whether a complaint is about a hospital or community service.

  —whether wholly or partly clinical or other.

  —whether the complaint was investigated by health authority officers or referred for further investigation.

  The information is available in the booklet "Written complaints by or on behalf of patients, England", copies of which will be placed in the Library.

  Prostate Cancer
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many men died from cancer of the prostate in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.

  Numbers of deaths from cancer of the prostate—ICD 185—for England and Wales, 1988–1992

  Number

  1988

  7,458

  1989

  7,861

  1990

  8,098

  1991

  8,570

  1992

  8,735

  1International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision.

  Private Patients
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the private patient income of trust hospitals in each year since 1990–91.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on private patient income of National Health Service trust hospitals for 1991–92 and 1992–93 will be placed in the Library. There are no figures for 1990–91 as NHS trusts did not exist in that year. The overall increase in private patient income for trusts is partially due to the increased number of trusts in 1992–93. The income raised is used to improve services for all patients.

  GP Fundholders
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) general practitioner fundholders, (b) general practitioner fundholding practitioners and (c) general practitioners were involved in fundholdings in the first, second, third and fourth wave by (i) region and (ii) FHSA.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information given in the tables is the number of fundholding units, and numbers of the practices and general practitioners who make up these units in the first, second and third waves by region. Fourth wave figures are not yet available and information at family health services authority level is not collected centrally.

  First wave

  Region

  Fundholding units

  Practices

  GPs

  Northern

  27

  29

  168

  Yorkshire

  34

  39

  208

  Trent

  28

  28

  115

  East Anglia

  9

  9

  57

  North West Thames

  22

  23

  123

  North East Thames

  13

  13

  73

  South East Thames

  15

  15

  85

  South West Thames

  21

  21

  125

  Wessex

  17

  18

  98

  44

  Region

  Fundholding units

  Practices

  GPs

  Oxford

  25

  25

  155

  South Western

  20

  21

  127

  West Midlands

  26

  26

  144

  Mersey

  20

  21

  107

  North Western

  16

  17

  88

  Totals

  293

  305

  1,713

  Second Wave

  Region

  Fundholding units

  Practices

  General Practitioners

  Northern

  11

  11

  63

  Yorkshire

  25

  27

  154

  Trent

  28

  32

  157

  East Anglia

  4

  4

  27

  North West Thames

  21

  26

  110

  North East Thames

  8

  8

  43

  South East Thames

  15

  15

  77

  South West Thames

  17

  18

  100

  Wessex

  17

  18

  109

  Oxford

  21

  23

  124

  South Western

  18

  20

  108

  West Midlands

  31

  33

  178

  Mersey

  24

  30

  121

  North Western

  13

  15

  72

  Totals

  253

  280

  1,443

  Third Wave

  Region

  Fundholding units

  Practices

  General Practitioners

  Northern

  31

  34

  161

  Yorkshire

  54

  57

  249

  Trent

  84

  102

  420

  East Anglia

  35

  38

  193

  North West Thames

  45

  46

  223

  North East Thames

  25

  29

  122

  South East Thames

  48

  59

  227

  South West Thames

  28

  30

  135

  Wessex

  22

  23

  128

  Oxford

  28

  28

  152

  South Western

  31

  33

  170

  West Midlands

  73

  80

  357

  Mersey

  40

  51

  196

  North Western

  37

  49

  168

  Totals

  581

  659

  2,901

  Source: Regional Health Authorities.

  Market Testing
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what advice she has issued in respect of what comprises acceptable levels of detail in any specification issued in respect of national health service contracts subject to market testing; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) what guidance she has issued in respect of market testing in the national health service;

  (3) if she will list her criteria for ensuring that procedures used in respect of the contract tendering procedure for market testing are of an acceptable standard;

  (4) to whom she has delegated responsibility to ensure compliance of contracts let under national health service market testing guidance; and in what circumstances she may intervene.
  45
  Mr. Sackville
  Guidance to the national health service was first issued in June 1993 under cover of executive letter EL(93)55. This document "Market Testing in the NHS Revised Guidance" sets out the standards expected. Additional guidance was issued in November 1993 as an attachment to a letter to all chief executives who are responsible for market testing. Both documents are available in the Library.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will publish full details of the arbitration procedure to be used in respect of disputed contracts let under the national health service market testing guidance;

  (2) what action she has taken to ensure the justice of the arbitration procedure in respect of national health service market testing contract procedures.

  Mr. Sackville
  "Market Testing in the National Health Service Revised Guidance" issued in June 1993 provides a disputes and complaints procedure. In addition, the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 section 4(3) provides for the determination of any dispute in an NHS contract by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

  Bjork-Shiley Heart Valve
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when her Department became aware of the United States Food and Drug Administration's(a) suspension and (b) withdrawal of the export licence for the Bjork-Shiley 70 deg convexo-concave valve.

  Mr. Sackville
  The first departmental record indicating the suspension and subsequent withdrawal of export permission is dated 15 January 1985.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been fitted with(a) a 60 deg convexo-concave heart valve and (b) a 70 deg convexo-concave heart valve since 1980.

  Mr. Sackville
  Approximately 5,000 60 deg Bjork-Shiley convexo-concave heart valves and 42 70 deg Bjork-Shiley convexo-concave heart valves.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients fitted with(a) 60 deg convexo-concave valves and (b) 70 deg convexo-concave valves have had them replaced.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on the replacement of Bjork-Shiley heart valves is not held centrally. However, a Bjork-Shiley convexo-concave heart valve registry has recently been established and it will be possible to obtain data on future valve replacements.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she first became aware of faults in the Bjork-Shiley heart valve; and what action was taken.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department was informed of the possibility of the failure of a small proportion of Bjork-Shiley convexo-concave heart valves in May 1982. The Department reviewed the information provided by the manufacturer and ensured that the action taken in identifying and withdrawing this group of valves was consistent with the extent of the problem as perceived at the time.
  46

  Pacemaker Leads
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the source of the information in her answer of 4 November, Official Report, column 452, that 235 pacemaker leads have been replaced;

  (2) who runs the national pacemaker database and register;

  (3) pursuant to her answer of 2 December, Official Report, column 700, what is the explanation for the different figures for the number of pacemaker leads fitted in that answer and in the answer given on 4 November 1993, Official Report, column 452.

  Mr. Sackville
  The figure of 235 replacement pacemaker leads was obtained from the national pacemaker database—NPD—which is managed by Dr. A. F. Rickards, consultant cardiologist, at the Royal Brompton heart and lung hospital.

  The NPD is continually being updated and the figures referred to on 2 December 1993 reflect the updated situation.

  Pacemakers and Heart Valves
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which companies manufacture(a) pacemakers and (b) artificial heart valves currently in use in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sackville
  According to information held by the national pacemaker database, pacemaker manufacturers with products currently in use in the United Kingdom are: Biotec; Biotronik GmbH & Co; Cardiac Pacemakers Inc.; ELA Medical; Intermedics Inc.; Medico Italia SRL; Medtronic Inc.; Osypka; Siemens; Sorin Biomedica SPA; Telectronics Inc.; Vitatron Medical BV.

  According to information held by the United Kingdom heart valve registry, the following companies currently supply heart valves to the United Kingdom:

  Aortech Ltd.

  ATS Medical Ltd.

  Baxter Healthcare

  Carbomedics Inc.

  Manley Western Ltd.

  Medtronic Inc.

  Cambridge Biomedical Ltd.

  Sorin Biomedica

  St. Jude Medical

  Tissuemed Ltd.

  Anophthalmia
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the conclusions of the research into the distribution of anophthalmia referred to in her answer to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) of 20 May 1993,Official Report, column 259.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The study commissioned by the Department into the incidence of anophthalmia began on 1 January 1994 and is due to be completed by 30 September 1995. The Department of Health would usually expect the results of research it has commissioned to be published either as a separate scientific report or in a scientific journal.

  Clothier Inquiry
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when she intends to publish the report of the Clothier inquiry; and if she will make a statement;
  47
  (2) if she has received the report of the Clothier inquiry.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) on 2 February,Official Report, columns 718–19.

  NHS Contracts
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances she is able to call in cases of national health service contracts subjected to arbitration for her further consideration.

  Mr. Sackville
  There is provision within the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 section 4(3) for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to act to determine cases where a dispute arises within a national health service contract.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those national health service contracts worth over £140,000, where the arbitration procedure has been invoked.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not required centrally to monitor market testing in the national health service and is therefore not collected.

  Smoking
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of(a) men and (b) women in the United Kingdom aged (i) 15 to 20 years, (ii) 20 to 25 years, (iii) 25 to 30 years, (iv) 30 to 35 years, (v) 35 to 40 years, (vi) 40 to 45 years, (vii) 45 to 50 years, (viii) 50 to 55 years and (ix) 55 years and over smoke.

  Mr. Sackville
  The available information is shown in the table.

  Cigarette smoking among adults aged 16 and over Great Britain 1992

  Age

  Men

  Women

  16–19

  29

  25

  20–24

  39

  37

  25–34

  34

  34

  35–49

  32

  30

  50–59

  28

  29

  60 and over

  21

  19

  Notes:

  (1) Data published in General Household Survey 1992—OPCS.

  (2) Cigarette smokers are those respondents who affirmed that "they smoked cigarettes at all nowadays".

  Information relating to Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action is being taken to achieve the targets on smoking set out in "The Health of the Nation" White Paper; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We are publishing today "Smoke-Free for Health—An Action Plan to achieve the Health of the Nation targets on Smoking". Copies are available in the Library.

  The action plan sets out the Government's comprehensive approach to reducing smoking, involving a range of inter-related measures, including action on price, health education, tackling parental influence and controls on
  48
  tobacco advertising and promotion. As part of this wide-ranging programme, the Government will open negotiations with the tobacco industry to strengthen the existing voluntary agreement on tobacco advertising and promotion.

  NHS Procurement
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to incorporate the EC services directive in respect of public procurement of national health service-related services.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Management Executive has incorporated advice on the EC services directive in their advice "Market Testing in the NHS Revised Guidance" published in June 1993, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Medical Devices (Faults)
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how her Department, through the medical devices directorate, assesses the effects of faults in medical devices.

  Mr. Sackville
  Adverse incidents related to medical devices are reported to the national reporting and investigation centre. Scientific and technical experts fro the medical devices directorate investigate these incidents, taking advice from medical and nursing advisors and, where necessary, from relevant specialists in academia and the Health Service.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the United States Food and Drug Administration regarding faulty medical devices.

  Mr. Sackville
  Officers of the medical devices directorate are in frequent contact with their counterparts in the United States Food and Drug Administration. This includes discussion of faulty medical devices where necessary.

  Pacemakers
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 6 December,Official Report, columns 59–60, which of the 17 pacemaker technical notes and one hazard circular issued by the medical devices directorate relate to specific manufacturers; and what are the names of the manufacturers.

  Mr. Sackville
  One hazard circular and 16 of the 17 pacemaker technical notes issued by the medical devices directorate relate to specific manufacturers. The names of these manufacturers are: Cardiac Pacemakers Inc; Intermedics Inc; Medtronic Inc; Siemens; Sorin Biomedica SPA; Telectronics Inc; and Vitatron Medical BV.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisations were consulted by her 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".
  49
  Mr. Sackville
  Each of the task force recommendations agreed or agreed in principle by the Government have been or will be the subject of appropriate consultation with interested parties.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Bates
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes are proposed to the cash limits and the running costs of her Department for 1993–94.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate the cash limit for class XII, vote 3—Department of Health, administration, miscellaneous health services and personal social services, England—will be reduced by £1,255,000, from £1,437,247,000 to £1,435,992,000. This reduction allows for transfers of £493,000—£484,000 running costs—to class XIII, vote 4—Department of Social Security, administration and miscellaneous services—for accom—modation and word processing; £886,000 to class XII, vote 1—Hospital, community health, family health services (part) and related services, England—£318,000 to class XIV, vote 14—Hospital, community health, family health (part) and other services, Scotland—£148,000 to class XV, vote 8—Hospital, community health, family health services (part) and related services, Wales—and £80,000 for the Department of Health and Social Services, Northern Ireland for work of the national health service estate management and health building agency; and £10,000 to class III, vote 5—Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: departmental research, advisory services and administration—for the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes. The overall decrease is partially offset by transfers of £348,000 from class XIII, vote 4—Department of Social Security, administration and miscellaneous services—for security functions and £332,000 £326,000 running costs—from class VII, vote 6—Department of the Environment: property holdings and other services to Government—for maintenance charges.

  The Department's gross running cost limit will be increased by £180,000 from £253,084,000 to £253,264,000. This reflects the transfers mentioned above.

  All increases will either be offset by savings, increased receipts or transfers to or from other votes and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which appointments since 1979 to public bodies or posts for which she is responsible have included candidates nominated by the Chief Whip's Office; if any nominees by this source have been appointed; and if she will give details.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 3 February at column 852.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance her Department have given to regional health authorities as to the selection procedures that should be followed, for considering possible names for consideration as non-executive directors of NHS trusts; what assessment she has made of the procedures adopted by the South West regional health authority; and if she will make a statement.
  50
  Dr. Mawhinney
  In the past, regional health authority chairmen have adopted selection procedures they considered appropriate in order to identify the best candidates to meet Ministers' aim of appointing people from a variety of backgrounds and with a range of skills and experience.

  Ministers will be discussing with the recently announced regional chairmen the procedures for identifying and selecting candidates for national health service appointments, with a view to adopting a common process in all regions which continues to identify the most able people available for appointment.

  We have no reason to believe that the selection processes adopted by South Western regional health authority have been unsatisfactory.

  Mr. Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the guidance and terms of reference provided by her Department to regional health authorities for prospective appointments as non-executive directors of NHS trusts; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Appointments to the boards of prospective national health service trusts are made in accordance with general guidance from Ministers to the chairmen of regional health authorities. The appointment processes will be the subject of discussion with the recently announced regional chairmen, with a view to adopting a common process in all regions which continues to identify the most able people for appointment.

  Health Service, Greenwich
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total paid or projected to be paid in salaries, fees, other remuneration and expenses to(a) members of the Greenwich health authority and (b) members of the Greenwich healthcare trust in each of the financial years 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Figures for members of Greenwich health authority are shown for 1990–91 to 1992–93. Greenwich healthcare trust did not exist in these years as it is a third wave trust. Figures for 1993–94 are not yet available.

  £

  1990–91

  246,451

  1991–92

  344,808

  1992–93

  365,383

  Source:

  Annual accounts and pay and records files of Greenwich health authority.

  Notes:

  1. Payment to non-executive members was introduced part way through 1990–91. Only six months costs are reflected for that financial year.

  2. One executive member only took up post near the end of 1990–91 which is partly why costs for that year are low compared with subsequent years.

  3. Full year costs for executive members in post in 1990–91 have been reflected although the status of member was only conferred from October 1990. Prior to this the people concerned were employees of the authority.

  4. The figures shown include employer's national insurance contributions and superannuation payments. Lease car allowance costs have been apportioned from the published figure for Greenwich health authority.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what salaries or other remuneration were paid or are
  51
  projected to be paid to the chairman and chief executive of Greenwich health authority and the chairman and chief executive of Greenwich healthcare trust in each of the years 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Figures for the remuneration of the chairman and general manager of Greenwich health authority are shown for 1991–92 and 1992–93. Greenwich healthcare trust did not exist in these years as it is a third wave trust. Figures for 1993–94 are not yet available.

  1991–92

  1992–93

  (£)

  (£)

  Chairman

  19,120

  19,285

  General manager

  92,266

  97,702

  Source: Annual accounts and pay and records files of Greenwich health authority.

  Notes:

  1. Greenwich health authority had a general manager rather than a chief executive.

  2. The figures shown for the general manager include employer's national insurance contributions and superannuation payments. Lease car allowance costs have been apportioned from the published figure for Greenwich health authority.

  Link
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding the application of a section 64 core grant by Link, the British Centre for Deafened People; when she expects to make a decision on the matter; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  We have received several letters about Link. We shall be deciding on this and a very large number of the applications for section 64 funding in due course.

  Diabetes
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what funding is being made available by the NHS for the St. Vincent joint task force for diabetes;

  (2) if she will make a statement on the progress of the St. Vincent joint task force for diabetes.

  Mr. Sackville
  The joint Department of Health—British Diabetic Association St. Vincent task force for diabetes is not funded directly by the national health service, although it includes a number of members who are NHS staff. Support costs for the task force are met by the British Diabetic Association and by the Department.

  The task force is expecting to produce advice for the Secretary of State's consideration by mid-summer this year.

  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what use is being made of the chronic disease management scheme to collect data on the incidence of diabetes.

  Mr. Sackville
  General practitioner practices are collecting information on diabetes. This information will in time show both the incidence and prevalence of diabetes. This has considerable potential value and a number of medical audit advisory groups have already used these data to facilitate the improvement of the care of patients with diabetes in primary care.
  52

  Chemotherapy
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the applications of cannabis for the treatment of the side effects of chemotherapy.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. However, certain synthetic compounds of cannabis, cannabinoids, have been found to be of use against nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy. An independent report into the use of nabilone, a semisynthetic cannabinoid developed for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced emesis, has concluded that it is no more effective than standard anti-emetic treatments and has a higher degree of toxicity.

  Hypnosis
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy regarding the investigation and monitoring of the medical effects of stage hypnotism.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department has not investigated the medical effects of stage hypnotism and currently has no plans to do so.

  GP Fund Holders
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each year since 1990 the expenditure on the purchase of health care from non-NHS bodies by general practitioner fund holders.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  General practitioner fund holders have the freedom to purchase the best possible health care for their patients from whichever provider unit they judge best. They must be able to satisfy the regional health authority that the contracts offer value for money and a high quality service for patients.

