Written Answers of 25 February 1994

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Commercial Court (Lloyd's Litigation)
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the likely effect of impending Lloyd's litigation on the work load of the Commercial court.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Mr. Justice Cresswell, the judge in charge of the Commercial court list, is currently conducting a review of the Lloyd's litigation. An assessment of the potential impact on the court's work load will be made at the conclusion of his review, but it is not currently expected to have an adverse impact on other users of the court.

  South Yorkshire Courts
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what measures are being taken by courts in south Yorkshire to protect child witnesses with particular reference to the use of screens, television link equipment, and pre-recorded interviews; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  In the area of south Yorkshire screens and video playback equipment to protect child witnesses are available at Barnsley, Doncaster, Sheffield and Rotherham magistrates courts. Live television link equipment will also be available at Rotherham magistrates court from May 1994. Screens, live Television links, and video playback equipment are in place at the Crown court at Sheffield. Screens are also available at the Crown court in Doncaster, and at the family hearing centres at Doncaster, Rotherham and Barnsley county courts.

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which courts in south Yorkshire have child liaison officers to protect child witnesses; if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Child liaison officers are in place at all Crown court centres. In the south Yorkshire region, the Crown court sits at Sheffield combined court and Doncaster where there are child liaison officers in post.

  Legal Aid Scheme
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the hourly rate for work carried out under the civil legal aid scheme in England and Wales for(a) advocacy and (b) non-advocacy, chambers work; and what provision there is for uplift to be applied in the hourly rates of remuneration in England and Wales under the legal aid system in operation.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  There are a variety of prescribed rates which are contained in the regulations set out in the 446
  table. The regulations also provide for the circumstances where an uplift may be granted and the amount by which the prescribed rate may be uplifted. Where the prescribed rates do not apply the rates allowable are at the discretion of the taxing authority.

  Stautory Instrument number and Title

  1991/2038

  The Legal Aid in Family Proceedings (Remuneration) Regulations 1991 (as amended SI 1994/230)

  1994/228

  The Legal Aid in Civil Proceedings (Remuneration) Regulations 1994.

ENVIRONMENT

  North Yorkshire County Council
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the expenditure by North Yorkshire county council in each of its departments during the financial years 1992–93 and the anticipated outcome for 1993–94.

  Mr. Baldry
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 3 February,Official Report, column 879, for which sites of special scientific interest he refused a section 29 order under the Wildlife and Countryside Act; on what dates; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information requested is as follows:

  NCOs refused

  Date of refusal

  Went Ings Meadows, South Yorkshire

  30 August 1983

  Sherburn Willows, North Yorkshire

  8 February 1985

  Brimham Rocks, North Yorkshire

  27 February 1985

  The three orders were refused because the former Nature Conservancy Council failed to provide evidence that the sites concerned were of national importance.

  Allotment Land
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many requests he has received for the disposal of allotment land by local authorities under section 8 of the Allotments Act 1925 from 1 January to 31 December 1993; in how many cases consent to dispose was granted; and what was the total acreage in each case.

  Mr. Atkins
  Sixty-two applications were received by my Department's regional offices; consent was given for the sale, appropriation or lease in every case and involved a total of 142·14 acres.

  Government Car Service
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of Monday 14 February,Official Report, column 582, what is his policy on making internal documents available for inspection by hon. Members.
  447
  Mr. Baldry
  The car log sheets used by the Government car service contain detailed information about the movement of Ministers. Security considerations preclude the release of these internal documents.

  Pennine Trails
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make an announcement on the national Pennine bridleway trail; how it will link up with the trans-Pennine trail; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 21 January,Official Report, column 869. If the Pennine bridleway is approved it will intersect with the proposed trans-Pennine trail.

  Repossession (Assistance)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps his Department plans to take to help borrowers faced with shortfalls following repossession.

  Sir George Young
  Low interest rates and improved employment prospects resulting from the Government's economic policies mean that fewer people are getting into difficulties with their mortgage. Those who are will be in a better position to repay any arrears and, as house prices recover, will be less likely to suffer a shortfall in the event of repossession. Individual mortgages are private contracts entered into by the borrower and the lender. It is for these parties, together with any indemnity insurer, to determine how any shortfall following repossession action should be treated.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many complaints have been made about the council tax in each individual council that is responsible for the collection of the council tax.

  Mr. Baldry
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals have been lodged since the 1992 valuations of homes for the purpose of assessing council tax in each district and borough of Dorset and Hampshire; and how many of these cases in each district and borough have now received a final adjudication.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 17 February at column 967.

  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department expects the currently outstanding appeals against house valuations for the purposes of assessing council tax to be concluded in each district and borough of Dorset and Hampshire.

  Mr. Baldry
  As I announced on 11 January, we expect four out of five appeals to be dealt with before the end of the year and the remainder to be settled as rapidly as possible thereafter.
  448

  Northumberland Coast
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will hold a public inquiry into the proposal to designate the Northumberland coast as a special protection area.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 24 February 1994]: I have no plans to do so. All representations made to English Nature and to my right hon. Friend will be carefully considered before a decision is made on whether to designate this area as a special protection area for birds in accordance with the United Kingdom's obligations under the EC birds directive.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefits
  Sir David Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the social security benefit rates for 1994–95.

  Mr. Hague
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Gainsborough and Horncastle (Mr. Leigh) on 30 November 1993 at columns 437–50; and to the pursuant reply on 16 December at column 840.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by occupation, the numbers of successful claimants for family credit; and if he will distinguish within these categories the number of clergy men and women who are successful claimants.

  Mr. Burt
  An analysis of family credit recipients, by the occupation of the main earner, is contained in table B.5A of "Family Credit Statistics, Final Quarterly Tables, April 1993", a copy of which is in the Library. Information is not available about the number of clergy men or women receiving family credit and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Industrial Diseases
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 8 February,Official Report, columns 214–15, if he will list the number of industrial injuries disablement benefits paid relating to prescribed disease D1—asbestos industry only—and D3 in each area in each year.

  Mr. Scott
  Information is not collected in the precise format requested. The available information is in the table and relates only to new medical assessments made by special medical boards in Great Britain.

  Special medical boards Great Britain Number of cases, analysed by Special Medical Board, of asbestos-related diseases D1 and D3 assessed as having 1 per cent. or more disablement

  1D1

  D3

  1992

  All boards

  354

  551

  Cardiff

  53

  42

  Swansea

  12

  4

  Glasglow

  96

  77

  449

  1D1

  D3

  Stoke

  13

  30

  Sheffield

  43

  87

  Manchester

  46

  70

  Newcastle

  42

  55

  London

  49

  186

  1991

  All boards

  330

  519

  Cardiff

  32

  67

  Swansea

  6

  3

  Glasgow

  68

  58

  Stoke

  14

  20

  Sheffield

  45

  74

  Manchester

  63

  56

  Newcastle

  53

  61

  London

  49

  180

  1990

  All boards

  306

  462

  Cardiff

  27

  53

  Swansea

  6

  3

  Glasgow

  90

  53

  Stoke

  11

  19

  Sheffield

  36

  69

  Manchester

  59

  48

  Newcastle

  18

  57

  London

  59

  160

  1989

  All boards

  268

  441

  Cardiff

  36

  51

  Swansea

  3

  6

  Glasgow

  75

  55

  Stoke

  11

  26

  £ million

  Estimated administration costs of benefits

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Admin cost

  Admin cost as percentage of benefit expenditure

  Admin cost

  Admin cost as percentage of benefit expenditure

  Admin cost

  Admin cost as percentage of benefit expenditure

  Admin cost

  Admin cost as percentage of benefit expenditure

  Child Benefit and One Parent Benefit

  105

  2·2

  111

  2·3

  107

  2·2

  118

  2·2

  Income Suport

  1,114

  14·7

  1,180

  15·4

  1,348

  15·2

  1,373

  11·8

  Sickness and Invalidity Benefit

  154

  4·3

  182

  4·5

  208

  4·5

  275

  14·9

  Family Credit

  24

  6·1

  30

  7·1

  246

  9·3

  233

  5·3

  Social Fund

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  132

  47·1

  163

  45·2

  1 Figure differs from information in 1993 departmental report as benefit expenditure figure since revised.

  2 Includes increased capital investment for information technology and publicity costs.

  Disability
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many new claims for disability living allowance to each disability centre in each month since April 1993 have either(a) resulted in an award or (b) been rejected; and in each case whether (i) examining medical practitioner evidence was provided, (ii) general practitioner factual reports were provided or (iii) the claim was decided solely on the statement of evidence provided by the claimant;

  (2) how many new disability living allowance claims have been refused, broken down by reason for refusal, in each month since June 1993 at each disability benefits centre and for the country as a whole.
  450

  1D1

  D3

  Sheffield

  35

  76

  Manchester

  35

  46

  Newcastle

  25

  47

  London

  48

  134

  1988

  All boards

  202

  479

  Cardiff

  22

  32

  Swansea

  3

  9

  Glasgow

  42

  73

  Stoke

  17

  19

  Sheffield

  25

  49

  Manchester

  30

  61

  Newcastle

  17

  74

  London

  46

  162

  Based on a 100 per cent, count.

  1 Asbestos industry only.

  D1 = Pneumoconiosis.

  D3 = Diffuse mesothelioma.

  Note: Benefit is payable for these conditions where disablement is assessed at 1 per cent, or more.

  Administration Costs
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Security, pursuant to her answer of 15 February,Official Report, column 698, if he will express the administration costs as percentage of total budgets for each benefit in each year.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the table.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 24 February 1994.
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
  Your first question refers to new claims received. I have appended at Table 1 details of all new claims received in each Disability Benefit Centre (DBC) in each month since April 1993 showing how many (a) resulted in an award of (b) were rejected; and in each case whether (i) EMP evidence was provided, (ii) GP factual reports were provided or (iii) the claim was decided solely on the statement of evidence provided by the claimant.
  Table 2 shows the number of claims refused, broken down by reason for refusal, in each month since June 1993, at each DBC, and for the country as a whole.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.
  451

  Table 1

  DBC

  Awards Types of evidence

  Refusals Types of evidence

  1

  2

  3

  1

  2

  3

  April 1993

  Edinburgh

  338

  355

  191

  360

  482

  165

  Newcastle

  495

  338

  93

  463

  359

  115

  Leeds

  1,232

  517

  414

  1,385

  591

  371

  Manchester

  363

  520

  365

  629

  648

  238

  Bootle

  1,080

  398

  496

  778

  542

  343

  Birmingham

  2,093

  808

  1,235

  1,200

  463

  846

  Bristol

  628

  318

  80

  587

  234

  40

  Cardiff

  680

  271

  112

  737

  374

  122

  Wembley

  1,436

  713

  535

  743

  492

  338

  Sutton

  1,351

  921

  377

  888

  426

  218

  Glasgow

  402

  423

  283

  541

  869

  209

  May 1993

  Edinburgh

  265

  342

  220

  313

  431

  152

  Newcastle

  584

  297

  86

  469

  371

  120

  Leeds

  1,025

  465

  338

  1,412

  493

  310

  Manchester

  305

  482

  360

  622

  499

  288

  Bootle

  698

  379

  376

  600

  497

  318

  Birmingham

  1,540

  586

  1,047

  982

  317

  670

  Bristol

  465

  360

  58

  435

  235

  37

  Cardiff

  1,401

  236

  108

  1,648

  309

  99

  Wembley

  1,191

  802

  576

  605

  541

  349

  Sutton

  1,859

  579

  628

  1,086

  176

  412

  Glasgow

  529

  449

  365

  771

  878

  327

  June 1993

  Edinburgh

  331

  411

  257

  450

  542

  234

  Newcastle

  688

  305

  145

  538

  389

  152

  Leeds

  1,117

  484

  333

  1,561

  542

  345

  Manchester

  381

  505

  406

  662

  680

  292

  Bootle

  752

  475

  522

  799

  625

  431

  Birmingham

  1,458

  716

  1,275

  1,099

  428

  965

  Bristol

  497

  389

  82

  551

  210

  46

  Cardiff

  771

  295

  108

  1,053

  374

  141

  Wembley

  1,304

  872

  690

  828

  579

  446

  Sutton

  1,325

  421

  678

  957

  98

  462

  Glasgow

  458

  491

  329

  818

  1,020

  393

  July 1993

  Edinburgh

  283

  333

  183

  381

  507

  195

  Newcastle

  442

  299

  157

  540

  364

  181

  Leeds

  858

  518

  364

  1,343

  608

  345

  Manchester

  321

  582

  392

  696

  836

  315

  Bootle

  488

  436

  595

  683

  620

  584

  Birmingham

  1,446

  710

  1,228

  1,121

  487

  1,001

  Bristol

  511

  291

  106

  490

  230

  55

  Cardiff

  729

  400

  190

  998

  541

  177

  Wembley

  1,094

  847

  620

  691

  579

  417

  Sutton

  1,116

  451

  632

  844

  124

  438

  Glasgow

  326

  360

  286

  502

  628

  285

  August 1993

  Edinburgh

  207

  278

  198

  332

  419

  215

  Newcastle

  462

  323

  144

  493

  392

  179

  Leeds

  775

  533

  474

  1,166

  592

  346

  Manchester

  301

  487

  369

  573

  640

  304

  Bootle

  454

  355

  441

  705

  523

  452

  Birmingham

  1,067

  624

  1,078

  975

  440

  851

  Bristol

  378

  315

  100

  307

  189

  39

  Cardiff

  258

  178

  122

  393

  237

  158

  Wembley

  1,178

  775

  669

  734

  488

  433

  Sutton

  956

  462

  508

  901

  157

  447

  Glasgow

  268

  406

  335

  536

  803

  398

  September 1993

  Edinburgh

  208

  309

  143

  345

  440

  154

  Newcastle

  462

  327

  148

  555

  395

  200

  Leeds

  771

  522

  389

  1,168

  595

  384

  Manchester

  346

  497

  335

  709

  622

  246

  Bootle

  300

  340

  549

  671

  532

  584

  Birmingham

  1,172

  626

  1,315

  1,124

  450

  1,038

  Bristol

  546

  399

  86

  631

  246

  42

  Cardiff

  554

  296

  201

  1,123

  427

  230

  Wembley

  1,251

  840

  578

  741

  585

  398

  452 453

  DBC

  Awards Types of evidence

  Refusals Types of evidence

  1

  2

  3

  1

  2

  3

  Sutton

  912

  596

  605

  829

  189

  468

  Glasgow

  177

  391

  276

  491

  681

  399

  October 1993

  Edinburgh

  187

  338

  120

  334

  380

  117

  Newcastle

  384

  294

  128

  519

  364

  137

  Leeds

  795

  604

  456

  1,103

  571

  345

  Manchester

  291

  474

  277

  678

  589

  222

  Bootle

  292

  373

  453

  800

  545

  520

  Birmingham

  1,081

  702

  1,045

  1,059

  593

  855

  Bristol

  319

  346

  100

  397

  242

  62

  Cardiff

  574

  362

  219

  863

  495

  179

  Wembley

  1,163

  719

  432

  741

  558

  295

  Sutton

  727

  606

  461

  754

  256

  377

  Glasgow

  206

  361

  234

  537

  649

  291

  November 1993

  Edinburgh

  267

  377

  153

  341

  470

  149

  Newcastle

  342

  278

  92

  481

  324

  138

  Leeds

  926

  648

  370

  1,019

  566

  292

  Manchester

  297

  530

  317

  618

  600

  256

  Bootle

  541

  389

  469

  654

  478

  489

  Birmingham

  988

  687

  1,003

  1,149

  660

  905

  Bristol

  289

  341

  112

  388

  259

  54

  Cardiff

  666

  374

  97

  895

  459

  96

  Wembley

  1,130

  831

  446

  746

  543

  321

  Sutton

  782

  723

  432

  754

  295

  361

  Glasgow

  394

  438

  231

  735

  688

  263

  December 1993

  Edinburgh

  235

  326

  132

  311

  344

  136

  Newcastle

  262

  286

  96

  327

  243

  112

  Leeds

  830

  541

  374

  680

  553

  309

  Manchester

  333

  445

  227

  515

  493

  156

  Bootle

  386

  377

  400

  632

  403

  460

  Birmingham

  943

  709

  797

  900

  588

  659

  Bristol

  321

  284

  85

  393

  195

  59

  Cardiff

  551

  315

  71

  608

  349

  79

  Wembley

  958

  665

  348

  589

  509

  279

  Sutton

  701

  589

  361

  651

  320

  266

  Glasgow

  508

  340

  157

  597

  491

  182

  January 1994

  Edinburgh

  163

  363

  144

  233

  391

  122

  Newcastle

  315

  361

  161

  330

  326

  120

  Leeds

  731

  616

  376

  684

  538

  326

  Manchester

  366

  480

  312

  506

  585

  188

  Bootle

  349

  372

  433

  538

  425

  408

  Birmingham

  952

  758

  745

  764

  611

  627

  Bristol

  416

  453

  118

  434

  225

  62

  Cardiff

  694

  398

  97

  612

  352

  120

  Wembley

  1,002

  854

  274

  646

  685

  224

  Sutton

  667

  712

  322

  623

  301

  302

  Glasgow

  341

  429

  197

  442

  621

  217

  Key:

