Written Answers of 10 February 1994

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the value of consultancy contracts awarded by his Departments each year since 1979, both in current prices and at constant 1994 prices.

  Mr. Nelson
  The table gives the value of committed expenditure, at current prices, for consultancy contracts awarded to Her Majesty's Treasury since August 1991. Information going back beyond August 1991 is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Year

  Value (excl. VAT)

  £

  11991

  210,310

  1992

  851,640

  1993

  1,004,407

  21994

  446,645

  1 August-December.

  2 To date.

  Similar information relating to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's other Departments is not held centrally.

  Insurance Premium Tax
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his plans for the rate of insurance premium tax, which is currently charged at 3 per cent.

  Sir John Cope
  The Government's proposals for the insurance premium tax are included in the Finance Bill currently in Committee. The rate chosen reflects careful consideration of a range of factors, particularly the revenue yield and the impact on the taxpayer.

  Utilities (Privatisation)
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table outlining privatisation receipts for(a) BT, (b) British Gas, (c) regional electricity companies and PowerGen and National Power and (d) regional water boards for each year following privatisation of each utility until 1993 and also including projections to 1994–95.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The table shows the information requested. In addition to proceeds from the sale of shares, privatisation proceeds include the redemption of preference shares, loan stock and debentures.
  382

  Net privatisation proceeds

  £ billion

  BT

  British Gas

  Electricity (England and Wales)

  Water companies

  1984–85

  1.4

  —

  —

  —

  1985–86

  1.3

  —

  —

  —

  1986–87

  1.4

  2.6

  —

  —

  1987–88

  0.3

  1.8

  —

  —

  1988–89

  0.3

  1.8

  —

  —

  1989–90

  0.1

  0.8

  —

  0.5

  1990–91

  0.1

  0.5

  3.1

  1.5

  1991–92

  1.8

  —

  3.4

  1.5

  1992–93

  3.7

  0.4

  1.5

  —

  11993–94

  3.8

  —

  0.7

  —

  11994–95

  1.7

  —

  0.3

  —

  1 Estimated outturn.

  Subcontractors (Taxation)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he intends to take forward the proposals for the construction industry tax deduction scheme in the 1991 Inland Revenue consultative document, "Taxation of Subcontractors in the Construction Industry".

  Mr. Dorrell
  It is the Government's intention, subject to other priorities, to include measures in the next Finance Bill to implement some of the recommendations in the 1991 consultative document "Taxation of Subcontractors in the Construction Industry", together with the recommendations of a later efficiency scrutiny. These changes will come into effect after the introduction of the proposals for self-assessment and the simplification of personal tax in the current Finance Bill. The Inland Revenue will be consulting on how this will be done.

  Capital Allowances
  Mr. Burns
  To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the availability of capital allowances for enterprise zone buildings brought into use two years ago.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Under section 10B of the Capital Allowances Act 1990, capital allowances at the 100 peer cent. enterprise zone rate remain available for a period of two years after a building is brought into use, so long as the building was brought into use on or after 16 December 1991.

  As announced on 13 January, Official Report, column 249, the Government will be bringing forward legislation during the Committee stage of the Finance Bill to amend a defect in the capital allowances legislation as it affects long leases given in return for a capital sum. The. Government are conscious that, until the legislation is published, there will inevitably be some uncertainty for investors about the detailed conditions under which capital allowances will be available. In cases where entitlement to capital allowances under section 10B's two-year rule was shortly to expire at the time of the announcement, this uncertainty may have had the effect of preventing some investors from making a claim under the rule. That is clearly an unfair situation in which to place such investors.

  Accordingly, we propose to bring forward a provision in the Committee of the Finance Bill which will give until 31 August 1994 for qualifying expenditure to fall within

  383
  the section 10B rule. This will apply to cases where, under this section, the two-year period would have expired on or after 13 January 1994 and not later than 31 August 1994.

  Maintenance Payments (Taxation)
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the number of taxpayers who will be affected by the restriction of tax relief on the first £1,720 of maintenance payments to 20 per cent. in 1994–95 and 15 per cent. from 1995–96;

  (2) what will be the effect on revenues in 1994–95 and in a full year of (a) restricting tax relief on maintenance payments up to £1,720 to 20 per cent. and (b) the withdrawal of relief on payments made to or for the benefit of children when they reach 21 years;

  (3) what he estimates to be the effect on revenues in 1995–96 and in a full year of proposals to reduce tax relief on the first £1,720 of maintenance payments from 20 per cent. in 1994–95 to 15 per cent. in 1995–96.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 1 February 1994]: It is thought that some 400,000 people making maintenance payments may be affected, although payers who are liable to tax at the lower rate only will not be affected by the restriction of relief to 20 per cent. in 1994–95. Approximate estimates of the revenue effects of restricting the relief based on a projection of information from the 1991–92 survey of personal incomes are given below.

  £ million

  Revenue yield in

  1994–95

  A full year

  Restriction to 20 per cent.

  25

  30

  1995–96

  A full year

  Further restriction to 15 per cent.

  15

  20

  It is not possible to provide a precise estimate of the small yield from the withdrawal of relief on payments made to or for the benefit of children when they reach 21 years.

  Contraband
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what quantities and value of contraband(a) tobacco, (b) drugs, (c) alcohol and (d) other was seized by Customs and Excise in the last year for which statistics are available and in each of the five previous years;

  (2) what quantity of and value of contraband alcohol was seized by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in the last year for which statistics are available; how it was disposed of, and at what cost; and what are the comparable figures for any previous years for which statistics are available.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 8 February 1994]: The amounts and street level values of the main drug types seized by Customs and Excise for the past six calendar years are as below.

  Drug type

  Weight (kilogrammes)

  Total value (£ millions)

  1993

  Synthetics

  1,096

  518

  Cannabis

  53,157

  Cocaine

  748

  Heroin

  561

  384

  Drug type

  Weight (kilogrammes)

  Total value (£ millions)

  1992

  Synthetics

  348

  545

  Cannabis

  44,556

  Cocaine

  2,250

  Heroin

  449

  1991

  Synthetics

  473

  308

  Cannabis

  2,285

  Cocaine

  1,061

  Heroin

  409

  1990

  Synthetics

  89

  244

  Cannabis

  24,581

  Cocaine

  561

  Heroin

  588

  1989

  Synthetics

  23

  258

  Cannabis

  50,715

  Cocaine

  424

  Heroin

  331

  1988

  Synthetics

  18

  185

  Cannabis

  44,018

  Cocaine

  283

  Heroin

  230

  For single market excise-related offences the quantities of goods seized, and the amount of duties involved, for 1991 are follows:

  Duty £

  1,355,485 cigarettes and cigars

  132,059

  10,191 kg tobacco

  945,684

  753,012 litres alcoholic drinks

  590,025

  Methods of disposal of alcoholic drinks include pouring down the sewer and the use of land-fill sites. Further details of contraband seizures before 1993 and of methods and costs of disposal could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Consultancies
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of consultancy contracts awarded by his Department and its predecessors each year since 1979, both in current prices and at constant 1994 prices.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information requested is available for the period 1987 to 1993, and details are shown in the table. Other information can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Value of consultancy contracts, including amendments, awarded by the Department of Trade and Industry, 1987–93, current prices

  Calendar year

  Value £

  1987

  18,814,000

  1988

  15,831,000

  1989

  26,578,000

  385

  Calendar year

  Value £

  1990

  27,620,000

  1991

  38,491,000

  1992

  36,612,000

  1993

  29,369,000

  Value excludes consultancy contracts let independently by the Department's executive agencies.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade who are the members currently appointed to the Standards, Quality and Measurement Advisory Committee.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Standards, Quality and Measurement Advisory Committée currently consists of 12 members and chairman:

  Professor P. Payne, Chairman

  Dr. L. Holt

  Professor W. Gelletly

  Professor K. Grattan

  Professor A. Olver

  Mr. H. Berridge

  Mr. R. Brook

  Mr. G. Matthews

  Professor J. Metcalfe

  Professor W. Stewart

  Dr. M. A. Ford

  Dr. E. Ellis

  Dr. T. Wilkins

  Year and month

  Market

  Minister

  Purpose

  1993

  January

  Indonesia

  The Minister for Trade

  Trade promotion

  June

  Indonesia

  The Minister for Trade

  Trade promotion

  September

  Indonesia

  The Minister for Energy

  Trade promotion

  September

  Malaysia

  The Minister for Trade

  Trade promotion

  September

  Malaysia

  The Minister for Trade

  Trade promotion

  November

  India

  The Minister for Trade

  Indo-British Bombay week/trade promotion

  November

  Malaysia

  The Minister for Trade

  Trade promotion

  December

  Indonesia

  The Minister for Trade

  Trade promotion

  1992

  September

  India

  The hon. Member for Gainsborough and Horncastle (Mr. Leigh)

  Trade promotion

  1991

  February

  India

  The former Secretary of State

  Ninth Indian engineering trade fair/trade promotion

  November

  India

  Lord Reay

  British energy seminar/trade promotion

  Disqualification Unit
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many cases have been reported to his Department's disqualification unit in each year since 1987; how many of these have been subject to full investigation; and how many have been successfully prosecuted.

  Reports of misconduct made to disqualification unit

  Cases identified as prima facie meeting envidential criteria

  Number of individual directors whom directions given

  Number of directors against who disqualification orders were made

  1987–88

  3,499

  n/a

  251

  130

  1988–89

  4,209

  n/a

  419

  293

  1989–90

  3,444

  n/a

  462

  288

  1990–91

  4,508

  n/a

  449

  251

  1991–92

  6,171

  906

  700

  326

  1992–93

  6,710

  877

  564

  446

  386
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade who are the members currently appointed to the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Committee.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The current members of the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Committee are:

  Mr. J. Puttick, Chairman, Warwick Manufacturing Group

  Mr. A. B. M. Braithwaite OBE, The Welding Institute Professor A. de Pennington OBE, University of Leeds

  Dr. F. K. Garas, Taylor Woodrow Construction Holdings Limited

  Mr. P. W. Harrisson, Linread plc

  Mr. N. McArthur MBE, Thurnall plc

  Professor A. Muhlemann, University of Bradford

  Mr. J. K. Overstall, Kewill Group

  Dr. A. G. Parker, Lucas Automotive Limited

  Professor A. Pugh FEng, University of Hull

  Mr. D. Walker, Defence Research Agency

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what ministerial visits have been made by representatives of his Department, over each of the last three years to(a) Indonesia, (b) Jordan, (c) Oman, (d) Nigeria, (e) Ecuador, (f) Malaysia and (g) India; and what was their main purpose in each case.

  Mr. Needham
  There have been no visits by DTI Ministers in the last three years to Jordan, Oman, Nigeria or Ecuador. One is planned, however, by me to Oman in April this year for trade promotion purposes. Details of other visits are shown in the table.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Detailed information is not available in this form requested by the hon. Member. The following information is however available:
  387
  Notes:

  1. The figures quoted in the first two columns are for the number of companies reported on or identified.

  2. The number of directions given or disqualification orders made in a particular year do not necessarily relate to reports made or cases identified in that year.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the average length of time taken to investigate a case reported to his Department's disqualification unit in each year since 1987; and what was the median time taken to investigate such reports.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The information requested by the hon. Member for Newcastle Upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) is not maintained by my Department.

  Teaching Company Schemes
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table showing the distribution of live teaching company schemes as at 31 December 1993, by region; and which schemes started and terminated in 1992 and 1993.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Tables showing the requested information relating to teaching company scheme, TCS, programmes are as follows:

  1. TCS Programmes by region as at 31 December 1993

  Region

  Company sites

  Number

  Percentages

  East Midlands

  35

  7.2

  London

  22

  4.5

  North East

  87

  17.8

  Northern Ireland

  35

  7.2

  North West

  52

  10.7

  Scotland

  30

  6.1

  South East

  77

  15.8

  South West

  66

  13.5

  Wales

  23

  4.7

  West Midlands

  61

  12.5

  Totals

  488

  100

  2. TCS Programmes starting and ending in 1992 and 1993.

  Region

  Company sites

  1992

  1993

  Started

  Ended

  Started

  Ended

  East Midlands

  10

  8

  20

  14

  London

  6

  6

  14

  0

  North East

  45

  16

  33

  30

  Northern Ireland

  10

  6

  20

  14

  North West

  15

  23

  24

  20

  Scotland

  14

  14

  12

  10

  South East

  34

  25

  34

  16

  South West

  20

  26

  39

  9

  Wales

  15

  8

  6

  5

  West Midlands

  33

  21

  24

  18

  Totals

  202

  153

  226

  136

  Government Chemist
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions within the last five years the laboratory of the Government chemist has been asked to advise on export licence applications; and what internal transfers of resources are made to the laboratory in recognition of these services.
  388
  Mr. McLoughlin
  Between 1989 and 1994 the LGC has provided advice to the relevant parts of DTI on 312 occasions. The LGC has charged the DTI the full economic cost of providing this service.

  Expo '92
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the final accounts have now been settled for his Department's costs towards Expo '92 in Seville; what was his Department's total contribution; and whether this figure includes the costs of meeting the costs of Joanna Bickerton Associates.

  Mr. Needham
  The final accounts for DTI's contribution towards Expo '92 in Seville are nearing completion and should be finalised by the end of March. These accounts will include the costs of settlement with Joanna Bickerton Associates.

  Disqualification Unit
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many cases were reported to his Department's disqualification unit for each year since 1987 which failed to come before the court because they had exceeded the statutory limitation period.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The precise details requested by the hon. Member are not maintained by the disqualification unit. However, expiry, actual or imminent, of the two-year period is the principal reason why cases which otherwise broadly meet the evidential requirements are not pursued. The number of such cases was as follows:

  Financial year

  Number

  1991–92

  369

  1992–93

  332

  11993

  551

  1 Nine months to 31 December 1993.

  Information on prior years is not available.

  Timeshare
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make representations to the European Commission for the inclusion in the draft directive on timeshare of payment of limited deposits by timeshare purchasers, as requested by the United Kingdom timeshare industry.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I am aware of the concerns expressed by the timeshare industry in this matter, but I regard the prohibition on the payment of deposits during the cooling-off period proposed in the draft timeshare directive as important for consumer protection. In any event, political agreement on the directive has been reached.

  New Businesses
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many new businesses were started in the past year; how many people they employ; and if he will make a statement.
  389
  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 9 February 1994]: Estimates of numbers of small business start-ups are produced by Barclays and NatWest. Their latest estimates indicate that there were around 400,000 new start-ups in 1993.

  Estimates of employment in new firms are not available.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those topics on which it is not his practice to answer parliamentary questions; and if he will list any recent changes in the practice of his Department.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 9 February 1994]: There has been no change from the practice of this and previous administrations, as described on page 292 of the current edition of "Erskine May".

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Indonesia
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Indonesians have been supported by Her Majesty's Government since 1975 to study in Britain.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Since 1975 we have provided some 3,000 awards for Indonesians. Precise figures could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who are the members currently appointed to the Wilton Park International Advisory Council.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Wilton Park International Advisory Council consists of the ambassadors and high commissioners of all OECD embassies and high commissions in London. The countries currently represented are: Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, NewZealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the USA.

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the value of consultancy contracts awarded by his Department each year since 1979, both in current prices and at constant 1994 prices.

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

  Accounting Officers
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since 1979 a Foreign Secretary has issued a direction to an accounting officer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Since 1979, there has been a ministerial direction to ODA' s accounting officer on one occasion, in 390
  1991 in respect of the Pergau hydro-electric project in Malaysia. No ministerial directions to the FCO's accounting officer have been issued since 1979.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Attorney-General 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.

  The Attorney-General
  No parliamentary questions have to date been referred by me to the Government Property Lawyers, the only executive agency in the Departments for which I am responsible. The subjects which I would normally expect to refer are the day-to-day operational matters of the agency and the provision of conveyancing and lands advisory services by the agency, subjects for which the chief executive has delegated responsibility as set out in the agency's framework document.

  Prosecution Witnesses
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Attorney-General what proportion of prosecution witnesses in July 1993 had to wait more than two hours before being called to give evidence.

  The Attorney-General
  No figures are available for July 1993. A census of six CPS areas during the last two weeks of March 1993 showed that 42 per cent. of witnesses waited less than two hours and 58 per cent. had to wait more than two hours.

  A further pilot study in four Crown court centres between 1 September 1993 and 30 November 1993 showed that 48.5 per cent. of witnesses waited less than two hours and 51.5 per cent. more than two hours. A nation-wide monitoring survey will commence on 1 April 1994.

  The samples to date have been analysed to identify the principal reasons for extended waiting time for witnesses. The objective is to use such information in co-operation with other agencies to bring about reduced waiting times in future.

  Hizb ut Tahrir
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Attorney-General what action is being considered by the prosecution authorities over racist material issued by the Hizb ut Tahrir organisation; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The Crown Prosecution Service does not maintain a central record of cases referred to it. Inquiries have been made of CPS headquarters staff but no cases concerning the Hizb ut Tahrir organisation are presently being considered at headquarters. If the hon. Member will identify to me when and where any such material has been referred to the CPS I will make further inquiries.
  391

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security who are the members currently appointed to the disability living allowance advisory board.

  Mr. Scott
  The current membership of the disability living allowance advisory board is as follows:—

  Chairman—Professor R. Grahame, MB BS MD FRCP,

  Deputy Chair—Miss S. Knibbs, CQSW,

  Mrs. J. Allen-King, MBE, Mrs. J. Ashcroft MBE, Mrs. P. Case CBE BA,

  Dr. A. Clarke, BSc MB BS FRCP, Miss E. Fanshawe, OBE DipCOT,

  Mrs. J. Franklin, CQSW, Mr. S. Gallop OBE MA, Mrs. C. Henry RGN,

  Dr. J. Hunter BSc MB ChB, FRCP, Sir Peter Large CBE BSc,

  Mr. C. Laurenzi BSc CQSW, Dr. R. Lucas BSc MB BS MPhil FRCPsych,

  Dr. I. McKinlay, BSc MB ChB FRCP DCH,

  Dr. T. Phillips, MB BS FRFPS MRCP MFOM, Mrs. S. Philbrook BA MCSP,

  Dr. M. Piper MB BS FRCP, Dr. M. Richards BSc MB BChir FRCGP,

  Dr. S. Shorvon, MB BChir MD FRCP.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security who are the members currently appointed to the Social Security Advisory Committee.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is as follows:

  Mr. M. Bett, CBE (Chairman)

  Mrs. J. Anelay, OBE JP

  Mr. A. Dilnot

  The Reverend G. H. Good, OBE

  Mr. D. Guereca

  Mr. N. Hardwick

  Mr. M. Hastings

  Professor A. Ogus

  The Hon. Mrs.R. H. Price CBE

  Esme Scott, CBE

  Professor O. Stevenson

  Dr. A. V. Stokes, OBE

  Mr. O. Tudor

  Mr. R. Wendt, DL

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security who are the members currently appointed to each of the war pensions committees.

  Mr. Hague
  In view of the considerable length of this reply, I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security who are the members currently appointed to the Central Advisory Committee on War Pensions.

  Mr. Hague
  The members currently appointed to the Central Advisory Committee on War Pensions, who all act in a voluntary capacity, are as follows:

  Membership of the Central Advisory Committee

  Mr. M. B. Day, MBE

  Councillor T. S. Deeming, MBE

  Mr. P. H. Dixon, OBE, MA

  Mr. I. Duncan-Smith, MP

  Mr. W. R. Dunn, MBE, JP

  Mr. C. G. Fox, FRSH, FCIArb

  Mr. I. Grainger

  Mr. D. B. Hilton

  Mr. R. R. Holland, MBE

  Lt. Col. R. W. E. House, MBE

  Col. J. Hughes, CBE

  Mr. E. R. Jobson, OBE

  County Councillor T. J. Jones, MBE, JP

  Captain O. C. S. Light, MBE

  392

  Lord Mackie of Benshie, CBE

  Mr. A. Meale, MP

  Mr. G. R. Miller

  Mrs. H. Murphy

  Mr. W. S. Mutimer, MBE, JP

  Mrs. M. F. K. Neale, MBE

  Mrs. P. L. Newnes, OBE

  Mr. F. E. Onyon, MBE

  Air Chief Marshall Sir Roger Palin, KCB

  Mr. H. L. Payne, OBE

  Mr. C. G. S. Pigott, MBE

  Mr. J. J. Ray, MBE

  Brigadier H. L. B. Salmon, OBE

  Major J. Paxman

  Child Support
  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the regulations under the Child Support Act 1991 affecting the definition of a second family and on his proposals for phasing in of payments where there is another child in a second marriage.

  Mr. Burt
  The term "second family" is not used in the Child Support Act or associated regulations. The previous phasing in provisions have been extended to include absent parents whose new child support liability is over £60 a week. An absent parent can qualify for phasing if he is part of a family containing children, including step-children, or has care of a child for at least two nights a week, had an existing court order or written agreement for maintenance at 4 April 1993, and has his payments increased by more than £20 a week when maintenance is assessed under the Act.

  Under the original phasing arrangements, where the new assessment does not exceed £60 weekly, the increase is limited to £20 for the first 12 months. Under the new arrangements, where the assessment is over £60, the increase is phased in over an 18-month period, in six monthly steps of £20, or 25 per cent. of the difference between the old and new amounts if this is higher.

  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what definition he has accepted as a second family in the operation of the Child Support Act 1991.

  Mr. Burt
  The Child Support Act does not use the term "second family". It does, however, contain provisions which take account of the presence of a new partner or step-children in the household or new children of the absent parent.

  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the operation of the Child Support Agency where existing court arrangements are satisfactory to both parties concerned.

  Mr. Burt
  Parents are free to come to, or continue with, their own arrangements for child maintenance, where the parent with care is not receiving income support, family credit or disability working allowance.

  However, when one of these benefits is in payment then the taxpayer also has an interest, and it is right that the Child Support Agency should become involved to ensure that a realistic level of maintenance is paid.

  Mr. Renton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to propose further changes in child support maintenance in respect of partners who have remarried and are now bringing up a second family; and if he will make a statement.
  393
  Mr. Burt
  The changes to the child support scheme which were introduced from 7 February, particularly the extension to the provision for phasing in payments of maintenance and the significant increases in the protected income margins, will help many absent parents with second families. The Government intend to monitor the effects of these changes carefully, and will continue to keep the scheme under scrutiny.

  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the timing of changes announced to the operation of the Child Support Agency.

  Mr. Burt
  The changes were introduced from 7 February. The formula changes will apply from that date; the new phasing provisions are being implemented over three months, with the phasing period running from the date of reassessment.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in the United Kingdom, under 21 years of age, are currently unemployed but not in receipt of unemployment benefit.

  Mr. Burt
  From the latest available information in the 1990 and 1991 family expenditure surveys, the number was 340,000.

  Notes:

  1. In the family expenditure survey people referred to as the economically active unemployed are those who are out of work, available for work, intending to work, and have either sought work within the last four weeks or are waiting to start a job already obtained.

  2. This estimate will include some people who have made a claim for unemployment benefit but have not yet received it.

  3. The family expenditure survey is based on a sample of households and therefore subject to sampling error.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many men in the United Kingdom are currently unemployed and economically active, but are not receiving unemployment benefit, or any other social security benefit;

  (2) how many women in the United Kingdom are currently unemployed and economically active but are not receiving unemployment benefit or any other social security benefit.

  Mr. Burt
  From the latest available information in the 1990 and 1991 family expenditure surveys, it is estimated there were 260,000 men and 130,000 women.

  Notes:

  1. In the family expenditure survey people referred to as the economically active unemployed are those who are out of work, available for work, intending to work, and have either sought work within the last four weeks or are waiting to start a job already obtained.

  2. This estimate will include some people who have made a claim for state benefits but have not yet received benefit.

  3. The family expenditure survey is based on a sample of households and therefore subject to sampling error.

  Sickness Benefit
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in the United Kingdom are unemployed and receiving sickness benefit to the latest available date.
  394
  Mr. Scott
  Information is not available in the form requested.

  In the period 1 April 1991 to 4 April 1992—the latest period for which information is available—802,000 spells of sickness benefit commenced. In 405,000 of the spells the person stated they had not been in employment prior to claiming.

