Written Answers of 4 July 1994

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what percentage of his Department's(a) press releases and (b) written answers are printed on recylced paper.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  None. However, the paper used for press releases and written questions is classified as "environmentally friendly".

  Courts Services Agency
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what amounts have been paid out, and to whom, by way of fees for consultation about the setting up of the Courts Services Agency; what sums he plans to pay out in this respect in the future; and to whom.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Department has paid £15,500 in fees to Dent Lee Witte and KPMG Peat Marwick for work assisting with the setting up of the Court Service Agency. One contract is still continuing, with further costs of £3,000 expected. A further contract to design the launch documents is currently out to tender. There are no other plans to use consultants to assist with establishing the agency, but the Department will assess whether their assistance may be appropriate as work progresses.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his latest estimate of(a) the costs incurred so far and (b) the costs yet to be incurred in the setting up of the Courts Services Agency.

  Mr. John. M. Taylor
  The preparatory work started in July 1992 and has cost £362,000 up to June this year. Costs of £246,000 are expected to be incurred from June this year to the launch of the agency in April 1995.

  Courts and Court Buildings
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to allow notices to be posted with regard to consultation about the proposed closures of courts and court buildings in the public areas of the courts and court buildings concerned.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The consultation procedure for the proposed closure of a court requires the circuit administrator to consult a wide range of local interests. Also, it is open to a circuit administrator to post a notice on the court notice board.

  Judicial Appointments
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on what date the changes announced on 7 July 1993 to the judicial appointments system take effect.
  2
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Clywd, North-West (Mr. Richards) on 19 May,Official Report, column 529. The Lord Chancellor's proposals for implementing the changes announced in his speech were set out in a consultation paper, copies of which were placed in the Library.

  The closing date for responses to the consultation paper was 30 June. The Lord Chancellor is now considering the responses received and will make an announcement as soon as practicable.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Attorney-General what percentage of the Law Officers' departments'(a) press releases and (b) written answers are printed on recycled paper.

  The Attorney-General
  Nil.

PRIME MINISTER

  "The Downing Street Years"
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what clearance the Cabinet Secretary gave to Lady Thatcher's book on the Downing street years in respect of(a) relations with Libya and the 1986 raid and (b) the Falklands War.

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon. and noble Friend, Lady Thatcher, submitted the manuscript of "The Downing Street Years" to the Cabinet Secretary in accordance with the recommendations of the Radcliffe committee on ministerial memoirs. The Cabinet Secretary, acting at my request and on my behalf, examined the manuscript in respect of national security, the preservation of international relations and the treatment of confidential relationships. Exchanges between the Cabinet Secretary and former Ministers in respect of their memoirs are confidential.

  EC Rebate Mechanism
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list those statements made by the United Kingdom heads of Government stating that the United Kingdom EC rebate mechanism could not be changed without the consent of the United Kingdom Government.

  The Prime Minister
  The abatement is an integral part of the own resources decision—ORD. The ORD, including the abatement, continues in force unless or until changed or replaced. Change or replacement requires unanimity in the Council followed by adoption of the new arrangements by member states according to their respective constitutional procedures. In the case of the United Kingdom, this means the passage of an Act of Parliament. This has been made clear on many occasions.

  Pensions
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Prime Minister how many representations he has received in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available calling for the
  3
  unfreezing of the British state pensions of those pensioners living in countries where annual upratings are not made by the Department of Social Security; and what is the explanation for the discrimination against such pensioners.

  The Prime Minister
  In the last 12 months, I have received representations from the Governments of Australia and Canada. I have also received numerous letters from pensioners overseas.

  It would cost an additional £230 million a year to uprate British pensions worldwide. In view of the continued need to contain public expenditure, we have no plans to change this long-standing policy.

SCOTLAND

  Enzootic Bovine Leukosis
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley) of 22 June,Official Report, column 231, what was the location of the cattle aged 30 months or under with enzootic bovine leukosis.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The information requested is as follows:

  Enzootic bovine leukosis reactors (Under 30 months)

  Location

  Number

  Grampian

  1

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1

  Strathclyde

  6

  Fisheries
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he proposes to introduce precautionary limits on the industrial fishery catch permitted on the Wee Bankie.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The industrial fishery on Wee Bankie by non-United Kingdom fishermen is carried out beyond the United Kingdom's 12-mile territorial sea and United Kingdom catch levels in this fishery are minimal. Any limits on catch levels for all member states would require the agreement of the Council of Ministers in Brussels. In the light of further scientific work being carried out on the impact of industrial fishing, the United Kingdom will consider whether further controls on the North sea fishery should be proposed.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion by weight of the the total fish catch in International Council for the Exploration of the Sea area VI,(a) is taken by industrial fishermen and (b) comprises sandeels.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Data on total international catches for all species in sub-area VI—West of Scotland and Rockall—are available in the publication "ICES Fisheries Statistics (Bulletin Statistique des Peches Maritimes)". The most recently available volume is dated November 1992 and is for the year 1988.

  On the basis of the information contained in that publication, figures for the years 1985–88 are as follows:
  4

  "Industrial" catch as percentage of total catch

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Division VIa (West of Scotland)

  Sandeels (per cent)

  2·2

  3·1

  1·9

  3·4

  Norway pout (per cent.)

  1·1

  —

  5·0

  —

  Blue whiting (per cent.)

  24·3

  33·6

  17·8

  14·7

  Total (thousand tonnes)

  857·4

  794·3

  767·4

  719·5

  Division VIb (Rockall)

  Sandells (per cent.)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Norway pout (per cent.)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Blue whiting (per cent.)

  1·4

  2·5

  30·0

  3·9

  Total (thousand tonnes)

  31·7

  28·4

  44·4

  36·1

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the catch by the industrial fisheries on the Wee Bankie, Firth of Forth, in(a) 1991, (b) 1992 and (c) 1993;

  (2) what proportion of the industrial sandeel catch on the Wee Bankie is taken by British fishermen.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Total international catch data are published only for larger areas than Wee Bankie. Available data for the area off the Firth of Forth, however, show that catches in that area totalled 39,000 tonnes in 1991 and 60,000 tonnes in 1992. Published data are not yet available for 1993.

  No United Kingdom vessels landed sandeels from that area in 1991 or 1993. In 1992, United Kingdom vessels landed just over 1,000 tonnes. The precise proportion this comprises of the entire sandeel catch on Wee Bankie in that year is unclear because of the factors explained above; but the information available indicates that the proportion will be less than 2 per cent.

  Agriculture
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) farmers and (b) holdings there were in (i) each region and (ii) less-favoured areas and non-less-favoured areas in Scotland in 1993.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The figures for main holdings at June 1993 are as follows:

  Region

  Number of holdings

  Number of farmers

  Borders

  1,740

  1,346

  Central

  1,088

  732

  Dumfries and Galloway

  3,022

  2,434

  Fife

  1,047

  785

  Grampian

  6,520

  4,708

  Highland

  4,672

  3,063

  Lothian

  1,137

  720

  Strathclyde

  5,706

  4,099

  Tayside

  2,904

  2,087

  Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles

  4,256

  2,796

  Less Favoured Area1

  20,692

  15,081

  Non Less Favoured Area

  11,400

  7,689

  1Holdings where 50 per cent. or more of the land is classified LFA for subsidy purposes.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is(a) the amount of land in hectares in each region, (b) the number of farmers and (c) the cost of the five-year set-aside scheme in Scotland in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95: and if he will make a statement.
  5
  Sir Hector Monro
  The areas and numbers of farmers as reported and the aid paid to date under the five-year set-aside scheme in each region of Scotland in respect of 1993–94—that is, for the set-aside year ending on 30 September 1993—are as follows:

  Region

  Number of farmers

  Area Hectares

  Amount paid £

  Borders

  44

  2,219

  348,309

  Central

  26

  1,042

  201,406

  Dumfries and Galloway

  7

  115

  20,938

  Fife

  34

  1,327

  173,398

  Grampian

  444

  10,301

  1,778,760

  Highland and the Islands Councils

  72

  2,447

  428,603

  Lothian

  23

  1,025

  208,185

  Strathclyde

  44

  615

  119,599

  Tayside

  118

  4,675

  711,533

  TOTALS

  812

  23,766

  3,990,731

  Estimated expenditure for 1994–95 is some £2 million in respect of 350 set-aside agreements covering around

  1993

  1994

  LFA (£/hectares)

  Non-LFA (£/hectares)

  LFA (£/hectares)

  Non-LFA (£/hectares)

  (a) cereals

  114.0746

  131·3893

  156·9785

  181·7817

  (b) oilseeds

  368·8521

  445·6669

  402·8383

  489·3607

  (c) proteins

  296·5939

  341·6122

  291·5314

  337·5946

  (d) linseed1

  (—)

  (—)

  (—)

  (—)

  (e) set-aside

  205·3342

  236·5008

  255·6506

  296·0445

  set-aside reduced rate2

  (—)

  (—)

  179·4040

  207·7505

  (f) simplified scheme

  114·0746

  131·3893

  156·9785

  181·7817

  1Linseed was not incorporated into the Arable Area Payments Scheme u Commission.

  2There is a reduced payment rate for voluntary set-aside in excess of the applicant's cropped area; voluntary set-aside was not available in 1993.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, column 88, if he will now give (i) the number of hectares taken up and (ii) the number of holdings in Scotland in 1993 for (a) cereals, (b) potatoes, (c) linseed,

  Cereals

  Poratoes

  Linseed

  Horticultural Crops

  Oilseeds

  Region

  Holdings

  Area (ha)

  Holdings

  Area (ha)

  Holdings

  Area (ha)

  Holdings

  Area (ha)

  Holdings

  Area (ha)

  Borders

  838

  53,179

  139

  1,791

  27

  406

  105

  1,341

  220

  6,787

  Central

  375

  10,991

  45

  123

  —1

  —1

  28

  76

  70

  1,209

  Dumfries and Galloway

  902

  16,804

  92

  365

  0

  0

  34

  36

  21

  401

  Fife

  681

  37,495

  260

  2,633

  10

  175

  147

  2,639

  294

  6,339

  Grampian

  4,010

  124,726

  1,139

  5,989

  39

  673

  323

  2,121

  981

  22,961

  Higland

  1,253

  27,679

  573

  927

  —1

  —1

  108

  151

  131

  2,604

  Lothian

  618

  35,853

  138

  2,069

  —1

  —1

  116

  1,016

  185

  4,213

  Strathclyde

  1,303

  21,046

  310

  933

  —1

  —1

  172

  342

  22

  286

  Tayside

  1,758

  78,591

  1,048

  11,451

  32

  513

  496

  5,473

  714

  15,092

  Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles

  1,014

  4,191

  1,012

  317

  —1

  —1

  185

  51

  7

  33

  1Less than 5 holdings.

  Figures for sugar beet are not collected.

  Cereals

  Potatoes

  Linseed

  Horticultural Crops

  Oilseeds

  Holdings

  Area (ha)

  Holdings

  Area (Ha)

  Holdings

  Area (ha)

  Holdings

  Area (ha)

  Holdings

  Area (ha)

  Less Favoured Area1

  5,974

  96,175

  2,213

  2,403

  30

  530

  467

  955

  332

  5,614

  Non Less Favoured Area

  6,778

  314,381

  2,543

  24,196

  89

  1,370

  1,247

  12,290

  2,313

  54,311

  1Holdings where 50 per cent. or more of the land is classified less favoured area for subsidy purposes.

  6
  12,000 hectares. It is not possible to give a regional breakdown as the 1994–95 payments will not commence until after the claims have been received in respect of the set-aside year which ends on 30 September 1994. The difference between the 1993–94 and 1994–95 figures is the result of some farmers having completed their five-year agreements and others having taken advantage of the option to terminate agreements early in order to join the arable area payments scheme.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will give the payment rates made per hectare under the arable area payments scheme for(a) cereals, (b) oilseeds, (c) proteins, (d) linseed, (e) set-aside and (f) the simplified scheme paid in (i) the first year and (ii) the second year of the scheme in both the less-favoured area and the non-less favoured area of Scotland.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The payment rates per hectare in Scotland for the first and second year of the scheme are set out below. The actual rates payable in 1994 may be reduced if base areas are exceeded and the rate for oilseeds may be adjusted to reflect changes to the reference price.

  (d) sugar beet, (e) horticultural produce and (f) oilseeds in each region and in the less-favoured area and non-less-favoured areas.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The figures for main holdings at June 1993 are as follows:
  7
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the take-up of the arable area payments scheme in hectares for(a) the simplified scheme, (b) cereals, (c) oilseeds, (d) proteins, (e) linseed and (f) set-aside in (i) the less-favoured areas and (ii) the non-less-favoured areas in Scotland for 1994.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Officials are currently analysing claims made in 1994 by Scottish farmers under the arable area payments scheme. Until this analysis is complete, it is not possible to determine what this year's uptake has been.

  Mineworkings
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will detail the most recent information available to him on the stability of old mineworkings which lie under the town of Johnstone and the village of Elderslie; how many houses have been demolished in the area because of subsidence caused by old mineworkings; if he will give the year of demolition; what measures have been taken to minimise the risk of further subsidence; if he will commission a study into the need for further ground stabilisation measures; which public bodies have responsibility for monitoring the situation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 24 June 1994]: The information the hon. Member seeks is not held centrally. It is not clear from the hon. Member's question what type of mining operations are being referred to. However, in the case of coal mining subsidence where properties suffer damage, British Coal is responsible for repair or compensation, as appropriate, under the Coal Mining Subsidence Act (1991). Following privatisation, claimants' rights regarding coal mining subsidence damage will remain unaffected, although British Coal's responsibilities will pass either to the Coal Authority or to the new mine owner.

  If the hon. Member is concerned about a specific coal mining related matter, he may care to direct his inquiry to British Coal.

  Road Haulage Industry
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make a statement on the current issues and problems facing the road haulage industry in Scotland;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the current issues and problems facing the excavation and heavy plant hire sector of the road haulage and contracting industry in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 1 July 1994]: My right hon. Friend and I are not aware of any particular issues and problems that are peculiar to the road haulage industry in Scotland. The road haulage industry in the United Kingdom is generally acknowledged as being one of the most efficient, reliable and cost-effective within the European Union. It has a continuing and important role to play in the economy of Scotland.

  Correspondence
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average time his Department takes in replying to letters from right hon. and hon. Members; and what is(a) the shortest time and (b) the longest time it has taken to reply in full in the last Session of Parliament.
  8
  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 1 July 1994]: Information is not held currently in precisely the form requested. My Department has a target of issuing replies to correspondence from hon. Members and others within 17 working days of receipt. Statistics of performance are held by calendar year and in 1993, 52 per cent. of replies to hon. Members were within that 17 working day target. The time taken to answer individual items of correspondence in 1993 ranged from fewer than five working days to over 30 working days of receipt of the correspondence. Some 85 per cent. of correspondence warranting a ministerial reply in 1993—10,320 items out of a total of 12,089—received a full reply within 30 working days.

  Renfrewshire Enterprise
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the identifiable(a) capital and (b) revenue or current expenditure by Renfrewshire Enterprise by regional council electoral division, or on any other geographical basis on which the data is collated or accounted, in each year since 1990; how much in both expenditure categories is (i) legally committed and (ii) planned for fiscal years 1994–95 and 1995–96; what is the pro-rata expenditure in each category for each regional council electoral division, expressed as a percentage of the total capital and revenue budgets measured against their respective populations; if he will rank the regional council electoral divisions in decending order by level of expenditure in both categories; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 1 July 1994]: The overall budget allocation for Scottish Enterprise is determined by my right hon. Friend. The distribution of funds from Scottish Enterprise to the local enterprise company network is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I shall ask the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what decisions his Department has taken in respect of local enterprise companies over the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement on his Department's involvement with LECs over the same period.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 29 June 1994]: My right hon. Friend and the Scottish Office set the operating frameworks within which Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise contract with the local enterprise companies, but do not have any direct, formal relationship with the local enterprise companies themselves. Scottish Enterprise requires the approval of the Scottish Office before making material changes to the local enterprise company operating contracts or articles and memoranda of association. One such case has been referred to the Scottish Office in the past year. In addition, there are frequent informal contacts between Scottish Office Ministers and officials and the local enterprise companies.

