Written Answers of 18 February 1994

ENVIRONMENT

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much grant(a) Coventry city council, (b) Solihull metropolitan borough, (c) Walsall metropolitan borough, (d) Wandsworth borough council and (e) Westminster city council will receive this year as a result of homelessness being a factor in the standard spending assessment settlement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Indicators of homelessness contribute the following amounts to the specified authorities' standard spending assessments for 1994–95:

  Authority

  £ million

  Coventry city council

  -1·483

  Solihull metropolitan borough

  -0·155

  Walsall metropolitan borough

  -3·091

  London borough of Wandsworth

  -2·296

  Westminster city council

  -4·218

  Homelessness is one of a large number of indicators that are included within composite indices in the personal social services and the all other services service blocks.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he received from(a) the Association of District Authorities, (b) the Association of County Councils and (c) the Association of Metropolitan Authorities about the use of nature of tenure as a proxy for disadvantaged for the purpose of standard spending assessment distribution.

  Mr. Baldry
  Since my right hon. Friend announced details of the provisional revenue support grant settlement for 1994–95, none of the local authority associations listed has made representations on the use of nature of housing tenure as an indicator in standard spending' assessments.

  Indicators of the nature of housing tenure are used in the personal social services and all other services standard spending assessments. We discussed these assessments with representatives of each of the local authority associations as part of the review of standard spending assessments for 1994–95.

  School Maintenance and Equipment, Yorkshire
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many administrative staff were employed for school maintenance and equipment at(a) county hall and (b) elsewhere in the education department of North Yorkshire county council in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Baldry
  The information is not available centrally.
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  Energy Saving Grants
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has made to recent comments by the Director General of Gas Supply on funding for energy saving grants; and what assessment he has made of the effect of reduction or abolition of these grant schemes on the Government's target for carbon dioxide reductions.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have not responded to the Director General of Gas Supply's recent comments as the funding of energy saving expenditure through the "E" factor is a matter for her and British Gas plc. The Government are fully committed to the Energy Saving Trust, and the target for reducing carbon dioxide emissions by the year 2000.

  Condensing Boiler Grant
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on the effect of uncertainty about the continuation of the Energy Saving Trust's condensing boiler grant scheme on new equipment and installation orders; and if he will make a statement regarding future funding for the scheme.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have received a number of representations about the funding of the Energy Saving Trust Ltd's condensing boiler grant scheme. This is a matter for the trust, British Gas plc and the Director General of Gas Supply.

  Sunderland (Public Works)
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many council homes in Sunderland his Department estimates to have had the kitchen gas combustion air provision blocked off by fitted kitchen furniture;

  (2) how many complaints were (a) lodged and (b) substantiated against Sunderland public works department in each year between 1983 and 1993.

  Mr. Baldry
  This information is not collected by the Department.

  City Challenge
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures his Department has taken since 1992 to extend city challenge.

  Mr. Baldry
  A second round of city challenge was held in 1992—there were 20 winners bringing the total number of partnerships to 31. From April 1994 city challenge will become part of the single regeneration budget. Bids for support from the single regeneration budget will be invited in April.

  Derelict Land
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress his Department has made in setting up an urban regeneration agency in order to clear up and develop derelict land since 1992.

  Mr. Baldry
  Following enactment of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, the Urban Regeneration Agency was launched, under the name
  1003
  of English Partnerships, on 10 November 1993. At that point, it took over responsibility for the city grant programme. On 1 April 1994, it will also incorprate the derelict land grant scheme and the existing programmes of English Estates. These initiatives will in due course be combined within English Partnerships' unified financial regime.

  Natural Gas Fires
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria are used when determining the return air zones when drilling ventilation holes through the front doors of council homes in the north-east for the purpose of ensuring adequate combustion in natural gas fires.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Building Regulations 1991 require heat-producing appliances to be so installed that there is an adequate supply of air to them for combustion and for the efficient working of any flue-pipe or chimney. Where combustion appliances are not room-sealed, the provision of an appropriately sized ventilation opening in the room or space containing the combustion appliance will satisfy the requirement. Where the opening is to an adjoining room or space, this should have an opening of the same size direct to external air. Ventilation openings should not be in fire-resisting walls. A fuller explanation of what provisions are satisfactory is given in approved document J which accompanies the regulations.

  Clothes Drying Compartments
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council homes in the north-east his Department estimates to have clothes drying compartments lined with unsealed amosite.

  Mr. Baldry
  This information is not available centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Urban Regeneration
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures his Department has taken since 1992 to support urban development corporations in their task of urban regeneration.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government have provided urban development corporations in England with a total of £895·8 million in grant in aid in the years 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  UDCs have completed over 24,400 homes, more than 4,800,000 m2 of non-housing floorspace, created nearly 140,000 job opportunities, and have attracted £12·6 billion in private investment since inception to 31 March 1993. To the end of December 1993, UDCs had added to these achievements nearly 2,200 homes, over 315,000 m2 of non-housing floorspace, almost 14,000 jobs, and a further £368 million of private investment1.

  Two new UDCs have been established in partnership with the local authorities: at Birmingham Heartlands, to take over redundant inner-city sites in central Birmingham, including part of the former Leyland DAF site; and at Plymouth, where the principal challenge is the productive use of the Royal William yard.

  UDCs have been prominent in promoting the private finance initiative: for example, they have invited joint
  1004
  ventures for four further schemes in addition to those at Birmingham and Plymouth. London Docklands is promoting the establishment of a combined heat and power development and a housing-led mixed development for the royal docks; Bristol UDC is seeking developers for Quay Point city centre site adjacent to Temple Meads station; and Central Manchester UDC is seeking partners for commercial or residential development of a grade 2 listed Victorian warehouse.

  The Department has clarified administrative arrangements with the UDCs by issuing a "Management Statment" setting out the respective responsibilities of the UDC board, Ministers, the accounting officers and the Department.

  1Figures included for 1993–94 are provisional.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households his Department estimate to be made up solely of a mixture of full-time students and people in receipt of income support or unemployment benefit; and how much his Department estimates such households contributed to local government through the payment of council tax.

  Mr. Baldry
  My Department does not collect statistics on household composition and has made no such estimates.

  Inner-city Programmes
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures his Department has taken since 1992 to bring together resources for targeted inner-city programmes into a single budget.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend announced to the House on 4 November 1993,Official Report, columns 515–25, details of the single regeneration budget which will bring together 20 inner-city and other programmes for regeneration and development from April 1994. On 10 November 1993 he launched English Partnerships, a new public body under the chairmanship of Lord Walker, which will unify three initiatives which benefit urban and other areas: English Estates, city grant and derelict land grant. The resources for English Partnerships will form part of the single regeneration budget. The budget will be worth some £1·4 billion in 1994–95. Details of the single regeneration budget and English Partnerships have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Local Authority Housing (Wandsworth)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish details of how local authority housing in Wandsworth was disposed of other than through the right-to-buy in the last 10 years.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 16 February 1994]: Wandsworth council has reported to us the following disposals of council dwellings since 1983–84:

  Built for sale

  Improved for sale

  To sitting tenants (RTB)

  Other

  Total

  1983–84

  0

  0

  812

  521

  1,333

  1984–85

  128

  16

  1,065

  591

  1,800

  1985–86

  12

  0

  649

  1,141

  1,802

  1986–87

  7

  0

  724

  703

  1,434

  1005

  Built for sale

  Improved for sale

  To sitting tenants (RTB)

  Other

  Total

  1987–88

  2

  0

  1,334

  635

  1,971

  1988–89

  0

  0

  1,788

  529

  2,317

  1989–90

  9

  0

  1,625

  628

  2,262

  1990–91

  0

  3

  627

  420

  1,050

  1991–92

  0

  0

  517

  323

  840

  1992–93

  0

  0

  338

  334

  672

  Local authority statistical returns on the sale of their housing do not enable us to provide an accurate breakdown of what is included in the "Other" category of disposals. More detailed information on such sales would have to be obtained from the local authority itself.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to extend the scope of legal aid to allow council tenants to gain an independent survey of the safety of their homes when the tenants find themselves in dispute with the Health and Safety Executive.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman about this matter shortly.

  Arachnoiditis
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the effect of changes in legal aid provision on the ability of arachnoiditis sufferers with a history of treatment with Myodil to pursue claims for compensation against the manufacturers of the dye; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  No separate assessment has been made of the effect of the legal aid eligibility changes on litigants pursuing claims against the manufacturers of Myodil. The financial eligibility of any applicant for legal aid depends on his or her income and the expenses which may be allowed against it. The financial limits for pesonal injury actions remain higher than those for other categories of civil proceedings.

  Solicitors
  Mr. French
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to introduce statutory regulation for solicitors.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Act 1974, the Administration of Justice Act 1985, and the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. The Government have no plans to extend any of this legislation at the present time.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many complaints his Department has received concerning the solicitors complaints bureau; and if he will make a statement about its future.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The figures are not centrally available, and could be acquired only at a disproportionate 1006
  cost. The Law Society has the statutory powers to deal with complaints about solicitors, and in 1986 it delegated its powers in this respect to the solicitors complaints bureau. The future of the bureau is therefore for the Law Society to consider.

  Law Society
  Mr. French
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many complaints he received each year about the Law Society's regulatory function.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The figures are not centrally available, and could be acquired only at a disproportionate cost.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his assessment of the effectiveness of the self-regulatory system for solicitors.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Self-regulation is the most effective way of maintaining standards in professional life in general. It is particularly important that citizens with disputes, against other citizens, institutions or the state, have access to a completely independent legal profession. The Government are thus committed to the principle that in the first instance the maintenance of professional standards among solicitors should be the responsibility of the Law Society. To reinforce public confidence, the Government have also established the Office of the Legal Services Ombudsman, to provide independent scrutiny of the way the Law Society carries out its duties, and who may advise on the effectiveness of its complaints-handling procedures. His 1993 annual report contains a summary of recommendations.

  Debt Repayments
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many applications a debtor may make to pay a debt by instalments following a county court judgment ordinary payment.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  A debtor may make as many applications for an instalment order as he wishes unless he is debarred—disqualified—from doing so by the court.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has to amend the law relating to county court judgments, small claims and debt and the number of applications a debtor may make to pay debts by instalment.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  There are currently no proposals to change the law in respect of any of the areas mentioned. A package of major changes to county court procedures was introduced in July 1991 and amendments to the small claims procedure came into effect in October 1992. Following evaluation of the 1991 changes and subject to public consultation, some minor amendments to debt recovery procedures are planned for later this year.
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TRANSPORT

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are proposed to protect people who live alongside existing railway lines to the channel tunnel from the effects of additional noise arising from international freight trains.

  Mr. Freeman
  As well as taking steps to reduce the effects of the international freight trains by the introduction of new locomotives and rolling stock, and continuously welded rail, British Rail has agreed jointly funded schemes with Kent and Surrey county councils and the London borough of Bromley for the provision of acoustic barriers alongside existing tracks at locations expected to be most affected at night. Kent county council has decided also to offer double glazing for certain isolated properties which cannot be protected by noise barriers.

  Supplementary credit approvals have previously been allocated to Surrey and Kent. I have now agreed to provide further credit approvals of £375,000 to Kent, to cover the balance of their costs, and £336,000 to the London borough of Bromley.

  I and my colleagues will be prepared to consider TPP applications for resources in 1995–96 from other authorities in London which agree appropriate schemes with BR. Such applications will be considered on their merits and in the light of the resources available.

  Vehicle Registration Offices
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by date and place all internal management meetings held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to discuss the vehicle registration office review.

  Mr. Key
  There have been two meetings of the steering group set up to oversee the review and a third has been scheduled. Details as follows:

  13 December at DVLA's London enforcement office

  28 January at DVLA's Birmingham vehicle registration office

  21 February at 123 Buckingham Palace road, London

  In addition, a workshop meeting of DVLA management representatives was held on 24 January at DVLA's Bristol vehicle registration office.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who are the members currently appointed to the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment.

  Mr. Key
  The current membership of the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment is as follows:

  Chairman:

  Mr. D. Wood QC

  principal of St. Hugh's college, Oxford

  Vice Chairman:

  Mr. R. H. Stewart

  independent planning consultant

  Members:

  Dr. P. B. Goodwin

  director of the transport studies unit, university of Oxford

  1008

  Professor P. J. Hills

  professor of transport engineering, university of Newcastle upon Tyne

  Mr. P. J. Mackie

  senior lecturer in economics, university of Leeds

  Miss A. M. Lees

  environmental adviser, Formerly controllor of transportation and development for the Greater London council

  Dr. D. Coombe

  Director, the MVA Consultancy

  Mr. D. A. Hutchinson

  county surveyor, Dorset county council, Dorchester

  Mr. M. E. G. Taylor

  independent road haulage consultant

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the purpose of the visit of the chief executive of the DVLA to the Department of Transport headquarters at Marsham street on 12 January.

  Mr. Key
  On 12 January, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport and I met departmental officials, including the chief executive, to discuss enforcement issues.

WALES

  European Centre, Brussels
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy on the future of the Wales European centre at Brussels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Wales European centre is supported by a consortium of public bodies in Wales. I have no present plans to change it.

  Speech Therapy
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many students are currently training in Wales for speech therapy qualifications; and how many of these are Welsh speaking.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  There were 76 students in further and higher education establishments in Wales including the University of Wales, whose subject of study was speech therapy, for the academic year 1992–93.

  The number of these students who speak Welsh is not recorded.
  Source: "Further Education Student Record"—FESR—and "University Statistical Record"—USR.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were employed in Wales in(a) 1979 and (b) at the latest available date in (i) the NHS, (ii) the civil service, (iii) HM forces, (iv) local government and (v) the police services.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information requested is shown in the table.
  1009

  Number of employees in Wales

  Industry

  1979

  1993

  Source

  National Health Service1

  66,100

  76,700

  National Health Service payroll

  Civil Service2

  40,700

  30,535

  Civil Service Statistics, HM Treasury

  HM Forces3

  6,300

  5,2004

  Ministry of Defence4

  Local government5

  148,600

  140,500

  Joint Staffing Watch Local Government Management Board

  Police services6

  8,300

  9,300

  Joint Staffing Watch Local Government Management Board

  1Includes directly employed national health service staff and practitioners—general medical practitioners and their support staff, general dental practitioners and opticians. These figures are approximate and most are as at 30 September/1 October.

  2Includes non-industrial and industrial staff. Figures are full-time equivalents. Part-time staff are counted as half units. Figures are as at January 1979 and April 1993.

  3United Kingdom Regular forces at 1 July each year.

  41992 figure.

  5Numbers of staff employed in general services only—including education—in local authorities. This excludes police, staff of magistrates courts and probation services. Figures are as at June each year.

  6Includes police—all ranks—traffic wardens, cadets and civilians. Figures are as at June each year.

  Contracting out has affected the totals for the civil service and local government.

  Retail Sales
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy regarding out of town retail stores being established on green field sites; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Government policy on retail development is set out in planning policy guidance note 6, "Town Centres and Retail Developments". Local planning authorities shall determine applications for retail development and, where feasible, propose sites in their local plans taking into account the needs of the community, the likely effect of any development on the vitality and viability of existing town centres and whether access provides a choice of transport modes.

  Cardiff Bay Development Corporation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to receive the comments of the Cardiff Bay development corporation on his Department's quinquennial review into the corporation's financial and management policy.