  Notes:

  1. Figures based on a 1 per cent. sample of claims in Great Britain rounded to the nearest thousand.

  2. Sickness benefit will not have been paid in all spells.

  Supplementary Benefit
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children there were in families receiving supplementary benefit in(a) England and (b) the north-west region of England in 1979; and how many children there were in families receiving supplementary benefit/income support in (i) England and (ii) the north-west region of England at the latest available dale.

  Mr. Burt
  The available information is in the tables:

  Number of children in families receiving supplementary benefit in 1979

  Region

  Number of children

  North West England

  Not available

  England

  757,000

  Number of children in families receiving income support in 1993

  Region

  Number of children

  North West England

  426,000

  England

  2,550,000

  Notes:

  Sources Supplementary Benefit Statistics Annual Inquiry, November 1979.

  Income Support Statistics Quarterly Inquiry, February 1993.

  2. The figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.

  3. Children are defined as being under 16 years of age.

  4. The North West Region is the North West Social Security Administrative Region as used by the Department prior to 1988. Information for this region is not available for 1979.

  5. Income support replaced supplementary benefit in April 1988.

  Industrial Injuries Advisory Council
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council to complete its inquiry into occupational rhinitis.

  Mr. Scott
  A report from the council is expected within the next few months.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when each current member was appointed to the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council; what was their date of appointment and expected duration of service; and what are the companies, organisations or bodies they represent and their particular professional expertise or specialisation.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is in the table.
  395

  Member

  Date first appointed

  Profession

  Professor J. M. Harrington, CBE, chairman

  14 August 1981

  Professor of occupational health

  Mr. P. E. Arscott, OBE

  14 March 1991

  Health and safety consultant

  Dr. J. Asherson

  9 January 1990

  Head of health and safety, CBI

  Miss J. C. Brown

  1 October 1986

  Researcher in social policy

  Mrs. J. Carter

  1 March 1993

  Member of TUC General Council

  Professor M. J. Cinnamond

  1 January 1987

  Professor of otorhinolaryngology

  Dr. D. N. M. Coggon

  9 December 1987

  Reader in occupational and environmental medicine

  Professor A. D. Dayan

  17 May 1990

  Professor of toxicology

  Dr. C. P. Juniper

  5 May 1986

  Senior medical adviser in industry

  Mr. T. Mawer

  1 September 1992

  Lawyer

  Professor A. J. Newman Taylor, OBE

  1 December 1983

  Consultant physician

  Mr. R. Pickering

  12 February 1991

  National trade union president

  Dr. L. Rushton

  31 January 1994

  Senior lecturer in medical statistics

  Dr. C. Taylor

  10 May 1993

  Chief medical officer in industry

  Mr. O. D. Tudor

  12 February 1991

  Assistant secretary, TUC

  Mrs. M. Twomey

  1 May 1992

  Member of TUC

  Note:

  Chairman and members are normally appointed for a period of three years and can be reappointed for further three-year terms. Members are appointed for the expertise they bring to the council's deliberations, rather than to represent particular organisations, although the CBI and TUC each nominate four members.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last met the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Scott
  The last formal meeting took place on 21 November 1991 when I was invited by the council to attend one of its regular meetings. Informal meetings with the chairman are held about once a year to discuss matters of current interest. The last meeting took place on 23 December 1992.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when his Department last discussed occupational rhinitis with the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council.

  Mr. Scott
  There have been no formal discussions about occupational rhinitis between the Department and the council. Members of the Department attend council meetings on a regular basis as observers and provide information on request. The council last discussed occupational rhinitis at its meeting on 18 November 1993.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Renton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average time that it takes the Child Support Agency to answer letters from hon. Members; and if he will issue instructions that this time should be at least halved.

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

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Tim Renton, dated 10 February 1994:

  I have been asked to reply to your Question to the Secretary of State about the time it takes the Agency to respond to letters from honourable Members.

  All letters from Members of Parliament addressed to me are acknowledged and I aim to respond within an average of 20 working days. Press interest has stimulated a great deal of correspondence from constituents and although that target is not being met at the moment, the necessary steps are being taken to ensure that correspondence from Members will be answered as promptly as possible.

  I hope you will find this reply helpful.
  396
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the hon. Member for Warwick and Leamington may expect a reply from the Child Support Agency to his detailed written representations on behalf of Mrs. Fiona Dennehy of Leamington Spa, made on 25 September 1993, 26 October 1993, 24 November 1993 and 5 January 1994.

  Mr. Burt
  I understand that Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive of the Child Support Agency replied to my hon. Friend about this case on 8 February 1994.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which benefit or benefits claimants of incapacity benefit will receive while their claims after 197 days are being assessed and in the 1994–95 financial year, what level of funding this will represent(a) for each individual per week and (b) in the full financial year per individual; what is the total spend nationally on such benefits in the financial year 1994–95; and what is his planned spend on incapacity benefit for the financial years 1995–96, 1996–97 and 1997–98.

  Mr. Scott
  After 28 weeks of incapacity, incapacity benefit recipients will receive the higher rate short-term benefit. They will receive this rate of benefit while they are being assessed under the new objective medical incapacity test. As the new benefit will not be implemented until April 1995, there are no financial implications for the financial year 1994–95. The estimated total cost of incapacity benefit for the years 1995–96 and 1996–97 is £8,100 million and £7,550 million respectively. A figure for 1997–98 is not yet available.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list, by county area, those magistrates courts which have been closed since April 1992 and those magistrates courts which he expects to be closed by April 1995.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The provision of magistrates' courthouse accommodation is a matter for the courts'
  397
  committee for the area concerned in conjunction with the local paying authority; there is no requirement of notification to the Lord Chancellor. The Department has no central record of the number of magistrates' courthouses that have been closed or are scheduled to be closed. A local authority that is aggrieved by a decision of a magistrates court committee to close a courthouse has the right of appeal to the Lord Chancellor. In 1993 the Lord Chancellor dealt with six appeals. There are no appeals currently outstanding.

  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received from representatives of outer London magistrates courts concerning the Police and Magistrates' Courts Bill[Lords].

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor has received 118 responses from representatives of the outer London magistrates courts service to the consultation documents issued by his Department. In addition to this he has received in the region of 80 letters from hon. Members for constituencies in the outer London area concerning the Police and Magistrates' Courts Bill. There have been approximately 300 letters from members of the magistrates courts service overall and other interested bodies; it is not possible, however, to give an accurate figure of those from representatives of the outer London service since this information is not recorded. The Lord Chancellor and I have also met representatives of the outer London action group, and the Lord Chancellor will continue to correspond with them.

  Courts (Opinion Surveys)
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what surveys to obtain the views of those using the courts system were carried out between 1 July 1992 to 30 June 1993; and what were the results of these surveys.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Between 1 July 1992 and 30 June 1993, local surveys of court users were conducted by 15 courts and a national survey of court users was conducted by the National Consumer Council. Generally, the surveys showed that the improved standard of customer service in the courts was well received, although areas for improvement were also highlighted.

  Crown Courts
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many Crown court centres(a) had and (b) had not established an information point by July 1993.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Eighty eight Crown court centres had established information points and four had not.

  Juveniles (Non-attendance at Court)
  Mr. Marland
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, on how many occasions cases have had to be postponed because juveniles in the care of a local authority have failed to attend in the latest convenient period for which figures are available; and what is the average cost of each such case.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  This information is not available and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.
  398

  Juries
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what proportion of jurors sat on trials on days when they attended a Crown court in 1993.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Of the total number of days attended by jurors in the Crown court during 1993, days or part-days spent sitting on trials accounted for just over 77 per cent.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when new versions of(a) the summons letter to jurors and (b) the explanatory leaflet for jurors were last issued.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  New versions of the jury summons and the explanatory leaflet for jurors were issued in April 1993. These were brought into immediate use except in London where, for technical reasons, introduction was deferred until November 1993.

  Witness Summonses
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what measures have been taken since July 1992 to make the order to witnesses to attend court clearer and less formal.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Since last May, recipients of witness orders have also been given an explanatory letter from the clerk to the justices which sets out in clear, easily understood terms, what the witness can expect to happen in the Crown court. We will be putting forward proposals to remove the requirement to serve witness orders, when the next legislative opportunity arises. Witnesses will continue to receive the explanatory letter as this contains all the relevant information about their attendance at court.

  Visa Applications's
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the current waiting time for appeals to be heard against refusal of settlement visa applications from spouses and fiances or fiancees in India.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The immigration appellate authorities do not differentiate between countries of origin in allocating hearing dates. The current average time between the IAA receiving a certificate of readiness from a party to the date of a long, three-hour, hearing in London and at the provincial centres are as follows:

  Weeks

  Thanet House

  14

  Hatton Cross

  12

  Birmingham

  10

  Manchester

  14

  Leeds

  8

  Glasgow

  11

  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the current waiting time for appeals to be heard against refusal of settlement visa applications from spouses and fiances or fiancees in Pakistan.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The immigration appellate authorities do not differentiate between countries of origin
  399
  in allocating hearing dates. The current average time between the IAA receiving a certificate of readiness from a party to the date of a long, three-hour, hearing in London and at the provincial centres are as follows:

  Weeks

  Thanet House

  14

  Hatton Cross

  12

  Birmingham

  10

  Manchester

  14

  Leeds

  8

  Glasgow

  11

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the hon. Member for South Hams may expect an answer to his letter of 24 January concerning the matter of Miss Hale's court case proceedings with the central London county court and the legal aid system.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I aim to reply to hon. Members' letters within 20 working days of receipt, although of course I always attempt to deal with urgent matters well within that time. I expect to reply to the substantive issues raised in the letter referred to within the normal target period, but there are a number of issues which may require further investigation.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who are the members currently appointed to each of the advisory committees on legal education and conduct.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  [holding answer 3 February 1994]: The current membership of the Lord Chancellor's advisory committee on legal education and conduct is set out below. The membership of sub-committees of the main committee is an internal matter for the main committee, which is independent of the Lord Chancellor's Department.

  Membership of the Lord Chancellor's advisory committee on legal education and conduct—at 3 February 1994

  Mrs. Liliana Archibald

  Professor Richard Card

  His Honour Judge John Gower QC

  Eric Hammond OBE

  Brian Harvey

  John Hosking CBE

  Patrick Lefevre

  Luke March

  The Reverend Dr. Colin Morris

  Dr. Claire Palley

  Ms Usha Prashar

  Nicholas Purnell QC

  Peter Scott QC

  Graham Smith CBE

  David Ward

  David Wilkins

  The Committee's current chairman is Lord Justice Steyn.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who are the members currently appointed to each of the advisory committees on general commissioners of income tax.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  [holding answer 3 February 1994]: This information can be provided only at
  400
  disproportionate cost. At 1 January 1994 there were 78 advisory committees with a total of 483 members. If the hon. Member wishes me to give the names of members of particular advisory committees I shall be pleased to do so.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who are the members currently appointed to each of the advisory committees on general commissioners of income tax for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  [holding answer 3 February 1994]: The names of the members currently appointed to the two advisory committees on general commissioners of income tax for Northern Ireland are as follows:

  Eastern advisory committee

  Chairman:

  Colonel J. E. Wilson

  Members:

  W. J. Hall, Esq

  M. W. S. MacLaran, Esq

  Miss C. MacMahon

  Mrs. J. Stewart

  Sir Myles Humphries

  J. J. Leslie, Esq, DL

  Western advisory committee

  Chairman:

  J. T. Eaton, Esq

  Members:

  G. Broderick, Esq

  D. F. Desmond, Esq

  J. Grew, Esq

  Mrs. M. I. G.Welsh

  R. W. Wilson, Esq

  C. A. J. Anderson, Esq

  W. D. Smyth, Esq

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who are the members currently appointed to each of the advisory committees on justices of the peace in England.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  [holding answer 3 February 1994]: The Lord Chancellor is responsible for the appointment of members of advisory committees in England and Wales with the exception of the Duchy of Lancaster where it is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy. Within the Lord Chancellor's area of responsibility there are 94 advisory committees with a total membership of 940. There is no secrecy about the membership of advisory committees but to provide the names of every member could only be achieved at disproportionate cost. If the hon. Member wishes to know the names of the members of a particular advisory committee, the Minister responsible will be pleased to oblige.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Royal Palaces
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 1 February, what is the total rent received from the accommodation of the occupied royal palaces listed in his answer; what is the range of rentals; and how many of the rented units have(a) four bedrooms and (b) five bedrooms.

  Mr. Sproat
  Of the 54 properties listed rent is paid by those occupying 11. The rent amounts in aggregate to
  401
  £22,704 per annum. The rent is set at 6 per cent. of the occupant's after-tax salary, which is equivalent to a deduction of 8.5 per cent. of pre-tax salary. Of the 11 apartments in respect of which rent is paid, five have four bedrooms, one has five bedrooms and one has six bedrooms. A further £46,000 per annum is paid in respect of other residential properties not included in the 54 referred to above, making a total rent deduction of £69,000 per annum. In addition to this the benefit of housing taken into account in determining wage and salary levels in the household's new grading structure amounts to approximately £480,000 per annum.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what records are kept of the official use of the official reception rooms at the accommodation for members of the royal family in the occupied royal palaces;

  (2) by what criteria residents are selected for the grace and favour accommodation at the occupied royal palaces.

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 7 February 1994]: My Department has overall responsibility for the maintenance of the properties within the occupied royal palaces estate. How these properties should best be used, either by members of the royal family or by employees and pensioners, in fulfilling the requirements and functions of the head of state is however a matter for Her Majesty the Queen.

  Grace and favour accommodation is provided to members of the royal family in accordance with long-established practice. It is in keeping with the style and dignity of the monarchy and national prestige that the more immediate members of the royal family should be appropriately housed and a London residence is needed to entertain and undertake official duties on behalf of the Queen. How members of the royal family use the apartments allocated to them in fulfilling their duties in support of the Queen as head of state, including the use of official receptions rooms, are also matters for Her Majesty the Queen.

  The criteria adopted when allocating residential accommodation to employees and pensioners are summarised below.

  As regards employees, accommodation is provided to facilitate the better performance of the person's duties and recruitment and retention, in line with long-established practice. Apartments are allocated to employees by broad category of post and by location—for example, mews stable staff in London are housed in the flats above the London mews stables—or according to the post which they hold—for example, there are apartments in St. James's palace which have been occupied by successive masters of the household, marshals of the diplomatic corps and keepers of the privy purse—or according to need and availability, with available accommodation being allocated to staff whom the household most requires to be housed. There are approximately 500 official employees in the royal households and accommodation is not therefore available to all staff.

  Official staff may be provided with accommodation on retirement if they have been housed as employees for 20 years or more and if finding their own accommodation after such a long period would cause difficulties and be a poor reward for long and loyal service. It is accordingly generally only the more junior employees who are provided with pensioner accommodation.
  402
  There are in addition to the 23 pensioners who were previously official employees and who are provided with accommodation, four grace and favour pensioners, all of whom were provided with accommodation some time ago. There are unlikely to be grace and favour pensioners in the future. Grace and favour pension accommodation is provided at the Queen's discretion. The military knights are retired Army officers who have some ceremonial duties to perform at Windsor castle and are required to live there. Nominations are submitted by the Defence Secretary for approval by the Queen.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 3 February,Official Report, columns 846–47, to the right hon. Member for Swansea, West on the costs of refurbishment at occupied royal palaces, what information is available on refurbishment costs in 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 8 February 1994]: In 1990–91 information on recorded expenditure is not readily available. However, the following sums were included in budgets:

  £000s

  Kensington palace

  Apartment 1A (HRH The Princess Margaret)

  25

  Apartment 1 (TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester)

  8

  Apartment 10 (TRH The Prince and Princess Michael of Kent)

  11

  St. James palace

  Clarence House

  Apartment in the occupation of Her Majesty

  Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother

  35

  Total

  79

  In 1989–90, the expenditure was:

  Kensington palace

  Apartment 1A

  19

  Apartment 1

  13

  Apartment 10

  23

  Total

  55

  St. James's palace

  No recorded expenditure

  National Lottery
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the percentage restriction on the commission of the national lottery pools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sproat
  None. The percentages will be proposed by the applicants within the competitive tendering process organised by the director general.

  Unicorn Heritage plc
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 621, on remission of debts on grants, (1) what alternatives were considered before writing off the loss of Unicorn Heritage plc on what grounds none of them were considered feasible; and what actions were taken to effect recovery of the sum loaned;

  (2) what appraisal was made of Unicorn Heritage plc before writing off its losses and the money loaned to it.
  403
  Mr. Sproat
  The alternative to writing off the debt owed by Unicorn Heritage plc would have been to ask the English tourist board to continue to seek recovery of the debt. This alternative was not considered feasible because it was clear there was no further practical action that the board would take, since the company's liquidators had stated categorically that there were no funds available to repay unsecured creditors.

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

  Mr. Sproat
  Since the establishment of my Department, none of the non-departmental public bodies which it sponsors have been abolished and none have been created.

  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what are his powers of direction in respect of chairmen of non-departmental public bodies funded by his Department.

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 7 February 1994]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State does not have powers of direction in respect of the chairman of non-departmental public bodies funded by my Department. It is the boards of such bodies which are subject to certain provisions as regards direction in legislation and the financial memoranda setting out the relationship between the Department and each body.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (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 have been so notified and consulted upon since the establishment of his Department;

  (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. Sproat
  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.

  Grants (Remission of Debts)
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 621, on remission of debts on grants, what is the delegated limit of a grant that can be written off by a sponsored body.

  Mr. Sproat
  Different conditions and levels of delegation have been agreed over time for each body sponsored by my Department. The levels are set in the bodies' financial memoranda and may be changed when the financial memoranda are reviewed or when new central guidance is issued. If the hon. Member would care to write to me separately saying which particular body or bodies he is interested in, I will provide him with the appropriate information.
  404

  Taiwanese Tourists
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many tourists are reported to have arrived in this country from Taiwan in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Sproat
  According to the international passenger survey, the number of Taiwanese residents visiting the United Kingdom was 32,000 in 1990, 34,000 in 1991 and 40,000 in 1992, the latest available year. All these estimates are subject to sampling error.

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

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 7 February 1994]: My Department has two paper shredding machines, one of which is in the Secretary of State's private office.

PRIME MINISTER

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

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

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

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

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has had from professors of law in Scotland about the issue of precedent, and the possibility of holding a trial of the alleged Libyan suspects for the bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received no such representations.

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy at his forthcoming meeting with his Irish counterpart to discuss the Irish Government's view of THORP.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) of 2 February,Official Report, column 702, if he will raise with the Presidents of the European Commission and European Council of Ministers

  405
  the possibility of making an exception to the convention of confidentiality covering correspondence between the Commission and member states in the case of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will seek to establish from Lord Justice Scott whether he objects to the release by Government Departments of memoranda and other documents that they have submitted for consideration by his inquiry.

  The Prime Minister
  No. Lord Justice Scott has discretion, subject to consultation on sensitive and classified material, to publish evidence submitted to his inquiry in his final report. The Government do not intend to anticipate his decisions.

  Cabinet Committees
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish an updated list of the ministerial committees of the Cabinet.

  The Prime Minister
  An updated list of the ministerial committees of the Cabinet, giving their composition and terms of reference, is given below. Copies of this list are available in the Library of the House.

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC AND DOMESTIC POLICY (EDP)

  Composition

  Prime Minister (Chairman)

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  President of the Board of Trade

  Lord Privy Seal

  Lord President of the Council

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Other Ministers will be invited to attend for items in which they have a departmental interest.

  Terms of Reference

  "To consider strategic issues relating to the Government's economic and domestic policies."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE AND OVERSEAS POLICY (OPD)

  Composition

  Prime Minister (Chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Attorney-General

  The Chief of Defence Staff will attend as required, as will the Chiefs of Staff when necessary.

  Terms of Reference

  "To keep under review the Government's defence and overseas policy."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE GULF (OPDG)

  Composition

  Prime Minister (Chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Attorney General

  406
  The Chief of the Defence Staff will be invited to attend meetings of the Committee, others will be invited to attend as appropriate.

  Terms of Reference

  "To keep under review developments in the Gulf region and to co-ordinate any necessary action."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON NUCLEAR DEFENCE POLICY (OPDN)

  Composition

  Prime Minister (Chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Terms of Reference

  "To keep under review the Government's policy on nuclear defence."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN SECURITY (OPDSE)

  Composition

  Prime Minister (Chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Terms of Reference

  "To keep under review arrangements for defence and security in Europe."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON HONG KONG AND OTHER DEPENDENT TERRITORIES (OPDK)

  Composition

  Prime Minister (Chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Lord President of the Council

  Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Others, including the Attorney General, the Governor of Hong Kong, and the British Ambassador in Peking may be invited. to attend as appropriate.

  Terms of Reference

  "To keep under review the implementation of the agreement with the Chinese on the future of Hong Kong and the implications of that agreement for the Government of Hong Kong and the wellbeing of its people; and to keep under review as necessary the Government's policy towards other Dependent Territories."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON NORTHERN IRELAND (NI)

  Composition

  Prime Minister (Chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Attorney General

  Other Ministers will be invited to attend as the nature of the business requires.

  Terms of Reference

  "To oversee the Government's policy on Northern Ireland issues and relations with the Republic of Ireland on these matters."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (EDS)

  Composition

  Prime Minister (Chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  407

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Education

  Secretary of State for Health

  Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  The Chief Scientific Adviser is in attendance

  Terms of Reference

  "To review science and technology policy"

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICES (IS)

  Composition

  Prime Minister (Chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  The Lord President of the Council and the Attorney General may be invited to attend as appropriate.

  Terms of Reference

  "To keep under review policy on the security and intelligence services."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS (EDI)

  Composition

  Lord Privy Seal (Chairman)

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Lord President of the Council

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Terms of reference

  'To consider industrial, commercial, and consumer issues including questions of competition and deregulation."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT (EDE)

  Composition

  Lord Privy Seal (Chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for National Heritage

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Terms of Reference

  "To consider questions of environmental policy."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON HOME AND SOCIAL AFAIRS (EDH)

  Composition

  Lord Privy Seal (Chairman)

  Lord Chancellor

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Lord President of the Council

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  408

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Secretary of State for Social Security

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for National Heritage

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  Secretary of State for Education

  Secretary of State for Health

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Parliamentary Secretary, Treasury

  The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Attorney General, the Lord Advocate and the Captain of the Gentlemen at Arms also receive papers and are invited to attend as necessary.

  Terms of reference

  "To consider home and social policy issues."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT (EDL)

  Composition

  Lord Privy Seal (Chairman)

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Lord President of the Council

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for National Heritage

  Secretary of State for Social Security

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Education

  Secretary of State for Health

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Minister for Local Government and Planning)

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Terms of Reference

  "To consider issues affecting local government, including the annual allocation of resources."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON REGENERATION (EDR)

  Composition

  Lord Privy Seal (Chairman)

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Education

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Minister for Housing, Inner Cities and Construction)

  The Secretaries of State for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales should be invited to attend as appropriate.

  Terms of Reference

  "To consider regeneration policies and their co-ordination."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC EXPENDITURE (EDX)

  Composition

  Chancellor of the Exchequer (Chairman)

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  President of the Board of Trade

  Lord Privy Seal

  Lord President of the Council

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Terms of Reference

  "To consider the allocation of the public expenditure control totals and make recommendations to the Cabinet."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE QUEEN'S SPEECHES AND FUTURE LEGISLATION (FLG)

  Composition

  Lord President of the Council (Chairman)

  409

  Lord Chancellor

  Lord Privy Seal

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Attorney General

  Lord Advocate

  Parliamentary Secretary, Treasury

  Financial Secretary, Treasury

  Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms

  The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs should be invited to attend or be represented for discussion of the Queen's speeches.