  Habitats Directive
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he proposes to introduce to implement the EC habitats directive 92/43/EEC; and if he will make a statement.
  9
  Sir Hector Monro
  My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, for Wales and for the Environment have today laid before Parliament a set of draft regulations which would, subject to approval by both Houses, give legislative effect to the directive in Great Britain.

  The measures set out in the draft regulations build on our existing nature conservation legislation and provide increased protection on land and at sea for the most internationally important sites for nature conservation in Great Britain. They form part of the Government's wider action to promote nature conservation and biological diversity, as set out in "Biodiversity: The United Kingdom Action Plan", launched by the Prime Minister in January this year.

  The draft regulations also reflect the comments made when the Government consulted a wide range of conservation, farming, fisheries, economic, recreational and other interests in the autumn of 1993 about implementation of the habitats directive. The 94 responses received in Scotland emphasised to the Government both the widespread support for the nature conservation objectives of the directive and the need to implement the directive in partnership with those who earn their living from our countryside and our sea.

  The draft regulations apply to special protection areas designated under the EC wild birds directive and to special areas of conservation to be identified by the Government in accordance with the habitats directive. Together, these sites will contribute to a European network of sites of high biodiversity significance to be known as Natura 2000.

  In brief, the regulations contain the following provisions:
  duties are placed on Ministers and the statutory nature conservation agencies—for Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage—to fulfil the requirements of the habitats directive;
  duties are placed on other statutory authorities to address the requirements of the habitats directive in the exercise of their functions;
  new provisions build on those in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to give additional protection to Natura 2000 sites. Existing restrictions on potentially damaging operations may be toughened where necessary, and farmers and landowners will be compensated for any losses which they sustain because of this. Special nature conservation orders will give indefinite protection to the conservation interests of Natura 2000 sites from proposals to carry out damaging operations. In the last resort, Scottish Natural Heritage would be obliged to use its compulsory purchase powers to protect Natura 2000 sites from deterioration or where no satisfactory management agreements could be concluded following the making of a special nature conservation order. This power should seldom, if ever, be used given that SNH will be seeking to address the inappropriate management of land by the negotiation of voluntary management agreements;
  some technical measures supplement the species protection provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981;
  an innovative set of measures is proposed to secure the protection of Natura 2000 sites in the marine environment. Ministers and statutory authorities would be obliged to use their powers to protect the integrity of marine Natura 2000 sites. SNH would advise relevant authorities on the conservation objectives of marine Natura 2000 sites. Where desirable, the relevant authorities concerned would cooperate in drawing up a management scheme for the marine Natura 2000 site. Ministers would have reserve powers to ensure that management schemes were developed where necessary and to ensure these schemes effectively address the issues facing the site;
  provisions are made to ensure that planning authorities, and other authorities giving consent for developments or
  10
  operations potentially damaging to the integrity of Natura 2000 sites, cannot give consent to developments if they would damage the integrity of a Natura 2000 site. Authorities would be required to review, and where necessary modify or revoke, existing permissions whose implementation would be damaging to a Natura 2000 site, and compensatory provisions are established for developers who incur loss because of this. The Government will consider sympathetically requests from planning authorities for reimbursement of the costs of compensation necessarily incurred by them in revoking or modifying planning permissions under these regulations. Provisions governing simplified planning zones and enterprise zones are amended by the draft regulations so as not to give permission for developments damaging to the integrity of a Natura 2000 site. The General Permitted Development Order is being amended similarly following a separate consultation in the late summer of 1993.

  Further minor measures will be introduced after the summer recess bringing the exercise by relevant authorities of powers under specific statutes into line with the requirements of the directive. The Government also expect in the autumn to consult owners, occupiers and other relevant interests on a draft list of proposed special areas of conservation. The Government believe this consultation to be important even though it is not required by the directive.

  The Government intend, subject to the regulations coming into force, to issue a circular to the relevant authorities detailing the effect of the regulations.

  The Government consider that the draft regulations set out before Parliament a balanced and effective range of measures to establish and protect Great Britain's valuable contribution to the Natura 2000 network.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Hospital Services
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what efforts he is making to assist with the marketing abroad of Britain's hospital services in both private and NHS sectors.

  Mr. Needham
  Promotion of health care exports is primarily the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. However, our two Departments work closely together on export promotion and we are currently in the process of setting up a health care sector group under the auspices of the Overseas Projects Board. For my own part, I have sought to promote British health care expertise during my visits abroad, most recently during my programme of calls earlier this month in Asia and the middle east.

  Company Inspections
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what records of time, expenses and costs are kept where his Department's officers act as inspectors under the Companies Acts.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Records are kept of the expenses incurred by departmental inspectors and, since 1991, of the time spent on individual inspections. Time costs are calculated taking into account salaries, associated costs, and general overheads including accommodation costs.

  Indonesia (Trade)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to encourage British manufacturers to export goods and services to Indonesia.

  Mr. Needham
  Indonesia is one of my Department's priority markets. Last year, we effectively doubled the number of staff working on promoting trade to Indonesia and engaged a secondee from industry specifically for that purpose. In 1993, I led three business delegations to Indonesia and the DTI financially supported a further 150 British business visitors: it is likely that a similar number will receive support this year.

  Ernst and Young
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action has been taken against Ernst and Young and its partners, following the criticisms made by the inspectors in their report on(a) Rotaprint plc and (b) Sound Diffusion.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  In the case of Rotaprint plc, the investigation committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales reprimanded and fined Mr. R. H. Legge FCA, the engagement partner for the audit in question. In the case of Sound Diffusion plc, the investigation committee concluded earlier this month, after taking leading counsels' opinion, that there was no prima facie case against the institute members responsible for auditing the accounts of the company in 1986 and 1987, the years in question. Consequently, the investigation committee decided not to refer formal complaints to the institute's disciplinary committee.

  Staff Surveys
  Mr. Radice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what surveys of the views, opinions and attitudes of the staff of his Department have been carried out in the last two years; and if he will place copies of the findings in the Library.

  Mr. Eggar
  Few surveys of this kind have been conducted in the DTI during the past two years, and they relate to the operation of internal management procedures. They are confidential to management and to the staff involved.

  Receivers
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consideration he has given to proposals for legislation under which receivers would owe a duty of care to(a) the shareholders and (b) the employees of a company in receivership.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  If the hon. Member will detail the proposals to which he refers, I will ensure they are given careful consideration.

  Moizer Report
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what consideration he has given to proposals for the creation of a single independent body to monitor the work of auditors;

  (2) when he will lay Professor Moizer's report before the House.
  12
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I am still considering Professor Moizer's report on audit monitoring.

  Alexander Howden
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he has taken against the auditing firm and partners criticised in the inspectors' reports on Alexander Howden; and what has been the outcome.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  A copy of the inspectors' report into the affairs of Alexander Howden Holdings plc—formerly Alexander Howden Group plc—was passed to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in August 1990. The matter was then referred to the joint disciplinary scheme. In December 1992, a joint disciplinary scheme committee of inquiry, noting that the events which were the subject of the inquiry took place prior to 1982, found that no criticism was made out concerning the conduct, efficiency or competence of two members and, in respect of the others under inquiry, decided that it would not now be able to reach a finding on their conduct, efficiency or competence.

  J. S. Bass and Co.
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will appoint inspectors to investigate the liquidation of J. S. Bass and Co.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No.

  WMD Underwriting Agencies
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he has taken against the auditing firm and partners criticised in the inspectors' reports on WMD Underwriting Agencies; and what has been the outcome.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  A copy of the inspectors' report into the affairs of Minet Holdings plc and WMD Underwriting Agencies Limited was passed to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in August 1990. The matter was then referred to the joint disciplinary scheme. In December 1992, a joint disciplinary scheme committee of inquiry, noting that the events which were the subject of the inquiry took place prior to 1982, decided it would not now be able to reach a finding on the conduct, efficiency or competence of the members under inquiry.

  Insolvency
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to impose on the regulatory bodies responsible for insolvency a duty care to individual shareholders, employees and unsecured creditors.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I have no such plans.

  Receivers
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to impose on receivers a duty of care to individual shareholders, employees and unsecured creditors.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I have no plans to do so.

  EC Industry Council
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Shoreham (Mr. Stephen) of 28 June,Official Report, column 467, what was the voting record of each member state on each item agreed and adopted at the meeting of the European Community's Industry Council held on 22 June.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No votes were taken on any of the issues on the agenda of the Industry Council on 22 June.

  Sanctions (Nigeria)
  Sir Michael Grylls
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the impact upon British industry of those military and defence sanctions which have already been imposed against Nigeria: when those sanctions will be lifted; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 30 June 1994]: It is not the intention of the measures we introduced to damage our economic relations with Nigeria. We and our partners are keeping those measures under review, and will modify them in the light of progress towards democracy in Nigeria.

  Councils of Ministers
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all qualified majority votes on the single market programme at European Councils of Ministers since 1989, giving in each case the voting record of each member state.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 29 June 1994]: The information requested by the hon. Member is not readily available. I shall write to him with a substantive reply, giving as much information as possible, in due course and place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

TREASURY

  Exchange Rates
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what importance he attaches to the exchange rate in determining the competitiveness of United Kingdom manufacturers at home and overseas; and if he will publish his estimate of the amount by which unit costs of labour would have to fall in the import-competing and export industries to compensate for an increase of 5 per cent. in the nominal exchange rate;

  (2) what importance the Government attach to the exchange rate in the management of the United Kingdom economy; and for what purposes the exchange rate is managed.

  Mr. Nelson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 21 March 1994,Official Report, column 15. The United Kingdom's price competitiveness depends fundamentally on improving productivity and controlling costs. Policies directed at permanently low inflation and competitive markets provide the best environment in which to achieve this. A policy of continued devaluation would only raise inflation and would be damaging to long-run economic success.
  14
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) to what extent the Government's monetary and exchange rate policies are designed to eliminate the deficit in the balance of payments on current account.

  (2) to what extent the Government's monetary and exchange rate policies are designed to increase (a) employment and (b) output in manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Nelson
  It is the role of monetary policy to deliver low inflation. Decisions are based on an assessment of a range of monetary indicators and other data, in particular the growth of narrow and broad money and movements in the exchange rate and asset prices. Low inflation on permanent basis combined with sound public finances provide the stable and macro-economic framework needed for sustained growth in output and employment.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will publish a table based on table 7.1A of "CSO Financial Statistics, May 1994", showing the pound sterling exchange rate index against non-European monetary system currencies on a 1985 basis for each year since 1975, the fourth quarter of 1976, the second quarter of 1979, the first quarter of 1981 and each quarter since the fourth quarter of 1986, together with the corresponding figures for the pound sterling exchange rate index;

  (2) whether it is the Government's policy to reverse the fall in the real exchange rate against the ecu between October 1990 and February 1993; and if he will publish a table showing the real exchange rate against the ecu and non-ecu currencies in the fourth quarter of 1976, October 1990, February 1987 and at the latest available date for countries for which figures are available measured in terms of (a) relative unit export values for manufactures and finished manufactures, (b) terms of trade for semi-finished manufactures, finished manufactures and manufactures, (c) relative producer prices and (d) relative average export values for manufactures and finished manufactures;

  (3) if he will publish a table based on table 13.1 of CSO Financial Statistics, July 1988, showing the pound sterling exchange rate index against non-EMS currencies on a 1975 basis for each year since 1975, the fourth quarter of 1976, the second quarter of 1979, the first quarter of 1981 and each quarter since the fourth quarter of 1986 together with the corresponding figures for the pound sterling exchange rate index;

  (4) if he will publish a table based on table 7.1 A of CSO Financial Statistics, May 1994, showing the pound sterling exchange rate index against European monetary system currencies on a 1985 basis for each year since 1975, the fourth quarter of 1976, the second quarter of 1979, the first quarter of 1981 and each quarter since the fourth quarter of 1986;

  (5) if he will publish a table based on table 13.1 of Central Statistical Office financial statistics showing the sterling exchange rate index against European monetary system currencies on a 1975 basis for each year since 1975, the fourth quarter of 1976, the second quarter of 1979, the first quarter of 1981 and each quarter since the fourth quarter of 1986.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answers 28, 29, 30 June 1994]: Single sterling exchange rate indices for EMS and non-EMS currencies are not available. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 11 January 1994,

  15
  Official Report, column 19, where I gave a reference for the weighted composition and methodological construction of sterlin's exchange rate index.

  The tables to which the hon. Member refers give figures for sterling's exchange rate index. Sterling real exchange rates defined in various ways can be found in "International Financial Statistics", published by the IMF, and in "Economic Trends", published by the CSO. Export and import unit values of manufactures and wholesale prices for the United Kingdom and its main trading partners can be found in "International Financial Statistics". Average export values of manufactures can be found in the "Monthly Bulletin of Statistics", published by the United Nations. The other data needed to calculate the information requested may be available from the national authorities of the countries concerned.

  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 21 March 1994, Official Report, column 15, where I made a statement about the role of the exchange rate in monetary policy.

  Hydrocarbon Oil
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 26 May,Official Report, column 306, what is the annual operating cost of the 17 regional road fuel testing units assigned to control the illegal use of hydrocarbon oil.

  Sir John Cope
  The latest figures available show that the annual operating cost of the regional road fuel testing units assigned to control the illegal use of hydrocarbon oil was some £1.6 million in the year ending 31 March 1993.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 26 May,Official Report, column 306, how many vehicles were tested by the 17 regional road fuel testing units assigned to control the illegal use of hydrocarbon oil, in each of the last three years; and what proportion were found to have illicit fuel.

  Sir John Cope
  The numbers of vehicles tested by the regional road fuel units, and the numbers found to be running on illicit fuel, are:

  Year ending 31 March 1992 fuel

  84,614 tested and 1,594 on illicit

  Year ending 31 March 1993 fuel

  73,051 tested and 1,607 on illicit

  Year ending 31 March 1994 fuel

  66,259 tested and 1,682 on illicit

  Valuation
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is(a) the average and (b) the maximum time taken between the completion of a new dwelling and the completion of its valuation for council tax purposes.

  Mr. Nelson
  This information is not available.

  Policies
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his speech to the Konrad Adenauer Foundation on 29 June represents Government policy.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Yes.

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of his Department's(a) press releases and (ii) written answers are printed on recycled paper.

  Mr. Nelson
  No Treasury press releases or answers to parliamentary questions are currently printed on recycled paper. However, most of the paper used by the Department is environmentally friendly paper which is total chlorine free. The Department's policy on the use of recycled and environmentally friendly paper is reviewed regularly.

  Contracts
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many contracts the Inland Revenue has entered into with the computer company EDS-Scion or its predecessor EDS; when the contracts were entered into; what is their total value; and what is the subject matter of each contract.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 1 July 1994]: On 23 May 1994, the Inland Revenue signed contracts with Electronic Data Systems Ltd. for the supply of information technology services to the Department over the next 10 years, starting on 1 July 1994. Over 100 agreements make up the contracts with EDS covering such matters as the pricing and regulation of the service arrangements, the transfer of assets from the Revenue to EDS, the transfer of staff, the leases and licenses to property which EDS will occupy, services which the Revenue will supply to EDS on shared sites, third party agreements allowing EDS the right to various services already supplied to the Revenue and various other documents and side letters.

  The 10-year contract is estimated to be worth around £1 billion, and is expected to enable the Inland Revenue to make savings of 15 to 20 per cent. in the costs of its information technology support.

ENVIRONMENT

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which are required to publish their advice to Government;

  (2) if he will list the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department what are required to lay their annual reports before Parliament;

  (3) if he will list his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which are required to produce annual reports;

  (4) if he will list the advisory bodies he has set up in his Department since the publication of "Public Bodies 1993";

  (5) if he will list the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which have a statutory basis;

  (6) if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to consult prior to legislation proposals; and in respect of which bodies the Government must publish their response to advice supplied by them.