  Mr. Redwood
  The board of the corporation considered the draft report on 4 February.

  I am accordingly placing a copy of the report's conclusions and recommendations in the Library of the House today.

  Arts Council for Wales
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will announce the chairman of the Arts Council of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I am pleased to announce that my right hon. Friend has appointed Sir Richard Lloyd Jones as chairman designate of the new Arts Council of Wales from 1 April 1994.

  Sir Richard has held a wide range of posts in the civil service, culminating as permanent secretary at the Welsh Office between 1985 and 1993. He has a strong personal interest in the arts and will provide a sound leadership for the council.

  I also pay tribute to the current chairman of the Welsh Arts Council, Mr. Mathew Prichard CBE, who is retiring
  1010
  on 31 March 1994. Mr. Prichard has held that office since 1 April 1986 and has made a valuable contribution to the arts in Wales. I am grateful to him for his sterling work.

  I intend to announce the rest of the membership of the Arts Council of Wales shortly.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Contracting Out (Pension Rights)
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance he has issued about the effect of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 and the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 on the transfer of pension rights in services in his Department which are subject to contracting out.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Guidance on the assessment of pensions arrangements offered by external bidders during the conduct of a market test is set out in paragraph 5.18 of "The Government's Guide to Market Testing", which was published in August 1993. Copies were placed in the Library of the House.

  Consultants
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on which occasion since 1979 his Department has employed the services of external consultants; and if he will give details of the purposes for which they were employed and the cost of employing them.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The information is not held centrally in the form requested and is available only at disproportionate cost.

  Civil Service (Fast Stream Entry)
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the review of the civil service fast stream entry recommended by the career management and succession planning study is yet under way.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  A review of the civil service fast stream entry is now under way as recommended by the "Career Management and Succession Planning Study"—the Oughton report. The review team has been asked to report by the end of June 1994.

  The team will consider whether the fast stream entry should continue and, if so, whether the arrangements need

  1011
  to be revised to ensure that sufficient people with the right qualifications and aptitudes are attracted to the civil service, and how far these arrangements need to be adapted to reflect the more explicit criteria being developed for the senior open structure—the top three grades in the civil service.

  Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has begun his review of the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  A review of the agency status of Recruitment and Assessment Services—RAS—is now under way. As a next steps agency the performance of RAS will be evaluated and RAS activities will be subjected to the normal prior options tests set out in the 1993 "Next Steps Review"—Cm 2430.

  This work will take into account the further review of the civil service fast stream entry which has been set up following the Oughton report, "Career Management and Succession Planning Study" and on which I am announcing progress today. In addition, the review team will consider the appropriate relationships between the civil service recruitment services, the role of the civil service commissioners, and the recruitment responsibilities of Government Departments.

  Comments and contributions from those with an interest in RAS and its work would be welcome and should be sent by 25 March 1994 to David Clark, recruitment studies team, Cabinet Office, Office of Public Service and Science, room 69A/2, Horse Guards road, London, SW1P 3AL.

  Science (Postgraduate Training)
  Mr. Trend
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress is being made on implementing the policies for postgraduate training announced in the White Paper "Realising our Potential: A Strategy for Science, Engineering and Technology".

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Office of Science and Technology, with the help of the research and funding councils, has prepared a consultation document seeking views on how best to implement the White Paper's policy that research students supported by the research councils should normally complete a Master's year. The document is being circulated to higher education institutions, companies, professional and learned bodies, and I have placed copies in the Library. Consultation will last until the end of April.

PRIME MINISTER

  Data Protection Registrar
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Prime Minister who is to be the new Data Protection Registrar.

  The Prime Minister
  I am pleased to announce that Her Majesty the Queen has approved the appointment of Mrs. Elizabeth France as the new Data Protection Registrar, on the retirement of Mr. Eric Howe later this year.

  Mrs. France is currently head of information systems and pay services division of the Home Office. She is expected to take up her duties as registrar in the summer.
  1012

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Northern Gas
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many complaints were(a) lodged and (b) substantiated against Northern Gas in each year since 1983.

  Mr. Eggar
  The number of complaints lodged against British Gas Northern is a matter for the Director General of Gas Supply.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which body is responsible for investigating complaints against Northern Gas.

  Mr. Eggar
  Responsibility for investigating complaints against British Gas Northern lies with the Office of Gas Supply.

  Regional Innovation Grants
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures his Department has taken since 1992 to make inner-city task force and city challenge areas eligible for regional innovation grants.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  From 18 May 1992, regional innovation grants have been available in all inner-city task force and city challenge areas. It is a discretionary grant and all applicants must satisfy the criteria of the scheme to be eligible for support.

  Malaysia (Exports)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of British exports to Malaysia in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Needham
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Leeds, East (Mr. Mudie) on 31 January,Official Report, column 588.

  Stolen Equipment
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a list of the equipment stolen from his Department in the last three years for which information is available; and what was the approximate value of each item.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 16 February 1994]: Details of equipment stolen from the Department during the three financial years in question are:

  Item

  Amount £

  1990–91

  Panasonic answering machine

  100·00

  Panasonic answering machine

  60·80

  Panasonic answering machine

  60·80

  Video cassette recorder and remote control and remote control for TV

  506·25

  Panasonic answering machine

  52·50

  Dictating machine

  51·33

  SPO31 single channel IEEE to analogue unit

  716·00

  Digital multimeter model 168/1688

  127·00

  M300 base unit

  1,964·00

  Three desktop personal computers

  2,800·00

  Three printers

  800·00

  1013

  Item

  Amount £

  Keyboard for PC

  50·00

  Mouse for PC

  25·00

  Monitor for PC

  250·00

  Removable hard disc for PC

  400·00

  Software package

  unknown

  1991–92

  TV-video presenter

  643·50

  JVC recorder-player model No. HRD 9520EK

  255·00

  Computer (keyboard, monitor, printer) plus manuals

  4,000·00

  Liberator printer

  800·00

  Eight telephones

  200·00

  Answerphone

  120·00

  Two wall clocks

  30·00

  Photocopier

  1,500·00

  Phillips pocket memo dictaphone

  90·00

  Video cassette recorder

  312·91

  Cannon photocopier model no. QUA 05127

  386·00

  Multifax image master F30 no. X016 0004165

  891·00

  Multifax image master F30 no. N 312463 J 6006

  891·00

  Toshiba T1000 portable computer (inc mains adaptor)

  391·00

  WP diskette

  196·00

  Sony 21" TV and stand

  536·59

  VHS video recorder

  272·26

  Panasonic VHS video recorder and tripod

  986·14

  Video cassettes

  20·00

  Swan jug kettle

  20·00

  Toshiba radio cassette player

  60·00

  Wall clock

  20·00

  2 pictures

  60·00

  Tefal toaster

  5·00

  Moulinex microwave oven

  158·00

  Mirror

  10·00

  Canon fax no. E0407824

  469·00

  Phillips pocket calculator no. LSH 0292

  41·00

  Phillips dictating machine no. 98614

  63·00

  Answerphone (Panasonic Easaphone)

  60·00

  2 Sonyo mini cassette recorders model no. TRC 3570A

  138·00

  2 Phillips 0185 pocket dictating machines and 1 Decimo 50311 pocket dictating machine

  156·10

  HP 85 Calculator

  2,984·00

  Ealing Beck electric control equipment

  3,125·00

  Tektronix oscilloscope model No. TEX 2213

  769·00

  Barr and Stroud helium non-laser

  398·00

  Liberator portable text processor

  187·50

  Dictaphone model No. 1240

  41·00

  Panasonic Easaphone

  60·00

  Brother M-2518 printer

  1,200·00

  Apricot microcomputer

  1,875·00

  Telephone

  15·00

  Compaq personal computer

  2,500·00

  Toshiba lap-top computer

  750·00

  Arcnet passive hubs

  149·50

  Telephone answering machine

  60·00

  Answer machine No. 81CHA 17684

  60·00

  NEC Pinwriter P200 printer

  173·00

  Answer machine No. 8CB HB/6900

  60·00

  Toshiba computer 1000

  450·00

  Panasonic Easaphone

  60·00

  Pitney Bowes transcriber No. 1704

  130·00

  Compaq deskpro 286E

  217·00

  RML Puffin computer

  1,125·00

  ICL model No. M40 PC

  263·00

  5 TDK floppy discs

  8·00

  Toshiba T5200–100 computer

  2,700·00

  Panasonic video recorder

  399·00

  Nimbus AX/2 hard disc and WordPerfect 5·0 manual

  650·00

  Lotus 1–2–3 software

  187·00

  Widows software

  48·00

  Panasonic Easaphone

  52·83

  Olympia typewriter

  60·00

  3 Hand-held dictating machines

  127·50

  3 Pictures

  146·25

  3 Portable personal computers

  8,600·00

  4 Software packages

  1,000·00

  3 Hard discs

  2,000·00

  1014

  Item

  Amount £

  Software manual

  200·00

  Year 1992–93

  Phillips dictating machine model number LFH 0285

  49·35

  Toshiba 3100 personal computer

  1,725·00

  Telecom ivory hand held phone

  254·00

  Telecom ivory hand held phone

  210·62

  Briefcase

  28·00

  2 Portable printers

  500·00

  2 printers

  1,500·00

  Hard disc

  400·00

  4 Portable personal computers

  6,750·00

  3 PC base units

  4,000·00

  Printer switching box

  150·00

  Software discs

  400·00

EDUCATION

  Student Grants
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from students over the age of 50 years about the difficulty in acquiring grants.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend has received no representations on this subject. The same conditions of eligibility for mandatory awards apply to students of all ages.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to increase the amount of money available for grants.

  Mr. Boswell
  I refer to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Moray (Mrs. Ewing) on 18 January,Official Report, column 542. Decisions for years after 1994–95 will be taken at the appropriate time.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to increase student grants annually in line with inflation.

  Mr. Boswell
  Support for students is provided through grants and loans. As my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer told the House on 30 November,Official Report, column 929, the total support available to students through the main rates of grant and loan will be increased by 4 per cent. in 1994–95. Within this total, the main grant rates will be reduced by around 10 per cent. a year from 1994–95 to 1996–97, and corresponding increases made in the loan facility. The total support available in subsequent years will be for decision at the appropriate time.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from students in Coventry about the hardships caused by the student loans scheme.

  Mr. Boswell
  In the last year I have received one representation about the level of the student grant forwarded from an hon. Member for a Coventry constituency. Information about other representations received in the last year could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  1015

  Inter-city Schools
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what measures his Department has taken since 1992 to ensure that more schools in the inner cities have the opportunity to develop their technological expertise;

  (2) what measures his Department has taken since 1992 to seek opportunities to open new city technology colleges in deprived inner-city areas.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  In 1992–93 and 1993–94, 70 secondary schools in inner London and metropolitan authority areas have received technology schools initiative awards, enabling them to enhance their technology facilities. Self-governing and voluntary-aided secondary schools, including those in inner cities, are eligible to become technology colleges, which will have the backing of private sponsors and receive Government grants to develop their teaching of technology, science and mathematics.

  One city technology college has opened since 1992, the John Cabot CTC in Bristol, bringing the total to 15. No further CTCs are planned, but sponsors are welcome to come forward with new proposals.

  The Department continues to provide substantial financial support for the use of information technology in schools, both in inner cities and elsewhere. Most recently we announced a £4·5 million scheme to equip some primary schools with CD-ROM equipment and software, with funding allocated to take account of the needs of urban areas.

  Local Education Authority

  Sub-block

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  City

  5 to 10

  0·124

  0·097

  0·090

  0·094

  11 to 15

  0·176

  0·066

  0·101

  0·101

  16+

  0·398

  0·380

  0·032

  0·031

  Camden

  5 to 10

  20·246

  21·475

  23·975

  24·152

  11 to 15

  19·312

  20·136

  23·245

  22·977

  16+

  11·071

  12·235

  5·622

  5·350

  Greenwich

  5 to 10

  35·906

  38·868

  40·168

  42·898

  11 to 15

  37·160

  40·732

  41·430

  43·179

  16+

  13·624

  15·555

  6·729

  7·055

  Hackney

  5 to 10

  37·247

  39·525

  42·859

  41·212

  11 to 15

  35·653

  38·589

  43·327

  39·377

  16+

  17·571

  21·986

  4·972

  4·436

  Hammersmith

  5 to 10

  16·610

  18·177

  20·220

  19·909

  11 to 15

  16·329

  18·276

  19·298

  18·683

  16+

  9·577

  11·579

  2·837

  2·337

  Islington

  5 to 10

  26·384

  29·051

  30·858

  32·033

  11 to 15

  25·471

  28·968

  30·647

  30·587

  16+

  13·174

  15·936

  2·255

  2·571

  Kensington

  5 to 10

  10·312

  11·052

  11·492

  11·129

  11 to 15

  9·684

  11·246

  11·034

  10·547

  16+

  6·743

  7·569

  1·921

  1·979

  Lambeth

  5 to 10

  43·414

  48·456

  51·761

  48·450

  11 to 15

  40·112

  42·817

  46·347

  42·096

  16+

  21·862

  27·323

  4·410

  3·791

  Lewisham

  5 to 10

  36·852

  40·911

  43·614

  45·488

  11 to 15

  35·545

  38·655

  39·369

  40·062

  16+

  16·361

  19·699

  5·882

  5·969

  1016

  Student Unions
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to safeguard the funding by student unions of student newspapers in his proposals for the reform of student unions.