  Terms of Reference

  "To prepare and submit to the Cabinet drafts of the Queen's Speeches to Parliament, and proposals for the Government's legislative programme for each Session of Parliament."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION (LG)

  Composition

  Lord President of the Council (Chairman)

  Lord Chancellor

  Lord Privy Seal

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Attorney General

  Lord Advocate

  Parliamentary Secretary, Treasury

  Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Minister of State, Home Office

  Financial Secretary, Treasury

  Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms

  Terms of Reference

  'To examine all draft Bills; to consider the Parliamentary handling of Government Bills, European Community documents and Private Members' business, and such other related matters as may be necessary; and to keep under review the Government's policy in relation to issues of Parliamentary procedures."

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON HEALTH STRATEGY (EDH(H))

  Composition

  Lord President of the Council (Chairman)

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for Social Security

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  Secretary of State for Education

  Secretary of State for Health

  Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Paymaster General

  Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry

  Minister of State, Department of Employment

  Minister of State, Department of Health (Minister for Health)

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of National Heritage

  The Chief Medical Officer is in attendance.

  Terms of reference

  "To oversee the development, implementation and monitoring of the Government's health strategy, to co-ordinate the Government's policies on United Kingdom-wide issues affecting health, and report as necessary to the Ministerial Committee on Home and Social Affairs."

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SECTOR PAY (EDI(P))

  Composition

  Lord Privy Seal (Chairman)

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  410

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Secretary of State for Social Security

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Education

  Secretary of State for Health

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Terms of reference

  "To co-ordinate the handling of pay issues in the public sector and report as necessary to the Ministerial Committee on Industrial, Commercial and Consumer Affairs."

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN QUESTIONS (OPD(E))

  Composition

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Chairman)

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Lord President of the Council

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Attorney General

  Parliamentary Secretary, Treasury

  Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Other Ministers will be invited to attend as the nature of the business requires

  The United Kingdom Permanent Representative to the European Communities is also in attendance.

  Terms of reference

  "To consider questions relating to the United Kingdom's membership of the European Community and to report as necessary to the Ministerial Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy."

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON EASTERN EUROPE (OPD(AE))

  Composition

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Chairman)

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Minister for Overseas Development

  Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Other Ministers may be invited to attend as the nature of the business requires.

  Terms of Reference

  "To consider questions relating to Britain's policy of assisting change in the former Soviet republics and other former Communist countries in Europe and report as necessary to the Ministerial Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy."

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON TERRORISM (OPD(T))

  Composition

  Secretary of State for the Home Department (Chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  Attorney General

  Terms of Reference

  "To keep under review the arrangements for countering terrorism

  411
  and for dealing with terrorist incidents and their consequences and to report as necessary to the Ministerial Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy."

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON LONDON (EDL(L))

  Composition

  Secretary of State for the Environment (Chairman)

  Minister of State, Home Office

  Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Minister for Industry)

  Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Minister for Housing, Inner Cities and Construction)

  Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Minister for Local Government and Planning)

  Minister of State, Department of Social Security (Minister for Social Security and Disabled People)

  Minister of State, Department for Education

  Minister of State, Department of Health (Minister for Health)

  Minister of State, Department of Employment

  Economic Secretary, Treasury

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport (Minister for Transport in London)

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of National Heritage

  Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service and Science

  Terms of Reference

  "To co-ordinate the Government's policies on London."

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON DRUG MISUSE (EDH(D))

  Composition

  Lord President of the Council (Chairman)

  Solicitor General

  Paymaster General

  Minister of State, Home Office

  Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Ministry of Defence

  Minister of State, Scottish Office

  Minister of State, Department of Health (Minister for Health)

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Welsh Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools, Department for Education

  Others, including the Minister for Overseas Development and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State from the Departments of the Environment and Employment may be invited to attend as appropriate and should receive all papers.

  Terms of Reference

  "To co-ordinate the Government's national and international policies for tackling drugs misuse, and report as necessary to the Ministerial Committee on Home and Social Affairs."

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON WOMEN'S ISSUES (EDH(W))

  Composition

  Secretary of State for Employment (Chairman)

  Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Paymaster General

  Minister of State, Department for Education

  Minister of State, Scottish Office

  Minister of State, Welsh Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs and Small Finns, Department of Trade and Industry

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security

  Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service and Science

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Employment

  The Minister of State, Minister for the Armed Forces, Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office will also receive papers and be invited to attend as necessary.
  412
  Terms of Reference

  "To review and develop the Government's policy and strategy on issues of special concern to women: to oversee their implementation; and to report as necessary to the Ministerial Committee on Home and Social Affairs".

  MINISTERIAL GROUP ON REFUGEES FROM FORMER YUGOSLAVIA (GEN 24)

  Composition

  Secretary of State for the Home Department (Chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  The Lord President of the Council

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Secretary of State for Social Security

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Education

  Secretary of State for Health

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Attorney-General

  Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (Minister for Overseas Development)

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office

  The Secretary of State for Transport and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will also receive papers and be invited to attend as necessary.

  Terms of Reference

  "To consider whether a visa regime should be instituted for citizens of former Yugoslavia in the context of the Government's overall policy towards that region and to review the practical arrangements for the reception and subsequent support of those arriving in the United Kingdom from this area taking account of the implications for the treatment of refugees from other parts of the world, and to report to Cabinet."

  MINISTERIAL GROUP ON SANCTIONS AGAINST THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA (GEN 27)

  Composition

  Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth office(Chairman)

  Paymaster General

  Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Minister for Trade)

  Minister of State for Aviation and Shipping, Department of Transport

  Minister of State for Defence Procurement, Ministry of Defence Economic Secretary, Treasury

  Terms of Reference

  "To keep under review the implementation of the sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia imposed under United Nations Security Council Resolutions 757, 787 and 820, and to report to the Ministerial Committee on Overseas and Defence Policy as necessary."

  Press Secretary's Office
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the salary, grading and scale attaching to the post of press secretary to the Prime Minister, the number of staff accountable to the press secretary and the total cost of the press secretary's office in the last financial year.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 9 February 1994]: My present press secretary holds a rank equivalent to home civil service grade 2, the salary range for which is £64,307 to £75,328. Nine members of staff are accountable to him. The total cost of the No. 10 press office for the financial year 1992–93 was £621,760.
  413

  Regional Airports
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 2 February,Official Report, column 702, if he will be replying direct to the representations made to him by the chief executive of Manchester Airport plc. in regard to liberalising access to regional airports; if a copy of the reply will be placed in the Library; and by when he expects the reply to have been sent.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 9 February 1994]: A reply will be sent shortly.

  Moscow (Visit)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will raise the issue of the slaughter of seal pups in Russia with Boris Yeltsin during his visit to Moscow.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 9 February 1994]: I do not expect to do so. However the Russian authorities are aware of the public concern in the United Kingdom, and our embassy will continue to raise this subject with the Russians whenever the opportunity arises.

EMPLOYMENT

  Manufacturing Earnings
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the weekly United Kingdom earnings figures for manufacturing shown in the November issue of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development main economic indicators adjusted to the same base date as the corresponding figures in table 18.11 of the September issue of the "Monthly Digest of Statistics"; what is the figure in the latter table; and what factors lay behind the discrepancy.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The weekly manufacturing earnings figures for Great Britain, compiled by the OECD from published figures and shown in the November issue of OECD main economic indicators are incorrect. The figures in the latest, January 1994 edition, accurately reflect the manufacturing earnings figures published in the monthly digest of statistics converted to a base date of 1985.

  The earnings indices shown in table 18.11 of the monthly digest of statistics are the results of the monthly wages and salaries survey by the Employment Department.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who are the members currently appointed to the Women's National Commission.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  As Government co-chairman, Baroness Denton of Wakefield, Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, is the only appointed member of the Women's National Commission, WNC. The 50-member organisations of the WNC chooses its own representatives to sit on the commission.
  414

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the United Kingdom are currently unemployed, economically active, but not in receipt of unemployment benefit; and what were the equivalent figures for May 1979.

  Miss Widdecombe
  For the current data, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlisle) on 26 January 1994,Official Report, column 285–86. The equivalent information for 1979 is not available.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people would have been registered as unemployed in 1978 if the figures had been treated on the same basis as 1994.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Claimant unemployment figures based on the current coverage of the count are available from the Department's consistent seasonally adjusted series. This gives the average level of claimant unemployment in the United Kingdom in 1978 as 1,144,000.

  Consultancies
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the value of consultancy contracts awarded by his Department each year since 1979, both in current prices and at constant 1994 prices.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Housing Co-operatives
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met representatives of organisations representing housing co-operatives to discuss funding and strategy; what is his policy regarding the development of housing co-operatives; what criteria he applies when determining financial assistance to housing co-operatives; what plans he has to encourage the development of housing co-operatives; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  There is no housing co-operative movement in Northern Ireland. As there is no demand for housing co-operatives, there are no plans at present to encourage their development.

  General National Vocational Qualifications
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what plans he has to introduce general national vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland's schools and colleges; what representations he has received concerning GNVQs in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what study his Department has made of the provision of general national vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland's schools and colleges; what reports his Department has commissioned into their provision; if he will make the results of the reports available to both the House and the general public; and if he will make a statement.
  415
  Mr. Ancram
  General national vocational qualifications, GNVQs, were introduced into a small number of schools and further education colleges in Northern Ireland in September 1992. The Northern Ireland Department of Education inspectorate carried out a survey of this provision during the 1992–93 academic year, which concluded that a satisfactory start had been made. Indeed, first results indicate that the proportion of Northern Ireland students who achieved a full GNVQ at intermediate level at the end of 1992–93 was significantly higher than the national average. While I have no plans to publish that survey I intend to publish a report on the present, much larger, phase of GNVQs at the end of current academic year.

  Private Patient Facilities
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much income by region has been generated by private patient facilities in national health service hospitals in each year since 1987–88.

  Mr. Amcram
  The information requested is as follows:

  Year

  £

  1987–88

  1,551,399

  1988–89

  1,941,697

  1989–90

  1,954,145

  1990–91

  2,049,903

  1991–92

  2,429,774

  1992–93

  3,179,440

  NHS Redundancies
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of redundancies among national health service hospital staff(a) by grade and (b) by reason for each year since 1988–89.

  Mr. Ancram
  This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Date

  Country

  Purpose

  Lord Advocate

  16–17 May 1992

  France

  Franco-British Legal Conference

  19–22 May 1992

  Belgium

  Meeting of Presidents and Senior Prosecutors of the Supreme Courts of the Member States of the European Communities

  7–8 October 1992

  United States of America

  Meeting with Assistant Attorney General Mueller regarding Lockerbie investigation

  14 November 1992

  France

  Speech to Journées sur les Justices D'Europe

  26–27 March 1993

  Eire

  Address on Subsidiarity to Bar European Group Conference

  13–15 September 1993

  United States of America

  Meetings regarding Lockerbie with new Assistant Attorney General

  9 October 1993

  Austria

  Council of Europe Summit Meeting

  15–19 November 1993

  Mauritius

  Conference of Commonwealth Law Ministers

  Solicitor-General

  9–10 June 1992

  Cyprus

  18th European Ministers of Justice Conference

  3–7 August 1992

  Canada

  Reform of Criminal Evidence Conference

  8 December 1992

  France

  Representing Her Majesty's Government in case of McMichael v. United Kingdom

  3–8 May 1993

  Cyprus

  10th Commonwealth Law Conference

  22 June 1993

  Switzerland

  Informal meeting of European Ministers of Justice

  The cost of such travel is not recorded in a form which allows the amounts for each visit to be identified, and not
  416

  Consultancies
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the value of consultancy contracts awarded by his Department each year since 1979, both in current prices and at constant 1994 prices.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The latest available information is for external consultancy contracts awarded in the 1992–93 financial year, which amounted to the value of £16,399,560. This, at constant 1994 prices, would be £16,932,545.

SCOTLAND

  Minor Surgery
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will increase the amount of minor surgical procedures which can be undertaken by each general practitioner in each quarter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 26 May 1993,Official Report, columns 498–99.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the(a) date, (b) country of destination, (c) purpose and (d) cost of each official visit abroad made by (i) the Lord Advocate and (ii) the Solicitor-General for Scotland since their appointments; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The details of the overseas visits by my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor-General for Scotland are as follows:

  all costs are necessarily borne by the Crown Office. Nevertheless, the total cost of Ministers' overseas visits is estimated to be in the order of £10,000.
  417

  Forestry Commission (Privatisation)
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek the advice of the new advisory panel on sustainable development on the issue of the privatisation of the Forestry Commission.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The forestry review group has been asked to review the options for the ownership and management of Forestry Commission woodlands in which privatisation is only one of the options being considered by the group. Forestry Ministers will consider what advice, further to that to be offered shortly by the review group, we should seek in coming to decisions. A full process of consultation is planned.

  Cervical Smears
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the average time that patients currently wait for the results of cervical smear tests in each health board area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies that I gave the hon. Member for Cunninghame, South (Mr. Donohoe),Official Report, 21 January column 759, 3 February, column 929 and 4 February, column 962.

  Stolen Equipment
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a list of the equipment stolen or lost from his Department in the last five years for which information is available; and what was the approximate value of each item.

  Mr. Lang
  A variety of minor items are periodically reported missing. The following more substantial items have been formally recorded since 1988 as losses to the Scottish Office, including those attributable to theft.

  Year and Item

  Approximate value

  £

  1988

  Cash

  400

  1989

  Motor Car

  2,000

  Furniture/Machinery

  3,800

  1990

  Furniture

  1,595

  1991

  Video Equipment

  749

  1992

  Video Equipment

  359

  Motor Car

  2,650

  Computer Equipment

  3,500

  Scottish Grand Committee
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to implement the changes to the procedures of the Scottish Grand Committee set out in the White Paper, "Scotland in the Union: A Partnership for Good".
  418
  Mr. Lang
  I am today placing in the Library of the House proposed amendments to standing orders and an explanatory note. The amendments will implement our commitment in the White Paper to expand the role of the Scottish Grand Committee. They reflect discussions I have had with the Opposition parties. The amendments provide for the Grand Committee:

  to consider the principle of Bills relating exclusively to Scotland;

  to hold debates on subordinate legislation;

  to hold up to 12 general debates a year, with Opposition parties able to choose subjects for some of them;

  to put questions to Ministers, both from the House of Commons and the House of Lords;

  to receive oral statements from Ministers; and

  to hold adjournment debates.

  The amendments will be tabled in due course.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the members currently appointed to each of the health boards in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow, (Dr. Godman), Official Report, column 52.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the members currently appointed to each of the national health services trusts in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 4 February 1994]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman), Official Report, column 53.

HEALTH

  GP Fundholders
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practices have received the preparatory management allowance for general practice fundholding in two or more years running; and in which family health service authority and regional health authority they are located.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is available from regional health authorities, which manage the general practitioner fundholding scheme.

  Patient Transport Service
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether she has received a copy of the arbitration decision in respect of the patient transport service contract for North Staffordshire;

  (2) who were the arbiters in respect of the appeal by the Staffordshire ambulance trust against the letting of the patient transport services contract in North Staffordshire by the North Staffordshire hospital trust in respect of services for the North Staffordshire trust and North Staffordshire health authority combined health care;

  (3) if she will place in the Library a copy of the arbitration procedure and decision in respect of patient transport services contract for North Staffordshire.

  Mr. Sackville
  The issue was the subject of conciliation, not arbitration. The conciliators were the
  419
  chief executive of West Midlands health and a representative of the National Health Service Management Executive. Copies of the letters sent to all parties following conciliation, along with guidance on the conciliation process used, EL(91)11 and EL(93)10, will be placed in the Library.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation the North Staffordshire district health authority undertook with local authorities in respect of the comprehensiveness of their patient transport services specification in so far as it related to combined health care services in accordance with the commitments given in "Forward in Health: Health Strategy and the Authority's Business Plan in 1993–94 and 1994–95."

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for North Staffordshire health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman, Mr. M. J. Proctor, for details.

  NHS Management Costs
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the annual cost of national health service management in the parliamentary constituency of Dewsbury(a) in 1987–88 and (b) in 1992–93.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The pay costs for national health service managers within Dewsbury health authority, amounted to £97,529 in 1987–88 and £1,125,119 in 1992–93. The figures need to be treated with great caution. Managerial staff consists of general and senior managers who did not exist as a separate staff group prior to 1986.

  The number of managers in the NHS generally has been deliberately increased since the mid-1980s—not just since the reforms—as the service was previously under managed. Much of the increase arises from the re-classification of existing professional and administrative staff. Salaries and wage costs incurred by family health services authorities are excluded, as corresponding costs are not identified on the same basis.

  Source: Health authority accounts.

  NHS Private Facilities
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been treated in national health service hospitals private facilities in each year since 1987–88.

  Mr. Sackville
  The available information is shown in the table. Data from the hospital episode statistics for earlier years are incomplete and do not provide sufficient coverage to make reliable estimates.

  England: Private Patients—1989–92

  Year

  Number

  1989–90

  83,478

  1990–91

  81,366

  11991–92

  89,863

  1Provisional estimates.

  Source:SD2A, Hospital Episode Statistics.
  420

  Chatham Dockyard
  Dame Peggy Fenner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to conduct a joint survey with the Ministry of Defence and the Medway community health doctor to monitor the health of the former work force of the nuclear division of Chatham dockyard.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department has no immediate plans to undertake such a survey.

  Birth Defects
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment has been made of the proportion and number by which folic acid intake by mothers-to-be would reduce spinal and related developmental problems in babies;

  (2) what action is being taken with the Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus to make sure that mothers-to-be are aware of the importance of folic acid;

  (3) for how long before conception and for how long after mothers-to-be are recommended to consider folic acid intake; and what proportion of mothers-to-be know of the need to consume folic acid;

  (4) if she will promote in medical and general media issues of pre-conception and pre-birth maternal health as news and current affairs issues;

  (5) what assessment has been made by her Department as to whether folic acid reduces spinal and related development problems in babies.

  Mr. Sackville
  The report of the Medical Research Council study in July 1991 showed that women who had had a previous baby affected by neural tube defect, such as spina bifida, who increased their intake of folic acid prior to and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy significantly reduced the risk of having a further affected baby by 72 per cent. The Government set up an expert advisory group at once and its report "Folic Acid and the Prevention of Neural Tube Defects" confirmed this advice. In addition all women who were planning a pregnancy were also advised to take folic acid but in a lower dose. A copy of this report is available in the Library.

  This advice was disseminated very widely to the health services. The Health Education Authority updated its publications to include the new guidance. The Department of Health has also publicised these findings in the press and media and this will continue. Posters and leaflets which complement those issued by the Association of Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus have been distributed widely within the national health service and to professional and voluntary bodies and continue to be available free of charge. The Government are also promoting advice to eat a healthy diet which includes more fresh fruit and vegetables. This will also increase folic acid intakes.

  Road Accidents
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is responsible for liaison with the Department of Transport in respect of the implications of road traffic accidents on health policy; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  A task force, which comprises representatives of 11 Government Departments, including the Departments of Health and of Transport, has been
  421
  established to advise on the achievement of the targets for reductions in accidents set in the "Health of the Nation" White Paper. It has set two main objectives: the identification of outstanding research needs for the prevention of accidents and the improvement of the range and compatibility of information collected on the cause, severity and consequences of accidental injuries. A progress report will be issued later this year.

  Cancer Screening
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to instigate a cancer screening programme for men over 50 years of age, for the detection of bowel of prostate gland cancer.

  Mr. Sackville
  The key aim of any screening programme must be to secure a demonstrable improvement in health by increasing length of life and enhancing quality of life. For neither of these cancers have effective screening methods yet been found, though with regard to bowel cancer especially, substantial research is underway into possible screeing methods and the identification of people at higher risk. Prostate cancer screening is a research priority for the Department of Health.

  Elderly People
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how may and what proportion of the total population was aged(a) over 60 and (b) over 65 years in 1978 and the most recent year for which statistics are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.

  Estimated resident population of England and Wales

  (thousands)

  Mid-1978

  Mid-1992

  Total population

  49,443

  51,277

  Population aged 60 and over—

  9,865

  10,695

  Percentage of total population

  (20.0)

  (20.9)

  Population aged 65 and over—

  7,316

  8,162

  Percentage of total population

  (14.8)

  (15.9)

  EC Services Directive
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health with effect from what date she has applied the EC services directive to(a) the notification to existing contractors that the contract they currently hold is being let, (b) the timetable for the preparation of bids, (c) the timetable for the evaluation of bids, (d) the notification of the announcement of the successful bid and (e) the time-lapse between the start of the process and the announcement of the successful bidder.

  Mr. Sackville
  The European Community services directive has applied to all services market tested, if listed in the directive, since 1 July 1993.

  Psychiatric Facilities
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the total capital receipts from sale of psychiatric facilities in each year since 1979.
  422
  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is not separately identifiable in the information collected centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairmen of regional health authorities for details.

  Fertility Treatment
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients each English health authority has treated for subfertility for the last five years for which statistics are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is not available centrally. It is for district health authorities in consultation with the providers of health services to determine the level of provision of subfertility services locally. The hon. Member should write to the chairman of the relevant health authority requesting this information.

  NHS Supplies Authority
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Member for Colchester, South and Maldon (Mr. Whittingdale) of 18 January,Official Report, column 528, if she will publish the independent, specialist consultancy advice on the future of the NHS Supplies Authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have no plans to do so.

  Paediatric Nurses
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines she has on the minimum number of trained nurses on paediatric wards per patient.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 3 February,Official Report, column 851.

  AIDS
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which local authorities receive grants from central Government to offset work they do on AIDS.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 4 February,Official Report, columns 979–80.

  Sunderland City Hospitals Trust
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the names and salaries of the members of the Sunderland City hospitals trust.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The chairman of City Hospitals Sunderland national health service trust is Mr. D. Graham and the non-executive directors are Mrs. R. Blacklock, Mr. C. Storey, Mrs. M. Mason, Mr. E. Timmins and Mr. J. Sadlik. The chairman's remuneration is £19,285 per year: all non-executive directors receive £5,000 per year. The appointment and salaries of executive directors are matters for the trust itself.

  Residential Care Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has given to local authorities regarding access to the contents of registration and inspection
  423
  officers' reports on residential care homes by local authority staff considering the placement of clients in the homes concerned.

  Mr. Bowis
  Local authority staff considering the placement of clients in residential care homes are covered by the Department's general guidance to local authorities that—subject to legal advice—there should be public access to inspection reports on individual homes.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current membership of the advisory panel on the importation of sexually explicit films for health purposes.

  Mr. Sackville
  The advisory panel was disbanded with effect from 1 February. I am grateful to the members who have served on it in the past 11 years.

  Care in the Community
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total funding of care in the community in 1993–94; and what the amount will be in 1994–95.

  Mr. Bowis
  In recognition of their new community care responsibilities we are making available to local authorities in England a special transitional grant of £565.4 million in 1993–94.

  For 1994–95 the cumulative total of new resources for community care will be £1,274.5 million. The figures are in addition to amounts already spent by health and local authorities on community care services from their baseline resources.

  Severalls Hospital, Colchester
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the annual cost of upkeep of a psycho-geriatric bed in Bartons ward, Severalls hospital, Colchester for the last available year.

  Mr. Bowis
  This is a matter for North East Essex mental health services national health service trust. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. David Holt, the chairman, for details.

  Year

  1991–92 £ million

  1992–93 £ million

  1993–94 £ million

  1994–95 £ million

  5–10 Sub-block

  183.498

  196.384

  203.468

  214.362

  11–15 Sub-block

  218.819

  232.814

  240.749

  246.484

  16 plus Sub-block

  90.652

  102.760

  34.788

  34.373

  Notes

  1. 1993–94 figure for the 16 plus sub-block reflects LEAs' loss of responsibility for most further education.

  2. 1994–95 figures reflect LEAs' loss of responsibility for the careers service and school inspections.

  Education standard spending assessments are not earmarked. Each authority is free to determine its spending priorities between the services for which it has responsibility.

  Overseas Visits
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many visits abroad the Minister of State made during 1993; and what was(a) the cost to public funds and (b) the purpose of each visit.
  424

EDUCATION

  Consultancies
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the value of consultancy contracts awarded by his Department each year since 1979, both in current prices and at constant 1994 prices.