  Mr. Gummer
  My Department currently sponsors 14 advisory non-departmental public bodies, information
  17
  about which is in the table below. Publication of advice and reports is usually for the NDPBs and the Department to determine rather than a statutory requirement. "Going for Green" and the Government's panel on sustainable development have yet to determine their working methods. Those two bodies, plus the Assessment Panel for Construction Research and the Local Government Staff Commission (England) have been set up since the qualifying date for "Public Bodies 1993".

  There are statutory requirements for Ministers to consult the Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substance,

  Advisory non-departmental public body

  Date set up

  Advice published

  Produces annual report

  Report laid before Parliament

  Statutory basis

  Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment

  1991

  Yes

  Regular progress reports

  Progress reports placed in the Library

  No

  Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances

  1991

  Available for public scrutiny

  Yes

  Placed in the Library

  Environmental Protection Act 1990, s.140

  Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment

  1990

  Available on public registers

  Yes

  No

  Environmental Protection Act 1990, s.124

  Assessment Panel for Construction Research

  1994

  No

  Yes

  No

  No

  Black Country Limestone Advisory Panel

  1983

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  No

  Building Regulations Advisory Committee

  1962

  Some papers available on request

  No.

  n/a

  Building Act 1984, s.14

  Going for Green

  1994

  —

  —

  —

  No

  Government's Panel on Sustainable Development

  1994

  —

  —

  —

  No

  Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council

  1968

  Sometimes

  Yes

  No

  Transport Act 1968, s.110

  Local Government Commission for England

  1992

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  Local Government Act 1992, s.12

  Local Government Staff Commission (England)

  1993

  Yes

  No

  n/a

  Local Government Act 1992, s.23

  Property Advisory Group

  1978

  No

  No

  n/a

  No

  Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee

  1978

  Normally published

  Yes

  Placed in the Library

  No

  Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution

  1970

  Yes - presented Parliament

  No

  n/a

  Royal Warrant

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines he has issued as to the propriety of(a) chairmen of public bodies with a specific responsibility for the natural environment and (b) the chairman of English Nature in particular, holding paid advisory or managerial positions with (i) private companies involved in waste disposal or (ii) privatised water companies.

  Mr. Atkins
  Revised rules were drawn to the attention of the chief executives of the Department's sponsored bodies and discussed with them in April 1991. Following this, the board or council of each body was asked to review its arrangements and report the results to the Department. The essence of our guidance is that relevant interests should be declared on a register and members should refrain from discussion or decisions when matters affecting such an interest come before the board or council. I wish strongly to repudiate the inference in the hon. Gentleman's question that the chairman of English Nature might be 18
  the Building Regulations Advisory Committee, the Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council and the Local Government Commission for England in specified circumstances. In addition, the Government regularly seek advisory NDPBs' views on a range of issues. There are no stautory requirements for the Government to publish responses to advice from advisory bodies, but responses are published, or other action taken, when it is appropriate to do so.

  acting improperly in holding advisory or main board non-executive appointments in private companies. Precisely the reverse—we expect the services of people we appoint to public bodies for their eminence and expertise to be.ought by others in related spheres and I believe that it does nothing for good government to impugn their reputation when they have observed the rules about disclosure of interest in the letter and in the spirit.

  Housing Vacancies
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the vacancy rate in each housing sector.

  Sir George Young
  The latest available information on the numbers and percentages of vacant dwellings in England is set out below. For local authorities and housing associations, figures are also given for management vacants.
  19

  Vacant dwellings at 1 April 1993

  Number

  Percentage of dwellings

  Local authorities2

  Management vacants1

  39,700

  1·1

  All vacant dwellings

  70,900

  1·9

  Housing associations3

  Management vacants1

  17,200

  2·4

  All vacant dwellings

  27,600

  3·9

  Government departments4

  16,000

  15·0

  Private sector5

  765,000

  5·0

  1Those available for letting immediately or after minor repairs.

  Sources:

  2Annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP1) returns.

  3Annual Housing Corporation HAR10/1 returns.

  4Based on data collected from Government Departments by the Task Force on Government Department's empty houses.

  5Annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP1) returns. Local authorities are asked to provide estimates of the number of private sector vacant dwellings in their area on these returns but there are doubts about the quality of the estimates provided by some authorities. Alternative survey information suggests that the numbers of private sector vacants reported on these returns may be an over-estimate.

  The figure for housing association vacant dwellings includes around 10,500 dwellings purchased in the last weeks of the financial year under the housing market package announced in the 1992 Autumn Statement.

  Recycling
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made since his statement in 1991 that the Government intended to bring forward legislation to introduce recycling plans with firm targets.

  Mr. Atkins
  Section 49 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which came into force on 1 August 1991, places a duty on waste collection authorities in England, Scotland and Wales to prepare and issue waste recycling plans. The Department's guidance emphasises the value of local targets in those plans, to supplement the Government's national target of recovering 25 per cent. of household waste by 2000. Authorities in England were asked to prepare draft recycling plans by 1 August 1992. Some 98 per cent. of those plans have been approved by the Department as meeting the statutory requirements.

  A new waste management order for Northern Ireland is currently being prepared and will require district councils to provide recycling plans in line with section 49 of the 1990 Act.

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps the Government will adopt fully to comply with the international recommendations from the Paris Commission in relation to BNFL THORP at Sellafield; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The recommendations of the Paris Commission are not binding. The United Kingdom complies with those recommendations that it accepts. Since 1987, there have been nine Paris recommendations on radioactive issues. The United Kingdom has accepted all of those except for recommendation 93/5.
  20
  The United Kingdom, together with other contracting parties, placed a reserve on recommendation 93/5 because it failed to meet the standard of clarity desirable in an International agreement and sought to give the Paris Commission an inappropriate role in the authorising of individual projects.

  Fuel Emissions
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what provisions Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution makes for testing emissions from the burning of a fuel which has a variable composition.

  Mr. Atkins
  HMIP requires all operators to use appropriate means to monitor emissions from their processes whatever the fuel.

  Cemfuel
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations have taken place on the subject of Cemfuel between the north-west regional office and the midlands regional office of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Mr. Atkins
  There have been extensive consultations between the two HMIP regional offices on the subject of Cemfuel.

  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria will be used by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution when assessing the results of the Cemfuel trials at Ribblesdale, Lancashire to decide whether to grant an authorisation for continued burning of the substance.

  Mr. Atkins
  No authorisation will be granted until HMIP is fully satisfied that the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 are complied with.

  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment at how many locations authorisation for trial burning of Cemfuel has been granted; when these authorisations were granted; and how long each of these trials is expected to continue.

  Mr. Atkins
  Only one plant is authorised to undertake trial burning of Cemfuel. An integrated pollution control authorisation for this plant was issued on 30 November 1993. These trials are scheduled to be completed by the end of 1994.

  Hazardous Waste (Burning)
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the permitted level of dioxins which may be produced as a result of burning hazardous waste in(a) an incinerator and (b) a cement kiln.

  Mr. Atkins
  The permitted level of dioxins is lng/m3 for both types of plant.

  Objective 1 Status, Merseyside
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on liaison between his Department and the officials of DGXVI of the European Commission representing the Commission in Merseyside.
  21
  Mr. Baldry
  The lengthy negotiations with DGXVI officials on the Merseyside single programming document were conducted constructively and in a business-like way, and have now been concluded. Liaison with DGXVI will continue, through its membership of the monitoring committee overseeing the objective 1 programme, and its membership of the two technical panels supporting that committee.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to make copies of the agreed objective 1 programme for Merseyside available to those entitled to benefit from it.

  Mr. Baldry
  Extensive guidance material on the objective I programme, including simple question/answer sheets, more detailed general guidance, and special guidance for small and medium-sized enterprises is already available through the Government office for Merseyside and other agencies. Copies of the full document will become available once the Commission has completed its legal procedures on the document and a final text is available.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the reasons for the refusal on 22 June of the application made by Mr. Peter Johnson, managing director of Rea Metal Windows (Liverpool) Ltd., on behalf of his company to the Merseyside task force for financial support to expand the business and increase its number of employees; and what account was taken in considering the company's application of the company's rights under the agreed objective 1 programme, 1994 to 1999.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Merseyside objective 1 programme agreed with the Commission provides that grants will be paid to the private sector through intermediaries, to be designated by the monitoring committee. That cannot take place until the Commission completes its legal processes on the document. Mr. Johnson was seeking a form of assistance not provided there. Mr. Johnson was therefore encouraged by the objective 1 secretariat to speak to staff more directly concerned with business support, to see how his business might be assisted. He has now been sent an information pack about business support on Merseyside, which he is encouraged to follow-up with the Government office there.

  Coastal Management
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to make a full statement on the outcome of his consideration of his consultation on coastal management.

  Mr. Atkins
  I hope to make a statement shortly.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total capital grant funds to each metropolitan district in England in 1992–93 and 1993–94, and the projected allocation to be completed at the end of the financial year 1994–95.

  Mr. Baldry
  Capital grants are issued by a number of Government Departments.

  The total amounts of capital grants for the various services for local authorities in England are published
  22
  annually by Her Majesty's Treasury at the conclusion of each public expenditure survey. Outturn information for the years 1990–91 to 1993–94 and the plans for 1994–95 were published in February 1994 in the public expenditure statistical supplement to the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1994–95".

  Information for individual authorities about capital grants is not held centrally and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.

  County Hall
  Sir Terence Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers he has to control the display of advertisements on the former County hall.

  Mr. Baldry
  Control over the display of outdoor advertisements is the local planning authority's responsibility. It is for Lambeth borough council to control advertisements on the former County hall.

  Energy Saving Trust
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action his Department is taking to improve funding for the Energy Saving Trust.

  Mr. Atkins
  An inter-departmental group of officials has been asked to review options for the future funding of the Energy Saving Trust and its schemes.

  Dog Fouling
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects his Department's advisory group on litter to make a recommendation on national legislation for dog fouling and the definition of dog mess as litter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Soon.

  Local Government Commission
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what weight he will give to the results of the Local Government Commission's current public consultation exercise in Cheshire in deciding the future structure of local government in that county.

  Mr. Baldry
  It is for the Local Government Commission to consider the results of public consultation on its draft proposals for Cheshire when drawing up its final recommendations to the Secretary of State.

  All representations to the Secretary of State on the Commission's final recommendations will be taken into account before decisions about the implementation of any changes are made. Final decisions will be for Parliament.

  Fire Advisory Panel
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many members serve on the fire advisory panel; and how many of those members are also members of the Institute of Fire Safety.

  Mr. Baldry
  The fire advisory panel has 29 members, of whom I understand 10 are also members of the Institute of Fire Safety.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money his Department has provided for each year from 1991–92 to 1994–95 for helping homeless people.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 29 June 1994]: My Department's housing expenditure in the years in question is set out in its annual report 1994, Cm 2507. Some £7·4 billion will be spent in 1994–95. The vast majority of that spending goes to help those who are in housing need, who need help with the repair of their housing or who have difficulty paying their local authority rent.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authority, housing association and voluntary sector hostel bedspaces for single homeless people there were in England on(a) 31 December 1993 and (b) 31 March 1994, or the most recent figures available.

  Sir George Young
  Information available to my Department relates to bedspaces in hostels owned by registered housing associations. There were a total of 69,500 bedspaces in those hostels on 31 March 1993, the most recent date for which a figure is available. Those hostels cater not solely for single homeless people but for single people with a variety of special needs, many of whom are homeless.

  The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy annual homelessness statistics publication includes data on the numbers of local authority hostel bedspaces for single homeless persons. A copy of the latest edition—"Homelessness Statistics 1992/93 Actuals"—is in the Library.

  Information on hostel bedspaces for single homeless people in the voluntary sector is not held centrally.

  Peat Extraction
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to phase out peat extraction.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps she is taking to phase out peat extraction.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have been asked to reply.

  Government policy in respect of peat extraction is currently under review. The Government recognise the nature conservation value of the peatland resource and wish to encourage the use of suitable alternative materials while recognising the value of peat for some technically demanding uses by the horticultural industry in particular. The working group on peat extraction, 7 July 1992, Official Report, column 158, is considering a range of policies to secure the protection and rehabilitation of the most important sites and limiting new extraction to areas where no damage to nature conservation interests would arise. I will be publishing the outcome from the group's work later this year. My Department has also supported English Nature in safeguarding, for nature conservation, important vegetated areas on some existing peat workings, which were previously planned for extraction.

  Emergency Planning, Sellafield
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the basis for and outcome of the recent Oscar IV emergency planning exercise held at Sellafield.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have been asked to reply.

  Exercise Oscar IV was the level III—national—civil nuclear emergency exercise for 1993. It was held in November and formed part of an on-going programme to demonstrate the off-site emergency arrangements at each civil nuclear site in the United Kingdom every three years.

  The exercise was a successful demonstration of the off-site emergency planning arrangements for BNFL's Sellafield plant, fulfilling the licensing criteria set by the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate.

  Habitat and Species Directive
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce the measures he proposes to introduce to implement the European habitat and species directive; and if he will make a statement.

  >Mr. Gummer
  I am pleased to say that the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales and I have today laid in draft, for approval under the affirmative procedure, the Conservation (Natural Habitats etc.) Regulations under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972, to effect transposition of the directive in Great Britain. The regulations mark an important step forward in nature conservation and consolidate our policies and practices in respect of sites and species of international importance.

  On 4 October last year, the Government consulted on the proposed implementation in Great Britain of the Council directive on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild flora and fauna, the EC habitats directive. I am grateful to all those bodies and individuals who responded to the consultation, of which there were 144 in England and Wales and 94 in Scotland. The responses have been placed in the usual Libraries. Departments are writing to each of the respondents explaining the Government's consideration of the points raised and our detailed conclusions. A copy of this letter will be placed in the House Libraries.

  The Government firmly support the directive's objective to contribute to the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora throughout the European Union. The Government's proposals for implementation reflect that important aim. The legal measures necessary for transposition of the directive into national law contained in the draft regulations are complemented by broader initiatives in the countryside as a whole to respond to the wider objectives of the directive. We shall deliver the latter in the medium and long term through the strategy set out in the biodiversity action plan published in January this year.

  The draft regulations comprise a thorough implementation package. They build largely on the existing extensive legislative basis which provides a strong framework for nature conservation in this country. They introduce some new provisions and apply existing legislation amended as required by the directive's obligations. The EC birds directive is amended by the habitats directive in respect of special protection areas, and the draft regulations also give effect to this. United Kingdom special protection areas and

  25
  special areas of conservation will together contribute to the European Union network of designated areas known as Natura 2000.

  In summary, the draft regulations cover:
  new provisions for site selection and designation;
  new duties on Ministers and nature conservation agencies to use their powers in accordance with the requirements of the Directive;
  application of the present SSSI and NNR legislation amended to ensure that the procedures can be operated in accordance with the Directive;
  a new basis for the conservation of marine sites in which relevant Ministers and local bodies will be under a duty to exercise their existing powers in accordance with the Directive often within the framework of an agreed inter-agency scheme of management;
  a number of technical amendments to the existing species protection legislation;
  application of the Directive's requirements for approval and review of schemes which could significantly adversely affect the conservation value of the sites in respect of the Town and Country Planning, Highways, Transport and Works, Electricity and Pipe-lines Acts as well as pollution control, waste management and water discharge consents in the Environmental Protection and Water Resources Acts.

  Further regulations will be laid before Parliament in due course to ensure that other activities for which statutory consents and permissions are required and which could have a significantly adverse effect on the nature conservation interests of a protected site are brought within the provisions of the directive.