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

  London Education Budget
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much money has been made available for spending on primary and secondary education in each of the London boroughs 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 determining standard spending assessments, the education component of standard spending, net of specific grants, is divided into five sub-blocks—under fives, five to 10, 11 to 15, 16 plus, and other education. The table sets out the year-on-year changes in the level of five to 10, 11 to 15 and 16 plus sub-blocks within the education standard spending assessment for London boroughs over the last three financial years, together with the figure for 1994–95. Education standard spending assessments are not ear-marked for local authority spending on primary and secondary education, as each authority is free to determine its spending priorities between and within services.
  1017

  Local Education Authority

  Sub-block

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Southwark

  5 to 10

  38·487

  41·387

  43·362

  45·266

  11 to 15

  34·588

  37·845

  36·754

  37·341

  16+

  14·037

  16·153

  3·208

  3·018

  Tower Hamlets

  5 to 10

  43·265

  46·753

  48·908

  49·500

  11 to 15

  42·145

  44·380

  46·576

  47·207

  16+

  12·533

  17·158

  5·034

  5·739

  Wandsworth

  5 to 10

  30·936

  32·763

  33·645

  31·997

  11 to 15

  31·270

  32·299

  32·809

  30·232

  16+

  19·749

  19·226

  5·433

  5·292

  Westminster

  5 to 10

  14·933

  16·462

  17·331

  16·547

  11 to 15

  14·506

  16·154

  17·939

  16·571

  16+

  1·012

  11·981

  3·624

  3·327

  Barking

  5 to 10

  21·269

  23·264

  23·593

  25·569

  11 to 15

  22·609

  23·854

  24·695

  25·895

  16+

  6·784

  7·762

  3·949

  4·058

  Barnet

  5 to 10

  34·086

  36·665

  37·795

  38·812

  11 to 15

  35·987

  38·609

  39·692

  40·647

  16+

  21·339

  24·450

  10·867

  9·748

  Bexley

  5 to 10

  27·617

  29·816

  30·909

  32·909

  11 to 15

  32·276

  34·024

  35·212

  35·877

  16+

  13·085

  14·685

  7·199

  7·226

  Brent

  5 to 10

  40·947

  43·417

  45·334

  44·443

  11 to 15

  40·669

  44·134

  46·986

  45·755

  16+

  27·486

  30·021

  10·520

  10·505

  Bromley

  5 to 10

  30·871

  32·465

  33·638

  35·706

  11 to 15

  34·203

  35·663

  36·528

  38·303

  16+

  17·403

  19·393

  9·542

  9·288

  Croydon

  5 to 10

  40·524

  43·747

  44·859

  47·043

  11 to 15

  42·354

  44·630

  46·039

  47·340

  16+

  23·907

  26·291

  4·092

  4·370

  Ealing

  5 to 10

  40·774

  44·026

  45·570

  45·098

  11 to 15

  40·083

  43·941

  47·377

  46·379

  16+

  23·909

  26·720

  8·951

  6·324

  Enfield

  5 to 15

  35·323

  37·993

  38·761

  41·031

  11 to 15

  39·440

  42·063

  43·651

  44·749

  16+

  19·619

  21703

  9·902

  10·318

  Haringey

  5 to 10

  30·613

  33·849

  36·896

  36·637

  11 to 15

  30·110

  34·433

  36·517

  35·789

  16+

  20·322

  21·588

  7·087

  7·011

  Harrow

  5 to 10

  25·072

  26·934

  27·349

  28·778

  11 to 15

  26·863

  28·602

  29·430

  30·487

  16+

  15·821

  16·413

  2·245

  2·492

  Havering

  5 to 10

  28·705

  30·190

  30·701

  33·636

  11 to 15

  34·845

  36·620

  37·094

  39·474

  16+

  13·966

  15·007

  4·691

  3·777

  Hillingdon

  5 to 10

  28·892

  30·719

  31·707

  34·686

  11 to 15

  30·770

  33·014

  34·558

  36·478

  16+

  14·408

  15·446

  7·431

  7·426

  Hounslow

  5 to 10

  28·948

  31·184

  31·733

  33·114

  11 to 15

  30·031

  33·006

  33·487

  35·249

  16+

  14·385

  16·337

  6·611

  6·988

  Kingston

  5 to 10

  13·932

  14·835

  15·524

  16·351

  11 to 15

  15·503

  16·532

  16·870

  17·033

  16+

  9·232

  9·849

  3·964

  3·938

  Merton

  5 to 10

  18·361

  19·873

  20·953

  22·086

  11 to 15

  19·151

  20·468

  21·568

  21·610

  16+

  10·402

  11·668

  2·811

  3·023

  Newham

  5 to 10

  43·062

  49·438

  51·128

  53·402

  1018 1019

  Local Education Authority

  Sub-block

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  11 to 15

  41·282

  46·315

  49·563

  49·902

  16+

  19·451

  21·902

  3·609

  4·489

  Redbridge

  5 to 10

  28·450

  30·601

  32·124

  34·201

  11 to 15

  32·026

  33·051

  36·902

  37·892

  16+

  16·016

  17·333

  9·168

  9·676

  Richmond

  5 to 10

  14·027

  14·966

  15·127

  15·504

  11 to 15

  13·463

  14·185

  14·774

  15·037

  16+

  8·654

  9·080

  1·082

  0·886

  Sutton

  5 to 10

  19·262

  20·966

  21·955

  23·551

  11 to 15

  21·681

  23·105

  24·185

  25·614

  16+

  10·127

  11·214

  5·391

  5·421

  Waltham Forest

  5 to 10

  32·972

  36·117

  37·897

  39·212

  11 to 15

  34·961

  37·754

  39·557

  39·973

  16+

  17·085

  18·526

  2·656

  3·063

  Notes:

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

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

  Further Education Funding Council
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education who made the decision to appoint Mr. Philip Head as property controller for the Further Education Funding Council.

  Mr. Boswell
  Short-listed candidates for the post of the Further Education Funding Council's head of property services were interviewed by a panel chaired by Mr. Roger McClure, the council's director of finance and the senior line manager with overall responsibility for the property services team. Subsequent discussions leading to the offer of appointment to the post were conducted by Mr. McClure.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what criteria the approval of the Secretary of State was given to the appointment of Mr. Philip Head as property controller for the Further Education Funding Council.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Secretary of State's approval is not required for the appointment of staff of the Further Education Funding Council below the level of chief executive.

  Environmental Education
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to implement the recommendations for environmental education in further education contained in the report of the Toyne committee.

  Mr. Boswell
  It is primarily for the further education institutions and the Further Education Funding Council to decide how to respond to the recommendations of the Toyne committee report, "Environmental Responsibility: an Agenda for Further and Higher Education". The Department wrote to the funding council and further education institutions drawing their attention to the committee's recommendations.
  1020

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of claimants of incapacity benefit who will be eligible for income support for the period(a) between the 28th and 52nd week of incapacity and (b) from the end of the first year; and what are the estimated savings in each case.

  Mr. Scott
  We estimate that around 25 per cent. of people awarded incapacity benefit after April 1995 will also be entitled to income support between the 28th and 52nd weeks of incapacity; and that around 30 per cent. will be entitled to income support after 52 weeks. We estimate that the introduction of the higher rate of short-term incapacity benefit between the 28th and 52nd weeks of incapacity will produce net savings of around £110 million in 1995–96, and around £150 milliion in 1996–97; and that the introduction of long-term incapacity benefit after 52 weeks will produce net savings of around £20 million in 1995–96, and around £170 million in 1996–97.

  Notes:

  i. All estimates are expressed in constant 1993–94 prices, rounded to the nearest £10 million, and net of offsetting changes in income-related benefit expenditure.

  ii. Estimates take account of the effect on incapacity benefit recipients of the planned changes in the qualifying conditions for the disability premium paid with the income-related benefit.

  Pensioners Living Abroad
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost to the Exchequer if the pensions payable to British citizens now living abroad were indexed for the cost of living in the same way as if these people had remained living in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Hague
  The estimated additional cost of paying fully indexed benefits to all state retirement and widow pensioners living abroad is £275 million a year. Separate figures are not available on the cost of indexing benefits only for those who are British citizens.
  1021

  Severe Weather Payments
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in which areas in the United Kingdom cold weather payments have been triggered since the start of the present severe weather in February; and if he will relax the regulations in order that such payments can now be made to all those eligible.

  Mr. Scott
  Payments have been triggered for the area covered by the Wilsden weather station for 10 to 16 February; and by the Meterological Office forecast for the area covered by Eskdalemuir, for the period 16 to 22 February.

  All those eligible already receive automatic payments.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of people in receipt of invalidity benefit in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, and in Wales, in(a) 1979, (b) 1983, (c) 1987 and (d)

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Ted Rowlands, dated 17 February 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the number of people in receipt of Invalidity Benefit in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, and in Wales, in 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1992.
  The information is not available in the exact format requested. This is because statistics for the years in question are only available for the standard statistical regions of the Benefits Agency, one of which is Wales, but are not broken down into individual Districts.
  The areas of Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney are dealt with by the Agency's Merthyr Tydfil District. This District deals with areas other than Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney and so the statistics provided will include people not living in the area in question. Also statistics are not retained by Districts for longer than two years; I have therefore only provided figures for March 1992.
  There were a total of 11,946 people claiming Invalidity Benefit in the Merthyr Tydfil District at the last working day of March 1992. The figures were obtained from a 100 per cent. clerical count of cases in the Office, and include a small number of people who have claimed but are not receiving Invalidity Benefit, eg. because there is underlying entitlement which has been extinguished by the payment of a higher overlapping benefit. The table shows the number of customers in receipt of Invalidity Benefit in Wales at a point in time in 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1992. The statistics are based on a 1 per cent. sample of claimants.

  Number of IVB beneficiaries at a point in time in Wales

  Number

  2 June 1979

  69,000

  2 April 1983

  87,000

  4 April 1987

  122,000

  4 April 1992

  159,000

  Note: The table figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.

  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many recipients currently in receipt of invalidity benefit are over the age of 58 years in(a) Merthyr Tydfil, (b) Rhymney and (c) Wales.
  1022
  Mr. Scott
  This is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Ted Rowlands, dated 17 February 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary question about recipients of Invalidity Benefit who are over the age of 58 in Merthyr Tydfil, Rhymney and Wales.
  The information is not available in the exact format requested. This is because statistics are only available for the standard statistical regions, one of which is Wales, but are not broken down into individual Districts.

  The latest available information for Wales is based on a 1 per cent. sample of claims to Invalidity Benefit in Great Britain. At 4 April 1992, there were approximately 69,000 Invalidity Benefit recipients aged 59 and over in Wales.
  Statistics for the specific areas of Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney are not readily available and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost. This is because statistics are maintained by Benefits Agency Districts whose boundaries do not correspond with those of constituencies; and the statistics are not kept by age. To obtain the information you request would require a manual inspection of each individual claim within the Merthyr Tydfil District which covers Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time for the Child Support Agency to(a) acknowledge a letter from a member of the public, (b) answer any questions raised and reply in writing, and what is the current amount of correspondence awaiting (c) an acknowledgement and (d) a full reply; and what is the overall backlog of correspondence at the Child Support Agency.

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

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Kevin McNamara, dated 17 February 1994:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the time taken by the Child Support Agency to reply to letters from members of the public.
  The Agency's Charter contains a stated aim to respond to correspondence within 10 working days of receipt. Although general correspondence is not routinely acknowledged, the Agency does aim to acknowledge written complaints within two days of receipt. Because the Agency is a new organisation providing a completely new service, it will not be possible to state with confidence before the end of the first year the average length of time taken to reply to correspondence.
  As the first year of the Agency's operations has stimulated a great deal of correspondence, I am afraid that the targets for answering correspondence are not currently being met. The necessary steps are being taken to ensure that letters are answered as promptly as possible. The Agency remains committed, however, to publish its performance against Charter standards in April, and thereafter monthly.
  I hope that you find this reply useful.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the total salary costs for the Child Support Agency for the current year broken down by grade.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
  1023
  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mrs. Llin Golding, dated 18 February 1994:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking for details about the salary costs of staff in the Child Support Agency.
  The forecast total salary costs for the Agency for the current year are £74 million.
  Staffing costs by grade are not currently available.
  I hope you find this information useful.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how long on average it takes the Child Support Agency to carry out the whole maintenance application process, broken down by area CSAC.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is the responsibility of its chief executive, Ros Hepplewhite. She will write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Donald Dewar, dated 18 February 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the time taken to complete the maintenance application process by each regional centre of the Child Support Agency.
  For the period from the 5 April to 31 December 1993, information is available on the percentage of cases cleared by individual Agency Centres within given time bands; under 40 days, between 40 and 100 days, and over 100 days. This data is tabulated at Annex A.
  I hope you find this reply useful.

  CSAC

  <40 Days

  >40 Days but <100 Days

  >100 Days

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Belfast

  52·11

  8·20

  39·70

  Birkenhead

  41·20

  15·80

  43·00

  Dudley

  45·02

  12·96

  42·02

  Falkirk

  46·30

  11·86

  41·83

  Hastings

  45·64

  11·77

  42·59

  Plymouth

  42·82

  11·85

  45·32

  Total

  45·51

  12·14

  42·34

  The times are measured from the receipt of the maintenance application form by the Agency, to the day after the assessment is completed.

  All data is from the Child Support Computer System, and is provisional.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the Child Support Agency's staff are on performance-related pay.

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

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mrs. Llin Golding, dated 18 February 1994:
  I have been asked to reply to your Question to the Secretary of State about the number of staff in the Child Support Agency who receive performance related pay.
  The Agency operates its performance related pay scheme within the terms of the new national pay arrangements agreed by the Treasury and the Civil Service Trade Unions. These new arrangements have created a stronger link between pay and performance by replacing automatic annual increments with performance related progression. The level of any individual's performance related progression is governed by the Agency's personal review system.
  In this system, each individual is set a number of challenging work and personal objectives, tailored to meet each person's
  1024
  experience and ability. Performance related pay is awarded in recognition of the level of individual performance achieved over the previous twelve months.
  The Agency now employs 4,937 staff all of whom are eligible for consideration for an award of performance related pay based upon the agreed arrangements which are available for inspection in the Library.
  I hope you will find this reply helpful.

EMPLOYMENT

  North Norfolk Action
  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons were employed in North Norfolk Action after six months of operation.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  One hundred and twenty-five people have participated in the North Norfolk Action work experience scheme during its first six months of operation. At the end of that period there were 60 participants.

  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons had moved into regular employment following participation in North Norfolk Action.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In its first six months of operation, 16 people have gone directly into work from the North Norfolk Action work experience scheme.

  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what evaluation has been made of the first six months of North Norfolk Action.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Evaluation of the North Norfolk Action scheme is currently under way. Results are expected in the summer.

  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons had ceased to claim benefit immediately following interview for North Norfolk Action.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  A variety of opportunities are offered at Restart interviews in Cromer and North Walsham jobcentres. Since May 1993 North Norfolk Action has been one of them. By mid-February 1994 a total of 82 people had signed off after their restart interview without giving a reason.

  Channel Tunnel (Accidents)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when his Department was first notified of an incident which occurred in the channel tunnel in January in which two channel tunnel workers were taken to hospital for treatment after a bolt of electricity arced across from the main cable; what is the standard procedure for notifying his Department of accidents in the channel tunnel; if he will publish a table giving a full list of accidents in or around the channel tunnel notified to his Department, including dates, nature and injuries sustained; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Health and Safety Executive was notified of this incident on 18 January. It notified the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority on 19 January.

  The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases, and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 apply to the United

  1025
  Kingdom side of the channel tunnel, and reportable accidents and dangerous occurrences must be notified to HSE. HSE informs the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority immediately of any fatal accidents or incidents with potential for major consequences. HSE also reports regularly to the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority other accident information to assist accident prevention on the French side of the project.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who is the commissioner for the rights of trade union members.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The commissioner for the rights of trade union members is Mrs. Gill Rowlands. I have arranged for the hon. Member to receive a personal copy of her latest annual report.

  Job Interview Guarantee Scheme
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current criteria for eligibility for the job interview guarantee scheme; and by what percentage the number of eligible persons has increased since 1992.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. David Rendel, dated 18 February 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the Job Interview Guarantee Scheme.
  The current criteria for eligibility for the Job Interview Guarantee (JIG) scheme were introduced by the Employment Department in April 1993 as part of an overall review of eligibility for all the Group's programmes. The aim of the review was to streamline and bring together the criteria which had been developed over time for individual programmes.
  The following are entitled to help through the JIG:—
  —people aged 18+ who are unemployed for six months or
  more and in receipt of unemployment benefit, Income Support, Invalidity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Sickness Benefit or National Insurance credits.
  —people with disabilities.
  —indirect benefit recipients—the partner of a person who is unemployed and claiming unemployment benefit or Income Support where both partners are unemployed for 26 weeks or more.
  —ex-prisoners.
  —ex-regulars.
  —people involved in designated large scale redundancies.
  —people living in areas where a colliery has closed.
  —people with literacy and numeracy needs.
  —people needing basic training in English.
  —people returning to the labour market after being away for a continuous period of two years or more and who have not received unemployment benefit or National Insurance credits through the Employment Service.
  The number of clients unemployed and in receipt of benefits or National Insurance credits for six months or more in Great Britain and therefore eligible for JIG, as well as other programmes and initiatives, are as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1992

  1,269,000

  1993

  1,548,000

  1994

  1,545,000

  1026
  These long-term unemployed people make up our main target group, although they may also fall into one or more of the other categories. We do not have specific information on numbers of clients within each of these other categories.
  JIG continues to be an effective way of helping our priority clients out of unemployment and back to work. Through it we expect to place around 160,000 people into jobs in 1993/94, more than ever before.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Social Policy
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 2 February,Official Report, column 725, in what form he will respond to the EU' s Green Paper on social policy before 31 March.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State will be sending a paper to the Commissioner for Social Affairs setting out the Government's views.