  1=Evidence from claimant

  2=GP Factual Report

  3=EMP

  Source: 100 per cent count

  Table 2

  Refusals by reason

  DBC

  Medical grounds

  Lay grounds 2R and P

  Lay grounds 1Age

  Lay grounds other

  Total

  June 1993

  Edinburgh

  1,238

  4

  40

  2

  1,284

  Newcastle

  1,082

  0

  60

  1

  1,143

  Leeds

  2,463

  1

  97

  1

  2,562

  Manchester

  1,642

  3

  54

  1

  1,700

  Bootle

  1,899

  1

  90

  0

  1,990

  Birmingham

  2,532

  8

  191

  3

  2,734

  Bristol

  859

  2

  38

  1

  900

  Cardiff

  1,657

  3

  82

  2

  1,744

  454 455

  DBC

  Medical grounds

  Lay grounds 2R and P

  Lay grounds 1Age

  Lay grounds other

  Total

  Wembley

  1,898

  23

  152

  3

  2,076

  Sutton

  1,572

  7

  140

  1

  1,720

  Glasgow

  2,235

  1

  91

  4

  2,331

  Other MUs

  110

  2

  14

  0

  126

  Great Britain

  19,187

  55

  1,049

  19

  20,310

  July 1993

  Edinburgh

  1,090

  6

  42

  5

  1,143

  Newcastle

  1,086

  49

  39

  0

  1,174

  Leeds

  2,319

  4

  81

  2

  2,406

  Manchester

  1,857

  6

  47

  3

  1,913

  Bootle

  1,932

  4

  75

  1

  2,012

  Birmingham

  2,651

  9

  152

  4

  2,816

  Bristol

  800

  2

  55

  0

  857

  Cardiff

  1,825

  2

  84

  0

  1,911

  Wembley

  1,732

  17

  137

  3

  1,889

  Sutton

  1,458

  3

  120

  3

  1,584

  Glasgow

  1,440

  0

  57

  0

  1,497

  Other MUs

  86

  5

  16

  0

  107

  Great Britain

  18,276

  107

  905

  21

  19,309

  August 1993

  Edinburgh

  966

  5

  49

  2

  1,022

  Newcastle

  1,064

  10

  41

  0

  1,115

  Leeds

  2,138

  7

  103

  2

  2,250

  Manchester

  1,521

  4

  59

  3

  1,587

  Bootle

  1,734

  3

  78

  1

  1,816

  Birmingham

  2,300

  7

  148

  6

  2,461

  Bristol

  566

  4

  53

  1

  624

  Cardiff

  845

  2

  48

  0

  895

  Wembley

  1,690

  17

  103

  2

  1,812

  Sutton

  1,577

  5

  730

  1

  1,656

  Glasgow

  1,744

  1

  71

  0

  1,816

  Other MUs

  76

  4

  19

  0

  99

  Great Britain

  16,221

  69

  845

  18

  17,153

  September 1993

  Edinburgh

  943

  0

  47

  0

  990

  Newcastle

  1,152

  8

  46

  1

  1,207

  Leeds

  2,160

  8

  110

  0

  2,278

  Manchester

  1,583

  6

  70

  3

  1,662

  Bootle

  1,817

  0

  67

  2

  1,886

  Birmingham

  2,637

  11

  147

  3

  2,798

  Bristol

  944

  5

  46

  2

  997

  Cardiff

  1,863

  2

  80

  3

  1,948

  Wembley

  1,798

  17

  107

  5

  1,927

  Sutton

  1,588

  7

  108

  5

  1,708

  Glasgow

  1,576

  2

  59

  0

  1,637

  Other MUs

  115

  1

  19

  0

  135

  Great Britain

  18,176

  67

  906

  24

  19,173

  October 1993

  Edinburgh

  842

  3

  36

  3

  884

  Newcastle

  1,030

  7

  41

  1

  1,079

  Leeds

  2,042

  9

  86

  3

  2,140

  Manchester

  1,495

  5

  53

  7

  1,560

  Bootle

  1,895

  0

  80

  0

  1,975

  Birmingham

  2,535

  12

  143

  3

  2,693

  Bristol

  720

  1

  50

  1

  772

  Cardiff

  1,603

  1

  77

  1

  1,682

  Wembley

  1,653

  28

  121

  2

  1,804

  Sutton

  1,510

  5

  101

  5

  1,621

  Glasgow

  1,481

  1

  48

  1

  1,531

  Other MUs

  102

  3

  15

  0

  120

  Great Britain

  16,908

  75

  851

  27

  17,861

  November 1993

  Edinburgh

  969

  1

  35

  3

  1,008

  Newcastle

  9,440

  6

  34

  0

  984

  Leeds

  1,897

  5

  95

  3

  2,000

  Manchester

  1,480

  7

  57

  4

  1,548

  Bootle

  1,648

  0

  65

  0

  1,713

  456 457

  DBC

  Medical grounds

  Lay grounds 2R and P

  Lay ground's 1Age

  Lay grounds other

  Total

  Birmingham

  2,743

  92

  164

  13

  2,929

  Bristol

  717

  1

  39

  2

  759

  Cardiff

  1,544

  0

  67

  2

  1,613

  Wembley

  1,654

  15

  118

  0

  1,787

  Sutton

  1,499

  8

  91

  6

  1,604

  Glasgow

  1,694

  2

  38

  3

  1,737

  Other MUs

  124

  2

  16

  0

  142

  Great Britain

  16,913

  56

  819

  36

  17,824

  December 1993

  Edinburgh

  798

  0

  24

  4

  826

  Newcastle

  683

  5

  47

  1

  736

  Leeds

  1,559

  7

  78

  3

  1,647

  Manchester

  1,166

  5

  38

  0

  1,209

  Bootle

  1,526

  0

  49

  0

  1,575

  Birmingham

  2,168

  10

  106

  5

  2,289

  Bristol

  655

  1

  22

  0

  678

  Cardiff

  1,113

  1

  43

  0

  1,157

  Wembley

  1,441

  19

  94

  2

  1,556

  Sutton

  1,319

  5

  60

  7

  1,391

  Glasgow

  1,275

  0

  48

  1

  1,324

  Other MUs

  129

  4

  16

  2

  151

  Great Britain

  13,832

  57

  625

  25

  14,539

  January 1994

  Edinburgh

  750

  3

  21

  0

  774

  Newcastle

  780

  8

  43

  1

  832

  Leeds

  1,571

  8

  75

  5

  1,659

  Manchester

  1,288

  8

  50

  1

  1,347

  Bootle

  1,396

  0

  46

  0

  1,442

  Birmingham

  2,036

  13

  122

  6

  2,177

  Bristol

  735

  3

  36

  2

  776

  Cardiff

  1,137

  4

  51

  1

  1,193

  Wembley

  1,637

  23

  104

  4

  1,768

  Sutton

  1,296

  9

  70

  5

  1,380

  Glasgow

  1,284

  2

  36

  2

  1,324

  Other MUs

  132

  0

  14

  0

  146

  Great Britain

  14,042

  81

  668

  27

  14,818

  1 Age over 66.

  2 Residence/presence conditions not satisfied.

  MU = Management Unit.

  Source: 100 per cent. Count.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will make a statement about the Child Support Agency performance in meeting the target set out in its customer charter in respect of the letter dated 17 January to the Child Support Agency from the hon. Member for Woolwich, CSA Ref. 1522TYR1002505852 and in respect of the letters dated 6 December 1993, 3 January 1994, 8 January, 15 January and 11 February from the hon. Member's constituent, Mr. Y.;

  (2) if he will set out the provisions in the customer charter for the Child Support Agency for (a) replying to correspondence, (b) acknowledging written complaints and (c) replying in full to written complaints; and if he will make a statement.

  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. John Austin-Walker, dated 24 February 1994:
  458
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about your constituent Mr. Y., and the provisions regarding correspondence in the Child Support Agency Charter.
  The Agency's Charter contains a stated aim to respond to correspondence within 10 working days of receipt, and the Agency aims 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.
  I replied to your letter about Mr. Y. on 23 February, and I am sorry that the Agency did not meet the targets set in its Charter standards in the correspondence with him.

TRANSPORT

  Vehicle Testing Stations
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the testing stations within each of the new operational regions established by the Vehicle Inspectorate on 1 November 1993.

  Mr. Key
  I have asked the Vehicle Inspectorate chief executive to write to the hon. Member with this detailed information.
  459

  Port of Liverpool
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what financial support the port of Liverpool and the Mersey Docks and Harbour Co. has received from(a) the European Community and (b) his Department in each financial year from 1990–91 to 1993–94;

  (2) what financial support the port of Liverpool and the Mersey Docks and Harbour Co. is expected to receive from (a) the European Community and (b) his Department in 1994–95 and in subsequent years.

  Mr. Norris
  Financial support from the European regional development fund—ERDF—to the Mersey Docks and Harbour Co.—MDHC—is set out in column 1 to the following table. The sums are those which MDHC are entitled to claim under MIDO1, MIDO2 and RENAVAL in each of the calendar years 1990 to 1995.

  Financial support from the Department of Transport to the port of Liverpool is shown in column 2 in the table. The port was previously within the dock labour scheme and qualified, under the Dock Work (Compensation Payment Scheme) Regulations 1989, for contributions towards the costs of severances of former registered dock workers made redundant following abolition of the scheme. Column 2 shows the amounts paid in the calendar years 1990, 1991 and 1992 to MDHC and to the eight other employers in the port.

  Year

  (1)

  (2)

  ERDF sums which MDHC are entitled to claim

  Dock labour severance payments made to

  (a) MDHC

  (b) Other Liverpool port employers

  1990

  140,522

  3,447,500

  2,625,000

  1991

  672,460

  157,500

  612,500

  1992

  1,238,521

  500,000

  200,000

  1993

  1,948,375

  —

  —

  1994

  2,178,833

  —

  —

  1995

  18,575

  —

  —

  Birmingham International Airport
  Ms Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made in talks with the United States Government on access by United States airlines to Birmingham international airport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  Liberalisation of routes from the United States to United Kingdom regional airports has been a consistent priority of this Government. In December the United Kingdom tabled a proposal which would give immediate open access to regional routes, including to Birmingham. We hope that the United States Government will consider our proposal seriously.

  Driving Regulations
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mechanisms exist to monitor the degree of compliance or non-compliance with regulations concerning(a) operators acting illegally without an operator licence, (b) parking and routing restrictions, (c) drivers' hours, (d) overloading, (e) general conditions placed by the licensing authority on operators and (f) payment of vehicle excise duty.
  460
  Mr. Key
  The Vehicle Inspectorate is the Department's vehicle and traffic enforcement agency. In the 12 months ending 31 March 1993, the inspectorate inspected 295,125 heavy goods vehicles and 40,508 public service vehicles, the majority of which were "O" licensed vehicles. The results of inspections by the vehicle inspectorate provide the traffic commissioners with details of traffic and roadworthiness offences by licensed heavy goods and passenger vehicle operators. The performance of operators is monitored by the licensing review board in each traffic area office which can make recommendations for disciplinary action by the traffic commissioner.

  In respect of specific aspects of compliance and non-compliance listed in the question, the position is as follows:

  (a) operators acting illegally without an operator licence

  The Vehicle Inspectorate's traffic examiners carry out roadside and other spot checks on lorries and also visit operators' premises. Intelligence from co-operation with other enforcement organisations including the police is used to target co-ordinated enforcement checks against suspected illegal operations.

  (b) parking and routeing restrictions

  Enforcement of local authority parking and routeing restrictions for heavy commercial vehicles is primarily an operational matter for the chief officer of police in consultation with local authorities. It is a matter for them to assess the effectiveness of the enforcement effort. Traffic commissioners, as licensing authorities, can impose conditions on the number, type and size of authorised goods vehicles which at any time may be at a licence holder's operating centre for the purposes of maintenance and parking. The licensing authority may also impose conditions on a licence regulating the parking arrangements for authorised vehicles at or in the vicinity of a licence holder's operating centre.

  (c) drivers' hours

  EC regulations require the fitment of tachographs to most heavy goods vehicles over 3½ tonnes and also to certain passenger carrying vehicles. The tachograph records the drivers' activities—driving, rest and periods of other work—as well as vehicle speed and time. The resultant records allows retrospective checking by enforcement authorities. The Vehicle Inspectorate checked 1,656,353 tachograph charts for heavy goods vehicles and 208,278 tachograph charts for public service vehicles in the 12 months ending 31 March 1993.

  (d) overloading

  One of the declarations that an applicant for a goods vehicle operator's licence must make to the traffic commissioner before a licence is granted is that he or she will make proper arrangements to ensure that vehicles, including trailers, will not be overloaded.

  Checks on vehicles weights are carried out by staff of the Vehicle Inspectorate, the police and local authority trading standards departments. For this purpose, the Department of Transport has provided some 69 enforcement weighbridge sites which are used regularly by the enforcement organisations. There are also a number of public and private weighbridges which are available for use by drivers and enforcement officers.

  Statistics on heavy goods vehicles weighed by vehicle inspectorate traffic examiners are reported in the annual reports of the licensing authorities, copies of which are

  461
  available in the House of Commons Library. In the year ending 31 March 1993, 124,004 heavy goods vehicles were weighed by Vehicle Inspectorate traffic examiners.

  (e) general conditions placed by the licensing authority on operators

  There are no mechanisms in place routinely to monitor the compliance or non-compliance by operators of conditions imposed by traffic commissioners. Failure to comply with conditions attached to a licence can be drawn to the attention of a traffic commissioner by local residents, local authorities, police and other enforcement agencies. This can result in a specific monitoring exercise being initiated, and, if necessary, follow-up action being taken including disciplinary action against the operator for non-compliance with the conditions of the licence.

  (f) payment of vehicle excise duty

  Estimates of the revenue loss through evasion of vehicle excise duty are derived from periodic roadside surveys of moving vehicles, updated by an ongoing exercise conducted by the Department's statisticians to monitor trends. Details of the most recent survey can be obtained from the transport statistics report "Vehicle Excise Duty evasion in Great Britain in 1989–90", which is available in the House of Commons Library. The next survey is planned for June 1994, with the results due to be published in September.

  Shipping Industry (Training)
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide details of the amount of money allocated by his Department for the Government assistance for training scheme in the United Kingdom shipping industry, in each year since 1988; and what was the outturn expenditure in each of those years.

  Mr. Norris
  The table shows the allocation of money to the GAFF scheme and the outturn in each year since 1988.

  Table 1: GAFT scheme

  £ million

  Provision

  Spend

  YTS spend

  1988–89

  2·5

  0·84

  —

  1989–90

  3·5

  1·75

  —

  1990–91

  3·5

  2·25

  —

  1991–92

  13·4

  13·23

  0·75

  1992–93

  13·7

  13·20

  0·55

  1993–94

  13·9

  1223·27

  0·55

  1Includes YT element—provided by Employment Department.

  2Forecast.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in respect of which non-elected bodies whose membership in whole or in part is appointed by him(a) meetings are open to the public, (b) there is scrutiny of financial procedures by independently appointed audit and (c) there are rules governing the declaration of interests.

  Mr. Norris
  (a) board meetings and committee meetings of public bodies for which my right hon. Friend is responsible are not held in public.

  Tribunal hearings which hear appeals against the Civil Aviation Authority's decisions on the granting or otherwise of licences or certificates are open to the public on application. The eight traffic commissioners all hold
  462
  public inquiries in connection with bus and goods vehicle operator licensing. Other bodies may hold consultation meetings in public from time to time as circumstances require.

  (b) My right hon. Friend appoints auditors annually to audit the accounts of the British Railways Board, the Civil Aviation Authority, London Transport and the Traffic Director for London. The general lighthouse fund accounts consolidate the accounts of the general lighthouse authorities and the fund's accounts are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The annual reports and accounts of port and harbour authorities are required by statute to be accompanied by an independent auditor's report.

  (c) There are statutory requirements governing the declaration of interests of board members of the British Railways Board, the Civil Aviation Authority and London Transport. No requirements regarding declarations of interest have been imposed by my right hon. Friend on members of the lighthouse authorities—the majority of whom he does not appoint. The Traffic Director for London does not have a board but he is required by the terms of his appointment to be alert to the possibility of any conflicts of interest and to consult my right hon. Friend in any case of doubt. There are no rules covering the declaration of interests for advisory committee members, many of whom are appointed because of their particular interests, but members would be expected to declare an interest if a situation of conflict should arise.

  The constitutions of some port and harbour authorities contain provisions requiring members to declare any pecuniary interests, direct or indirect, in any contractual or other matters with which the authority is concerned. More generally, my right hon. Friend seeks from all persons appointed by him to the boards of authorities a declaration of interests at the time of appointment or reappointment.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what amounts of money as a percentage of overall amount received, have been earmarked in 1992–93 and 1993–94 in each highway authority for the strengthening and widening of roads in preparation for the introduction from 1999 of 44-tonne lorries for international routes.

  Mr. Key
  No such earmarking of resources has taken place. Local highway authorities may use allocations for capital maintenance and minor improvement works on any schemes they wish within the rules of the transport supplementary grant system. We have, however, made specific allocations for the assessment and strengthening of bridges in preparation for the introduction of 40-tonne lorries in 1999. The allocations to each authority for this purpose in 1992–93 and 1993–94 are shown in the following table. The introduction of 44-tonne lorries for certain combined transport journeys will not require any additional strengthening compared with that of 40-tonne lorries, since it does not involve any further increase in axle weights.

  Authority

  1992–93

  1993–94

  £000

  Per cent.

  £000

  Per cent.

  City of London

  3,043

  88·2

  1,696

  75·3

  Barking

  72

  4·8

  288

  10·3

  Barnet

  461

  41·8

  130

  8·8

  Bexley

  315

  8·7

  297

  4·4

  Brent

  1,038

  30·5

  611

  25·4

  463

  Authority

  1992–93

  1993–94

  £000

  Per cent.

  £000

  Per cent.

  Bromley

  180

  3·1

  207

  3·6

  Camden

  2,195

  44·9

  1,634

  37·4

  Croydon

  12

  0·6

  90

  1·4

  Ealing

  20

  0·4

  392

  9·8

  Enfield

  2,270

  18·5

  1,235

  18·4

  Greenwich

  335

  31·5

  355

  18·3

  Hackney

  75

  2·4

  147

  5·1

  Hammersmith

  940

  41·9

  1,000

  31·3

  Haringey

  532

  13·7

  688

  19·7

  Harrow

  410

  3·6

  747

  5·5

  Havering

  308

  35·7

  647

  46·6

  Hillingdon

  300

  1·6

  450

  3·4

  Hounslow

  60

  5·2

  270

  4·7

  Islington

  315

  12·6

  274

  10·6

  Kensington

  25

  1·4

  298

  17·0

  Kingston

  461

  17·2

  425

  15·3

  Lambeth

  100

  12·1

  190

  14·7

  Lewisham

  287

  2·3

  200

  2·3

  Merton

  93

  4·3

  95

  3·4

  Newham

  460

  6·4

  3,237

  31·3

  Redbridge

  249

  22·5

  223

  9·9

  Richmond

  372

  39·2

  546

  42·4

  Southwark

  33

  0·8

  125

  2·4

  Sutton

  109

  6·9

  620

  22·7

  Tower Hamlets

  86

  2·9

  491

  5·4

  Waltham Forest

  30

  1·4

  100

  3·5

  Wandsworth

  2,736

  47·5

  2,943

  50·7

  Westminster

  3,700

  58·0

  2,665

  49·6

  Bolton

  1,175

  32·2

  1,098

  28·3

  Bury

  370

  29·3

  570

  28·7

  Manchester

  2,210

  11·5

  3,048

  11·3

  Oldham

  2,842

  22·2

  2,806

  31·6

  Rochdale

  505

  31·1

  923

  44·8

  Salford

  555

  13·3

  765

  21·3

  Stockport

  2,087

  55·1

  2,289

  49·3

  Tameside

  1,276

  44·3

  373

  11·1

  Trafford

  200

  3·8

  158

  3·0

  Wigan

  450

  10·4

  384

  21·4

  Knowsley

  320

  2·3

  386

  1·7

  Liverpool

  400

  15·5

  555

  11·6

  St. Helens

  225

  1·5

  192

  3·8

  Sefton

  538

  36·0

  598

  28·8

  Wirral

  670

  17·3

  1,349

  27·6

  Barnsley

  824

  9·7

  469

  9·3

  Doncaster

  3,479

  46·0

  1,578

  21·8

  Rotherham

  350

  8·3

  85

  2·5

  Sheffield

  1,350

  6·4

  3,941

  14·7

  Gateshead

  910

  14·8

  273

  10·4

  Newcastle

  255

  5·7

  300

  4·1

  North Tyneside

  20

  2·1

  340

  20·2

  South Tyneside

  40

  3·1

  291

  15·4

  Sunderland

  394

  6·2

  440

  8·3

  Birmingham

  2,300

  8·3

  2,119

  5·5

  Coventry

  320

  3·0

  734

  5·2

  Dudley

  138

  1·8

  588

  5·5

  Sandwell

  2,487

  45·8

  2,656

  46·4

  Solihull

  100

  3·9

  194

  5·2

  Walsall

  2,018

  10·1

  1,500

  6·6

  Wolverhampton

  140

  1·4

  2,023

  10·9

  Bradford

  1,000

  18·4

  945

  14·1

  Calderdale

  374

  33·6

  904

  31·3

  Kirklees

  1,650

  32·9

  1,294

  14·5

  Leeds

  595

  5·8

  3,581

  15·8

  Wakefield

  1,386

  42·2

  1,209

  28·0

  Avon

  1,595

  5·9

  1,819

  8·2

  Bedfordshire

  1,486

  31·3

  2,150

  28·0

  Berkshire

  1,064

  8·8

  1,125

  8·8

  Buckinghamshire

  549

  10·6

  611

  8·8

  Cambridgeshire

  1,900

  29·9

  2,474

  23·3

  Cheshire

  1,020

  4·3

  2,720

  10·5

  Cleveland

  540

  5·1

  1,119

  7·4

  Cornwall

  790

  6·8

  1,700

  14·6

  Cumbria

  1,497

  29·6

  1,522

  17·9

  Derbyshire

  828

  13·9

  1,276

  15·2

  Devon

  1,771

  18·4

  1,500

  11·4

  Dorset

  830

  10·7

  850

  10·8

  Durham

  800

  7·9

  1,200

  9·1

  464

  Authority

  1992–93

  1993–94

  £000

  Per cent.

  £000

  Per cent.

  East Sussex

  613

  6·4

  1,776

  16·9

  Essex

  565

  4·1

  1,729

  10·4

  Gloucestershire

  486

  5·3

  700

  7·7

  Hampshire

  795

  2·6

  1,225

  2·9

  Hereford and Worcester

  467

  5·6

  685

  12·9

  Hertfordshire

  1,256

  9·2

  2,045

  11·4

  Humberside

  1,650

  9·5

  1,961

  9·3

  Isle of Wight

  0

  0·0

  187

  5·7

  Kent

  2,250

  3·1

  1,701

  2·3

  Lancashire

  7,910

  26·6

  5,873

  26·6

  Leicestershire

  385

  2·3

  896

  7·3

  Lincolnshire

  1,440

  18·2

  2,207

  20·6

  Norfolk

  3,887

  24·7

  4,786

  25·7

  Northamptonshire

  1,142

  9·7

  1,394

  13·2

  Northumberland

  100

  1·5

  4,480

  38·9

  North Yorkshire

  1,760

  10·7

  2,875

  12·4

  Nottinghamshire

  2,080

  20·4

  2,101

  16·3

  Oxfordshire

  820

  7·0

  1,115

  9·5

  Shropshire

  88

  1·1

  2,130

  30·7

  Somerset

  926

  10·7

  1,120

  7·9

  Staffordshire

  1,250

  14·4

  1,410

  9·3

  Suffolk

  2,910

  23·3

  2,340

  19·5

  Surrey

  5,900

  24·5

  4,765

  14·0

  Warwickshire

  1,815

  46·5

  2,462

  44·4

  West Sussex

  200

  2·3

  671

  7·5

  Wiltshire

  25

  0·4

  185

  4·3

  Roads, Leicestershire
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which road development schemes in Leicestershire and Rutland his Department has approved for funding in the latest financial year for which his Department has made its decision; and when he expects the Oakham bypass to be approved by his Department within the Leicestershire county council's current list of road scheme priorities.