  Mr. Boswell
  The value of consultancy contracts awarded by the Department each year since 1987 was as follows:

  Value of Consultancy Contracts (£,000)

  Year

  Actual Prices

  At 1994 Prices

  1987

  364

  532

  1988

  438

  600

  1989

  555

  711

  1990

  974

  1,155

  1991

  1,517

  1,691

  1992

  1,994

  2,141

  1993

  1,629

  1,694

  Information for the years before 1987 is not available in the form requested.

  Expenditure (Essex)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much money has been made available for spending on primary and secondary education in Essex in each of the last three financial years; what is the figure for 1994–95; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  For the purpose of calculating authorities' standard spending assessments, education standard spending is divided into five sub-blocks—under-fives, five to 10, 11 to 15, 16 plus, and "other education". The table below sets out the changes in five to 10, 11 to 15 and 16 plus sub-blocks for Essex for 1994–95. Expenditure on under-fives at primary schools is notionally supported through the under-fives sub-block.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend has made one visit abroad on official business during 1993, to attend and address a conference organised by the Organisation for the Development of Freedom of Education. The total cost to public funds was £728.

  Surplus Places
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of surplus places in(a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) special schools in the London boroughs.
  425
  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply to the hon. Member for Warwickshire, North (Mr. O'Brien) on 31 January 1994,Official Report, columns 517–21.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Sir David Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make a statement about the level of parental contributions to the fees of pupils in the assisted places scheme in the next academic year.

  Mr. Forth
  Remission of tuition fees under the assisted places scheme is dependent on the level of fees at participating schools and the amount parents can afford to contribute. Subject to parliamentary approval, the parental contribution scales will be adjusted upwards for the school year 1994–95 as set out in the table below. Where the relevant income for the appropriate financial year does not exceed £9,352 the tuition fees will be wholly remitted.

  Part of relevant income to which percentage applies

  One assisted pupil

  Each of two assisted pupils

  Each of three assisted pupils

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  That part which exceeds £9,186 but does not exceed £9,988

  9

  6.75

  5.25

  That part if any, which exceeds £9,988 but does not exceed £10,804

  12

  9

  7

  That part, if any, which exceeds £10,804 but does not exceed £12,422

  15

  11.25

  8.75

  That part, if any, which exceeds £12,422 but does not exceed £14,913

  21

  15.75

  12.25

  (over)

  That part, if any, which exceeds £14,913 but does not exceed £18,163

  24

  18

  14

  That part, if any, which exceeds £18,163

  33

  24.75

  19.25

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who are the members currently appointed to the Advisory Committee on Pesticides.

  Mr. Soames
  The members currently appointed to the Advisory Committee on Pesticides are:

  Chairman:

  Professor Sir Colin Berry, DSc, MD, PhD, FRCPath, FFPM

  Members:

  Dr. Andrée Carter BSc, MISoilSci, MIWEM

  Professor Nicola Cherry BSc, MSc, MPhil, PhD, MD

  Professor Michael Claridge, MA, DPhil, FIBiol,FLS, FRES

  Professor Anthony Dayan, BSc, MD, FRCP, FRCPath, FFPM,

  FIBiol

  Mr. John Leahy MA(Oxon), CChem, MRSC

  Professor Donald Lee BSc, PhD, FIBiol, FRSA

  Dr. Alex Proud foot BSC(Hons), MB, ChB, FRCPE

  Dr. Eve Roman BSc, PhD

  Professor Geoffrey Sagar CBE, BA, MA, DPhil(Oxon)

  Mr. Roger Taylor BSc(Agric), Postgrad Dip Agric, NDA, CBiol, MIBiol

  Professor J. Paul Webster BSc, PhD, FBIM, FRSA

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture,426
  Fisheries and Food who are the members currently appointed to the Salmon Advisory Committee.

  Mr. Jack
  Present membership of the Salmon Advisory Committee are listed:

  Chairman:

  Professor G. M. Dunnet, CBE OBE, Emeritus Regius Professor of Natural History, Aberdeen University.

  Members:

  Mr. G. H. Bielby

  Mr. C. G. Carnie

  Mr. R. M. Clerk

  Mr. J. H. Ferguson

  Mr. D. Heselton MBE

  Dr. L. Laird

  Mr. I. Mitchell

  Mr. M. Owens

  Mr. D. R. Paton

  Dr. D. J. Solomon

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who are the members currently appointed to the board of the royal botanic gardens, Kew.

  Mr. Jack
  They are:

  Mr. Robin Herbert (Chairman)

  Mr. Robert Bauman

  The Viscount Blakenham

  Mr. Christopher Brickell

  Professor William Chaloner

  Sir Phillip Dowson

  Mrs. Arabella Lennox-Boyd

  Professor Robert May

  Mr. Julian Pettifer

  Lady Renfrew

  The Earl of Selborne

  Mrs. Victoria Wakefield

  Tobacco
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current subsidy for tobacco growers in the European Community; what is the projected cost for the next financial year; what levels of intervention stocks of tobacco are held; and what amount of tobacco stock has been destroyed over the last five years.

  Mr. Jack
  The provisional outturn for Community expenditure in 1993 is 1,165 mecu—£917 million—compared to a budget provision of 1,401 mecu. The 1994 budget for tobacco has been set at 1,235 mecu—£933 million. Following substantive reform of the tobacco regime in 1992, from the 1993 harvest onwards, intervention arrangements no longer exist. The European Commission's most recent figures show 10,344 tonnes of tobacco from harvests prior to 1993 remain in intervention stores. No figures are available for tobacco which may have been destroyed, but the tobacco regime does not provide for destruction of stocks which have received EC support. Tobacco eligible for EC support must be of sound and fair merchantable quality and free of characteristics which would otherwise pevent normal marketing.

  The effect on expenditure on tobacco resulting from the reform of the regime agreed in 1992 will not begin to show in expenditure figures until at least 1994 and the regime is to be reviewed again in 1996. Nevertheless tobacco is still the most heavily subsidised common agricultural policy crop per hectare and we will continue to press for greater reforms.
  427
  Budgetary ecu rates; 1993 £1=1.2700 ecu; 1994 £.1=1.3234 ecu.

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response she has given to the letter from the president of the Nuclear Control Institute in regard to the economic viability of reprocessing at THORP; and when he received this letter.

  Mr. Jack
  The Ministry received a letter from the Nuclear Control Institute dated 28 January. This appears to raise issues which fall outside the areas for which this Department is responsible. I shall be replying in due course.

  EC-Canada Fisheries Agreement
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations she has made to the Commission of the European Communities regarding the proportion of the Canadian catch that United Kingdom vessels may be expected to fish as a result of the European Communities-Canada fisheries agreement.

  Mr. Jack
  Throughout the negotiations with Canada, the United Kingdom has stressed the traditional importance of these waters to our distant water fleet.

  Once the agreement has been ratified by Canada, the United Kingdom will press for an appropriate share of any opportunities which become available.

  Coarse Fishing
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans she has to alter the current coarse fishing close season.

  Mr. Jack
  Responsibility for fixing annual close seasons for fishing for coarse fish rests primarily with the National Rivers Authority. It is currently reviewing the various coarse fishing close seasons which apply in different parts of England and Wales. If it concludes that changes are required, these will have to be introduced by way of new byelaws which would be subject to statutory advertisement and ministerial confirmation. In dedciding whether or not to confirm any byelaws, Ministers would take account of any objections they received.

  British Columbia
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether she or officials from her Department met the Premier of British Columbia on his recent visit to the United Kingdom to discuss British Columbia's new forest practices code.

  Mr. Jack
  The Premier of British Columbia was on a private visit and did not meet Government Ministers or their officials.

  Sample Management System
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what information has been made public by her Department or by agencies of her Department concerning the commissioning, costs and subsequent cancellation of the project to establish a sample management system;
  428
  (2) if she will set out all provisions requiring her Department to make public details of the setting up, costs and progress of all computer projects undertaken or commissioned by her Department or by agencies of her Department;

  (3) how much money was spent by (a) the Central Veterinary Laboratory and (b) her Department and other agencies of her Department on the sample management system;

  (4) what sum was received by the Central Veterinary Laboratory in respect of the legal settlement with ACT over the failure by ACT to carry out the development of the sample management system.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  A contract for the development of a sample management system, funded by the Ministry's information technology directorate was awarded to ACT Medisys in November 1990. On completion of the development of the project, its ownership was to have been taken over by the Central Veterinary Laboratory. Serious development delays were however identified early in the project, which was then suspended in August 1991. Following a review and subsequent negotiations, there was a mutual agreement to cease the contract in December 1992.

  The terms of the contractual arrangements for this project, including those covering the termination, are commercially confidential, although the figures are open to scrutiny by the Comptroller and Auditor General in the usual way. Under the terms of the settlement secured by the Ministry, compensation—in the form of computer hardware, software and a cash sum—fully recompensed the Ministry for the costs involved. As the value of the compensation covered the relevant expenditure, there was no loss to report in the Ministry's appropriation accounts. Those accounts were duly audited by the National Audit Office.

  The Ministry's requirement to provide, publicly, details of computer projects is generally limited to the advertising of major projects—as required in accordance with the EC's supplies and services directives and appropriate General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade regulations—in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Details of any subsequent award of contract are similarly advertised. Additionally, agency accounts, audited by the National Audit Office, will be prepared in accordance with commercial style accrual accounting principles and include information at appropriate levels of detail.

  Consultancies
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the value of consultancy contracts awarded by her Department each year since 1979, both in current prices and at constant 1994 prices.

  Mr. Jack
  The annual costs of external consultants employed by the Department—excluding agencies—since 1984–85 are set out. Data for earlier years can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Financial year

  Expenditure (£)

  Constant 1994 prices (£)

  1984–85

  27,110

  143,617

  1985–86

  174,724

  1266,339

  1986–87

  135,279

  1200,346

  1987–88

  44,105

  161,887

  1988–89

  1,174,114

  1,547,016

  429

  Financial year

  Expenditure (£)

  Constant 1994 prices (£)

  1989–90

  2,972,150

  3,661,506

  1990–91

  4,495,793

  5,123,327

  1991–92

  5,374,284

  5,761,968

  1992–93

  7,010,814

  7,238,665

  1 Excludes computer consultants.

  Animal Feeding Stuffs
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the number of processing plants producing animal protein for incorporation into animal feeding stuffs, in each year since 1981; and how many such plants were inspected by her officials in each of those years.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The number of plants varied from year to year as plants opened or closed or in some cases did not operate on any continual basis. All plants when actually producing animal protein for incorporation into animal feeding stuffs have been subject to official inspection during the year. Their numbers are as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1981

  Not available

  1982

  107

  1983

  108

  1984

  107

  1985

  106

  1986

  99

  1987

  84

  1988

  75

  1989

  85

  1990

  79

  Region

  Headquaters

  South West

  Wessex

  South East

  Anglia

  South Mercia

  North Mercia

  East Midlands

  North East

  Northern

  Bird species

  Issued

  Killed

  Issued

  Killed

  Issued

  Killed

  Issued

  Killed

  Issued

  Killed

  Issued

  Killed

  Issued

  Killed

  Issued

  Killed

  Issued

  Killed

  Issued

  Killed

  Bullfinch

  1

  587

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Brent Goose

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  38

  772

  160

  1,944

  —

  —

  —

  —

  16

  81

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cormorant

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  0

  —

  —

  1

  10

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  0

  Robin

  5

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Blackbird

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Heron

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Thrush

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Blue Tit

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Pied Wagtail

  1

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Wren

  1

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Canada Goose1, 2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  17

  14

  218

  10

  240

  11

  145

  21

  520

  27

  1,153

  5

  39

  3

  405

  Greylag Goose1, 2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  0

  4

  22

  —

  —

  1

  0

  2

  0

  4

  15

  —

  —

  Pink-footed Goose2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  0

  Mallard2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Moorhen and Coot2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  30

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Wigeon2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Feral Pigeons and House Sparrow3

  22

  4—

  2

  0

  32

  504

  16

  587

  7

  321

  34

  183

  59

  3,400

  115

  607

  38

  885

  8

  96

  Herring Gull3, 5

  1

  1,546

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 Includes the pricking of eggs.

  2 These birds have an open season when they may be killed without a licence. The licences shown are to kill during the close season.

  3 A general licence has been issued to kill these birds throughout the year. The licences shown are to use methods otherwise prohibited under the act

  4 These licences were issued on behalf of the regions and the number of birds shot are included in the regional returns.

  5 Including the taking of eggs and nests.

  Sheep Dips
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Ministery of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assurances were given to the farmers who appeared in the video on sheep dipping, produced by the agricultural health and safety information centre of the Health and Safety Executive; what is the purpose of this project; to whom it is available; and on what terms.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have been asked to reply.
  430

  Year

  Number

  1991

  53

  1992

  47

  1993

  45

  Bovine Immunodeficiency Virus
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will review the need for withdrawal from sale of cows and calves potentially affected by bovine immunodeficiency virus, and milk from affected herds, and for appropriate compensation; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  There is no evidence that the bovine immunodeficiency virus will affect humans, whether through contact with animals, or through drinking milk or eating meat. Experimental studies indicate that the virus has little effect on cattle: the only symptom being a transient rise in temperature which soon passes. Against that background, we have no plans for the type of review mentioned by the hon. Member.

  Protected Birds
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list each licence her Department has issued for the killing of protected birds under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1991 in 1993 and 1994 to date by(a) location and (b) the species involved.

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 9 February 1994]: The latest figures available are for 1992 and this information is given in the table.

  The video on sheep dipping was produced by the Health and Safety Executive by an independent producer. It describes symptoms of ill-health alleged to be associated with dipping, alternative ways of controlling sheep parasites, guidance on good and poor sheep dipping facilities and practical ways to comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988.

  The video is primarily to assist in training and is in a format which makes it suitable as guidance to sheep farmers. Participants were given the assurance that they would each receive a copy of the finished video.
  431
  Approximately 200 copies of the video have been sent to various individuals, agricultural training organisations and other bodies with an interest in this subject. The video is also available for anyone to purchase—£45 including VAT—or hire—from £11.49 plus VAT—from CFL Vision, PO Box 35, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7EX.

WALES

  NHS Staff
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of total National Health Service expenditure has been spent on the employment of managers, advisers, administrators and clerical staff within the whole of the NHS in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The proportion of total NHS expenditure that was spent on the employment of managers, advisers, administrators and clerical staff within the whole of the NHS in Wales in each of the last three years for which figures are available was as follows:

  Per cent.

  1990–91

  5.6

  1991–92

  6.0

  1992–93

  5.9

  Sources:

  Health Authorities Annual Accounts/Financial Returns.

  Pembrokeshire NHS Trust Financial Returns.

  Welsh Office Public Expenditure Records.

  Notes:

  1. Expenditure spent on the employment of managers, advisers, adminstrators and clerical staff is taken to be that covering salaries and wages. Expenditure in respect of advisers relates to Family Health Service Authorities only.

  2. Figures include expenditure by Health Authorities, the Welsh Health Common Services Authority, Family Health Service Authorities, Pembrokeshire NHS Trust (1992–93 only), and the Health Promotion Authority for Wales.

  3. It should be noted that since 1989 senior managers' terms and conditions of service have been extended to second and third level managers and some senior nurses and other professional staff have also transferred to senior management grades.

  Labour Statistics
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total cost of employing managers, advisers, administrators and clerical staff in the NHS in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Comparison of 1992–93 expenditure with 1993–94 budgets

  TEC

  1992–93

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Percentage change in real terms from 1992–93 to 1993–94

  Actual

  Real terms

  Budget

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Youth training and credits

  Gwent

  7.11

  7.34

  7.07

  -3.67

  Mid Glamorgan

  7.90

  8.15

  9.20

  12.78

  North East Wales

  4.95

  5.11

  5.24

  2.54

  Targed

  5.01

  5.17

  5.63

  8.88

  Powys

  1.62

  1.67

  1.65

  -1.35

  South Glamorgan

  4.12

  4.26

  4.54

  6.75

  West Wales

  10.66

  11.01

  11.74

  6.66

  432
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The total cost of employing managers, advisers, administrators and clerical staff in the NHS in Wales in each of the last three years for which figures are available was as follows:

  £000s

  1990–91

  86,599

  1991–92

  106,742

  1992–93

  117,386

  Source:

  Health Authorities Annual Accounts/Financial Returns Pembrokeshire NHS Trust Financial Returns.

  Notes:

  1. The total cost of employing managers, advisers, administrators and clerical staff is taken to be that covering salaries and wages. Costs in respect of advisers relates to Family Health Service Authorities only.

  2. Figures include expenditure by Health Authorities, the Welsh Health Common Services Authority, Family Health Service Authorities, Pembrokeshire NHS Trust (1992–93 only), and the Health Promotion Authority for Wales.

  3. It should be noted that since 1989 senior managers' terms and conditions of service have been extended to second and third level managers and some senior nurses and other professional staff have also transferred to senior management grades.

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

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The figures requested are provided in the following tables.

  These show a real terms increase in provision in 1993–94 for both the youth training and business start-up programmes. The reduction in provision for training for work is the result of targeting this programme on training for the longer-term unemployed.

  I am advised that the funding to be made available in 1994–95 for training in Wales will enable the youth training "guarantee" to be met and, on the basis of TEC assessments, training places will be available for all eligible adults who wish to train.
  433

  TEC

  1992–93

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Percentage change in real terms from 1992–93 to 1993–94

  Actual

  Real terms

  Budget

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Training for work

  Gwent

  5.94

  6.14

  4.85

  -20.90

  Mid Glamorgan

  6.76

  6.98

  5.00

  -28.40

  North East Wales

  2.10

  2.17

  2.08

  -4.03

  Targed

  3.45

  3.56

  3.06

  -14.02

  Powys

  1.03

  1.06

  0.93

  -12.03

  South Glamorgan

  4.17

  4.30

  3.22

  -25.21

  West Wales

  7.96

  8.22

  6.54

  -20.47

  TEC

  1992–93

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Percentage change in real terms from 1992–93 to 1993–94

  Actual

  Real terms

  Budget

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Business start-up

  Gwent

  0.80

  0.82

  0.95

  15.43

  Mid Glamorgan

  0.83

  0.86

  0.51

  -40.00

  North East Wales

  0.34

  0.35

  0.45

  26.65

  Targed

  0.73

  0.75

  0.78

  4.19

  Powys

  0.26

  0.27

  0.29

  7.92

  South Glamorgan

  0.41

  0.42

  0.61

  42.76

  West Wales

  1.62

  1.68

  1.74

  3.91

  Private Patient Facilities
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much income has been generated by private patient facilities in national health service hospitals in each year since 1987–88.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The amount of income generated by private patient facilities in national health service hospitals in each year since 1987–88 was as follows:

  £000s

  1987–88

  1,213

  1988–89

  1,388

  1989–90

  1,638

  1990–91

  1,855

  1991–92

  2,173

  1992–93

  2,099

  Source:

  Health Authorities' Annual Accounts.

  Pembrokeshire NHS Trust Accounts.

  Notes:

  1 Consists of money received from NHS patients paying for accommodation in single rooms or small wards (Section 63 NHS Act), private in-patients (Section 65), private non-resident patients (Section 66) and accommodation and services provided under Section 58 of the NHS Act 1977.

  2 Overseas visitors (Section 121) not eligible for free treatment have been excluded.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients have been treated in national health service hospitals private facilities in each year since 1987–88.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information available, which relates to private patient attendances at national health service hospitals, is given in the following table. The figures do not relate to the number of people treated because an individual person may be treated more than once.
  434

  In-patient cases

  Out-patient attendances

  Day case attendances

  Regular day attendances

  1987–88

  1,717

  11,210

  1,221

  —

  1988–89

  1,775

  10,737

  1,396

  —

  1989–90

  1,994

  8,956

  1,851

  —

  1990–91

  1,760

  9,712

  1,225

  —

  1991–92

  1,558

  9,015

  1,147

  5

  1992–93

  1,257

  7,948

  1,024

  —

  National Curriculum Review
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list those organisations and individuals who have made representations orally or in writing to him personally or to the Welsh Office regarding the review of the national curriculum and its assessment in Wales;

  (2) if he will place in the Library copies of the minutes of the four conferences of teachers held by the Curriculum Council of Wales during its review of the national curriculum and assessment in Wales, together with details and an analysis of evidence provided to these conferences;

  (3) if he will place in the Library copies of the written responses to the Curriculum Council of Wales in its review of the national curriculum and its assessment framework in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Since 5 January when the final reports by Sir Ron Dearing and the Curriculum Council for Wales and the Government's response were published, the Department has received representations from over 70 individuals and organisations regarding the impact of the review of the national curriculum and its assessment in Wales. Those who made representations have a right to assume that their views have been submitted in confidence and I am not therefore in a position to identify the individuals or organisations concerned.
  435

  Quangos (Membership)
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to establish a register of interests of all members of the boards of Welsh quangos, which is open to inspection by members of the public, giving details of party political membership, other positions held and paid employment in the private sector.

  Mr. Redwood
  It is good practice for executive non-departmental public bodies—like other public bodies—to keep a register of the interests of members of their boards and I encourage them to do so.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many county councils wrote to the Curriculum Council for Wales during its review of the national curriculum and assessment in Wales, expressing the view that the teaching of Welsh as a foundation subject of key stage 4 should not remain part of the national curriculum;

  (2) how many secondary schools in Wales wrote to the Curriculum Council for Wales expressing an opinion against including the Welsh language as a foundation subject at key stage 4 as part of the national curriculum; and how many of those schools had already been the subject of a deferment order regarding the teaching of Welsh at key stage three or four;

  (3) how many secondary schools reported to the Curriculum Council for Wales or his Office that they had encountered difficulties recruiting an adequate number of teachers qualified to teach the Welsh language in their response to the review of the curriculum and assessment in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Curriculum Council for Wales conducted extensive consultations on changes to the national curriculum at key stage 4 as part of the review of the national curriculum and assessment which I commissioned last year. The consultations included conferences and the invitation to submit written representations. In its final report which it submitted to me in December, the council summarised the views expressed during this consultation exercise, and made recommendations in the light of them. Copies of the report have been sent to all Welsh Members of the House and further copies are available in the Library of the House.

  Details of the conduct of the consultations are described in the report. Individual responses to the council cannot be made available for public inspection as individuals who wrote to the council are entitled to consider that their submissions have been made in confidence.

  In response to the review I have received two reports from secondary schools about the recruitment of teachers qualified to teach Welsh.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date the Welsh Language Board was first consulted regarding impending changes to the national curriculum in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  There were no formal consultations with the Welsh Language Board on changes to the national curriculum in Wales since the review by the Curriculum Council for Wales and Sir Ron Dearing was conducted prior to the establishment of the board on 21 December 1993.
  436
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many schools requested exemption, as opposed to deferment, of the requirement to provide Welsh in the national curriculum at key stage 3 or 4 in response to the invitation in his consultation document issued on 7 May 1991.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Schools were not directly invited to respond to this consultation exercise which was carried out under the terms of section 21 of the Education Reform Act 1988. However, copies of the consultation document were sent for school governors to information. In response, 17 schools made direct representations to the Welsh Office.

  Of these, 16 requested exemption from the national curriculum requirements for Welsh at key stages 4 and 2 also requested exemption from the key stage 3 requirements. One school also sought deferment of the key stage 3 requirements.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will consult with the Welsh Language Board on the implications of the Welsh Language Act 1993 for treating Welsh and English on a basis of equality in the national curriculum.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Welsh Language Board is responsible for taking a broad overview of Welsh medium and Welsh second-language education. The Government and the new Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales will be consulting the language board regularly on Welsh language issues which impact on the national curriculum.

  Consultancies
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the value of consultancy contracts awarded by his Department and its predecessors each year since 1979, both in current prices and at constant 1994 prices.

  Mr. Redwood
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

ENVIRONMENT

  New Towns
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the transfer of properties from the Commission for New Towns to British housing associations and Basildon council.

  Sir George Young
  In accordance with the results of the tenants' ballot, 85 per cent. of the rented housing stock held by the Commission for the New Towns at Basildon was transferred to Basildon district council on 31 January 1994. Responsibility for the management of the remaining 15 per cent. was taken over by the Basildon Community housing association on the same day, with a view the freehold being transferred as soon as the housing association is able to complete the necessary arrangements.