  Health and Safety (Children)
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the adequacy of health and safety protection for school-age children while engaged in employment.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I am satisified that the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and its relevant statutory provisions ensures that employers offer adequate protection for all those engaged in work activities including school-age children. Local byelaws further regulate their employment.

  The provisions of HSWA were extended by the Health and Safety (Training for Employment) Regulations 1990 to ensure that pupils taking part in work experience were fully protected.

  Mrs. Clywd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with(a) the Child Accident Prevention Trust and (b) other agencies concerning the incidence of accidents involving school-age children at work.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None, but officials of the Health and Safety Executive are represented on the council of the Child Accident Prevention Trust and have good contacts with a number of other relevant safety agencies.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the information available on the number of accidents involving children at work.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 require employers and others to report to the Health and Safety Executive or to local authorities all accidents Much involve employees and makes no exception for employees of school age. All fatalities at work become known to HSE either through accident reports, or through a coroner's office.

  HSE has no evidence to suggest that employers vary their approach to reporting according to the age of their employees.
  1027

  Foyer Concept
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what pilot projects have been carried out since 1992 of the foyer concept, whereby young people are given a place in a hostel if in exchange they give a commitment to train and look for work.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Department is supporting five pilot foyers based in YMCA hostels in Nottingham, Norwich, St. Helens, Wimbledon and Romford. The pilots are being evaluated, with results expected later this year.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which body is responsible for investigating complaints against the Health and Safety Executive.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The independent Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration—the ombudsman—will investigate any complaints referred to him against the Health and Safety Executive—HSE—by Members of Parliament on behalf of their constituents. Further details are published in the Health and Safety Executive's citizens charter leaflets.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many complaints were(a) lodged and (b) substantiated against the Health and Safety Executive in each year since 1983.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Complaints lodged with the ombudsman and substantiated against the Health and Safety Executive since 1983 are as follows:

  Lodged

  Partially upheld

  Upheld

  1983

  1

  1

  —

  1984

  —

  —

  —

  1985

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  —

  —

  —

  1987

  2

  —

  1

  1988

  1

  —

  1

  1989

  —

  —

  —

  1990

  1

  —

  1

  1991

  1

  1

  —

  1992

  —

  —

  —

  1993

  11

  —

  —

  1 Decision pending.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Mr. Rehman Suleman Ekhalwaya
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects his Department's inquiries into the application by Mr. Rehman Suleman Ekhalwaya—Ref: 29/12/128—to join his wife in the United Kingdom, and referred by the high commission in Bombay will be complete; when he expects a recommendation to be passed to Bombay; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Mr. Ekhalway's fiancee will be invited for interview in March. A report of that interview will be sent to the entry clearance officer in Bombay for consideration.
  1028

  European Parliament
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list those member states of the European Union whose armed forces will be qualified to stand as candidates for United Kingdom seats for the European Parliament;

  (2) which European Union member states' civil servants will be qualified to stand as candidates for United Kingdom seats in the European Parliament.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is not readily available and I will write to the hon. Member.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Ministers, and on what occasion and for what reasons, have signed public interest immunity certificates since 1979.

  Mr. Howard
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Deportation (Use of Gags)
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library his previous and present guidelines for the use of gags in deportation cases(a) on board aircraft and (b) on the mainland of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There are no such guidelines, but the recent joint Home Office/police review of removal procedures concluded that the use of mouth restraints—which had been suspended in August 1993—should not be resumed. My right hon. and learned Friend indicated in reply to a question from my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Burton (Sir I. Lawrence) on 12 January at columns 212–13 that he accepted that conclusion. A copy of the report of the joint review has already been placed in the Library of the House.

  Vandalism
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many instances of vandalism his Department estimates have occurred in each year between 1983 and 1993 as a result of drilling ventilation holes through the front doors of council homes in the north-east for the purposes of ensuring adequate combustion in natural gas fires.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested in not collected centrally.

  Safer Cities Scheme
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what date he expects the safer cities scheme to cover 40 urban areas.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Ten new projects were announced on 29 December 1993 and announcements on further projects are planned for 1994–95. As funding for the programme is to be included in the single regeneration budget—to be administered by the Department of the Environment—from 1 April 1994, the precise timetable for later projects will be drawn up in conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.
  1029

  Sexual Offences (Anonymity)
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions he has reached of his examination of the criminal law on anonymity in sexual offence cases; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  I have given careful consideration to this matter in the light of considerable public concern that was apparent towards the end of last year. I am satisfied, however, that the present law, which affords anonymity for complainants in sexual offence cases but offers no special protection for defendants, strikes a proper balance between the principle of open justice on the one hand and the need to ensure that victims of sexual offences are encouraged to come forward on the other. I therefore have no plans to alter the law in this area.

  I believe that victims must continue to benefit from the current level of protection. Even with anonymity, criminal trial is a particularly harrowing process for the victim of a sexual offence and I believe that any diminution in the protection currently available, or doubts about the certainty of the protection, would be likely to increase the number of sexual offences that go unreported and unpunished. The law already allows for the prosecution of complainants whose accusations amount to perjury or an attempt to pervert the course of justice, and in those circumstances the rules relating to anonymity no longer apply.

  So far as defendants in sexual offences cases are concerned, I am not persuaded that they should be treated differently from those charged with other serious crimes, who may also fear a loss of reputation. In a system of open justice some discomfort for defendants who are subsequently acquitted is inevitable. But openness is essential to the maintenance of public confidence in the criminal justice system and ensures that information that might encourage further witnesses to come forward is publicly available. I do not consider that there is a special case for infringing that principle in relation to defendants in sexual offences cases, as a matter either of general application or of judicial discretion in the individual case.

  Voluntary Services Unit
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the national organisations dealing exclusively or primarily with women that are funded by the Voluntary Services Unit;

  (2) if he will list the umbrella organisations dealing exclusively or primarily with women that are funded by the Voluntary Services Unit;

  (3) if he will list the Merseyside organisations dealing exclusively or primarily with women that are funded by the Voluntary Services Unit.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Voluntary Services Unit does not fund any organisation which deals exclusively or primarily with women.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Taxation
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the effect on the economy of the tax increases scheduled during April 1994.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The 1994–95 "Financial Statement and Budget Report" takes full account of these measures, and 1030
  sets out the Government's latest economic forecast. The tax increases and public expenditure savings announced in the two 1993 Budgets put the public finances on a sound footing, and they help create the conditions for sustainable economic growth combined with low inflation.

  Inland Revenue (Shipley)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements are being made to exclude the tax affairs of the royal family and hon. Members, currently administered by the Inland Revenue at Shipley in west Yorkshire, from being administered by a third party under the market-testing arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No such arrangements are necessary. If activities involving the processing, handling or holding of tax information at Shipley or elsewhere, were to be transferred to a private sector organisation, the Inland Revenue would remain responsible for continuing to ensure proper standards of privacy and confidentiality for all citizens including the royal family and hon. Members. In addition to contractual safeguards, the contracting organisation and its employees would be subject, in the same way as Inland Revenue employees, to the criminal sanctions—a fine or imprisonment or both—provided by section 182 of the Finance Act 1989 for unauthorised disclosure of taxpayer personal information.

  Confidentiality is not a bar to market testing; a lot of highly sensitive Government work is done by the private sector. But the Inland Revenue would need to be sure that an outside contractor could replicate existing security procedures and conditions.

  Priests (Income Tax)
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Roman Catholic priests in Northern Ireland pay income tax; and how many are exempt.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I regret that this information is not available. There are no special exemptions from income tax for Roman Catholic priests.

  Carbon Savings
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimates had originally been made in March 1993 of the likely carbon savings in the year 2000 from the imposition of value added tax on domestic fuel; and what revision has been made to this estimate following the announcement by the Chancellor in December of compensatory packages regarding the imposition of value added tax on domestic fuel.

  Sir John Cope
  At the time of the Budget speech in March 1993 it was estimated that imposing VAT on domestic fuel and power should reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 1.5 million tonnes of carbon by the end of the century. It is not expected that the compensation package would substantially affect the original broad estimate.

  Car Phones
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made as to the effect of the imposition of tax on car phones supplied by employers on the safety of motorists.
  1031
  Mr. Dorrell
  I am not aware of any evidence which suggests that the introduction in 1991 of the standard tax charge of £200 for the private use of mobile telephones provided by employers to their employees has affected the safety of motorists.

  Year

  Individuals paying tax1

  Civilian labour force population of working age

  Taxpayers expressed as a percentage of the civilian labour force population of working age

  Year

  (a) Thousands

  (b) Thousands

  (a)/(b) Per cent.

  1978–79

  25,900

  25,200

  103

  1979–80

  25,900

  25,400

  102

  1980–81

  24,900

  25,500

  98

  1981–82

  24,800

  25,500

  97

  1982–83

  24,600

  25,400

  97

  1983–84

  24,000

  25,300

  95

  1984–85

  23,800

  25,800

  92

  1985–86

  23,700

  26,100

  91

  1986–87

  23,900

  26,200

  91

  1987–88

  24,300

  26,500

  92

  1988–89

  25,200

  26,800

  94

  1989–90

  25,000

  27,200

  92

  1990–91

  26,100

  27,400

  95

  1991–92

  25,700

  27,300

  94

  1992–93

  225,100

  27,100

  93

  1993–94

  225,100

  27,100

  93

  1994–95

  225,400

  27,100

  94

  1995–96

  226,000

  27,300

  95

  1996–97

  226,300

  27,400

  96

  1 Including taxpayers above working age.

  2 Provisional.

  National Audit Office
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer by the President of the Board of Trade to the right hon. Member for Swansea, West (Mr. Williams) of 31 January,Official Report, column 589, if he will place in the Library a copy of the agreement between the Treasury and the National Audit Office.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 17 February 1994]: The most recent statement on the long-standing convention on the use of the marking "Not for NAO Eyes" is contained in a Treasury letter of 15 July 1988 which was agreed with NAO. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Members' Library.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Northern Ireland Health Promotion Agency.

  Mr. Ancram
  The current members are:

  Dr. J. B. Hawthorne (chairman)

  Dr. D. M. C. Boyle (vice chairman)

  Mrs. S. E. Comerton

  Mr. J. Cooper

  Dr. D. Courtney

  Professor R. Ellis

  Mrs. A. Hailes

  1032

  Income Tax
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people paid income tax for each year since 1978–79(a) in total and (b) as a percentage of the economically active adult population of working age; and what are the estimated figures for the next three years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 16 February 1994]: The information is given in the table.

  Dr. M. P. J. Kilbane

  Mrs. G. M. Loughran

  Professor A. H. G. Love

  Mr. R. Mairs

  Dr. C. O. McAteer

  Dr. W. W. M. McConnell

  Miss E. McNair

  Sr. Genevieve O'Farral

  Opinion Polls
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on recent public opinion poll findings about the way forward in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  Recent opinion polls have shown that there is a strong desire for peace following the signing of the joint declaration on 15 December. The opportunity for peace remains and is one that should be taken. In order for there to be long-term stability in Northern Ireland, there needs to be a comprehensive settlement embracing all the main relationships and so the Government will continue to progress the talks process with the main constitutional parties and the Irish Government on the basis of the statement of 26 March 1991.

  Peace
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress there has been towards seeking a lasting peace since the Prime Minister's statement to the House on 15 December 1993,Official Report, columns 1071–93.
  1033
  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friends the Members for Come Valley (Mr. Riddick) and for Billericay (Mrs. Gorman) and the hon. Member for Neath (Mr. Hain) on 17 February,Official Report, column 1051.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many invalidity benefit applications were(a) reviewed and (b) appealed during the period July to December 1993.

  Mr. Ancram
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from A. Wylie to Mr. Clifford Forsythe, dated 17 February 1994:
  As Chief Executive of the Social Security Agency, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on the number of Invalidity Benefit reviews and appeals.
  During the period 1 July 1993 to 31 December 1993 a total of 786 applications were reviewed and 1,392 were appealed.
  I hope you find this helpful.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many disability living allowance applications were(a) reviewed and (b) appealed during the period July to December 1993.

  Mr. Ancram
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from A. Wylie to Mr. Clifford Forsythe, dated 17 February 1994:
  As Chief Executive of the Social Security Agency, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on the number of Disability Living Allowance applications reviewed and appealed.
  During the period 1 July 1993 to 31 December 1993, 9,578 Disability Living Allowance applications were reviewed and 359 review decisions were appealed.
  I hope you find this helpful.

  Benefits (Debt Repayment)
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons in receipt of benefit during the period July to December 1993 had direct deductions made for debt repayment.

  Mr. Ancram
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from A. Wylie to Mr. Clifford Forsythe, dated 17 February 1994.
  I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on the number of people that are having deductions made from their benefit for debt recovery.
  1034
  The information is not available in the form you have requested, however, I have provided details in the table below of the number of deductions made from benefits for each type of debt.

  Total number of deductions from benefit at 31 December 1993

  Number

  Northern Ireland electricity

  12,364

  Northern Ireland housing executive

  15,020

  Rates collection agency

  1,171

  Private landlord

  18

  Housing association

  342

  Estate agent

  15

  Building society

  875

  Others

  89

  I hope you find this information helpful.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which Ministers, and on what occasion and for what reasons, have signed public interest immunity certificates since 1979.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Advertising
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all television advertising, newspaper advertising, radio advertising and other promotional campaigns with a budgeted cost in excess of £10,000 conducted by(a) his Office and (b) his agencies (1) in the current financial year and (ii) planned for 1994–95, showing for each the objectives and mechanisms for assessing the effectivness of the advertising.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information has been placed in the Library.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Wilton Park Conferences
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what conferences his Department's Wilton Park conference agency is holding this year on nuclear proliferation issues; how hon. Members are kept informed of conferences held in the Wiston house centre: and if he will make a statement on the role and value of the Wilton Park conferences.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Responsibility for the first Iwo parts of the question has been delegated to Wilton Park under its chief executive, Professor Richard Langhorne, who has on my instructions written to the hon. Member.

  Through its series of international conferences in which senior politicans, officials, businessmen, academics and other professionals participate, Wilton Park aims to contribute to the solution of international problems.

  Letter from R. T B. Langhorne to Mr. Llew Smith, dated 15 February 1994:
  I have been asked to reply to your question concerning Wilton Park.
  As it happens, the conference most directly related to the subject of your interest is in progress at Wilton House this week.