  Paper Shredders
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many paper shredding machines there are(a) in her private office and (b) in her Department.

  Mr. Sackville
  (a) None, (b)

  West Country Ambulance Services Trust
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information regarding the resignation of Neil McCalley, a divisional director of the West Country ambulance services trust she is prepared to communicate to representatives of health service trade unions; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for the trust.

SCOTLAND

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, further to his answer of 24 January,Official Report, column 71, if he will list the actual amounts spent by (a) the north Ayrshire and Arran NHS trust, (b) the south Ayrshire trust and (c) the Community healthcare trust in dealing with their public relations agencies; and what services these bodies receive for this expenditure.
  53
  Mr. Stewart
  For the period April-December 1993, the amounts spent on public relations were as follows:

  £

  North Ayrshire and Arran

  21,600

  South Ayrshire Hospitals

  21,000

  Ayrshire and Arran Community Healthcare

  9,000

  The services received varied in each case but included support in relation to communications with patients, local communities, general practitioners, staff, and the media on the services provided by each trust and on issues such as health promotion.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the persons appointed to each national health service trust and authority showing(a) their name, (b) their present employment or unemployment and (c) the remuneration for duties entailed in such posts.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: The information requested, in respect of non-executive appointments by my right hon. Friend, has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on the procedures adopted by(a) the North Ayrshire and Arran NHS trust, (b) the South Ayrshire trust and (c) the Community healthcare trust in awarding contracts for the provision of public relations services; what action he has taken; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  None. Such procedures are a matter for individual trusts to determine and apply.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the actual amounts of money spent by each of the NHS trusts in Scotland on their public relations; and what companies are employed by each of the trusts to provide these services.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Health Boards
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Scotland if he will make a statement indicating for each health board in Scotland, with the exception of Ayrshire and Arran health board; which agencies are employed to deal with their public relations; how much each health board pays for this service; and what changes have been made within each health board area for dealing with public relations inquiries following the introduction of NHS trusts.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 will apply to employees of regional and district authorities affected by the reorganisation of local government if they transfer to the employment of the proposed new authorities; and if he will make a statement.
  54
  Mr. Lang
  The question of the extent to which the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 as amended will apply in the context of local government reorganisation is a matter of law. It is not for the Government to determine whether and how the law applies; that must be a matter for the courts. Whether the regulations apply in any particular case will depend on the detailed circumstances, and it will be for local authorities as employers to take a view on the likelihood of 'the regulations applying where a new authority appears to have taken over a function of an existing authority.

  Fisheries Policy
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussion he has had regarding the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food department in which decision making on United Kingdom fisheries policy should be vested; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Ministerial responsibilities and departmental functions are matters for the Prime Minister. The existing system of four Fisheries Departments working closely together is a long-standing one, which has been shown to work effectively.

  Planning Applications
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy not to implement the changes proposed to the Scottish Office's revised fee scale for applications for planning permission.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to alter his policy on revised fees scales approved by Parliament in December 1993.

  Legal Actions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the legal actions which are outstanding between his Department and any company or contractor which is bankrupt or which has gone into receivership or liquidation; what is the value of his Department's claims in each case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  There are no outstanding actions in court which seek recovery of sums due under contract to my Department by any company which has gone into receivership or liquidation or any contractor who is bankrupt.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the former occupations of each special adviser attached to his office.

  Mr. Lang
  Both my special advisers were recruited as graduates.

  GP Fundholders
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) on what date it became his practice that general practitioner fundholders were sent circulars for information that were not sent to non-fundholders;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to include general practitioners who are not fundholders on the list of those

  55
  who are to receive NHS management executive circulars on accountability reviews, "Priorities and Planning Guidance 1994–95 and after."

  Mr. Stewart
  There is no fixed practice or distribution list for NHS Management Executive letters; they are distributed to those who need to be aware of the content. This varies from letter to letter. In the particular case of the circular (NHS MEL(1993)155) GP fundholders were included as recipients because the letter set out guidance directly applicable to them as NHS purchasers. However, the guidance is clearly of interest to other GPs and arrangements have already been made to provide copies to all GP practices in Scotland.

  Lands Valuation (Scotland) Act 1854
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to amend the Lands Valuation (Scotland) Act 1854; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend proposes to amend the Lands Valuation (Scotland) Act 1854 in accordance with the terms of clause 139 of the Local Government Etc. (Scotland) Bill. The clause as it stands will give power to my right hon. Friend by regulations—(subject to annulment of either House of Parliament)—to prescribe the classes of plant and machinery to be subject to rating, in parallel with English regulations. It will also enable the regulations, if so made as to take effect other than at the beginning of a year of revaluation, to provide for the revaluation of any lands and heritages affected by the regulations. The provisions will permit harmonisation of rating liability of plant and machinery and the related law and practice throughout Great Britain.

  Treasure Trove
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the administration arrangements relating to treasure trove in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  With the agreement of the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, formal responsibility for the administration of treasure trove in Scotland has been transferred from HM Treasury to the Scottish Office. This is a further step in developing the policies set out in the White Paper "Scotland in the Union: A Partnership for Good".

  I have taken this opportunity to make some changes to the membership of the advisory panel on treasure trove. I have increased the membership of the advisory panel from three to four members, and I am pleased to announce that Dr. Barbara Crawford has agreed to be its first independent expert chairperson. At the same time a number of procedural changes are being introduced.

  This package of measures will improve the effectiveness and standing of the advisory panel and open up the treasure trove procedures in general.

  Greenock Prison
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons are detained in Her Majesty's prison, Greenock, and, of these, how many are(a) serving prison sentences, (b) on remand and (c) awaiting deportation.
  56
  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 26 January 1994]: I have asked Mr. E. W. Frizzell, the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Mr. E. Frizzell to Dr. Norman Godman, dated 7 February 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of people detained in HM Prison, Greenock, and how many are serving prison sentences, on remand and awaiting deportation.
  The information is given in the table:

  Persons locked up on Wednesday 19 January 1994

  Number

  Serving a prison sentence

  94

  On remand

  100

  Awaiting deportation

  13

  Total persons locked up

  207

  Woodland
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of hectares of woodland he expects to be planted next year in Scotland by(a) the Forestry Commission, (b) private foresters and (c) crofting townships.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: The information is given in the table. The figures include new planting and restocking.

  Estimated woodland planting 1994–95

  Hectares

  Forestry Commission

  4,600

  Private woodlands

  15,000

  Crofters' common grazing land

  160

  In addition, the Forestry Commission expects to pay grants to private owners for work intended to encourage natural regeneration on about 3,000 hectares.

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

  Mr. Lang
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Prime Minister on 1 February 1994 at column 611.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the members currently appointed to the Common Services Agency of the Scottish health service management committee.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: The members of the Common Services Agency Board are as follows:

  G. Scaife (Chairman)

  Non Executive Directors

  Mr. J. A Barrie

  Mrs. J. Jolly

  Mrs. C. Leniha

  Mrs. F. A. Stephenson

  Mr. V. Wood

  57
  Executive Directors

  Mr. T. Callaway

  Mr. J. T. Donald

  Mr. G. W. Tucker

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the members currently appointed to the Health Education Board for Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: The current members of the Health Education Board for Scotland are:

  Mr. Ernie Walker OBE (Chairman)

  Dr. Nancy Loudon OBE (Vice-Chairman)

  Mr. David Campbell

  Mr. John Christie

  Miss Wilma Craigmile MBE

  Professor Charles Forbes

  Dr. Gillian Mcllwaine

  Professor Doreen Parry

  Mr. Jimmy Reid

  Dr. Andrew Tannahill (General Manager)

  Mr. Raymond Watkins

  Mr. David Woods

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the members currently appointed to the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: The current membership of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland is:

  Chairman

  Sheriff Hazel Aronson QC

  Full-time Medical Members

  Dr. J. A. Dyer (Director)

  Dr. A. W. Drummond

  Full-time Social Work Member

  Mrs. C. E. McGregor

  Part-time Members

  Mrs. P. A. Baxter

  Dr. E. D. A. McCall-Smith

  Mr. P. H. Brodie QC

  Mr. R. G. Davis

  Mrs. A. H. M. Glen

  Mrs. A. M. Green

  Mrs. H. L. Grieve

  Mrs. J. I. D. Isbister

  Mrs. M. Jeffcoat

  Dr. R. G. McCreadie

  Dr. M. G. Livingston

  Mr. J. C. Murray (Vice-Chairman)

  Miss L. Noble

  Mr. M. O'Reilly

  Mr. J. G. Sutherland OBE

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the members currently appointed to the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: The current members are:

  Professor D. C. Carter

  Dr. E. G. Buckley

  Dr. J. S. Rennie

  Dr. I. J. T. Davies

  Professor R. M. Harden

  Professor N. MacKay

  Professor A. L. Muir

  Professor R. A. Wood

  Mr. J. S. Clyde

  Dr. M. Church

  Dr. J. F. Calder

  Dr. I. Davidson

  Professor H. Dick

  58

  Professor E. Johnstone

  Dr. B. D. Keighley

  Mr. J. Lusby

  Dr. G. G. Shirriffs

  Dr. D. Thomas

  Dr. A. D. Toft

  Dr. H. Zealley

  Community Charge
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much community charge remains unpaid within(a) Scotland, (b) Strathclyde region and (c) Cunninghame district.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 3 February 1994]: The amount of net budgeted community charge income uncollected by local authorities at 30 November 1993—the most recent date for which information is available—is, for Scotland, £371 million and, for Strathclyde region, £224 million. Information for Cunninghame district is not separately identifiable.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many appeals have been lodged against council tax banding in each region and islands area; how many have been determined and how many are still outstanding; and how many of those appeals relate to tied housing.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 3 February 1994]: Details of the numbers of appeals lodged and the status of these as at 30 November 1993 are given in the table.

  Information about the number of appeals relating to tied housing is not collected centrally.

  Proposal's lodged

  Proposals/appeals:

  1 April 1993 to 30 November 1993

  Settled

  Still to be dealt with

  Borders

  2,996

  254

  2,742

  Central

  2,719

  422

  2,297

  Dumfries and Galloway

  3,048

  1,077

  1,971

  Fife

  6,411

  3,139

  3,272

  Grampian

  11,221

  3,956

  7,265

  Highland

  5,991

  1,470

  4,521

  Lothian

  11,739

  2,093

  9,646

  Strathclyde

  39,463

  15,606

  23,857

  Tayside

  11,171

  1,113

  10,058

  Orkney

  211

  166

  45

  Shetland

  159

  114

  45

  Western Isles

  837

  227

  610

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance he has given to assessors as to the calculation of council tax bands for tied housing in agriculture and other sectors.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 3 February 1994]: No detailed guidance has been issued to assessors. The special assumptions to be made in valuing dwellings occupied in connection with agriculture or fish farming are set out in the Council Tax (Valuation of Dwellings) (Scotland) Regulations 1992. The regulations were issued with Finance Circular No. 20/1992 which was copied to regional assessors. Annex B of the circular explains that these provisions are designed to ensure that the valuation of these dwellings will be undertaken on the basis that the dwelling may be occupied only along with the associated land.
  59
  There are no special provisions for tied housing in other sectors.

  Prisoners
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prisoners convicted for(a) theft, (b) burglary and (c) violent crimes against the person were (i) unemployed at or (ii) in receipt of income support at the time of their arrest in each of the past four years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: I have asked Mr. E. W. Frizzell, the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Mr. E. Frizzell to Dr. Norman Godman, dated 7 February 1994:
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of prisoners convicted for (a) theft, (b) burglary and (c) violent crimes against the person who were (i) unemployed or (ii) in receipt of income support at the time of their arrest in each of the past four years.
  The information is not available in the form requested. For each reception into a penal establishment information is collected on whether or not the person involved was employed or unemployed immediately prior to their reception. Information on whether a person was unemployed or on income support at the time of their arrest is not collected centrally.
  The table below sets out the number of receptions to penal establishments in Scotland (excluding receptions as a result of fine defaults) of persons who were unemployed and had been convicted of theft, burglary (housebreaking in Scotland) or violent crimes against the person. These figures have been obtained using the best available approximations in The Scottish Office Home and Health Department's classification of crimes and offences to produce the categories requested in your question.

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  (a) Theft

  2,754

  2,602

  2,879

  3,313

  (b) Burglary (housebreaking)

  1,549

  1,604

  1,697

  1,715

  (c) Violence against the person

  1,330

  1,306

  1,353

  1,547

  This information is supplied by the prisoner on arrival at the establishment and should therefore be treated with some caution.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prisoners originally sentenced for murder had their sentences(a) subsequently reduced or (b) quashed on appeal while serving their sentences since 1970; and what sums of money were paid, by way of compensation, to those released from prison in such circumstances.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: The mandatory sentence to be imposed on a person convicted of murder is imprisonment for life. Information prior to 1981 is not held centrally, nor is information on the results of retrials, but since 1981 three prisoners originally sentenced for murder had their sentence subsequently reduced, a further four had their sentence quashed on appeal and a retrial was authorised for two prisoners.

  Compensation is not payable in cases where a conviction for murder is reduced or quashed on appeal within the normal time limits. Since 1970, two payments of compensation of £77,000 and £50,415 have been made to persons originally convicted of murder and whose sentences were subsequently quashed or reversed outside the normal time limits.
  60

  "Safe from Harm"
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if it is his intention to issue a guidance document for voluntary organisations similar to the one published by the Home Office entitled "Safe from Harm"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]The Home Office code of good practice, "Safe from Harm", contains useful information which will assist voluntary organisations in England and Wales in the selection of staff and volunteers to work with children. We are presently examining the advice in the document for its relevance to Scotland and will consider the need to issue a similar document in Scotland when that examination is complete.

  Homosexuals
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent guidelines have been issued to police forces concerning the issue of consenting homosexual relation-ships among males aged 16 years or more; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 7 February 1994]None.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent meetings he has had with third-world Ministers to discuss the effects of GATT on third-world trade.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend discussed the GATT negotiations in detail with Commonwealth Ministers at the Heads of Government meeting in Cyprus last October. They all supported a declaration in favour of the Uruguay round. There has been a wide range of positive comment from third-world representatives about the outcome of the negotiations.

  Non-governmental Organisations
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the Overseas Development Administration is supporting the work of non-governmental organisations in helping to meet the long-term needs of the poorest communities in developing countries.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In 1992–93 the ODA gave a total of £77 million to support the long-term development programmes of British non-governmental organisations.

  Aid-Trade Provision
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the operation of the aid-trade provision.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The ATP is a separate allocation within Britain's overseas aid programme. It is designed to support, in certain countries, development projects with industrial and commercial importance for the United Kingdom.
  61

  Aid
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will outline the Government's key objectives for overseas aid; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development outlined the future direction of the overseas aid programme in her Chatham house speech on 18 October 1993. Copies are in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the aid awarded from the overseas aid budget to each recipient country in(a) 1979, (b) 1980 and (c) 1993; and if he will set out the gross national product for each recipient country in each such year.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Information on bilateral aid by country, and on GNP, is available in the 1981, 1982 and 1993 editions of "British Aid Statistics" which are in the Libraries of the House. The latest available figures for bilateral aid are for 1992–93 and for GNP 1991.