  Mr. Key
  Work started during the 1993–94 financial year on the A46 Leicester western bypass trunk road scheme at a cost of £36 million.

  On local road schemes the total estimated expenditure accepted by the Department in this financial year for transport supplementary grant—TSG—during 1994–95 for Leicestershire, was £2,514,0001 including adjustment for underspend in previous years. Major schemes receiving continued support will be:

  (a) Leicester A46/47 link road

  (b) A447 Hinckley northern perimeter road completion

  (c) A512 Ashby/Loughborough-Coleorton improvement

  (d) A563 Leicester motorway employment area stage 4 Soar Valley way

  (e) A563 Braunstone way underpasses

  The A606 Oakham-Langham bypass is included by Leicestershire in its five-year programme of major county highway schemes with a 1998–99 start year. The bid year for TSG would be 1997–98.

  1Funding for structural maintenance on bridges and carriageways was also included.

  A1
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which properties have already been bought and which properties it is the intention of his Department to purchase alongside the stretch of the A1 in the county of Rutland between Stamford and Grantham which is due to be widened.
  465
  Mr. Key
  Fifteen applications for purchase of properties between Stamford and Grantham have been received under the statutory blight regulations; of those, to date two acquisitions have been completed and a further 12 applications have been accepted, the remaining application is still under consideration.

  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are to widen the A1 in the county of Rutland between Stamford and Grantham.

  Mr. Key
  The plan to widen the A1 northwards from Stamford was first announced on 3 July 1990. Subsequently a scheme for the Stamford to Newark section entered the roads programme on 17 December 1991. Detailed plans will emerge in the form of public consultation proposals.

  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make available for inspection by local councillors and other interested parties his Department's existing plans for any scheme to widen the A1 in the county of Rutland between Stamford and Grantham.

  Mr. Key
  Plans will be made available when the public consultation stage is reached.

  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what public consultations he expects there to be about the widening of the A1 in the county of Rutland between Stamford and Grantham; and under what procedure and timetable.

  Mr. Key
  It is our usual practice to consult the public about scheme options before publishing statutory orders under the Highways Act 1980 to which objections can be lodged and, if necessary, a public inquiry held. Timing depends on the outcome of the roads programme review.

  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which junctions he expects to be closed and which he expects to remain open following the widening of the A1 in the county of Rutland between Stamford and Grantham.

  Mr. Key
  It is too early to say.

  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultants have been appointed for the widening of the A1 in the county of Rutland between Stamford and Grantham.

  Mr. Key
  Kirkpatrick and Partners has been appointed for the widening of the A1 between Peterborough and Stamford including the A1 Stamford bypass. Consultants for the remainder of the A1 in Rutland cannot be appointed before the outcome of the roads programme review.

  Left-hand Driving
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to bring the side of the road vehicles use in Britain into conformity with European practice.

  Mr. Key
  No. The case for making this change was studied in detail in 1969 and was reviewed in 1992 in response to a recommendation by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in its report on the motor industry. The review confirmed that the change to driving on the right would have minimal economic benefits, could adversely affect road safety and would cost at least £2 billion.
  466
  These are powerful reasons for continuing to drive on the left along with some 38 other countries, and one third of the world's population.

  London Underground
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give urgent consideration to the proposals by ABB in Derby for refurbishment of the Northern line of London Underground on a lease finance basis; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  Yes. At London Underground's request, the Government are considering very urgently whether a deal along the lines of that proposed by ABB might be consistent with our published guidelines for public sector leasing. We expect to be in a position to take a view of this point very soon.

  Fishguard-Paddington Railway Line
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet representatives of British Rail to discuss the desirability of retaining all existing stations on the main Fishguard-Paddington line to maintain its viability; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I regularly meet representatives of British Rail for discussions on a wide range of issues.

  I understand that there are no plans to to propose closure of any stations on the Fishguard to Paddington line.

  Oil Tankers
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to ensure oil tanker traffic is monitored around the United Kingdom coast 24 hours a day.

  Mr. Norris
  At present, laden oil tankers report their movements to local coastguards in the areas of the Fair Isle channel, Pentland firth and the Isles of Scilly. In both the Dover strait and the Minch, all tankers report their movements to local coastguards. The provision of further monitoring will be subject to the recommendations made by the inquiry announced by the Secretary of State to the House on 11 January 1993,Official Report, columns 609–10, under the chairmanship of Lord Donaldson of Lymington.

  Bus and Coach Safety
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he intends to take to co-ordinate a strategy to improve safety in mini-buses and coaches; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  We are reviewing the full technical and cost implications of seat belts in mini-buses and coaches. I expect to receive a report within the next few weeks. I cannot anticipate when decisions will be taken; but we shall be publishing our conclusions.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evaluation has been carried out of the proposal to fit seat belts to omnibuses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  We are reviewing the full technical and cost implications of seat belts in minibuses and coaches. I expect to receive a report within the next few weeks. I cannot anticipate when decisions will be taken; but 'we shall be publishing our conclusions.
  467

  Research Contracts
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give a list of current research contracts concerning any aspects of transport and the environment, giving costs and the names of consultants employed.

  Mr. Norris
  I am placing the information requested in the Library.

  East Coast Ports
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress has been made on improvements to road communications between the midlands and the east coast ports.

  Mr. Key
  A great deal.

  Since 1990 the main achievement has been the construction of the A14—M1-A1 Link road—the final sections of which will be completed later this year. This route provides a vital east-west link, connecting the east coast ports to the midlands and the north.

  In addition, a number of bypasses and improvements to existing routes across East Anglia have been completed including on the A11, Thetford-Bridgham Heath, Thetford bypass, Four Wentways-Newmarket, Newmarket-Red Lodge, Red Lodge bypass, and on the A47, Norwich southern bypass, East Dereham-North Tuddenham, Narborough bypass, Castor-Ailsworth bypass, Guyhirn and Eye bypasses.

  Construction work has started on A11, Besthorpe-Wymondham and Stump Cross-Four Wentways and on A47, Walpole Tilney-Tilney High End thus further improving these routes through East Anglia.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will supply copies of the detailed plans showing the safeguarded zones relating to the channel tunnel rail link to every hon. Member whose constituency is affected in Kent.

  Mr. Freeman
  A copy of the full-sized detailed plans for all of the safeguarded areas has been placed in the Library of the House.

  I understand that Union Railways is making arrangements for A3 sized copies of the safeguarding plans to be sent to all hon. Members who constituencies are affected by the safeguarding directions.

  Severn Tunnel (Train Crash)
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now publish the Seymour report on the train crash in the Severn tunnel on 7 December 1991.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Health and Safety Executive has today published the Severn tunnel accident inquiry report. A copy of the report will be placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conclusions he has drawn from the Seymour report on the train crash in the Severn tunnel on 7 December 1991; what action he will be taking in regard to safety standards and of the organisation of accident and emergency services.
  468
  Mr. Freeman
  I have noted the conclusions and recommendations made in the Severn tunnel accident inquiry report. British Rail is considering the recommendations and has already implemented a range of measures to improve the detection of faults, the maintenance of equipment, communications and access to the tunnel. Interested parties are continuing to look at further ways of improving liaison and site arrangements for the emergency services.

  Vehicle Excise Offences
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by office the number of excise reports which have been received by each vehicle registration office(a) that are discarded due to lack of staff resources, (b) that are closed because the alleged offender cannot be traced and (c) that will not be investigated.

  Mr. Robert Key
  [holding answer 9 February 1994]: Column A—Insufficient resource

  During the past four years there has been an appreciable increase in the number of excise offence reports—EORs—received from the police. Since 1991–92 EORs have been rising at the rate of between 13 per cent. and 17 per cent. per annum.

  million

  1990–91

  1·3

  1991–92

  1·5

  1992–93

  1·7

  11993–94

  2·0

  1Forecast.

  The introduction of new technology and improved working practices enabled the local office network to cope with the increase initially. However, by the end of 1992–93 the gain from those improvements had largely been exhausted. 1993–94 has seen further increases in the number of EORs, brought about chiefly by the introduction of the windscreen warning notices—WWN—scheme. This has put a number of local offices under severe pressure with the result that some EORs were being discarded because there were insufficient resources to deal with them. As an immediate solution, revised guidelines were issued to the network in July 1993. This resulted in cases being dealt with in order of priority with serious cases involving other traffic offence, the better quality named reports, persistent offenders and high value cases involving HGVs being processed first.

  The agency has also, as a short-term measure, succeeded in getting an additional £120,000 running costs during the current financial year. This has been given to those local offices where the problem of receipts is most acute to pay for the recruitment of casual staff and/or overtime working. The agency will consider longer term measures when the local office strategic review is completed this spring.

  Column B and C cases not pursued

  Column B refers to the number of cases in which the alleged offender cannot be traced and which results in the abandonment of the case.

  The figures listed in column C are cases where initial inquiries indicate that there is little or no likelihood of a successful conclusion. The decision is then taken not to proceed with detailed investigation. These include cases

  469
  where discrepancies exist between the details on the vehicle record and the excise offence report or where information contained on a microfilmed copy of an application is illegible. While a case is already being dealt with VROs may choose not to action further EORs for the same vehicle. VRO managers take cost-effectiveness into account in deciding whether or not to pursue a case. An example is where the current keeper relicenses the vehicle immediately on being reported and where the outstanding back-duty is so small that the cost of pursuit would outweigh the amount of recoverable revenue. A further example is where a new keeper relicenses within five days of acquiring the vehicle.

  April 1993 to January 1994

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  VRO

  Excise offence report receipts

  Insufficient staff resource

  A/O1 not traced

  Cases not pursued

  Manchester

  57,625

  1,938

  1,298

  2,401

  Sheffield

  34,292

  15

  2,130

  2,091

  Liverpool

  54,723

  9

  1,631

  6,178

  Bangor

  8,423

  0

  423

  73

  Chester

  13,157

  0

  525

  0

  Huddersfield

  13,318

  1

  2,845

  622

  Leeds

  39,543

  772

  3,131

  2,847

  Preston

  30,428

  7

  544

  3,883

  Hull

  12,577

  0

  1,660

  464

  Aberdeen

  5,977

  0

  511

  72

  Inverness

  2,822

  0

  280

  0

  Dundee

  11,693

  0

  1,767

  1,159

  Middlesbrough

  16,655

  0

  2,841

  2,294

  Newcastle

  56,918

  0

  9,383

  3,170

  Carlisle

  7,219

  1

  1,249

  801

  Edinburgh

  24,339

  0

  1,158

  558

  Glasgow

  37,175

  0

  2,531

  1,030

  Luton

  50,805

  1,120

  556

  6,349

  Ipswich

  18,670

  1

  1,027

  1,413

  Chelmsford

  52,614

  1,166

  2,759

  2,431

  Norwich

  35,121

  666

  1,382

  3,058

  Haverfordwest

  5,808

  0

  304

  45

  Cardiff

  41,292

  14

  994

  1,055

  Swansea

  13,274

  2

  1,143

  214

  Taunton

  9,997

  817

  647

  1,305

  Truro

  11,479

  0

  425

  1,036

  Gloucester

  17,477

  118

  1,416

  76

  Exeter

  29,204

  38

  2,586

  4,440

  Bristol

  32,845

  0

  3,910

  1,662

  Worcester

  15,081

  0

  1,341

  152

  Swindon

  13,116

  15

  1,662

  479

  Reading

  19,271

  0

  3,610

  3,259

  Portsmouth

  37,788

  70

  1,830

  5,472

  Oxford

  17,131

  0

  2,720

  1,581

  Brighton

  42,861

  162

  1,574

  1,251

  Maidstone

  56,687

  0

  2,552

  2,123

  Guildford

  22,735

  0

  1,001

  1,849

  Bournemouth

  17,013

  0

  1,478

  1,533

  Stoke

  16,275

  0

  1,525

  2,245

  Leicester

  25,429

  1

  446

  4,580

  Lincoln

  13,650

  274

  1,112

  157

  Nottingham

  33,590

  0

  5,251

  1,722

  Peterborough

  13,427

  0

  1,440

  610

  Northants

  21,681

  2

  711

  419

  Birmingham

  55,787

  2

  10,251

  2,527

  Coventry

  22,402

  11

  2,319

  2,738

  Dudley

  9,883

  30

  951

  108

  Shrewsbury

  5,471

  0

  758

  96

  LEO2

  379,443

  8

  20,069

  13,642

  1Alleged Offender.

  2London Enforcement Office.

  470

  M11 Link Road
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to evict residents in Cambridge Park road, Wanstead along the route of the M11 link road; when he expects such action to take place; what will be the likely cost of the operation; what steps he is taking to ensure that no violence or excessive force is used; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 17 February 1994]: On 16 February squatters were removed from numbers 2–12 Cambridge Park road. Initial estimates of the cost of the operation are in the region of £200,000. Eight arrests were made, two by county court bailiffs, and six by the police of whom five were in connection with the anti-BNP Welling riots. No excessive force was employed by the authorities. The protestors were defying court orders to quit the properties. I regret that by their action they are prolonging the inevitable disruption suffered by the local community, deferring the very real benefits including reduction in local traffic, improvement in air quality, lower accident rates and better facilities for residents which the scheme will bring.

  Expenditure on enforcement action denies expenditure on real benefits to the community, and I very much regret that given that the link road has been the subject of no less than three public inquiries, a small minority should so misguidedly inflict such damage on the local area.

  Vehicle Inspectorate
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many people are employed within each operational region of the Vehicle Inspectorate on(a) vehicle testing and (b) road transport enforcement; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will make a statement listing the testing fee scales currently operated by the Vehicle Inspectorate.

  Mr. Key
  I have asked the Vehicle Inspectorate chief executive to write to the hon. Member with this detailed information.

  Letter from Ron Oliver to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 23 February 1994:

  Vehicle Inspectorate stuffing and costs

  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent questions about the Vehicle Inspectorate. In all you asked five questions. One of these related to the future status of VI's testing stations and will be answered by Mr. Key.

  The information relating to the remaining four questions is attached as follows:

  Annex 1: VI testing stations by region following the Inspectorate's reorganisation on 1 November 1993.

  Annex 2: Staffing and costs by district prior to 1 November 1993 (staffing expressed in whole time equivalents).

  Annex 3: Current test fees.

  Annex 4: Staffing by Vehicle Testing (VT) and Road Traffic Enforcement (RTE) regions.

  I hope you find this information useful. If you have any additional questions please write to me at the above address.

  Vehicle inspectorate testing stations by region

  West Scotland

  Bishopbriggs

  Lochgilphead

  Fort William

  Inverness

  Newton Stewart

  471

  Kirkwall

  Lairg

  Lerwick

  Portree

  Stornoway

  Wick

  Kilmarnock

  Dumfries

  East Scotland

  Aberdeen

  Livingston

  Berwick-upon-Tweed

  East Fortune

  Charlesfield

  Keith

  Perth

  Kirkcaldy

  Montrose

  North West

  Carlisle

  Heywood

  Steeton

  Workington

  Kirkham

  Barrow

  Milnthorpe

  North East

  Darlington

  Newcastle

  Scarborough

  Leeds

  Walton

  Merseyside and North Wales

  Wrexham

  Caernarvon

  Bromborough

  Liverpool

  Bredbury

  North Midlands

  Sheffield

  Doncaster

  Derby

  Nottingham

  Beverley

  West Midlands

  Stoke

  Shrewsbury

  Wolverhampton

  Birmingham

  East Midlands Grimsby

  Leicester

  Peterborough

  Grimsby

  Grantham

  Weedon

  East

  Chelmsford

  Ipswich

  Norwich

  Crimplesham

  Royston

  South Wales

  Kidderminster

  Ammanford

  Haverfordwest

  Hereford

  Llantrisant

  Llanrystyd

  Llandrindod Wells

  Pontypool

  South West

  Bristol

  Calne

  Exeter

  Taunton

  South Molton

  Gloucester

  Plymouth

  St. Austell

  Redruth

  472
  South Central

  Leighton Buzzard

  Poole

  Salisbury

  Bicester

  Newbury

  Southampton

  Cowes

  London

  Edmonton

  Purfleet

  Yeading

  Mitcham

  South East

  Canterbury

  Guildford

  Hastings

  Lancing

  Gillingham

  Analysis of staffing and operational costs pre-November 1993 Vehicle testing and enforcement

  Spend £

  Staffing

  Carlisle

  191,316

  16·15

  Bishopbriggs

  368,322

  31·52

  Livingston

  324,764

  26·53

  Inverness

  174,611

  11·21

  Kilmarnock

  155,263

  14·10

  Aberdeen

  143,794

  12·94

  Perth

  176,841

  15·59

  Scottish GMO

  51,880

  3·00

  Scottish total

  1,586,591

  131·04

  Derby

  183,936

  16·84

  Bredbury

  355,218

  34·08

  Heywood

  380,824

  34·67

  Kirkham

  351,395

  33·17

  Liverpool

  303,418

  32·79

  Wrexham

  348,493

  31·16

  North West GMO

  42,797

  3·00

  North West total

  1,966,081

  185·71

  Nottingham

  268,355

  23·09

  Beverley

  165,193

  14·19

  Walton

  236,361

  18·97

  Doncaster

  162,080

  12·52

  Grimsby

  133,695

  19·62

  Sheffield

  206,076

  14·42

  Leeds

  385,201

  34·22

  Darlington

  265,789

  23·32

  Newcastle

  253,708

  22·08

  North East GMO

  49,482

  2·75

  North East total

  2,127,940

  185·18

  Kidderminster

  253,372

  22·89

  Birmingham

  343,941

  31·08

  Wolverhampton

  301,692

  27·57

  Stoke

  441,958

  37·29

  Llantrisant

  258,628

  21·48

  Pontypool

  143,024

  12·40

  Ammanford

  172,672

  15·04

  Wales Mid GMO

  47,602

  3·00

  West Midlands and South Wales total

  1,962,889

  170·75

  Southampton

  256,210

  21·66

  Newbury

  152,105

  13·08

  Poole

  205,310

  17·62

  Bristol

  380,822

  34·72

  Exeter

  313,527

  26·08

  Plymouth

  207,013

  16·00

  Gloucester

  124,762

  12·87

  Bicester

  141,899

  13·18

  South West GMO

  45,298

  2·80

  473

  Spend £

  Staffing

  South West total

  1,826,946

  158·01

  Purfleet

  359,021

  32·33

  Edmonton

  359,750

  29·49

  Leicester

  205,678

  19·35

  Weedon

  184,781

  18·81

  Grantham

  168,092

  15·93

  Chelmsford

  198,745

  18·62

  Royston

  193,161

  15·81

  Leighton Buzzard

  146,178

  15·60

  Norwich

  190,383

  17·62

  Peterborough

  277,252

  27·78

  Ipswich

  185,965

  17·82

  East GMO

  54,626

  2·00

  East total

  2,523,632

  231·16

  Yeading

  422,591

  33·00

  Mitcham

  314,421

  25·00

  Canterbury

  155,972

  13·54

  Gillingham

  185,931

  16·29

  Hastings

  111,341

  9·84

  Lancing

  160,131

  14·05

  Guildford

  188,422

  16·62

  South East GMO

  51,686

  2·00

  South East total

  1,590,495

  130·34

  Vehicle testing and enforcement total

  13,584,574

  1,192·19

  Traffic enforcement

  Spend £

  Staffing

  Edinburgh

  117,173

  9·00

  Glasgow

  85,342

  6·00

  Perth

  61,868

  4·00

  Scottish EMO

  71,201

  8·00

  Scottish Total

  335,584

  27·00

  Manchester

  96,299

  8·00

  Preston

  96,837

  9·00

  Carlisle

  53,372

  4·00

  Warrington

  82,371

  7·00

  North West EMO

  131,645

  8·50

  North West Total

  460,524

  36·50

  Leeds

  81,820

  7·00

  Brigg

  95,563

  8·00

  Gateshead

  102,454

  8·00

  Sutton in Ashfield

  101,594

  7·00

  North East EMO

  119,104

  13·08

  North East Total

  500,535

  43·08

  Cobridge

  70,595

  6·00

  Cardiff

  105,049

  9·00

  Worcester

  73,361

  6·00

  Birmingham

  112,253

  8·00

  West Midland and South West EMO

  162,872

  13·08

  West Midland and South West Total

  524,130

  42·08

  Bristol

  73,397

  6·00

  Poole

  100,439

  7·00

  Plymouth

  80,917

  6·00

  Reading

  76,559

  6·00

  Western EMO

  100,103

  10·00

  South Western Total

  431,415

  35·00

  Grantham

  77,584

  5·00

  474

  Spend £

  Staffing

  Weedon

  63,981

  5·00

  Aylesbury

  75,279

  8·00

  Norwich

  93,392

  7·00

  Harwich

  98,865

  8·16

  Eastern EMO

  120,749

  12·81

  East Total

  529,850

  43·97

  Uckfield

  73,170

  5·00

  Dover

  77,520

  5·00

  Maidstone

  65,421

  5·00

  Chessington

  135,461

  10·00

  Belvedere

  124,837

  9·00

  Stanmore

  12,413

  0·00

  South East and Metropolitan EMO

  133,521

  10·68

  South East Total

  622,343

  44·68

  Traffic Enforcement Total

  404,381

  272·31

  Total vehicle and testing enforcement

  Spend £

  Staffing

  308,489

  25·15

  453,664

  37·52

  386,632

  30·53

  174,611

  11·21

  155,263

  14·10

  143,794

  12·94

  178,641

  15·59

  123,081

  11·00

  1,922,175

  158·04

  280,235

  24·84

  452,055

  43·08

  434,196

  36·67

  433,766

  40·17

  303,418

  32·79

  348,493

  31·16

  174,442

  11·50

  2,426,605

  222·21

  350,175

  30·09

  280,756

  22·19

  338,835

  26·97

  263,854

  19·52

  133,895

  19·62

  208,076

  14·42

  385,201

  34·22

  285,789

  23·32

  253,708

  22·08

  168,586

  15·83

  2,628,475

  228·26

  323,967

  28·89

  448,990

  40·08

  375,053

  33·57

  554,211

  45·29

  258,628

  21·48

  143,024

  12·40

  172,672

  15·04

  210,474

  16·08

  2,487,019

  212·83

  329,607

  27·66

  252,544

  20·08

  286,227

  23·62

  457,381

  40·72

  313,527

  26·08

  207,013

  16·00

  475

  Spend £

  Staffing

  124,782

  12·87

  141,899

  13·18

  145,401

  12·80

  2,258,361

  190·01

  436,605

  37·33

  423,731

  34·49

  280·957

  25·35

  278,173

  25·81

  266,957

  24·09

  198,745

  18·62

  193,161

  15·81

  146,178

  15·60

  190,383

  17·62

  277,252

  27·78

  185,965

  17·82

  175,375

  14·81

  3,053,482

  275·13

  495,761

  38·00

  391,941

  30·00

  221,393

  18·54

  321,392

  26·29

  236,178

  18·84

  172,544

  14·05

  188,422

  16·62

  185,207

  12·88

  2,212,838

  175·02

  16,988,955

  1,464·50

  Notes:

  1. Allocations of VI staffing between testing and enforcement divisions can be carried out on the basis of the management accounts produced for same period ie testing 55 per cent. enforcement 45 per cent.