  1035
  I am therefore enclosing the programme and the list of participants for your information. There are other conferences in the 1994 list during which, although their titles are not directly related to the question of proliferation, the matter either has or will come up tangentially. The enclosed list of the year's topics will show you where this is likely to occur.
  The Annual Report is laid before the House and it contains a detailed list of conferences held by Wilton Park. We have not in the past sent the list of forthcoming conferences to Members of Parliament, except to those MPs who sit on the Wilton Park Academic Council. I propose to ask the Council at its next meeting whether this should be done for next year and thereafter.
  The conferences are designed above all to stimulate off-the-record discussion, and participants are encouraged not to be unduly diplomatic, but to express disagreement frankly. The aim is not so much to exchange information, or even opinions, as to influence attitudes. More and more Wilton Park acts as a forum for those involved in regional and other international conflicts, in such diverse places as Southern Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, to explore their differences and seek through dialogue a better mutual understanding which could contribute to eventual resolution of conflicts.
  Wilton Park conferences bring together people from many countries coming from diverse professional backgrounds and holding positions of responsibility in different fields of activity. The international and interprofessional composition of each conference guarantees that all learn much from each other.
  Finally, I would make two very particular points about Wilton Park. It frequently brings together a mixture of participants from states who cannot sustain largescale foreign services of their own and provides a forum in which their politicians and officials can meet not only their opposite numbers from other states of all kinds, but also the officers of international organisations and their agencies. Secondly, at a time when there are acute new stresses on the foreign representation of the United Kingdom arising from the increased numbers of states and the rising number of acute crises in international affairs, Wilton Park is able to perform an increasingly significant role in bringing relevant people and information directly into the United Kingdom.

  Sarajevo
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 15 February,Official Report, columns 708–10, if he will make it his policy that air strikes against the Bosnian Serbs will be delayed until the special representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Yasushi Akashi, has reported on the findings of the investigative team on the massacre at Sarajevo market on 5 February; and what effect the findings of the team will have on his policy in respect of air strikes.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Nations team investigating the mortar attack on Sarajevo en 5 February has now published its report. It concludes that there is insufficient evidence to attribute the attack to either party. The decisions of the North Atlantic Council are designed not to punish, but to secure an end to the bombardment and siege of Sarajevo.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Greek Government with regard to the NATO ultimatum concerned with the demilitarisation of Sarajevo and the possibility of air strikes.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No representations have been received from the Greek Government since their dissociation from the 9 February NATO decision.

  European Parliament
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy that the necessary procedures in the United Kingdom to 1036
  bring into effect the agreement reached at the Edinburgh Economic Council regarding the number of Members of the European Parliament will not be completed before the withdrawal by France of the demand that the new European Parliament building be built in Strasbourg.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No. A Council decision of 1 February 1993 calls for member states to complete the necessary procedures to bring into effect the agreement reached at the Edinburgh European Council increasing the number of MEPs in time for the elections in June this year.

  The legislative procedures required to fulfil this obligation in the United Kingdom are expected to be completed shortly.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Ministers, and on what occasion and for what reasons, have signed public interest immunity certificates since 1979.

  Mr. Goodlad
  No central records have been kept of public interest immunity certificates signed by Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers. I regret that to compile a list of such certificates going back to 1979 would involve disproportionate cost.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign
  and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the likely implications for British-Russian and British-Greek relations of NATO air strikes against the Bosnian Serbs.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed the question of NATO air strikes with Mr. Kozyrev, the Russian Foreign Minister, during his recent visit to Moscow with the Prime Minister. Mr. Kozyrev shares our underlying objective of lifting the siege and bringing the conflict to a peaceful end. My right hon. Friend made it clear that we understand Russian concerns about the need for consultation. We and our NATO allies will remain in close touch with them.

  We regret Greece's decision to dissociate itself from the 9 February NATO decision. But NATO's determination to carry through that decision, and to help the UN put an end to the bombardment of Sarajevo, is clear.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what difference of view exists between the United Kingdom and(a) France and (b) the United States of America in interpreting the NATO ultimatum on Sarajevo; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The NATO decision of 9 February is clear—any heavy weapons remaining within 20 km of Sarajevo and not under UN control after midnight GMT on 20 February will be subject to air strikes. The United Kingdom, France and the United States, along with other NATO partners, are fully committed to carrying this decision through.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the definition of control in respect of heavy weaponry in the latest NATO ultimatum to warring factions in Bosnia-Herzegovina; and if he will make a statement.
  1037
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The NATO decision of 9 February requires all heavy weapons remaining within 20 km of Sarajevo after midnight on 20 February to be placed unde UNPROFOR control. It is for UNPROFOR commanders to determine the nature of that control.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will request the United Nations Secretary-General to instigate an inquiry into the recent allegations made by the former United States ambassador to Turkey, Mr. Crawford, that Turkish Government officials knew of the whereabouts of a number of persons detained against their will who subsequently disappeared following the invasion of Cyprus by Turkish forces in 1974;

  (2) if he will now consider suggesting an inquiry to be executed by the European Union's competent agencies into the fate of the Greek Cypriots missing since 1974;

  (3) if he will request the Turkish Government to respond to the allegations made by the former United States ambassador to Turkey, Mr. Crawford, that the Turkish authorities had in their custody a number of persons subsequently classified as missing following the invasion of Cyrpus by Turkey in 1974;

  (4) if he will request the present Turkish ambassador to the United Nations to give details of his personal knowledge of the whereabouts of the Greek Cypriots classified as missing persons since the invasion of Cyprus by Turkish forces in 1974;

  (5) if he will investigate the recent claims of the former United States ambassador to Turkey, Mr. Crawford, that persons classified as missing since the 1974 invasion of Cyprus by Turkish troops, were alive and in Turkish custody.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Mr. Crawford was United States ambassador to Cyprus from 1974 to 1978. His remarks do not seem to constitute recent evidence about the fate of missing persons. We consider that the United Nations Committee on Missing Persons remains the best instrument for pursuing the question of those missing from both communities. The committee's effectiveness depends
  on full co-operation from both sides.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he raised the question of the missing Greek Cypriots during his recent visit to Turkey.

  Qualified and unqualified nurses and midwives for England and London, September 1992 (whole time equivalents)

  Qualified nursing and midwifery staff

  Unqualified nursing and midwifery staff

  Ratio

  England

  246,570

  90,850

  1:0·4

  London

  39,970

  10,240

  1:0·3

  Pre registration and Project 2000 nursing students have not been included within the figures. As they are in training, they cannot be classified as qualified or unqualified staff.

  Private Patients' Income
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much income has been received from private patients' income, by district health authority, for each of the last five years.
  1038
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if Her Majesty's Government will ask the Turkish Government if they will allow the United Nations Committee on Missing Persons to carry out its inquiries(a) inside the occupied areas of Cyprus, without controls, and (b) inside Turkey;

  (2) what appropriations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Turkish Government on co-operation with the United Nations special committee on the missing persons of Cyprus;

  (3) what is the latest information in the possession of Her Majesty's Government concerning the whereabouts of the Greek Cypriot persons, classified as missing since 1974.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We consider that the United Nations Committee on Missing Persons remains the best instrument for pursuing the question of those missing from both communities. The committee's effectiveness depends on full co-operation from both sides. The United Nations has had cause to complain of the level of co-operation from both sides.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement outlining the present policy of Her Majesty's Government on the occupation of part of the island of Cyprus by Turkish armed forces.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We are committed to the search for a settlement to the Cyprus problem acceptable to both Cypriot communities. The United Nations Secretary-General's mission of good offices remains the best hope for a just and lasting solution. This should be based on a single, bi-communal, bi-zonal federal republic.

HEALTH

  Nurses and Carers
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State
  for Health what was the ratio of trained nurses to carers working in(a) London and (b) England's national health service hospitals in (i) 1992 and (ii) 1993.

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

  Mr. Sackville
  This information will be placed in the Library. Some district health authorities show a decline in private patient income for 1991–92 and 1992–93 because figures for national health service trusts are excluded.
  1039

  Guy's Hospital
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the latest proposals for the future of Guy's hospital.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave on 10 February at columns 458–61 about health services in London.

  Salaries
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the highest salary paid for(a) a unit general manager and (b) a trust chief executive, including bonuses, in 1993.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 2 February at column 717.

  Toxoplasmosis
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if the survey into toxoplasmosis in pregnancy will be a material factor in determining whether or not a United Kingdom wide screening programme for toxoplasmosis in pregnancy is to be undertaken;

  (2) what are the terms of reference of the survey being undertaken by the public health laboratory service into toxoplasmosis in pregnancy; what is the extent of the survey; how many pregnant women are involved; how the service is funded; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  This survey began as a study of antenatal sera for the presence of antibodies to toxoplasmosis, but since 1992 has followed up the level of compliance with antenatal screening offered to pregnant women. The survey invites reports from other public health laboratories. The public health laboratory service is funded by the Department of Health.

  Results from the survey will not alone determine whether a United Kingdom-wide screening programme for toxoplasmosis in pregnancy should be introduced, but they will help to provide some of the information required in assessing whether such a programme might be appropriate. Other factors are important and are subject to a reliable screening test being developed.

  Down's Syndrome
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate has been made of the number of children suffering from Down's syndrome who require spectacles.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Department produces no such estimates.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate has been made of the number of children suffering from Down's syndrome who have applied for a supplementary voucher for the fitting of specially made spectacle frames.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Centrally collected information covers only the number and type of vouchers issued, not patient details such as age.
  1040

  Sir James Ackers
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the sum paid to Sir James Ackers, following his resignation as chairman of the West Midlands regional health authority, was subject to the deduction of tax.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Payments under paragraph 9(3) of schedule 5 to the National Health Service Act 1977 are not liable to the deduction of tax.

  Folic Acid
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how often the national health service and Health Education Authority monitor(a) the intake and (b) the knowledge of the need to take in folic acid before and during pregnancy.

  Mr. Sackville
  National average intakes of folic acid have been monitored routinely by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food as part of the national food survey since the late 1970s. In addition the 1986–87 Dietary and Nutritional Survey of British Adults provided detailed estimates of folic acid intakes by women based on records of actual food consumption. Copies of these surveys are available in the Library. Trends in folic intake for women are expected to be measured again in 1998 as part of the next national diet and nutrition survey covering adults.

  The Health Education Authority, which has incor-porated advice on folic acid and neural tube defects in its public and professional educational materials covering nutrition and pregnancy, regularly monitors the effectiveness of its publications.

  Health Service, London
  Mr. Forman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement giving details of the implications for south-west London hospital facilities, in particular the St. Helier NHS trust and its renal unit, of her statement to the House of 10 February,Official Report, columns 458–72, on the health service in London.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  As indicated in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's statement, it will now be for those locally charged with assessing and meeting health needs to take into consideration the effects, over time, of proposed changes in central London and the views of those living in the area served, before deciding whether local service changes should be proposed for public consultation.

  Prescriptions
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of prescription costs the national health service less than (i) £4·75 and (ii) £4·50.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The latest available information is for 1992. In that year an estimated 53 per cent. of all prescribed items had a total cost to the national health service of less than £4·75; 51 per cent. cost less than £4·50.

  GPs (Night Visits)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to require the model claim form for general practitioners night visit fees to be amended to show the time the patient requested care in addition to the time of the visit.
  1041
  Dr. Mawhinney
  No.

  HIV
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many HIV family medical units there are in each region and nationally.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not held centrally. However, all regional health authorities have been asked to consider the special needs of families affected by HIV when carrying out their needs assessments for service developments.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the budget in real terms in each of the last five years for the treatment and investigation of HIV in babies.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not held centrally.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the rates of HIV in(a) babies and (b) pregnant women in each EC country.

  Mr. Sackville
  Figures for HIV infection are not kept by all European Union countries. However, the number of AIDS cases resulting from transmission of HIV from mother to baby are reported and up to 31 March 1993 the cumulative numbers are as follows:

  Country

  Number

  Belgium

  58

  Denmark

  10

  France

  345

  Germany

  66

  Greece

  7

  Ireland

  9

  Italy

  321

  Luxembourg

  0

  Netherlands

  11

  Portugal

  18

  Spain

  412

  United Kingdom

  83

  Infertility
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision is made for infertility treatment in the Bristol and district health authority area.

  Mr. Sackville
  Bristol and district health authority purchases, for its resident population, a range of services for the investigation and treatment of sub-fertility. The outline of the services are:

  United Bristol Health Care Trust:—

  St. Michael's hospital:—

  seven consultant-led sub-fertility clinics each week and five nurse-led clinics each week.

  Southmead Health Services Trust:—

  five consultant-led sub-fertility clinics each week and one nurse-led clinic each week.

  A limited number of in-vitro fertilisation and gamete intra-fallopian transfer procedures are undertaken at Southmead hospital. Other follow up in-patient or day case work is undertaken as part of the general gynaecology service at both hospitals.

  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is Government policy on the provision of infertility treatment to be provided in the private health sector.
  1042
  Mr. Sackville
  District health authorities and general practitioner fundholders have the freedom to purchase services from any health authority, from national health service trusts or from the private sector. They are encouraged to seek provision of services from those who can best ensure that quality and value for money are achieved, irrespective of whether they are in the public or the private sector.

  Dental Treatment
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will now publish the Government's response to the fundamental review of dental remuneration and the oral health strategy for England.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Our proposals will be announced in due course.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practitioners there are currently offering dental treatment on the NHS in England to new patients seeking to be registered with them for NHS dental purposes; and what was the corresponding figure in October 1990.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Dentists are independent contractors and free to choose whether or not to accept any individual patient, or category of patients, for national health service treatment and to review their decisions at any time.

  At 30 September 1993 there were 15,773 dentists, including principals, assistants and vocational trainees, in contract with family health services authorities. The corresponding number at 30 September 1990 was 15,480.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in England have left the national hearth service since October 1990, but who are continuing to offer dental services on a private basis.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Dentists are not required to disclose their intentions on termination of their contracts with family health services authorities.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental patients have been removed from the NHS dentists' lists since the introduction of the dental contract in October 1990.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  During the period 1 October 1990 to 30 November 1993 there were 50·9 million registrations and 21·7 million deletions from the dental register. The number of patients registered at 30 November 1994 was therefore 29·2 million.

  Pigs (Radiation)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies have been sponsored by her Department into radiation risks using live pigs.

  Mr. Sackville
  Currently the Department of Health does not sponsor any research into radiation risks using live pigs.

  Psychiatric Patients
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the new guidance about the discharge of psychiatric patients from hospital will be sent to health and local authorities.
  1043
  Mr. Bowis
  The draft guidance was issued for consultation on 12 January with a request for comments by 25 February. We shall issue the substantive guidance when we have considered and taken account of the comments received.

  Hyperlipidaemia
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes she plans to ensure that sufferers from hyperlipidaemia are entitled to free prescriptions on the same basis as diabetics.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None.

  Colostomy Bags
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what standard is set by her Department for colostomy bags; what work is being undertaken to improve the standard of such bags; and what consideration has been given to the need for an expiry date for their use.

  Mr. Sackville
  Colostomy bags should conform to British standard 7127, although some older products on the market will pre-date this standard. The Department contributed to the drafting of this standard, which was published in 1991. Discussions are proceeding with several independent testing laboratories, with the objective of increasing the number of facilities for compliance testing.

  The standard stipulates that products which have a shelf life of less than five years shoud be labelled with the expiry date.

  Youth Treatment Service
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has yet reached a decision on the future siting of the youth treatment service; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  I have today informed the chief executive of the youth treatment service of my decision that the service should continue to operate from the existing two sites, Glenthorne in Birmingham and St. Charles at Brentwood, Essex, for at least the next four years.