  Levels of bilateral aid 1983 to 1992–93

  Thousands

  Population

  Country programme

  ATP

  Disaster relief/ Food aid

  ODA programme total

  CDC

  Other1

  Gross bilateral aid

  Total

  Per capita

  Total

  Per capita

  Indonesia

  Calendar year

  1983

  155,669

  4,355

  0·03

  2,882

  5

  7,422

  2,843

  2,273

  12,358

  0·08

  1984

  158,915

  4,663

  0·03

  5,868

  15

  10,546

  15,473

  2,273

  28,292

  0·18

  1985

  162,212

  9,788

  0·06

  19,793

  16

  29,507

  1,869

  2,273

  33,649

  0·21

  1986

  166,627

  5,139

  0·03

  51

  —

  5,190

  1,435

  2,273

  8,898

  0·05

  1987

  171,443

  6,079

  0·04

  1,042

  —

  7,121

  2,829

  2,273

  12,223

  0·07

  Financial year2

  1987–88

  171,443

  6,043

  0·04

  1,807

  —

  7,850

  4,537

  2,273

  14,660

  0·09

  1988–89

  174,832

  8,333

  0·05

  2,410

  —

  10,743

  4,350

  2,273

  17,366

  0·10

  1989–90

  178,211

  7,444

  0·04

  2,192

  —

  9,636

  9,707

  2,273

  21,616

  0·12

  1990–91

  181,580

  10,689

  0·06

  6,342

  —

  17,031

  5,550

  2,273

  24,854

  0·14

  1991–92

  181,388

  10,372

  0·06

  10,828

  —

  21,200

  10,952

  2,273

  34,425

  0·19

  1992–93

  184,274

  11,916

  0·06

  9,778

  178

  21,872

  9,041

  2,251

  33,164

  0·18

  NIGERIA

  Calendar year

  1983

  93,642

  5,480

  0·06

  —

  —

  5,480

  —

  —

  5,480

  0·06

  1984

  96,485

  5,584

  0·06

  —

  —

  5,584

  —

  —

  5,584

  0·06

  1985

  99,669

  6,240

  0·06

  —

  —

  6,240

  —

  —

  6,240

  0·06

  1986

  103,147

  5,580

  0·05

  —

  —

  5,580

  —

  —

  5,580

  0·05

  1987

  106,638

  6,554

  0·06

  —

  30

  6,584

  —

  —

  6,584

  0·06

  Financial year

  1987–88

  106,638

  8,133

  0·08

  —

  30

  8,163

  —

  —

  8,163

  0·08

  1988–89

  110,068

  6,310

  0·06

  —

  —

  6,310

  —

  —

  6,310

  0·06

  1989–90

  113,665

  67,698

  0·60

  —

  —

  67,698

  —

  5

  67,703

  0·60

  1990–91

  117,510

  34,864

  0·30

  —

  —

  34,864

  —

  606

  35,470

  0·30

  1991–92

  118,811

  14,440

  0·12

  —

  13

  14,453

  —

  6

  14,460

  0·12

  1992–93

  101,884

  13,951

  0·14

  —

  —

  13,951

  1,900

  4

  15,855

  0·16

  INDIA

  Calendar year

  1983

  733,248

  121,019

  0·17

  6,336

  245

  127,600

  —

  —

  127,600

  0·17

  1984

  749,184

  122,077

  0·16

  24,423

  37

  146,537

  —

  —

  146,537

  0·20

  1985

  765,147

  87,419

  0·11

  8,879

  168

  106,466

  —

  —

  106,466

  0·14

  1986

  781,367

  134,913

  0·17

  8,553

  15

  143,481

  —

  —

  143,481

  0·18

  1987

  797,526

  78,042

  0·10

  115

  307

  78,464

  —

  —

  78,464

  0·10

  Financial year

  1987–88

  797,526

  82,586

  0·10

  7,851

  403

  90,840

  8,257

  —

  99,097

  0·12

  1988–89

  815,59

  69,411

  0·09

  1,911

  20

  71,342

  13,305

  —

  84,647

  0·10

  62
  In addition to our bilateral assistance, countries receive substantial amounts of assistance from multilateral bodies to which the United Kingdom makes a major contribution.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the aid provided to developing nations to reach 0·7 per cent. of gross national product.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Government have agreed to reach the international aid target of 0·7 per cent. of GNF' as soon as possible, but are not prepared to set a timetable for reaching it. Future levels of aid will continue to depend upon our economic circumstances and on other calls for public expenditure.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the levels of aid to(a) Indonesia, (b) Nigeria, (c) India, (d) Thailand, (e) Oman, (f) Malaysia and (g) Jordan over each of the last 10 years, (i) in totals each year and (ii) per head of the population.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 3 February 1994]: The information is as follows:
  63

  Population

  Country programme

  ATP

  Disaster

  ODA

  CDC

  Other1

  Gross bilateral aid

  Total

  Per capita

  relief/Food aid

  programme total

  total

  per capita

  1989–90

  832,535

  68,881

  0·08

  7,240

  —

  76,121

  11,531

  —

  87,652

  0·11

  1990–91

  849,510

  82,679

  0·10

  5380

  65

  88,324

  11,791

  700

  100,815

  0·12

  1991–92

  865,020

  121,893

  0·14

  6,542

  112

  128,547

  7,832

  7

  136,386

  0·16

  1992–93

  883,473

  93,107

  0·11

  867

  7

  93,981

  21,340

  49

  115,370

  0·13

  THAILAND

  Calendar year

  1983

  49,169

  1,228

  0·02

  —

  —

  1,228

  4,325

  —

  5,553

  0·11

  1984

  50,023

  1,880

  0·04

  225

  15

  2,120

  17,916

  —

  20,036

  0·40

  1985

  50,950

  1,516

  0·03

  233

  30

  1,779

  5,658

  —

  7,437

  0·15

  1986

  52,642

  1,440

  0·3

  404

  —

  1,844

  2,371

  —

  4,215

  0·08

  1987

  53,605

  1,836

  0·03

  251

  —

  2,087

  3,271

  —

  5,358

  0·10

  Financial year

  1987–88

  53,605

  1,879

  0·04

  426

  —

  2,304

  2,620

  —

  4,924

  0·09

  1988–89

  54,469

  1,937

  0·04

  774

  77

  2,788

  21,091

  —

  23,879

  0·44

  1989–90

  55,200

  2,121

  0·04

  3,212

  6

  5,339

  6,190

  46

  11,575

  0·21

  1990–91

  55,801

  2,108

  0·04

  2,854

  6

  4,968

  4,373

  42

  9,383

  0·17

  1991–92

  56,679

  2,057

  0·04

  207

  6

  2,270

  1,675

  57

  4,002

  0·07

  1992–93

  57,992

  1,881

  0·03

  200

  54

  2,135

  32,035

  151

  34,321

  0·59

  OMAN

  Calendar year

  1983

  1,131

  641

  0·57

  —

  —

  641

  —

  —

  641

  0·57

  1984

  1,138

  570

  0·50

  —

  —

  570

  —

  —

  570

  0·50

  1985

  1,181

  500

  0·42

  —

  —

  500

  —

  —

  500

  0·42

  1986

  1,294

  610

  0·47

  —

  —

  610

  —

  —

  610

  0·47

  1987

  1,347

  457

  0·34

  —

  —

  457

  —

  —

  457

  0·34

  Financial year

  1987–88

  1,347

  740

  0·55

  —

  —

  740

  —

  —

  740

  0·55

  1988–89

  1,421

  773

  0·54

  —

  —

  773

  —

  —

  773

  0·54

  1989–90

  1,486

  815

  0·55

  —

  —

  815

  —

  —

  815

  0·55

  1990–91

  1,554

  825

  0·53

  —

  —

  825

  —

  —

  825

  0·53

  1991–92

  1,618

  1,044

  0·65

  —

  —

  1,044

  —

  —

  1,044

  0·65

  1992–93

  1,647

  750

  0·46

  —

  —

  750

  —

  —

  750

  0·46

  MALAYSIA

  Calendar year

  1983

  14,863

  2,201

  0·15

  797

  —

  2,998

  874

  —

  3,872

  0·26

  1984

  15,270

  2,399

  0·16

  54

  —

  2,453

  519

  2,020

  4,992

  0·33

  1985

  15,611

  2,562

  0·16

  1,660

  —

  4,222

  3,232

  —

  7,454

  0·48

  1986

  16,110

  2,098

  0·13

  50,128

  —

  52,226

  3,268

  —

  55,494

  3·44

  1987

  16,528

  2,673

  0·16

  5,801

  —

  8,474

  1,305

  —

  9,779

  0·59

  Financial year

  1987–88

  16,528

  4,922

  0·30

  6,697

  —

  11,619

  905

  —

  12,524

  0·76

  1988–89

  16,921

  2,683

  0·16

  3,925

  —

  6,608

  1,692

  —

  8,300

  0·49

  1989–90

  17,340

  2,693

  0·16

  5,305

  —

  7,998

  —

  28

  8,026

  0·46

  1990–91

  17,752

  2,624

  0·15

  17,336

  —

  19,960

  7,924

  23

  27,907

  1·57

  1991–92

  18,294

  2,911

  0·16

  12,231

  —

  15,142

  693

  15

  15,850

  0·87

  1992–93

  18,610

  2,665

  14

  17,798

  —

  20,463

  526

  6

  20,995

  1·13

  JORDAN

  Calendar year

  1983

  3,247

  2,747

  0·85

  —

  —

  2,747

  —

  —

  2,747

  0·85

  1984

  3,385

  2,665

  0·79

  3,440

  —

  6,105

  —

  —

  6,105

  1·80

  1985

  3,512

  2,332

  0·66

  —

  —

  2,332

  —

  —

  2,332

  0·66

  1986

  3,620

  5,641

  1·56

  —

  —

  5,641

  —

  —

  5,641

  1·56

  1987

  3,790

  4,679

  1·23

  130

  —

  4,809

  —

  —

  4,809

  1·27

  Financial year

  1987–88

  3,790

  4,235

  1·12

  260

  —

  4,495

  —

  —

  4,495

  1·19

  1988–89

  3,903

  2,421

  0·62

  401

  —

  2,822

  —

  —

  2,822

  0·72

  1989–90

  4,041

  4,653

  1·15

  452

  —

  5,105

  —

  —

  5,105

  1·26

  1990–91

  3,154

  2,254

  0·71

  475

  2,720

  5,450

  —

  5,476

  10,925

  3·46

  1991–92

  3,453

  2,649

  0·77

  473

  —

  3,122

  —

  —

  3,122

  0·90

  1992–93

  3,949

  3,777

  0·96

  472

  —

  4,249

  —

  10,468

  14,717

  3·73

  1This is mainly debt relief, but also includes small amounts of drug-related assistance funded by the Home Office and FCO.

  2From 1987–88 data on aid spending have been compiled on a financial year basis.

  64 65
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total value of the aid trade programme for each year since 1979; what were the dozen highest value projects assisted under this programme in each of these years and the value of each of these projects; which was the main company or companies involved in each of these projects each year and what was the level of aid they received under this programme or in any related form; and in each case which of these contracts were let without tender in each of these years.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 3 February 1994]: The total value of the aid and trade provision—cash expenditure—for each year since 1979 was as follows:

  £ million

  1979–80

  29

  1980–81

  26

  1981–82

  53

  1982–83

  47

  1983–84

  28

  1984–85

  59

  1985–86

  36

  1986–87

  81

  1987–88

  49

  1988–89

  58

  1989–90

  62

  1990–91

  94

  1991–92

  101

  1992–93

  93

  All the other information requested, with one exception, is contained in the detailed list of ATP projects placed in the Library of the House in October 1993 pursuant to the reply my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave the right hon. Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham) on 28 October, Official Report. column 732.

  The one exception relates to aid received by companies in any related form, this information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Commonwealth Development Corporation
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all projects and programmes funded by the Commonwealth Development Corporation in the last five years; what projects and programmes are(a) legally committed and (b) planned in the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Details of CDC's equity holdings, loans and commitments are given in its annual report and accounts, copies of which are laid before the House. Additions from January 1993 are shown. For reasons of commercial confidentiality information is not available on project proposals on which CTC is conducting negotiations with clients and co-investors.

  We intend to make a statement shortly on the outcome of a quinquennial review of CDC, and to publicise a further progress report on recommendations made by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in 1992.

  Country

  Project

  Belize

  Belize Electricity Company

  Dominican Republic

  Hotel Flamenco Playa Puerto Plata

  Dominica

  Dominica Agricultural Industrial and Development Bank

  India

  Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd.

  66

  Country

  Project

  India

  Modern Woollens Ltd.

  India

  Mysore Paper Mills Ltd.

  India

  Square D Software Ltd.

  India

  Tata Ceramics Ltd.

  India

  CESC Ltd.

  India

  CG Glass Ltd.

  Indonesia

  PT Samudera

  Indonesia

  PT Gunung Raja Paksi

  Indonesia

  PT Wiraswasta Gemilang Co. Ltd.

  Malta

  Malta Mariculture Ltd.

  Mozambique

  Grafite de Ancuabe Ltda

  Nicaragua

  Camarones Del Pacifico

  Nigeria

  Cadbury Nigeria plc

  Nigeria

  Heleena Farms Ltd.

  Pakistan

  International Housing Finance Ltd.

  Pakistan

  Ravi Chemicals Ltd.

  Pakistan

  Sarah Textiles Ltd.

  Pakistan

  Fauji Marine Oil Terminal Distribution Co.

  Pakistan

  Fauji Cement Co. Ltd.

  Pakistan

  Hub Power Co. Ltd.

  Pakistan

  Pearl Continental Lahore

  Philippines

  Bukidnon Resources Co. Inc.

  Philippines

  Hopewell Power (Philippines) Corporation

  Tanzania

  Tourism Promotion Services (Tanzania) Ltd.

  Thailand

  Thai Rural Equity Fund

  Thailand

  United Palm Oil Ind. Co. Ltd.

  Zambia

  Nanga Farms Ltd.

  Zimbabwe

  Hippo Valley Estates Ltd.

  Zimbabwe

  Triangle Ltd.

  Zimbabwe

  Wankie Colliery Co. Ltd.

  Zimbabwe

  Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (Pvt) Ltd.

  Malawi
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list by cost each bilateral aid project in Malawi.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  A list of ODA's current bilateral aid projects in Malawi will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Nigeria
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each project funded by the Overseas Development Administration in Nigeria over the last five years.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I have placed a list of all projects in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what water projects the Overseas Development Administration is current), funding in Nigeria; and which companies have won those contracts.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  None.

  Indonesia
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last reviewed the application of the good governance criterion governing the provision of aid by the Overseas Development Administration to the programme of aid to Indonesia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The position for all countries is reviewed at least annually and was last reviewed for Indonesia in autumn 1993.
  67
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which United Kingdom company was involved in providing the flight simulator supported under the British aid programme to Indonesia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Kingdom company supplying the flight simulator to the Indonesian domestic airline, Merpati, is Aeronautical Systems Designers Ltd.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what stage has been reached in the tendering process for the power plant in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, which is being funded under the aid trade provision.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The bids received by the Indonesian electricity authority for the Samarinda power station in East Kalimantan are currently being evaluated by the Government of Indonesia.

  The bid documents for the associated transmission line were issued by the electricity authority in mid-January with a return date of 24 March 1994.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what water projects the Overseas Development Administration is currently funding in Indonesia; and which companies have won those contracts.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  ODA is currently funding a small project that forms part of a general research programme into canal systems maintenance in a number of countries including Indonesia. ODA is also supporting five village-based water self-help supply schemes.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which United Kingdom companies are involved in the Jambi power plant in Indonesia supported by the Overseas Development Administration.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Kingdom company which supplied equipment for the Jambi power plant was Mirrlees Blackstone Ltd.

  Malaysia
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what water projects the Overseas Development Administration is currently funding in Malaysia; and which companies have won those contracts.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Overseas Development Administration is currently not funding any water projects in Malaysia.

  St. Helena
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the Wright report on privatisation in St. Helena.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Copies of the 1990 report by David Wright on the expansion of the private sector in St. Helena have been placed in the Library of the House.
  68

  Thailand
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what water projects in Thailand are currently funded by the Overseas Development Administration.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Overseas Development Administration is currently not funding any water projects in Thailand.

  Oman
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what scholarships and training have been provided under the British aid programme to Oman in the last five years; and in which subject areas.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The number of scholarships and training awards provided under the British aid programme to Oman since 1990–91 are as follows. Details prior to this can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  1990–91

  English Language training

  2

  Infrastructure

  5

  Planning, Administration and Finance

  4

  1991–92

  Teacher Training

  2

  English Language Training

  1

  Renewable Natural Resources

  10

  Health

  1

  Infrastructure

  6

  Planning, Administration and Finance

  1

  1992–93

  English Language Training

  10

  Teacher Training

  1

  Renewable Natural Resources

  6

  Planning, Administration and Finance

  1

  Infrastructure

  3

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many expatriate personnel were funded by the Overseas Development Administration to work in Oman in each year since 1980; and on which projects they work.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The following numbers of expatriate personnel have been funded by the Overseas Development Administration to work in Oman since 1988–89. Information prior to this can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Ministry of Agriculture Livestock Project

  Number

  1988–89

  6

  1989–90

  3

  1990–91

  4

  1991–92

  4

  1992–93

  2

  Ministry of Electricity and Water

  Number

  1988–89

  1

  1989–90

  1

  1990–91

  1

  1991–92

  1

  69

  Ministry of Commerce and Industry

  Number

  1988–89

  1

  1989–90

  1

  1990–91

  1

  1991–92

  1

  Oman Technical and Industrial College

  Number

  1988–89

  10

  1989–90

  13

  1990–91

  13

  1991–92

  9

  1992–93

  6

  Educational Curriculum Reform

  Number

  1988–89

  4

  1989–90

  3

  1990–91

  2

  1991–92

  2

  1992–93

  1

  Vocational Training Institute

  Number

  1988–89

  7

  1989–90

  8

  1990–91

  12

  1991–92

  12

  1992–93

  10

  Institute of Health

  Number

  1988–89

  2

  1989–90

  1

  1990–91

  1

  Tissue Culture

  Number

  1988–89

  1

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which projects other than scholarships and training have been funded under the British aid programme to Oman in the last five years.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The following projects other than scholarships and training have been funded under the British aid programme to Oman in the last five years:

  Assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture in livestock control and marketing.

  Advice to the Ministry of Electricity and Water on electricity safety rules and the operation of a drawing office in the electricity supply industry.

  Advice to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on investment promotion and industrial diversification.

  A training needs analysis for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

  Assistance to improve English language teaching at the Oman technical and industrial college.

  70

  Assistance to the Ministry of Education in curriculum development.

  Assistance in teacher education at the Vacational Training Institute.

  Assistance to improve English language teaching at the Institute of Health Sciences.

  A study of the opportunities for tissue culture of date palms and other traditional crops.

  Arms Expenditure
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the policy of his Department that developing countries should be encouraged to spend less on armaments; and whether levels of spending on arms is taken into account in the allocation of aid.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  It is for each country to assess and provide for its own legitimate defence needs. The United Kingdom actively supports the increased emphasis placed by the International Monetary Fund and the World bank in their relations with developing countries on the implications for economic and social development of an excessive level of military expenditure. We have made it clear that we consider the setting of an appropriate level of military expenditure to be an important part of good government. It is one of the factors we take into account when deciding our allocations of bilateral aid.

  Jordan
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each project funded by the Overseas Development Administration in Jordan over the last five years.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Projects funded by the Overseas Development Administration in Jordan over the last five years are as follows:

  Provision of a livestock expert to assist the Ministry of Agriculture sheep husbandry project.

  Financial assistance to farmers to replant fruit trees in the Jordan valley following the severe storms of January and February 1992.

  Provision of advice to the Jordan Industrial Consortium Engineering Company.

  Senior advisory assistance to the Jordanian Electricity Authority and to the Irbid District Electricity Company.

  Provision of equipment to the Jordan Meteorological Department for monitoring weather systems and locust swarms.