  2. Operational costs are those quoted on the October district/sector unit cost analysis.

  3. On 1 November 1993 VI split its operational work beween two new divisions: vehicle testing (VT) and road transport enforcement (RTE). VT created a regional structure based on 14 regions. RTE reorganised into 23 areas in integrating traffic and roadworthiness enforcement work.

  4. GMO = Group Managers Office.
  EMO = Enforcement Managers Office.

  Current Test Fees

  Test fee1 £

  Re-test fee £

  Heavy goods vehicles (HGV)

  Motor vehicles

  2 axle

  32·70

  16·60

  3 axle

  33·70

  4 or more axles

  34·70

  Trailers

  1 axle

  16·70

  8·30

  2 axle

  17·10

  3 or more axles

  17·90

  Clearance of prohibition by partial inspection

  Motor vehicle

  16·60

  Trailers

  8·30

  Public Service Vehicle

  9–12 passenger seats

  28·20

  14·10

  13+ passenger seats

  40·30

  19·80

  Clearance of prohibition by partial inspection

  9–12 passenger seats

  14·10

  13+ passenger seats

  19·80

  C.O.I.F.

  476

  Test fee1 £

  Re-test fee £

  Examination (inclusive of tilt test)

  129·00

  Tilt re-test

  129·00

  Examination re-test

  15·40

  A. D.R.

  Motor vehicle (excluding annual test fee)

  98·80

  Trailer (excluding annual test fee)

  98·00

  T. I. R.

  Initial inspection

  62·60

  Re-inspection

  43·70

  1Re-test after failure (within 14 days of initial inspection).

  January 1994 staffing analysis

  Staffing

  VT division

  Region

  West Scotland

  39

  East Scotland

  40

  North East

  60

  North West

  53

  Merseyside and North Wales

  62

  North Midlands

  55

  South Wales

  47

  West Midlands

  60

  East Midlands

  53

  South West

  58

  South Central

  48

  London

  70

  East

  54

  South East

  44

  VT total

  743

  RTE division

  Group

  Scotland and North West

  170

  West Midlands and South Wales

  99

  South East and West

  187

  North East and East

  214

  RTE total

  670

  VI summary

  Division

  VT

  743

  RTE

  670

  VI total

  1,413

  Note: VI also employs 316 staff at its headquarters in Bristol and Swansea working in VT, RTE and central services.

NORTHERN IRELAND

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

  Mr. Ancram
  The members currently appointed to the Drainage Council for Northern Ireland are:

  Councillor A. Bresland

  Councillor S. Doyle

  Councillor W. Haggan

  Councillor E. Hetherington

  Councillor J. Junkin

  Councillor W. King

  Councillor P.J. McBride

  Councillor J. McNickle

  477

  Councillor C. E. Rollston

  Councillor W. Sheldon

  Mr. K. Brady

  Mrs. D. Brown

  Dr. S. Cochrane

  Mrs. C. Kennedy

  Mr. M. McCaldin

  Mrs. K. McHenry

  Mr. C. E. Ronaldson

  Miss J. Townsley

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed lo the Youth Council for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  The membership of the Youth Council for Northern Ireland is as follows:

  Mr. J. F. Campbell (Chairman)

  Mrs. S. C. Hogg (Vice-Chairman)

  Miss P. McKeever

  Mr. W. G. Watson

  Mr. G. Skillen

  Mr. S. Farren

  Mr. E. Rainey

  Mr. G. Bell

  Mr. O. Magill

  Miss L. Blair

  Mr. G. P. Butler

  Mr. J. Quinliven

  Mrs. A. Wright

  Mr. T. Long

  Mrs. E. M. McGrath

  Ms M. McGarrigle

  Ms M. Shields

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to each of the Northern Ireland industrial tribunals.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  Industrial tribunals comprise three members—one from each of the following panels:

  Chairmen

  Mr. J. E. Maguire—President of Industrial Tribunals

  Mrs. M. E. Perceval-Price—Vice President of Industrial Tribunals

  Mrs. M. Davey

  Mrs. M. R. Cooper

  Mr. S. M. P. Cross

  Mr. J. A. Gallagher

  Mrs. L. A. Gilbert

  Mr. B. J. Greene

  Ms M. K. McAlister

  Ms E. R. McBride

  Mr. A. McGettigan

  Mr. P. R. Maguire

  Mr. I. Montgomery

  Employees' representatives

  Mr. S. Adair

  Ms M. Adams

  Mr. R. Blaney

  Ms M. Blood

  Ms A. Brennan

  Mrs. G. Burke

  Mr. E. Cairns

  Ms M. Cassidy

  Mr. G. Clarke

  Mr. D. Copeland

  Ms G. Coulter

  Mr. A. Crawford

  Ms E. Dickey

  Mr. P. Dyer

  Ms T. Gallagher

  Ms M. Graham

  Mr. S. R. Gunning

  Ms D. Hanna

  Mr. R. S. Headley

  Mr. B. Heuston

  Ms P. Holloway

  478

  Mr. J. E. Hughes

  Mr. G. Hunter

  Ms A. P. Johnston

  Mr. A. Keery

  Ms T. Kelly

  Mr. W. J. Kirkwood

  Mr. J. Law

  Mr. R. Lowden

  Mr. F. Mallon

  Mr. J. Mallon

  Ms B. Martin

  Mr. J. E. Martin

  Mr. W. D. Mercer

  Mr. P. Millar

  Mr. E. Miller

  Mr. A. Molloy

  Mr. J. Murphy

  Mr. D. Murray

  Mr. E. McBride

  Mr. K. McCabe

  Ms J. McCaffrey

  Mr. B. McCarthy

  Mr. F. McCrossan

  Mr. E. McDaid

  Mr. J. M. McDonnell

  Ms A. McGonigle

  Mr. J. McKeown

  Mr. G. McKnight

  Mr. J. McParland

  Ms S. McQuade

  Ms S. E. Nevin

  Mr. J. Nicholl

  Mr. E. Oakes

  Mr. O. J. O'Callaghan

  Ms C. O'Malley

  Mr. J. Patterson

  Ms M. Quaile

  Ms C. Rawlings

  Mr. W. Robinson

  Mr. M. Rooney

  Ms A. Scallon

  Ms M. Scott

  Mr. E. Sheridan

  Mr. T. Smyth

  Mr. B. Webster

  Mr. A. White

  Mr. P. Williamson

  Mr. T. Wright

  Mr. R. Gourley

  Ms D. Hanna

  Employers' representatives

  Mr. C. H. Adams

  Mr. R. Allen

  Mr. J. Atcheson

  Mr. W. G. Black

  Mrs. D. Boyd

  Mr. R. T. Boyd, MBE

  Ms L. Breen

  Mr. R. Brewster

  Mr. A. Broomhead

  Mr. S. A. Buchanan

  Mr. G. Burnison, OBE

  Mr. A. Burnside

  Mr. T. Carney

  Ms M. Carson

  Lady Carswell, OBE

  Mr. A. Cormack, OBE

  Mr. S. Craig

  Mrs. S. Cunningham

  Mr. J. W. Currie

  Mr. J. N. Dickinson

  Mr. W. S. Donaghey

  Ms M. Donnelly

  Mr. W. A. Doran

  Mrs. K. Elliott

  Mr. R. Ferris

  Mr. P. Fitzsimons

  Mrs. H. D. Gault

  Mr. W. F. Gillespie, OBE, TD, BA, JP

  Mr. P. de Haan

  479

  Miss A. Hamilton

  Mr. J. D. Hampton

  Mr. A. Haslett

  Mr. E. Hesketh

  Mr. W. H. Heubeck, CBE

  Mr. R. D. Hind

  Mr. J. Hughes

  Mr. W. C. Hurst, OBE

  Mr. E. Ingham

  Mr. N. Irwin, OBE

  Mr. N. Jones

  Miss E. Kennedy, MBE

  Mr. W. Kennedy, MBE

  Mr. P. Killen, OBE

  Mr. F. G. Lawrence

  Mr. J. B. Leetch

  Professor P. V. Mageean, OBE

  Mr. C. A. Maginess

  Mr. A. Martin, DFC

  Mr. S. Moore, JP

  Mrs. A. E. Morrison

  Mr. A. H. MacLaughlin

  Mr. G. McCartan

  Dr. W. J. McCourt

  Mrs. L. A. McEleavy

  Mr. G. McGrath

  Ms T. McGuckin

  Mr. J. McIlwaine

  Miss S. McKee

  Mr. H. O. McMurray, MBE

  Mrs. A. McNally

  Mr. G. C. O'Neill, MBE

  Miss M. O'Neill

  Mr. D. Paulin, CBE

  Mrs. J. Rainey

  Dr. R. L. Schierbeck, OBE

  Mr. W. M. Scott

  Mrs. A. Scullion

  Mr. A. J. Sherrard

  Mr. H. V. Shimmons

  Mrs. U. Short, BSc.

  Mrs. D. Stewart

  Mr. J. D. Thompson

  Mr. R. H. Thompson

  Mr. D. C. Tinkler

  Mr. R. G. Toland

  Mrs. E. Torrans

  Mr. D. Turkington

  Mr. N. C. Wilkinson

  Mr. J. R. Wilson

  Mr. W. Slinger

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Livestock Marketing Commission for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  The current members of the Livestock Marketing Commission for Northern Ireland are:

  Mr. J. Millar (Chairman)

  Mr. J. G. Kelly

  Mr. B. Fawcett

  Ms M. Percy

  Mr. P. J. Kelly

  Mr. G. Lowe

  Mr. R. Moore

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Training Schools management board for Rathgael and Whiteabbey.

  Mr. Ancram
  In the interests of personal security it would not be appropriate to name individual members of the Rathgael and Whiteabbey schools management board.
  480
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Agricultural Research Institute for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  The members of the board of trustees of the Agricultural Research Institute for Northern Ireland are as follows:

  Mr. H. R. Kirkpatrick

  Dr. C. H. McMurray

  Mr. W. G. Smyth OBE

  Professor F. J. Gordon

  Mr. J. B. Mulvenna

  Mr. J. A. Patton CBE

  Mr. N. W. Shaw CBE

  Mr. I. C. Murray

  Mr. J. Mallon

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to each of the fair employment tribunals.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  Fair employment tribunals comprise three members—one from each of the following panels:

  Chairmen

  Mr. J. E. Maguire—President of the Fair Employment Tribunal

  Mrs. M. Perceval-Price—Vice President of the Fair Employment Tribunal

  Mrs. M. Davey

  Employers' Representatives

  Mr. R. C. Bacon

  Miss. M. E. Bailey

  Mr. C. Bamford

  Mrs. M. T. Breslin

  Mr. J. Campbell

  Mrs. R. Chambers

  Mr. C. J. Duffy

  Mr. J. J. Eccles OBE

  Mr. R. M. Gibson

  Mr. R. T. Jordan OBE

  Mr. H. D. Montgomery

  Mr. M. Moroney

  Mr. F. P. Murtagh

  Mr. B. McGuire

  Mr. W. F. I. McKay

  Mr. N. McKenna

  Mr. J. R. McKinstry

  Dr. E. A. McPherson

  Mrs. M. Noble

  Mrs. J. Roberts

  Mr. D. B. Smith

  Mr. T. Stothers

  Mr. N. L. Valentine OBE

  Mr. S. White

  Mr. E. Bridle

  Mrs. H. D. Gault

  Employee representative

  Ms M. Abraham

  Mr. S. Adair

  Mr. K. Bannon

  Ms P. Browne

  Ms A. Campbell

  Mr. R. B. Carson

  Mr. R. Clarke

  Mr. T. D. Douglas MBE

  Mr. R. Gourley

  Mr. A. Hewitt

  Mr. R. Jay

  Mr. G. Johnston

  Mr. C. C. Lowry

  Mr. J. MacPollock

  Mr. B. McCarthy

  Mr. W. McCreight

  Mr. S. McDowell

  Mr. R. McFAdden

  Ms P. McKeown

  Ms A. Nicholl

  Mr. J. Nixon

  481

  Mr. P. O'Donnell

  Ms C. O'Malley

  Ms A. M. Powell

  Mr. J. Rafferty

  Ms R. Taillon

  Mr. M. Toal

  Mr. N. Young

  Mr. W. F. Jackson

  Mr. P. A. McCartan

  Mr. E. Sheridan

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Pig Production Development Committee.

  Mr. Ancram
  The current members of the Pig Production Development Committee are as follows:

  Mr. R. Overend (Chairman)

  Mr. R. J. Collins

  Mr. S. Hall

  Mr. M. Hartley

  Mr. R. Kerr

  Mr. J. McBride

  Mr. R. Irwin

  Mr. B. Wilson

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  The members of the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland are as follows:

  Right hon. Betty Boothroyd MP (Chairman)

  Hon. Mr. Justice Pringle

  Mr. D. J. Clement

  Mr. P. G. Duffy

  In addition, the commission includes as assessors the Registrar General of Births and Deaths in Northern Ireland and the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Agricultural Wages Board for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  Current members of the Agricultural Wages Board for Northern Ireland are as follows:

  Mr. K. Murnaghan (Chairman)

  Mrs. G. Savage

  Mr. I. Bill

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Northern Ireland Industrial court.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  The Northern Ireland Industrial court comprises the president of the industrial court, Mr. J. E. Maguire, and two members—one from each of the following panels:

  Employers representatives

  Lady Carswell

  Mr. W. S. Donaghey

  Mr. R. Edgar

  Mr. W. F. I. McKay

  Mrs. D. Stewart

  Employees' representatives

  Mr. A. Gibb

  Ms D. Hanna

  Mr. J. E. Martin

  Mr. J. McCusker

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Foyle Fisheries Commission.

  Mr. Ancram
  The current members of the Foyle Fisheries Commission are Mr. W. J. Anderson and Mr. J. S. Allister.
  482
  In addition to these two appointments by the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, the Government of the Republic of Ireland have two appointees on the commission.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Independent Commission for Police Complaints for Northern Ireland.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The current membership of the Independent Commission for Police Complaints is as follows:

  Chairman:

  Mr. James Grew CBE

  Deputy Chairman:

  Lady Carswell OBE

  Deputy Chairman:

  Mr. Kevin Murnaghan

  Members:

  Mrs. Isobel M. Brownlie

  Mr. Thomas J. Garrett

  Miss M. Fionnuala McGrady

  Mr. Brian E. Reid

  Mr. G. Bernard Turkington

  However, a new commission has been appointed by the Secretary of State and will take up office on 1 March 1994. The new commission is as follows:

  Chairman:

  Mr. James Grew CBE

  Deputy Chairman:

  Mr. Kevin Murnaghan

  Deputy Chairman:

  Mr. Brian Reid

  Members:

  Miss Suzanne Bryson

  Dr. Robin Davidson

  Mr. Thomas J. Garrett

  Miss M. Fionnuala McGrady

  Mr. G. Bernard Turkington

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Sports Council for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  The full membership of the Sports Council for Northern Ireland is as follows:

  Mr. Don Allen (Chairman)

  Alderman Peter Robinson, MP

  Tony Carlin

  Mrs. Roseanne McCaughan

  Mrs. June Davis

  Mrs. Georgie Hart

  Mrs. Jackie McWilliams

  Mr. David Bowen

  Mr. Clarence Hiles

  Dr. Ian Cony

  Miss Fionnuala McGrady

  Mr. Jim McKeever

  Mr. Stephen Hilditch

  Mr. Dawson Stelfox

  Mr. Ronnie Trouton

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the registered homes tribunals.

  Mr. Ancram
  The members currently appointed to registered homes tribunals are:

  Chairmen

  Mr. J. A. K. Irvine

  483

  Mr. S. F. M. Magee

  Expert Members

  Dr. F. Brown

  Dr. S. Boyd

  Dr. S. Compton

  Dr. P. Flanagan

  Dr. K. J. Fullerton

  Dr. R. M. Galloway

  Dr. J. S. Garvin

  Dr. C. M. Marriott

  Dr. O. E. P. Shanks

  Mrs. S. R. Brownlee

  Miss G. Hamilton

  Mrs. G. Kelly

  Ms J. McCrum

  Mrs. E. Mehaffey

  Mrs. M. Ralphs

  Mr. W. J. Totten

  Mrs. K. Cochrane

  Mrs. B. Dickson

  Mr. R. Kennedy

  Mrs. H. M. Leo

  Ms A. Lunny

  Ms J. Marley

  Mrs. M. O'Boyle

  Mr. W. R. Sharpe

  Mrs. E. Thomson

  Mrs. N. Walsh

  Mr. B. Wilson

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the tribunal under schedule 11 of the health and personal social services (NI) Order 1972.

  Mr. Ancram
  The current members of the health and personal social services tribunal are:

  Mr. E. A. Comerton QC

  Mr. J. D. McMullan

  Dr. D. Boyd

  Mr. D. S. Stewart

  Mr. P. B. Linehan

  Dr. U. Donnelly

  Mr. P. J. Brogan

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) who are the members currently appointed to each of the social security appeal tribunals;

  (2) who are the members currently appointed to each of the medical appeal tribunals;

  (3) who are the members currently appointed to each of the disability appeal tribunals.

  Mr. Ancram
  The appointment of members to all the appeal tribunals is the responsibilty of the president of the independent tribunal service, Mr. C. G. MacLynn. The hon. Member may wish to write to him direct.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the mental health review tribunal for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  The members currently appointed to the mental health review tribunal for Northern Ireland are:

  Mr. F. C. Elliott, QC (Chairman)

  Legal Members

  Mr. P. Coghlin, QC

  Mr. P. Mooney, QC

  Mr. W. B. Stevenson

  Mr. M. A. Morrow, QC

  Medical Members

  Dr. W. A. G. MacCallum

  Dr. D. Eyre

  Dr. B. McConnell

  484

  Dr. P. Porter

  Dr. M. McGinty

  Dr. G. MacFlynn

  Lay Members

  Mrs. M. E. Hornsey

  Dr. E. Downey

  Mrs. A. M. Gault

  Ms D. Cunningham

  Mrs. S. Hillan

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Central Nursing Advisory Committee.