  The Government are committed to consultation on the sites to be proposed under the directive. The regulations make formal provision for designation but the processes leading to that point will be non-statutory. English Nature, the Countryside Council for Wales and Scottish Natural Heritage, co-ordinated through the Joint Nature Conservancy Council are working on their advice to Government about the United Kingdom contribution to the Natura 2000 network in the light of the directive's scientific criteria. When the Government have considered the agencies' advice, we shall decide to publish our proposals and the consultation process will begin. Individual owners and occupiers of sites will be fully involved.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Sudanese Peace Talks
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the Sudanese peace talks held in Nairobi from 16 to 20 May.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On 17 May, the Government of Sudan and SPLA factions signed an agreement on the opening of specific air destinations and surface corridors to humanitarian relief supplies. A draft declaration of principles was circulated to all parties for consideration in advance of the next round of talks scheduled for 18 July.

  Sudan
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures are presently being pursued by Her Majesty's Government to curtail the flow of arms to all parties to the Sudanese conflict.
  26
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On 8 March, the European Union agreed an arms embargo. This reinforced our own policy of not selling lethal weaponry to Sundan.

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of his Department's(a) press releases and (b) written answers are printed on recycled paper.

  Mr. Goodlad
  All the press releases and written answers from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are currently printed on paper which is manufactured from renewable sources.

  Immigration Cases
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) for what reasons Mrs. Sahib Jee—Ref: V93/21255—was refused a visa to visit the United Kingdom by the High Commission in Islamabad last October; what information she was given at that time on whether the decision to refuse a visa would prejudice a subsequent application at a further date; for what reason Mrs. Sahib Jee was sent away from the post in Islamabad on 30 May 1993 and told that having been refused a visa she could make no further application; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will review urgently the application made to the British High Commissioner in Islamabad by Mrs. Sahib Jee—Ref: V93/21255—to visit the United Kingdom;

  (3) if he will urgently review the refusal by the British High Commission in Islamabad to grant a visa to visit the United Kingdom to Mrs. Maskeena Jan—Ref. V94/9363; TH/I4866; TH/1912/92; IMM/V9005055—and if he will make a statement;

  (4) what recommendations he has sent to the British High Commission in Islamabad regarding applications made to visit the United Kingdom by Mrs. Maskeena Jan—Ref. TH/14866; TH/1912/92; and IMMN9005055—what decision was made on 15 May in relation to Mrs. Jan's latest application to visit the United Kingdom—Ref. V94/9363—and if he will recommend that Mrs. Jan be issued with a visa to visit the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In the absence of any information in London about these cases, I have asked the entry clearance officer at the high commission in Islamabad to let me have a report. I shall arrange for the hon. Member to receive a substantive reply from the migration and visa correspondence unit of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as soon as possible.

  Visas
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in how many cases since the right of appeal was abolished to those refused a visa to visit the United Kingdom second applications made to the British High Commission in Islamabad have been(a) granted, (b) refused or (c) deferred for inquiries to be made; in how many such cases advice has been offered to the applicant or sponsor to make the application acceptable; and in how many cases an applicant wishing to make a second application was turned away and told they were unable to lodge a second application as their first application had been refused.
  27
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The high commission in Islamabad does not keep statistics about the outcome of second applications, nor does it keep statistics on what advice an entry clearance officer may pass on to an applicant following refusal to entry clearance. No applicant will be advised that he is unable to lodge an application. If he wishes to lodge a second application, he is free to do so. In Islamabad, a preliminary assessment of all non-settlement applications is carried out before an application is formally accepted and a visa fee taken. This is done in the interests of both the applicant and the high commission. The ECO may advise that, on the documentary evidence available, an application seems unlikely to succeed. An applicant is not obliged to follow the ECO's advice and if he decides to pursue the application, a formal interview is then arranged.

  Tibet
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received about the continuing Chinese occupation of Tibet.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Hon. Members of the all-party parliamentary group for Tibet called on me on 28 June to discuss Tibet. Human rights abuses there are a matter of continuing concern to the British Government. We regularly raise the subject with the Chinese authorities.

  Nigeria
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the British Government have made to the Nigerian Government about the release of Moshood Abida.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We strongly regret the arrest of Chief Abiola and called on the Nigerian military Government to engage all sides in a constructive political dialogue. The European Union issued a statement on 30 June condemning the arrest and urging respect for human rights.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the differences in amounts of protein, casein and fat levels in milk coming from a dairy cow treated with synthetic bovine somatotropin and a dairy cow not treated with synthetic BST.

  Mr. Soames
  Many studies have been carried out to examine the effect of manufactured BST on milk composition. A review of those studies, which includes details of the amounts of protein, casein and fat, is to be found in the proceedings of the BST world-wide symposium held in August 1989 and reproduced in the "Journal of Dairy Science (1991), Volume 74 (Supplement 2), pages 2 to 11, a copy of which I have placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research has been undertaken into IGF-1 levels in cows treated with synthetic BST; and to what extent these levels are different from those in cows not treated with synthetic BST.
  28
  Mr. Soames
  Considerable research has been undertaken on IGF-1 levels in cows treated with manufactured BST. A review of the published studies is to be found in the 24 August 1990 edition of the journal "Science, Volume 249", pages 875 to 884, a copy of which I have placed in the Library of the House.

  Consultants
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many contracts and for what total sum were let out by her Department and agencies for which it is responsible to(a) Coopers and Lybrand, (b) KPMG Peat Marwick, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) Price Waterhouse, (e) Arthur Andersen, (f) Touche Ross, (g) Grant Thornton, (h) Robson Rhodes and (i) Pannell Kerr Forster for (i) privatisation, (ii) market testing, (iii) management advice, (iv) accounting, (v) audit, (vi) consultancy and (vii) other services in (1) 1980 to 1983, (2) 1984 to 1987, (3) 1988 to 1991 and (4) 1992–93.

  Mr. Jack
  The table gives the aggregate costs of contracts with each of the nine named consultants for the financial years 1990–91 to 1993–94 let by the Department and its agencies, excluding the Intervention Board executive agency.

  Consultant

  1990–91 to 1993–94 £

  Number of Consultant

  Coopers and Lybrand

  662,065

  18

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  518,343

  6

  Ernst and Young

  2,683,262

  8

  Price Waterhouse

  849,919

  20

  Arthur Andersen

  0

  0

  Touche Ross

  844,580

  10

  Grant Thornton

  1—

  1

  Robson Rhodes

  0

  0

  Pannell Kerr Forster

  0

  0

  1Single contract cost not given for reasons of commercial confidentiality.

  The partial cost of some contracts started before 1990 are included in those figures. Neither records relating to individual consultants before 1990 nor breakdowns by type of contract are held centrally and those details could be made available only at disproportionate cost.

  Agriculture
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is her estimate of the take-up of the arable area payments scheme in hectares for(a) the simplified scheme, (b) cereals, (c) oilseeds, (d) proteins, (e) linseed and (f) set-aside in England for 1994.

  Mr. Jack
  This information is as follows:

  (hectares)

  Simplified scheme

  158,758

  Cereals (including maize)

  2,142,426

  Oilseeds

  365,000

  Proteins

  239,925

  Linseed

  75,000–80,000

  Set-aside

  624,812

  Estimates based on the area aid applications actually submitted for 1994 are not yet available.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much was spent in each European
  29
  Union country in pounds sterling, and what was the take-up in hectares, in 1993 on (a) the set-aside part of the arable area payments scheme or its equivalent and (b) set-aside measures introduced prior to the CAP reform of May 1992; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  Provisional European Commission figures for the area of land set aside in each member state in 1993 under the arable area payments scheme and the five-year set-aside scheme are set out below, together with expenditure in ecus to the end of 1993. A sterling equivalent has been included for illustrative purposes.

  Member State

  Area Set Aside ('000 ha)

  Payments ('000 ecu)

  Sterling Equivalent (rounded) (£'000)

  Arable Area Payments Scheme

  Belgium

  19

  6,356

  4,847

  Denmark

  205

  55,963

  42,674

  Fed. Rep. of Germany

  1,063

  320,591

  244,465

  Greece

  17

  2,625

  2,002

  Spain

  909

  115,854

  88,344

  France

  1,589

  516,430

  393,801

  Republic of Ireland

  24

  0

  0

  Italy

  207

  23,742

  18,104

  Luxembourg

  2

  391

  298

  Netherlands

  8

  2,711

  2,067

  Portugal

  78

  877

  669

  United Kingdom

  556

  153,799

  117,279

  Total

  4,674

  1,199,339

  914,550

  Five-Year Set-Aside Scheme

  Belgium

  1

  195

  149

  Denmark

  7

  -2

  -1·5

  Fed. Rep. of Germany

  415

  3,396

  2,590

  Greece

  1

  0

  0

  Spain

  95

  5,101

  3,890

  France

  214

  7,001

  5,339

  Republic of Ireland

  2

  196

  149

  Italy

  639

  3,604

  2,748

  Luxembourg

  0

  0

  0

  Netherlands

  15

  0

  0

  Portugal

  0

  0

  0

  United Kingdom

  133

  30,795

  23,483

  Total

  1,522

  50,286

  38,345

  June 1993 census of agriculture and horticulture results by English counties1 2

  3Area of cereals Hectares

  Number of holdings growing cereals

  Area of potatoes Hectares

  Number of holdings growing potatoes

  Area of sugar beet Hectares

  Number of holdings growing sugar best

  Avon

  11,284

  412

  201

  97

  0

  0

  Bedfordshire

  38,750

  662

  682

  163

  499

  29

  Berkshire

  24,467

  280

  101

  22

  0

  0

  Buckinghamshire

  32,585

  640

  4—

  4—

  4—

  4—

  Cambridgeshire

  133,160

  2,514

  10,725

  980

  23,261

  1,367

  Cheshire

  21,803

  1,114

  4,317

  568

  193

  20

  Cleveland

  11,911

  260

  208

  46

  0

  0

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  34,357

  2,094

  3,952

  733

  110

  8

  Cumbria

  20,060

  1,390

  498

  300

  0

  0

  Derbyshire

  25,766

  1,016

  992

  259

  313

  15

  Devon

  52,652

  2,916

  1,576

  602

  51

  3

  Dorset

  40,464

  668

  203

  65

  82

  4

  Durham

  31,533

  773

  841

  124

  0

  0

  East Sussex

  18,105

  455

  288

  73

  0

  0

  Essex

  121,736

  1,744

  5,174

  380

  4,128

  206

  Gloucestershire

  49,521

  995

  815

  160

  157

  10

  Greater London

  3,110

  72

  108

  14

  0

  0

  Greater Manchester

  4,975

  192

  539

  92

  54

  8

  Hampshire

  77,038

  829

  4—

  4—

  4—

  4—

  Hereford and Worcester

  70,588

  2,369

  7,150

  750

  4,370

  278

  30
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will give the payment rates made per hectare under the arable areas payments scheme for(a) cereals, (b) oilseeds, (c) proteins, (d) linseed, (e) set-aside and (f) the simplified scheme paid in (i) the first year and (ii) the second year of the scheme in England.

  Mr. Jack
  The payment rates per hectare in England for the first and second years of the scheme are set out below. The actual rates payable in 1994 may be reduced if base areas are exceeded. The rate for oilseeds may change subject to the possible penalties resulting from the EC-US oilseeds agreement, and to adjustments dependent on the observed reference price. Set-aside land which is used to grow sugar beet for industrial purposes does not qualify for payment.

  1992–93 £

  1993–94 £

  (a) cereals

  140

  193

  (b) oilseeds

  400

  436

  (c) proteins

  365

  359

  (d) linseed1

  —

  —

  (e) set-aside

  253

  315

  set-aside: reduded rate2

  —

  220

  (f) simplified scheme

  140

  193

  1Linseed was not incorporated into the arable area payments scheme until 1993–94. The payment rate for 1993–94 has not yet been fixed.

  2There is a reduced payment rate for voluntary set-aside in excess of the applicant's cropped area.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 11 January,Official Report, column 56, if she will now give (i) the number of hectares taken up and (ii) the number of holdings in each county in England in 1993 for (a) cereals, (b) potatoes, (c) linseed, (d) sugar beet, (e) horticultural produce and (f) oilseeds.

  Mr. Jack
  The table gives the requested information.
  31

  3Area of cereals Hectares

  Number of holdings growing cereals

  Area of potatoes Hectares

  Number of holdings growing potatoes

  Area of sugar beet Hectares

  Number of holdings growings sugar best

  Hertfordshire

  45,323

  547

  333

  50

  186

  6

  Humberside

  148,659

  2,402

  7,713

  668

  9,571

  654

  Isle of Wight

  6,142

  135

  237

  29

  0

  0

  Kent

  66,171

  1,238

  3,893

  329

  6

  3

  Lancashire

  14,355

  663

  2,575

  474

  287

  28

  Leicestershire

  64,048

  1,350

  1,263

  154

  982

  46

  Lincolnshire

  236,403

  3,940

  16,964

  1,640

  34,073

  2,015

  Merseyside

  7,630

  239

  859

  133

  230

  25

  Norfolk

  179,750

  3,264

  13,525

  1,022

  57,496

  2,354

  North Yorkshire

  163,031

  3,730

  11,232

  1,117

  12,586

  886

  Northamptonshire

  64,946

  1,012

  660

  70

  406

  24

  Northumberland

  65,827

  1,077

  1,040

  92

  0

  0

  Nottinghamshire

  61,441

  1,241

  5,206

  342

  8,411

  386

  Oxfordshire

  73,325

  1,004

  649

  83

  125

  6

  Shropshire

  70,530

  1,932

  7,737

  489

  10,061

  428

  Somerset

  33,130

  1,202

  1,630

  299

  366

  19

  South Yorkshire

  27,473

  664

  1,620

  218

  1,888

  93

  Staffordshire

  35,425

  1,040

  3,856

  315

  2,498

  104

  Suffolk

  137,376

  2,253

  5,019

  365

  23,717

  945

  Surrey

  8,572

  226

  83

  28

  0

  0

  Tyne and Wear

  5,482

  132

  65

  16

  0

  0

  Warwickshire

  47,543

  1,056

  2,251

  236

  139

  5

  West Midlands

  4,046

  139

  289

  57

  173

  7

  West Sussex

  28,923

  501

  883

  76

  0

  0

  West Yorkshire

  18,469

  492

  948

  175

  396

  31

  Wiltshire

  81,162

  1,045

  666

  111

  89

  4

  1Excluding estimates for minor holdings.

  2Crops grown on set-aside land are not included.

  3Excluding maize.

  4Data suppressed to prevent disclosure of information about individual holdings.