  Playgrounds
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice his Department has issued to local authorities concerning the siting of playgrounds and other leisure facilities near to electricity sub-stations; and if he will make a statement.
  437
  Mr. Baldry
  Planning advice is not issued by the Department on such sites. Electricity companies are required by the Electricity Supply Regulations 1988, as amended, to take note of the nature and use of land adjacent to their installations, and to take appropriate measures to protect and warn the public of the associated dangers.

  North Peckham Task Force
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which projects have been and currrently are funded by the North Peckham task force.

  Mr. Baldry
  Since the North Peckham task force opened in April 1986, it has funded well over 300 projects, of which 30 are still being funded. In some of these, funding will extend up to two years after the task force formally closes on 31 March 1994. I will write to the hon. Member with a full list.

  Tarmac Ltd.
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if Tarmac Ltd. may award itself contracts paid for by public money following its acquisition of PSA projects.

  Mr. Baldry
  No.

  Waste Disposal
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has made to the changed proposals put forward by the Greek Presidency of the EU regarding the phase-out period for the co-disposal of hazardous and domestic waste.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Greek Presidency has suggested that the landfill directive should provide for the co-disposal of hazardous waste with municipal waste to be phased out over a period of 10 years rather than five years proposed by the European Commission. The United Kingdom reiterated its view in working group discussions on the Greek proposal that the directive should recognise that properly controlled co-disposal is an environmentally sound waste management option, and provide for it to continue to be practised by those member states which wish to do so. The Government agree that the directive should place a ban on the uncontrolled mixing of hazardous waste with municipal waste.

  Groundwork Foundation
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the efficiency of the Groundwork Foundation in terms of the percentage of the grant-in-aid from his Department which is passed on to Groundwork trusts; and what alternative arrangements he has considered to ensure value for money.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Groundwork Foundation administers its grant-in-aid in accordance with the provisions of a grant memorandum, the terms of which are kept under review by my Department. All payments made by the foundation towards the approved running costs of Groundwork trusts are subject to the prior approval of the Department. The forecast funding requirement of existing and planned trusts is an element of the foundation's corporate strategy considered by the Department in the annual public expenditure round.
  438
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effects of the funding arrangements of the Groundwork Foundation on existing environmental trusts.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Groundwork Foundation is funded to support and develop the Groundwork trust network. Groundwork trusts are formed and managed by local people. The trusts are encouraged to complement the work of existing environmental bodies and collaborate with them. The trusts stimulate increased expenditure on environmental improvements, from which the other bodies can benefit.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 28 January,Official Report, column 443, what consideration he has given to enabling existing environmental charities to bid for the grant-in-aid paid to the Groundwork Foundation.

  Mr. Atkins
  None. Grant-in-aid is allocated to the Groundwork Foundation specifically for the purposes of developing, managing and supporting the network of Groundwork trusts.

  Privatisation
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the conditions under which architectural services and other specialised agencies of county councils can be offered for privatisation; and how many offers constitute the level of competition he requires.

  Mr. Baldry
  If an authority chooses to invite private contractors to carry out these services, then the basis on which they do so is a matter for them, subject only to the requirements of the EC public procurement directives and their general fiduciary duty. The Government intend to require authorities to seek competitive tenders before their own staff are allowed to undertake this work and will be consulting on detailed proposals shortly.

  Biodiversity Action Plan
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which recent policy commitments and initiatives in the United Kingdom biodiversity action plan were(a) not previously announced and (b) do not result from the Government's legal obligations under the European Union habitats directive.

  Mr. Atkins
  The goal, principles and objectives contained in the plan are in themselves a significant re-definition of policies. The most important new initiative is to establish a biodiversity action plan steering group, which will be a partnership between central and local government, the conservation agencies, scientific and academic institutions and voluntary bodies. The group will have four specific remits in overseeing:the development of range of specific costed targets for key species and habitats for the years 2000 and 2010 to be published in European Nature Conservation Year 1995;
  a working group already established following the May Seminar designed to improve the accessibility and co-ordination of existing biological datasets, to provide common standards for future recording and to examine the feasibility in due course cif a single UK Biota Database;
  the preparation and implementation of a public strategy which could:

  support initiatives that enhance people's understanding of what is special about their local environment;

  439

  encourage the creation of a network of community wardens;

  support initiatives that promote local action to conserve and improve local biodiversity;

  the establishment of a review process for the delivery of the commitments contained in the plan.

  In addition, the plan contains 59 action points and broad targets which take forward, accelerate and extend existing policies and programmes. A number of these are new commitments or initiatives, and I will write to the hon. Gentleman with details of these.

  Barnoldswick Sewage Treatment Works
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to inform the National Rivers Authority if phosphate removal will be required at Barnoldswick sewage treatment works.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will make an announcement in due course about those areas to be identified as sensitive under the EC's urban waste water treatment directive and which of the sewage treatment works discharging into them will be required to install phosphate removal equipment.

  Nitrates Directive
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which are(a) the vulnerable zones designated under EC nitrates directive 91/676/EC and (b) the sensitive and less sensitive areas designated under EC urban waste water treatment directive 91/271/EC.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Minister for Agriculture Fisheries and Food will shortly be consulting about the areas proposed to be designated as vulnerable zones under the nitrates directive.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment will make an announcement in due course about the areas to be identified as sensitive and less sensitive under the urban waste water treatment directive.

  Land Contamination
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what future meetings he plans to hold with representatives of Barnet council in connection with contamination of land at Coppetts wood, Finchley.

  Mr. Atkins
  This is a matter for resolution between the Department of Transport and the London borough of Barnet.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 18 January,Official Report, column 565, (a) on what date and by whom his Department was first made aware of contamination of land to be given in exchange for land required for the trunk road improvement east of Fallowden way and east of high road, Finchley, (b) on what date and to whom his Department first notified Barnet council that testing of the site would take place, (c) on what dates and by whom testing of the site took place, (d) on what date and by whom his Department was first notified of the results of the test, (e) on what date and to whom his Department notified Barnet council of the results of the test, (f) by what date his Department told Barnet council that it would require the council's response and (g) if he has now received the council's response; and if he will make a statement.
  440
  Mr. Atkins
  The contamination to which the hon. Member refers became apparent only after the exchange land certificate for this site had been issued. In these circumstances, the problem was a matter for the Department of Transport as the acquiring authority and the London borough of Barnet as the owner of the land. My Department has not been involved in any ensuing correspondence.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment his Department undertakes, or what information his Department requires from local councils, regarding condition, and possible contamination, of land when considering options for possible sites to be subject to exchange land certificates.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department has to be satisfied that there has been compliance with the appropriate procedures and requirements under the Acquisition of Land Act 1981 before exchange land certificates are issued. It relies on the Department of Transport, as the acquiring authority, and the local authority to supply information about the condition and possible contamination of potential exchange land sites. Where trunk road proposals are the subject of a public inquiry and an exchange land certificate is sought, the Secretary of State will rely on evidence presented at the time about the condition and possible contamination of exchange land, as reported on by the inspector, in considering options for potential sites.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what instructions or advice of recommended procedure his Department issues to councils regarding allowing access by elected councillors to information provided by his Department to the council in relation to possible contamination of land within their wards; if he will make representations to Barnet council regarding council officers' refusal to allow access to such information to councillors in connection with contamination of land at Coppetts wood, Finchley; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  My Department has not issued instructions to local authorities on this. Authorities are independent, but must, of course, comply with the relevant law including the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985. We understand that the Department of Transport has sent a report of the tests on the Coppetts wood site to council officers to enable them to prepare their report to council members. The DOT said that council officers could show the report to Members.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a list of all correspondence since January 1988 between his Department and the London borough of Barnet relating to(a) issuing of exchange land certificates in connection with the widening of the north circular road, east of Falloden way and (b) condition and possible contamination of land at Coppetts wood in Finchley; what was the date of each piece of correspondence; who was the sender and recipient in each case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  This is a matter for the Department of Transport. My Department has not been in correspondence with the London borough of Barnet on the subjects raised.
  441

  Canadian Rain Forest
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he or officials from his Department met the Premier of British Columbia on his recent visit to the United Kingdom to discuss British Columbia's new forest practices code.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Premier of British Columbia was on a private visit and did not meet Government Ministers or their officials.

  Rural Housing Associations
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of state for the Environment (1) what representations he has received urging the encouragement of a proliferation of smaller, more local, rural housing associations; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what representation he has received from the Association of National Parks, regarding the occupation of rural housing association homes; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  The Association of National Parks met recently to consider a report on housing in national parks and has written to me to draw a number of points to my attention, including the role of rural housing associations and the occupation of the homes they provide.

  Eighteen rural housing associations are registered with the Housing Corporation, including one which registered during the past year. Despite the reduction that was necessary in the Housing Corporation's development budget for 1994–95, the corporation expects to maintain the target of 1,850 allocations for the rural programme next year. For the four years from 1989–90 over 6,000 units were approved—some 800 above target.

  Rhinoceros Horn
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he intends to take to persuade the Governments of China and Taiwan to fulfil their obligations under CITES resolutions to enforce the ban on trade in rhinoceros horn.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have been asked to reply.

  The United Kingdom together with our European partners, fully supports the decision of the CITES standing committee to send technical and high-level delegations to rhino horn-consuming countries to assess the effectiveness of their efforts to combat illegal trade in rhino horn and to offer advice and assistance. We have contributed £5,000 towards the costs of the high-level delegation which has recently visited China and Taiwan. The Government will be represented at the standing committee meeting next month which will consider what further action should be taken in the light of the delegations' reports. We shall also continue our bilateral contracts with the relevant authorities.

  The United Kingdom Government have taken a leading role in encouraging greater efforts to conserve rhinos. On 3 February my Department announced a grant of £60,000 towards a project co-funded by the European Commission and the Worldwide Fund for Nature to appoint a scientific officer to co-ordinate rhino conservation activities throughout Africa.
  442

  Associated Octel (Fire)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the environmental pollution consequences of the fire at Associated Octel's plant in Cheshire on 2 February.

  Mr. Atkins
  On the basis of their preliminary assessments, Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has concluded that it is unlikely there are any significant environmental effects of the fire.

  HMIP will continue to keep the situation under review.

  Municipal Homes
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to undertake a feasibility study into the re-introduction of a municipal homes construction programme, with particular reference to the Greater London area and other large conurbations.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 9 February 1994]: The Government's policy is that housing associations should be the main providers of new social housing, while local authorities concentrate on their enabling role and on managing their existing housing stock. This diversifies the tenure of the social housing stock and helps to attract private finance to supplement public expenditure, so providing more homes.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Special Constables
  Mr. Brandreth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what initiatives he is planning to encourage the recruitment of special constables.

  Mr. Howard
  Our police reform White Paper announced the Government's commitment to increase the number of special constables by 10,000 by the end of 1996. As a start, I am about to launch a new advertising campaign to recruit specials. The first phase of the campaign will begin in the north-west this April.

  Night Club Licensing
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the workings of the night club licence, pursuant to section 68 of the Licensing Act 1964.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  We have no present plans to review the operation of that particular section of the Licensing Act.

  Prison Security
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on security and public safety issues affecting the prison service.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Prison Service aims to hold in secure custody those committed to it by the courts. A massive prison building programme has contributed to this in recent years. Six new prisons are planned. All will be built to modern security standards to ensure the safety of the public.
  443

  Private Sector Prisons
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will meet the Director General of the Prison Service Agency to discuss the management of private sector prisons.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no specific plans to do so. He and I have regular meetings with the director general at which any issue relating to the operation of the Prison Service, including private sector involvement, may be discussed.

  Bail Offenders
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences were committed while on bail; and how many offenders committed offences while on bail in each of the last five years and in each quarter of 1993 to date.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is not, at present, available. Research evidence suggests that the proportion of persons granted bail by the courts who were later found guilty of offences committed on bail has remained at between 10 and 12 per cent. over the last few years. It seems likely, therefore, that at least 50,000 offences each year are committed by people on bail.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has undertaken into the effectiveness of the Government's policies for combating juvenile offending.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Home Office has commissioned more than 47 research projects on various aspects of juvenile crime since 1979. A report of research specifically into persistent juvenile offending will be published shortly.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young people have been re-classified from young offender to adult who are at present in(a) Her Majesty's prison Frankland, (b) Her Majesty's prison Acklington, (c) Her Majesty's prison Holme House, (d) Her Majesty's prison Kirklevington, (e) Her Majesty's prison Full Sutton, (f) Her Majesty's prison Everthorpe, (g) Her Majesty's prison Durham and (h) Her Majesty's prison Haverigg.

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

  Mr. Marland
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he intends to take to ensure that local authorities deal responsibly with young offenders in their care.

  Mr. Maclean
  As my right hon. and learned Friend announced in Blackpool on 6 October 1993, the national standards for the supervision of offenders in the community will be reviewed to ensure that these sentences provide a proper punishment for offenders who receive them. These national standards cover supervision provided by local authority social services departments as well as by the Probation Service.
  444

  War Crimes Act
  Mr. Cyril D. Townsend
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the planned expenditure for his Department for 1994–95 and 1995–96 on police work resulting from the War Crimes Act 1991.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Provision for police specific grant will include £500,000 to support the Metropolitan police for their work in 1994–95 on the investigation of war crimes. I anticipate this work will be completed by the end of the next financial year.

  Retail Crime
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money has been donated by Whitbread to his retail crime document and initiative.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Current Home Office initiatives on business crime do not include a retail crime document. My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary has however provided a forward to the shopfront security report published by the British Retail Consortium. I understand that Whitebread plc made a contribution to the cost of that document but the details are a matter for the company and the BRC.

  Right to Silence
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about his proposals for abolishing the right to silence.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer to my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave earlier today to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Langbaurgh (Mr. Bates)

  Recorded Crimes
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest figures for recorded crimes.

  Mr. Maclean
  The latest available figures for recorded crime were published on 3 November 1993 in a home office statistical bulletin issue 31/1993, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Prison Population
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received encouraging him to reduce the prison population.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have received a number of such representations.

  Identity Cards
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration is being given to the introduction of identity cards as a means of curbing illegal immigration.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The question of a national identity card scheme is kept under review. It is a matter of balancing potential benefits against costs.
  445

  Home Dependent Territories
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to visit Jersey to discuss matters within his responsibility for home dependent territories.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no immediate plans to visit Jersey, or otherwise for discussions with the Jersey authorities, although he hopes in due course to be able to visit the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, in the same way as have a number of previous Home Secretaries.

  Police Administration
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding administrative burdens on the police; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  In the light of Government concern and representations from the police and members of the public at the excessive paperwork faced by the police, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Clarke) commissioned a study by consultants to identify ways of reducing the burden. My right hon. and learned Friend the present Home Secretary announced the Government's acceptance of all 16 of the report's recommendations on 6 October 1993. The police are keen to see these recommendations implemented and are making a valuable contribution to taking forward this work in conjunction with the other criminal justice agencies.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has had to reduce administrative burdens on the police; and what legislative proposals he has on the subject.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  In the light of Government concern and representations from the police and members of the public at the excessive paperwork faced by the police, in June 1993 the then Home Secretary commissioned a study by consultants to identify ways of reducing the burden. My right hon. and learned Friend announced the Government's acceptance of all 16 of the report's recommendations on 6 October 1993. Work is under way on their implementation. I have no plans to introduce any legislation on the subject.

  Racial Incidents
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prosecutions there were in(a) 1992 and (b) 1993 for incitement to racial hatred under sections 17 to 23 of the Public Order Act 1986; and how many of these prosecutions were successful;

  (2) what penalties have been imposed upon conviction for people successfully prosecuted for incitement to racial hatred under sections 17 to 23 of the Public Order Act 1986 for each year since 1987.

  Mr. Maclean
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will report on proceedings taken under section 57 of the Race Relations Act 1976; and if he will make a statement.
  446
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Police Manpower
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the pay of the average police officer; how many police officers are curently in post; what were the comparable figures for 10 and 15 years ago in real terms in each case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information is given in the table. It should be noted that the data exclude officers on central service.

  1978–79

  1983–84

  1993–94

  £

  £

  £

  Average pay costs of police officer

  5,881

  13,387

  30,142

  Average real terms pay costs of police officer1

  16,870

  22,621

  30,142

  Number of officers2

  111,792

  120,595

  127,294

  1 Average pay costs brought up to 1993–94 prices.

  2 As at 31 March 1979, 31 March 1984 and 31 October 1993 (which is the latest date for which figures are available).

  Gambian Visitors
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the guidelines relating to persons from the Gambia wishing admittance to the United Kingdom for purposes of holiday.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Instructions are not issued on the basis of nationality.

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the value of consultancy contracts awarded by his Department each year since 1979, both in current prices and at constant 1994 prices.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

  Sentence Discounts
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what decision he has reached on the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice about sentence discounts.

  Mr. Howard
  I have decided to accept the Royal Commission's recommendation that the courts' existing practice of giving credit for early guilty pleas in the form of discounts on sentence should be more clearly articulated, by putting it on to a statutory basis. I therefore intend to table an amendment to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill, requiring those passing sentence to take account of the timing and other circumstances of a plea of guilty, and, where a discount is given, to indicate the fact. In so doing I have taken into account that early pleas of guilty not only save valuable court time, but also spare the victims of crime the anxiety which many feel at the prospect of describing their ordeal in evidence.
  447

  Christmas Parole
  Mr. Hawksley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners were given Christmas parole;

  (2) how many prisoners given Christmas parole failed to return at the arranged time.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Warren Hawksley, dated February 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the number of prisoners who were given Christmas parole, and how many of them failed to return at the arranged time.

  Christmas parole has been taken to be any form of home leave or temporary release granted specifically to cover the period including Christmas Day and Boxing Day, 1993. The figures are as follows:

  Release granted

  Failed to return on time

  1,395

  39

  Parents and Guardians (Recognisance)
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in 1992 the courts used their powers under section 58 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 to order a parent or guardian to enter into a recognisance.

  Mr. Maclean
  The power in section 58 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 came into effect on 1 October 1992. It was used on 95 occasions during 1992.

  Bewsey Street Hostel, Cheshire
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were remanded in Bewsey street hostel; and how many are(a) black males and (b) black females, at the latest date available.

  Mr. Maclean
  In the three months to 30 November 1993,72 residents were admitted to the hostel. I understand from inquiries of the hostel that, in this period, one black male and no black females were resident there.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the occupancy rate of the Bewsey street hostel for each of the last 10 quarters.

  Mr. Maclean
  Occupancy figures for the period April 1991 to March 1992 are not readily available on a quarterly basis. The occupancy figures for the most recent six quarters, and for December 1993, are as follows:

  Per cent.

  April—June 1992

  56

  July—September 1992

  62

  October—December 1992

  72

  January—March 1993

  75

  April—June 1993

  76

  July—September 1993

  85

  December 1993

  85

  448
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what advice will be given to the magistrates courts regarding any future bail hostel remands following the closure of Bewsey street hostel;

  (2) what provision will be made to enable courts in Cheshire to make probation orders with conditions of residence.

  Mr. Maclean
  It will be for the Cheshire probation service to bring to the attention of the courts which it serves the facilities offered by other approved hostels.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was(a) the average cost of a weekly place in the Bewsey street hostel, (b) the average length of stay and (c) the average cost of a prison remand place in the Cheshire area.

  Mr. Maclean
  (a) The current weekly cost is £221.

  (b) This information is not readily available in the form requested.

  (c) In 1992–93, the average weekly net operating cost per prisoner at Her Majesty's prison Risley, in Warrington, was £304. Costs for remand prisoners are not kept separately.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who will be consulted about the proposed closure of the Bewsey street hostel in Cheshire.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Cheshire probation service was notified on 1 December of our closure proposals and given the opportunity to comment.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many residents of Bewsey street hostel were, on the latest date available,(a) under 17, (b) between 17 and 21 and (c) 21 years and over.

  Mr. Maclean
  There were 19 residents at the hostel on 30 November 1993. The breakdown requested is(a) 0; (b) 7; (c)

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were either re-arrested and charged or breached for failure to comply with requirements at the Bewsey street hostel for the latest period for which statistics are available.

  Mr. Maclean
  In the three months to 30 November 1993, one resident was re-arrested and charged, and seven residents were breached for failure to comply with requirements.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has of the numbers of people who might be remanded into custody per annum as a result of the closure of Bewsey street hostel in Cheshire.

  Mr. Maclean
  It is for the courts to decide who should be remanded in custody. There are approved hostel facilities available to them in Cheshire and neighbouring probation areas.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff are likely to be made redundant in the event of the closure of the Bewsey street hostel; and what would be the financial costs.

  Mr. Maclean
  It will be for the Cheshire probation committee, as employer, to decide how to manage the
  449
  consequences of closure, in terms of redeployment or redundancies; we have not yet received a full account of its conclusions.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the annual saving as a result of the closure of the Bewsey street hostel in Cheshire.

  Mr. Maclean
  We expect the saving to be in the order of £100,000 in 1994–95 and £200,000 in 1995–96.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what capital and revenue expenditure will be available for hostel provision in the Cheshire probation area for 1994–95 and 1995–96.

  Mr. Maclean
  Revenue grant for 1994–95 and 1995–96 will be about £400,000 a year. The level of capital grant will depend on the scrutiny of spending proposals submitted by all probation areas.

  Police Recruits
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has had suggesting that the published numbers of established police officers should not include recruits undergoing basic training; and if he will give the total number of recruits undergoing training for the most recent date.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No such representations have been received.

  On 31 December 1992 there were 10,692 police constables in England and Wales who were going through their two-year probationary period. About one third of these were still undergoing their foundation training.

  Figures for 31 December 1993 are not yet available.

  Animal Experimentation
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if any designated breeders of dogs registered under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to supply animals to laboratories have bred greyhounds since 1991;

  (2) if any exemptions to allow non-purpose-bred greyhounds to be used in research in 1992 were granted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Purpose-bred greyhounds were available from a designated breeder for about 12 months from July 1991. Breeding ceased in June 1992.

  No exemptions to allow the use of non-purpose-bred greyhounds were granted in 1992. This would not have precluded the use of such animals under pre-existing authorities.

  Blakenhurst Prison
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the key problems which have compromised security at Her Majesty's prison Blakenhurst; and what action has been taken to minimise these faults.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  450
  Letter from Mr. A. J. Pearson to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated February 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about key problems that have compromised security at HMP Blakenhurst.

  An article about Blakenhurst in the "Birmingham Post" of 17 June 1993 was accompanied by photographs, one of which showed a hand holding a bunch of prison keys. The management contractor at Blakenhurst, United Kingdom Detention Services, took the view that the photograph could enable an expert locksmith to copy the keys. They agreed to change the locks believed to have been at risk at no cost to the Prison Service.

  United Kingdom Detention Services have used this experience to reinforce to all staff the importance of constant vigilance in keeping keys out of sight of people not authorised to see or use them.

  Special Parish Constables
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress made in developing the experiment of special parish constables, giving numbers appointed, their terms and conditions and geographical areas covered.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There are 20 schemes involving parish special constables already in operation around the country with more in development. The number of special constables involved varies from scheme to scheme. In most schemes existing special constables have volunteered to be redeployed for the purpose, although some forces have started a recruitment programme to persuade volunteers to train specifically for such work.

  Parish special constables are appointed under the same terms and conditions as other special constables and as such are under the operational control of their chief constable. However, the local parish council, or councils, is consulted about some of the duties that the parish special constable might perform, and about particular local concerns.

  The size of the geographical area covered by parish special constables will vary from community to community. In general we have recommended that the schemes stay closely linked to parish boundaries. However, this is a matter for chief constables to decide after consultation with the communities involved.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has had about the value of special parish constables from(a) the Police Federation, (b) chairmen and members of police authorities, (c) hon. Members and (d) members of the public in the areas currently affected by the experiment.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No such representations have been received.

  Remand
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for the latest year available, how many people were remanded in the west midlands area; and how many were(a) black males and (b) black females.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Reliable information on the total numbers of defendants remanded in the west midlands is not available centrally. Neither is any regular information collected regularly on the ethnic origin of those proceeded against in court. Some information on the ethnic origin of
  451
  those remanded in custody in the west midlands was given in my reply to the hon. Member for Coventry, North-East (Mr. Ainsworth) on 25 January, Official Report, column 155.