  Mr. Ancram
  The current members of the Central Nursing Advisory Committee are as follows:

  Chairman:

  Mr. J. E. Mone

  Members:

  Mrs. M. C. Waddell

  Miss E. M. McNair

  Mr. F. A. Rice

  Mr. A. A. Boardman

  Dr. O. D'A Slevin

  Mrs. A. R. Conn

  Miss M. G. E. Foster

  Miss A. I. Duddy

  Mrs. M. J. Graham

  Mrs. M. Keenan

  Mr. J. J. O'Boyle

  Miss M. A. Pidgeon

  Mrs. K. Savage

  Mrs. E. Roche

  Miss P. Ginnety

  Mrs. M. J. Smyth

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Central Dental Advisory Committee.

  Mr. Ancram
  The current members of the Central Dental Advisory Committee are as follows:

  Chairman:

  Dr. J. G. Kennedy

  Members:

  Mr. I. McCappin

  Mr. J. J. Murray

  Mr. G. S. Hobson

  Mr. T. Smyth

  Professor I. C. Benington

  Mr. B. McGonigle

  Mrs. F. P. W. Simpson

  Mr. M. W. Curran

  Mr. I. D. F. Saunders

  Mr. R. W. Kendrick

  (1 vacancy)

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

  Mr. Ancram
  Current members of the Northern Ireland Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education are as follows:

  Mr. D. S. Gordon

  Professor A. H. G. Love

  Professor R. W. Stout

  Professor B. J. Rowlands

  Professor P. M. Reilly

  Dr. S. Rainer

  Dr. S. Moore

  Mr. W. D. Maxwell

  Mr. I. D. F. Saunders

  Dr. J. Watson

  485

  Dr. R. M. Galloway

  Dr. J. R. Hayes

  Dr. A. L. T. Blair

  Dr. J. Robinson

  Mr. A. A. B. Barros D'Sa

  Professor E. R. Trimble

  Dr. D. Patterson

  Dr. P. Thomas

  Dr. H. Lamki

  Dr. I. W. Carson

  Dr. D. Stewart

  Mr. T. Irwin

  Dr. P. S. Kellet

  Dr. D. O. Todd

  Dr. J. M. Dunlop

  Dr. J. R. Darling

  Mr. J. H. Gilleece

  Professor I. C. Benington

  Dr. J. F. McKenna

  Mr. W. J. N. Collins

  Dr. O. Quigley

  Miss M. E. A. Hanna

  Professor P. G. Toner

  Dr. J. Howe

  (One vacancy)

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  The members currently appointed to the Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland are:

  Chairman

  Mr. H. E. Pierce

  Legal Member

  Mrs. M. T. O'Neill

  Medical Members

  Dr. W. A. Norris

  Dr. G. J. Calvert

  Dr. P. S. Curran

  Nursing Members

  Mr. K. Toal

  Mrs. M. Kennan

  Social Work Members

  Miss W. Gregg

  Mr. R. D. Poole

  Psychology Member

  Dr. R. Davidson

  Lay Members

  Dr. D. Paulin

  Mrs. M. Hall

  Dr. A. Williamson

  Mrs. M. B. Porter

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Vaughan's charity.

  Mr. Ancram
  The members currently appointed to the Vaughan's charity are:

  Mr. K. Murnaghan

  Mr. S. B. Morrow

  Mr. V. Cassidy

  Mr. E. Rogers

  Mr. S. Gormley

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Public Service Training Council.

  Sir John Wheeler
  At present no members are appointed to the Public Service Training Council. The 486
  work of the council is currently under review and the terms of office of all former members have expired. No new appointments will be made until decisions have been taken on the future of the council.

  Salmon
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the number of spawning salmon and grilse which are needed to(a) maintain and (b) enhance the number of fish running each river in the Foyle system; what has been the average (i) counted and (ii) estimated in each such river in each of the last five years; what is his estimate of the optimum number of (1) parr and (2) smelts needed to bring each of these rivers up to maximum numbers; and what numbers of salmon he would take as the maximum run for each river.

  Mr. Ancram
  The basis for management of salmon stocks in the Foyle system, including estimates of the number of spawning fish required in each of the principal tributaries, is set out in the report by P. F. Elson and A. L. W. Tuomi entitled, "The Foyle Fisheries: New Basis for Rational Management". Information on the status of stocks in recent years is contained in the Foyle Fisheries Commission annual report for 1992. Copies of both publications are available in the Library.

  There are no facilities for counting parr or smelts but fish counting facilities for ascending stocks are available for a major part of the system and these indicate that runs for the past six seasons have significantly exceeded the estimated spawning requirement. The estimated spawning requirement was still significantly exceeded after deduction of reported angling catches.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) one sea winter, (b) two sea winter, (c) three sea winter and (d) four sea winter fish were salmon and grilse fish running the River Bush in each available year; how many fish were caught by rod in each class in each year since 1964; and what was the average weight of fish in each class in each year.

  Mr. Ancram
  The available information is given in the table:

  Year

  1SW

  2SW

  Hatchery

  Total reported rod catch

  1973

  2,334

  213

  0

  192

  1974

  3,246

  214

  10

  374

  1975

  2,969

  289

  80

  688

  1976

  2,842

  205

  40

  245

  1977

  1,631

  152

  528

  254

  1978

  1,366

  189

  81

  160

  1979

  1,662

  158

  6

  256

  1980

  2,593

  271

  65

  321

  1981

  1,142

  396

  43

  307

  1982

  1,373

  119

  42

  271

  1983

  833

  133

  11

  169

  1984

  504

  88

  20

  108

  1985

  1,922

  454

  140

  642

  1986

  2,402

  434

  868

  641

  1987

  1,799

  587

  710

  606

  1988

  2,647

  358

  1,078

  796

  1989

  896

  97

  270

  300

  1990

  1,649

  194

  329

  374

  1991

  2,021

  254

  1,021

  472

  1992

  2,186

  301

  484

  677

  487
  No three or four sea winter fish have been identified. Although the number of hatchery origin salmon returning as adults are also given in the table, these are not segregated into age groups as they are almost entirely one sea winter fish. Rod catch statistics are available only from 1973 and are not separated to show wild-hatchery segregation, sea age class or average weight. Average weights for wild-salmon are not routinely summarised and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

  Quotas
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the value of(a) milk quota and (b) suckler cow quota and sheep quota for the old and new less-favoured areas in Northern Ireland; and what provision is made for recognising those sums in the income and value of Northern Ireland farm production or capital formation in his Department's assessment of Northern Ireland farm income.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information sought in the first part of this question is not available. There is no need to take explicit account of quotas in estimating income, output or capital formation.

SCOTLAND

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was(a) the number and (b) the total cost in 1992–93 of management agreements between Scottish Natural Heritage and owners and occupiers of sites of special scientific interest to (i) compensate for profit forgone and (ii) facilitate positive conservation management.

  Sir Hector Monro
  In 1992–93 Scottish Natural Heritage made payments in respect of 442 management agreements of £3,617,616. Agreements which provide compensation payments can also contain an element of positive conservation management. Payments on the 307 such cases amounted to £3,258,534. In 135 cases providing for positive conservation management payments totalled £359,082.

  School Leavers
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many school leavers there were in each of the past 10 years from the maintained and independent sectors; and what percentage in each category were intending to enter degree or teacher training courses.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information for the years 1982–1992, based on the Scottish school leavers survey is set out in the table.

  School leavers

  School session

  Education authority and grant-aided schools

  Independent schools

  11982–83

  89,343

  1,645

  1983–84

  88,164

  1,573

  1984–85

  84,146

  1,673

  21985–86

  79,607

  3,469

  1986–87

  76,654

  3,702

  488

  School session

  Education authority and grant-aided schools

  Independent schools

  1987–88

  72,366

  3,693

  1988–89

  68,942

  3,753

  1989–90

  63,978

  3,919

  1990–91

  58,534

  3,536

  1991–92

  56,848

  3,748

  1Numbers of leavers from the independent sector are estimated for 1982–83 to 1984–85.

  2In 1985, most of the then grant-aided schools in Scotland became independent.

  No statistics are collected of the intended destinations of school leavers in either category.

  In November 1993, the audit unit of the schools inspectorate published the first of a new series of data on actual school leaver destinations in Scotland showing figures for 1992–93. A copy of the publication "Leaver Destinations for Scottish Secondary Schools 1992–93" is available in the Library.

  Habitats
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional financial resources he will make available in Scotland to implement the European Union directive—92/43/EEC—on the conservation of natural habitats of wild fauna and flora; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I made to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman) on 3 February,Official Report, column 778.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what actions he will take or policy changes he will make to implement the requirements of European Union directive 92/43 EEC on the conservation of natural habitats of wild fauna and flora; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The Government's proposals for action to implement this directive were set out in the consultation paper "Implementation in Great Britain of the Council Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora", published on 4 October 1993. Copies are in the Library of the House. The Government are currently considering the responses to this consultation paper.

  GP Fundholders
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment the Scottish Office has made of the extent to which differential treatment is being offered to national health service patients dependent on whether they are the patients of general practitioner fundholders; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  Under the rules governing contracts in the NHS under the procedural manual on contracting, together with the procedural manual on general practice fund-holding, copies of which are being placed in the Libraries of the House, GP fundholders may enter into contracts to develop new services or improve standards of care for their own patients provided only that as a consequence they do not directly disadvantage national health service patients being referred to the provider from other GP practices.
  489
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance the Scottish Office has issued to NHS trusts on the financial incentives which they can offer to general practitioner fundholders in order to secure contracts for treating their patients; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  Section 6.7 of the procedural manual on contracting sets out the rules on costing and pricing of contracts by NHS trusts for all purchasers including GP fundholders. Contract prices should always reflect full costs calculated in accordance with the general principles set out in the manual.

  Planning Permission
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the increase in the fee scale for applications for planning permission approved by Parliament in December 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  The latest increases in the levels of fees to be paid by applicants for planning permission have not produced any representations to my right hon. Friend.

  Royal Northern Yacht Club
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what powers Dunbartonshire Enterprise made a grant to the Royal Northern yacht club, Rhu, for stone cleaning and minor stone repairs; what was the amount of the grant; and how many permanent jobs were created as a result.

  Mr. Stewart
  The payment was made under the local enterprise company's delegated authority and questions about the project would be best addressed to its chairman. However, I understand Dunbartonshire Enterprise agreed in December 1991 to provide grant assistance of £49,786, representing less than 15 per cent. of the total cost of the project, towards the refurbishment of the Royal Northern yacht club. The statutory authority for the payment was section 6 of the Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990.

  Job creation is not necessarily the criterion by which environmental expenditure is justified; but Dunbartonshire Enterprise suggests that the refurbishment project safeguarded the jobs of five full-time and 11 part-time staff.

  Howie Report
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Howie report was published; and when he expects to make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Howie committee's report was published on 5 March 1992 and the consultation period closed on 31 December 1992.

  Following consideration of the report, I was pleased to announce, on 19 January, that standard grade will remain in S4. My right hon. Friend expects to make a further announcement in due course.

  NHS Trusts (Ayrshire)
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 7 February,Official Report, columns 53–54, for what reason the information
  490
  available for the NHS trusts in Ayrshire on public relations costs is not collected centrally in respect of other health boards and NHS trusts; if he will make it his policy to collect and publish the information requested; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  Public relations expenditure is such a small, though necessary, item in the budgets of health boards and NHS trusts that it would not be apropriate for my right hon. Friend to monitor it in detail. Information on the costs involved is therefore not normally collected centrally but was specially obtained for the answers given to the hon. Member on 24 January 1994, at column 71 and on 7 February 1994 at column 53 in respect of bodies in his constituency.

  Forestry
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if all access agreements for privatised Forestry Commission land are binding on all subsequent owners of that land.

  Sir Hector Monro
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 27 January 1994,Official Report, column 347.

  Audit Commission
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many councils are currently subject to investigation by the Audit Commission; what is the nature of these investigations; and if he will list the councils concerned.

  Mr. Stewart
  I assume the hon. Member has in mind the Commission for Local Authority Accounts in Scotland—the Accounts Commission. The commission is responsible for the audit of all local authorities in Scotland. Information about the commission's detailed activities is not held by the Scottish Office.

  Homosexuality
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the policy of the Lord Advocate on the prosecution of men who engage in consensual sexual acts and who are aged between 16 and 18 years of age; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  As was made clear in my answer of 8 February 1994,Official Report, column 180, to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman), since December 1991 procurators fiscal have been directed by the Lord Advocate to report to Crown office for Crown counsel's consideration cases of consensual homosexual acts where both of the participants are over 16 years but one or both are under 18 years. That remains the position. As with any case, Crown counsel will consider all the circumstances in deciding on the question of proceedings.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the members currently appointed to the Edinburgh new town conservation committee.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 24 February 1994]: The present membership of the Edinburgh new town conservation committee is as follows:
  491
  Chairman:

  Lord Cameron of Lochbroom PC QC FRSE (appointed by the Secretary of State, after consultation with the City of Edinburgh District Council)

  Members:

  Mr. Patrick W. Simpson, Deputy Chairman (appointed by the Cockburn Association)

  Miss C. H. Cruft OBE HonFRIAS (appointed by Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland)

  Mr. J. G. Malcolm-Smith (appointed by Great King Street Association)

  Mr. David Price (appointed by Drummond Civic Association)

  Mrs. Marjorie Appleton (appointed by Central New Town Association of Edinburgh)

  Councillor David Guest (appointed by City of Edinburgh District Council)

  Councillor Mrs. Margaret McGregor (appointed by City of Edinburgh District Council)

  Councillor John Wilson (appointed by City of Edinburgh District Council)

  Councillor Veronica Crerar (appointed by City of Edinburgh District Council)

  Councillor Douglas Mackenzie (appointed by City of Edinburgh District Council)

  Councillor Mrs. Sheila Gilmore (appointed by City of Edinburgh District Council)

  Professor Alistair Rowan (appointed by Historic Buildings Council for Scotland)

  Mr. J. Angus Mitchell CB CVO MC (appointed by Historic Buildings Council for Scotland)

  Professor James Dunbar-Nasmith CBE (appointed by The Scottish Civic Trust)

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the members currently appointed to the board of the children's panel.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 17 February 1994]: There are currently 2,009 members of children's panels in Scotland. I am sending the hon. Member a list of their names and am arranging for a copy of that list to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the members currently appointed to the boards of the children's panels advisory committees.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 24 February 1994]: Membership of the children's panel advisory committee for each of the 12 regional and islands authorities as at 18 February is as follows. Chairmen—CH—and members—ME—are appointed by the Secretary of State. Other members are appointed by regional authorities.

  Appointment

  Borders region CPAC at 18 February 1994

  Mrs. N. Burnett

  LA

  Mr. A. Hewat

  LA

  Mr. A. Napier

  CH

  Dr. J. Paterson-Brown

  ME

  Mrs. J. M. Schofield

  ME

  Central Region CPAC at 18 February 1994

  The Rev. J. Billows

  ME

  Mr. W. T. Dickson

  LA

  Mrs. M. J. Fitzpatrick

  LA

  Mrs. H. McKechnie

  ME

  Mr. I. Miller

  LA

  492

  Appointment

  Mr. R. Pickles

  ME

  Mr. R. Ramage

  CH

  Mr. P. Ward

  ME

  Dumfries and Galloway region CPAC at 18 February 1994

  Mr. T. Brown

  ME

  Mr. T. Davis

  ME

  Mrs. D. M. Hill

  ME

  Mr. T. A. McAughtrie

  LA

  Mrs. M. McKay

  CH

  Mr. K. W. Morton

  LA

  Mr. J. Pirrie

  LA

  Mr. R. Smith

  ME

  Mrs. K. A. Vivers

  ME

  Mr. J. B. Wallace

  LA

  Fife Region CPAC at 18 February 1994

  Mr. A. Cameron

  LA

  Mrs. M. Cook

  ME

  Mrs. J. Flannigan

  CH

  Mrs. V. Gemmell

  LA

  Mrs. C. Mitchell

  ME

  Mrs. A. Smith

  LA

  Mr. J. Taylor

  ME

  Mrs. E. Thomas

  ME

  Grampian Region CPAC at 18 February 1994

  Mr. S. Burnett

  LA

  Mr. J. K. Fowlie

  ME

  Mr. J. R. Gibson

  ME

  Mr. S. A. Kinnaird

  ME

  Mrs. A. Logan

  ME

  Mrs. V. J. Maltin

  LA

  Mr. R. McKail

  ME

  Mrs. O. Rutherford

  CH

  Mr. J. Towers

  LA

  Highland Region CPAC at 18 February 1994

  Mrs. M. Harley

  ME

  Mr. J. T. MacDonald

  LA

  Mr. J. D. MacDonald

  ME

  Mr. D. Mackenzie

  ME

  Rev. A. Murray

  LA

  Dr. P. D. Robertson

  Ch

  Mr. W. Smith

  LA

  Mrs. V. A. J. Wotherspoon

  ME

  Lothian Region CPAC at 18 February 1994

  Mr. I. Buchanan

  LA

  Mrs. I. C. Dickison

  ME

  Mr. D. Flaherty

  ME

  Mr. M. Gibb

  ME

  Dr. M. MacMillan

  CH

  Mr. P. Nolan

  LA

  Miss E. A. Shaw

  ME

  Orkney Islands CPAC at 18 February 1994

  Dr. M. E. Cant

  ME

  Mr. H. Ferris

  ME

  Mr. I. F. MacLeod

  ME

  Mrs. F. Mathieson

  LA

  Mrs. C. Muir

  CH

  Mrs. M. I. T. Trickett

  LA

  Shetland Islands CPAC at 18 February 1994

  Mrs. T. J. Jamieson

  ME

  Mr. G. M. McElvogue

  LA

  Mr. D. Sinclair

  CH

  Rev. L. S. Smith

  LA

  Mrs. R. Young

  ME

  Strathdyde region CPAC at 18 February 1994

  Mrs. C. M. S. Barron

  ME

  Mr. J. Douglas

  LA

  Miss R. Gillan

  LA

  The Rev. D. Laing

  LA

  Mrs. H. M. Lang

  ME

  493

  Appointment

  Miss M. McDonald

  CH

  Mrs. M. McGaughrin

  ME

  Mr. T. McGillivary

  LA

  Miss M. Morris

  ME

  Mrs. M. L. Robertson

  ME

  Mr. B. M. Scott

  LA

  Mr. J. L. Smyrl

  ME

  Mrs. J. L. Speculand

  ME

  Mr. N. Toppin

  LA

  Mrs. E. H. Waine

  ME

  Tayside region CPAC at 18 February 1994

  The Rev. G. Brownlie

  ME

  Mr. J. B. Coburn

  ME

  Mr. H. Connolly

  LA

  Mrs. L. Graham

  LA

  Mr. F. E. Mcculloch

  ME

  Mr. G. McNicol

  ME

  Mr. J. Mudie

  LA

  Mrs. P. Stevenson

  CH

  Western Isles CPAC at 18 February 1994

  Mrs. M. Bremner

  LA

  Mr. W. Forsyth

  ME

  Mrs. M. Maclver

  CH

  Mr. D. J. Maclennan

  LA

  Dr. J. Smith

  NF

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the members currently appointed to the Scottish agricultural consultative panel.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 17 February 1994]: The current members of the Scottish agricultural consultative panel who are all appointed by the Secretary of State are as follows:

  Mr. G. C. D. Budge

  Mr. T. A. Cameron (Chairman)

  Mr. A. S. Chalmers

  Mr. H. Crawford

  Mr. D. J. D. Dixon

  Mr. J. S. Fowlie

  Mr. T. C. Graham

  Mr. G. Harvey

  Mr. J. K. Henry

  Mr. J. L. Howie

  Mr. J. F. Lascelles

  Mr. I. K. MacKenzie OBE JP

  Mr. G. S. McClymont

  Mr. D. D. McDiarmid

  Mr. J. A. McIntyre

  Mr. J. A. McNicol

  Mr. C. Manson.