  June 1993 census of agriculture and horticulture results by English counties1 2

  3Area of horticultural crops Hectares

  Number of holdings growing horticultural crops

  Area of oilseed rape Hectares

  Number of holdings growing oilseed rape

  Area of linseed Hectares

  Number of holdings growing linseed

  Avon

  388

  197

  1,192

  60

  720

  49

  Bedfordshire

  1,947

  341

  7,996

  246

  2,233

  100

  Berkshire

  458

  81

  4,270

  91

  2,191

  85

  Buckinghamshire

  507

  133

  8,180

  283

  2,129

  88

  Cambridgeshire

  9,863

  855

  15,301

  552

  7,077

  426

  Cheshire

  1,123

  323

  1,495

  88

  365

  19

  Cleveland

  34

  23

  2,026

  107

  90

  5

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  3,110

  740

  1,036

  64

  2,007

  147

  Cumbria

  203

  116

  334

  17

  61

  3

  Derbyshire

  600

  144

  3,408

  187

  322

  18

  Devon

  1,892

  652

  1,526

  82

  3,424

  267

  Dorset

  512

  223

  1,799

  60

  2,827

  113

  Durham

  133

  57

  5,593

  309

  606

  39

  East Sussex

  1,442

  291

  2,840

  121

  3,418

  149

  Essex

  5,413

  846

  20,623

  722

  7,370

  394

  Gloucestershire

  1,501

  373

  9,201

  299

  6,611

  251

  Greater London

  669

  139

  600

  27

  179

  10

  Greater Manchester

  787

  135

  424

  31

  4—

  4—

  Hampshire

  3,368

  502

  8,229

  244

  7,098

  249

  Hereford and Worcester

  9,406

  1,291

  6,979

  366

  1,745

  132

  Hertfordshire

  388

  199

  6,918

  233

  2,141

  85

  Humberside

  12,408

  711

  16,042

  808

  5,065

  332

  Isle of Wight

  355

  70

  909

  32

  945

  46

  Kent

  21,004

  1,399

  15,080

  449

  7,963

  389

  Lancashire

  5,147

  901

  1,036

  70

  190

  13

  Leicestershire

  423

  135

  13,089

  491

  3,381

  161

  Lincolnshire

  33,778

  1,971

  27,782

  1,072

  14,470

  700

  Merseyside

  1,081

  172

  646

  41

  4—

  4—

  Norfolk

  20,743

  1,293

  5,497

  243

  10,106

  520

  North Yorkshire

  2,152

  384

  15,480

  922

  5,104

  352

  Northamptonshire

  223

  97

  17,819

  515

  3,192

  147

  Northumberland

  434

  62

  11,238

  443

  966

  45

  Nottinghamshire

  2,710

  242

  10,120

  465

  4,648

  221

  32 33

  3Area of horticultural crops Hectares

  Number of holdings growing horticultural crops

  Area of oilseed rape Hectares

  Number of holdings growing oilseed rape

  Area of linseed Hectares

  Number of holdings growing linseed

  Oxfordshire

  897

  151

  15,896

  451

  5,827

  248

  Shropshire

  878

  196

  2,805

  150

  1,393

  91

  Somerset

  2,244

  513

  1,565

  91

  1,831

  134

  South Yorkshire

  626

  112

  4,795

  242

  3,412

  156

  Staffordshire

  1,368

  231

  3,175

  153

  1,116

  61

  Suffolk

  11,295

  702

  11,303

  480

  7,571

  406

  Surrey

  1,223

  275

  1,506

  64

  1,583

  70

  Tyne and Wear

  99

  25

  1,485

  67

  90

  8

  Warwickshire

  1,418

  189

  10,544

  408

  3,268

  143

  West Midlands

  304

  63

  680

  39

  45

  4

  West Sussex

  1,691

  505

  3,295

  134

  4,180

  193

  West Yorkshire

  953

  208

  2,457

  142

  444

  33

  Wiltshire

  542

  164

  10,236

  349

  6,828

  280

  1Excluding estimates for minor holdings.

  2Crops grown on set-aside land are not included.

  3Excluding peas for harvesting dry and mushrooms.

  4Data suppressed to prevent disclosure of information about individual holdings.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much was spent in pounds sterling, and what was the take-up in hectares, in 1993 on the arable area payments scheme or its equivalent in each European Union country; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  I understand from working papers of the European Commission that the situation was as follows. The sterling figure is for illustrative purposes.

  Member State

  Area In Scheme ('000 ha)

  Payments in 1993 ('000 ecu)

  Sterling Equivalent (rounded) (£'000)

  Belgium

  410

  77,729

  59,272

  Denmark

  1,805

  309,630

  236,107

  Federal Republic of Germany

  9,328

  1,570,326

  1,197,442

  Greece

  1,267

  301,440

  229,861

  Spain

  8,435

  589,182

  449,277

  France

  12,920

  2,627,735

  2,003,763

  Republic of Ireland

  269

  60,182

  45,891

  Italy

  3,701

  520,063

  396,571

  Luxembourg

  36

  4,679

  3,568

  Netherlands

  334

  63,017

  48,053

  Portugal

  684

  28,658

  21,853

  United Kingdom

  3,978

  906,036

  690,892

  Total

  43,166

  7,058,677

  5,382,551

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 24 June,Official Report, column 391, what estimates she has for the amounts to be paid out for linseed in 1993–94 under the arable area payments scheme in (a) each county and (b) each region in England; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  It will not be possible to produce estimates for the amounts to be paid out for linseed in 1994 until the payment rate has been agreed by the Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) farmers and (b) holdings there were in each county in England in 1993.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is set out in the table.
  34

  Number of holdings and farmers, partners and directors in England1 in 1993

  County

  Number of holdings

  Number of farmers, partners and directors2

  Avon

  2,227

  2,246

  Bedfordshire

  1,244

  1,450

  Berkshire

  886

  829

  Buckinghamshire

  1,937

  2,131

  Cambridgeshire

  3,518

  4,046

  Cheshire

  4,450

  5,003

  Cleveland

  435

  528

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  7,082

  7,758

  Cumbria

  6,544

  7,755

  Derbyshire

  3,963

  4,450

  Devon

  11,453

  12,681

  Dorset

  3,070

  3,412

  Durham

  2,184

  2,664

  East Sussex

  2,328

  2,435

  Essex

  3,796

  4,347

  Gloucestershire

  3,517

  3,674

  Greater London

  463

  492

  Greater Manchester

  1,522

  1,624

  Hampshire

  3,159

  3,267

  Hereford and Worcester

  6,907

  7,691

  Hertfordshire

  1,378

  1,478

  Humberside

  3,632

  4,507

  Isle of Wight

  526

  567

  Kent

  4,288

  4,694

  Lancashire

  5,712

  6,441

  Leicestershire

  3,062

  3,307

  Lincolnshire

  5,970

  7,334

  Merseyside

  493

  596

  Norfolk

  5,321

  5,864

  North Yorkshire

  8,633

  10,621

  Northamptonshire

  2,138

  2,361

  Northumberland

  2,393

  2,925

  Nottinghamshire

  2,097

  2,459

  Oxfordshire

  2,137

  2,314

  Shropshire

  5,034

  5,742

  Somerset

  6,048

  6,360

  South Yorkshire

  1,497

  1,714

  Staffordshire

  4,785

  5,130

  Suffolk

  3,659

  4,205

  Surrey

  1,855

  1,810

  35

  County

  Number of holdings

  Number of farmers, partners and directors2

  Tyne and Wear

  268

  305

  Warwickshire

  2,504

  2,817

  West Midlands

  483

  520

  West Sussex

  2,335

  2,335

  West Yorkshire

  3,297

  3,401

  Wiltshire

  3,192

  3,360

  England

  153,422

  171,650

  Source: 1993 June Agricultural and Horticultural Census.

  1 Excluding minor holdings.

  2 Excludes spouses of farmers, partners and directors though they themselves may be partners or directors.

  Subsidies and Grants
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what amount of money was paid out by each of her regional service centres for each(a) agricultural subsidy scheme and (b) grant scheme to farmers in 1992–93.

  Mr. Jack
  Information in the form requested by the hon. Member could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Summaries of the outturn on various grants and subsidy schemes in 1992–93 on a United Kingdom or on an all-England basis are included in the HM Treasury publication "Supply Estimates 1994–95 (Class III Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Intervention Board—Intervention Agency)", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Set-aside Scheme
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much land in each county in England was under the five-year set-aside scheme in(a) 1993–94 and (b) 1994–95 at the latest available date; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The latest information on land in the five-year set-aside scheme which is available on a county basis relates to the scheme year 1992–93, which ended on 30 September 1993, and is set out below.

  Five Year Set-Aside Scheme

  1992–93 scheme year Country

  Area Set-aside

  Avon

  1,900

  Bedfordshire

  3,050

  Berkshire

  3,250

  Buckinghamshire

  6,400

  Cambridgeshire

  4,500

  Cheshire

  850

  Cleveland

  100

  Cornwall

  1,800

  Cumbria

  350

  Derbyshire

  1,050

  Devon

  3,300

  Dorset

  1,950

  Durham

  1,200

  East Sussex

  3,900

  Essex

  5,100

  Gloucestershire

  5,250

  Greater London

  550

  Greater Manchester

  100

  Hampshire

  4,450

  36

  1992–93 scheme year Country

  Area Set-aside

  Hereford and Worcester

  2,000

  Hertfordshire

  2,950

  Humberside

  2,450

  Isle of Wight

  50

  Kent

  6,150

  Lancashire

  250

  Leicestershire

  1,600

  Lincolnshire

  3,550

  Merseyside

  400

  Norfolk

  3,250

  North Yorkshire

  3,650

  Northamptonshire

  4,100

  Northumberland

  1,300

  Nottinghamshire

  950

  Oxfordshire

  6,800

  Shropshire

  600

  Somerset

  2,400

  South Yorkshire

  400

  Staffordshire

  1,400

  Suffolk

  4,700

  Surrey

  2,300

  Tyne and Wear

  500

  Warwickshire

  2,750

  West Midlands

  200

  West Yorkshire

  400

  West Sussex

  3,300

  Wiltshire

  4,500

  Total

  111,950

  Note: figures rounded to nearest 50ha.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps she is taking to discourage(a) tail docking of piglets and (b) beak trimming of egg-laying hens; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The draft Welfare of Livestock Regulations 1994, which were laid before Parliament on 14 June, provide that tail docking of piglets may be carried out routinely only where there is evidence on the farm that injuries to other piglets have occurred or are likely to occur as a result of not carrying out this procedure. In addition, the codes of recommendations for the welfare of pigs and of domestic fowl, made under section 3(1) of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968, make it clear that tail docking and beak trimming should be carried out only as a last resort. The Department also addresses means of controlling aggression in pigs and laying hens in its research programme.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the United Kingdom's pig herd was tail-docked in the last 12-month period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Soames
  Figures on the number of pigs which have been tail docked are not available.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the United Kingdom's flock of egg-laying hens was beak trimmed in the last 12-month period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Soames
  Figures on the number of egg-laying hens which have been beak trimmed are not available.

  Bovine Immuno-deficiency Virus
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what tests for BIV are carried out on imported milk;

  (2) what evidence of BIV infection has been found in (a) British and (b) imported milk supplies; on how many occasions; and what action was taken.

  Mr. Soames
  The Importation of Milk Regulations 1988, as amended, require all imports of milk from member states to be accompanied either by a health certificate certifying that the milk meets specified standards of production and hygiene or a commercial document or EC health mark indicating that it meets requirements in EC directive 92/46 on milk hygiene. All imported drinking milk is pasteurised, sterilised or ultra heat-treated. Imports of milk from third countries are currently prohibited. No tests for bovine immunodeficiency-like virus are carried out on British or imported milk. However, experience with other viruses suggests that pasteurisation would kill BIV. There is no evidence that BIV affects humans.

  Beef Imports
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of beef imported into the United Kingdom per annum originates in Mexico; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 30 June 1994]: There were no recorded United Kingdom imports of beef of Mexican origin during 1993.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many letters are received by her Department each year in respect of the problems encountered by the constituents of hon. Members; what is the average time of response and when the hon. Member for Hereford can expect to receive a reply to the letter he sent on behalf of his constituent Mr. Peter Symonds of Llandinabo on 7 December 1993 and about which follow up letters were sent on 4 March and 10 May 1994.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 1 July 1994]: The number of letters received from hon. Members enclosing correspondence from their constituents or from noble peers in the last three calendar years and the percentage replied to within MAFF's target of 15 days are set out in the table:

  Year

  Number

  Percentage replied to within 15 days

  1991

  9,976

  76

  1992

  10,974

  81

  1993

  11,141

  67

  Figures are not collected on the average time taken to respond to hon. Members' letters.

  The letter of 7 December 1993 from the hon. Member sent on behalf of his constituent, Mr. Peter Symonds of Llandinabo, concerned a commercial appraisal carried out by ADAS. The correspondence was accordingly forwarded to ADAS for reply. However, neither the letter of 13
  38
  December nor the follow-up letters were received by ADAS and the Chief Executive was therefore unaware that the matter had been delegated until 29 June.

  I understand that the chief executive of ADAS replied to the hon. Member's letter on 30 June.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which are required to produce annual reports.

  Mr. Howard
  The Animal Procedures Committee and the Parole Board.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are required to lay their annual reports before Parliament.

  Mr. Howard
  The Parole Board.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to consult before legislation proposals; and in respect of which bodies the Government must publish their response to advice supplied by them.

  Mr. Howard
  The Government are required to consult the following advisory non-departmental public bodies before legislation proposals:

  Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs

  Animal Procedures Committee

  Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales

  Poisons Board

  Police Advisory Board

  Police Negotiating Board

  In addition, the Government's response to advice supplied by the following bodies must be published:

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the advisory bodies he has set up in his Department since the publication of "Public Bodies 1993".

  Mr. Howard
  The National Board for Crime Prevention.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department that have a statutory basis.

  Mr. Howard
  The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, the Animal Procedures Committee, the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council, the Local Review Committees, the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England, the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales, the Parole Board, the Poisons Board, the Police Advisory Board, the Police Negotiating Board.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which are required to publish their advice to Government.
  39
  Mr. Howard
  The information requested is as follows:

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales

  Caravans
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of caravans intended for permanent occupation entering the United Kingdom; and what steps he is taking to stop their entry.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The importation of caravans is not a matter for my Department.

  People travelling to the United Kingdom within the common travel area which comprises the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland do not pass through immigration controls. Nationals of countries in the European Economic Area may enter the United Kingdom from outside the common travel area in accordance with Community law and are subject to a passport and identity card check.

  Firearms Certificates
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of Ernst and Young on the administration of firearms certification.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the report by Ernst and Young on the administration of the firearms licensing system.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Copies of the Ernst and Young report on the cost of the administration of the firearms licensing system will be made available and a copy placed in the Library when an announcement is made about the current reviews of firearms fees.

  Number of prosecutions under the Protection of Animals Act 1911 (as amended)1 and Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968 by type of proceedings 1985–1992

  England and Wales

  Type of Proceedings

  Offence/Year

  Apprehensions

  Summons by Police

  Summons other

  Total

  Protection of Animals Act 19111

  1985

  53

  372

  564

  989

  1986

  71

  316

  638

  1,025

  1987

  59

  288

  684

  1,031

  1988

  91

  278

  655

  1,024

  1989

  117

  264

  669

  1,050

  1990

  88

  300

  779

  1,167

  1991

  82

  255

  865

  1,202

  1992

  83

  276

  795

  1,154

  Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968—Sections 1, 2 & 6 (relating to welfare of livestock)

  1985

  —

  —

  3

  3

  1986

  —

  1

  10

  11

  1987

  —

  3

  8

  11

  1988

  —

  8

  12

  20

  1989

  —

  3

  12

  15

  1990

  1

  2

  10

  13

  1991

  —

  1

  17

  18

  1992

  —

  2

  14

  16

  1Cannot distinguish between offences involving livestock or other animals.

  Note:—The statistics of court proceedings are based on returns made by the police to the Home Office and although these include offences where there has been no police involvement, such as those prosecutions instigated by government departments, private organisations and individuals, the reporting of these types of offence is known to be incomplete. Where proceedings involve more than one offence, the table records the principal offence.
  40
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement as to whether Mr. Joseph Cowlam had a firearms licence.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I understand that Mr. Cowlam did not hold a firearm certificate.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to see that police forces adopt the recommendations of Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary concerning the administration of firearms certification.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The administration of firearms licensing is a matter for individual chief officers of police. I understand, however, that the chairman of the Association of Chief Police Officers crime committee sub-group on the administration of firearms licensing has written to chief constables commending the recommendations of the report of Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary to them. In addition, Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary will pay particular attention to this subject in its annual inspections of forces.

  Cruelty to Livestock
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions for cruelty to livestock were brought in each year since 1985; and how many in each case were brought by(a) the Government and (b) the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information held centrally by the Home Department does not identify the individual summoning body. The table shows the number of prosecutions under the Protection of Animals Act 1911 and Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968 by type of proceedings from 1985 to 1992. The 1993 data will not be available until the autumn.

  Community Care
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were imprisoned in each year since 1990 for non-payment of the community charge in each district council area in Wales and for Wales as a whole.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is not available. The available information on where prisoners

  Receptions into Prison Service establishments sentenced by a Welsh Court for non-payment of community charge, 1990–1994

  Number received for non-payment of community charge

  County of Welsh court sentencing

  1990

  1991

  1992

  19931

  199412

  Clwyd

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Dyfed

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Gwent

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Gwynedd

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Mid Glamorgan

  —

  2

  1

  —

  1

  South Glamorgan

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Glamorgan

  —

  4

  1

  2

  3

  Powys

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  All Wales

  —

  6

  3

  3

  5

  1Provisional figures.