  Advice on air traffic control to the Jordan Civil Aviation Authority.

  Feasibility study for the Government of Jordan on the restructuring of telecommunications.

  Provision of equipment and advice to the geological mapping section of the Natural Resources Authority for compiling and printing maps.

  Advice on computerising the Jordanian passport system.

  Study of an aquifer at Qa Disi in southern Jordan to enable the Water Authority of Jordan to determine sensible abstraction rates.

  Study for a possible professional link between the Water Authority of Jordan and a United Kingdom water company.

  Diagnostic study into pollution at the King Talal dam.

  Study of possible contamination of groundwater in the Amman Zarka basin.

  Feasibility study into centralising the Water Authority of Jordan's maintenance facilities on a single site.

  Advice to develop in-service teacher training and textbook production.

  Provision of equipment to the structures testing laboratory at the Jordanian university of science and technology.

  Assistance to develop teaching English for specific purposes at the Jordan university of science and technology.

  71

  Provision of computers and consultants to increase computer awareness among secondary school pupils.

  Provision of equipment and advice to develop the national centre for occupational safety and health, and advice on industrial safety legislation.

  Provision of equipment to vocational secondary schools.

  Provision of a walking dragline for the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company.

  The heads of mission small projects scheme is administered by the British ambassador to Jordan and funds four to six small projects each year.

  The joint funding scheme has contributed to 11 Oxfam projects in Jordan over the last five years.

  Water and Sanitation Projects
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the breakdown of spending on clean water and sanitation projects within the Overseas Development Administration in 1991–92; how much of the total is allocated to basic water supply and sanitation for use by the public; and how much for services to private dwellings.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Total specific spending on clean water and sanitation projects by the Overseas Development Administration in the financial year 1991–92 was £24·529 million. Data are not available to enable a separation to be made between expenditure on water supply and sanitation for public or communal use, and services directly connected to private dwellings.

  Many non-governmental organisations have clean water projects as part of their wider rural development schemes.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been made in the 1993–94 cash limit for expenditure by the Overseas Development Administration.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit on the external assistance vote—class II, vote 5—will be increased by £3,736,000 from £1,811,060,000 to £1,814,796,000. The increase includes a transfer of £88,000 from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for assistance to the St. Petersburg potato industry and £3,337,000 in respect of a rollover of underspending against 1992–93 EC attribution. The gross running costs limit for the ODA has been increased by £311,000 from £51,771,000 to £52,082,000. This includes £235,000 in respect of an end of year flexibility entitlement and a transfer of £76,000 from Property Holdings for a maintenance club subscription. The net running costs limit for the Natural Resources Institute has been increased from nil to £3,788,000 to cover a revised forecast of income, and restructuring and relocation costs. The increases will be offset by transfers from other Government Departments and charges to the reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Aid Categories
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what cash is distributed as tied aid; how much aid is untied; what other categories of aid exist; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There are three main categories of tying status for official development assistance reported to 72
  the development assistance committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development: tied, partially tied and untied.

  In 1992, £650 million of the United Kingdom's bilateral aid commitments to developing countries were tied, £500,000 were partially tied and £324 million were untied.

EMPLOYMENT

  Deregulation
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment 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. Michael Forsyth
  Matters covered by task force recommendations on administration of training programmes, handling of unfair dismissal claims, and industrial tribunal procedures have been discussed with training and enterprise councils, the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service, presidents of the industrial tribunals, the Council on Tribunals and other interested bodies as appropriate. A provision in the Deregulation and Contracting Out Bill relating to redundancy selection implements a proposal of the task forces, which represent business.

  I have asked the Health and Safety Commission to consider the task forces' recommendations on health and safety at work as part of a general review of health and safety legislation. Decisions on these recommendations will be taken when the commission has made its report.

  Wages Inspectorate
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many complaints from employees were received by the wages inspectorate in March, April and May 1993; and in how many of these cases the inspectorate's investigation was completed within four weeks.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth: The information is as follows:

  1993

  Number of complaints received

  Number of complaint inspections completed within four weeks

  March

  113

  78

  April

  100

  69

  May

  93

  65

  Employees were told the results of investigations into their complaint. If the investigation could not be completed within four weeks, the employee was told about the progress of the investigation.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were in temporary employment at the latest available date; and what is the proportion of those in temporary employment as a percentage of the total number registered for employment for England as a whole and for each standard region within England.
  73
  Miss Widdecombe
  Latest estiamtes from the summer 1993 labour force survey of the number and proportion of employees in temporary employment for standard regions within England are given in the table:

  Standard region

  Employees in temporary employment (thousands)

  Proportion of employees in temporary employment (percentage)

  South East

  477

  7·0

  Greater London

  196

  7·8

  East Anglia

  67

  8·0

  South West

  107

  6·0

  West Midlands

  117

  5·9

  East Midlands

  101

  6·2

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  128

  6·7

  North West

  145

  6·2

  North

  83

  7·4

  England

  1,224

  6·6

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the subjects on which his Department formerly answered parliamentary questions but which are now referred by him to an executive agency.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The chief executive of the Employment Service Agency is usually asked to reply to parliamentary questions concerning the day-to-day operational matters of the agency and on subjects for which he has delegated responsibility, as set out in the agency's framework document, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Work Permits
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many applications for a work permit to employ a non-EC national were received in April 1993; what proportion of these applications were decided within eight weeks; and what proportion of applications on behalf of entertainers, sports people and models were decided within four weeks.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Four thousand, three hundred and ninety-nine applications for work permits were received in April 1993. Of the 2,850 cases processed in the month, 91·9 per cent. had been decided within eight weeks of receipt.

  One thousand, four hundred and eleven of the total applications decided in April 1993 were for entertainers, sports people and models. Fifty-seven per cent. of these cases were decided within four weeks and 92 per cent. within eight weeks of receipt.

  This exceeds the Department's published standard of 75 per cent. within eight weeks and was achieved at a time when the section responsible for work permits was in the process of moving between sites in Sheffield.

  Employment Agencies
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many applications for new licences were received from employment agencies in April 1993; and in what proportion of these cases a licence was issued to the applicant within eight weeks.
  74
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In April 1993, 241 applications for new licences were received, 83·8 per cent. of which resulted in a licence being offered to the applicant within eight weeks.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employment agencies have(a) been licensed, (b) had applications for licensing as an employment agency refused and (c) had their licences revoked in each year since 1973.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Employment Agencies Act 1973, which requires all employment agencies and employment business to be licensed, came into force in mid-1976. The available records commence from 1977, the first full year of the Act's operation, and are provided in the table:

  Year

  Number of current licences

  Applications refused

  Licences revoked

  1977

  5,057

  10

  —

  1978

  5,896

  4

  1

  1979

  6,550

  2

  —

  1980

  6,990

  3

  —

  1981

  6,645

  5

  2

  1982

  6,624

  7

  —

  1983

  6,950

  3

  —

  1984

  7,668

  —

  —

  1985

  8,499

  1

  —

  1986

  9,984

  3

  1

  1987

  11,379

  3

  2

  1988

  13,541

  —

  —

  1989

  16,023

  5

  —

  1990

  17,227

  3

  —

  1991

  15,887

  5

  1

  1992

  14,701

  3

  2

  1993

  14,482

  1

  —

  Totals

  58

  9

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much funding has been made available to each TEC in East Anglia in 1992–93 and 1993–94 for youth training, adult training, long-term unemployed and business start-up schemes; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The table provides the information requested in respect of youth and adult training and business start-up allowances.

  Separate figures are not available for the long-terrn unemployed. People unemployed for at least a year who have been through a jobplan workshop are given priority for places on the training for work programme, and the long-term unemployed also have access to a wide range of other opportunities available through the training and enterprise councils.

  Details of TEC budgets

  TEC Names

  Youth Training/ Credits

  Training for work

  Business Start Up Allowance

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  1992–93

  Bedfordshire

  5·14

  2·94

  0·36

  Cambridgeshire

  2·60

  1·06

  0·31

  Essex

  16·02

  6·08

  0·82

  Greater Peterborough

  4·60

  2·22

  0·20

  75

  TEC Names

  Youth Training/ Credits

  Training for work

  Business Start Up Allowance

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Hertfordshire

  13·52

  4·03

  0·82

  Norfolk and Waveney

  10·78

  5·58

  1·26

  Suffolk

  9·78

  2·16

  0·93

  1993–94

  Bedfordshire

  5·16

  2·60

  0·43

  Cambridgeshire

  3·44

  1·20

  0·34

  Essex

  16·71

  6·13

  0·86

  Greater Peterborough

  5·09

  2·45

  0·27

  Hertfordshire

  13·28

  4·00

  1·03

  Norfolk and Waveney

  10·04

  5·89

  1·11

  Suffolk

  9·31

  2·37

  0·72

  Notes:

  1 Funds are paid to TECs on the basis of a negotiated contract. The figures given above for both years are based on contracted amounts. The actual amount spent depends on claims made by the TEC.

  2 TFW figures include the programmes replaced by TFW, including employment training, employment action and HTNT.

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

  Employment Service
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what guidance is given to the Employment Service on the giving of information on claimants to hon. Members' staff.

  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. Terry Rooney, dated 7 February 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about guidance to Employment Service (ES) staff on providing information about claimants to honourable Members' staff.
  It may help if I explain the background. The rules of confidentiality are long established, having been in operation since the start of the National Insurance Scheme in 1911, when the Government of the day decided that information obtained about members of the public in connection with its administration should be regarded as confidential between the person concerned and the Ministry, and would not be released without the consent of that person. Successive Governments have continued since then to apply this policy. There are however specific groups of people who may receive personal information about a client without written consent; these include MPs, provided that they are acting on behalf of the client concerned. If however an enquiry about a client is received from someone claiming to be acting on behalf of the MP, we do not reply until the written consent of the client is produced.
  The policy on issues concerning disclosure of information, is set out in the ES Disclosure Guide and other internal memos. This guidance is issued to all ES Jobcentres and updated regularly as necessary.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Protection of Young People at Work Directive
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what reason Italy and Spain gave for abstaining on the protection of young people at work directive in the Council meeting of 23 November 1993.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Explanations of voting on the common position concerning the protection of young people at work are in the annex to European Council document 10237/93—Presse 199-G. I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library.
  76

  After-school Care
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money was allocated to each training and enterprise council in 1993–94 for after-school care in accordance with the Department of Employment's after-school care initiative; ane what each TEC's estimated out-turn expenditure is in 1993–94 in that area of activity.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms Short) on 3 December 1993,Official Report, column 821, which lists the funding made available for 1993–94 by training and enterprise councils including that for the out of school child care grant.

  TECs are not asked to provide estimated outturn expenditure.

  Health and Safety
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the organisations and individuals consulted or to be consulted by the Health and Safety Commission in its current review of health and safety legislation.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: No definitive list is available. The core of consultation rests with the Health and Safety Commission's task groups, part of whose remit is, in turn, to consult widely. A list of task group members has been placed in the Library.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Legislation
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many Government Bills have been defeated at(a) Second Reading and (b) Third Reading in the House of Commons since 1979.

  Mr. Newton
  The information is as follows:

  (a) One—Shops Bill [Lords], Session 1985–86.

  (b) None.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the number of Bills passed in each Session since 1979.

  Mr. Newton
  The information is given in the table.

  Bills passed by the Commons

  Session

  11

  22

  33

  44

  1992–93

  68

  68

  29

  52

  1991–92

  47

  46

  15

  33

  1990–91

  71

  69

  18

  49

  1989–90

  46

  45

  14

  34

  1988–89

  47

  46

  16

  37

  1987–88

  63

  62

  16

  49

  1986–87

  53

  51

  19

  36

  1985–86

  70

  70

  23

  49

  1984–85

  76

  75

  26

  54

  1983–84

  73

  73

  30

  60

  1982–83

  55

  51

  17

  41

  1981–82

  56

  56

  19

  46

  1980–81

  71

  71

  30

  57

  1979–80

  82

  81

  25

  71

  1 Number of Bills passed by Commons.

  2 Number of Bills which received the Royal Assent.

  77
  3 Number of Bills which received Royal Assent which originated in the lords.

  4 Number of Bills which received the Royal Assent which were Government Bills.

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

  Mr. Newton
  There are four paintings in my room in the House of Commons and seven paintings and 12 prints in my room at 68 Whitehall. There are no photographs on the walls in either room.

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

  Mr. Newton
  I have no plans to do so.

  Early-day Motions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many early-day motions have been tabled in each year since 1964.

  Mr. Newton
  This information is available in House of Commons Factsheet No. 30, entitled "Early Day Motions".

ENVIRONMENT

  Urban Regeneration (Regional Directors)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the environment if the appointment of, or powers given to, the new senior regional directors for urban regeneration, or the new procedures he proposes for determining the structure and distribution of related expenditure, are subject to any decision of Parliament.

  Mr. Baldry
  The integrated regional offices, headed by senior regional directors, will bring together the responsibilities of the existing regional offices of the Department of the Environment, Department of Transport, Department of Employment and Department of Trade and Industry. Their appointment does not require specific parliamentary approval. Voted expenditure on the new single regeneration budget, details of which were announced to the House by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on 4 November 1993,Official Report, column 515, will be subject to the approval of Parliament in the normal way.

  Council Tenants
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council tenants received compensation in 1992–93 upon leaving their home for improvements made to it; and what was the total sum paid to them.

  Sir George Young
  Information on expenditure by local authorities under the existing discretionary power to make such payments, in section 100 of the Housing Act 1985, is not collected centrally. The Department proposes 78
  to monitor expenditure under the new right to compensation for tenants' improvements scheme being introduced on 1 April 1994, under section 122 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the subjects on which his Department or its predecessors formerly answered parliamentary questions but which are now referred by hi m to an executive agency.

  Mr. Baldry
  Next steps agency chief executives are usually asked to reply to parliamentary questions on the day-to-day operational matters of their agencies and on subjects for which they have delegated responsibility, as set out in their agencies' framework documents. Copies of replies provided by chief executives are published in the Official Report.

  Planning Applications
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of planning applications to local authorities were decided within eight weeks lin 1992–93.

  Mr. Baldry
  An average of 63 per cent.

  Food Superstores
  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many planning applications for food superstores have been granted on appeal, for the last two years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Baldry
  The provision of information on planning appeals is the responsibility of the Planning Inspectorate. I have asked the inspectorate 's chief executive, Mr. Stephen Crow, to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from H. S. Crow to Mr. John Ward, dated 3 February 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the number of food superstores for which planning permission has been granted on appeal.
  The information is taken from the Inspectorate's records. The latest figures available for England are for the financial years that ended on 31 March 1992 and 1993 and are set out below:

  Planning appeals allowed involving food superstores

  Number

  1991–92

  9

  1992–93

  13

  Docklands Light Railway
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the: Environment what additional public funding over the provision envisaged, is necessary to meet the full construction costs, including stations at Island Gardens and Cutty Sark, of the proposed docklands light railway extension to Greenwich and Lewisham.

  Sir George Young
  The full construction costs of the proposed extension, including Cutty Sark and Island
  79
  Gardens stations, were estimated at £139 million in November 1992. The Government have stated unequivocally from the outset that this project must be taken forward with the private sector in the lead without any Government grant or subsidy. That remains our position. A review of the commercial viability of the project undertaken last autumn indicated that the original estimated cost could not be funded from the level of revenues forecast for the extension. Third parties locally have assigned £7 million to the project but this will not be sufficient to close the funding gap. To ensure the project's financial viability, either major reductions in the scope of the project will need to be made or further third party finance will need to be contributed.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to charge a toll for cross-river journeys on the docklands light railway when it is extended to Greenwich and Lewisham.

  Sir George Young
  When London Transport promoted the Bill seeking powers to build the extension of the docklands light railway to Lewisham, it was envisaged that a premium fare, in the form of a cross-river toll, would need to be charged to recover the costs of construction. Current advice confirms that a premium fare will be necessary to make the project financially viable.

  Leeds Development Corporation
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total value of the land and buildings held by the Leeds development corporation.

  Mr. Baldry
  The total value of the land and buildings held by the Leeds development corporation at 31 March 1993 was £7,507,000. The valuation figure, which is at the lower of cost and net realisable value, corresponds to the entry for development assets in the financial statements published in the corporation's annual report.

  Westminster and Wandsworth Councils
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what concerns were expressed by his officials to himself or his predecessors in the operation by Westminster or Wandsworth council of(a) the cash incentive scheme and (b) the right to buy in general.

  Sir George Young
  By convention, advice given by officials to Ministers is not disclosed.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reference was made to the cash incentive schemes and right-to-buy policies of Westminster and Wandsworth councils in their housing investment programme submissions, monitoring statements and meetings since 1985; what concerns were expressed by his officials as a result of these; and what changes were made to the scheme.

  Sir George Young
  Local authorities' HIP submissions are public documents and copies have been placed in the Library of the House. The Department collects detailed information at the end of each financial year from all local authorities operating cash incentive schemes under section 129 of the Housing Act 1988, and monitors the right-to-buy performance of all London boroughs. We were satisfied that Wandsworth's proposals met the criteria 80
  but, in the case of Westminster, following discussions with the Department when the borough first planned to run a cash incentive scheme in 1989–90, the council confirmed that when properties vacated were to be sold they would be offered to existing council tenants only, thus creating a vacancy for reletting to a homeless household.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what reviews were carried out by his Department of the cash incentive schemes operated by Westminster and Wandsworth councils; what the results of these were; and what changes were made to the schemes as a result;

  (2) what measures were taken by his Department to ensure that where the payment of a cash incentive in Wandsworth and Westminster council did not under their scheme result in the vacated houses being allocated for rent to someone in housing need the purchaser of those vacant properties themselves vacated a property which was let to someone in housing need.