  I have told the chief executive that consideration will be given to capital expenditure to carry out necessary work at the two centres.

  I hope that this decision will remove some of the obstacles to short-term planning which have faced the youth treatment service for so long as a result of the uncertainties surrounding the site issue.

  Children's Rights
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children's organisations were consulted on the draft first report from the United Kingdom on implementation of the United Nations convention on the rights of the child; on what date consultation documents were posted; what was the deadline for receipt of comments by his Department; and how many of those organisations responded within his deadline.

  Mr. Bowis
  Consultation on reports of this kind is not normal practice, however, in the circumstances a short consultation exercise was undertaken. Of 65 organisations given the opportunity to comment on the draft report, some 1044
  35 were children's organisations. Copies of the report went out from 13 December and comments were requested by 31 December. Nine organisations responded before the deadline, but we did offer to extend this slightly.

  London Hospitals
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) is she will publish the evidence upon which she based her decision that the St. Thomas's site offers a better location and environment than Guy's hospital;

  (2) if she will place in the Library all the information which informed her decision to concentrate acute and specialist services at St. Thomas's hospital;

  (3) what evidence she has that Guy's hospital is more efficient or cost-effective than St. Thomas's.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Guy's and St. Thomas's national health service trust has been asked to pursue proposals that will concentrate patient services, over time, at the St. Thomas's site. The decision to ask the trust to do so was based upon an assessment of its outline business case. The documentation forms management information and includes operational and financial detail about the trust's business which it would not be appropriate to release. All information necessary for statutory public consultation will be made available before a final decision is made on any significant service changes.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are employed within the public relations office of St. Thamas's hospital; and what is its annual budget for 1993–94.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This is a matter for Guy's and St. Thomas's hospital trust. The hon. Member may wish to contact Lord Hayhoe, the chairman, for details.

  Health Care Provision
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what replies she has received to the questions she posed to chairmen of purchasing health authorities concerning wide consultation and the provision of health care; and if she will list the replies she has received according to district.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Replies have been received from all districts and these are currently being evaluated.

  Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the membership of the former independent scientific committee on smoking and health.

  Mr. Sackville
  The terms of appointment of the members of the independent scientific committee on smoking and health expired at the end of 1991. In the light of the strategy for health then being developed, and the fact that some of the functions of the committee had been superseded by the adoption of European Community directives on tar yield of cigarettes and the labelling of tobacco products, it was decided to review the range of scientific advice required on smoking issues. As a result of that assessment, a new scientific committee on tobacco and health was announced on 7 February 1994.
  1045
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the members of the scientific committee on tobacco and health, with their place of work and qualifications for appointment.

  Mr. Sackville
  Details of the scientific committee on smoking and health were announced on 7 February and the information is as follows:

  MEMBERSHIP—SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON SMOKING AND HEALTH

  Chairman

  Professor David Poswillo, CBE DDS DSc MDhc FRC Path

  Formerly Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery,

  Guy's Hospital, London

  Members

  Professor Richard Carter, MA DM DSc FRCPath

  Department of Histopathology,

  Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey

  Dr. Godfrey Fowler, OBE BM FRCGP DCH DRCOG

  Clinical Reader in General Practice and Honorary Director,

  Imperial Cancer Research Fund General Practice Research

  Group, Department of Public Health and Primary Care,

  University of Oxford

  Professor Roger Greenhalgh, MA MD MChir FRCS

  Department of Surgery,

  Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, London

  Dr. Marion Hall, MD FRCOG

  Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist,

  Aberdeen Royal Hospitals,

  Aberdeen Maternity Hospital

  Mr. Martin Jarvis, MPhil

  Clinical Psychologist,

  Imperial Cancer Research Fund Health Behaviour Unit,

  National Addiction Centre,

  Maudsley Hospital, London

  Dr. Aidan Macfarlane, FRCP

  Consultant Community Paediatrician,

  Consultant in Public Health Medicine,

  Clinical Lecturer in Paediatrics,

  Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford

  Professor David Marks, BSc PhD CPsychol FBPsS

  Director of Health Research Centre,

  Faculty of Social Science,

  Middlesex University

  Professor Anthony Newman-Taylor, OBE FRCP FFOM

  Consultant Physician,

  Royal Brompton National Heart and Lung Hospital,

  London

  Professor Richard Peto, FRS

  Clinical Trial Service Unit and ICRF Cancer Studies Unit,

  Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford

  Professor Nicholas Wald, MBBS DSc FRCP FFPHM

  FRCOG

  Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine,

  Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine,

  St. Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, London

  Ex-officio:

  Dr. Eileen D. Rubery MB ChB PhD FRCR MRCPath

  Head of Health Promotion (Medical) Division,

  Department of Health, London

  Ivan Biddle
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will instruct that Ivan Biddle be re-employed by the national health service.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No.
  1046

  AIDS (Education)
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her assessment of the importance of the Health Education Authority's role in providing national public education campaigns to promote safer sex, with particular reference to the rate of heterosexual transmission of AIDS.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Health Education Authority has a key role in developing and promoting safer sex advice across the United Kingdom to any people whose behaviour may put them at greater risk of HIV infection. This is underpinned and complemented by contributions from many other local and national agencies, all delivering health education to the whole population.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has issued any guidelines to NHS trusts in relation to the appointment of senior financial management; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Department of Health fully appreciates the importance to national health service trusts of appointing properly qualified people to senior finance posts. No guidance has been issued specifically to NHS trusts on this issue. However, in November 1992, the Department launched its new finance staff development strategy, which applies to district health authorities arid NHS trusts alike. The key points of the strategy were summarised in the booklet "Framework for the Future". This made it clear that senior finance staff in the NHS would be expected to possess, or to be studying for, the appropriate professional qualifications, and to possess the skills and competencies necessary to discharge their duties, as well as displaying various personal qualities desirable in finance staff generally. In addition, the Department launched "The Role of the Director of Finance in the NHS" in February 1994. This provides guidance on the role of the director of finance, relationships with other key NHS officers, personal qualities, professional skills and the qualifications that he or she requires. Copies of the documents will be placed in the Library.

  Family Practitioners (Fraud)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will outline the disciplinary procedures for dealing with accusations of fraud by family practitioners against the national health service; how many allegations have been made against family practitioners in each year since 1991 in(a) Coventry and (b) elsewhere; how many of these allegations in each category have proved to be true; and what action has been taken against them.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Part II of the National Health Service Act 1977 and the National Health Service (Service Committees and Tribunal) Regulations 1992, as amended, set out the disciplinary powers available to family services authorities, which are responsible for managing family health services in their localities. Fraud is a matter for the police. Information about the number of allegations of fraud made against family practitioners is not available centrally.
  1047

  Amosite
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence her Department has found to link exposure to untreated amosite with serious illness.

  Mr. Sackville
  The principal diseases caused by exposure to amosite—brown asbestos—are asbestosis—a fibrosis or scarring of the lung causing difficulty in breathing—lung cancer, and malignant mesothelioma—a cancer of the inner lining of the chest or abdominal wall. Asbestosis was prescribed as an industrial disease in 1933 and mesothelioma in 1966. Since then further diseases have been prescribed such as pneumoconiosis, diffuse mesothelioma, primary carcinoma, or bilateral diffuce pleural thickening through working with asbestos.

  The import, supply and use of amosite and crocidolite—blue asbestos—and any product that contains them were banned in the United Kingdom in 1985.

  Salaries
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what salaries are payable to chief executives of(a) regional health authorities, (b) district health authorities, (c) district family health services authorities and (d) hospitals currently and in the previous year.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Salary ranges for regional general managers, district general managers, family health services authority general managers and general managers of directly managed hospital and community units are shown in the table. In line with increases made to other groups of public sector staff in 1993 an increase of 1·5 per cent. was made to the salary ranges from 1 September 1993. Individual salaries are dependent on a variety of factors including personal performance against locally set targets. The salaries of chief executives of national health service trusts are matters for trust boards. Information on those emoluments is included in annual accounts available locally. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 13 January that from 1 April 1994 each NHS authority and trust will be required to publish an annual report which includes information on the total emoluments of their general manager or chief executive.

  Salary ranges for NHS General Managers

  Group

  Range from 1 September 1992 £

  Range from 1 September 1993 £

  Region

  RGM

  53,780–77,690

  54,590–78,860

  District

  DGM Group 1

  48,400–69,900

  49,130–70,950

  DGM Group 2

  45,710–66,030

  46,400–67,020

  DGM Group 3

  41,830–60,650

  42,460–61,560

  Unit

  UGM Group 1

  41,830–60,650

  42,460–61,560

  UGM Group 2

  36,750–53,180

  37,300–53,980

  UGM Group 3

  33,160–48,110

  33,660–48,830

  UGM Group 4

  28,690–41,530

  29,120–42,150

  FHSAs

  GM1

  41,830–60,650

  42,460–61,560

  GM2

  36,750–53,180

  37,300–53,980

  GM3

  33,160–48,110

  33,660–48,830

  Source:

  Health Service Guidelines HSG(92)47 and HSG(93)58.
  1048

  Meningitis
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of meningitis there were in each year since 1974; how many deaths there were from meningitis in each year since 1974; and what was the mortality rate from meningitis in each year since 1974.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 17 February 1994]: The information will be placed in the Library.

  Contact Lenses
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures her Department has taken following the report by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission to strengthen opticians' guidelines concerning the advice and information to be given to customers about the costs of lens care when customers first opt for contact lenses.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Following discussions between the Department of Health and the optical profession, the professional guidelines issued to optometrists by the British College of Optometrists have been strengthened to ensure that the costs of contact lens care regimes are discussed fully with customers before they purchase their contact lenses.

  Press and Public Relations Staff
  Ms Tessa Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for
  Health how many press and public relations officers were employed by the NHS for each year from 1989 to 1993.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information collected centrally does not separately identify press and public relations staff. At 30 September 1989 and 30 September 1990 some 210 and 240 whole-time equivalent staff respectively were engaged in public relations work in the national health service. Those totals include support staff.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  National Lottery
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what restriction his Department is planning on the use of national lottery money for revenue funding of organisations.

  Mr. Brooke
  The section 26(1) directions on which I am today formally consulting the statutory distributing bodies direct them to take into account the need for money to be distributed for capital expenditure and only to be distributed for endowments or revenue grants in order to maintain lottery-funded capital projects where no alternative source of revenue finance is available.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what guidance has been issued to the Sports Council as to how it should distribute moneys from the national lottery.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have today written to the chairman of the Sports Council formally to consult that body on the content of the directions I propose to issue under section 26(1) of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. I have written in similar terms to each of the other statutory distributing bodies for
  1049
  which my Department is responsible, and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland are conducting a similar exercise in their respective countries.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proportion of the total amount of the proceeds from the national lottery is expected to be distributed through the Sports Council.

  Mr. Brooke
  The proportion of the total national lottery proceeds going to good causes will not be known until the Director General of the National Lottery announces in May the body corporate which is to be awarded the main licence to run the national lottery. Twenty per cent. of the amount for good causes will go to sport, of which 83·3 per cent. will be distributed through the Sports Council to sports projects in England. The remainder will be distributed by the sports councils for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage who are the members currently appointed to the board of the Independent Television Commission.

  Mr. Brooke
  The current members of the Independent Television Commission are:

  Sir George Russell, CBE (Chairman)

  Mr. Jocelyn Stevens, CVO (Vice-Chairman)

  Mrs. Eleri Wynne Jones

  Professor John Fulton

  The Earl of Dalkeith

  Mr. Roy Goddard

  Mrs. Pauline Mathias

  Lady Popplewell

  Professor James Ring

  Mr. Pranlal Sheth

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage who are the members currently appointed to the board of the national museums and galleries on Merseyside.

  Mr. Sproat
  The members of the board of trustees of the national museums and galleries on Merseyside are:

  Sir Leslie C. Young CBE (Chairman)

  Colin Amery, Esq

  Nicholas Barber, Esq

  Dame Jocelyn Barrow

  Prof. Sam Berry

  E. John Billington Esq RD

  Prof. Anthony Bradshaw PhD FRS

  John Entwistle, Esq DL

  J. Milton Grundy, Esq

  Baroness Hooper

  Prof. C. Michael Kauffman, MA PhD RMA

  Prof. W. John Last, CBE MA Hon. FMA

  Prof. Marilyn Strathern

  Alan Swerdlow, Esq

  Lady Vaizey

  Richard Wilding, Esq

  CB Sir David M. Wilson

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage who are the members currently appointed to the board of the Historical Buildings and Monuments Commission for England—English Heritage.

  Mr. Brooke
  The present commissioners of English Heritage are:1050

  Mr. Jocelyn Stevens, CVO (Chairman)

  Sir Hugh Cubitt, CBE

  Mrs. Candida Lycett-Green

  Mr. Roger Suddards, CBE

  Mr. Geoffrey Wilson

  HRH the Duke of Gloucester, GCVO

  Dr. Ronald Brunskill, OBE

  Sir Neil Cossons, OBE

  Lord Cavendish of Furness

  Mrs. Bridget Cherry

  Mr. Julian Seymour

  Miss Jennifer A. Page (Chief Executive)

  Mr. Terry Farrell, OBE

  Sir David Wilson

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage who are the members currently appointed to the board of the national film development fund.

  Mr. Brooke
  The national film development fund board currently consists of:

  The right hon. Lord Barnett (chairman)

  Mr. Michael Stoddart

  Mr. Simon Perry.

DEFENCE

  Pathogens (Tests)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what tests of live pathogens have taken place outside of the perimeter of Porton Down since 1964; which pathogens were used in each case; how many (i) animals and (ii) humans were exposed to pathogens in each case; and what studies of the persistence of the pathogens used were carried out(a) before and (b) after the tests.

  Mr. Hanley
  These are matters for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down—CBDE. I have asked the chief executive of CBDE to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 18 February 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what tests of live pathogens have taken place outside the perimeter of Porton Down since 1964 has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. Our records indicate that no open air trials or tests involving the use of live pathogens have taken place outside the perimeter of Porton Down since 1964. However, work has been carried out using pathogens in microbiology laboratories, under carefully contained conditions, in compliance with the Health and Safety Executive's requirements at various universities and other institutions throughout the United Kingdom during the course of research funded by the Ministry of Defence.
  3. No humans have been involved. Our records do not provide the information sought on the numbers of animals involved in this work carried out over the past 30 years. The pathogens used are handled safely in accordance with national standards and the question of persistence does not apply as facilities are decontaminated thoroughly at the end of the work.

  Frigates
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he will announce the result of the competition for the selection of the common new generation frigate United Kingdom platform prime contractor.
  1051
  (2) when he expects to place the contract for construction of the first common new generation frigate; and what build programme is expected for the follow-on ships of this class.

  Mr. Aitken
  Following competition, GEC with a consortium of BAe and others have been selected as the UK member for the Franco-British-Italian international joint venture company which will design and build the three first of class ships which are planned to enter service around the turn of the century. The international contract will include important work on the integration of the various weapons systems into the combat system for the ship as a whole and will involve the companies concerned in taking greater responsibilities for a ship of this complexity than has been possible to achieve in the past. The selection of the consortium will enable the combined strengths of GEC Naval Systems, which includes Yarrow Shipbuilders and BAe Defence Systems, supported by Vosper Thornycroft and BAe/SEMA to be brought to bear on this important project and will enable UK industry to play a full part in association with French and Italian industry.