  Mr. G. R. Marwick JP

  Mr. J. A. Morris

  Mr. G. B. Pate

  Mr. S. M. Ritchie

  Mr. M. Stevenson

  Mr. F. B. Young

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

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 17 February 1994]: The current members of the Scottish Vocational Education Council are:

  Members nominated by the Secretary of State for Scotland

  Mr. James David Frederick Miller, D.Univ(Stirling)

  MA(cantab) CIM FIPM FRSA (Chairman)

  Mr. Brian James Lundie Minto, CA ATII MIM (Vice Chairman)

  Mr. John Anderson, MA(Hons)

  Mrs. G. Susan Bell, ACIS

  Mr. Thomas Johnstone Burness, OBE MA MLitt DipEd

  FRSA MIM

  494

  Ms Fiona M. W. Hynd, MIM

  Mr. Derek Stevens Mason, OBE, JP FRICS FFB

  Mr. John Bruce Park, MRSH MIP EngTech

  Mr. Frank Pignatelli, MA MEd FIM FRSA

  Mr. Iain Richard Roberts, MSc LLB(Hons) FIPM

  Mr. Grahame Thomas Smith, BA(Hons)

  Mr. Peter Thomson Syme, BSc CEng MIMechE

  Professor David J. Tedford, BSc PhD ScD ARCST CEng

  FIEE SMIEEE FInstP FRSE FRSA

  Member nominated by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

  Councillor Joyce Smith

  Members co-opted by the Council

  Mr. Andrew P. Armstrong, OBE BSc

  Mr. John N. Hornibrook, OBE FEng

  Mr. John Meiklejohn, BSc(Hons) C.Chem MRSC FEIS

  Mr. William Nicol, CBE BSc HonDEd FCIOB FInstR
  FScotvec

  Mrs. Heather B. Sheerin, OBE SRN

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultation he proposes to have with representations of the Scottish fishing industry about the European Union proposal for a Council regulation fixing management objectives and strategies for certain fisheries or groups of fisheries for the period 1994 to 1997; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 24 February 1994]: This complex proposal has recently been published by the Commission. It requires careful study, including by scientists. When Fisheries Departments have analysed its implications, discussion will be arranged with representatives of the fishing industry.

  Pupil Costs, Strathclyde
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the unit cost per pupil at each secondary school administered by Strathclyde regional council.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 24 February 1994]: This information is published in "Scottish Schools: Costs 1993–94" published in December 1993, a copy of which is in the Library.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Nuclear Waste (Dumping at Sea)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) of 17 February,Official Report, column 986, if the ban on low-level radioactive waste disposal into the sea includes liquid radioactive waste discharged from land-based sources.

  Mr. Jack
  The ban on radioactive wastes at sea does not include controlled low-level emissions from land-based sources. Land-based emissions do not come within the scope of the London convention.

  Agricultural Development Advisory Service
  Mr. Hargreaves
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what cost recovery target she has set for ADAS in 1994–95; and if she will make a statement.
  495
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have decided that for 1994–95, ADAS will be asked to recover 63 per cent. of its costs for advisory services charged to the commercial customer from the ultimate beneficiary of those services. The remaining costs will be met by my Department.

  In order to achieve these new targets, and reduce its cost base to make it competitive in all its markets, ADAS is today announcing plans for restructuring its operations. The principal changes are the consolidation of the 15 consultancy centres into seven larger units, and the 11 research locations will be managed through five of those locations. These changes will give improved efficiency and save management and local administration costs.

  With the aim of providing a cost-effective service to smaller farms, ADAS has also introduced an information service called FarmLine on a pilot basis this week which will make full use of modern technology. Although there is expected to be a reduction in the total number of consultants, all farming sectors and geographical areas will continue to have access to ADAS consultancy service.

  The combined effect of these changes will ensure ADAS can provide better value for its customers, helping them to respond more profitably to the changing demands of the industry. They will also enable the agency to continue its successful track record of meeting or exceeding all its annual targets since charging was introduced for its services in 1987.

  Forestry
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many hectares of forest have been created in England in each year since 1967.

  Mr. Jack
  The areas of new woodland planted or grant aided by the Forestry Commission in England were as follows:

  Year ended 31 March

  Area (hectares)

  1968

  15,800

  1969

  15,100

  1970

  15,900

  1971

  6,314

  1972

  6,017

  1973

  5,231

  1974

  3,722

  1975

  3,272

  1976

  2,438

  1977

  2,077

  1978

  1,979

  1979

  1,388

  1980

  1,712

  1981

  1,375

  1982

  1,353

  1983

  1,943

  1984

  1,877

  1985

  1,143

  1986

  1,230

  1987

  1,357

  1988

  1,857

  1989

  1,882

  1990

  3,564

  1991

  4,397

  1992

  4,036

  1993

  5,095

  1Estimate.

  496

  Ministerial Instructions
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list the occasions since 1979 when Ministers have issued written instructions to override her Department's accounting officer's objections.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding reply 24 February 1994]: From records currently available formal directions have been issued on the following occasion: February 1992.

DEFENCE

  House Purchases
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 24 January,Official Report, column 101, what are the criteria and rules applying to the house purchase advances, including the circumstances under which advances can be written off.

  Mr. Aitken
  Advances of salary are only available to staff who are moving home at public expense following a compulsory transfer.

  Advances for house purchase of up to six months gross pay may be made available to staff who require financial assistance to complete the purchase of a property at the new place of duty. Applicants must first reinvest any net equity from the sale of their former home and obtain the maximum mortgage from commercial sources. Advances will not be granted to assist staff to improve their standard of housing.

  Advances of up to 12 months pay may also be made exceptionally to transferring staff who are unable to redeem their outstanding mortgage from the sale proceeds of their former home. Applicants must first satisfy the Department that they have no other means of meeting the debt, for example through use of savings or assistance offered by some building societies and banks.

  Additionally, advances of up to 12 months pay have been made in the past to assist staff who, having taken our commercial bridging loans to help them transfer, saw the value of their properties fall below the level of the bridging loans, as a result of the downturn in the property market in the late 1980s.

  Recovery of the advance is normally made from salary. When employment ceases full repayment of any outstanding advance would be sought. Write-off of any outstanding advance where employment has ceased would be considered only where the individual cannot be traced or the expenditure required to pursue recovery by legal means is likely to exceed the value of the sum recovered.

  Contracting Out (Pension Rights)
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 18 February 1994,Official Report, column 1010.
  497

  Missile Defence
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to review the need for missile defence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  We are embarking on a two-year national programme of pre-feasibility studies into ballistic missile defence options for the United Kingdom. Once this is completed we hope to be in a position to make a definitive decision on whether we have a requirement for such a capability.

  Mr. D. Cross
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Mr. D. Cross of Brookvale, Bradiford, Barnstaple, North Devon, will be given a decision on his application, ref: APG/H17830R/JSCO, submitted on 7 November 1993 to the joint services commutation office at Glasgow to commute part of his pension.

  Mr. Hanley
  Mr. Cross was asked on 12 November 1993 to supply the joint services commutation office with further details of how he intends to fund his venture. Should he be able to provide the necessary funds, he will then be required to take a medical examination following which a decision will be made on his application.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Vineyards Regulatory Regime
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people, full-time or whole-time equivalents, are employed by Customs and Excise on the regulatory regime for English vineyards.

  Sir John Cope
  Customs estimates that it deploys the equivalent of between one and two staff years on the regulatory regime for English vineyards.

  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost per bottle to Customs and Excise and to vineyard owners of English vineyards wine of the Customs and Excise regulatory regime.

  Sir John Cope
  It is estimated that it costs customs less than one penny per bottle of English wine. I regret that figures are not available for the costs incurred by the vineyard owners.

  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual cost to the Exchequer of the regulatory regime operated by Customs and Excise in respect of wine made in English vineyards.

  Sir John Cope
  It is estimated that the annual cost to the Exchequer of the regulatory regime operated by Customs and Excise is less than £40,000.

  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the result of the cost compliance assessment carried out by Customs and Excise of their regulatory regime on English vineyards in respect of(a) Customs. and Excise and (b) the vineyards either per vineyard or in total.

  Sir John Cope
  The regulatory regime operated by customs had already been introduced before cost 498
  compliance assessments were carried out. No cost compliance assessment has been undertaken on the regulatory regime for English vineyards since its introduction.

  Cannabis
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how cannabis seized by Customs and Excise is disposed of.

  Sir John Cope
  Customs and Excise disposes of the cannabis it has seized by incineration under its supervision.

  Commemorative Coins
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what new commemorative coins Her Majesty's Government plan to issue.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve my recommendation that two special commemorative £2 coins be issued in 1995. The first of these will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the second world war and the second the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations. It is not intended that the coins should be put into general circulation, although they will be available at face value from most banks and post offices. In addition, special collector versions will be produced in base and precious metals.

  Capital Allowances
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide further details of the capital allowances measure announced on 13 January.

  Mr. Dorrell
  As announced on 13 January, at column 249, the Government propose to bring forward legislation at Committee stage of the Finance Bill to rectify a defect in the capital allowances legislation as it affects the disposal of long leases in enterprise zone buildings.

  A number of taxpayers have asked for more detail of what the legislation will contain. In the interests of reducing uncertainty which may be affecting perfectly legitimate commercial decisions, I am announcing further details now in advance of the draft legislation being published.

  The aim of the measure is to prevent abuse of the enterprise zone allowances for tax avoidance, without damaging the incentive for bona fide investments in enterprise zone property. The legislation will therefore provide that a balancing charge will be imposed when a long lease is disposed of within seven years. This seven-year limit on balancing charges will not apply to artificial tax avoidance schemes which include guaranteed exit arrangements. For those schemes a balancing charge will apply if the building is sold within the first 25 years of its life.

  Representations have been made that the weakness in the capital allowances legislation is not significant in the case of buildings eligible only for normal industrial buildings allowances. The Government accept this and the draft legislation will cover buildings in enterprise zones qualifying for 100 per cent. capital allowances, but not other buildings.
  499

  Bank Charges
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will investigate high street banks' use of bank charges; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  Bank charges for small business customers were looked at in a Bank of England survey announced to the House by the former Chancellor on 26 January 1993 Official Report, columns 621–23. They were also mentioned in a more recent report by the bank of the financing of small firms. Neither report highlighted the level of bank charges as a significant problem.

  The Consumers' Association published a report on retail banking last December which showed that overdraft and other fees varied considerably between current accounts. The report also found that it could be worth while for customers to move their accounts to the institution which offers the most appropriate services for their needs.

  Independent Financial Advisers
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had from independent financial advisers about the cost of complying with present regulations.

  Mr. Nelson
  Treasury Ministers have received a number of such representations.

  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to improve the present regulations concerning independent financial advisers.

  Mr. Nelson
  The regulations governing the conduct of independent financial advisers are primarily a matter for Securities and Investments Board and the self-regulatory organisations recognised under the Financial Services Act 1986. In July last year my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor issued directions to SIB requiring it to develop a new approach to regulation of the marketing of investment-based life insurance products. On 7 January SIB published new rules relating to independent financial advisers and other life insurance distribution channels.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements are in place for Her Majesty's Customs and Excise to demand or request from the Scott inquiry papers in the inquiry's possession which customs officers consider material to a customs investigation.

  Sir John Cope
  No particular arrangements are in place. Customs and Excise have no powers to demand papers from Lord Justice Scott. Their powers to demand papers apply in relation to persons concerned in certain activities or suspected of having committed offences.

  The response to any request to Lord Justice Scott for papers he holds is a matter for him. It is, of course, open to those who have provided information to the inquiry to provide Customs and Excise direct with any information they have relating to suspected breaches of export control.

  Inflation
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the annual inflation rate in each of the years since 1967; and if he will make a statement.
  500
  Mr. Nelson
  The information requested is available in table 8 of the publication "Retail Prices Index December 1993", CSO Business Monitor MM23, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Oil Revenues
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the values to the United Kingdom of oil revenues for each year from 1978.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have been asked to reply.

  Figures on the value to the United Kingdom of oil and gas revenues since 1978 have been published by the Department of Trade and Industry annually in "Development of the Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom. Table 14 gives details of income from the United Kingdom continental shelf and table 15 gives the revenue accruing to the Exchequer. Copies of this publication are available in the Library of the House.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Malaysia
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date, where and how the British Government announced that they had agreed to the request of the Malaysian Government that the soft loan for Pergau was to be paid direct to Tenaga Nasional; and how and where it was announced.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding reply 21 February 1994]Her Majesty's Government informed the Malaysian Government that they could accept their request for the soft loan to be made direct with Tenaga Nasional in a letter from the British high commissioner in Kuala Lumpar to the Ministry of Finance on 14 May 1991. The details of financial and contractual arrangements are not usually the subject of announcements.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Kurdish People (Turkey)
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the British Government have taken to condemn human rights violations against Kurdish people in Turkey.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The United Kingdom and our European Union partners condemned human rights abuses in Turkey in the European Union statement to the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly of 23 November. There will be a similar statement at the Commission on Human Rights currently being held in Geneva.

DUCHY OF LANCSTER

  Consultancies
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the value of consultancy contracts awarded by his Department each year since 1992, both in current prices and at constant 1994 prices.
  501
  Mr. Waldegrave
  The costs of consultancy contracts awarded by the Office of Public Service and Science and its agencies in 1992–93 and 1993–94 to date are as follows:

  £

  OPSS and its agencies

  1992–93

  4,054,273

  1992–93 at constant 1993–94 prices

  4,186,036

  1993–94 to date

  5,016,285

  The costs of consultancy contracts awarded by COI and HMSO in 1992–93 and 1993–94 to date are as follows:

  £

  COI

  1992–93

  136,460

  1992–93 at constant 1993–94 prices

  140,894

  1993–94 to date

  55,189

  Maintained schools1

  Independent schools1

  Academic year

  Number of school leavers

  Percentage entering degree or teacher training courses

  Number of school leavers

  Percentage entering degree or teacher training courses

  1991–92

  31,520

  —

  1,065

  —

  1990–91

  32,220

  14

  1,055

  45

  1989–90

  34,525

  12

  1,170

  38

  1988–89

  37,825

  10

  1,280

  32

  1987–88

  39,380

  9

  1,225

  24

  1986–87

  42,770

  8

  1,080

  30

  1985–86

  42,125

  9

  1,060

  34

  1984–85

  43,190

  8

  1,240

  33

  1983–84

  42,855

  8

  1,185

  29

  1982–83

  44,085

  8

  1,240

  39

  Source: 1982–83—1990–91 School Examinations Survey; 1991–92 Welsh Office RDI.

  1Data are not available for 1991–92 as intended destinations were collected in different categories.

  ReChem Incinerator
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement regarding the possibility of compensation for farmers who have been affected by the ReChem incinerator plant in Gwent, South Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  I understand one farmer in Gwent is taking legal proceedings against the company. In the circumstances, it would not be appropriate for me to comment. My Department has, however, funded an independent survey of PCB-dioxin contamination in the Pontypool area and the results were published in April 1993. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Average Wage
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the average United Kingdom wage is the average Welsh wage.

  Mr. Redwood
  At April 1993 the average gross weekly earnings of full-time employees in Wales was 89 per cent. of the average for the United Kingdom.
  502

  £

  HMSO

  1992–93

  410,075

  1992–93 at constant 1993–94 prices

  423,402

  1993–94 to date

  1,061,025

WALES

  School Leavers
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many school leavers there were in each of the past 10 years from the maintained and independent sectors; and what percentage in each category were intending to enter degree or teacher training courses.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information required is given in the following table.

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received regarding opposition to opencast mining at Selar Farm grassland site of special scientific interest near Neath; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  A total of 31 representations have been received to date. Consideration is currently being given to requests that an application for opencast mining which will affect the Selar Farm grasslands site of special scientific interest should be called in for my own determination.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement regarding the effect on the Marsh Fritillary butterfly colonies at Selar Farm grasslands site of special scientific interest and Parc Slip West, Mid Glamorgan, of the decisions to allow British Coal to develop opencast mines on those sites.

  Mr. Redwood
  The effect on the Selar Farm grasslands site of special scientific interest which includes a colony of Marsh Fritillary butterflies is a consideration which is being taken into account in determining whether an application for an opencast mining development should be called in for my own determination. In the case of Parc Slip West, I determined to grant consent in September 1993.
  503

  Cardiac Surgery
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what special measures he has taken to ensure that more heart bypass operations are performed.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The development of the specialist adult cardiac unit at the University Hospital of Wales has been completed at a cost of £5 million and a new unit is planned for Morriston hospital. Pending its completion, additional funding approaching £4 million per annum has been provided to enable health authorities to secure further operations from other specialist centres.

  The development of the paediatric cardiac unit at the University Hospital of Wales is nearing completion following an expansion project earlier this year.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many heart bypass operations were performed on Welsh patients, and in what locations, in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information is not immediately available and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

EDUCATION

  Further Education Colleges
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received concerning the introduction of the new model contract by the College Employers Forum.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend and I have received a number of letters from further education lecturers, both directly and through hon. Members.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the numbers of employers and part-time students whose need for further education services is not limited to the working day or the traditional three college terms for each year from 1992–93 to 1994–95; and what influence the kind of staff contract has had or is expected to have on the ability of colleges to meet the demand.

  Mr. Boswell
  Few, if any, employers close their own businesses for up to 16 weeks in each year, so their employees are available for training at times when a college running a traditional 36-week teaching year is closed. Most adult part-time students are also ready to learn during the holidays, or in the evenings. A more flexible contract will assist colleges to open for longer and to meet demand when it arises.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made on local employee relations in colleges arising out of the 2 per cent. reduction of college funding.

  Mr. Boswell
  The 2 per cent. holdback relates to the introduction of more flexible contracts for staff appointed on or after 1 April 1994. I see no reason why the introduction of more flexible contracts should damage employee relations. Staff should see the advantages for themselves of a system where the weight of the whole job is considered rather than the counting of hours on tasks.
  504
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what proportion of contracts he will require to be adequately flexible for the £50 million held back from the grant to colleges of further education to be payable; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what time scale he envisages for rapid progress in moving further education staff over to new contracts;

  (3) what sanctions are being imposed on colleges to move existing staff on to new contracts;

  (4) what he considers to be the significant majority of existing lecturers signing new contracts in colleges of further education which would satisfy his desire to move staff over to them.

  Mr. Boswell
  The £50 million grant will be released to the Further Education Funding Council in proportion to the number of colleges which certify that staff appointed on or after 1 April 1994 have contracts that provide adequate flexibility for the colleges' needs. No sanctions will be imposed on colleges who do not move existing staff on to new contracts; it is for colleges to decide how rapidly they wish to do so.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the ratio of staff to students of further education colleges for each of the last five years; and what increase in the ratio will be allowed by greater flexibility of contract.

  Mr. Boswell
  The table gives student-staff ratios for further education colleges for the last five years. Future plans for the employment of lecturers are a matter for individual colleges. It is not possible to say what effect the introduction of new contracts will have on the ratio of staff to students.

  Academic year

  Student staff ratio

  1988–89

  10·1

  1989–90

  10·6

  1990–91

  10·9

  1991–92

  11·8

  1992–93

  12·3

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) if he will list for each further education college the proportion of existing staff who have been moved on to new contracts;

  (2) if he will list those further education colleges which have had strikes, stoppages or working to rule over new contracts.

  Mr. Boswell
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what limits he is imposing on cash sums and salary increases offered to existing staff or further education colleges to accept new contracts;

  (2) whether colleges of further education can make payments of fees for private medical insurance for staff as part of an incentive package to persuade staff to accept new contracts.

  Mr. Boswell
  Within the framework of the Government's policy on public sector pay, it is for individual colleges to decide what they will pay their staff, and what form increases or incentives will take, within the resources available to each college.
  505
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what procedures he has introduced to vet staff contracts in colleges of further education to ensure that they satisfy his requirements;

  (2) by what criteria he will assess whether new contracts for further education staff (a) offer adequate flexibility and (b) are sufficiently different; whether the contracts currently being issued to new staff fulfil these criteria; and in what respects existing contracts do not meet them;

  (3) what kind of certification from governing bodies of further education colleges, that their new contracts provide adequately increased flexibility, is acceptable to him; how that flexibility will be audited; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr Boswell
  It will be for colleges themselves to certify that their new contacts both provide adequate flexibility for their needs, and, so far as lecturers are concerned., also differ significantly from the former local authority contracts. The Further Education Funding Council will ask them to sign a declaration to that effect. Such a declaration would be subject to scrutiny by the college's auditors.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proposals he has for ending the system of three traditional terms in(a) further education colleges, (b) former polytechnics and (c) universities.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Government have no such plans. The organisation of the academic year is a matter for institutions.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what limits are indicated for hours worked per week in new staff contracts in further education colleges; and how the part-time contract is differentiated from the full-time contract;

  (2) what liability is imposed on further education staff for damage to college property or equipment (a) by them and (b) by students in the new contracts;

  (3) if his Department will review or offer advice on new contracts to governing bodies of further education colleges.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will give details of the changes in conditions of employment proposed in the new contract for further education lecturers; to what extent these are linked to increased salary awards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  It is for each college to decide what form of new contract it wishes to introduce.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) if he will set out his objections to the existing contracts of staff of further education colleges; and what changes to these conditions would be acceptable to him;

  (2) whether existing contracts for staff of further education colleges include an hour-by-hour account of what they are to do;

  (3) to which restrictive practices in the Silver Book of further education colleges he objects; and what difficulties each of those practices poses in respect of a more flexible and responsible service.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Silver Book includes the following restrictions: no more than 10 sessions per week; no more than 30 hours duty per week; no more than 21 hours of class contact per week; no more than two evening sessions 506
  per week; and reduced class contact time for other professional duties according to agreed procedures. Such restrictions prevent colleges from making the best use of their human and material resources. It will be for individual colleges to decide the precise content of new, more flexible contracts.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will detail the negotiations with the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education about the new contract for staff; and what representations he has received from them on it.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Colleges Employers Forum has held negotiations with NATFHE on the introduction of more flexible contracts between September 1993 and February 1994. A delegation from NATFHE met officials at the Department on 25 November 1993. NATFHE has asked to see officials again and a meeting is being arranged. I am not aware of any other representations from NATFHE on this matter.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the detailed conditions for the release of holdback of the £50 million kept back from further education colleges in November 1993; and if he will list the colleges which have satisfied them to date.