  Sir George Young
  Since the introduction of the cash incentive scheme in 1989, the Department has collected detailed information at the end of each financial year. This includes the number of grants paid and dwellings released for each local authority running a CIS. It enables the Department to monitor schemes to ensure that they meet the objective of releasing vacancies to house—directly or indirectly—homeless households.

  No changes were made to the schemes run by Westminster council or Wandsworth council as a result of this monitoring process.

  The results of the first two years of this monitoring process were published by HMSO in a repoert "Cash Incentives Review" in 1992; a copy is in the Library.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons Westminster council was judged to be performing well in its housing policies which led to the award of higher housing investment programme allocations in recent years; and by how much the allocation was increased as a result.

  Sir George Young
  Westminster city council's performance as a housing authority was assessed against the criteria published by my Department at the beginning of each HIP round.

  In recent years, Westminster has been assessed as performing strongly across the board, with particular strengths in the management of its stock, the promotion of tenant involvement and self-management, and the support of housing associations. These assessment's of Westminster's efficiency and effectiveness, along with assessments in respect of other published criteria, have been reflected in the discretionary elements of its HIP allocations.

  For the past three years, discretion has been used to allocate 60 per cent. of the HIP annual capital guidelines, the remainder being allocated on the basis of a calculation of the general housing needs of local authorities. Westminster has in recognition of its efficiency and effectiveness been allocated ACGs significantly greater than it would have been using the needs calculation alone.

  The criteria used in assessing housing authorities are available from the Library of the House, as are the details of the HIP allocations of individual authorities, and the calculations of their general housing needs.
  81
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when approval was given to the cash incentive scheme operated by(a) Westminster and (b) Wandsworth councils; and what special conditions were added to the schemes as proposed by these councils.

  Sir George Young
  Any local authority which applies under section 129 of the Housing Act 1988 to run a cash incentive scheme is required to ensure that the number of grants paid equals the number of people rehoused in rented accommodation; that grants are paid only to tenants who could not afford to buy without this assistance; and that the amount of individual grants is kept within the prescribed limit.

  Both Westminster council and Wandsworth council met these criteria. Formal approval to run a cash incentive scheme in 1989–90 was granted to them on 14 August 1989 and 22 May 1989 respectively.

  No changes were made by Westminster and Wandsworth councils when they sought and obtained annually approval to run a cash incentive scheme in subsequent years.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what amount of subsidy was paid under the cash incentive scheme to Westminster and Wandsworth councils in each year since the scheme was introduced.

  Sir George Young
  The table shows the total Government resources made available in the form of supplementary credit approvals to Westminster and Wandsworth councils for cash incentive schemes each year since the scheme was introduced. No Government resources were made available in 1989–90 or in 1993–94.

  Year

  Wandsworth £

  Westminster £

  11990–91

  1,933,464

  1,409,000

  11991–92

  2,446,000

  2,611,000

  21992–93

  480,995

  658,000

  1 Made available under the homelessness initiative.

  2 Made available under the housing market package.

  Paper Shredders
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many paper shredding machines there are(a) in his private office and (b) in his Department.

  Mr. Baldry
  The answer is as follows:

  (a) 1

  (b) 62 (including (a))

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Pursuant to his answer of 20 January,Official Report, columns 827–28, whether British Nuclear Fuels was charged by his Department for the work put into preparation on the Euratom treaty article 37 submission on THORP.

  Mr. Atkins
  BNFL was not charged for work done by the Department specifically to meet the requirements of article 37 of the Euratom treaty.
  82

  Paper Processing
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to monitor the progress of environmental health authorities in meeting the timetable requirements of part 1 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in respect of licences to control emission levels from paper coating processors.

  Mr. Atkins
  My Department monitors in various ways the operation of the local authority air pollution control system established under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This monitoring includes regular meetings of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution—local authority liaison committee, the establishment of an industry forum, local authority statistical returns, and a review of the performance of 25 authorities undertaken by my officials last year.

  Guidance notes on air pollution standards have been issued for the categories of processes coming under the control system. Each guidance note includes a timetable for completing process improvements. One such note was published on paper coating processes in February 1992 and a copy was placed in the Library of the House at the time. Each note is issued in consultation with the relevant industry organisation and it is our intention that they are reviewed every four years, or sooner if particular issues arise.

  Surplus School Places
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how he defines surplus places; what is the legal authority for his definition; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  I have been asked to reply.

  There is no statute governing the way in which surplus school capacity should be assessed. For current purposes the Department calculates the number of surplus places at a school as the difference between the number of places available, measured using a standard formula and based on the physical capacity of the accommodation at the school, and the number of pupils on the school's roll.

EDUCATION

  Ministers (Travel)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the(a) budgeted and (b) actual expenditure by his Department on (1) internal and (2) overseas travel by the Secretary of State in 1992–93 after 11 April 1992 and so far in 1993–94.

  Mr. Patten
  The figures requested are as follows:

  Financial Year

  Domestic Travel £

  Overseas Travel £

  1992–93—planned

  6,000

  see note1

  —actual

  3,330

  2,0502

  1993–94—planned

  6,250

  see note1

  —actual (to date)

  3,080

  4002

  1 The annual budget for foreign travel by all the Department's Ministers (including officials in attendance). This was £54,000 in 1992–93; the corresponding figure for 1993–94 is £50,000. These plans are not

  83
  disaggregated between Ministers.

  2 Expenditure incurred on the Secretary of State's travel (including officials in attendance).

  Non-motorised Transport
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what initiatives he plans to introduce to make educational establishments equally accessible to users of non-motorised as to users of motorised transport, including provision for adequate secure cycle parking.

  Mr. Forth
  The Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981, require that the land provided for a maintained school shall be adequate to permit provision of appropriate ancillary facilities, including vehicle parks. The Department's publication "The Outdoor Classroom", Building Bulletin 71, includes guidance on car parking and cycle storage facilities for schools. Parking and access arrangements at other educational establishments are a matter for the authorities responsible for those establishments.

  Under-fives Education
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish a table showing(a) the component of standard spending assessment which is notionally attributed to the education of under-fives, (b) the actual expenditure on education of under-fives for each of the London boroughs for the most recent year that figures are available, (c) the number of children under five in maintained schools and (d) the percentage of under-fives in (i) nursery classes and nursery schools and (ii) infant classes, as a percentage of the under-five-years population.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested which is available is set out in the table. Reliable data on expenditure for under-fives are not available at the level of individual local authorities.

  £ million

  (a) Under-fives component of education SSAs

  935·2

  (c) Number of under-fives in maintained schools

  656,193

  (di) Percentage of under-fives population in nursery classes and nursery schools

  26

  (dii) Percentage of under-fives population in infant classes

  24

  Notes:

  1. The information on pupil numbers is derived from the January 1993 schools census carried out by the Department. The figure is based on a head count of the number of part-time (329,944) and full-time (326,249) pupils aged three and four on 31 August 1992.

  The figures exclude pupils aged four on 31 August 1992 but whose fifth birthday fell between 1 September and 31 December as well as pupils aged under-five in maintained special schools.

  3. The percentage rates have been calculated using information on the under-fives population supplied by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OCPS).

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish a table showing the component of standard spending assessment which is notionally attributed to the education of under-fives, expressed as a per capita figure for each child under five years, and the actual expenditure on education for under-fives expressed as a per capita figure for(a) each child under five years in maintained schools and (b) each child under five years in the population.
  84
  Mr. Robin Squire
  We do not have precise figures for expenditure by local education authorities on under-fives in maintained schools, but we can estimate the costs at a national level. The latest year for which spending data is available is 1991–92. The table gives the figures all in relation to the 1991–92 financial year.

  £

  Standard assessment (SSA) per population under five1

  260

  Estimated expenditure on under fives in maintained schools per under five pupil2

  1,650

  Estimated expenditure on under fives in maintained schools per population under five1

  340

  1 The divisor for this is the population 0–4 on 30 June 1989. This is the basis on which the 1991–92 under-fives SSA was distributed to LEAs.

  2 Both the expenditure and the pupil numbers relate to pupils who were aged four or less on 31 August. The pupil number divisor is a financial year average.

  Dearing Review
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the impact of Sir Ron Dearing's national curriculum review on the swimming and water safety requirement of key stage 2.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The School Curriculum and Assessment Authority is currently considering what changes are needed in the statutory requirements for all the subjects of the national curriculum, including physical education. My right hon. Friend cannot anticipate the outcome of that consideration.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement setting out the arrangements for the membership and timetable for action for the working groups recommended by the national curriculum review undertaken by Sir Ron Dearing.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Membership of the groups advising the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority on the revision of the national curriculum was announced by the authority on 12 January: a copy of its press notice is in the Library. The groups' work will be completed by the end of March and the authority will then advise my right hon. Friend on a revised national curriculum to go out to consultation between May and July. The aim is that new orders for each national curriculum subject should be distributed to schools in January 1995.

  Local Education Authorities
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy that local education authorities should be represented on bodies which are relevant to their responsibilities as employers on such bodies as the Teacher Training Agency; and if he will invite those authorities to nominate representatives.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend will continue to make it his policy to appoint to bodies for which he is responsible members who will make an effective personal contribution, drawing on their knowledge and experience. While relevant experience may be specified in statute, and outside bodies may always suggest names for consideration, members are not normally appointed in a representative capacity.
  85

  Technology Schools Initiative
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what monitoring is being undertaken by his Department of spending by schools allocated funding from the technology schools initiative.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  TSI projects include a tender stage when project details are finalised and competitive tenders are sought to ensure value for money is obtained. For grant-maintained school projects, approval from the Department must then be obtained before work on the project can begin. Grant is paid only for expenditure which has been approved, and invoices must be submitted to support claims.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will place in the Library a copy of Stratford grant-maintained school's successful bid for £300,000 under the technology schools initiative.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  No. Bids for awards under the technology schools initiative—TSI—were prepared by individual schools, with the involvement of the local education authority where applicable, for submission to the Department. Schools did not necessarily prepare their bids with any expectation that they would become public documents.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education by what date he expects Stratford school to have completed the project for which grants were awarded under the technology schools initiative.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The project is expected to be completed before the end of the 1993–94 financial year.

  Information (Circulation)
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what facilities his Department provides for other Government Departments to circulate information to schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The DFE publishes a termly newsletter,Schools Update, which is sent to all schools. It has a section which offers information about the availability of leaflets and resource material from other Government Departments.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which Departments of Government in the last year have offered for circulation or circulated to schools printed or film/video material directly or indirectly; and if he will name the publications provided in schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department for Education does not keep a record of material distributed to schools by other Government Departments. In the last 12 months, the DFE has itself distributed sample copies of the following publicity material to schools:

  Education Act 1993 Publicity Flyer

  Grant-Maintained Schools—Experiences in The First Year

  Grant-Maintained Schools—How to Become a GM School

  Grant-Maintained Schools—Questions Parents Ask

  Grant-Maintained Schools—Questions Staff Ask

  How is Your Child Doing at School?

  It's Your Choice

  National School Tests in 1994

  National Unauthorised Absence Tables

  School and College Performance Tables (16–18 Age Group) 1993

  86

  School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document

  School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Leaflet

  Schools Update—termly newsletter to all schools

  Secondary Schools Performance Tables 1993

  Student Grants and Loans—A brief guide for higher education students 1993–94

  Student Grants and Loans—A brief guide for higher education students 1994–95

  The Charter for Further Education

  The Charter for Higher Education

  Paper Shredders
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many paper shredding machines there are(a) in his private office and (b) in his Department.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend does not have a shredding machine in his private office. There are a total of three machines in the Department.

  Grant-maintained Schools Centre
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what inquiries he has undertaken or commissioned into the application of grants by the Grant-Maintained Schools Centre Ltd.; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department's accountancy adviser was asked to review the financial systems of the GMSC as regards the application of grant. Subsequently, a firm of accountants was engaged to review these in more detail. In addition the centre is required to provide the Department with audited accounts every year, which must include a statement as to whether the auditors are satisfied that grant income has been applied correctly.

  The auditors have certified that in 1992–93 grant was used for the purposes approved by my right hon. Friend.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which grants to the Grant-Maintained Schools Centre Ltd. were incorrectly applied; if he will give the amounts, dates and purposes of such grants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  None. The company's accounts for 1992–93 include an auditors' certificate that grant was applied for the purposes approved by my right hon. Friend.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the name of the consultants who conducted further work into the finances of the Grant-Maintained Schools Centre Ltd. after his own Department's internal review of the company was concluded in February 1993; and if he will place a copy of its report in the Library.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The consultancy was undertaken by the firm Coopers and Lybrand. Their report covers the full range of activities of the Grant-Maintained Schools Centre Ltd., more than half of which are not grant aided. It must therefore be treated as commercial in confidence.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will place a copy of the accounts of the Grant-Maintained Schools Centre Ltd. for 1992–93 in the Library.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend placed a copy of the accounts of the Grant-Maintained Schools Centre Ltd. in the Library last week.
  87
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what inquiries he has undertaken or commissioned into the financial systems operated by the Grant-Maintained Schools Centre Ltd.; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Grant-Maintained Schools Centre Ltd. was visited by the Department's chief accountancy adviser in February 1993, and subsequently by consultants, who examined and advised on the centre's financial systems. The company improved its systems in the light of that advice, and the external auditor's report on the company's accounts for 1992–93 includes a statement that the centre is now maintaining an adequate system of internal control.

  Teacher Training Initiatives
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many schools have agreed to take part in the proposed school-based teacher training initiatives; and how many students will be trained as a result;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the representations he has received for and against participation in the school-based teacher training initiative.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Consultations in 1992 and 1993 revealed widespread support for the principle of school-based teacher training, in which students spend considerable time in schools and schools are involved in the design and delivery of training. My right hon. Friend's criteria for new ITT courses now include these requirements, which should be fully in place by September 1994 for secondary ITT and by September 1996 for primary ITT.

  A new scheme of school-centred initial teacher training—SCITT—was launched in March 1993, in which funds are paid direct to consortia of schools to organise and provide ITT for postgraduates. In 1993–94, 214 students began courses offered by nine consortia involving a total of

  £000s

  Regional development grant1

  Regional enterprise grant

  Regional selective assistance

  Exchange risk guarantee scheme

  Total

  1979–80

  50,663

  —

  4,774

  (20)

  55,417

  1980–81

  103,475

  —

  8,025

  0

  111,500

  1981–82

  122,171

  —

  7,716

  4,311

  134,198

  1982–83

  121,527

  —

  9,613

  636

  131,776

  1983–84

  72,126

  —

  11,141

  2,092

  85,359

  1984–85

  31,268

  —

  13,765

  4,906

  49,939

  1985–86

  81,933

  —

  19,387

  3,770

  105,090

  1986–87

  85,192

  —

  26,009

  5,927

  117,128

  1987–88

  47,528

  —

  23,211

  5,987

  76,726

  1988–89

  55,105

  218

  35,148

  2,816

  93,287

  1989–90

  27,459

  944

  34,865

  5,274

  68,542

  1990–91

  21,700

  1,504

  30,461

  4,141

  57,806

  1991–92

  14,161

  1,430

  55,021

  3,535

  74,147

  1992–93

  5,532

  1,096

  58,819

  5,480

  70,927

  1Figures for RDG up to 1983–84 are gross of receipts. Net figures are not available for those years. All other figures are net.

  Education Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much central Government money was spent per head of the population on education in Wales in each year since 1979.
  88
  49 schools. Proposals from consortia of primary and secondary schools for courses to start in 1994–95 are currently being considered.

WALES

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

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Development Board for Rural Wales, like other non-departmental public bodies, is subject to a range of controls, direction and monitoring as required by the Development of Rural Wales Act 1976 and as set out in the board's financial memorandum and other guidelines. In addition, the board is set a number of targets, objectives and performance measures and in the context of its corporate planning cycle. I shall be chairing a meeting with the board in the summer to discuss its corporate plan targets for 1995–96. The board's finances are monitored on a monthly basis and its accounts are audited by the National Audit Office.

  Business and Industry (Government Support)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much central Government money was spent on developing and supporting(a) manufacturing industries and (b) business in general in Wales for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Redwood
  Expenditure through the Welsh Office's main schemes for business support is shown in the table. Separate figures for manufacturing industry are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The figures do not include grant in aid for development agencies in Wales, nor expenditure by DTI on UK-wide schemes.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Based on the appropriation accounts of the Welsh Office, the information is estimated to be as follows:
  89

  £ per head of population (in cash terms)

  Per cent.

  1979–80

  1·17

  1980–81

  1·26

  1981–82

  1·77

  1982–83

  1·89

  1983–84

  2·55

  1984–85

  3·16

  1985–86

  3·94

  1986–87

  4·84

  1987–88

  7·38

  1988–89

  8·52

  1989–90

  10·37

  1990–91

  11·79

  1991–92

  14·76

  1992–93

  32·68

  These figures are not wholly comparable in every case because of changes in classification. However, figures for total identifiable Government expenditure on education in Wales are available on a consistent basis and the information is as follows:

  £ per head of population (in cash terms)

  £

  1979–80

  192

  1980–81

  234

  1981–82

  256

  1982–83

  277

  1983–84

  291

  1984–85

  299

  1985–86

  298

  1986–87

  330

  1987–88

  358

  1988–89

  391

  1989–90

  423

  1990–91

  458

  1991–92

  521

  1992–93

  568

  Unemployment Schemes
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much central Government money was spent on schemes to help unemployed people in Wales 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.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information is not available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what additional resources have been allocated to the Welsh Office for the expanding of the national curriculum in key stage 4 during 1994–95.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The curriculum for 14 to 16-year-olds in Wales is being slimmed down to provide flexibility and choice and is not being expanded.