  2January to May only.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for compensation were made to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board by police officers in each year since 1988; what was the average compensation in each year expressed in constant 1994 prices; and what proportion of total claims in each year were made by police officers.

  Mr. Maclean
  I regret that the available records do not separately identify applications from, or payments made to, the police or other occupational groups.

  Private Prisons
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the heads of agreement between the Home Secretary and Group 4 in respect of The Wolds prison;

  (2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the heads of agreement between the Home Secretary and Premier Prison Services Ltd. in respect of Doncaster prison;

  (3) if he will place in the Library a copy of the heads of agreement between the Home Secretary and United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. in respect of Blakenhurst prison.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 July 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the placing in the Library of a copy of the Heads of Agreement between the Home Secretary and Group 4, Premier Prison Services Limited, and United Kingdom Detention Services for Wolds, Doncaster and Blakenhurst prisons respectively.
  42
  originate is for the county of the sentencing court. The table shows the number of receptions recorded centrally for non-payment of community charge by county in Wales.
  Copies of the Heads of Agreement for Wolds and Blakenhurst will be placed in the Library. No Heads of Agreement were signed in relation to Doncaster prison, because Premier Prison Services Limited did not require them.

  Police (Standard Spending Assessments)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide tables showing(a) the standard spending assessment, (b) the figure his Department estimated as its contribution to spending at standard spending assessment level and (c) the actual figure paid out in respect of each police force in England and Wales for 1993–94 and for each of the previous three financial years.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The following table lists the standard spending assessment for each police force in England between 1990–91 and 1993–94. For Wales, provision for the police is included in the overall assessment made for Welsh county councils. Details of the initial estimate of grant and actual grant paid by the Home Office to all forces in England and Wales during the same period are also shown. The outturn figures for 1993–94 are provisional.

  1990–91

  £ thousands

  SSA

  Initial estimate of specific grant

  Actual specific grant paid

  Avon and Somerset

  50,802

  49,157

  52,199

  Bedfordshire

  18,039

  16,836

  18,155

  Cambridgeshire

  19,824

  19,575

  21,606

  Cheshire

  30,911

  29,685

  31,809

  Cleveland

  24,640

  24,100

  26,296

  Cumbria

  19,129

  19,475

  20,380

  Derbyshire

  29,670

  30,038

  31,243

  Devon and Cornwall

  47,096

  50,267

  53,887

  Dorset

  20,801

  22,725

  25,002

  Durham

  22,753

  21,336

  22,932

  Essex

  49,255

  47,233

  53,399

  Gloucestershire

  19,262

  18,191

  20,520

  Hampshire

  54,289

  52,067

  56,688

  Hertfordshire

  29,917

  28,650

  29,959

  Humberside

  32,963

  33,610

  35,545

  Kent

  51,544

  49,767

  55,597

  43

  SSA

  Initial estimate of specific grant

  Actual specific grant paid

  Lancashire

  52,506

  52,802

  55,149

  Leicestershire

  29,124

  30,615

  31,250

  Lincolnshire

  19,576

  20,641

  21,214

  Norfolk

  22,538

  22,496

  24,539

  Northamptonshire

  18,550

  20,159

  20,443

  North Yorkshire

  22,886

  23,721

  24,172

  Nottinghamshire

  38,358

  35,589

  38,612

  Staffordshire

  36,207

  35,203

  37,879

  Suffolk

  19,626

  20,646

  21,934

  Surrey

  30,103

  27,313

  29,134

  Sussex

  50,825

  44,907

  47,425

  Thames Valley

  63,248

  62,976

  68,397

  Warwickshire

  16,415

  16,727

  18,402

  West Mercia

  32,946

  33,311

  35,041

  Wiltshire

  17,954

  19,033

  20,851

  Greater Manchester

  115,636

  112,319

  116,561

  Merseyside

  77,791

  79,681

  81,955

  Northumbria

  58,132

  49,076

  61,896

  South Yorkshire

  49,279

  47,157

  48,337

  West Midlands

  113,021

  109,358

  116,921

  West Yorkshire

  87,025

  91,679

  92,405

  Metropolitan Police

  613,875

  624,636

  622,941

  City of London

  17,983

  18,965

  18,908

  Dyfed-Powys

  —

  15,555

  15,748

  Gwent

  —

  16,150

  16,976

  North Wales

  —

  21,837

  22,810

  South Wales

  —

  50,376

  54,191

  1991–92

  £ thousands

  SSA

  Initial estimate of specific grant

  Actual specific grant paid

  Avon and Somerset

  55,443

  57,543

  56,870

  Bedfordshire

  20,238

  19,198

  19,965

  Cambridgeshire

  21,691

  22,218

  24,029

  Cheshire

  33,986

  33,843

  34,150

  Cleveland

  27,037

  25,940

  28,487

  Cumbria

  21,151

  21,825

  22,991

  Derbyshire

  32,276

  34,993

  33,684

  Devon and Cornwall

  51,536

  58,579

  59,892

  Dorset

  22,879

  26,450

  26,523

  Durham

  24,751

  24,344

  24,780

  Essex

  54,851

  56,662

  58,925

  Gloucestershire

  20,953

  21,168

  22,752

  Hampshire

  59,904

  60,706

  63,735

  Hertfordshire

  32,973

  33,238

  32,063

  Humberside

  36,128

  38,749

  39,472

  Kent

  57,435

  59,156

  65,654

  Lancashire

  57,873

  58,383

  62,230

  Leicestershire

  32,636

  34,943

  34,270

  Lincolnshire

  21,547

  22,838

  24,090

  Norfolk

  25,345

  26,127

  27,591

  Northamptonshire

  20,539

  22,408

  23,204

  North Yorkshire

  25,345

  26,077

  26,356

  Nottinghamshire

  42,194

  41,071

  42,141

  Staffordshire

  39,638

  38,839

  41,903

  Suffolk

  21,673

  23,384

  24,515

  Surrey

  33,255

  30,409

  32,344

  Sussex

  56,093

  49,722

  54,151

  Thames Valley

  70,893

  70,881

  76,201

  Warwickshire

  18,451

  19,341

  20,319

  West Mercia

  36,415

  38,589

  39,387

  Wiltshire

  21,115

  21,423

  23,570

  Greater Manchester

  126,349

  124,535

  126,895

  Merseyside

  84,622

  89,383

  91,231

  Northumbria

  63,939

  65,099

  67,741

  South Yorkshire

  53,967

  53,406

  52,615

  West Midlands

  124,080

  120,723

  127,915

  West Yorkshire

  95,027

  102,676

  100,585

  Metropolitan Police

  676,931

  981,979

  696,595

  44

  SSA

  Initial estimate of specific grant

  Actual specific grant paid

  City of London

  20,639

  21,030

  20,818

  Dyfed-Powys

  —

  16,732

  17,927

  Gwent

  —

  17,756

  18,708

  North Wales

  —

  25,486

  25,857

  South Wales

  —

  57,446

  60,454

  1992–93

  £ thousands

  SSA

  Initial estimate of specific grant

  Actual specific grant paid

  Avon and Somerset

  63,999

  63,097

  63,404

  Bedfordshire

  25,127

  21,946

  22,547

  Cambridgeshire

  26,516

  26,116

  25,513

  Cheshire

  39,805

  38,449

  37,213

  Cleveland

  31,139

  31,785

  30,499

  Cumbria

  24,609

  24,635

  25,246

  Derbyshire

  38,354

  37,766

  38,653

  Devon and Cornwall

  60,702

  65,137

  65,418

  Dorset

  26,993

  30,222

  28,378

  Durham

  28,796

  27,719

  27,145

  Essex

  64,662

  64,547

  64,175

  Gloucestershire

  24,546

  24,804

  24,514

  Hampshire

  71,551

  68,522

  69,071

  Hertfordshire

  38,803

  36,214

  34,947

  Humberside

  42,168

  42,966

  42,901

  Kent

  68,381

  67,204

  70,225

  Lancashire

  66,943

  66,662

  65,621

  Leicestershire

  38,416

  37,774

  37,120

  Lincolnshire

  25,002

  25,643

  26,043

  Norfolk

  29,978

  29,662

  30,133

  Northamptonshire

  24,671

  24,711

  25,815

  North Yorkshire

  29,398

  29,218

  29,806

  Nottinghamshire

  48,595

  46,673

  45,649

  Staffordshire

  45,921

  45,787

  44,748

  Suffolk

  25,562

  26,513

  25,873

  Surrey

  39,239

  35,216

  36,148

  Sussex

  60,754

  57,327

  58,708

  Thames Valley

  85,179

  82,676

  81,861

  Warwickshire

  21,520

  22,244

  21,669

  West Mercia

  42,562

  42,356

  42,162

  Wiltshire

  26,495

  25,205

  26,214

  Greater Manchester

  144,376

  140,895

  138,817

  Merseyside

  97,563

  99,575

  96,533

  Northumbria

  74,676

  74,818

  69,632

  South Yorkshire

  62,838

  58,428

  59,947

  West Midlands

  143,090

  141,330

  144,980

  West Yorkshire

  109,774

  111,696

  106,449

  Metropolitan Police

  729,511

  751,921

  756,059

  City of London

  23,187

  22,855

  22,565

  Dyfed-Powys

  —

  18,826

  19,837

  Gwent

  —

  20,294

  19,872

  North Wales

  —

  27,268

  28,584

  South Wales

  —

  64,783

  64,923

  1993–94

  £ thousands

  SSA

  Initial estimate of specific grant

  Actual specific grant paid

  Avon and Somerset

  66,489

  66,123

  66,215

  Bedfordshire

  26,498

  23,289

  24,494

  Cambridgeshire

  27,457

  27,495

  29,817

  Cheshire

  41,353

  39,272

  40,800

  Cleveland

  32,350

  32,216

  32,255

  Cumbria

  25,566

  25,421

  25,755

  Derbyshire

  39,846

  39,457

  40,959

  Devon and Cornwall

  63,064

  70,144

  68,802

  Dorset

  28,043

  30,072

  30,871

  45

  SSA

  Initial estimate of specific grant

  Actual specific grant paid

  Durham

  29,917

  28,362

  28,519

  Essex

  67,767

  67,815

  68,820

  Gloucestershire

  25,501

  26,113

  27,045

  Hampshire

  75,453

  69,198

  72,382

  Hertfordshire

  40,290

  37,203

  37,582

  Humberside

  43,809

  45,222

  44,899

  Kent

  72,419

  72,994

  76,819

  Lancashire

  69,547

  68,609

  71,298

  Leicestershire

  39,910

  39,068

  38,182

  Lincolnshire

  25,975

  25,855

  27,574

  Norfolk

  31,144

  31,933

  32,064

  Northamptonshire

  25,630

  27,834

  28,306

  North Yorkshire

  30,541

  31,346

  32,201

  Nottinghamshire

  50,485

  48,725

  50,258

  Staffordshire

  47,707

  46,854

  46,413

  Suffolk

  26,557

  27,355

  27,078

  Surrey

  40,503

  38,027

  38,534

  Sussex

  64,004

  63,511

  62,281

  Thames Valley

  90,575

  90,407

  91,106

  Warwickshire

  22,443

  22,477

  24,225

  West Mercia

  44,218

  45,322

  45,200

  Wiltshire

  27,763

  26,926

  28,764

  Greater Manchester

  149,884

  155,736

  152,486

  Merseyside

  101,359

  100,931

  102,285

  Northumbria

  77,581

  79,340

  76,704

  South Yorkshire

  65,282

  64,488

  63,895

  West Midlands

  148,656

  152,480

  151,775

  West Yorkshire

  114,045

  116,843

  118,708

  Metropolitan Police

  761,712

  793,317

  791,091

  City of London

  26,570

  25,125

  26,054

  Dyfed-Powys

  —

  20,980

  21,493

  Gwent

  —

  20,330

  20,888

  North Wales

  —

  29,479

  30,590

  South Wales

  —

  68,177

  67,091

  Blakenhurst Prison
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who received the interest on the performance security provided by United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. to his Department under the terms of the contract to manage Blakenhurst prison.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 July 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about who received the interest on the performance security provided by United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. to his Depatment under the terms of the contract to manage Blakenhurst prison.
  Under the terms of the contract to manage Blakenhurst prison the contractor is required to provide the Prison Service with performance security. This was provided by means of a Peformance Bond, and therefore the issue of any interest payments does not arise.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money has been witheld from United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. for loss, destruction or damage to Blakenhurst prison, listing the circumstances and amount of each separate penalty.
  46
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 July 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the amount of money witheld from United Kingdom Detention Services Limited for loss, destruction or damage to Blakenhurst prison.
  The only occasion on which money was witheld from UKDS is set out in my letter to you of 29 June (Hansard Col. 627).

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many claims have been made against the public liability insurance policy held by United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. and his Department in connection with Blakenhurst prison; what were the circumstances in each case; what were the amounts claimed; and how many claims have been successful.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 July 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of claims made against the public liability insurance policy held by United Kingdom Detention Services Limited and his department in connection with Blakenhurst prison; the circumstances; the amounts and the success of the claims.
  There have been no claims made against the public liability insurance policy held by United Kingdom Detention Services Limited.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contact(a) the Health and Safety Executive, (b) the environmental health office and (c) the fire service has had with Blakenhurst prison; how many inspections of Blakenhurst prison have been made by each of these bodies; and what were the findings in each case.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 July 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about what contact (a) The Health and Safety Executive, (b) the Environmental Health Office and (c) the Fire Service has had with Blakenhurst Prison.
  Representatives of the Health and Safety Executive have visited on three occasions. On 19 February 1993 they made seven recommendations, all of which have been actioned. They visited again on the 14 October 1993 when a further seven recommendations were made, including a complaint about cleanliness. Again, all have been actioned. The last visit was on 10 March this year when they expressed general satisfaction in a verbal report.
  The local Environmental Health Officer has visited on two occasions. The report of 19 November 1993 contained twenty recommendations. On 22 April this year the Environmental Health Officer assessed progress and found that nineteen of the original recommendations had been actioned satisfactorily. One recommendation is still outstanding.

  47
  Hereford and Worcester Fire Service have visited eleven times for exercises or familiarisation visits.
  The Fire Service do not carry out full surveys or inspections. These are carried out by the Fire Safety Section of the Prison Service and they have visited on three occasions since Blakenhurst Prison opened.
  A full fire survey was carried out in June 1993 and Fire Safety Section's recommendations are being actioned.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been made by his Department to the services provided by United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. under the contract to manage Blakenhurst prison.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 July 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the changes made by his Department to the services provided by United Kingdom Detention Service Limited (UKDS) under the contract to manage Blakenhurst Prison.
  The only occasion on which changes were made to the services provided by UKDS under the contract to manage Blakenhurst prison is set out in my letter to you of 29 June (Hansard Col. 627).

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money has been paid by his Department for loss, destruction or damage to Blakenhurst prison, listing the circumstances and amount of each separate payment.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 July 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent . Question about the amount of money paid by his Department for loss, destruction or damage to Blakenhurst prison; the circumstances and the amount of each separate payment.
  No money has been paid to United Kingdom Detention Services Limited for damage repair at Blakenhurst prison.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) staff and (b) people applying to become staff, at Blakenhurst prison, have been refused Home Office certification as fit to perform such duties; and, of these, how many have later reapplied and received such certification.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 30 June 1994]: Responsibilty for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 July 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of staff and people applying to become staff at Blakenhurst prison that have been refused Home Office certification; and how many have later reapplied and become certificated.
  48
  Twenty people who applied to work at Blakenhurst as prison custody officers (PCO) have been refused Home Office certification. Of these one has been reconsidered and subsequently received certification.
  Non-PCO do not require certification. All people who work at contracted out prisons are, however, subject to routine enquiries similar to those made for applicants for Prison Service employment.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what notification or advice United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. gave the Home Office regarding the buildings, facilities and design at Blakenhurst prison; and what action has been taken as a result.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 30 June 1994]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 July 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking what notification or advice United Kingdom Detention Services Limited (UKDS) gave the Home Office regarding the buildings, facilities and design at Blakenhurst prison; and what action has been taken as a result.
  UKDS had no involvement in the original buildings, facilities and design at Blakenhurst. Since Blakenhurt became operational, UKDS have recommended changes to the existing conditions at Blackenhurst on a number of occasions. These have included fitting electric gates on house blocks; creating canteens in four house blocks; modifying the sewage system; installing television cameras in the walkways; modifying the holding cells in reception; providing power outlets and drainage in the industrial workshop; altering one spur of a house block to create a Vulnerable Prisoner Unit; changing the majority of spy-holes to polycarbonate; and installing a new bolt system for cell doors.
  All these requests, which have come through the Controller at the prison, have been actioned.
  It is common for modifications to be required in new prisons, especially in the first year of operation. UKDS has paid for a number of the alterations and the remainder have been paid for by the Prison Service.