  Prison Education
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what sum of money has been allocated to education in prisons over each of the past five years.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Sir Ivan Lawrence, dated February 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the sum of money allocated to education in prisons over the past five years.

  The total expenditure on education services in prisons in England and Wales in the past five years was as follows:

  Year

  £ million

  1988–89

  19.5

  1989–90

  22.9

  1990–91

  25.5

  1991–92

  29.5

  1992–93

  31.5

  Moorlands Prison
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide details of the cell of the month bonus scheme at Her Majesty's prison Moorlands.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated February 1994:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about Moorland prison and young offender institution.

  An incentive scheme to raise standards of cleanliness in cells has been introduced at Moorland prison. A weekly bonus of £2 is paid to the prisoner(s) whose cell is judged to be the cleanest. This practice is consistent with the rules governing the prisoners' earnings scheme. It is an example of a system of rewards to maintain standards within a prison. The governor will keep the scheme under review in order to evaluate its effectiveness.

  Youth Custody
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each year since 1989 the total number of young people serving youth custody sentences who have been reclassified from young offender to adult status before reaching 21 years of age.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  452
  Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Bill Etherington, dated February 1994:

  AVERAGE AGE AND AVERAGE SENTENCE LENGTH

  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking if he will list for each year since 1989, (a) the average age and (b) the average length of sentence of the total number of young people serving youth custody sentences, who have been reclassified from young offender to adult status prior to reaching 21 years of age.

  The readily available information is for prisoners held in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on 30 June 1993. On that date the average age of all young offenders who had previously been reclassified to adult status prior to reaching 21 years of age is provisionally estimated as 20.3 years. The average sentence length (excluding those sentenced to life imprisonment and those for whom a sentence length was not recorded) was nearly five years.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each year since 1989,(a) the average age and (b) the average length of sentence of the total number of young people serving youth custody sentences.

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

  Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Bill Etherington, dated 10 February 1994:

  Average Age and average sentence length of young offenders

  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking if he will list for each year since 1989, (a) the average age and (b) the average length of sentence of the total number of young people serving youth custody sentences.

  The information requested is given in the attached table. Information on the average length of sentence of young offenders received into Prison Service establishments is published annually in Chapter 3 of "Prison statistics, England and Wales".

  Average age and average sentence length of young offenders in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on 30 June, 1989–1993

  Dated (30 June each year)

  Average Age (Years)

  Average sentence length (months)1

  1989

  19.4

  23.3

  1990

  18.8

  22.9

  1991

  19.1

  22.5

  21992

  19.0

  25.2

  21993

  18.9

  25.6

  1 Excludes those sentenced to life and those for whom a sentence length is not recorded.

  2 Provisional figures.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each year since 1989, the total number of young people serving youth custody sentences, who had been reclassified from young offender to adult before reaching 21 years of age and subsequently has the reclassification cancelled before the end of their sentence.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  453
  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Bill Etherington, dated 10 February 1994:

  RECLASSIFICATION OF YOUNG OFFENDERS

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking if he will list for each year since 1989 the total number of young people serving youth custody sentences, who had been reclassified from young offender to adult before reaching 21 years of age and subsequently has the reclassification cancelled before the end of their sentence.

  The information you have requested is not recorded.

  Child Custody
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time a child spends in custody, broken down by offence.

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

  Letter from A.J.Pearson to Mrs.Llin Golding,dated 10 February 1994:

  AVERAGE SENTENCE LENGTH OF 15–17 YEAR OLDS

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking what is the average length of time a child spends in custody, broken down by offence.

  The information you have requested is given in the attached table for persons aged 15 to 17 on sentence who were discharged from Prison Service establishments in 1991.

  Average time served in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales under sentence1 by prisoners aged 15to17 at sentence discharged from determinate sentences on completion of sentence by offence,1991

  Offence

  Average time served under sentence (months)2 3

  Violence against the person

  6.6

  Sexual offences

  15.6

  Burglary

  4.3

  Robbery

  10.1

  Theft and handling

  3.0

  Fraud and forgery

  n/a4

  Drugs offences

  n/a4

  Other offences

  4.3

  Offence not recorded

  3.3

  All offences

  4.7

  1 Excludes any time served on remand awaiting trial or sentence, those detained for an indeterminate period at Her Majesty's pleasure, and those for whom a sentence length is not recorded.

  2 Provisional figures.

  3 Excludes discharges following recall after release on licence, non-criminals, persons committed to custody for non-payment of a fine, persons reclassified as adult prisoners, prisoners who died or were discharged for other reasons such as transfers to other establishments or successful appeals.

  4 Number of discharges less than 15 in 1991.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children are currently being held in youth custody, broken down by offence.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  454
  Letter from A.J.Pearson to Mrs.Llin Golding, dated 10 February 1994:

  15–17 year olds in custody

  The Home Secretary has asked me,in the absence of the Director General from the office,to reply to your recent Question asking how many children are currently being held in youth custody, broken down by offence.

  The information you have requested is given in the attached table for persons aged 15 to 17 in Prison Service establishments on 31 December 1993.

  Population aged 15–17 under sentence 1in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on 31 December 1993.

  Offence

  Number of persons2

  Violence against the person

  89

  Sexual offences

  16

  Burglary

  287

  Robbery

  142

  Theft and handling

  158

  Fraud and forgery

  —

  Other offences

  104

  Offence not recorded

  51

  All Offences

  847

  1 Provisional figures.

  2 Excludes those committed for non payment of a fine.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Population Control, China
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to meet representatives of the Chinese Government to discuss the draft law on the use of mass abortion and sterilisation to prevent the birth of disabled babies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Her Majesty's Government believe that discussion with the Chinese authorities on the details of their draft "natal and health care law" can be conducted most effectively by United Nations bodies, including the United Nations Fund for Population Activities.

  Ecuador
  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 Ecuador over the last five years.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The list of projects and the value of the ODA contribution to them are as follows:

  £

  1. Cocoa Research

  239,000

  2. Awa Forest Management

  447,000

  3. Zamora Agro-Forestry

  225,000

  4. Fisheries Management

  1,550,000

  5. Fisheries Management (Institutional Link)

  486,000

  6. Geological Survey

  1,300,000

  7. Road Transport, Training and Research

  485,000

  8. Computer-aided Engineering design and management

  235,000

  9. English Language Curriculum Reform

  438,000

  10. Advice to Ecuador Government on privatisation

  45,000

  455

  Poorest 20 Countries
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which are the poorest 20 countries in the world; and what has happened to their bilateral aid allocations since 1979.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Kingdom's gross bilateral aid to the 20 countries with the lowest gross national product per capita in 1992, on the basis of figures just issued by the World bank, are given. This list excludes countries for which incomes data are not available. The United Kingdom's gross bilateral aid to each of these countries in 1979 and in 1992–93 includes financial and technical assistance, food aid and disaster relief, debt relief and loans and equity investment by the Commonwealth Development Corporation.

  £000's

  1979

  1992–93

  Mozambique

  6,369

  34,141

  Ethiopia

  2,877

  18,022

  Tanzania

  23,559

  62,370

  Uganda

  2,212

  34,521

  Sierra Leone

  1,829

  6,382

  Nepal

  11,054

  13,841

  Bhutan

  24

  680

  Cambodia

  703

  2,066

  Guinea-Bissau

  173

  9

  Burundi

  17

  205

  Malawi

  23,314

  26,823

  Bangladesh

  33,687

  65,717

  Chad

  45

  291

  Madagascar

  100

  936

  Rwanda

  2

  312

  Laos

  29

  94

  Zambia

  29,159

  47,974

  Burkina Faso

  24

  345

  Mali

  489

  1,223

  Niger

  912

  373

  Thailand (Biwater Group)
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the water projects funded by the Overseas Development Administration in Thailand for which the Biwater Group has won the contract.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Overseas Development Administration has not funded any water projects in Thailand for which the Biwater Group has won the contract.

  Tied Aid
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a list, by project, of the major contractors who have benefited from tied aid on Overseas Development Administration projects over £5 million in value.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Details of projects supported under the aid and trade provision since its inception in 1977 are available in the Library of the House. As regards projects funded by the bilateral country programmes, the information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  456

  Indonesia
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what projects and programmes constitute the police management training project funded by the Overseas Development Administration in Indonesia; and what steps are taken to ensure that such projects and programmes do not support the operation of the Indonesian police in East Timor.

  Mr Lennox-Boyd
  The Indonesian national police project is concerned with the provision of public service management advice and training within the INP and with the development of a more community-based approach to policing. The United Kingdom has not recognised the annexation of East Timor by Indonesia, and we do not therefore fund Government-to-Government aid projects in East Timor. However, some Indonesian public officials trained under our aid programme may subsequently serve in East Timor. It is our hope that the assistance we provide will influence all those receiving it and help develop respect for human rights in Indonesia and East Timor.

  Bilateral Aid
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of British bilateral aid is tied to the purchase of British goods; and how this percentage has changed in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In 1992, 66.7 per cent. of our commitments of bilateral overseas development assistance were tied. Comparable figures since 1979 were as follows:

  Per cent.

  1979

  84.5

  1980

  73.2

  1981

  79.5

  1982

  78.0

  1983

  74.4

  1984

  74.3

  1985

  73.5

  1986

  77.9

  1987

  76.4

  1988

  82.5

  1989

  76.0

  1990

  1n/a

  1991

  73.5

  1 The tying status of United Kingdom official development assistance was not reported to the Development Assistance Committee for 1990.

  Kenya
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the level of food aid the ODA proposes to allocate to Kenya for 1994–95.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We allocated 5,000 tonnes of white maize from our 1993–94 national food aid programme as an immediate response to the findings of the Food and Agriculture Organisation—World Food Programme mission last October. We will consider a further allocation from our 1994–95 programme in the light of the forthcoming SEPHA appeal, and the plans of other donors including the EC.
  457

  Malaysia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what explicit commitments were given by the previous Prime Minister, which required him to give consent to the Pergau dam project in Malaysia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. and noble Friend the former Prime Minister informed the Malaysian Prime Minister at a meeting on 15 March 1989 that Her Majesty's Government had taken the decision to make aid and trade provision support available for the offshore element of the Pergau project.

  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes there have been to the contract value of Biwater's Malaysian rural water supply scheme contracts; and what implications these changes have had for Overseas Development Administration support for the projects involved.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 8 February 1994]: The original 1986 contract between the Malaysia Public Works Department and Biwater was for £425 million. This included an offshore element of £194 million in respect of which the Overseas Development Administration provided an aid and trade provision grant of £59.4 million. In 1991 the Malaysian client and Biwater negotiated an extension to the contract. This did not affect the level of support already agreed by the Overseas Development Administration.

  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the tendering process involved in the Malaysian water supply project undertaken by Biwater which has received Overseas Development Administration assistance.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 8 February 1994]: The Malaysian client negotiated a contract directly with Biwater.

  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representation the Overseas Development Administration has received regarding links between Biwater Group and the Malaysian royal family.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 8 February 1994]: None.

  Population Programmes
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which are the priority countries for bilateral population assistance within the United Kingdom overseas aid budget.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda are currently designated as priority countries for bilateral population assistance within the United Kingdom overseas aid budget.

  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are Her Majesty's Government's guiding principles in respect of population activities in developing countries.
  458
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  As explained in the ODA booklet "Children By Choice, Not Chance", our guiding principles in respect of population activities in developing countries are:All men and women should be able to chose when to have children. Women in particular, should be in a position to exercise this choice of their own free will, without pressure or coercion.
  If women are enabled to exercise this choice, fertility levels and birth rates in most countries can be expected to fall. Countries whose Governments establish a climate within which couples can exercise reproductive choice should eventually attain population growth rates that are in balance with their economic and natural resources.
  All men and women need information, advice and services to enable them to choose when to have children.
  Aid for population activities will be provided in accordance with each developing country Government's national strategies.
  Donor agencies should work together and co-ordinate their aid for population activities. They should, where appropriate, reinforce the leading role of international agencies such as the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, the World bank and the International Planned Parenthood Federation.

  Land Mines
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on each of the activities funded by his Department relating to the clearance of land mines in Mozambique; which of these activities are being carried out on(a) a bilateral or (b) a multilateral basis; and whether any further aid will be given for medical attention of casualties of land mines.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Under our bilateral humanitarian assistance programme for Mozambique we are providing a grant of £710,000 to the Halo Trust to train, equip and supervise three local de-mining teams in Zambezia province. This programme is closely co-ordinated with British non-governmental organisations active in the province.

  De-mining in Mozambique is co-ordinated by the United Nations. It has commissioned the Halo Trust to undertake a comprehensive mines survey. The United Nations and EC are both funding de-mining programmes to which we are contributing multilaterally.

  Our assistance to de-mining is designed to reduce the number of casualties. We have not provided any direct medical assistance for land mine casualties. Other agencies are working with the victims of mines.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of the Overseas Development Administration on providing aid to clear land mines in Angola.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Once a formal ceasefire has been established between the Government of Angola and UNITA and implementation of a permanent peace settlement started, we will consider assistance for demining. We expect this to be part of a United Nations co-ordinated effort.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Monklands, West (Mr. Clarke) of 1 December,Official Report, column 572, if he will make a statement on each of the activities funded by his Department relating to the clearance of land mines in Cambodia; which of these activities are being carried out

  459
  on (a) a bilateral or (b) a multilateral basis; and whether any further aid will be given for medical attention of casualties of land mines.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Since October 1991 our bilateral aid has included three grants to the Halo Trust, a British voluntary agency, for its mine clearance operations. These were for £60,000, £199,886 and £232,520. We have also provided £6,415 for a mine awareness radio programme. Two further project proposals from the Halo Trust at a proposed cost of £330,000 are under consideration.

  Until the end of October 1993, our multilateral support consisted of the United Kingdom contribution to the costs of the United Nations Transitional Authority for Cambodia—UNTAC—which financed mine clearance operations undertaken by the Cambodian mine action centre—CMAC. Since the end of UNTAC's mandate, we have provided £133,000 through the United Nations Development Programme—UNDP—to support the continuance of CMAC's operations. A UNDP proposal for support to CMAC for two years is under consideration by donors. Our aid is aimed at reducing casualties caused by mines.

  Additionally, we have provided £470,140 over the past three years to set up and run a limb-fitting unit at Calmette hospital in Phnom Penh. The project includes the training of Cambodian technicians in limb-fitting techniques. We have also begun funding a similar project in Kompong Som in southern Cambodia and have agreed funding of £249,741 for this over three financial years.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on each of the activities funded by his Department relating to the clearance of land mines in Somalia; which of these activities are being carried out on(a) a bilateral or (b) a multilateral basis; and whether any further aid will be given for medical attention of casualties of land mines.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  From November 1991 until May 1993 we co-funded, bilaterally, the training and supervision of over 220 members of the local "humanitarian mine clearance pioneer corps" in a major mine clearance programme in and around Hargeisa in the heavily mined north-west of the country. Over this period we contributed £673,540 to the work undertaken by the British company Rimfire International. Our aid has been aimed at reducing casualties caused by mines. The work is continuing as a programme of the United Nations operations in Somalia.

  We have not received any proposals to provide medical assistance specifically for casualties of land mines, but remain willing to help in this area if requested.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on each of the activities funded by his Department relating to the clearance of land mines in Afghanistan; which of these activities are being carried out on(a) a bilateral or (b) a multilateral basis; and whether any further aid will be given for medical attention of casualties of land mines.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Since April 1992 we have funded, bilaterally, the training and supervision of two teams of Afghan mine clearers. The programme operates in the Shomali valley with the aim of facilitating the safe return of refugees and displaced people to the area. We have so 460
  far contributed £479,531 for this work undertaken by the British non-governmental organisation the Halo Trust. Our aid has been aimed at reducing casualties caused by mines.

  The mine clearance programme in Afghanistan is co-ordinated by the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan—UNOCHA. Britain is one of the main contributors to the programme. In 1992 we provided £500,000 to UNOCHA for this purpose, and a further £1 million in 1993.

  The European Community also finances mine clearance by contributing to European and local non-governmental organisations including those operating under the UNOCHA programme in and around Herat. Part of the funding for this is attributable to the United Kingdom.

  We are currently considering proposals which could provide medical assistance specifically for casualties of land mines, but the current insecurity in the country precludes an early start to any such operations.

  Development Assistance
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the annual official development assistance through aid and trade provision for each calendar year from its inception to the latest year for which data are available.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The data requested are available only by financial year and are 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

  Somalia
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest developments in the war in Somalia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 8 February 1994]: In recent months inter-clan tensions and outbreaks of fighting have increased in central and southern Somalia. Reports indicate that some clans are re-arming. The international community has continued to urge the Somalis to take forward the political reconciliation process and have been encouraged by recent local agreements.

TRANSPORT

  Traffic Director, London
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who is the traffic director for London.

  Mr. Norris
  Mr. Derek Turner.
  461

  Overseas Travel
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the(a) budgeted and (b) actual expenditure by his Department on (1) internal and (2) overseas travel by the Secretary of State since 27 May 1993.

  Mr. MacGregor
  (a) The travel budget is not broken down between individual Ministers.

  (b) Since 27 May 1993 the actual expenditure by my department on

  (1) My internal travel is £286.00

  (2) My overseas travel is £5,512.62

  These figures do not include the cost of my official car.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 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. MacGregor
  (a) The travel budget is not broken down between individual Ministers.

  (b) Actual expenditure by my Department on my travel was

  (1) Internal—£1,317.00 in 1992–93 after 11 April 1992 and £584.00 so far in 1993–94

  (2) Overseas—£13,294.72 in 1992–93 after 11 April 1992 and £6,078.62 so far in 1993–94

  These figures do not include the cost of my official car.

  London Buses
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many buses owned by London Buses Ltd have been(a) leased to and (b) sold to private companies operating services on behalf of London Transport since

  London Underground Limited: Quality of service targets and performance since May1 2

  Customer satisfaction targets

  Cleanliness of trains

  Cleanliness of stations

  Staff helpfulness and availability

  Information on trains

  Information on stations

  Targets set for 1992–93

  76

  85

  83

  78

  76

  4 weeks ending 23 May 1992

  75

  89

  83

  82

  75

  4 weeks ending 20 June 1992

  75

  88

  83

  83

  75

  4 weeks ending 18 July 1992

  73

  88

  84

  86

  78

  4 weeks ending 18 August 1992

  73

  88

  85

  86

  80

  4 weeks ending 12 September 1992

  74

  87

  87

  87

  82

  4 weeks ending 10 October 1992

  76

  88

  88

  86

  82

  4 weeks ending 7 November 1992

  76

  88

  88

  86

  79

  4 weeks ending 5 December 1992

  76

  88

  86

  85

  79

  4 weeks ending 2 January 1993

  77

  88

  86

  85

  79

  4 weeks ending 30 January 1993

  80

  89

  87

  87

  83

  4 weeks ending 27 February 1993

  81

  89

  87

  88

  83

  4 weeks ending 31 March 1993

  81

  89

  86

  88

  83

  Overall3 for 1992–93

  85

  79

  76

  88

  85

  Service performance targets

  Trains in customer service

  Escalators in customer service

  Lifts in customer service

  4Train service headways

  5Station closures

  6Ticket purchasing

  Other targets violent crime

  Targets set for 1992–93

  97.5

  87.0

  85.0

  91.0

  50

  99.90

  To reduce

  4 weeks ending 23 May 1992

  97.3

  90.2

  91.1

  95.4

  44

  99.97

  1.12

  4 weeks ending 20 June 1992

  98.0

  90.6

  91.5

  95.9

  47

  99.95

  1.36

  462
  1985; how many in each case were (i) less than four years old, (ii) between four and seven years old (iii) between eight and 11 years old, (iv) between 12 and 15 years old, and (v) more than 15 years old; and on which routes such leases or sales applied.

  Mr. Norris
  I understand that LBL has not sold any of its surplus buses to private companies operating LT bus routes. LBL has leased 46 Routemaster vehicles to London Transport's tendered bus division, which has in turn leased them to private operators to run routes 13 and 19. Both routes have been run under contract by private operators since 1993. The 46 Routemasters are more than 15 years old.

  London Underground
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many London Underground customers have received compensation due to delays in their service since January 1993; and how much compensation in total has been paid to those customers.

  Mr. Norris
  Since 1 January 1993 compensation totalling £180,357 has been paid in response to 59,251 individual claims. There is currently a large number of outstanding claims relating to incidents in the past two months of 1993, particularly the power failure on the Central line.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what quality of service targets were published by London Underground in May 1992; and how it has performed in relation to them.

  Mr. Norris
  The information requested is shown in the table.
  463

  Service performance targets

  Trains in customer service

  Escalators in customer service

  Lifts in customer service

  4Train service headways

  5Station closures

  6Ticket purchasing

  Other targets violent crime

  4 weeks ending 18 July 1992

  98.4

  90.0

  92.2

  95.9

  45

  99.94

  1.12

  4 weeks ending 18 August 1992

  98.2

  89.5

  91.9

  96.5

  39

  99.87

  1.36

  4 weeks ending 12 September 1992

  98.4

  88.3

  92.4

  95.9

  32

  99.95

  1.02

  4 weeks ending 10 October 1992

  98.3

  89.1

  94.0

  96.6

  31

  99.92

  1.19

  4 weeks ending 7 November 1992

  97.7

  89.6

  92.1

  95.0

  46

  99.92

  1.53

  4 weeks ending 5 December 1992

  97.9

  90.0

  91.7

  95.0

  42

  99.95

  1.59

  4 weeks ending 2 January 1993

  97.8

  88.5

  89.5

  94.4

  38

  99.93

  1.41

  4 weeks ending 30 January 1993

  97.6

  88.3

  90.2

  95.0

  34

  99.93

  1.29

  4 weeks ending 27 February 1993

  97.0

  87.3

  91.6

  93.5

  26

  99.89

  1.38

  4 weeks ending 31 March 1993

  97.2

  89.4

  90.9

  94.8

  56

  99.91

  1.12

  Overall3 for 1992–93

  98.0

  89.0

  91.0

  95.2

  40

  99.93

  1.29

  Customer satisfaction targets

  Cleanliness of trains

  Cleanliness of stations

  Staff helpfulness and availability

  Information on trains

  Information on stations

  Ticket purchasing7

  Targets set for 1993–948

  81

  89

  86

  86

  81

  92

  4 weeks ending 24 April 1993

  82

  89

  85

  89

  81

  90

  4 weeks ending 22 May 1993

  83

  89

  85

  90

  83

  89

  4 weeks ending 19 June 1993

  84

  88

  86

  92

  82

  90

  4 weeks ending 17 July 1993

  84

  89

  87

  93

  83

  91

  4 weeks ending 14 August 1993

  84

  89

  87

  93

  82

  92

  4 weeks ending 11 September 1993

  86

  90

  88

  94

  83

  93

  4 weeks ending 9 October 1993

  87

  91

  90

  94

  83

  93

  4 weeks ending 6 November 1993

  87

  91

  90

  95

  84

  93

  4 weeks ending 4 December 1993

  86

  91

  89

  95

  84

  92

  Overall to date 1993–94

  85

  89

  87

  93

  83

  91

  Service performance targets

  Trains in customer service

  Escalators in customer service

  Lifts in customer service

  4Train service headways

  5Station closures

  Other targets Violent crime

  Targets8 set for 1993–94

  98.0

  89.0

  92.0

  95.0

  30

  To reduce

  4 weeks ending 24 April 1993

  97.7

  88.9

  93.1

  95.3

  37

  1.38

  4 weeks ending 22 May 1993

  97.8

  90.9

  95.3

  95.5

  24

  1.47

  4 weeks ending 19 June 1993

  98.0

  87.4

  90.9

  95.4

  40

  1.20

  4 weeks ending 17 July 1993

  98.1

  88.1

  89.6

  95.7

  43

  1.29

  4 weeks ending 14 August 1993

  98.2

  89.6

  92.4

  95.6

  30

  1.40

  4 weeks ending 11 September 1993

  98.1

  90.5

  94.0

  96.4

  32

  1.56

  4 weeks ending 9 October 1993

  97.9

  91.5

  91.3

  96.3

  26

  1.21

  4 weeks ending 6 November 1993

  97.9

  91.5

  93.2

  94.5

  23

  1.06

  4 weeks ending 4 December 1993

  97.6

  92.4

  95.0

  94.9

  72

  1.06

  Overall to date 1993–94

  97.8

  90.2

  92.3

  95.5

  36

  1.30

  Notes:

  1Source: London Underground Limited.