  Mr. Boswell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) on 16 February,Official Report, column 842. The condition relates to the financial year 1994–95, and colleges will be asked in due course by the FEFC whether they have satisfied the conditions.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how the effect of his statement to colleges of further education that the higher pay costs shall be covered by efficiency improvements will differ from the increases in pay costs available in the rest of the public sector.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Government's policy that increases in pay costs should be covered by efficiency improvements applies throughout the public sector.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish in the Official Report his speech to principals of further education colleges in the week ended 11 February and a copy of his letter to the chairs of the College Employers Forum of 8 February.

  Mr. Boswell
  Since these are lengthy texts, I have placed copies of them in the Library of the House.

  Further Education Funding Council
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 18 February,Official Report, column 1019, what legislation sets out his responsibilities with regard to approval of staff employed by the Further Education Funding Council.

  Mr. Boswell
  Provisions concerning the appointment of staff of the Further Education Funding Council are contained in schedule 1 to the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. Paragraph 7 of that schedule provides that the council may appoint such employees as it thinks fit. The only requirement for approval by the Secretary of State is in the case of the appointment of future chief
  507
  officers—paragraph 2(3) of that schedule—the first chief officer having been appointed by the Secretary of State under the terms of paragraph 2(2) of that schedule.

  Funding Agency for Schools
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what will be the payment to members of the Funding Agency for Schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The chairman of the Funding Agency for Schools, Sir Christopher Benson, will receive an annual fee of £33,430 for an equivalent of two days per week from 1 April 1994. Other members of the agency will be eligible to receive £155 and reimbursement for travel and subsistence expenses for each day spent on agency business, such as attending board and sub-committee meetings.

  Sixth Forms
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the new sixth forms to which he has given approval in(a) grant-maintained schools and (b) local authority schools since April 1992.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Since April 1992 my right hon. Friend has approved proposals for new sixth forms in 17 grant-maintained schools and two LEA-maintained schools. The schools concerned are:

  (a) Grant maintained

  Baverstock GM School, Birmingham

  Small Heath School, Birmingham

  Sawtry Village College, Cambridgeshire

  The Merrill Community School, Derbyshire

  Chellaston School, Derbyshire

  Beauchamps GM School, Essex

  Bromfords School, Essex

  The King John School, Essex

  West Hatch School, Essex

  The Arnewood School, Hampshire

  The Burgate School, Hampshire

  Ringwood School, Hampshire

  The Maplesden Noakes School, Kent

  Sheringham High School, Norfolk

  Highams Park School, Waltham Forest

  Queen Elizabeth School, Warwickshire

  Moseley Park GM School, Wolverhampton.

  (b)LEA maintained

  St. Peter's RC Comprehensive School, Solihull.

  My right hon. Friend has also recently approved proposals for the establishment of a new school for pupils aged 11 to 18 years in Halifax, Calderdale, to replace two 11 to 16 schools.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many public interest immunity certificates he, or his predecessors, have been asked to sign in each year since 1979; how many he or his predecessors decided not to sign; and if he will make a statement of his policy on signing of public interest immunity certificates.

  Mr. Howard
  No central record is kept of public interest immunity certificates signed or not signed since 1979. My policy is to sign public interest immunity certificates, in accordance with my legal duty, where I am 508
  satisfied that there is a public interest in protecting documents or information from disclosure in legal proceedings. It is for the court, in any particular case; to weigh the public interest asserted in the certificate against the competing public interest in the due administration of justice.

  Women's Royal Voluntary Service
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department expects to pay in grant to the Women's Royal Voluntary Service during the financial years 1993–94 and 1994–95; and if he will make a statement on the purposes for which that grant is paid.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Women's Royal Voluntary Service provides through some 145,000 volunteers a wide range of services to the community. Home Office grant in aid, which helps to fund the core administrative expenses of the service, amounts to £6.247 million in 1993–94. The level of grant in aid for 1994–95-has yet to be decided.

  Prison Suicides
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to deposit in the Library copies of reports of the internal investigations into suicides in prisons at the request of hon. Members.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. The internal investigation is a review which the Prison Service carries out for its own management purposes. In the case of deaths in custody, a full public inquest is conducted separately by the coroner.

  >Yugoslav Refugees
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 December to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Blunkett),Official Report, column 674, (a) how many refugees have been admitted to Britain from former Yugoslavia to the current date, (b) how many applications for asylum have been granted and (c) how many applications for asylum are under consideration.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information on asylum applications by nationals of the former Yugoslavia, and on decisions made, in the period 1 January 1992 to 31 January 1994 is given in the table. The large majority of these cases—an estimated 6,640 at 31 January 1994—are under consideration and the applicants are being allowed to stay in the meantime.

  In addition to consideration of asylum applications, the Government have, under arrangements announced in November 1992 and June 1993, offered to receive 1,000 particularly vulnerable individuals from the former Yugoslavia, and their close dependants, an estimated total of 4,000 people. As at 21 February 1994, 568 particularly vulnerable individuals and 781 dependants had arrived under these arrangements. Prior to this, 68 sick and wounded ex-detainees from Bosnia arrived in September 1992.
  509

  Decisions1 on applications1 received for asylum in the United Kingdom from nationals of the former Yugoslavia, excluding dependants, 1 January 1992 to 31 January 1994

  1 January 1992–31 January 1994

  Asylum applications1

  7,590

  Decisions234

  370

  Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum

  5

  Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave to remain5

  110

  Refused asylum and ELR—after full consideration

  15

  Refused under para 180F6

  145

  Refused on safe third country grounds7

  95

  Applications pending4

  6,640

  1 Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5.

  2 Figures exclude information on applications made overseas.

  3 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the period.

  4 Information on withdrawals is not readily available and not shown in the table.

  5 Usually granted for a year in the fist instance, subject then to further review.

  6 For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview to establish identity (para. 101 prior to 26 July 1993).

  7 Refused on the grounds; that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.

  Staff Transfers
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the schemes his Department operates to assist staff facing financial hardship following a transfer, showing(a) the particular criteria and rules applying to each one, including the circumstances under which any loans can be written off, (b) the total amount loaned or granted under the schemes in 1992–93 and so far in 1993–94 and (c) the number of staff assisted in 1992–93 and so far in 1993–94.

  Mr. Howard
  Under authority delegated from the Treasury the Department may assist staff facing serious financial hardship following a transfer in the public interest. The assistance available depends on the circumstances of each case. It may include concessionary payment of an advance of salary, and concessionary payment of a housing cost supplement to assist with an increased mortgage. It may also include a special payment of part or all of any unavoidable shortfall between the equity released by the sale of a property and an outstanding approved bridging loan. The Department must be satisfied that:

  (a) There is serious financial hardship: the individual must provide details of his or her income—including his or her spouse's and his or her outgoings.

  (b) There is a genuine loss: i.e. the equity released by the prospective sale will be insufficient to clear the bridging loan approved by the Department. The proposed sale price must be supported by an independent valuation arranged by Home Office accounts branch through the chief valuer's office of the Inland Revenue.

  (c) The individual is making his or her maximum affordable contribution to meeting the shortfall: i.e. has taken out the maximum available and affordable mortgage and advance of salary.

  (d) The individual has acted reasonably in all transactions relating to the bridging loan.

  Special payments in excess of £20,000 must be approved by the Treasury. The only loans made are advances of salary. No such advances have been written off.
  510
  The other information requested is follows:

  1992–93

  Main Home Office

  Prison Service

  Advances of salary

  £98,105

  £575,377

  Numbers of staff

  111

  932

  Special payments

  £507,403

  £975,882

  Numbers of staff

  151

  902

  Notes:

  1 9 staff received an advance of salary and a special payment.

  2 70 staff received and advance of salary and a special payment.

  1993–94 (to 18 February 1994)

  Main Home Office

  Prison Service

  Advances of salary

  £92,062

  £606,884

  Numbers of staff

  61

  642

  Special payments

  £98,753

  £1,089,329

  Numbers of staff

  51

  662

  Notes

  14 staff received an advance of salary and a special payment.

  247 staff received an advance of salary and a special payment.

  No payments have been made by the United Kingdom Passport Agency, the Forensic Science Service or the Fife Service College.

  Accident and Emergency Services
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is proposing in regard to accident and emergency services following the Seymour report on the train crash in the Severn tunnel on Saturday 7 December 1991.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Seymour report does not make recommendations in respect of the emergency services. Lessons learnt in the course of the response to all major incidents are incorporated into the plans and procedures of the emergency services at the local level.

  European Parliament Elections
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are being made to inform citizens of other member states of the European Union resident in the United Kingdom of their right to vote in elections to the European Parliament.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Following the coming into force of the treaty on European Union, and of the European Parliamentary Elections (Changes to the Franchise and Qualifications of Representatives) Regulations 1994, citizens of member states of the European Union resident in the United Kingdom have the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament on the same basis as existing electors and candidates.

  Information sheets will be distributed to electoral registration officers; the main political parties; the embassies and consulates of other member states of the European Union; British embassies and consulates in other member states; the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux; and specialist bodies including the Alliance Francaise, the Goethe Institute, the Italian Cultural Institute and the Spanish Institute. There will also be notices in the London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes.

  Application forms for Community citizens to apply for inclusion in the electoral register will be available from

  511
  electoral registration officers from 1 March, and must be returned by 29 March. Local political parties will be able to obtain copies of the form and the leaflet from electoral registration officers for use locally.

  Ministerial Instructions
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the occasions since 1979 when Ministers have issued written instructions to override his Department's accounting officer's objections.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 24 February 1994]There are no known instances since 1979 of Ministers in the Home Office issuing written instructions in pursuance of paragraphs 13 or 14 of section 6.1.5 of "Government Accounting".

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Non-departmental Public Bodies
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 10 February,official Report, column 404, what are his powers of direction in respect of boards of non-departmental public bodies funded by his Department.

  Mr. Sproat
  This information was recently supplied to the National Heritage Committee during its inquiry into English Heritage. It is available in annex II to the published minutes of evidence taken before the Committee on 13 January 1994—HC 139-i—a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Consultants
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will publish the fee to be paid to Capita Management Consultancy Ltd. In respect of its review of archaelogical services in London on behalf of his Department.

  Mr. Brooke
  The fees paid for consultancy contracts let by my Department such as are nor required to be advertised to the official Journal of the European Communities are treated as Commercial in confidence and are not, therefore, disclosed.

  Cultural Exports
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the secretary of State for National Heritage what are the criteria which will inform his Department's review of the guidance and United Kingdom application forms for the export licensing of cultural goods described on page 52 of the Government's White Paper "Deregulation: Cutting Red Tape".

  Mr. Sproat
  The revision of the existing "Notice to Exporters" will set out the export licensing requirements under both United Kingdom legislation and the EC regulation 3911/92. It will, as now, explain the procedures by which an object might be considered of Waverley standard, as a result of which the Secretary of State would defer his decision on either a United Kingdom or an EC licence. The United Kingdom licence application will be revised to a similar—or possibly the same—layout to that of the EC licence application, once the latter has been revised in minor ways by the European Commission.
  512

  Transfer of Functions order
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 4 February,Official Report, column 995, if he will specify the costs relating to the preparation and promulgation of the Transfer of Functions (National Heritage) Order 1992.

  Mr. Sproat
  My Department paid £8,000 to the Treasury Solicitors' Department for the preparation of the Transfer of Functions (National Heritage) Order 1992. No separate charge was made by parliamentary counsel for the drafting work. In addition, there were other minor administrative and staffing costs associated with the preparation and promulgation which cannot be quantified separately.

  Windsor Castle
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 19 January column 653, concerning the damage to medieval wall paintings at Windsor castle, how wide was the chase; at what stage it became apparent that a medieval painting was involved; what other changes were made to the internal medieval fabric of King John's tower during the re wiring of the castle; what is the nature of the remedial conservation work; what agency has been responsible for carrying out this work; what plans there are to evaluate, expose and conserve the wall paintings; why clearance was given for cutting a long chase in undisturbed medieval masonry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sproat
  The chase was around 30 mm wide. It became apparent that a medieval wall painting was involved after the chase had been made; the traces of paint patterns were very faint and barely discernible.

  Generally existing chases were used during the rewiring, but one other new chase was made in the second floor room where the paintings were found, one new chase in the ground floor room and some limited chases in the staircase landing areas on each floor. No other changes were made to the internal medieval fabric.

  The remedial conservation work consisted of Ronafix bonding and special lime mixes applied in the areas of the chases. The work was carried out by contractors employed by the royal household's property section. Longer-term conservation is being considered by English Heritage which has prepared an interim report and is planning a more detailed investigation. It will make recommendations regarding such things as long-term conservation.

  The rewiring project was planned by the former Property Services Agency—PSA—in 1987 and 1988. At that time the PSA and the Department of the Environment, which then had responsibility for the occupied royal palaces, regarded the project as maintenance and replacement and did not consider clearance to be required. Clearance procedures and liaison with English Heritage have improved substantially since the household took over the maintenance of the occupied royal palaces. Further information will be available when English Heritage's investigation has been completed.

  >Cable Television
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals there are to license cable television for Skipton.
  513
  Mr. Brooke
  I understand from the Independent Television Commission that it has not received any proposals for providing a cable system in Skipton.

  Wrecks
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what action his Department is taking to improve the management of protected wreck sites in English waters; and what assessment he has made of whether adequate records of such sites are being kept.

  Mr. Brooke
  My Department is continuing to work closely with the joint Nautical Archaeology Policy Committee and English Heritage on what measures may be taken to improve the management of protected wrecks in English waters. Licensed divers are required to submit reports, countersigned by an archaeological adviser, which detail their activities and assess the status of site records; the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites reviews the adequacy of such reports.

  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to transfer responsibility for protected wreck sites in English waters to English Heritage; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  Discussions are currently taking place on what future role English Heritage might take in relation to protected wrecks in English waters; certain practical issues remain to be resolved.

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make it his policy to encourage programme making in Wales and Scotland so as to increase the proportion of programmes made there; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  Programme-making is primarily the responsibility of the broadcasters. However, provisions in the Broadcasting Act 1990 help to promote programme-making in both Wales and Scotland through the arrangements for S4C and the Gaelic television fund. Additionally, the Welsh and Scottish ITV companies, in common with all Channel 3 licensees, are required to produce 80 per cent. of their regional programming in the area of their licences.

  The Government plan to publish a White Paper in the spring with proposals for the future of the BBC, including its role in programme production.

  Per week

  United Kingdom standard region

  Structural insurance

  Contents insurance

  Households with contents and/or structural insurance

  £

  £

  £

  (a) Average household insurance premiums for flats

  North

  2·20

  1·00

  2·00

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1—

  0·90

  1·00

  North West

  1·80

  1·80

  2·30

  East Midlands

  2·00

  1·10

  1·70

  West Midlands

  2·20

  1·10

  1·80

  East Anglia

  1—

  1·30

  1·70

  Greater London

  3·50

  2·70

  4·00

  Rest of the South East

  3·10

  1·40

  2·40

  South West

  2·90

  1·60

  2·50

  Wales

  1—

  1·50

  1·50

  Scotland

  2·30

  1·50

  2·50

  514

PRIME MINISTER

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he or his officials have received a copy of the Touche Ross report prepared for BNFL on the economic prospects for THORP.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Buses
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to encouragge the development of markets for United Kingdom companies manufacturing low floor buses.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  A number of United Kingdom bus manufacturers have been involved, in London and Tyneside, in demonstration projects, which are supported by the Department of Transport, to evaluate the benefits of low floor buses.

  The result of these studies will be widely disseminated and United Kingdom bus producers are well placed to take advantage of any subsequent increase in demand for such vehicles.

  Household Insurance
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the current average household insurance premiums for(a) self-contained flats, (b) two-bedroom houses and (c) four-bedroom houses in each parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The figures in the tables are from the 1992 family expenditure survey and are of direct payments by households. The figures are for United Kingdom standard regions as data by parliamentary constituency are not available. The survey has a small number of households in some of the categories, so the figures are subject to large sampling variations. The figures are average weekly expenditure, rounded to the nearest lop. The survey does not distinguish between self-contained flats and non-se if-contained flats.
  515

  United Kingdom standard region

  Structural insurance

  Contents insurance

  Households with contents and/or structural insurance

  £

  £

  £

  Northern Ireland

  1—

  1—

  1—

  (b) Average household insurance premiums for 2 bedroom houses

  North

  2·40

  1·30

  2·70

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  2·30

  1·30

  3·20

  North West

  2·20

  1·70

  3·50

  East Midlands

  2·10

  1·40

  3·10

  West Midlands

  2·20

  1·50

  3·10

  East Anglia

  2·40

  1·40

  3·00

  Greater London

  3·90

  2·60

  5·80

  Rest of the South East

  3·20

  1·70

  4·40

  South West

  2·70

  1·70

  3·90

  Wales

  2·20

  1·20

  3·00

  Scotland

  2·80

  1·50

  3·20

  Northern Ireland

  2·20

  1·00

  2·20

  (c) Average household insurance premiums for 4 bedroom houses

  North

  3·50

  2·50

  5·90

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  3·90

  2·00

  5·20

  North West

  4·50

  3·00

  7·10

  East Midlands

  4·40

  2·70

  6·60

  West Midlands

  4·70

  2·90

  6·90

  East Anglia

  3·80

  2·20

  5·70

  Greater London

  5·90

  4·40

  9·80

  Rest of the South East

  4·80

  2·70

  7·20

  South West

  3·80

  2·00

  5·60

  Wales

  4·30

  2·60

  6·60

  Scotland

  4·80

  2·70

  6·40

  Northern Ireland

  3·70

  1·90

  5·40

  1 Data not available as there are five or fewer reporting households.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of homes in the United Kingdom are not currently covered by a household insurance policy by parliamentary constituency.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have been asked to reply.

  Estimates of the proportion of households in the United Kingdom not currently covered by a household contents insurance policy are given for United Kingdom standard regions, based on the 1992 family expenditure survey. Similar information on structural insurance is not available from the family expenditure survey.

  Households with no contents insurance

  United Kingdom standard region

  Per cent.

  North

  28

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  27

  North West

  26

  East Midlands

  20

  West Midlands

  27

  East Anglia

  13

  Greater London

  38

  Rest of the South East

  20

  South West

  20

  Wales

  30

  Scotland

  24

  Northern Ireland

  44

  516

HEALTH

  Nurse-Patient Ratio
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average qualified nurse-patient ratio in each of the last five years.

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

  The number of in-patients is not collected centrally. The table shows the number of ordinary admissions, which is the term used for in-patient consultant episodes.

  Ordinary admissions

  Qualified nursing and midwifery staff (excluding community)

  1988–89

  7,335,448

  206,110

  1989–90

  7,476,626

  209,300

  1990–91

  7,524,192

  206,150

  1991–92

  7,759,202

  207,500

  1992–93

  7,829,403

  210,230

  Notes:

  1. Ordinary admissions are taken for the year 1 April to 31 March.

  2. Qualified nursing and midwifery staff are as at 30 September—ie for the 1988–89 year the figure is as at 30 September 1988.

  3. Figures for qualified staff show all qualified nursing and midwifery staff, including senior nurses and midwives but excluding those nurses who have transferred to senior management terms and who cannot be identified separately from other senior managers. It also excludes pre and post registration learners and Project 2000 nursing students.