  Tourism
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much central Government money was spent per head of the population on encouraging tourism in Wales for each year since 1979.
  90
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information in the table represents central Government support to the Wales tourist board per head of the population in cash terms:

  Central Government support to Wales Tourist Board 1978–79 to 1993–94

  Year

  £ per head of population in Wales1

  1978–79

  1·2

  1979–80

  1·3

  1980–81

  1·5

  1981–82

  1·8

  1982–83

  2·0

  1983–84

  1·8

  1984–85

  2·3

  1985–86

  2·7

  1986–87

  2·8

  1987–88

  3·1

  1988–89

  3·3

  1989–90

  3·5

  1990–91

  3·7

  1991–92

  3·9

  1992–93

  4·6

  21993–94

  4·8

  Source: Wales tourist board and OPCS

  1Population estimates are Registrar General's mid-year estimates of resident population.

  2 Projected population from the Government Actuary's Department.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he received a copy of the curriculum vitae of the chair of the Welsh Development Agency before making the appointment; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

  Mr. Redwood
  I did not read the chairman's curriculum vitae. Such documents are confidential and not suitable for placing in the Library of the House. I read a letter and memorandum about Mr. Rowe-Beddoe's career and suitability for the job before asking to see him. I did not discuss politics when I met him, with officials present. The CV was received in the Welsh Office, did include on it on page 2 a reference to the Conservative party, but this was not repeated in the materials I read before confirming the appointment.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he first considered the curriculum vitae submitted by Mr. David Rowe-Beddoe in support of his application for the post of chairman of the Welsh Development Agency.

  Mr. Redwood
  My Department provided details about Mr. Rowe-Beddoe's career. I had no need to consider the curriculum vitae.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many applicants for the post of chairman of the Welsh Development Agency were personally interviewed by(a) himself and (b) his immediate predecessor as Secretary of State.

  Mr. Redwood
  I met the selected candidate; officials sifted CVs of over 80; my predecessor interviewed six.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he first became aware that Mr. David
  91
  Rowe-Beddoe, the person he appointed as chair of the Welsh Development Agency had been, immediately prior to that appointment, the chairman of the Monte Carlo branch of Conservatives Abroad.

  Mr. Redwood
  Recently. Mr. Rowe-Beddoe was appointed because of his business skills. His political associations were not a consideration.

  Transport Expenditure
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans his Department has to produce annual statistics of all Government spending, capital and revenue across all modes of transport in Wales, including data on tonnages, passenger numbers, investment and subsidy.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Comprehensive information on transport in Wales including data on tonnages, passenger numbers, Government expenditure, investment and subsidy, is published annually in "Welsh Transport Statistics", copies of which are available in the Library of the House. The next edition—No. 10—is due for publication on 6 July 1994.

  Cereal Support Payments
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make it his policy to ensure that Wales and England are treated as one region for the purpose of cereal support payments.

  Mr. Redwood
  This is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and me to decide jointly.

  Milk Marque
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the progress of discussions with the Milk Marketing Board on the setting up of Milk Marque; and what representations he has received from Welsh farming unions on this matter.

  Mr. Redwood
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies), on 3 February 1994,Official Report, column 866.

  I have received four letters from hon. Members on behalf of the farming unions. In addition my right hon. Friend the Minister of State has met the National Farmers Union and the Farmers Union of Wales on 16 and 23 December 1993 respectively to discuss this matter.

  Sheep and Beef Premiums
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received on late payment of sheep annual premium and special beef premium to farmers in Wales in 1993; and what steps he intends to take to ensure that payments are made on time in 1994.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have received representations from several sources.

  Processing work on these schemes was delayed initially by the need to establish a new computer system to enable payments to be issued from the Welsh Office, and not from MAFF as previously. The system has now been established and good progress is being made.
  92
  Payments have been sent to 84 per cent. of sheep premium claimants. Payments have been authorised for 46 per cent. of holdings which submitted beef special premium claims and will be sent to them shortly.

  Priority is being given to the remaining claims.

  A5
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make a statement on the commencement dates for each section in respect of the dualling of the A5 across Anglesey.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I refer the hon. Member to the 1993 supplement to "Roads in Wales: Progress and Plans for the 1990s".

  Denbigh Graig Quarry
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to take measures to halt the proposed extension of the Denbigh Graig quarry by Tarmac/Roadstone; what account he has taken of the objections of residents and organisations in Denbigh; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  This is a matter for Clwyd county council as the mineral planning authority for the area.

  Crossrail
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement regarding the potential benefits to Wales of the crossrail project in central London.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Crossrail will afford travellers from south Wales speedier and more convenient access to the west end, the City and to destinations in east London and beyond.

  M4
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he received during the consultation period on the proposals to extend the M4 relief road through the Gwent levels; how many of these representations approved of the Welsh Office's proposals; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 31 January 1994,Official Report, column 526.

  Paper Shredders
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many paper shredding machines there are(a) in his private office and (b) in his Department.

  Mr. Redwood
  The answer is:(a)(b)

  Health Promotion Authority
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales concerning the enhancement of value for money to be achieved from overseas travel by its staff;
  93
  (2) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales concerning the strengthening of financial controls, and improvement of assessment and monitoring of overseas travel claims;

  (3) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales concerning the resignation of its executive director with effect from 2 February 1994.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  These are matters for which the chairman and the board of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales have already given consideration. Overseas travel claims are currently being investigated by the district audit service at the request of the chairman and the board, following an internal inquiry, and the police have been informed by the chairman of the results of the investigation so far. The chairman and the board may wish to take into consideration any comments, the district audit service may offer following its investigation and I expect that they will continue to keep the Welsh Office fully informed.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to establish a special advisory body for sustainable development policies in Wales on the lines of that proposed for Scotland.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Government panel on sustainable development will provide independent and authoritative advice to all Ministers, including me. The Welsh Office is also giving priority to ensuring that Welsh interests are properly reflected in the round table and citizen's environment initiatives. I see no need for another quango in Wales to deal with this.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many schools have agreed to take part in the proposed school-based teacher training initiative; and how many students will be trained as a result.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Schools in Wales have not yet been invited to participate in school-centred courses of initial teacher training. Subject to the passage of the Education Bill currently before Parliament, it would be for the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales to decide on the allocation of training places in higher education institutions and schools.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the representations he has received for and against participation in the school-based teacher training initiative.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I have received a number of representations from schools, higher education institutions and other interested parties about schools-centred teacher training. Some were opposed to schools taking full control of the training of student teachers; others supported the initiative provided that proper guidance and funding were made available.

  Agriculture Support Schemes
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he plans to take to introduce more clarity and efficiency into the system of forms for the support schemes for agriculture in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
  94
  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 4 February]: I wish to see forms and explanatory literature kept as simple and straightforward as possible, although they inevitably have to be comprehensive enough to inform farmers of the full range of scheme rules. I have established a working group which will report to me in the near future on the streamlining of agri-environmental and other schemes in Wales.

  Consumer Protection
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to ensure the provision of full consumer protection and trading standards service in all parts of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 4 February]: It is a matter for local authorities to ensure that they perform their statutory duties satisfactorily.

TRANSPORT

  Carriage of Goods
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what specific restrictions in respect of the carriage of goods apply to vehicles in taxation class restricted showman's heavy goods vehicle.

  Mr. Key
  This is an extremely complex area and I will write to the hon. Member in detail.

  Bowbelle
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will investigate and place in the Library details of the certificates of service held by the crew of Bowbelle; and whether they satisfied medical fitness certification requirements.

  Mr. Norris
  The manning of Bowbelle was fully in accord with the statutory requirements for the vessel, and all the crew were properly qualified. Some of the crew held certificates of competency or service. These certificates can be issued only to persons possessing a valid medical fitness certificate.

  Tax Concessions (Germany)
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has made to the German Government about the extension of tax concessions available to German shipping companies.

  Mr. Norris
  None, but the EC Commission, which has responsibility for the initial consideration of these matters, is currently considering whether the extension of tax concessions available to German shipping companies is an illegal state aid within the terms of the treaty of Rome.

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

  Mr. MacGregor
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 1 February 1994,Official Report, column 611.
  95

  Contracts
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 31 January,Official Report, column 509, if he will publish the terms of reference for each contract awarded over the past five years.

  Mr. Norris
  The contracts awarded over the past five years contain a wide variety of types of work. They will not normally have been let against simple terms of reference, but if the hon. Member has a particular interest in any one of the specific cases listed in my answer of 31 January, I will be happy to respond.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answers of 31 January,Official Report, columns 506–9, regarding contracts for which bids are currently being considered by his Department, if he will publish the terms of reference for each contract.

  Mr. Norris
  The contracts currently being considered contain a wide variety of types of work. They will not normally be let against simple terms of reference, but if the hon. Member has a particular interest in any one of the cases listed in my answer of 31 January, I will be happy to respond.

  Operator Licensing
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the method used to calculate the annual savings to the transport industry of his proposals for simplifying the operator licensing system for buses and lorries quoted in his press statement No. 24 of 19 January.

  Mr. Key
  The press statement figure was based on the saving to the haulage industry as a result of the introduction of continuous licensing. It was calculated on a fee charged at five-yearly intervals which would be less than the current grant charge because no processing of an application would be involved and the elimination of advertisement costs for operators already in the industry.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has taken to ensure that local residents are aware of their rights to object to the issue of goods vehicle operator licences.

  Mr. Key
  Applicants for a goods vehicle operator's licence must advertise their application for a licence in a local newspaper which is circulated in the area of the applicant's operating centre, i.e. where the vehicles are to be kept. The advertisement must appear within 21 days before, or 21 days after, the application is made.

  The advertisement makes local residents aware of their right, if they are owners or occupiers of land in the vicinity of an operating centre, to submit written representations to the licensing authority within 21 days after the date when the advertisement appeared in the local newspaper.

  Further advice is given to representors in a booklet entitled "A Guide to making Representations". Copies of this booklet are available free of charge from traffic area offices.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the savings to his Department of the introduction of continuous licensing for operators of buses and lorries.
  96
  Mr. Key
  It is estimated that the effect on departmental expenditure will be neutral.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all the meetings held by his officials with representatives of local authorities to discuss the deregulation of operator licensing.

  Mr. Norris
  Prior to the 1989 review of passenger and goods vehicle operator licensing, meetings took place between officials and the associations of district councils, county councils and metropolitan authorities. These associations received and responded to the 1993 consultation document but no further meetings were requested.

  Litter
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he intends to take to ensure that motorways are regularly cleared of litter.

  Mr. Key
  We take a positive approach to our obligation under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to keep motorways in England clear, so far as is practicable, of litter and refuse. Our maintenance agents carry out regular safety inspections and patrols during which they report litter accumulations; if debris is observed which could present a hazard to traffic, it is removed as soon as possible. Other offending material is then removed in accordance with the demanding standards specified in the code of practice on litter and refuse, issued under the Act. We spend over £5 million a year on sweeping and cleaning motorways and scavenging the verges.

  Traffic Area Offices
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what amount was spent by traffic area co-ordinating division on promotion of the work of the traffic area offices in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Key
  It is estimated that promotional work by the traffic area co-ordination division in publishing annual reports and customer service guides on behalf of the traffic area offices will amount to £4,500 in the present financial year 1993–94.

  Buses
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will publish a table showing for each year since 1985, how many(a) double-decker buses, (b) single-decker buses, (c) minibuses and (d) midibuses, owned by London Buses Ltd., were (i) under four years old, (ii) between four and seven years old, (iii) between eight and 11 years old, (iv) between 12- and 15-years-olds and (v) more than 15-years-old;

  (2) if he will publish a table, showing for each year since 1985, the number of (a) double-decker buses, (b) single-decker buses, (c) minibuses and (d) midibuses operated by private bus companies on behalf of London Transport were (i) under four years of age, (ii) between four and seven years of age, (iii) between eight and 11 years of age, (iv) between 12 and 15 years of age and (v) more than 15 years of age;

  (3) if he will publish a table, showing for each year since 1985, the number of (a) double-decker buses, (b)

  97
  single-decker buses, (c) minibuses and (d) midibuses operated by or on behalf of London Transport which were (i) under four years of age, (ii) between four and seven years of age, (iii) between eight and 11 years of age, (iv) between 12 and 15 years of age and (v) more than 15 years of age;

  LBL fleet age profile 1985–94 Age range in years

  Year and Type

  3 or less

  4 to 7

  8 to11

  12 to 15

  over 15

  Total Fleet

  1985–86

  DD

  1,323

  1,197

  346

  —

  1,640

  4,506

  SD

  —

  69

  381

  —

  —

  450

  Midi

  22

  —

  —

  —

  —

  22

  Mini

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5

  1,350

  1,266

  727

  —

  1,640

  4,983

  1986–87

  DD

  1,121

  1,680

  385

  —

  1,227

  4,413

  SD

  —

  69

  414

  —

  —

  483

  Midi

  53

  2

  —

  —

  —

  55

  Mini

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  1,177

  1,751

  799

  —

  1,227

  4,954

  1987–88

  DD

  755

  1,539

  1,055

  50

  918

  4,317

  SD

  —

  69

  416

  —

  —

  485

  Midi

  165

  2

  —

  —

  —

  167

  Mini

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  923

  1,610

  1,471

  50

  918

  4,972

  1988–89

  DD

  461

  1,551

  1,337

  50

  813

  4,212

  SD

  7

  —

  362

  80

  —

  449

  Midi

  367

  2

  —

  —

  —

  369

  Mini

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  838

  1,553

  1,699

  130

  813

  5,033

  1989–90

  DD

  270

  1,323

  1,399

  394

  784

  4,170

  SD

  12

  —

  250

  54

  —

  316

  Midi

  486

  20

  —

  —

  —

  506

  768

  1,343

  1,649

  448

  784

  4,992

  1990–91

  DD

  127

  1,064

  1,715

  273

  776

  3,955

  SD

  20

  —

  102

  67

  —

  189

  Midi

  738

  100

  —

  —

  —

  838

  885

  1,164

  1,817

  340

  776

  4,982

  1991–92

  DD

  70

  698

  1,796

  391

  718

  3,673

  SD

  9

  —

  69

  55

  —

  133

  Midi

  866

  182

  —

  —

  —

  1,048

  945

  880

  1,865

  446

  718

  4,854

  1992–93

  DD

  135

  528

  1,510

  710

  686

  3,569

  SD

  95

  5

  69

  12

  —

  181

  Midi

  1,000

  230

  —

  —

  —

  1,230

  1,230

  763

  1,579

  722

  686

  4,980

  1993–94

  DD

  138

  295

  1,679

  507

  601

  3,220

  (est)

  SD

  122

  11

  —

  72

  —

  205

  Midi

  911

  367

  —

  —

  —

  1,278

  1,171

  673

  1,679

  579

  601

  4,703

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many(a) double-decker buses, (b) single-decker buses, (c) minibuses and (d) midibuses have been bought by London Buses Ltd. in each year since 1985; and what was the cost of each category.

  Mr. Norris
  The typical cost of vehicles to London Buses Ltd.—in 1993–94 prices—is as follows:

  £

  Double-deckers

  110,000

  Single-deckers

  95,000

  Midibuses

  55,000

  Minibuses

  35,000

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  Mr. Norris
  The information requested on the age profile of the buses owned by London Buses Ltd. is given. The same information for vehicles operated by private bus companies on behalf of London Transport is available only at disproportionate cost.

  The number of vehicles of each type that LBL have bought in each year since 1985 is shown in the table.

  New buses delivered

  Year

  DD

  SD

  Midi

  Mini

  Total

  1985–86

  135

  —

  —

  3

  138

  1986–87

  229

  —

  12

  —

  241

  1987–88

  —

  —

  65

  —

  65

  1988–89

  —

  —

  174

  —

  174

  1989–90

  59

  1

  150

  —

  210

  1990–91

  11

  7

  352

  —

  370

  1991–92

  23

  2

  316

  —

  341

  1992–93

  105

  73

  224

  —

  402

  1993–94 (est)

  —

  53

  98

  —

  151

  Total

  562

  136

  1,391

  3

  2,092

  99
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to introduce measures to privatise London Buses Ltd.

  Mr. Norris
  London Transport currently expect to offer the 10 London Buses Ltd. operating companies for sale in the spring.

  Motorway Usage
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the level of motorway usage(a) nationally and (b) by individual motorway by (i) all vehicles, (ii) trucks and (iii) motor cars, in (1) 1970, (2) 1980 and (3) 1990; and what the figures are currently.

  Mr. Key
  The table gives traffic on motorways in Great Britain. The data are available only from 1973. The corresponding information for individual motorways is not available.

  Traffic on motorways in Great Britain

  billion vehicle kilometres

  Year

  All motor vehicles1

  Cars

  Goods vehicles

  1973

  18·6

  13·2

  4·0

  1980

  29·4

  21·8

  5·2

  1990

  61·6

  46·9

  9·0

  1992

  61·0

  46·9

  8·4

  1 Includes light vans, buses and coaches and motorcycles in addition to cars and goods vehicles.

  Road Construction
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the planned expenditure on road construction in the years 1994–95 to 1996–97.

  Mr. Key
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) on 24 January,Official Report, column 77.

  Motor Traffic Growth
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of his projections of future traffic growth is expected to be heavy goods traffic; and what proportion is expected to be private cars.

  Mr. Key
  Car traffic forecasts do not differentiate between private and commercial use. The growth in car traffic forecast in the national road traffic forecast between 1994 and 2025 is between 57 per cent. and 87 per cent. The growth in heavy goods vehicle traffic over the same period is forecast to be between 54 per cent. and 110 per cent.