  Our current plans are that the joint venture company will be invited to bid against a specification to be issued later this year with the design contract to be placed in 1995. Subject to satisfactory progress the build of the UK first of class ship will commence in three or four years' time. All UK shipyards will have the opportunity to compete for the build of follow-on ships of this class in five or six years' time, when sufficient progress has been achieved on the first of class ship.

  Rosyth (Employment)
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the questionnaire on transfer of military employment handed to Rosyth naval base uniformed service personnel.

  Mr. Aitken
  A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.

  Deal Barracks
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the current proposals regarding the Royal Marine barracks at Deal.

  Mr. Hanley
  The future of the Royal Marines school of music at Deal is under consideration as part of a defence costs study into military music in the armed forces as a whole. The study is due to report to Ministers in March, but it will not be until some time after this that final conclusions will be reached. It is too early to speculate as to the likely outcome of the study.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the visits that have been made by Defence Ministers to(a) Ecuador, (b) India, (c) Indonesia, (d) Jordan, (e) Malaysia, (f) Nigeria, (g) Oman, (h) Pakistan and (i) Thailand since June 1987; and what was the purpose of each visit.

  Mr. Aitken
  Central records of all official visits by Ministers are not kept. Records available show the following visits:
  1052
  Ecuador

  (Defence Procurement)–1992

  India

  Secretary of State–1988

  Under-Secretary of State–1993

  Indonesia

  Secretary of State–1989, 1991, 1993

  Under-Secretary of State (Armed Forces)—1991

  Under-Secretary of State (Defence Procurement)—1987, 1988, 1991

  Jordan

  Secretary of State—1988

  Malaysia

  Secretary of State—1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993

  Minister (Armed Forces)—1988, 1990 (twice)

  Minister (Defence Procurement)—1991

  Under-Secretary of State–1992, 1993

  Under-Secretary of State (Armed Forces)—1991

  Under-Secretary of State (Defence Procurement)—1988, 1989, 1991

  Nigeria

  None

  Oman

  Secretary of State–1987, 1989 (twice), 1990, 1992, 1994

  Minister (Armed Forces)—1987, 1990

  Minister (Defence Procurement)—1988, 1991, 1992, 1993

  Pakistan

  Minister (Defence Procurement)—1988

  Thailand

  Under-Secretary of State (Defence Procurement)—1992

  Ministerial visits are generally made to maintain and improve our defence relations with the host country. In each case a broad range of issues was discussed.

  Royal Naval Auxiliary Service
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what conclusions have been reached by his Department relating to the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service.

  Mr. Hanley
  As announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 18 October 1993,Official Report, column 39, there is no continuing defence role for the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service. After a properly managed rundown, the RNXS will disband from 31 March 1994.

  RAF Brawdy
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the number of occasions for each year since 1974, together with the total number of occasions that RAF helicopters have been scrambled from RAF Brawdy to assist people in difficulty.

  Mr. Hanley
  The statistical information requested, available only from 1977, is as follows:

  Year

  Total number of callouts

  Total number of persons assisted

  1977

  78

  43

  1978

  86

  32

  1979

  79

  64

  1980

  101

  111

  1981

  89

  75

  1982

  126

  135

  1053

  Year

  Total number of callouts

  Total number of persons assisted

  1983

  73

  69

  1984

  85

  111

  1985

  100

  115

  1986

  98

  100

  1987

  134

  87

  1988

  154

  112

  1989

  148

  132

  1990

  172

  177

  1991

  162

  223

  1992

  158

  86

  1993

  130

  124

  Married Quarters
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 10 February,Official Report, column 484, if he will place in the Library a copy of the independent survey on the married quarters estate that has been carried out; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  I am unable to do so because the report contains information which would be commercially useful to companies tendering to the new housing trust for subcontracting work.

  Military Information
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 14 January,Official Report, column 344, what proposals he has considered for assisting the United Nations to enhance its ability to marshall and analyse military information; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  Two of the military personnel attached to the United Nations secretariat work in the UN situation centre. As I said in my answer of 14 January, the United Kingdom is ready to consider requests from the UN for assistance in enhancing its ability to marshall and analyse information. To date no such requests have been received.

  Trident
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Western Isles (Mr. Macdonald) of 18 January,Official Report, column 505, what consideration underlies the decision not to make public the number of missiles or warheads actually deployed on Trident submarines; what assessment he has made of the effect of such publication on the effectiveness of the system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  A disclosure of the actual deployed capability of our nuclear deterrent might enable a potential adversary to calculate what counter-measures might diminish or negate its effectiveness. For this reason it has been the practice of successive Governments not to make public the number of missiles or warheads actually deployed on our submarines.
  1054

  TRACER
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what impact the involvement of British troops in United Nations operations has had on the TRACER—tactical reconnaissance armoured combat vehicle—feasibility studies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  The feasibility studies for TRACER currently in progress are based on our latest assessment of the capabilities required for future armoured reconnaissance vehicles. This is derived from the whole range of our operational experience. As is normal, we will be re-examining our requirements against all relevant operational experience before embarking on the next phase of the project.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 December,Official Report, column 296, when he expects the TRACER feasibility studies will be completed; and which companies are involved in the three consortia carrying out the studies.

  Mr. Aitken
  The industrial feasibility studies for TRACER are due to be completed by end of April 1994. The principal companies involved in the three consortia are British Aerospace royal ordnance division, Alvis, GEC-Marconi, GKN Sankey, Vickers Defence Systems, Texas Instruments, Shorts, Siemens-Plessey and Teledyne. There are numerous other United Kingdom and foreign supporting companies which are also involved to varying extents.

  Yugoslavia
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to alter the current arrangements for the provision of rations for British service personnel deployed in the former Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  Other troop contributors in the former Yugoslavia already use the United Nations system of supply and we have been asked and have agreed participate in a two-month trial for a small section of our troops in Bosnia. Whether or not we subsequently change our feeding arrangements will depend on the outcome of the trial.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what requests have been made by the United Nations for additional equipment for forces in the former Yugoslavia.

  Mr. Hanley
  The United Kingdom has received a request from the United Nations for mortar-locating radar. As my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced yesterday, this request has been approved.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact on service morale of the quality of rations provided to service personnel deployed in the former Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The quality and quantity of rations provided for United Kingdom personnel in the former Yugoslavia are carefully monitored to ensure consistently
  1055
  high standards. We are fully aware of the importance of a varied and nutritious diet for the morale of our armed forces, and every effort is made to maintain the excellent standard of the rations currently provided.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what rations are currently provided to British service personnel deployed in the former Yugoslavia.

  Mr. Hanley
  British service personnel in the former Yugoslavia currently receive the same scale of rations, provided from the United Kingdom, as the rest of the British Army.

  United Nations Standby Forces
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 10 February,Official Report, column 482, if he will place in the Library a copy of the formal response he intends to make to the United Nations standby forces planning team; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  Consultations between the United Nations standby forces planning team and United Nations member states are being conducted in confidence. It would not therefore be appropriate to place a copy of the United Kingdom's formal response in the Library.

  Housing Rents
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 7 December,Official Report, column 173, whether the proposed housing trust will have any influence on the level of rents paid by service personnel.

  Mr. Hanley
  As stated in my answer of 7 December, we have no plans at present to change the arrangements whereby the accommodation charges payable by service personnel are recommended by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body.

  Defence Industrial Base
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 7 December,Official Report, column 177, what elements of the British defence industrial base he regards as a strategic necessity; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 15 December,Official Report, column 751.

  Royal Ordnance plc
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 11 February,Official Report, column 517, if he will place in the Library copies of all files that were returned by Royal Ordnance plc to his Department in 1985; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  No. These are public records. Those selected for permanent preservation will be available for examination in due course at the Public Record Office in accordance with the Public Records Acts 1958 and 1967.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Ministers, and on what occasion and for what reasons, have signed public interest immunity certificates since 1979.
  1056
  Mr. Hanley
  There is no central record providing the information requested.

  UNPROFOR
  Sir Nicholas Fairbairn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many major Army units are currently below peacetime establishment, and by how much; and what reinforcement will be made to 2 Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment for its planned deployment as part of UNPROFOR.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 14 February 1994]: It is not our practice to disclose the establishment of units in the Army. There are, however, currently seven major arms and services in the Army which have a shortfall of trained manpower against their manpower planning targets. These are shown, together with the percentage to which they are currently manned. If it is deployed, 2 Royal Anglian would be at its full peacetime establishment but in addition some 35 soldiers would be required as reinforcement from elsewhere in the Queen's Division.

  Major Army units currently undermanned against manpower planning targets

  Arm-Corps

  Trained strengths per cent.

  Royal Engineers

  98·03

  Infantry

  98·78

  Army Air Corps

  92·65

  Royal Logistic Corps

  99·87

  Royal Army Chaplains Department

  95·00

  Royal Army Medical Corps

  95·44

  QARANC

  88·96

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will provide figures for the amount her Department has been reimbursed by the Department of Social Security in respect of statutory sick pay provision for each of the past three years.

  Mr. Jack
  In the past three years the following sums have been reimbursed by DSS to my Department in respect of statutory sick pay:

  Financial Year

  £

  1991–92

  302,652

  1992–93

  248,472

  April 1993 to January 1994

  246,216

  Advertising
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list all television advertising, newspaper advertising, radio advertising and other promotional campaigns with a budgeted cost in excess of £10,000 conducted by her Department(a) in the current financial year and (b) planned for 1994–95, showing for each the objectives and mechanisms for assessing the effectiveness of the advertising.
  1057
  Mr. Jack
  Publicity campaigns with a budget cost of over £10,000 in the current year are as follows. Plans for

  Campaign

  Objective

  Mechanisms for assessment

  "At the Farmer's Service"

  To generate greater awareness of the Ministry's services to farmers and growers through promotion of the "At the Farmer's Service" publication.

  Monitoring take-up of publications ordered or distributed via exhibitions or direct mail.

  "Balance in the Countryside" Campaign

  To provide factual information and promote better understanding of MAFF's environmental responsibilities.

  Market research.

  "The Continental Challenge" Conference

  To alert British food suppliers to the opportunities on the continent and introduce them to buyers there.

  Assessed by the response of attending delegates.

  "Don't Import Disease" Campaign

  To generate awareness of changes to the regulations for importation of livestock from EC countries among farmers and importers.

  Absence of imported cattle with diseases and early identification and isolation of diseased stock.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) Campaign

  To promote public awareness of MAFF's role in managing ESA's and publicise the availability of grants to farmers.

  Market research and uptake of grants by farmers.

  "Foodsense" Campaign

  To educate and inform the general public about food and food safety.

  Market research

  Guidance on the Transport of Casualty Animals for Slaughter Campaign.

  To improve standards of animal welfare by providing guidance on procedures and regulations for the transport of casualty animals.

  Assessment of improvements monitored by veterinary officers and animal health inspectors.

  Heat Stress Campaign

  To improve animal welfare by increasing livestock farmers' awareness of the conditions which may cause heat stress.

  Assessment of improvements monitored by veterinary officers and animal health inspectors.

  Joint Imports Campaign

  To build and maintain awareness of the regulations on the import of meat and plant materials from abroad.

  Market research.

  Pesticide Poisoning of Wildlife Campaign.

  To stop the illegal poisoning of wildlife. To raise public awareness and support for the campaign itself.

  Monitoring the level of suspected poisoning incidents and use of a campaign telephone number for reporting incidents.

  Plant Health Campaigns

  To promote awareness to the trade and the public of the regulations on the importation and exportation, for domestic and commercial use, of plants and plant materials.

  Qualitative measurement of enquiries to MAFF's plant health and seeds inspectors and uptake of leaflets distributed.

  Rabies Campaign

  To maintain awareness of quarantine regulations

  Market research.

  Small Producers of Food

  To advise small producers of sources of help available.

  Assessed by responses by recipients.

  Straw and Stubble Burning Campaign

  Aimed primarily at farmers, to remind them that burning has now been banned but also to inform the general public.

  Monitoring of levels of prosecution for illegal burning.

  Warble Fly Campaign

  To promote and build awareness of the lifecycle of the Warble Fly and encourage early detection on cattle.

  Animal health officers provide qualitative assessment of the campaign based on uptake of leaflets and responses/feedback from the target audience.

  Animal Welfare

  Exhibition stands at major livestock events. To support animal welfare campaigns.

  Assessment by quantitative means based on uptake of booklets at trade exhibitions/events and resulting enquiries and follow-up action with veterinary staff.

  IACS

  Advice to the agricultural industry about the requirements of the IACS scheme.

  Monitoring of numbers attending seminars around the country.

  Export and Trade Promotion

  Promoting the United Kingdom agrifood industry at home and abroad.

  Enquiries taken at fain are disseminated to the trade. Companies subsequently contacted on a 10 per cent, sample basis to assess the effectiveness of the presence at the fair.

  National Agricultural Exhibitions

  Supporting campaigns directed at the agricultural industry across the board.

  Enquiries received and information given out.

  1058
  1994–95 are in the process of being finalised, and detailed budgets, are therefore not yet available.
  1059

  Bovine Immunodeficiency
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many cases of bovine immunodeficiency virus disease have been notified to her Department in the last three years; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) what evidence she has that the bovine immunodeficiency virus was introduced into the United Kingdom in infected cattle; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  It is not compulsory to notify cases of bovine immunodeficiency virus to the Department or other authority. A limited investigation in 1990 by the Department's central veterinary laboratory—CVL—suggested there had been a low prevalence of infection in cattle in Great Britain for some time. We have no information on the original source of infection in Great Britian. No cases of disease caused by bovine immunodeficiency virus have been confirmed by the Department in the last three years. It is too early to speculate what role, if any, bovine immunodeficiency virus has played on a particular farm under investigation in Cheshire.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when she will answer the questions from the hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton tabled for answer on 28 January regarding appointments to public bodies.

  Mr. Jack
  All of the hon. Member's questions have now been answered.

SCOTLAND

  Limb Defects
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make a statement on the incidence of upper limb defects in the Ayrshire and Arran health board area;

  (2) what discussions his Department has held with the Ayrshire and Arran health board concerning the incidence of upper limb defects in children within the Ayrshire and Arran health board area;

  (3) which agencies in Scotland are charged with monitoring the incidence of limb defects in children born in Scotland;

  (4) what contact took place during the investigation of limb defects in the area of the Ayrshire and Arran health board between the board, the General Register Office for Scotland and the Medical Research Council;

  (5) how many (a) upper limb and (b) lower limb defects occurred in children born within each health board area in Scotland since 1986.

  Mr. Stewart
  On the basis of the investigation undertaken by Ayrshire and Arran health board and the discussions which the Scottish Office Home and Health Department has had with that board, I am satisfied that there is no cause for concern in relation to the incidence of upper limb reduction defects in the board's area. Since there was no evidence of clustering and the numbers recorded in Ayrshire and Arran were not significantly 1060
  different from those in other parts of Scotland, the health board saw no need for contact with the General Register Office for Scotland or the Medical Research Council.

  Since 1988, the information and statistics division of the Common Services Agency of the NHS in Scotland has collected and published data on the incidence of congenital anomalies discovered by the end of the first year of life. Data sources include the neonatal discharge record, information from the Scottish stillbirth and neonatal death inquiry, post-neonatal death certificates and admissions to hospital in the first year of life.

  The table shows the number of reduction deformities of limbs which occurred in children born in each health board area from 1986 to 1992.