  2 All figures are percentages apart from Station closures.

  3 Includes figures for 4 weeks to 25 May 1992 which are not included in the table.

  4 Timed interval between trains.
  464 465
  5 Stations closures within LUL's control.

  6 Percentage of stations with at least one way of buying a ticket.

  7 New target for 1993–94.

  8Targets set in May 1992 for 1993–94 were reviewed and amended where necessary.

  Pollution
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what initiatives his Department is planning to increase the attractiveness of the use of non-polluting modes of transport.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The only non-polluting modes of transport are cycling and walking; all other modes give rise to pollution to some extent.

  My Department carries out research and issues advice on ways to improve conditions on the roads for cyclists and pedestrians; the transport policy and programme circular encourages local authorities to develop strategies that make better provision for these groups; and the draft Planning Policy Guidance Note 13 on transport provides guidance on how land use planning and complementary transport measures can make walking and cycling more attractive.

  Heathrow Express
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the annual track fee to be paid to Railtrack for the Heathrow Express service to and from Paddington station has been agreed.

  Mr. Norris
  Yes. The terms of payment for access to the western main line and Paddington station were agreed with British Rail last year and the agreement will be inherited by Railtrack. Details of the agreement are commercially confidential.

  Date

  Sender

  Recipient

  Topic

  12 October 1988

  London Borough of Barnet

  Department of Transport

  Conditional agreement to use Friern Barnet site as exchange land

  14 October 1988

  London Borough of Barnet

  Department of Transport

  Council approval of Friern Barnet site

  19 October 1988

  London Borough of Barnet

  Department of Transport

  Purchase method of part of Friern Barnet site

  10 January 1989

  Department of Transport

  London Borough of Barnet

  Request for information regarding open space reply to 10 January 1989

  28 February 1989

  Department of Transport

  London Borough of Barnet

  Reduction in area of Friern Barnet site required

  5 April 1989

  London Borough of Barnet

  Department of Transport

  Plan of Friern Barnet exchange land

  14 April 1989

  Department of Transport

  London Borough of Barnet

  Department of Transport plan of exchange land

  24 April 1989

  London Borough of Barnet

  Department of Transport

  Friern Barnet proposals to go to Council Committee

  12 May 1989

  London Borough of Barnet

  Department of Transport

  Council approve part of Friem Barnet site for exchange land

  20 May 1989

  London Borough of Barnet

  Department of Transport

  Committee report

  19 July 1989

  London Borough of Barnet

  Department of Transport

  Sale of whole of Friern Barnet site

  21 August 1989

  Department of Transport

  London Borough of Barnet

  Reply to 19 July

  14 November 1990

  Certificates issued

  466

  Land Contamination
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recomendations his Department has made to Barnet council for dealing with contamination of land at Coppetts wood, Finchley; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  My Department has sent to the council a report of the testing of Coppett's wood site. The report includes recommendations for the treatment of the land and the Department at present awaits the council's response.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what future meetings he plans to hold with representatives of Barnet council in connection with contamination of land at Coppett's wood, Finchley.

  Mr. Norris
  None is presently planned. The Department awaits the council's response to the report of the soil test.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a list of all correspondence since January 1988 between his Department and the London borough of Barnet relating to(a) issuing of exchange land certificates in connection with the widening of the North Circular Road, east of Falloden way and (b) condition and possible contamination of land at Coppetts wood in Finchley; what was the date of each piece of correspondence; who was the sender and recipient in each case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  The following is a list of correspondence between the Department of Transport and the London borough of Barnet since 1988 on(a) issues relating to the issuing of exchange land certificates for the east of Falloden way scheme.
  467
  (b) List of correspondence between the Department of Transport and the London borough of Barnet in connection with discovery of contaminated soil on exchange land (Coppetts wood) for East of Falloden way scheme.

  Date

  Sender

  Recipient

  Topic

  13 October 1992

  Department of Transport Consultants

  London Borough of Barnet

  Comment on letter from Dr. Natelson

  21 October 1992

  London Borough of Barnet

  Department of Transport Consultants

  Confirms preliminary soil tests carried out; awaiting results

  11 January 1993

  London Borough of Barnet

  Department of Transport

  Preliminary tests and evidence of contamination

  27 January 1993

  Department of Transport

  London Borough of Barnet

  Agree to more extensive soil tests

  26 February 1993

  Department of Transport Consultants

  London Borough of Barnet

  Confirmation immediate remedial measures in hand

  14 April 1993

  Department of Transport

  London Borough of Barnet

  Confirmation remedial measures nearing completion

  26 April 1993

  Department of Transport

  London Borough of Barnet

  Details of soil investigations to be undertaken by Frank Graham and Partners and Foundation and Exploration Services Ltd. in June 1993

  8 November 1993

  London Borough of Barnet

  Department of Transport

  Enquiry of progress on draft August soil report

  23 November 1993

  Department of Transport

  London Borough of Barnet

  Copies of report forwarded for comment on recommended remedial treatment

  The position regarding the treatment of contamination remains as stated in the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment in January, except that, regrettably, the date of discovery of contamination supplied by my Department and quoted by him should have been October 1992 and not June 1993. Research into the correspondence has produced a reference to a report dated 1988, a copy of which was sent to my Department's consultants after the contamination was reported in 1992.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received on the route of the CTRL since 22 March 1993 from(a) the parliamentary constituency of Mid-Kent, (b) the borough of Maidstone, (c) the city of Rochester upon Medway and (d) Kent; and how many he has received specifically on the proposal to route the railway through the Boxley valley.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information is not readily available in the form requested, but in response to an invitation for formal comments on the refined route proposals the following responses have been received by my Department since 22 March 1993: 67 representations from local authorities, action groups and other organisations in Kent; 96 letters from individuals at Kent addresses, and 12 from Kent Members of Parliament and Members of the European Parliament; 138 public comment forms were also completed and returned to Union Railways. The representations included 194 from the Maidstone area, four from the Rochester area; 160 were in favour of the Mid-Kent long tunnel option under the Boxley valley.
  468

  Sea Traffic (Radar)
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will extend radar coverage for traffic at sea to all parts of the United Kingdom sea areas including the Shetlands; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  While there are no plans to extend radar surveillance of maritime traffic, this is an issue being considered by the inquiry announced by the Secretary of State to the House on 11 January 1993 under the chairmanship of Lord Donaldson of Lymington.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what parts of the English Channel are covered by radar coverage for traffic at sea.

  Mr. Norris
  Radar coverage of shipping in the channel is covered by the channel navigation information service, operated by Her Majesty's Coastguard within an area bounded by the Greenwich meridian in the west to 002° to 20.0° east. However, it does not include all that area. The extent of radar surveillance is shown on Admiralty Chart 5500. I will send a photocopy of the relevant part of that chart to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North.

  Coastguard
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to enhance enforcement measures for Her Majesty's Coastguard; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  Lord Donaldson is likely to be considering such measures as part of his inquiry. Careful consideration will be given to any recommendations which arise from the subsequent report.
  469

  British Rail
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British Rail employees were based in York on 1 January of each year from 1979 to 1994.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer to the reply I gave the hon. Member on 14 January 1994, c.291. Information for the previous years is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how the proposed channel tunnel fastlink will be connected to the east coast main line; whether the costs of this connection are included in the fastlink scheme; what estimates he can give of handling east coast main line trains through the St. Pancras reversing movement to the fastlink; and whether the east coast main line will be upgraded to VIC B+ loading gauge for freight traffic.

  Mr. Freeman
  A direct connection from St. Pancras to the east coast main line will be provided by means of a new link across the King's Cross railway lands, the cost of which is included in the estimates for the rail link. Use of St. Pancras will have no adverse effect on journey times. All trains will have to stop to allow officials undertaking on-train border controls to join or depart and for train crews to be changed. Trains leaving the station in the same direction as they arrive will not affect the length of the pause. BR does not propose upgrades to the loading gauges of existing railways, although private investors are free to do so.

  Lancashire (Pollution)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 19 January,Official Report, columns 663–4, what further information he has now received on the Lancashire pollution incident from the Laboratory of the Government Chemist.

  Mr. Norris
  I refer to my answer to the hon. Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley) of 26 January, col.245.

  Noise Insulation
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring the west London line for rail freight within the scope of the draft noise insulation regulations.

  Mr. Freeman
  Ministers will consider all responses to the current consultation exercise before deciding whether the draft regulations should be amended prior to their submission to Parliament. Meanwhile, British Rail remains willing to discuss with the local authorities concerned the possibility of jointly funded noise mitigation schemes for appropriate locations on the west London line.

  Taxis, London
  Mr. Khabra
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received in response to his consultation on the future of taxi services in London.

  Mr. Norris
  I have received over 150 representations in response to the consultation paper on the future of taxi and private hire services in England and Wales issued by my Department. Many of these have referred to London. The consultation period ends on 1 March 1994.
  470

  Public Service Obligation Grant
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what will be the cash ceiling for public service obligation grant to British Rail for 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The original cash ceiling of £850 million has been increased to £930 million in the light of revised forecasts. British Rail's external financing limit for 1993–94 is not affected.

  Consultancies
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the value of consultancy contracts awarded by his Department each year since 1979, both in current prices and at constant 1994 prices.

  Mr. Norris
  I regret that this question could be answered only at disproprotionate cost.

  Waste Dumping
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will raise the maximum fine for illegal dumping of waste from shipping on to beaches; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 8 February 1994]: The maximum fine on conviction by indictment for causing pollution of United Kingdom waters by the illegal discharge of wastes from ships is unlimited.

  Oil Discharges
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he will introduce into partnership with other North sea Ministers to designate the North sea as a special area under the marine pollution convention in relation to oil discharges.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 8 February 1994]: An intermediate meeting of North sea conference Ministers in December 1993 considered actions taken within the International Maritime Organisation on annexes I and Il of MARPOL. They agreed upon steps for further evaluation of reception facilities and the enforceability and impact of current regulations as a basis for considering at the 1995 North sea conference any need for designation of the North sea as a special area under these annexes. Officials are now taking the evaluation process forward for the United Kingdom in conjunction with representative ports and shipping organisations.

  A copy of the Minister's statement of conclusions has been placed in the Library.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the volume of oil which is intentionally discharged by shipping vessels into the North sea each year.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 8 February 1994]: It is estimated that legal operational discharges of oil from shipping traversing the North sea is between 1,000 and 2,000 tonnes per annum.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether there is any requirement for ships entering British ports to use reception facilities for the dispersing of oily wastes and garbage; and where such facilities are available.
  471
  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer Tuesday 8 February]: Harbour authorities and terminal operators are required to provide reception facilities for ships carrying oily wastes and garbage. There is no legal requirement for ships to use such facilities. Information on oil reception facilities in United Kingdom ports collected by the Department of Transport is contained in the International Maritime Organisation circular MEPC/Circ.234 copies of which have been placed in the Library. Indications are that all ports have arrangements for the reception of garbage.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents of oil discharged into the North sea were reported in 1993–94; how many incidents were investigated; and how many resulted in prosecutions under the marine pollution convention for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 8 February 1994]: From January 1993 to January 1994, the Department's marine pollution control unit received reports of 397 pollution incidents in the United Kingdom sector of the North sea. Of these, 95 were related to ships, the rest were related to offshore installations. All of these incidents were investigated and as a result, 21 vessels were inspected at their next port of call, resulting in four cases being passed on for further investigation and possible prosecution—three to a foreign flag state and one to the Treasury Solicitor. All cases are still under investigation.

  In the past five years, 25 shipping cases have been sent for further investigation by the relevant competent flag state authorities, including seven to our own Treasury Solicitor. Out of these 25 investigations, successful prosecutions have been obtained on seven occasions—see table—and 10 cases are still under investigation:

  Number

  1989

  2

  1990

  2

  1991

  2

  1992

  1

  1993

  1—

  1 (Three referred to Flag States).

  Manchester Airport
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate his Department has made of the economic benefits that accrue to Amsterdam and other European hubs from failure to allow direct services from Manchester airport and the diversion of passengers to airports on the continent; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the evidence given on behalf of Manchester Airport plc to the Select Committee on Transport in regard to the cost to regional airports of failing to liberalise access to them; what action he will take; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what estimate his Department has made of the loss to Manchester Airport plc of preventing the airport from meeting airline demand for additional services to and from Manchester; and if he will make a statement on the airport's call for the liberalising of access to regional airports.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 9 February]: There is no reliable information available on the effects of the United
  472
  Kingdom's aviation policy on airports in other countries. We have not yet been able to examine in detail the evidence given by Manchester airport to the Select Committee, but we have asked the CAA to examine in detail the economic impact of air services on regional airports, in consultation with United Kingdom airports, including Manchester, airlines and other Government Departments.

  It has long been the Government's policy to seek the maximum degree of liberalisation of our air services agreements in order to maximise the benefits to consumers, the airline industry and the United Kingdom economy generally. At the same time the Government have aimed to increase opportunities to regional airports. Individual proposals are considered on their merits and the Government have in the past given expanded opportunities to regional airports. For instance, as a result of the deal negotiated in 1990 three extra services to Manchester from the United States and a service from Birmingham to the United States have commenced. In addition the United Kingdom gave special permission outside the terms of the United States/United Kingdom Air Services Agreement last April for a service from New York to Belfast. As a continuation of our policy to liberalise services to regional airports the United Kingdom has put a proposal to the United States Government which offers immediate open access to United Kingdom regional airports from all United States cities.

  Road Pricing
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in which year the Government first began to examine the issue of road pricing; and what are his current proposals.

  Mr. Key
  In May last year we published a Green Paper "Paying for Better Motorways" (Cm 2200) on the principle of direct charging for the use of inter-urban roads. The intention to publish this consultation document had been announced in the autumn statement in November 1992. On 2 December 1993, column 650, my right hon. Friend announced the Government's intention to introduce electronic charging on motorways when the technology was ready and subject to Parliament's approval of the necessary legislation.

  The Government's research programme on the possible role of congestion charging in London was announced in 1991, and the Government have subsequently been co-operating with local authorities outside London which wish to examine the possibility of city congestion charging for their area. The Government are not committed to the introduction of city congestion charging, whether in London or elsewhere.

  Road Safety
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which posts are currently designated, within the Department of Transport, to have responsibility for road safety; and if he will list the grade level and title of each post.

  Mr. Key
  The improvement of road safety is one of our key objectives. In addition to members of the Department's road and vehicle safety directorate, this involves staff working on the planning, construction and maintenance of roads, and the testing and licensing of vehicles and drivers. Many other areas of the Department's work also contribute
  473
  to improving road safety. It is therefore not possible to provide the information requested, except at disproportionate cost.

  Transport Supplementary Grant
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what amount of transport supplementary grant was awarded for 1994–95 to each highways authority; and in each case what amount and percentage was allocated for road safety.

  Mr. Key
  The amount of transport supplementary grant awarded for 1994–95 to each highway authority was given in the Official Report for 15 December 1993, column 699. Resources for local safety schemes were given as supplementary credit approvals. Allocations under this category, and the proportion they represent of the total resources allocated under the transport supplementary grant system are as follows:

  Authority

  Allocations for Local Safety Schemes—1994–95

  £000

  Per cent.

  City of London

  0

  0.0

  Barking

  315

  27.8

  Barnet

  430

  16.5

  Bexley

  330

  4.1

  Brent

  425

  15.5

  Bromley

  160

  8.4

  Camden

  440

  10.8

  Croydon

  513

  10.2

  Ealing

  320

  9.8

  Enfield

  302

  5.5

  Greenwich

  220

  8.4

  Hackney

  287

  8.6

  Hammersmith

  550

  10.0

  Haringey

  327

  10.4

  Harrow

  140

  1.6

  Havering

  240

  27.6

  Hillingdon

  750

  14.6

  Hounslow

  270

  4.8

  Islington

  480

  15.4

  Kensington

  220

  19.1

  Kingston

  235

  6.7

  Lambeth

  104

  6.0

  Lewisham

  425

  4.3

  Merton

  280

  16.2

  Newham

  385

  3.4

  Redbridge

  213

  12.6

  Richmond

  250

  12.9

  Southwark

  400

  10.4

  Sutton

  322

  13.9

  Tower Hamlets

  400

  7.4

  Waltham Forest

  429

  17.1

  Wandsworth

  801

  12.5

  Westminster

  420

  11.3

  Bolton

  188

  5.1

  Bury

  220

  9.7

  Manchester

  720

  2.9

  Oldham

  400

  7.8

  Rochdale

  235

  9.7

  Salford

  595

  20.2

  Stockport

  190

  3.9

  Tameside

  270

  14.0

  Trafford

  210

  1.8

  Wigan

  145

  10.3

  Knowsley

  280

  1.4

  Liverpool

  368

  6.1

  St. Helens

  70

  9.7

  Sefton

  266

  23.7

  Wirral

  485

  15.7

  Barnsley

  340

  5.1

  Doncasler

  357

  5.7

  Rotherham

  207

  4.3

  474

  Authority

  Allocations for Local Safety Schemes—1994–95

  £000

  Per cent.

  Sheffield

  340

  1.7

  Gateshead

  250

  18.5

  Newcastle

  250

  2.7

  North Tyneside

  206

  12.2

  South Tyneside

  360

  27.3

  Sunderland

  399

  10.7

  Birmingham

  1,017

  2.8

  Coventry

  307

  2.1

  Dudley

  313

  3.2

  Sandwell

  296

  5.8

  Solihull

  203

  6.3

  Walsall

  265

  1.6

  Wolverhampton

  249

  1.3

  Bradford

  650

  9.0

  Calderdale

  325

  9.5

  Kirklees

  570

  8.1

  Leeds

  670

  3.6

  Wakefield

  400

  11.7

  Avon

  542

  2.9

  Bedfordshire

  485

  9.6

  Berkshire

  650

  6.4

  Buckinghamshire

  538

  16.5

  Cambridgeshire

  1,275

  19.0

  Cheshire

  545

  2.5

  Cleveland

  393

  3.1

  Cornwall

  369

  3.3

  Cumbria

  390

  7.9

  Derbyshire

  602

  11.6

  Devon

  763

  7.7

  Dorset

  588

  9.9

  Durham

  250

  2.2

  East Sussex

  540

  6.5

  Essex

  1,517

  7.9

  Gloucestershire

  438

  5.3

  Hampshire

  1,200

  4.2

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  563

  15.4

  Hertfordshire

  1,070

  8.9

  Humberside

  690

  4.0

  Isle of Wight

  230

  7.7

  Kent

  1,050

  1.1

  Lancashire

  1,195

  4.5

  Leicestershire

  609

  8.0

  Lincolnshire

  440

  5.9

  Norfolk

  811

  5.7

  Northamptonshire

  756

  12.3

  Northumberland

  425

  5.5

  North Yorkshire

  700

  4.5

  Nottinghamshire

  823

  7.7

  Oxfordshire

  545

  10.5

  Shropshire

  322

  7.2

  Somerset

  284

  2.7

  Staffordshire

  520

  3.6

  Suffolk

  755

  8.1

  Surrey

  1,184

  4.5

  Warwickshire

  896

  19.9

  West Sussex

  565

  8.1

  Wiltshire

  483

  12.1

  Road Repairs
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the state of disrepair of principal roads;

  (2) what procedure he uses for assessing the state of repair of principal roads.

  Mr. Key
  The condition of roads in England and Wales is monitored by means of the national road maintenance condition survey. Each year a random sample of some 11,000 100m sites is inspected for the presence of certain pre-defined defects visible at the surface. Results for each
  475
  road class are expressed as index numbers which allow trends in condition to be monitored. They are published in an annual report, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Motor Cycles
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what factors were taken into account in deciding to accept the stage II noise limits of motor cycles; and what representations he received on the issue.

  Mr. Key
  The stage I and stage II noise limits for motorcycles were initially proposed in a draft directive (9148/84) in 1984 and were the subject of a report of the House of Lords "Select Committee on the European Communities"—Session 1984–85, 9th Report, "Motorcycle Noise". Evidence was provided to the Committee by the National Society for Clean Air, the Motorcycle Association of Great Britain Ltd., the Noise Abatement Society, the British Motorcyclists Federation, the Greater London Council, the Transport and Road Research Laboratory, now the Transport Research Laboratory, as well as the Department of Transport. The Committee welcomed the initiative taken by the Commission in proposing a new directive which was subsequently adopted, with minor amendments, as Council directive 87/56/EEC of 18 December 1987.

  The directive is currently the subject of a revised proposal as part of the introduction of motorcycle whole vehicle type approval. The stage II limits contained within Council directive 87/56/EEC are retained, but the implementation date is deferred until 1 January 1997.

  Brookethorpe and Whaddon Service Area
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when a decision will be announced about the proposed motorway service area at Brookethorpe and Whaddon; and what representations he has received about it.

  Office

  Total

  1993–94

  1992–93

  1991–92

  Prior 1991

  Aberdeen

  6

  3

  1

  1

  1

  Bangor

  8

  —

  4

  2

  2

  Birmingham

  42

  16

  16

  3

  7

  Bournemouth

  13

  2

  1

  2

  8

  Brighton

  24

  —

  9

  —

  15

  Bristol

  14

  —

  3

  2

  9

  Cardiff

  21

  4

  6

  2

  9

  Carlisle

  6

  3

  1

  —

  2

  Chelmsford

  26

  9

  5

  1

  11

  Chester

  8

  —

  4

  —

  4

  Coventry

  15

  4

  3

  —

  8

  Croydon

  6

  —

  3

  1

  2

  Dundee

  9

  3

  3

  2

  1

  Edinburgh

  15

  2

  8

  1

  4

  Exeter

  12

  —

  4

  1

  7

  Glasgow

  35

  8

  13

  1

  13

  Gloucester

  16

  —

  5

  3

  8

  Guildford

  22

  3

  10

  —

  9

  Haverfordwest

  6

  —

  1

  —

  5

  Huddersfield

  9

  2

  2

  —

  5

  Hull

  6

  —

  2

  —

  4

  Ilford

  10

  —

  2

  —

  8

  Inverness

  6

  2

  1

  —

  3

  Ipswich

  15

  5

  3

  1

  6

  Leeds

  15

  2

  4

  —

  9

  Leicester

  13

  3

  2

  —

  8

  Lincoln

  9

  1

  1

  1

  6

  Liverpool

  12

  —

  1

  —

  11

  London Central

  6

  —

  2

  —

  4

  476
  Mr. Key
  Since August 1992 it has been for the private sector rather than my Department to identify sites for new motorway service areas, seek planning permission and acquire the land. I understand that a planning application has been submitted for a motorway service area at Ongers farm, near Brookthorpe, and that this is to be the subject of a public inquiry in May. It will then be for the inspector appointed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment to decide whether planning permission should be granted.

  My Department has received one letter expressing opposition to the proposal.