  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the projected growth of motor vehicle traffic by the year 2025.

  Mr. Key
  It is projected in the NRTF that all motor vehicle traffic will grow by between 58 per cent. and 94 per cent. between 1994 and 2025. The forecast range results from differing assumptions about economic growth and fuel prices.

  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the source of information that is provided to the Government on future motor vehicle traffic growth.
  100
  Mr. Key
  The growth in motor vehicle traffic is forecast within the Department of Transport. The information used is detailed in the booklet "National Road Traffic Forecast (Great Britain) 1989".

  Road Lighting
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will light more roads in order to help achieve his target of reducing road deaths and serious injuries by a third by the year 2000.

  Mr. Key
  In deciding which road safety measures to introduce we apply the general principle that resources should be used in a way which is most likely to be effective in reducing casualties. There may be cases where lighting should be installed, but there are also many other ways of improving roads to reduce deaths and serious injuries. Lighting will not always be the most effective solution.

  Public Transport
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will specify the measures his Department is taking to encourage freight traffic to use rail and passengers to use public transport.

  Mr. Key
  Government policies are designed to encourage passengers and freight to transfer from road to public transport where that makes economic and environmental sense. Some 90 per cent. of passenger and inland freight traffic goes by road, but next year about 40 per cent. of total transport expenditure will be used to improve public transport. The existing freight facilities grant scheme is also to be extended by the Railways Act 1993 and our new track access grant for freight services will start in April.

  Road Maintenance
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of roadworks begun on or since 1 April 1993 are accompanied by a sign displaying the name of the organisation for which the work is being carried out and an emergency telephone number.

  Mr. Key
  Under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, the information described by the hon. Member is required to be displayed at works carried out by public utilities and others with apparatus in the road. The requirement does not apply to roadworks carried out by the highway authority. Compliance appears to be generally good but precise figures are not available.

  The Department is the highway authority for the trunk roads and motorways in England. On these roads, all new construction works, and maintenance works other than short duration works, are accompanied by a sign naming the Department and giving other information about the work.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what percentage of(a) major and (b) all road maintenance contracts let between July 1992 and July 1993 were covered by lane rental agreements;

  (2) what percentage of (a) major and (b) all road maintenance contracts let between July 1992 and July 1993 have contained direct financial incentives to minimise the amount of road coned off and to finish the work quickly.
  101
  Mr. Key
  Three quarters of all major maintenance contracts let between July 1992 and July 1993 were lane rental. These contracts provide direct financial incentive to finish work quickly. Figures for non-major maintenance works are not available. It is a requirement in all trunk road maintenance contracts that traffic lanes should not be coned off unnecessarily.

  Diabetics
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy not to debar insulin-dependent patients from holding heavy goods vehicle and public service vehicle licences.

  Mr. Key
  The advice of the honorary advisory board on driving and diabetes is that to allow insulin-treated diabetics to drive these large vehicles would constitute an unnecessarily high risk to road safety.

  Pollution
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates he has made of the effect of Her Majesty's Government's plans for increasing the number of cars on the road and Her Majesty's Government's efforts to reduce pollution with technology such as filters and catalysts.

  Mr. Key
  Road traffic growth is largely a function of economic growth; current projections suggest that road traffic will increase by 58 to 94 per cent. by 2025. The forecasts of traffic demand do not represent targets which the Government are seeking to meet.

  The Government have agreed tight emission standards for both cars and lorries within the European Union. As a result, most new cars have needed catalytic converters since the beginning of 1993. These reduce harmful emissions by about 70 per cent.

  Unanimous agreement of a common position on vehicle emissions has been reached at the recent EC Council which will significantly tighten emission standards for new cars registered after 1 January 1997. Standards will be tightened further by the year 2000.

  As a result of these standards, we expect ambient levels of most vehicle related pollutants to decline until well into the next century.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what study he has made of reports from the Centre for Exploitation of Science and Technology in relation to toxic effects of pollutants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The Centre for Exploitation of Science and Technology produced a report on road transport and the environment as part of the United Kingdom environmental foresight project. The report contains a wide ranging review of environmental policies and aims to indentify future trends. In reaching views on these matters the Government take advice from a number of expert groups including the expert panel on air quality standards, established by the Department of the Environment, the Advisory Group on the Medical Aspects of Air Pollution Episodes and the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants, which report to the Department of Health.
  102

  Seamen (Employment Agencies)
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many employment agencies for seamen have(a) been licensed, (b) had applications for licensing as an employment agency for seamen refused and (c) had their licences revoked in each year since 1973.

  Mr. Norris
  Ninety-three licences in total have been granted to employment agencies for seamen since 1973. Prior to 1988 the Department of Transport refused licences to commercial agencies, and there were only nine licence holders. These consisted of seven Merchant Navy establishment administration offices, which all closed by 1990, and two unions. Information is not available as to when these nine licences were first issued. Since then, one licence was issued in 1988, 29 in 1990, 19 in 1991, 21 in 1992, 13 in 1993 and one in 1994. No licences have been refused since 1990 but two were revoked in 1993.

  Crossrail
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to take into account in considerations on the crossrail project for central London the benefits that scheme might have for Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  We remain committed to achieving the benefits of the crossrail project, which is a scheme of wide-ranging significance. Benefits to passengers travelling to and from points beyond the London area are taken into account in evaluations of the scheme. This includes benefits to people travelling to and from Wales.

  Traffic Congestion
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for the reduction of traffic congestion; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The focus of the current trunk road programme is on relieving congestion on the existing network through widening schemes and the provision of bypasses on inter-urban routes.

  In urban areas, there will be cases where on economic or environmental grounds it is neither practicable nor desirable to meet demand by road construction. In these cases, the answer may lie in a mix of traffic management measures—including priority routes in London, parking controls, encouraging public transport, car sharing and park-and-ride schemes. A wide-ranging study of urban traffic congestion is being carried out. It includes the possible role of city congestion charging. The introduction of the "package approach" will encourage local authorities to develop a coherent strategy for dealing with urban transport problems, and provide more flexibility for funding between modes.

  Ports (Policing)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he is considering to bring responsibility for policing the ports of the United Kingdom under the direction and control of the British Transport police; and if he will make a statement.
  103
  Mr. Norris
  A member of the Port of Liverpool police made such a proposal in a letter copied widely to Members of the House. I do not support the proposal. Rather, it is for each port to decide about its policing arrangements.

  Paper Shredders
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many paper shredding machines there are(a) in his private office and (b) in his Department.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department has 186 paper shredding machines. Three are in the Secretary of State's private office.

  Traffic Monitoring
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what monitoring is undertaken by his Department of road works in London and their impact on traffic movement.

  Mr. Norris
  The Secretary of State is responsible for works co-ordination on motorways and trunk roads. Our own planned highway works are discussed with other London highway authorities with Metropolitan police and statutory undertakers to help to minimise inconvenience to the public. In addition, our consultant and borough agents receive advance details of certain types of street works proposed by statutory undertakers on trunk roads on our behalf; to enable co-ordination of all these activities to take place.

  London Roadworks
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will name all those London roads for which his Department is responsible and which are currently undergoing roadworks; and if he will name in each case the body responsible for the works.

  Mr. Norris
  The following is a list of major roadworks currently being carried out on the trunk road network in London on behalf of the Secretary of State:

  National Improvement Schemes

  A 406/M 1 Junction

  A406 Silver Street to Hall Lane

  A406 Hanger Lane to Harrow Road

  A406 East of Falloden Way to East of High Road Finchley

  A40 Long Lane

  A40 Widening, Long Lane to West End Road

  Al2 Hackney Wick to M 11 Link Road

  A13 West India Dock Road Junction

  Maintenance and Small Improvement Schemes

  M1 Junction 4–5—carriageway patching work

  M1 Junction 1–5—communication cable laying

  M4 Heston Road to Elevated section—overlay and partial reconstruction

  M4 Heathrow Spur—overlay and partial reconstruction A3 Hook Underpass—maintenance work

  A3 Coombe Lane Flyover—replacement of expansion joints

  A3 Malden Way—replacement of expansion joints on Hogsmill River Bridge

  A4 Great West Road/Sutton Lane and Heston Road junction—improved right turn facilities

  A4 West Cromwell Road Bridge and viaduct—replacement of expansion joints

  A10 Church Street—junction improvements

  A10 Bullsmore Lane to Carterhatch Lane—installation of cycle facilities

  104

  A 13 New Road to Lambs Lane and Sandy Lane—resurfacing works

  A13 Old Roding Bridge—bridgeworks

  A13 Butcher Row/Branch Road—junction improvements

  A23 Hermitage Bridge—maintenance work

  A23 Foxley Lane Railway Bridge—maintenance work

  A41 South of Brent Cross Flyover—drainage works

  A406/A5 Staples Corner Flyover—bridge repairs

  The upkeep of the trunk road network is an ongoing daily task requiring maintenance and improvement works.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which London bridges are currently closed or affected by roadworks; and which bridges are due for closure or roadworks during 1994.

  Mr. Norris
  None of the Secretary of State's bridges across the River Thames is currently closed or affected by road works. Roadworks are in progress on Blackfriars bridge and Lambeth bridge. I am advised by the local highway authorities that Westminster bridge, Albert bridge, Putney bridge and possibly London bridge are likely to be affected by works during the remainder of 1994.

  Public Transport Liverpool
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many(a) inspections and (b) prosecutions were carried out by the Traffic Commission in respect of public transport in the Liverpool area (i) in the two years preceding and (ii) since deregulation.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 3 February 1994]: Data are not maintained for the Liverpool area alone. The north-western traffic area is the smallest area for which data may be available. Inspections are carried out by traffic examiners, responsible for such matters as drivers hours, tachographs and operator licensing, which may result in prosecution. Vehicle inspections are also carried out by vehicle examiners who are responsible for checking roadworthiness of vehicles. Offences may result in prohibitions. The police and local authority trading standards staff may also bring prosecutions in certain circumstances. Because changes have occurred in the way the figures are recorded, as well as in traffic area office boundaries, it is not possible to provide a consistent series of figures.

  In the two years since the boundary change, PSV inspections and prosecutions by traffic examiners in the north-western traffic area were as follows:

  1991

  1992

  Vehicles examined

  4,703

  5,421

  Prosecutions

  53

  77

AGRICULTURE FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible have been(a) abolished or (b) created since 1979.

  Mr. Jack
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 1 February 1994 at column 611.
  105

  Fish Stocks
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much money has been made available by the European Union to improve monitoring of fish stocks; and how it will be spent.

  Mr. Jack
  European Union funding is available for research and development under programmes such as FAR and AIR and the Fisheries Departments participate in relevant projects. However such funds are not available for regular monitoring of fish stocks which is funded by member states.

  Live Cattle (Exports)
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what discussions she has had with the European Commission and the Standing Veterinary Committee concerning lifting the ban on the export of live cattle; and if she will make a statement regarding the ban on the export of live cattle;

  (2) what plans her Department has to exempt highland cattle from the current ban on the export of live cattle;

  (3) what representations she has received regarding the ban on the export of cattle; what analysis her Department has carried out as to the effects of the ban on the industry in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The export of live cattle over six months of age from the United Kingdom to other member states is prohibited under European Commission decision 89/469/ EEC. This is because of the position on bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The EC Scientific Veterinary Committee in conducting a scientific evaluation of BSE in September 1993 endorsed the Community control measures on BSE. There has been no change in this position.

  Officials attend the monthly meetings of the animal health standing veterinary committee in Brussels at which regular updates on the BSE situation in the United Kingdom are given. There has been no discussion recently about the lifting of the ban on the export of live cattle for breeding from the United Kingdom and the exemption of certain breeds from the restrictions. This would be a matter for consideration initially by the European Commission who are keeping the position under review and are aware of the improving disease situation in the United Kingdom. Several representations have been received on this subject and are being considered in the light of the present situation on BSE in the European Union.

  Decommissioning Grant
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many fishing boat owners have had their application for decommissioning grant accepted; how much was paid out in each case; and how many owners have withdrawn from the scheme after their applications were accepted; how much money for the first round of the decommissioning scheme is likely to be underspent; what plans she has to re-allocate that money; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  On 21 September I announced that we were to pay decommissioning grant to the owners of 142 vessels. Since that time the owners of some of those vessels have withdrawn their applications. We currently expect to 106
  pay decommissioning grant in respect of 137 vessels. As I said on 21 September, payments will average £340 per vessel capacity unit (VCU).

  On the question of withdrawals and the reallocation of funds, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 3 February at column 818.

  Goosanders
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many licences have been issued by her Department for the slaughter of goosanders on the Duke of Devonshire's estates in the Yorkshire dales.

  Mr. Soames
  Two licences have been issued for the Duke of Devonshire's estates in the Yorkshire dales to shoot a restricted number of goosanders as an aid to scaring.

  Licences are not issued to cull bird populations. They are granted only where the Ministry is completely satisfied that the applicant has provided sufficient evidence of the serious damage being caused to the fishery and where other methods of non-lethal scaring have been shown to be ineffectual or impractical, not just difficult to implement.

  Milk Quotas
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will carry out a review of the financial situation of dairy farmers with milking herds of fewer than 40 cows, with particular reference to the problems faced when production exceeds quota; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  There are no plans to carry out such a review. However, among the amendments which the Ministry will be making to the dairy produce quotas regulations from 1 April are provisions which may be of assistance to smaller producers. In particular, we are planning to relax some of the current restrictions on the lease and sale of quota; and we will be making some technical ajustments which will provide for a more quitable redistribution of unused quota to over-quota groups of producers at the end of the quota year.

  Paper Shredders
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many paper shredding machines there are(a) in her private office and (b) in her Department.

  Mr. Jack
  There are no paper shredding machines in the Minister's private office.

  The purchase of paper shredding machines is a decentralised function within this Department and central stock recordse are not kept. To answer the second part of the question would require a survey covering the Department's offices throughout England, Scotland and Wales, which could be done only at a disproportionate cost.

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the use of bovine somatotropin in milk production.
  107
  Mr. Soames
  I refer to my reply to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Garston (Mr. Loyden) on 3 February 1994 at column 817.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates have been made of the increased cost of subsidies for milk production were bovine somatotropin to become freely available in a non-quota system; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  We have made no such estimate as currently the Community has no policy to dismantle current milk quota arrangements and replace it with an alternative regime. It remains the Government's objective to get rid of

  1990

  1991

  1992

  No. of licences issued

  No. of birds killed

  No. of licences issued

  No. of birds killed

  No. of licences issued

  No. of birds killed

  Feral pigeon and house sparrow

  435

  12,756

  382

  4,899

  333

  6,583

  Canada goose1

  73

  3,708

  86

  4,833

  94

  2,737

  Bullfinch

  2

  1,346

  1

  402

  1

  587

  Herring gull2

  1

  1,005

  1

  781

  1

  1,546

  Brent goose

  87

  831

  108

  1,244

  214

  2,797

  Greylag goose1

  2

  23

  5

  91

  14

  37

  Cormorant

  3

  11

  4

  18

  4

  10

  Greenfinch

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Robin

  1

  1

  0

  0

  5

  2

  Blackbird

  2

  4

  0

  0

  2

  1

  Wigeon

  1

  0

  1

  13

  1

  0

  Moorhen and coot

  0

  0

  1

  40

  2

  36

  Heron

  0

  0

  1

  5

  2

  1

  Mallard

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  Thrush

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Blue Tit

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Pink-footed goose

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Pied Wagtail

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Wren

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Notes:

  1Includes the pricking of eggs.

  2Includes the taking of eggs and nests.

  Set-aside
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes have taken place since set-aside was introduced in(a) the acreage of land cultivated, (b) the acreage of set-aside fallow land, (c) the totals of pesticides used and (d) the totals of agro-chemicals used.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 3 February 1994]: The set-aside arrangements under the arable area payments scheme first came into operation at the end of 1992 in respect of the 1992–93 crop year. The total area of relevant arable crops (cereals, oilseeds, linseed and proteins) in England and Wales for 1992 and 1993 respectively was:

  hectares

  1992

  3,738,800

  1993

  13,349,900

  1Source: June census.

  The area of land set-aside in England and Wales under all the options of the voluntary five-year set-aside scheme, the one-year set-aside scheme and the arable area payments scheme was:
  108
  production quotas and to expose the dairy industry throughout the Community to the free market forces of supply and demand.

  Birds (Killing)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will give details of all licences issued by her Department for the killing of birds protected under the Countryside and Wildlife Act 1981 during the last three years, specifying the number and species killed.

  Mr. Soames
  Figures for 1993 are not yet available. The number of licences issued for birds protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for the years 1990 to 1992 and the number of birds killed are as follows.

  1992 hectares

  1993 hectares

  Five-year scheme

  128,779

  114,778

  One-year scheme (applied in 1992 only)

  12,192

  —

  Arable area payments scheme (applied in 1993 only)

  —

  501,120

  Total area set aside

  140,971

  615,898

  Just over 25,000 tonnes of pesticides and herbicides were used in England and Wales in 1992, but this figure includes quantities used for protected crops as well as for outdoor arable crops. The 1992 British survey of fertilizer practice indicates that the average application rate of organic fertilizers was 257 kg/ha. Comparable figures for 1993 are not yet available.

  Intervention Stocks
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 25 January,Official Report, columns 131–32, when she expects to receive figures for actual expenditure in respect of each member state under the EC surplus food scheme in 1993.
  109
  Mrs. Gilliam Shephard
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: Final figures will be available after 31 March, which is the closing date for the notification of member states' expenditure under the 1993 scheme.

DEFENCE

  Defence Planning
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the purpose and outcome of the recent trilateral meeting between France, Germany and the United Kingdom on co-operative defence planning.