  517

  GP Fundholders
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will update her answer of 26 January 1993,Official Report, columns 689–94, on general practitioner fund-holders' management allowance payments in each year from 1990–91 to 1993–94 for each family health services authority and regional health authority.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information provided on 26 January was obtained through a one-off exercise to review the management allowance carried out in November 1992.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of general practitioner fundholders' budgets were spent in the private sector for each of the years for which figures are available.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) on 7 February at column 52.

  Alcohol and Drug-related Deaths
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by region the number of(a) accidents and (b) deaths that were alcohol or drug related since 1990.

  Mr. Bowis
  The information is shown in the tables.

  The figures for alcohol show those cases where cause of death has a clear association with alcohol in England and Wales from 1990 onwards. Other cases have not been included where the evidence of association is less clear.

  Alcohol is implicated directly or indirectly in a number of causes of death including accidents, suicide and diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver, stroke, cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx and oesophagus. Studies undertaken since 1985 suggest that a reasonable estimate of all alcohol-associated deaths would be around 25,000 per year in England and Wales.

  The figures for drugs show those cases where cause of death has a clear association with drugs in England and Wales from 1990 onwards.

  Information on accidents which do not lead to death is not available.

  Alcohol-related deaths in England and Wales1, regional health authority 1990–1992

  1990

  1991

  1992

  England and Wales

  1,939

  1,971

  2,016

  Northern

  111

  137

  131

  Yorkshire

  96

  105

  110

  Trent

  117

  124

  132

  East Anglian

  68

  57

  60

  North-West Thames

  194

  202

  177

  North-East Thames

  170

  142

  145

  South-East Thames

  131

  150

  152

  South-West Thames

  130

  123

  114

  Wessex

  83

  104

  96

  Oxford

  98

  95

  111

  South-Western

  131

  102

  97

  West Midlands

  193

  209

  241

  Mersey

  117

  120

  144

  North-Western

  174

  176

  186

  Wales

  120

  114

  104

  1Includes deaths to persons whose usual residence is outside England and Wales. These details are excluded from any subdivision of England and Wales.

  The following International Classification of Diseases codes (ICD) were used where the underlying cause of death is linked to alcohol consumption.
  518

  ICD 291

  Alcoholic psychoses.

  ICD 303

  Alcoholic dependence syndrome.

  ICD 305.0

  Non-dependent abuse of alcohol.

  ICD 425.5

  Alcoholic cardiomyopathy.

  ICD 571.0

  Alcoholic fatty liver.

  ICD 571.1

  Acute alcoholic hepatitis.

  ICD 571.2

  Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver.

  ICD 571.3

  Alcoholic liver damage, unspecified.

  ICD 980

  Toxic effect of alcohol.

  Drug-related deaths in England and Wales1 regional health authority 1990–1992

  1990

  1991

  1992

  England and Wales

  2,060

  2,097

  2,393

  Northern

  122

  110

  134

  Yorkshire

  169

  150

  177

  Trent

  136

  143

  167

  East Anglian

  72

  71

  92

  North-West Thames

  168

  186

  174

  North-East Thames

  178

  186

  208

  South-East Thames

  206

  205

  225

  South-West Thames

  128

  117

  128

  Wessex

  104

  110

  113

  Oxford

  75

  75

  88

  South-Western

  118

  91

  150

  West Midlands

  165

  161

  179

  Mersey

  98

  92

  108

  North-Western

  202

  258

  286

  Wales

  87

  101

  117

  1Includes deaths to persons whose usual residence is outside England and Wales. These details are excluded from any subdivision of England and Wales.

  The following International Classification of Diseases codes (ICD) were used where the underlying cause of death is linked to drug misuse.

  ICD 070

  Viral hepatitis.

  ICD 292

  Drug psychoses.

  ICD 304

  Drug dependence.

  ICD 304.0–304.9, by type of drug, excluding 304.6
  (Absinthe addiction and glue sniffing).

  ICD 305

  Non-dependent abuse of drugs.

  ICD 305.2–305.9 by type of drug.

  ICD 960–979

  Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances (includes overdose).

  Paediatric Nurses
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by district health authority the number of community paediatric nurses employed.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is contained in the "Directory of Paediatric Community Nursing Services" issued by the Royal College of Nursing of the United Kingdom, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Private Patients
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private patients in national health service hospitals within the Trent regional health authority received treatment in each medical discipline in 1991–92.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is shown in the table. The figures are provisional estimates for 1991–92:

  Private patients treated in NHS hospitals in Trent region All causes: 1991–92

  Specialty

  Finished consultant episodes

  General Surgery

  672

  Urology

  41

  Trauma and Orthopaedics

  393

  519

  Specialty

  Finished consultant episodes

  ENT

  167

  Ophthalmology

  502

  Oral Surgery

  74

  Neurosurgery

  58

  Cardiothoracic Surgery

  57

  Paediatric Surgery

  37

  Anaesthetics

  30

  General Medicine

  274

  Clinical Haematology

  29

  Cardiology

  112

  Dermatology

  4

  Genitourinary Medicine

  4

  Neurology

  9

  Rheumatology

  12

  Paediatrics

  16

  Geriatric Medicine

  12

  Obs and Gyn (Obstetrics)

  139

  Obs and Gyn (Gynaecology)

  277

  Radiotherapy

  12

  Radiology

  15

  Clincal Pathology

  3

  Total

  2,949

  Source:Hospital Episode System 1991–92—provisional estimate.

  Episodes may not total, due to rounding.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in respect of which non-elected bodies whose membership in whole or in part is appointed by her(a) meetings are open to the public, (b) there is scrutiny of financial procedures by independently appointed audit and (c) there are rules governing the declaration of interests.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The public bodies for which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is responsible are listed in the publication "Public Bodies", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Regional health authorities, district health authorities, family health services authorities and national health service trusts are required to have at least one public meeting per year.

  The Health Education Authority, the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work, the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting and the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting hold public meetings.

  NHS tribunals are held in public if the respondent or applicant requests it.

  NHS authorities and trusts and executive non-departmental public bodies—NDPBs—are subject to audit by either the Audit Commission or the National Audit Office. The Public Accounts Committee scrutinises the activities of all such bodies and may summon the chief executive of a NHS authority, NHS trust or NDPB to give evidence if any issue of probity arises or if there is any suggestion that it is not conducting its operations as economically, efficiently and effectively as it should.

  NHS authorities, trusts and NDPBs have rules governing the declaration of interests, and these rules will be further strengthened from 1 April 1994.
  520
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all the organisations and agencies over which her Department has, in whole or in part, rights of nomination; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The non—departmental public bodies—both executive and advisory—tribunals and national health service bodies over which my right hon. Friend has rights of nomination are listed in "Public Bodies 1993", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  My right hon. Friend also makes appointments to the advisory boards of the three next steps agencies for which the Department of Health is responsible:

  The NHS Estates Agency

  The Medicines Control Agency

  The NHS Pensions Agency.

  Health Warnings (Eggs)
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what source of detailed evidence the chief medical officer of health bases his health warnings against eggs; and if he will reconsider the justification for continuing that warning.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 4 November 1993 at column 456. The Chief Medical Officer's advice stands.

  Local Authority Homes
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each year since 1990(a) the number of elderly residents supported by local authorities, by type of home, (b) the number of mentally ill residents supported by local authorities, by type of home and (c) the number of people with learning disabilities, by type of home.

  Mr. Bowis
  The available information for residential care homes for the period 1990 to 1992 is given in the following publications: "Residential Accommodation for Elderly and for Younger Physically Handicapped People: Local Authority Supported Residents Year Ending 31 March 1992 England" and "Residential Accommodation for People with Mental Illness and People with Learning Disabilities: Local Authority Supported Residents at 31 March 1992 England". Copies of these publications are available in the Library.

  Diseases
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each year since 1990 the number of notifications of(a) cholera, (b) dysentery, (c) tuberculosis, (d) diphtheria, (e) whooping cough, (f) scarlet fever and (g) measles.

  Mr. Sackville
  The number of cases notified for selected diseases in 1990 and 1991 are listed in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys publication, "Communicable Disease Statistics" series MB2, Nos. 17 and 18 respectively, copies of which are available in the Library.

  The information is shown in the table for 1992. The data have been checked as correct and will be the figures that are given in the published volume in April.
  521

  Number of cases notified for selected diseases in England and Wales 1992

  Number

  Cholera

  25

  Dysentery

  16,960

  Tuberculosis

  15,798

  Diphtheria

  8

  Whooping Cough

  2,309

  Scarlet Fever

  4,645

  Measles

  10,268

  1 Excluding chemoprophylaxis.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each year since 1990 the rate per 100,000 population of diagnosed episodes of(a) whooping cough, (b) scarlet fever, (c) measles, (d) scabies, (e) pneumonia and pneumonitis and (f) pleurisy.

  Mr. Sackville
  The notification rates of selected diseases in 1990 and 1991 are listed in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys publication, "Communicable Disease Statistics" series MB2, Nos. 17 and 18 respectively, copies of which are available in the Library.

  The information for 1992 is shown in the table. The figures have been checked as correct and will be the figures that are given in the published volume in April.

  Notification rates (per 100,000 population) of selected diseases in England and Wales, 1992

  ICD1

  1992

  033

  Whooping cough

  10·3

  034

  Scarlet fever

  101·7

  055

  Measles

  34·5

  133·0

  Scabies

  310·9

  480–486

  Pneumonia and pneumonitis

  173·9

  511

  Pleurisy

  152·8

  1ICD (International Classification of Diseases) 9th revision.

  Private Health Insurance
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the number of persons with private health insurance for each year since 1990.

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

  United Kingdom

  Year

  Number

  1991

  7,432,703

  1992

  6,976,870

  Source: Figures compiled by the Association of British Insurers to which figures for the Post Office and Civil Service Sanitorium Society have been added.

  Toxoplasmosis
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action her Department is taking to promote awareness of the dangers of toxoplasmosis in pregnancy and the preventative measures available.
  522
  Mr. Sackville
  Advice on the risks from toxoplasmosis is included in the Health Education Authority's "Pregnancy Book"—which is provided for women who attend antenatal clinics—and, together with other conditions, in the Department of Health's leaflet "While you are pregnant: Safe eating and how to avoid infection from food and animals", copies of which are available in the Library. Women should be given copies of the leaflet as soon as their pregnancy is confirmed and it is available from antenatal clinics, maternity units and general practitioners practices. Doctors and midwives may also give the leaflet to women who are planning to become mothers.

  The Department also gives a grant of £10,000 per year to the Toxoplasmosis Trust under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968.

  "Help us to Help You" Initiative
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on the "Help Us to Help You" initiative; and what savings have so far been made as a result of this campaign.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to her on 18 June 1993, at column 744. There have been no further costs since that date.

  Freedom of Speech
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received from the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visitors regarding freedom of speech in the NHS.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We received a comprehensive and generally supportive submission from the United Kingdom Central Council during the consultation period on the management executive's "Guidance for staff on relations with the public and the media". Two further representations were received after the publication of the guidance addressing particular points of detail.

  Private Practices
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what figures her Department collects related to private practice in the NHS.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department collects the following data on private patients in the national health service:

  (i) for in-patients, details of hospital episodes for all specialties.

  (ii) for out-patients, numbers of attendances at clinics for all specialties.

  (iii) income from private in-patients.

  (iv) income from private out-patients.

  NHS Finance
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each year since 1979, at 1993 prices(a) total NHS expenditure and (b) proceeds from prescription charges.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is shown in the table.
  523

  NHS gross expenditure adjusted by the GDP 1993–94 prices £ million

  Proceeds from prescription charges adjusted by the GDP 1993–94 prices £ million

  1978–79

  18,717

  69

  1979–80

  19,061

  95

  1980–81

  20,987

  147

  1981–82

  21,458

  164

  1982–83

  21,841

  182

  1983–84

  22,159

  186

  1984–85

  22,689

  194

  1985–86

  22,748

  195

  1986–87

  23,761

  219

  1987–88

  24,821

  222

  1988–89

  25,862

  233

  1989–90

  26,049

  233

  1990–91

  26,982

  235

  1991–92

  28,743

  231

  1992–93

  30,342

  250

  1993–94

  230,732

  2267

  1Information on income from the very limited number of items which attract a hospital prescription charge is not available centrally.

  2Figures for the current financial year are estimates.

  Private Patient Income
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 18 February,Official Report, column 1037, if she will itemise, by district, the amount of private patient income received by NHS trusts in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information is not available in the form requested. For private patient income received by national health service trusts I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) on 7 February at column 43.

  Merit Awards
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretry of State for Health what criteria are used in in the award of merit awards.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The criteria for awards are set out in the leaflet "Consultants' Distinction Awards", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Stanley Royd Hospital
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 17 February,Official Report, columns 932–33, how many official meetings have taken place between Wakefield metropolitan district council social services department and (a) the Wakefield health authority and (b) the Pontefract and Wakefield community trust to discuss the closure of Stanley Royd hospital between the original announcement of the closure and 22 February.

  Mr. Bowis
  This is a matter for Wakefield health authority and the Wakefield and Pontefract community trust.

  Functions Analysis Groups
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when the functions analysis groups will report; and whether their findings will be made public;
  524
  (2) if she will list the role and the membership of each of the functions analysis groups established as part of the national health service functions and manpower review.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Twelve functions groups have been set up to look in detail at the future functions of national health service central management, as part of the implementation of the "Managing the New NHS" changes announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 21 October 1993. Information about the membership and terms of reference of the groups has been placed in the Library.

  The functions groups have been asked to produce final reports by 1 April 1994 and a summary of their findings will be made available.

  Overseas Visitor Charges
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Rooney) of 31 January,Official Report, column 539, what was the total private income of the national health service from overseas visitors under section 121 of the National Health Service Act 1977 in 1991–92 and 1992–93 in each region, special health authority and individual trust.

  Mr. Sackville
  Overseas visitors charged under section 121 of the National Health Service Act 1977 are charged as national health service patients and not private patients. The available information is shown in the tables. Figures for trusts are not available centrally.

  £ thousands

  Region

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Northern

  168

  100

  Yorkshire

  106

  67

  Trent

  143

  45

  East Anglian

  130

  180

  North West Thames

  722

  963

  North East Thames

  178

  141

  South East Thames

  312

  416

  South West Thames

  180

  248

  Wessex

  113

  145

  Oxford

  319

  334

  South Western

  148

  42

  West Midlands

  189

  153

  Mersey

  74

  8

  North Western

  74

  121

  Source: Receipts and Payments returns of health authorities (England).

  Notes: Figures for 1992–93 are provisional.

  £000s

  Special health authority

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Hospitals for Sick Children

  0

  0

  National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery

  0

  0

  Moorfields Eye Hospital

  0

  0

  The Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospital

  0

  24

  The Royal Brompton National Heart and Lung Hospitals

  0

  0

  The Royal Marsden Hospital

  1

  0·7

  Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte's Hospitals

  25

  26

  The Eastman Dental Hospital

  0

  0

  Source: Receipts and Payments returns of health authorities (England).

  Note: Figures for 1992–93 are provisional.
  525

  Drug Misuse
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans she has to provide a co-ordinated strategic lead from her Department on building community partnerships to tackle drug misuse;

  (2) what is her response to the recommendation concerning investment in infrastructure to co-ordinate drug misuse policy made in the report commissioned by her Department from Roger Howard Associates;

  (3) when she plans to publish the report "Across the Divide: Building Community Partnerships to Tackle Drug Misuse";

  (4) whether the report "Across the Divide: Building Community Partnerships to Tackle Drug Misuse", was amended between January and April 1993; and whether she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  The United Kingdom Government are committed to tackling every aspect of the drugs problem. On 16 December,Official Report, column 780, my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary announced the setting up of a central drugs co-ordination unit which will review our strategy across Government to help to ensure policies are well co-ordinated both at national and local level.

  The report by Roger Howard Associates—"Across The Divide—Building Community Partnerships to Tackle Drug Misuse"—was published on 23 February. It is being distributed to health and local authorities and other interested agencies. It contains advice and recommendations for improving collaboration among local agencies to tackle the serious problem of drugs misuse. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library.

  Analysis by numbers and level of awards within regions

  A+

  A

  B

  C

  Total

  Female at 31 December 1993

  Northern

  —

  1

  2

  29

  32

  Yorkshire

  —

  3

  3

  18

  24

  Trent

  1

  2

  8

  24

  35

  East Anglia

  —

  —

  5

  13

  18

  North West Thames

  1

  10

  13

  44

  68

  North East Thames

  2

  6

  19

  76

  103

  South East Thames

  1

  6

  10

  41

  58

  South West Thames

  —

  2

  8

  46

  56

  SHAs

  3

  6

  13

  26

  48

  Wessex

  —

  —

  4

  17

  21

  Oxford

  —

  5

  5

  17

  27

  South Western

  —

  2

  4

  12

  18

  West Midlands

  —

  4

  9

  30

  43

  Mersey

  —

  1

  6

  12

  19

  North Western

  —

  1

  9

  24

  34

  Totals

  8

  44

  118

  421

  591

  Male at 31 December 1993

  Northern

  8

  31

  100

  201

  340

  Yorkshire

  10

  36

  103

  224

  373

  Trent

  15

  46

  118

  285

  464

  East Anglia

  12

  27

  65

  129

  233

  North West Thames

  17

  62

  103

  225

  407

  North East Thames

  23

  85

  147

  313

  568

  South East Thames

  21

  53

  117

  285

  476

  South West Thames

  9

  30

  96

  166

  301

  SHAs

  33

  84

  106

  130

  353

  Wessex

  3

  30

  70

  171

  274

  Oxford

  14

  43

  62

  154

  273

  South Western

  6

  26

  98

  177

  307

  West Midlands

  6

  63

  111

  305

  485

  Mersey

  9

  32

  62

  143

  246

  North Western

  12

  38

  109

  266

  425

  Totals

  190

  645

  1,395

  3,074

  5,304

  526
  The report touches on questions of national co-ordination which, together with its recommendations on local action, will be considered by the central drugs co-ordination unit. The remit of the study was, however, local and regional collaboration and the early draft of the report was revised to reflect this.

  Amenity Beds
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 4 February,Official Report, column 976, what percentage of hospitals for each region, special health authority and trust charge for amenity beds; and what price variations exist regionally.

  Mr. Sackville
  The availability and charges made for amenity beds are matters for local decision. Charges should represent the notional cost of the additional privacy of a single room or small ward.

  Merit Awards
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the value and number of the merit awards given to men and to women in each of the regional health authority areas in England.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information on the numbers of distinction awards for male and female national health service consultants by region and by level of award is shown in the tables. The value of each level of award payable to a whole time consultant, as at 1 April 1993, is A+, £47,200; A, £34,775; B, £19,875; C, £9,935.
  527
  Note: Where a consultant holds a contract in more than one region he or she may be counted under each but only once in the total.

  Staff Guidance
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the guidance for staff on relations with the public and media will cover private sector health providers operating under contracts from GP fundholders or health authorities; and whether staff employed by national health service contractors are covered by the guidance.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The guidance is directed at national health service staff but anyone working in the national health service is expected to comply with national health service standards of conduct particularly the obligation to safeguard patient confidentiality at all times.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Gilt Stripping
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, to what extent in money terms gilt stripping activity is currently being undertaken by the commissioners; and if the commissioners will make it their policy that money from these sales is used to replenish the capital account to prevent further capital erosion of the commissioners' assets.

  Mr. Alison
  The income from coupon trading—or "gilt stripping"—in 1993 was £13.6 million. The amount to be generated in 1994 and ensuing years is still to be determined in the light of income requirements. Until these are brought in line with expenditure, the capital cannot be replenished. The commissioners have accepted the 528
  recommendations of the Lambeth Group concerning the need to preserve their capital in real terms, and coupon trading will be phased out as soon as possible.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, what agreement the commissioners have reached with their auditors on how they should treat for book-keeping purposes their gilt stripping activities, following the evidence given to the Social Security Committee.

  Mr. Alison
  The commissoners have recently obtained counsel's opinion on their methods of accounting for capital and income. They have been advised that coupon trading—or "gilt stripping"—does not constitute a breach of trust if it is carried out with a view to balancing the investment strategy as a whole and compensating for a low yield on other investments with a greater potential for capital growth. In those circumstances, the whole of the income thus generated may correctly rank as income in their accounts.

  The coupon trading activities are part of the policy recently given publicity in the press, namely that the cuts in the commissioners' allocations shall not be at so fast a rate that they will risk short-term, but irreversible, damage to the Church, while at the same time maintaining, so far as is possible, the integrity of the commissioners' portfolio.

  The commissioners are discussing this matter with their auditors, whose opinion will be given in the context of the annual report and accounts taken as a whole. The commissioners cannot anticipate that opinion before the accounts and audit have been completed.

  The amount of income generated by coupon trading will continue to be disclosed in the commissioners' annual report and accounts.