  1986

  Upper limb

  Lower limb

  Unspecified limb

  Argyll and Clyde

  —

  —

  —

  Ayrshire and Arran

  —

  —

  1

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  —

  —

  Fife

  2

  2

  1

  Forth Valley

  —

  1

  —

  Grampian

  3

  2

  1

  Glasgow

  3

  —

  1

  Highland

  —

  1

  —

  Lanarkshire

  2

  —

  1

  Lothian

  2

  4

  1

  Tayside

  1

  1

  2

  Scotland

  13

  11

  8

  1987

  Upper limb

  Lower limb

  Unspecifiea limb

  Argyll and Clyde

  —

  —

  —

  Ayrshire and Arran

  2

  —

  —

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1

  —

  —

  Fife

  1

  —

  1

  Forth Valley

  1

  —

  —

  Grampian

  3

  3

  —

  Glasgow

  3

  —

  1

  Highland

  3

  —

  1

  Lanarkshire

  —

  —

  1

  Lothian

  2

  —

  1

  Tayside

  1

  1

  1

  Scotland

  16

  4

  5

  1988

  Upper limb

  Lower limb

  Unspecified limb

  Argyll and Clyde

  2

  —

  —

  Ayrshire and Arran

  3

  1

  2

  Borders

  1

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  —

  1

  Fife

  2

  3

  —

  Forth Valley

  1

  —

  1

  Grampian

  3

  1

  —

  Glasgow

  1

  1

  —

  Highland

  —

  —

  —

  Lanarkshire

  1

  —

  1

  Lothian

  1

  —

  —

  Tayside

  1

  —

  —

  Scotland

  16

  6

  5

  1061

  1989

  Upper limb

  Lower limb

  Unspecified limb

  Argyll and Clyde

  3

  —

  —

  Ayrshire and Arran

  1

  1

  —

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  —

  —

  Fife

  1

  —

  2

  Forth Valley

  —

  —

  —

  Grampian

  3

  2

  —

  Glasgow

  2

  1

  —

  Highland

  2

  —

  —

  Lanarkshire

  2

  —

  —

  Lothian

  1

  2

  1

  Tayside

  —

  —

  —

  Scotland

  15

  6

  3

  1990

  Upper limb

  Lower limb

  Unspecified limb

  Argyll and Clyde

  1

  1

  —

  Ayrshire and Arran

  1

  —

  —

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  —

  —

  Fife

  —

  —

  2

  Forth Valley

  —

  —

  —

  Grampian

  3

  2

  —

  Glasgow

  1

  2

  —

  Highland

  —

  1

  —

  Lanarkshire

  1

  —

  —

  Lothian

  1

  —

  —

  Tayside

  2

  —

  —

  Scotland

  10

  6

  2

  1991

  Upper limb

  Lower limb

  Unspecified limb

  Argyll and Clyde

  —

  2

  —

  Ayrshire and Arran

  3

  1

  —

  Borders

  2

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  1

  —

  Fife

  1

  1

  1

  Forth Valley

  1

  1

  1

  Grampian

  5

  2

  —

  Glasgow

  3

  1

  1

  Highland

  —

  —

  —

  Lanarkshire

  2

  —

  —

  Lothian

  2

  3

  1

  Tayside

  3

  —

  —

  Scotland

  22

  12

  4

  1992

  Upper limb

  Lower limb

  Unspecified limb

  Argyll and Clyde

  1

  —

  —

  Ayrshire and Arran

  —

  —

  1

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  —

  —

  Fife

  1

  —

  1

  Forth Valley

  —

  —

  1

  1062

  1992

  Upper limb

  Lower limb

  Unspecified limb

  Grampian

  1

  1

  —

  Glasgow

  2

  —

  —

  Highland

  —

  —

  1

  Lanarkshire

  3

  1

  1

  Lothian

  1

  2

  1

  Tayside

  —

  —

  —

  Scotland

  9

  4

  6

  Source:—

  1986, 1987,1992–SMR 11 neonatal record

  1988, 1989,1990,1991—congenital register.

  Timex Dispute
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were total costs of policing the Timex dispute situation up to latest date; and what finance was provided by the Government to Tayside police in relation to these pplicing costs.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I understand from Tayside police that total cost of policing the Timex dispute £332,335. Fifty-one per cent.of the cost will be financed by police specific grand paid by police specific grant paid by Secretary of State, and the remainder will qualify for the usual central support for government expenditure.

  Brain Tumours
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many brain tumours have been diagnosed in children aged(a) five years or under, (b) between five and 10 years and (c) aged between 10 and 15 years within each of the health board areas in Scotland during each of the last 10 years;

  (2) what research has been undertaken by (a) the Scottish Office and (b) the Ayrshire and Arran health board or the Scottish Office into the incidence of brain tumours or the incidence of cancers within the Ayrshire and Arran, and Dumfries and Galloway health board areas.

  Mr. Stewart
  The tables show the numbers of malignant tumours of the brain and the central nervous system diagnosed in each of the Scottish health board areas during each of the 10 years from 1983 to 1992 for(a) children aged under five years at diagnosis (b) children
  aged five to nine years and (c) children aged 10 to 14 years.

  The Scottish Office has not undertaken any research on the incidence of brain tumours either in Scotland as a whole or in the Ayrshire and Arran and Dumfries and Galloway health board areas. The cancer registration system provides comprehensive information on the incidence of all types of cancer throughout Scotland, and that information is monitored constantly by the Scottish Office.

  The Ayrshire and Arran health board undertook a study on the incidence of brain tumours in 1992. For monitoring of cancer incidence generally, within and outwith its area, it too relies on the cancer registration system.
  1063

  Age 0–4 years

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Argyll and Clyde

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Ayrshire and Arran

  0

  1

  2

  1

  0

  2

  0

  1

  0

  1

  Borders

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Dumfries and Galloway

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  Fife

  1

  2

  1

  1

  2

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Forth Valley

  0

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Grampian

  0

  1

  2

  2

  0

  0

  2

  2

  2

  1

  Greater Glasgow

  3

  3

  3

  1

  3

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  Highland

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  Lanarkshire

  3

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  2

  2

  0

  Lothian

  0

  4

  3

  1

  3

  4

  1

  2

  0

  3

  Orkney

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Shetland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Tayside

  1

  2

  0

  0

  3

  1

  1

  0

  3

  0

  Western Isles

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  All Health Boards

  14

  17

  12

  8

  13

  11

  9

  12

  10

  7

  Age 5 to 9 years

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Argyll and Clyde

  2

  2

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  1

  3

  1

  Ayrshire and Arran

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  2

  Borders

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Dumfries and Galloway

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  Fife

  1

  0

  1

  4

  2

  1

  1

  2

  1

  1

  Forth Valley

  2

  4

  2

  1

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Grampian

  2

  1

  0

  1

  2

  1

  1

  3

  0

  1

  Greater Glasgow

  0

  3

  1

  1

  2

  2

  2

  3

  2

  2

  Highland

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  Lanarkshire

  1

  2

  0

  2

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Lothian

  5

  3

  2

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  1

  2

  Orkney

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Shetland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Tayside

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  Western Isles

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  All health boards

  15

  15

  7

  12

  12

  8

  7

  13

  11

  9

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Age 10–14 years

  Argyll and Clyde

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Ayrshire and Arran

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Borders

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  Dumfries and Galloway

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Fife

  1

  0

  0

  2

  0

  2

  1

  2

  0

  0

  Forth Valley

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  Grampian

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  2

  Greater Glasgow

  2

  2

  5

  1

  4

  1

  1

  1

  3

  1

  Highland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Lanarkshire

  1

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  1

  2

  0

  2

  Lothian

  2

  2

  2

  1

  0

  1

  2

  3

  1

  1

  Orkney

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Shetland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Tayside

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  Western Isles

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  All health boards

  10

  6

  11

  10

  5

  7

  10

  13

  6

  10

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what expansion there has been in the facilities during the last three years at the Southern General hospital unit national health service trust for treating children with brain tumours and other cancers.

  Mr. Stewart
  Improvements related specifically to the treatment of children with brain tumours are: replacement and upgrading of magnetic resonance imaging equipment;1064
  acquisition of a neurosurgical laser, an ultrasound cavitron and a flexible ventricular endoscope; and upgrading of the paediatric neurosurgery ward. The trust does not treat paediatric cancer patients.

  Childhood Cancer
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make a statement on the progress of the Scottish case control study of childhood cancer; and whether he can indicate any provisional findings;
  1065
  (2) what studies are being carried out by the Scottish Office following the recommendations by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment in its report on leukaemia in the Dounreay area; and what is the remit of each of these studies and the areas covered by the studies.

  Mr. Stewart
  The Scottish case control study is one of two studies currently being carried out following the recommendations of the second report of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment—COMARE. The study is investigating the role of possible risk factors in the causation of childhood cancers. Information is being collected from the parents of children registered with cancer in the period 1991 to 1995, and from the parents of a comparison group of healthy children. The study, which covers the whole of Scotland, has links with similar studies in England and Wales, thus forming part of the largest epidemiological study of childhood cancer ever undertaken. All the Scottish study information so far obtained is currently being computerised in preparation for analysis. Until that analysis has been completed, it is not possible to indicate even provisional findings.

  The other study seeks to confirm all childhood cancers diagnosed in Scotland in the period 1975 to 1990. The validated database will then be used in an analysis of the incidence of childhood cancer in relation to all nuclear sites in Scotland.

  Forestry
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the effect any privatisation of the Forestry Commission would have on the Government's stated aim of extending forestry by 3,300 hectares per annum.

  Mr. Lang
  Ministers have asked the forestry review group to review the options for the ownership and management of Forestry Commission woodlands, and the effectiveness of the current incentives for forestry investment, and to make proposals for changes which would improve the effectiveness of the delivery of the Government's forestry policy objectives, having regard to the Government's other economic and environmental policies.

  Privatisation is only one of the many options which the group is considering. My fellow forestry Ministers and I will give careful consideration to the advice which the review group offers, before deciding what action, if any, should be taken.

  Dementia
  Ms Rachel Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what response he has made to the report published on 9 February by Scottish Action on Dementia, Alzheimer's Scotland, Dementia Services Development Centre and Age Concern Scotland on long-stay care for people with dementia in Scotland; and what action he intends to take to deal with the concerns raised in the report about the provision of national health service funded long-stay care for frail elderly people and those with dementia.

  Mr. Stewart
  This report will be studied with interest. The White Paper "Caring for People" made it clear that the Government's policy for the frail elderly with dementia 1066
  remains that all health boards must secure continuing care for people who need it for reasons of ill-health. Boards must carry out health needs assessments of their resident population and draw up a local health strategy to meet those needs. As purchasers, boards are also encouraged to consider the range of services which may be available for the long-term care needs of their resident populations provided by directly managed units, NHS trusts, or the independent sector.

  Sheriff Courts
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the Sheriff Court Fees Amendment (No. 2) Order 1993; and what was the content of those representations.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A number of representations regarding the Sheriff Court Fees Amendment (No. 2) Order have been received from tile Law Society of Scotland and others. These mainly concern the possible effects of the fees on potential litigants. As my noble and learned Friend the Minister of State has made clear, and as I explained in debate on the order in Standing Committee on 9 February, court fees form only a small proportion of the costs of taking a case in the sheriff courts.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how much was spent by(a) Ayrshire and Arran health board, (b) the North Ayrshire and Arran NHS trust, (c) the Community health care trust and (d) the South Ayrshire trust in consultancy fees during the current financial year; and if he will list the companies involved;

  (2) how much was spent by (a) Ayrshire and Arran health board, (b) the North Ayrshire and Arran NHS trust (c) the Community health care trust and (d) the South Ayrshire trust in hospitality costs during the current financial year;

  (3) if he will list the publications produced by (a) Ayrshire and Arran health board, (b) the North Ayrshire and Arran NHS trust, (c) the Community health care trust and (d) the South Ayrshire trust during the current financial year; and if he will indicate the costs involved in each of these.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 16 February 1994]: This information is not collected centrally. The hon. Member may wish to write to the respective chairmen for the health board and the individual trusts.

  Dental Treatment
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people have been deregistered by their dentists in each of the Scottish health board areas during each of the last five years; and how many dentists in each of the Scottish health board areas have been involved in the deregistration.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 16 February 1994]: Formal arrangements for patients to be registered with a specific dentist were introduced under the new contract for general dental services on 1 October 1990. Information about deregistrations since 1 October 1990 supplied by health boards for their area is contained in the table.
  1067

  October 1990-March 1991

  April 1991-March 1992

  April 1992-March 1993

  April 1993-February 1994

  Health Board

  Number of patients deregistered

  Number of dentists1 involved

  Number of patients deregistered

  Number of dentists1 involved

  Number of patients deregistered

  Number of dentists1 involved

  Number of patients deregistered

  Number of dentists1 involved

  Argyll and Clyde

  3

  1

  25

  2

  2,241

  14

  42

  7

  Aryshire and Arran

  Nil

  Nil

  14

  10

  1,309

  11

  373

  13

  Borders

  1

  1

  11

  4

  1,432

  9

  661

  9

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Nil

  Nil

  11

  2

  4,518

  10

  1,309

  10

  Fife

  1

  1

  Nil

  Nil

  295

  32

  116

  21

  Forth Valley

  Nil

  Nil

  42

  12

  201

  23

  63

  18

  Grampian

  Nil

  Nil

  9

  5

  257

  21

  178

  18

  Greater Glasgow

  7

  5

  41

  36

  579

  45

  305

  44

  Highland

  4

  3

  19

  12

  210

  24

  67

  23

  Lanarkshire

  4

  4

  70

  10

  252

  29

  123

  23

  Lothian

  18

  2

  101

  21

  483

  23

  1,446

  17

  Orkney

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Shetland

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Tayside

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  2206

  229

  36

  8

  Western Isles

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  37

  4

  16

  4

  n/a=Not available.

  1 Number of dentists involved in deregistration in a particular year.

  2 From July 1992.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional revenues he has made available to Scottish health boards to enable them to respond to patients needing emergency NHS dental treatment.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 16 February 1994]: Health boards are responsible for the provision of general dental services including emergency dental services where necessary. Since 1990, general dental practitioners have been responsible for providing emergency dental services for their registered patients. All legitimate costs incurred in providing general dental services are met from central funds.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment the Scottish Office has made of increases in the costs of dental treatment in Scotland as a result of the Government's changes in the payment framework for dentists treating NHS patients.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 16 February 1994]: There have been no recent changes in the system for paying NHS dentists. The Government will publish their response to the Bloomfield report and its proposals for the future in due course.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment the Scottish Office has made of the impact of dentists deregistering their patients on the level of dental health in Scotland.
  1068
  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 16 February 1994]: The number of patients registered with general dental practitioners has decreased by less than 2 per cent. over the last 18 months from 2,700,874 to 2,650,925. Patients can be deregistered by their dentists for a variety of reasons. It is not possible to relate this information directly to the level of dental health in Scotland.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Government will respond to the Bloomfield report; and what the Scottish Office's involvement will be in this response.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 16 February 1994]: The Government will publish its response to the Bloomfield report in due course. Scottish Office Ministers and officials have been closely involved in developing the Government's response which will apply equally to the whole of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from Scotland's health boards regarding the Government's response to the Bloomfield report.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 16 February 1994]: The Government will publish their response to the Bloomfield report in due course. No representations have been received from health boards.