  Race Relations
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to respond to the Commission for Racial Equality's second review of the Race Relations Act 1976.

  Mr. Howard
  I have today written to the chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality setting out the Government's formal response. A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Computer Contracts
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts his Department has entered into with the computer company EDS-Scion or its predecessor EDS; when the contracts were entered into; what is their total value; and what is the subject matter of each contract.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 1 July 1994]: The Home Office has let three contracts to the specified company amounting to a total value of £80,942·23.

  Details of the contracts are given below:
  Date Contract let and Subject matter of Contract
  12 September 1991
  Hardware Maintenance

  49
  10 July 1992
  Software licences for London Fire and Civil Defence Authority
  8 January 1993
  Evaluation of Performance of Classifying Finger Printing Images for Police System Research and Development Group

  United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd.
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions money has been withheld from United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. for giving an unsatisfactory performance or failing to provide the required service; what were the circumstances on each occasion including dates and the nature of the failure; and what were the amounts witheld on each occasion.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 30 June 1994]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 July 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of occasions money has been withheld from UKDS for giving an unsatisfactory performance or failing to provide the required service; the circumstances and the amounts withheld.
  The only occasion on which money was withheld from UKDS is set out in my letter to you of 29 June (Hansard Col. 627).

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pensioner Incomes
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the rise in pensioners' total average net income since 1979.

  Mr. Hague
  The estimated rise in pensioner's total average net income, in real terms, from 1979 to 1990–91—the latest year for which figures are available—was:Before housing costs:

  42 per cent. in all pensioners

  39 per cent. to pensioner couples; and

  39 per cent. to single pensioners.

  Source: The 1990–91 Family Expenditure Survey.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the operation of the Child Support Agency.

  Mr. Burt
  The Child Support Agency has had a challenging first year and this is recognised in the report "The Child Support Agency: The First Two Years" which was placed in the Library today. Despite many difficulties, the agency achieved considerable successes in its first year. Over 850,000 cases were taken on and over 200,000 maintenance assessments were made. Nearly 60 per cent. of cases involved absent parents who were not paying maintenance. In 28,000 cases the agency successfully located absent parents for whom the parents with care of the children did not have an address—a success rate of 85 per cent.

  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the first year of the Child Support Agency's operations and its plans and targets for the second year.
  50
  Mr. Lilley
  The Child Support Agency has today published "The Child Support Agency: The First Two Years". This provides the annual report for the year 1993–94—"Our First Year", and the business plan for the year 1994–95—"The Year Ahead". The agency's national client satisfaction survey 1993 has also been published today. Copies of both those publications have been placed in the Library. The annual report contains details of the agency 1993–94 performance against the standards of service as set out in the agency's customer charter. In addition, all local caller areas will, as from today, display posters detailing this information. The posters will be updated quarterly.

  The targets that I have set the Child Support Agency for 1994–95 are as follows:
  50 per cent. of people with care of children making eligible applications to the Child Support Agency to have maintenance arranged.
  a score of 65 per cent. on an index of client satisfaction with the Agency's service, as determined by an independent national survey.
  annual benefit savings of £460 million.
  to manage the Agency's resources so as to deliver its Business Plan within a total budget of £184 million.
  by the end of March 1995, no more than 40 per cent. of outstanding maintenance applications to be over 13 weeks old, no more than 15 per cent. over 26 weeks old, and no more than 1 per cent. over 52 weeks old.

  The agency is making a number of operational and procedural changes this year which should significantly improve performance. The new targets, which are higher than the agency's achievements last year, take this expected improvement into account.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total cost of information technology investment in the child support scheme; and what were the amounts of funding by(a) the Child Support Agency, (b) the Information Technology Services Agency and (c) his Department.

  Mr. Burt
  Some £52·3 million up to March 1994. All funding of information technology investment is met out of the DSS administration vote.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage availability has been achieved by the Child Support Agency computer system; and what penalty has been levied against(a) EDS and (b) ITSA.

  Mr. Burt
  Over the last six months, 93·5 per cent. availability has been achieved by the Child Support Agency computer system. No penalties have been imposed.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what(a) additional and (b) re-working payments have been made to the information technology contractors EDS in connection with the Child Support Agency computer system.

  Mr. Burt
  A development contract is in place with EDS, the terms of which permit EDS to charge for any additional changes requested. Since April 1993, such changes have resulted from policy requirements and amendments to working practices. The charge for additional development work during the period April 1993 to March 1994 was £1·1 million. Contractual arrangements with EDS provide for resolution of faults which are EDS's responsibility within the fixed price for the contract and at no additional charge.
  51
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the cost of the hardware upgrades which the Child Support Agency computer system's IBM mainframe computer has had to have.

  Mr. Burt
  The Child Support Agency computer system has had one hardware upgrade at a cost of £5·19 million.

  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security under what circumstances the Child Support Agency opens files for maintenance payments in respect of children who are both living with, and maintained by, both of their parents.

  Mr. Burt
  The Child Support Agency has no role where children and their parents all live in the same household.

  Where the parents live apart and the children spend on average at least two nights a week with each, the agency may arrange for the parent who provides the lesser amount of care to pay maintenance to the other parent.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what expenditure has been incurred in implementing the programming application on the Child Support Agency computer system.

  Mr. Burt
  Some £13·5 million, including all expenditure for ITSA, EDS and CSA user design.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received in the last month concerning the CSA.

  Mr. Burt
  In the month up to 31 May 2,204 written representations were received by the headquarters of the Department and the Child Support Agency from both hon. Members and members of the public covering a wide range of views.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of the social fund is currently spent on administration.

  Mr. Scott
  The cost of administering the social fund was equivalent to 35 per cent. of the gross expenditure, plus recoveries, in 1992–93, the last year for which figures are available. Each application to the discretionary part of the social fund receives a detailed personal assessment whether or not an award is made and recoveries cost money as well. However, the recycling of social fund loans ensures that more help goes to more people.

  Adjudication Officers
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to reform the regulations governing appeals against the decisions of adjudication officers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hague
  We intend in the near future to consolidate the adjudication regulations. The appeals system is under constant review, but we have no plans at present to reform the regulations any further.

  Mallinson Judgment
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement outlining his response to the Mallinson judgment; and what action will be undertaken by his Department resulting from the judgment.
  52
  Mr. Scott
  The judgment in the case of Mallinson v. the Secretary of State for Social Security has extended the scope of attendance allowance and the care component of disability living allowance by allowing a wider range of activities to be considered as
  "attention in connection with bodily functions".
  Independent adjudication officers are applying the terms of the judgment to the decisions that they make.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security to what date the Government will backdate any changed entitlements to disability living allowance care component and the lower rate of attendance allowance following the Mallinson judgment.

  Mr. Scott
  The earliest date from which the benefit, or additional benefit, could become payable is 21 April 1994.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate how many existing disability living allowance claimants will be entitled to(a) the middle rate of the disability living allowance care component and (b) the lower rate of attendance allowance as a result of the Mallinson judgment; and what plans his Department has to initiate a review of these cases.

  Mr. Scott
  Reliable information is not available as to the numbers of people who are currently in receipt of disability living allowance or attendance allowance and might gain as a result of the judgment in the House of Lords in the case of Mallinson v. Secretary of State for Social Security. The Department has no current plans to initiate a review of those cases as major administrative disruption could be created in reviewing so many cases and the number of successful awards in the light of the judgment do not indicate that such disruption could be justified.

  Social Security Payments
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the level of basic social security payments relative to average income real terms in each member state of the European Union; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hague
  Member states have different priorities, structures and methods of funding social security. Those differences, variations in definitions and lack of comparable data make comparisons difficult. We are committed to a social security system which is appropriate to modern needs and protects the most vulnerable while not outstripping the nation's ability to pay.

  Post Offices (Benefits Delivery)
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether pensioners will be able to choose to have their benefits paid through the Post Office.

  Mr. Hague
  Pensioners and others will continue to be able to choose to collect their pensions and other benefits at the post office. We are well aware of the valuable role played by post offices, particularly in rural areas.

  1994 Benefits Uprating
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the difference between the 1994 uprating of benefits for pensioners and sick and disabled people and the rate of inflation.
  53
  Mr. Hague
  In addition to increases in all major benefits fully in line with inflation, people on income-related benefits received increases based on the Rossi index, which was higher than the retail prices index. Most pensioners and many sick and disabled people will also have received extra help for the effect of VAT on fuel over and above the normal uprating.

  Housing Benefit
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to reform the present system of housing benefit.

  Mr. Hague
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Mr. Howarth).

  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the total number and proportion of council tenants receiving housing benefit in(a) the London borough of Barking and Dagenham, (b) the London borough of Redbridge, (c) the Greater London area and (d) Great Britain.

  Mr. Hague
  [holding answer 28 June 1994]: The latest available information is in the table.

  Area

  Number of council tenancies

  1Housing benefit rent rebate caseload

  Percentage of council tenancies with housing benefit

  London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

  25,624

  14,382

  56

  London Borough of Redbridge

  8,340

  6,744

  81

  Greater London

  657,096

  2423,173

  64

  Great Britain

  34,581,171

  22,994,184

  65

  1Refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.

  2Includes estimates for non-responding authorities.

  3The total for Great Britain contains estimates for individual English authorities, and estimates of the totals for Wales and Scotland.

  Data sources:
  The 28 May 1993 Housing Benefit Management Information System Quarterly caseload count.
  The 1 April 1993 Department of the Environment and Welsh Office counts of tenancies.
  The 31 March 1993 Scottish Office count of tenancies.

  Basic State Pension
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the value of the basic state pension as a percentage of male average earnings in 1979 and at the latest available date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Hague
  The basic state pension represented 20·4 per cent. of average male adult earnings in November 1979 and 15·9 per cent. in April 1993.
  Sources:

  1. The Abstract of Statistics for Social Security Benefits and Contributions.

  2. The Indices of Retail Prices and average earnings.

  Pensioner Savings
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received about the percentage of pensioners retiring(a) in 1979 and (b) in the latest year for which figures are available, who had incomes from savings; and what was the real average level of savings on each of these two dates.
  54
  Mr. Hague
  The percentage of recently retired pensioner units receiving income from savings has grown from 68 per cent. in 1979 to 78 per cent. in 1990–91. Information about the average level of savings is not available, but it is estimated that the average level of income from savings of recently retired pensioner units has risen from £20·40 in 1979 to £49·90 in 1990–91.
  Notes:

  1. Source: 1979 and 1990–91 Family Expenditure Surveys.

  2. A pensioner unit is defined as a single person aged at or above state pensionable age (SPA) or a couple where the husband is aged at or above SPA.

  3. A recently retired pensioner unit is one where a single person, or the husband of a couple, is aged up to five years above state pension age.

  4. The savings income figures are at 1991 prices.

  Pensioner Assets
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received about the current value of the assets held by the average pensioner household; and what was the comparable position in real terms in 1978–79.

  Mr. Hague
  In 1990–91, 48 per cent. of pensioners owned their own homes outright, compared to 37 per cent. in 1979; the average weekly income for pensioners from savings and investments was £30·30, compared to £11·20 in 1979; and the value of accrued rights in occupational pension schemes had substantially increased compared to 1979.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average weekly value of invalidity benefit.

  Mr. Scott
  The average amount of invalidity benefit in payment on 4 April 1992, the latest date for which information is available was £75·45.

  Pensioner Incomes, Scotland
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners in Scotland(a) are dependent on income support and (b) have incomes less than £10 above income support levels.

  Mr. Burt
  The number of pensioners dependant on income support in Scotland is 170,000.

  Using income bought to account for income support purposes, it is estimated that 95,000 pensioners in Scotland have income within £10 of income support thresholds.
  Source:
  Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry August 1993.Notes:

  1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand for the first part of the answer and to the nearest five thousand for the second pan.

  2. Pensioners dependant on Income Support are defined as claimants and partners over pensionable age.

  3. The second part of the answer has been modelled from the 1989, 1990 and 1991 Family Expenditure data uprated to 1994–95 prices and benefit levels.

  4. Income Support thresholds include Income Support housing requirements such as mortgage interest.

  Scottish Homes (Successors)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consideration he has given to allowing West Lothian district council and other successor housing authorities to Scottish Homes to operate benefit distribution on behalf of his Department.

  Mr. Hague
  Local authorities have a statutory duty to administer the housing benefit scheme, and we have no plans to alter this.

  War Pensions
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by local authority the consideration given to receipt of(a) war widows' pension and (b) war disability pension when assessing housing benefit and council tax payments.

  Mr. Hague
  Local authorities have the discretion to disregard up to the full amount of war widows' pensions and war disablement pensions when assessing entitlement to housing benefit and council tax benefit.

  The information requested with regard to housing benefit has been compiled from the latest information from local authorities for the financial year 1990–91 and is listed in the table. No details are available for council tax benefit.
  Local authorities operating a local scheme in housing benefit to disregard an amount of war disablement or war widow's pension in addition to the £10 statutory disregard.