  Mr. Hanley
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence hosted informal discussions with his French and German counterparts in London on 26 January 1994 to share views on European security issues following the NATO summit. The discussions, which were wide-ranging and constructive, did not cover defence planning.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what cost has been incurred in providing documents to the Scott inquiry additional to that given in his reply of 8 July 1993,Official Report, column 80.

  Mr. Aitken
  The direct cost of the provision of documents to the Scott inquiry between 1 July 1993 and 31 January 1994 is estimated to be approximately £58,000.

  Armaments (Shipping)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what safety and environmental protection precautions are taken at each of the ports used by his Department for the shipping abroad of armaments and explosives.

  Mr. Aitken
  Protection is afforded through the licensing of commercial ports by the Health and Safety Executive as required by the Dangerous Substances in Harbour Areas Regulations 1987. Dockyard ports and the military berth at Marchwood are also licensed in accordance with HSE standards.

  Allivane International Ltd.
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when payment was made by his Department to Allivane International Ltd. for the storage of ammunition at the central ammunition depot at Longtown, from 7 to 16 June 1988 to which he referred in the reply on 7 June 1993,Official Report, column 125.

  Mr. Aitken
  No payment was made by my Department to Allivane International Limited for the storage of ammunition at the central ammunition depot at Longtown from 7 to 16 June 1988.

  Overseas Trainees
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any(a) Iraqi, (b) Iranian, (c) Indonesian and (d) Malaysian nationals are currently training at British military establishments in the United Kingdom or at overseas bases.
  110
  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) No

  (b) No

  (c) Yes

  (d) Yes

  It is not our practice to give details of training or numbers involved.

  Iraq
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the information he secured from the CIA on Iraqi military capabilities, as indicated in his reply of 10 June 1993,Official Report, column 192.

  Mr. Hanley
  In this instance the United States Government have not been able to produce a copy of the report in a form that is releaseable to foreign Governments. My Department, however, regularly exchanges information and assessments with the US authorities, and I believe that we have a good picture of Iraqi military capabilities.

  Tornado-Helicopter Accident
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he is taking following the report from the military accident investigation, pursuant to his answer of 26 November,Official Report, column 239; and when he will publish the report.

  Mr. Hanley
  The RAF board of inquiry report into the investigation of the accident involving a civil helicopter and an RAF Tornado on 23 June 1993 is not yet complete. A summary of the board's findings will be published as soon as they are available. The RAF's flying procedures are kept under constant review to ensure that flying is conducted with full regard to safety and a number of possible measures to reduce further the risk of collision are under consideration. A new system of notification by civil operators engaged in pipeline inspections has also been introduced by the CAA, and is currently under review after an initial six month period.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. Hanley
  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.

  No-fly Zone (Bosnia)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Sea Harriers first took part in monitoring and enforcing the no-fly zone over Bosnia; under what operational command; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Sea Harriers first participated in no-fly zone operations on 2 August 1993. The Sea Harriers remain under national command. Their tasking on no-fly zone operations is co-ordinated between the command of NATO's 5th allied tactical air force and the commander of the Royal Navy task group.
  111

  RFA Sir Geraint
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the United Nations is paying for the charter of RFA Sir Geraint to transport heavy equipment of the Nordic battalion from Trieste to Split; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The UN has agreed to pay a daily hire charge of £3,500 for the use of the landing ship logistic, LSL, Sir Geraint and to meet any additional costs arising as a result of the charter.

  HMS Birmingham
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the implications for the pattern of rotation of Royal Navy ships on Adriatic embargo operations of the recent alleged sabotage of HMS Birmingham.

  Mr. Hanley
  HMS Birmingham sailed recently for pre-deployment work in United Kingdom waters after a two-week delay and will shortly deploy for the Adriatic. HMS Coventry, the Op Grapple escort, has been made available for the NATO-WEU embargo operation until HMS Birmingham arrives in theatre.

  UNPROFOR
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reservists on S type engagement in the regular forces are currently deployed with the British contingent in UNPROFOR; and if he will give a summary of the categories of reservists concerned.

  Mr. Hanley
  Members of the Territorial Army and the Royal Marines Reserve may volunteer to undertake short regular engagements or commissions on special terms. No one serving on that basis is currently deployed as part of the British contingent of UNPROFOR.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to seek information on the monthly additional allowances paid by countries contributing troops to the UNPROFOR mission since 28 January; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  Having now received some information from other countries participating in the UNPROFOR mission, I am satisfied that the current arrangements for paying United Kingdom service personnel in the former Yugoslavia are both fair and justifiable and compare well with other nations. All personnel serving under United Nations auspices in Bosnia, including United Kingdom personnel, receive a United Nations allowance of $1·28 per day and a lump sum of $73·50 to cover rest and recreation: this is passed on in full by the British Government.

  There are, however, inevitable differences in the pay and allowance regimes of the various participating nations. United Kingdom service personnel, for example are not paid "danger money". But their basic salary is in general significantly higher than the other nations' troops. For example the basic pay of British junior NCOs is some 70 per cent. higher than their French counterparts, some 55 per cent. higher than their Belgian counterparts and
  112
  some 35 per cent. higher than their Norwegian counterparts. In addition, all United Kingdom personnel receive, throughout their career and irrespective of where they are stationed, an X-factor representing an 11·5 per cent. enhancement of basic salary which contains an element which recognises the need for them to serve on occasions under difficult and dangerous circumstances.

  Troop reimbursement costs paid to nations providing personnel for United Nations deployments are intended to allow participating Governments to recover certain costs from the United Nations, including an element for the salary costs of personnel on a per capita basis. United Kingdom personnel continue to receive their full pay and allowances from the British Government, including for those deployed from Germany and proportion of their local overseas allowance at a rate of 70 per cent. for married personnel and 40 per cent. for singles, in recognition of their continuing financial commitments at home.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) purusant to his answer of 28 January,Official Report, column 425, if he will give a breakdown of the annual receipts and costs areas they cover received by his Department from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the British contribution to UNPROFOR;

  (2) what has been the cost to his Department of the British contribution to UNPROFOR in each of the last three financial years; and if he will give a breakdown;

  (3) what costs have been reclaimed by his Department from the Foreign and Commonwealth office for each year since Britain contributed troops, equipment and expertise to UNPROFOR.

  Mr. Hanley
  UNPROFOR was established in financial year 1992–93 when the additional cost of the British contribution amounted to some £63,000,000. This amount was reimbursed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the Ministry of Defence in full in financial year 1992–93 and comprised £1 million for personnel costs; £8 million for set-up costs; £12 million for deployment; £38 million for sustainment; and £4 million for miscellaneous support and equipment. For the current financial year, it is anticipated that the additional cost will amount to some £75 million which will be reimbursed in full by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  Employment Legislation
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what employment legislation is applicable to his Ministry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Crown is bound by legislation which contains a specific provision to this effect, or where this is the necessary implication of the legislation.

  Service Women (Numbers)
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many women were in each of the armed forces as(a) female officers and (b) non-commissioned females in each year since 1979–80.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows:
  113

  Year as at 1 April

  Royal Naval services

  Army

  Royal Air Force

  Female officers

  Service women

  Female officers

  Service women

  Female officers

  Service women

  1979

  434

  3,402

  884

  4,933

  608

  5,036

  1980

  440

  3,395

  877

  5,373

  706

  5,402

  1981

  481

  3,590

  945

  5,644

  755

  5,518

  1982

  465

  3,495

  959

  5,014

  752

  5,016

  1983

  436

  3,465

  933

  5,211

  740

  4,634

  1984

  387

  3,542

  984

  5,589

  767

  4,977

  1985

  374

  3,332

  1,009

  5,762

  801

  5,149

  1986

  380

  3,062

  979

  5,582

  850

  5,186

  1987

  403

  2,980

  1,115

  5,491

  971

  5,443

  1988

  399

  2,945

  1,137

  5,285

  1,053

  5,350

  1989

  407

  3,064

  1,186

  5,465

  1,099

  5,277

  1990

  430

  3,231

  1,23

  5,816

  1,136

  5,625

  1991

  456

  3,716

  1,253

  6,096

  1,181

  6,116

  1992

  473

  4,100

  1,197

  6,585

  1,194

  6,099

  1993

  495

  3,991

  1,170

  6,424

  1,139

  5,698

  Note: Figures prior to 1 April 1986 exclude female officers in the medical, dental, veterinary and legal specialisations as they were included in the male officer numbers.

  Pregnant Women
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Ministry first received a legal challenge from a woman serving in the armed forces or formerly serving in the armed forces with regard to dismissal from the armed forces on the ground of pregnancy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The first legal challenge to the policy of compulsorily discharging service women on pregnancy was received from two former service women in June 1990. With the assistance of the Equal Opportunities Commission, the women applied to the High Court for judicial review of the decision to discharge them.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average amount paid in compensation to women who had to leave the armed forces because they became pregnant in each year since compensation payments were first made; and if he will make a statment.

  Mr. Hanley
  Compensation payments to women discharged from the armed forces on the ground of pregnancy commenced in 1992–93, when the average amount paid was £3,462. The figure for the current financial year to date is £3,823. My answer of 21 January to the hon. Member,Official Report, col 939, should have given a total of £5,822,943 as the figure paid in compensation to women compulsorily discharged from the armed forces on grounds of pregnancy between August 1978 and August 1990. The current figure for compensation claims paid is 1,720 at a total cost of £6,234,779.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many women who left the forces because they became pregnant in each year since 1980 subsequently rejoined the forces at a lower rank; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Royal Navy and Army do not hold this information centrally and it could not be provided without disproportionate cost. Fourteen airwomen discharged on pregnancy after 1980 rejoined the Royal Air Force at a lower rank: nine in 1991, four in 1992 and one in 1993. All these women rejoined the RAF under the local service airwoman scheme. Three of those who re-enlisted in 1991 have since transferred to regular service.
  114
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under which vote and subhead his Ministry made compensation payments to women who left the armed forces because they became pregnant; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  As with all compensation paid by my Department in common law and industrial tribunal cases, payments made to pregnant ex-service women are made centrally on behalf of the three services from the second Under Secretary of State's top level budget—vote 1L2.

  Creches
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 21 January,Official Report, column 940, what estimates he has of the costs involved in providing creche facilities at military bases; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  I have nothing further to add to my answer of 21 January,Official Report, column 940.

  Equal Opportunities Employment
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what policy statement his Ministry has with regard to equal opportunities employment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is the Department's policy to promote equal opportunity in the field of employment for disabled civilian personnel, for personnel of all racial groups and between men and women. The level of fitness required of service personnel precludes the recruitment of disabled persons. For operational and practical reasons, female service personnel are excluded from certain areas of employment, but the positon is kept under continuous review.

  Dual-use Technology
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Defence what is his policy towards the development of dual-use technology.

  Mr. Aitken
  We favour the development of dual-use technology wherever practicable. The Defence Research Agency is currently pursuing a number of initiatives in this field including the pathfinder scheme and the development of dual-use technology centres.
  115

  Lightweight Fighter
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the objectives of the common affordable lightweight fighter programme.

  Mr. Aitken
  The common affordable lightweight fighter programme is sponsored by the United States Department of Defense. Its overall objective is to demonstrate, through flight testing, technologies to enable the development of a lightweight fighter aircraft of modular design. It is intended that the developed aircraft will have an advanced short takeoff and landing variant and a conventional takeoff and landing variant, sharing common designs of modules of engine, airframe and avionics. Cost reduction of design and manufacturing processes, is a major objective of the programme.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the United Kingdom to join the common affordable lightweight fighter programme; and on what terms.

  Mr. Aitken
  We hope to join the risk reduction phase of the United States common affordable lightweight fighter programme this summer, subject to mutual agreement of terms that are still under consideration by both countries.

  NATO Soldier Modernisation Plan
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the NATO soldier modernisation plan so far as it affects United Kingdom companies and forces.

  Mr. Aitken
  The NATO soldier modernisation plan is a long-term concept for an integrated system of personal equipment for soldiers which is currently the subject of a study by the NATO industrial advisory group, NIAG. A number of representatives from United Kingdom companies are involved in this work. It is too early to assess the effect of the NATO soldier modernisation plan on United Kingdom companies and forces.

  Long-term Costings
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to release information relating to long-term costings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The 10-year costing of the defence programme, known as the long-term costing, is designed for internal planning purposes. Approval to commit expenditure is subject to separate procedures and endorsement by Ministers as appropriate. To avoid giving a misleading impression as to the firmness of our plans we would not normally provide details of the contents of the long-term costing.

  Desert Storm Syndrome
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has relating to possible psychological aspects of Desert Storm syndrome; and if he will make a statement.
  116
  Mr. Hanley
  We have no evidence to support the existence of a medical condition peculiar to armed forces service in the Gulf conflict, so statements on its possible psychological aspects would be mere speculation.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what new information he has received in the last six months relating to Desert Storm syndrome; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  My Department has continued to receive information relating to the alleged Desert Storm syndrome over the past six months from various sources. The information and sources are too numerous to list in detail but include:

  (a) the results of medical assessments on those United Kingdom service and ex-service personnel concerned that their health might have been affected by their Gulf service, who came forward in response to my offer to such personnel of investigation by armed forces medical services' specialists.

  (b) information from the United States authorities about the investigations and research they are undertaking into the existence of the alleged Syndrome.

  (c) correspondence from various individuals and organisations concerning claims that service and ex-service personnel who served in the Gulf are suffering unexplained illnesses.

  (d) media reports of the alleged existence of Desert Storm syndrome.

  To date none of the information has provided scientific evidence to support claims of the existence of a medical condition peculiar to service in the Gulf conflict.

  Accommodation (Expenditure)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy regarding expenditure on improvements and furnishings for the accommodation assigned to commanding officers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Ministry of Defence provides married quarters for all ranks of the armed forces. The scale of provision of quarters for commanding officers varies according to the rank and responsibilities of the appointment. Expenditure on improvements and furnishings of these and all quarters is limited to that which is necessary to maintain the property to an appropriate standard.

  Defence Industrialists
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish all the graphical information on defence expenditure that has been shown to defence industrialists in the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  No central record is kept of the contacts with industry at all levels at which such information may have been passed. I will however make arrangements, as soon as possible, to place in the Library of the House appropriate unclassified graphical information from the chief of defence procurement's first two conferences for defence suppliers, in July 1992 and July 1993. These include illustrative indications of possible trends in certain categories of defence procurement expenditure.
  117

  Britannia Royal Naval College
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of building dog kennels at Britannia Royal Naval college, Dartmouth.
  118
  Mr. Hanley
  The work undertaken to prepare the site and to house the Ministry of Defence police guard dogs at Britannia Royal Naval college, Dartmouth cost some £54,000.

  CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION
  CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION
  GAZA AND JERICHO: ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL
  GAZA AND JERICHO: ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL
  PALESTINIANS: FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT
  PALESTINIANS: FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT
  PALESTINIAN DETAINEES: RELEASES
  PALESTINIAN DETAINEES: RELEASES
  CROATIA: CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES
  CROATIA: CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES
  NATO: DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
  NATO: DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
  NATO AND RUSSIA
  NATO AND RUSSIA
  CHILE: MAR PRESENCIAL CLAIM
  CHILE: MAR PRESENCIAL CLAIM
  EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ACT 1972: DESIGNATION ORDERS
  EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ACT 1972: DESIGNATION ORDERS
  CYPRUS: PROGRESS OF NEGOTIATIONS
  CYPRUS: PROGRESS OF NEGOTIATIONS
  MR. MORDECHAI VANUNU
  MR. MORDECHAI VANUNU
  CYPRUS: CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES
  CYPRUS: CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES
  PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AGREEMENTS
  PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AGREEMENTS
  TECHNOLOGY FORESIGHT PROGRAMME
  TECHNOLOGY FORESIGHT PROGRAMME
  PASSIVE SMOKING
  PASSIVE SMOKING
  LYME DISEASE
  LYME DISEASE
  HUMAN EMBRYO BASED RESEARCH PROJECTS
  HUMAN EMBRYO BASED RESEARCH PROJECTS
  ABORTIONS: COST TO NHS
  ABORTIONS: COST TO NHS
  EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MEMBERS: DEATHS
  EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MEMBERS: DEATHS
  COMMITTAL PROCEEDINGS
  COMMITTAL PROCEEDINGS
  METROPOLITAN POLICE: PRIORITIES
  METROPOLITAN POLICE: PRIORITIES
  GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL AWARDS
  GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL AWARDS
  CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL DEFENCE ESTABLISHMENT: ETHICS COMMITTEE
  CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL DEFENCE ESTABLISHMENT: ETHICS COMMITTEE
  SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER ATLANTIC
  SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER ATLANTIC
  DEFENCE COSTS: IMPLICATIONS OF CUTS
  DEFENCE COSTS: IMPLICATIONS OF CUTS
  CYPRUS SOVEREIGN BASE AREAS: MARKET TESTING OF SERVICES
  CYPRUS SOVEREIGN BASE AREAS: MARKET TESTING OF SERVICES
  DRINKING WATER QUALITY INSPECTIONS: EUROPEAN COMPARISONS
  DRINKING WATER QUALITY INSPECTIONS: EUROPEAN COMPARISONS
  DOE APPOINTMENTS HELD BY MPs' SPOUSES
  DOE APPOINTMENTS HELD BY MPs' SPOUSES
  HABITATS DIRECTIVE: MANAGEMENT ORDERS
  HABITATS DIRECTIVE: MANAGEMENT ORDERS
  COUNCIL TAX IN LONDON BOROUGHS
  COUNCIL TAX IN LONDON BOROUGHS