  Visual Display Units
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by office and by year since the introduction of the Local Office Business system the number of replacement visual display units, as distinct from new visual display units, supplied to the local office network.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 9 February 1994]: No details are kept by DVLA on the replacement of VDUs. Responsibility for this was subject to contract between IBM and the Driver, Vehicle Operators Information Technology Agency. The latter was acquired by Electronic Data Services when DVOIT was privatised in December 1993 and details could now be made available only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by year and by office the number of visual display units that have been introduced into the DVLA local office network under the local office business system.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 9 February 1994]: The information requested is as follows:
  477

  Office

  Total

  1993–94

  1992–93

  1991–92

  Prior 1991

  Luton

  27

  11

  1

  1

  14

  Maidstone

  22

  —

  8

  —

  14

  Manchester

  33

  —

  19

  1

  13

  Middlesbrough

  8

  6

  1

  —

  1

  Newcastle

  15

  3

  2

  1

  9

  Northampton

  15

  2

  5

  2

  6

  Norwich

  15

  5

  2

  1

  7

  Nottingham

  16

  6

  4

  2

  4

  Oxford

  10

  —

  2

  1

  7

  Peterborough

  11

  1

  2

  1

  7

  Portsmouth

  15

  1

  2

  2

  10

  Preston

  13

  —

  5

  2

  6

  Reading

  22

  —

  10

  1

  11

  Sheffield

  19

  —

  11

  —

  8

  Shrewsbury

  6

  3

  2

  —

  1

  Stanmore

  8

  —

  2

  —

  6

  Stoke

  9

  —

  3

  —

  6

  Swansea

  10

  —

  3

  —

  7

  Swindon

  14

  —

  6

  —

  8

  Taunton

  12

  3

  4

  —

  5

  Truro

  7

  —

  1

  —

  6

  Worcester

  11

  —

  1

  —

  10

  Leo

  97

  2

  —

  —

  95

  GMS

  22

  —

  —

  —

  22

  842

  115

  216

  39

  472

  Fines
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by year and office how much additional revenue has been generated by the prosecution of regulation 12 cases; and if he will estimate the revenue which will be gained over the next three years.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 9 February 1994]: The information requested for 1991–92 and 1992–93 is as follows:

  Office

  Revenue 1992–93

  Revenue 1991–92

  Birmingham

  116,272

  17,954

  Dudley

  45,989

  22,671

  Lincoln

  16,815

  n/a

  Northampton

  47,283

  29,379

  Nottingham

  56,525

  n/a

  Peterborough

  22,939

  40,971

  Leicester

  11,106

  n/a

  Bournemouth

  755

  120

  Guildford

  8,299

  n/a

  Maidstone

  10,583

  n/a

  Portsmouth

  1,457

  n/a

  Huddersfield

  6,751

  1,305

  Manchester

  6,625

  n/a

  Preston

  3,158

  2,419

  Sheffield

  6,007

  n/a

  Hull

  4,326

  n/a

  Leeds

  3,269

  n/a

  Bristol

  33,750

  16,749

  Gloucester

  10,960

  2,010

  Taunton

  2,558

  n/a

  Truro

  310

  n/a

  Worcester

  4,288

  525

  Middles borough

  1,240

  n/a

  Newcastle

  2,331

  n/a

  Oxford

  13,676

  n/a

  Ipswich

  10,228

  3,660

  Luton

  21,697

  3,691

  London

  117,221

  n/a

  Enforcement office

  Total

  646,454

  141,454

  478
  The revenue targets for regulation 12 prosecutions for the years 1994–95 to 1996–97 have not yet been agreed betwen the agency and the Department of Transport.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the average fine, costs and back duty awarded by the courts for a successful prosecution of section 8 cases and section 12 cases.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 9 February 1994]: The information requested for the period April-December 1993 is:

  Section 8

  Regulation 12

  £

  £

  Average Fine

  85.96

  59.47

  Average Costs

  21.52

  7.23

  Average Section 9

  47.48

  —

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by year and office how much additional revenue has been generated by DVLA staff undertaking their own prosecutions.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 9 February 1994]: It is not possible to list how much additional revenue was recovered by each local office.

  The amount of revenue recovered in respect of cases prosecuted by DVLA only for 1992–93 is £25.6 million. This is a 15 per cent. increase over the £22.4 million recovered through both DVLA and the Crown Prosecution Service during 1991–92.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of successful cases prosecuted by DVLA staff since they undertook their own prosecution work.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 9 February 1994]: The information requested since April 1992 is:

  479

  Cases

  April 1992–93

  178,731

  April 1993–December 1993

  158,175

DEFENCE

  Senior Officers
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will produce a table showing the number of generals, admirals and air marshals in active service; and what are the salary levels for each of those ranks.

  Mr. Hanley
  Information on the number of officers at each rank level of the armed forces is contained in table 1 of the Defence Analytical Services quarterly publication TSP9, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Table 2.23 of the "UK Defence Statistics" publication provides illustrative data on military salaries. On this basis, the 1993–94 rates for senior officers are as follows:

  £

  Field Marshal (and equivalents)

  112,084

  General (and equivalents)

  90,148

  Lieutenant General (and equivalents)

  64,842

  Major General (and equivalents)

  56,710

  Ships
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many ships are on active service.

  Mr. Hanley
  On 8 February there were 124 commissioned surface vessels and submarines in service with the Royal Navy, including those in refit. There are, however, also 21 vessels in service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, whose supporting role is essential to the provision of the Royal Navy's overall capability.

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

  Mr. Aitken
  Next steps agency chief executives are usually asked to reply to parliamentary questions about the day-to-day operational matters of their agency and on subjects for which they have delegated responsibility, as set out in the agency's framework document.

  Polaris
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if it is Her Majesty's Government's policy to maintain the existing maximum warhead ceiling for each Polaris submarine for the remainder of their operational deployment;

  (2) what is his policy regarding the maximum warhead ceiling on the United Kingdom's ballistic missile-carrying submarines during the transitional phase from Polaris to Trident.

  Mr. Hanley
  We have no plans to alter the number of warheads deployed on our Polaris submarines while they 480
  remain in service. Each Trident submarine will deploy with no more than 96 warheads, and may carry significantly fewer.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the explosive power of the planned strategic warhead for the Trident missile will be similar to that of the existing Polaris warhead.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is not our practice to discuss the details of nuclear weapon design.

  Joint Analysis Centre, Molesworth
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from what sources military information is processed and analysed at the joint analysis centre at Molesworth; and if he will give details of the modification work undertaken at the joint analysis centre at Molesworth.

  Mr. Hanley
  The role of the joint analysis centre is to process and analyse military information from a variety of sources. Modification of work undertaken for the JAC has involved the refurbishment of existing buildings at RAF Molesworth mostly to provide improved office accommodation for JAC support staff.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who operates the joint analysis centre at Molesworth; what is the strategic relationship between the joint analysis centre at Molesworth and Menwith Hill station in Yorkshire; how much the expansion of the joint analysis centre at Molesworth has cost: who has met the cost of the joint analysis centre at Molesworth; and how the costs have been attributed.

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 11 January 1994,Official Report, column 171. The joint analysis centre at RAF Molesworth is operated by the United States European Command. The cost of the JAC has been borne by the United States Government.

  Sea King Helicopter, Mauchline Cross
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter landed in Mauchline Cross on the evening of 1 February; if he will carry out an investigation into the incident with particular reference to the safety of local people; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  During the evening of Tuesday 1 February 1994, a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter from Royal Naval Air Station Prestwick carried out a forced landing on the village green at Mauchline, due to severe weather conditions. An internal investigation has confirmed that the crew took the correct action, by seeking to land as soon as possible. A safe landing was conducted on the village green, clear of the surrounding buildings. Once on the ground, the crew took action to prevent members of the public from approaching the helicopter. The emergency services arrived shortly afterwards. The aircraft waited until the severe weather conditions had passed and then departed for Royal Naval Air Station Prestwick.

  Consultancies
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the value of consultancy contracts awarded by his Department each year since 1979, both in current prices and at constant 1994 prices.
  481
  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Cannock and Burntwood (Dr. Wright) on 31 January 1994,Official Report, column 551.

  Service Personnel (Ethnic Origins)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to publish a breakdown of the ethnic origins of serving personnel by regiment or unit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  We intend to publish in "Defence Statistics" a breakdown of the ethnic origins of members of the armed forces by service and rank. The publication of statistics by regiment or unit will be subject to further consideration.

  United Nations Standby Forces
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has provided to the United Nations standby forces planning team; and what requests have been made by the planning team.

  Mr. Hanley
  The United Nations standby forces planning team has asked United Nations member states to consider proposals for identifying forces capable of deployment at short notice that would potentially be available to take part in the initial stages of United Nations peacekeeping operations. A formal response will be made shortly.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts regarding the work of the United Nations standby forces planning team.

  Mr. Hanley
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has had no such discussions.

  Operation Grapple
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the 2 Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment will begin its formal Operation Grapple training.

  Mr. Hanley
  As a matter of sensible contingency arrangements, the 2nd Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment will, on present plans, commence extra training on 27 February to ensure it is fully prepared for a deployment to Bosnia to relieve 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards in April-May, if such a decision is taken.

  Defence Estate (Repairs)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total maintenance backlog of(a) unavoidable and essential repairs and (b) urgent repairs on the defence estate at 1 April in each year from 1980 to 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  This information is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  United Nations Forces
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to identify those combat engineering units and military lawyers that could be made available to the United Nations; and if he will make a statement.
  482
  Mr. Hanley
  We conduct a regular dialogue with the United Nations secretariat to ensure that it has a clear picture of all the capabilities the United Kingdom has to offer. We are willing to consider requests from the United Nations for any of these, case by case, in the light of other commitments and priorities.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 14 January,Official Report, column 344, what are the names, ranks, and functions of the five military personnel attached to the United Nations secretariat; and if the two officers that were in principle made available to the United Nations are currently attached to the United Nations.

  Mr. Hanley
  The personnel currently attached to the United Nations secretariat, and their functions, are:

  Lieutenant Commander Highett—Logistics

  Major Clifford—Situation Centre

  Major Goddard—Field Finance

  Major Hunter—Department of Peacekeeping Operations

  Staff Sergeant Butcher—Situation Centre

  The two additional officers made available in principle have not yet taken up posts at the United Nations.

  Ceremonial Uniforms
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any non-Ministry of Defence sources have been used to finance the purchase of items of ceremonial uniforms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  Some non-Ministry of Defence sources such as regimental funds and band funds have been used to purchase special items of ceremonial uniforms.

  Desert Storm Syndrome
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek information from his French counterparts concerning Desert Storm syndrome.

  Mr. Hanley
  My officials continue the exchange of information with the French authorities on the alleged Desert Storm syndrome which began last summer.

  Peace Support Operations
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department received a copy of the United States Army document entitled "FM 100–23 Peace Operations"; and what assessment he has made of it.

  Mr. Hanley
  We are aware that the United States Army has in preparation a manual concerning the conduct of peace support operations. This document remains in draft form and it would in any case be inappropriate to comment.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to produce and publish a doctrine manual on peace support operations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The British Army produced in 1988 a document on doctrine entitled "Peacekeeping Operations". A new, complementary manual, taking account of recent developments in peacekeeping, is at an advanced stage of preparation.
  483

  Bosnia
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has drawn up to implement the proposed safe areas in Bosnia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The plan to implement the concept of safe areas is a matter for the UN and the UN Secretary General's report S/25939 of 14 June 1993 detailed how this might be done. The Secretary General's report was endorsed and authorised in the UN Security Council by the passage of UN Security Council Resolution 844 of 19 June 1993.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his French and Spanish counterparts about the implementation of the proposed safe areas in Bosnia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence is in regular contact with his French and Spanish counterparts about all aspects of our military deployments in former Yugoslavia.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the three batches of information collated from interviews with refugees from Bosnia were sent to the United Nations War Crimes Commission.

  Mr. Hanley
  The three batches of information were dispatched to the United Nations War Crimes Commission by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 30 September 1993; 19 October 1993; and 21 January 1994.

  Married Quarters
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 14 January,Official Report, column 343, what arrangements will be made to ensure that the proposed housing trust will have an adequate level of finance for capital expenditure on the married quarters estate.

  Mr. Hanley
  An independent survey of the married quarters estate has been carried out and the proposed housing trust will draw up its business plan taking into account the findings of the survey. This will form a key element in the trust's funding requirement when it approaches the market.

  Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the attendance of the band of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers at a Conservative party function at Ayton, Berwickshire in January; and what was the cost to public funds of the band performance.

  Mr. Hanley
  Members of the Fusiliers' Band (Volunteers) carried out an engagement at Ayton castle on 28 January 1994. The additional costs were met by the organisers of the function.
  484

  Military Hospitals
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will show for each military hospital disposed of since 1988(a) the purchaser, (b) the new use of the site, (c) the estimated value of the site before sale and (d) the sale price.

  Mr. Hanley
  One military hospital—the former Princess of Wales RAF hospital at Ely—has been disposed of since 1988.

  About half the former hospital comprising 7.26 acres of the total 63 ace site has been sold to the Cambridge health authority, now Lifespan Health Care Trust, and is currently in use as a community hospital. Approximately 23 acres have been transferred to the United States Air Force and the balance of the site, some 32 acres, is currently for sale on the open market.

  Details of the site value prior to sale and the sale price are commercial in confidence.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has for selling military hospitals to other health care providers.

  Mr. Hanley
  My Department is required to obtain the best possible price for all sales of surplus MOD property; in the case of military hospitals, this may be achieved by sale to another healthcare provider. Discussions are well under way on the terms of sale of Queen Elizabeth Military hospital in Woolwich to the Greenwich healthcare trust.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Intestate Estate
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what arrangements are made to trace surviving relatives of those dying intestate in the Duchy.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The procedures followed by the Duchy solicitor in tracing surviving relatives of those dying intestate in the county Palatine are the same as those followed by the Treasury solicitor.

  Extensive inquiries are made of the local authority, of neighbours and of any other likely source. If these fail to identify kin, advertisements are placed in the press.

  When there is reason to believe that the deceased might have surviving relatives in a foreign country, inquiries are made through that country's accredited representative in the United Kingdom and, if recommended, advertisements placed in the newspapers of that country.

  Following inaccurate accounts of this procedure in the media, the Duchy solicitor wrote to the secretaries of all law societies within the county Palatine. He set out the procedure in detail, and reminded them of the policy of the Duchy authorities sympathetically to consider applications for ex-gratia payments on stated grounds to those who did not qualify for benefit under the law.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many estates under the intestacy provisions in the County Palatine passed to the Duchy in each of the last five years; and how many devolved, after investigation, to surviving blood relatives.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The number of estates administered during the last five years by the Duchy solicitor under the
  485
  Administration of Estates Act 1925 and whose assets devolved to the Duchy—no qualifying kin having been traced—are as follows:

  Number

  1988–89

  437

  1989–90

  455

  1990–91

  488

  1991–92

  380

  1992–93

  357

  During the same period, the number of estates which were reported to the solicitor but for whom qualifying kin were identified and to whom the assets devolved were as follows:

  Number

  1988–89

  24

  1989–90

  31

  1990–91

  22

  1991–92

  34

  1992–93

  34

  It should be noted that in many cases of intestacy, qualifying relatives were identified prior to the matter being reported to the Duchy solicitor and are dealt with accordingly. The tables therefore do not reflect the proportion of estates within the county Palatine which devolve to the Duchy on the one hand or to qualifying kin on the other.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster for each of the past five years, how much was spent on legal fees in attempts to trace surviving relatives of those who had died intestate in the Duchy.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  There is no breakdown of costs available for the execution of the Duchy solicitor's duties under the Administration of Estates Act 1925 and the Companies Act 1985. However, the costs of placing advertisements for kin in newspapers over the last five years totalled £114,576–8.

  Citizens Charter Reports
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the date of publication of the citizens charter first annual report; what will be the date of publication of the citizens charter second annual report; and what periods of time he plans to cover in future annual reports.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The first report on progress in implementing the citizens charter was published on 25 November 1992; the second will be published during March 1994. No decision has been taken on the date of future reports. There is no commitment to report annually.

  Complaints
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he intends to set up a task force to advise on setting up and improving complaints systems in the public services.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I set up the citizens charter complaints task force in June 1993, for a two-year period.
  486
  Its role is to review public services' complaints systems; and to advise on their effectiveness, and on any further measures necessary to improve the ways in which public services respond to complaints. The task force is chaired by Lady Wilcox, chairman of the National Consumer Council, with six other members drawn from the public and private sectors.

  In October 1993, the task force published its booklet, "Effective Complaints Systems: Principles and Checklist", which offers all public service organisations an opportunity to test the effectiveness of their own complaints systems. The booklet is available from the House of Commons Library.

  The task force will shortly publish an interim report to Ministers, which will also be distributed widely to public services and other interested organisations.

  Christmas Cards
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 19 January,Official Report, column 697, how many Christmas cards he and his Ministers sent out in 1993; and at what cost.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Approximately 400 Christmas cards were sent by myself and the Parliamentary Secretary on behalf of the Department. The cost of purchase and postage was approximately £240.

  Charterline
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answers of 2 February,Official Report, column 789, what is the value of the contract to run the Charterline pilot scheme; if the service contract to operate the Charterline pilot scheme was awarded to the lowest bidder; how many calls have been dealt with by Charterline pilot scheme in its first nine months of operation; how much has been spent, in total, on the operation and promotion of the Charterline pilot scheme: if the provision of uniforms worn by staff answering telephones at the Charterline offices at Havant was a condition of the contract; and what is the cost per telephone call dealt with by Charterline.

  Mr. David Davis
  The service contract to operate Charterline pilot scheme is of no fixed value. The cost is dependent on the number of Charterline calls made. The service was awarded to the bidder that was judged to offer a high quality value for money service.

  Over 5,300 calls have been received to date. Total set-up costs amount to £1,251,000. These include initial research, project planning and management, system design, contractual advice and data collection, which are all one-off costs. On-going costs to date amount to £1,033,136. These include paid advertising, research during the pilot study, set up and use of ACORN data—to provide public service organisations with information about callers' backgrounds—operational costs, and set up and operation of the Charterline language service, which is available in Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu.

  The provision of uniforms worn by staff answering Charterline telephone calls was not a condition of the contract.

  The cost per call to date is £70, if calculated on the basis of operational costs. The set-up and operational costs of a pilot study are always relatively high. If call volumes were higher, significant economies of scale could be achieved.
  487
  In the event that the project is extended to a national or other basis, the cost per call figures would be greatly reduced.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster who are the members currently appointed to the Civil Service Appeal Board.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  At 25 January 1994 the members of the Civil Service Appeal Board were:

  Mr. P. Adams OBE; Mr. A. Bennett; Mr. M. S. Buckley; Mrs. C. Coltman; Mr. K. Crowley; Miss P. Downs (Chairman); Mr. W. J. Edmunds BEM; Miss B. Findlay; Mr. M. T. Foulkes; Mr. W. M. Francis BEM; Mr. J. H. Gracey CB; Mr. T. W. Hall; Mr. G. Harpin; Mr. R. M. Hastie-Smith CB; Mr. P. D. Jones (Deputy Chairman); Miss J. Kelley CB; Mr. R. W. King BEM; Mr. N. F. Ledsome CB; Mrs. S. P. Maunsell; Mr. N. E. A. Moore; Mr. R. W. Morgan; Mrs. M. Morrison OBE;
  488
  Mr. J. Nicholson; Mr. P. Palmer; Mr. J. Pennington; Ms E. A. Rees; Mr. J. Renton; Mr. M. Ridout; Mr. J. Roberts CB; Mrs. M. B. Sloman; Mr. A. Smith; Mr. A. Stem; Mr. J. W. Stevens CB (Deputy Chairman); Mr. N. Tout BEM.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster who are the members currently appointed to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The members of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments are:

  The right hon. the Lord Carlisle of Bucklow QC—Chairman

  The right hon. Sir Patrick Naime GCB MC—Deputy Chairman

  The Lord Bridges GCMG

  Sir Trevor Holdsworth

  Sir Charles Huxtable KCB CBE

  Sir Robin Ibbs KBE

  The right hon. the Lord Merlyn-Rees

  The right hon. the Lord Thomson of Monifieth KT

  GATT: BENEFIT TO BRITISH MARITIME INDUSTRIES
  GATT: BENEFIT TO BRITISH MARITIME INDUSTRIES
  JAMAICAN CITIZENS VISITING THE UK
  JAMAICAN CITIZENS VISITING THE UK
  UN: ANNUAL UK CONTRIBUTION AND REPAYMENTS AWAITED
  UN: ANNUAL UK CONTRIBUTION AND REPAYMENTS AWAITED
  US HUMAN LIFE BILL: REPORTS
  US HUMAN LIFE BILL: REPORTS
  PROSTATECTOMIES
  PROSTATECTOMIES
  LEGAL AID BILLS: SETTLEMENT
  LEGAL AID BILLS: SETTLEMENT
  DOWN'S SYNDROME CHILDREN: SPECTACLE VOUCHERS
  DOWN'S SYNDROME CHILDREN: SPECTACLE VOUCHERS
  SMOKING RELATED DISEASES: CAUSE
  SMOKING RELATED DISEASES: CAUSE
  SECURE !RAINING ORDERS: COSTS
  SECURE !RAINING ORDERS: COSTS
  MURDER RECONVICTIONS
  MURDER RECONVICTIONS
  SOCIAL FUND BUDGET
  SOCIAL FUND BUDGET
  SICK PAY
  SICK PAY
  VACCINE DAMAGE AWARDS
  VACCINE DAMAGE AWARDS
  RETIREMENT PENSIONS AND NATIONAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS
  RETIREMENT PENSIONS AND NATIONAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS
  TRIDENT PROGRAMME: COST
  TRIDENT PROGRAMME: COST
  MARRIED COUPLE'S TAX ALLOWANCE: TRANSFER
  MARRIED COUPLE'S TAX ALLOWANCE: TRANSFER
  PRIVATISATION: DEBTS WRITTEN OFF
  PRIVATISATION: DEBTS WRITTEN OFF
  BELIZE: SECURITY
  BELIZE: SECURITY
  OVERSEAS AID PROJECTS: ADVANCE NOTICE UK COMPANIES
  OVERSEAS AID PROJECTS: ADVANCE NOTICE UK COMPANIES
  UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION: UK CONTRIBUTIONS
  UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION: UK CONTRIBUTIONS
  CHINA: POPULATION PLANNING
  CHINA: POPULATION PLANNING
  RUSSIA: CAPITAL FLIGHT
  RUSSIA: CAPITAL FLIGHT
  RUSSIA: CONDITIONS FOR IMF FUNDING
  RUSSIA: CONDITIONS FOR IMF FUNDING
  IRAQ: UN RESOLUTIONS 687 AND 688
  IRAQ: UN RESOLUTIONS 687 AND 688
  IRAQ: HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORING
  IRAQ: HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORING
  ROMANIA: TRADE
  ROMANIA: TRADE
  LONG CRIMINAL TRIALS: RESPONSE TO CONSULTATION
  LONG CRIMINAL TRIALS: RESPONSE TO CONSULTATION
  WARBLE FLY: TREATMENT
  WARBLE FLY: TREATMENT
  ORGANOPHOSPHOROUS SHEEP DIPS: RESEARCH PANEL
  ORGANOPHOSPHOROUS SHEEP DIPS: RESEARCH PANEL
  EDUCATION BILL: CONSULTATIONS
  EDUCATION BILL: CONSULTATIONS
  SEX EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS CIRCULAR: CONSULTATION PERIOD
  SEX EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS CIRCULAR: CONSULTATION PERIOD
  VAUXHALL CROSS
  VAUXHALL CROSS
  WILDLIFE AND COUNTRYSIDE ACT 1981: INSPECTOR'S DECISION
  WILDLIFE AND COUNTRYSIDE ACT 1981: INSPECTOR'S DECISION
  CETACEANS: CONSERVATION AGREEMENT
  CETACEANS: CONSERVATION AGREEMENT
  DEREGULATION AND CONTRACTING OUT BILL: HEAVY LORRIES, LONDON
  DEREGULATION AND CONTRACTING OUT BILL: HEAVY LORRIES, LONDON
  DEREGULATION AND CONTRACTING OUT BILL, CLAUSE 24
  DEREGULATION AND CONTRACTING OUT BILL, CLAUSE 24
  LONDON UNDERGROUND ENGINEERS
  LONDON UNDERGROUND ENGINEERS
  EUROPEAN UNION: PARTICIPATION IN EMU
  EUROPEAN UNION: PARTICIPATION IN EMU
  UK EXPORT DRIVE:' TREASURY SUPPORT
  UK EXPORT DRIVE:' TREASURY SUPPORT
  MAASTRICHT TREATY: PARTICIPATION IN STAGE THREE
  MAASTRICHT TREATY: PARTICIPATION IN STAGE THREE
  VAT ON DOMESTIC FUEL
  VAT ON DOMESTIC FUEL
  REGINA v SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME OFFICE EX PARTE DUGGAN
  REGINA v SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME OFFICE EX PARTE DUGGAN