  Aberconwy

  Aberdeen

  Adur

  Amber Valley

  Angus

  Annandale and Eskdale

  Arfon

  Argyll-Bute

  Arun

  Ashfield

  Ashford

  Aylesbury Vale

  Badenoch

  Banff and Buchan

  Barking

  Barnet

  Basingstoke

  Bassetlaw

  Bath1

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  Berwickshire

  Beverley

  Birmingham

  Blaby1

  Blackburn

  Blackpool

  Blaenau Gwent

  Bolton1

  Boston

  Bournemouth

  Bracknell

  Bradford

  Braintree

  Breckland

  Brent

  Brentwood

  Brighton

  Broadland

  Bromley1

  Bromsgrove

  Broxbourne

  Broxtowe

  Burnley

  Bury1

  Caithness

  56

  Calderdale

  Cambridge1

  Camden

  Cannock Chase

  Canterbury

  Cardiff

  Carlisle

  Carrick

  Castle Morpeth2

  Castle Point

  Ceredigion

  Charnwood

  Chelmsford

  Cheltenham

  Cherwell

  Chester2

  Chesterfield

  Chichester

  Chiltern

  Chorley

  Christchurch

  Clackmannan

  Clydebank

  Clydesdale

  Colchester

  Colwyn

  Congleton

  Copeland

  Corby1

  Cotswold

  Coventry

  Craven

  Crawley

  Crewe and Nantwich

  Cumbernauld

  Cumbernauld (DC)

  Cumnock and Doon

  Cunninghame

  Dacorum

  Darlington1

  Dartford

  Daventry

  Delyn

  Derby1

  Derbyshire Dales

  Doncaster1

  Dover

  Dudley

  Dumbarton

  Dundee

  Dunfermline

  Dwyfor

  Ealing

  East Cambridgeshire

  East Devon

  East Dorset

  East Hampshire

  East Hertfordshire

  East Kilbride

  East Kilbride (DC)

  East Lothian

  East Staffordshire1

  East Yorkshire

  Eastleigh

  Eastwood

  Eden

  Edinburgh

  Ellesmere Port

  Elmbridge

  Epping Forest

  Epsom and Ewell

  Erewash

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  Exeter1

  Falkirk

  Fareham

  Fenland

  Forest Heath

  Forest of Dean

  Gedling

  57

  Gillingham

  Glanford

  Glasgow

  Glenrothes (DC)

  Gloucester

  Glyndwr

  Gordon

  Gosport

  Great Yarmouth

  Grimsby1

  Guildford

  Hackney

  Halton

  Hambleton1

  Hamilton

  Hammersmith

  Harborough

  Haringey

  Harlow

  Harrow

  Hart

  Hartlepool

  Hastings

  Havant

  Havering1

  Hereford

  Hertsmere

  High Peak

  Hillingdon

  Hinckley and Bosworth

  Holderness

  Horsham

  Hounslow

  Hove

  Huntingdon

  Hyndburn

  Inverclyde

  Inverness

  Ipswich

  Irvine (DC)

  Isles of Scilly

  Islington

  Islwyn

  Kennet

  Kilmarnock

  Kincardine and Deeside

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  Kingswood

  Kirkcaldy

  Kirklees

  Knowsley

  Kyle and Carrick

  Lambeth

  Lancaster

  Langbaurgh

  Leicester

  Lewes

  Lewisham

  Lichfield

  Lincoln

  Liverpool

  Livingston (DC)

  Llanelli

  Lliw Valley

  Lochaber

  Luton

  Macclesfield

  Maidstone

  Maldon

  Malvern Hills

  Mansfield

  Medina

  Meirionnydd

  Melton

  Mendip

  Merton

  Mid Bedfordshire

  Mid Suffolk

  Mid Sussex

  Middlesbrough1

  58

  Midlothian

  Milton Keynes

  Mole Valley

  Monklands

  Monmouth

  Montgomery

  Moray

  Motherwell

  Nairn

  Neath

  New Forest

  Newark

  Newbury

  Newcastle under Lyme

  Newham

  Newport1

  Nithsdale

  North Bedfordshire

  North Cornwall

  North Dorset

  North East Derby

  North East Fife

  North Hertfordshire

  North Kesteven

  North Shropshire

  North Tyneside

  North Warwickshire

  North West Leicester

  North Wiltshire

  Northampton

  Northavon

  Nottingham

  Nuneaton

  Oadby and Wigston

  OGWR

  Oldham1

  Orkney

  Penwith3

  Perth & Kinross

  Peterborough

  Plymouth

  Poole

  Portsmouth

  Preseli

  Preston

  Purbeck

  Radnor

  Reading

  Redbridge

  Redditch

  Reigate and Banstead

  Renfrew

  Rhondda

  Rhuddlan

  Ribble Valley

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  Richmondshire

  Rochdale

  Rochester on Medway

  Rochford

  Ross and Cromarty

  Rossendale

  Rother

  Roxburgh

  Rugby

  Runnymede

  Rushcliffe

  Rushmoor

  Rutland

  Ryedale

  Salford

  Salisbury

  Sandwell

  Scarborough

  Scottish Homes

  Scunthorpe

  Sedgefield

  Sefton

  Selby

  Sevenoaks

  59

  Shepway

  Shetland

  Skye and Lochalsh

  Slough

  Solihull

  South Bedfordshire

  South Bucks

  South Cambridgeshire

  South Derbyshire

  South Herefordshire

  South Holland

  South Lakeland

  South Norfolk

  South Northants

  South Oxfordshire

  South Pembrokeshire

  South Ribble

  South Shropshire

  South Somerset

  South Staffordshire

  South Tyneside

  South Wight

  Southampton

  Southend on Sea

  Southwark

  Spelthorne

  St. Albans

  St. Helens

  Staffs. Moorlands

  Stevenage1

  Stewartry

  Stirling

  Stockport

  Stockton on Tees1

  Stoke on Trent

  Stratford-on-Avon

  Strathkelvin

  Stroud

  Suffolk Coastal

  Surrey Heath

  Sutherland

  Sutton

  Swale

  Swansea

  Tameside

  Tamworth

  Tandridge

  Teignbridge

  Tendring

  Test Valley

  Tewkesbury

  Thamesdown1

  Thanet

  The Wrekin

  Three Rivers

  Thurrock

  Tonbridge and Mailing1

  Torbay1

  Torfaen1

  Tower Hamlets

  Trafford

  Tunbridge Wells1

  Tweeddale

  Vale of Glamorgan

  Vale of White Horse

  Vale Royal

  Wakefield

  Walsall

  Waltham Forest

  Wandsworth

  Wansbeck

  Wansdyke

  Watford

  Waverley

  Wealden

  Welwyn Hatfield

  West Lothian

  West Norfolk

  West Oxfordshire

  West Wiltshire

  60

  Western Isles

  Westminster

  Wigan

  Wigtown

  Winchester

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  Wirral

  Woking

  Wokingham

  Wolverhampton

  Woodspring

  Worcester

  Worthing

  Wycombe

  York1

  1Denotes those authorities who operate a scheme to disregard War Disablement Pensions only.2Denotes those authorities who operate a scheme to disregard War Widows' Pensions only.3Denotes an authority which operates a scheme to disregard War Disablement Pensions and War Widows' Pensions for Housing Benefit rent rebates only.

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of his Department's(a) press releases and (b) written answers are printed on recycled paper.

  Mr. Hague
  The Department's policy is to use recycled paper where possible. The Department does not normally use recycled paper for press releases or written answers, because of cost and quality considerations. However, some replies to hon. Members from agency chief executives are on recycled paper, as are the great majority of letters signed by Ministers. We have also concentrated on ensuring that the paper we use is manufactured in the most environmentally friendly manner possible.

  Pension
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what account is taken of ability to pay in the time scale for recovery of money which has been overpaid in respect of pension provision;

  (2) what is the normal interval between a change occurring in an individual's benefit arrangements and the notification by the DSS to the superannuation fund providing a pension to that individual of that change;

  (3) how many individuals in the calendar years 1991, 1992 and 1993 were paid more than their overall pension entitlement as a result of the failure of the DSS to notify the superannuation funds providing them with a pension of the change in benefit payments made by the DSS.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. John Gunnell, dated 1 July 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking (i) how many individuals in the calendar years 1991, 1992, and 1993 were paid more than their overall pension entitlement as a result of the failure of the DSS to notify the superannuation funds providing them with a pension of a change in benefit payments made by the DSS and (ii) what is the normal interval between a change occurring in an individuals benefit arrangements and the

  61
  notification by the DSS to the Superannuation Fund providing a pension to that individual of that change and (iii) the repayment of money overpaid in respect of pension provision.
  The arrangements which exist for the DSS to send notifications apply only to public service occupational pension schemes. The notifications are sent to tell the schemes that they do not need to inflation-proof the guaranteed minimum portion of the occupational pension because the DSS is doing so.
  When a change occurs in the rate of Widow's Benefit or State Retirement Pension payable to a public service occupational pensioner, any notification which needs to be sent to the pension scheme will be issued within one week of the change in rate having been entered onto the pensions computer.
  The system is designed to send the notifications automatically. We do not, therefore, have details of the number of notifications which should have been sent but were not. We are aware, however, that there have been instances of delay and recent exercises have been undertaken to identify these cases and ensure that the appropriate notifications are sent.
  Although late notification from DSS can cause an overpayment this would be of occupational pension and as such it would be for the scheme to decide if recovery should be effected and if so, how. This is not a matter over which the Department has any control.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of his Department's(a) press releases and (b) written answers are printed on recycled paper.

  Sir John Wheeler
  None.

  Agriculture
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is(a) the amount of land in hectares in each county, (b) the number of farmers and (c) the cost of the five-year set-aside scheme in Northern Ireland in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ancram
  In Northern Ireland, the amount of land in each county included in the five-year set-aside scheme and the number of participating farmers in each county are as follows:—

  Hectares

  Farmers

  Co Antrim

  49·904

  7

  Co Armagh

  24·675

  3

  Co Down

  155·419

  13

  Co Fermanagh

  nil

  —

  Co Londonderry

  138·906

  11

  Co Tyrone

  nil

  —

  The cost of the set-aside scheme in Northern Ireland in 1993–94 was £62,865, while the anticipated cost for 1994–95 is £33,364.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the payment rates made per hectare under the arable area payments scheme for(a) cereals, (b) oilseeds, (c) proteins, (d) linseed, (e) set-aside and (f) the simplified scheme paid in (i) the first year and (ii) the second year of the scheme in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  The payment rates per hectare in Northern Ireland for the first and second years of the scheme are set out below. The actual rates payable in 1994 62
  may be reduced if base areas are exceeded and the rate for oilseeds may be adjusted to reflect changes in the reference price.

  1992–93 £

  1993–943 £

  (a) Cereals

  112

  [156]

  (b) Oilseeds

  379

  [421]

  (c) Proteins

  290

  [290]

  (d) Linseed1

  —

  —

  (e) Set-aside

  201

  [247]

  Set-aside (reduced rate)2

  —

  [174]

  (f) Simplified Scheme

  112

  [156]

  Notes:

  1Linseed was not incorporated into the arable area payments scheme until 1993–94. The payment rate for 1993–94 has not yet been fixed.

  2There is a reduced rate for voluntary set-aside in excess of the applicant's cropped area.

  3The figures in brackets are provisional.

TRANSPORT

  Motorway Services
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on the guidelines for motorway services; and what facilities he will require for(a) women and (b) men truck drivers.

  Mr. Key
  Since 1 April, responsibility for managing, maintaining and improving the national road network in England, including the provision of motorway service areas, has rested with the Highways Agency. As the information requested by the hon. Member relates to operational matters of the Highways Agency, I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Ms Joan Walley, dated 30 June 1994:
  Mr. Key has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about motorway service areas since this is now a matter for the Highways Agency.
  Roads Circular 1/94, which set out the Department's policy on motorway service areas (MSAs) and specified the minimum requirements for MSAs signposted from the motorway, was published on 9 May. I enclose a copy. The minimum requirements include a specified number of lorry parking spaces, calculated on the basis of the motorway traffic flow.
  Lorry drivers will also benefit from some of the other minimum requirements, such as the availability of 24 hours a day of toilets and fuel, and free access to MSAs for those carrying out emergency repairs to broken down vehicles. Whether to go beyond this and provide other facilities aimed specifically at either male or female lorry drivers is, however, a matter for individual MSA operators.

  Roads Circular

  1/94

  (Department of Transport)

  Circular

  34/94

  (Welsh Office)

  Joint Circular from the

  Department of Transport

  2 Marsham Street

  London SW 1P 3EB

  Welsh Office

  Ty Glas Road

  Llanishen

  Cardiff CF4 5PL

  63 Dear Sir
  Motorway service areas
  1. Circular Roads 4/88 gives advice on the control of development on trunk roads. This Circular supplements that advice so far as the development of motorway service areas is concerned. Further advice on the considerations which local planning authorities should take into account when considering planning applications for service areas on motorways and trunk roads is given in Planning Policy Guidance Note 13 "Transport" (PPG13).
  2. Government policy until 1992 was to promote the development of MSAs providing a standard range of minimum requirements on Department of Transport-owned sites at intervals of around thirty miles while operators in Wales have provided single sided sites on private land at intervals of around fifteen miles. A network of MSAs has been provided on this basis on most motorways though, in England, there are still routes with exceptional gaps in services.
  3. In August 1992 the Government announced that in future the private sector should take the initiative in identifying and acquiring MSA sites and seeking planning consent from local planning authorities for these schemes as for any other development.
  4. However, the Departments will continue to have interests in MSAs in relation to motorway safety and traffic management. They will wish to see a balance struck between, on the one hand, the necessary provision of opportunities for motorway travellers to stop and obtain essential services at reasonable intervals; and on the other, the avoidance of unnecessary traffic movements on and off the motorway. This guidance is issued so that potential developers and local planning authorities may have regard to the Departments' policy accordingly.
  Spacing
  5. The Departments will generally not expect to provide signs or (in respect of sites not accessed from an existing motorway junction) to allow access to the motorway for any services development less than fifteen miles from the nearest existing MSA (or MSA site with planning consent and for which signing has been agreed). Exceptions to this minimum interval may be agreed, for example, where existing sites are a little less than thirty miles apart and additional services are proposed roughly half way between them. Where a new MSA is proposed less than fifteen miles from an existing MSA (or MSA site for which signing has been agreed), the Departments will consider the case for signing, but the shorter the gap the stronger the case for an exception to the normal fifteen mile interval will need to be. The Departments will not, in any event, expect to sign more than one additional site between any two existing "thirty mile" MSAs.
  6. This minimum spacing between sites should not be taken to mean that the Departments see a need for MSAs every fifteen miles regardless of local circumstances. Their only prescriptive view is that, for safety and traffic management reasons, drivers should not have to travel for long distances without finding services on the motorway (whether accessed directly or via a junction). Intervals between existing services have not been much more than thirty miles. That remains a desirable general aim from the transport point of view. It cannot be a hard and fast rule, particularly in areas of planning restraint. Local planning authorities should take into account the need for and road safety benefits of MSAs; and the greater the distance between existing facilities and a new proposal, the more weight should be placed on the needs of motorway users.
  Parking
  7. MSAs contribute to road safety by allowing drivers regular opportunities to rest in the course of their journeys. These safety benefits will be lost unless measures are taken to ensure that all sites have sufficient parking capacity to cater for the demands placed on them by motorists needing only to stop and rest as well as those making use of other MSA facilities. In order to qualify for signing from the motorway, therefore, an MSA developer will be expected to demonstrate that he can provide parking for:—64

  cars:

  0·5 per cent.

  of the light vehicle annual average daily traffic flow fifteen years after opening;

  HGVs:

  0·35 per cent.

  of the heavy vehicle annual average daily traffic flow fifteen years after opening;

  coaches:

  0.1 per cent.

  of the heavy vehicle annual average daily traffic flow fifteen years after opening;

  8. Advice on predicted traffic flows is available from Regional Network Management Divisions of the Highways Agency of the Highways Directorate of the Welsh Office.9. Developers need not necessarily provide the full fifteen year parking levels as soon as the site opens, but will be expected to build up to the final provision in suitable stages over the fifteen year period.Other requirements
  10. In addition to the parking quantities specified above, the Department will require MSA operators to provide from the outset at least a standard range of minimum facilities. MSAs which do not meet the minimum requirements will not be signed nor, in the case of sites not reached by way of an existing junction, will they be allowed to take access from the motorway. The minimum requirements are that MSA operators should ensure that:—
  free short term parking for all types of vehicle, free toilets (in sufficient quantity to cater reasonably for the traffic flow on the motorway) and a picnic area are available, and fuel is on sale, 24 hours a day every day of the year;
  access is allowed for up to two hours for those carrying out emergency repairs to broken down vehicles;
  all facilities are available to disabled people; and,
  there is no sale or consumption of alcohol on the site.
  11. Enforcement of these minimum standards will be achieved through a formal signs agreement between the relevant Department and the MSA operator under which signs from the motorway to the MSA will be permitted and maintained so long as the operator continues to meet the minimum requirements in full. Before entering into signs agreements the Departments will need to be satisfied that planning permission has been obtained, that the proposed MSA is capable of meeting all the minimum requirements and that it is acceptable in traffic, safety and spacing terms.Access to motorways
  12. While it will in future be for the private sector to initiate MSA proposals, the Department will maintain their strict policy of restricting access to the motorway to junctions with other roads, MSAs and maintenance compounds. They will not therefore agree to the provision of accesses to the motorway from private developments other than MSAs which meet the standard range of minimum requirements; nor will they permit the development of activities within MSA sites which are unconnected with motorists' use of the road and which would therefore lead to the site becoming a destination in its own right. The Departments will be prepared where necessary to direct refusal of planning applications which would conflict with this principle. To ensure that this policy is maintained it is important that the Departmentss are kept informed of proposals affecting existing and proposed MSAs. Local planning authorities are therefore requested to consult the relevant Regional Network Management Divisions of the Highways Agency, or the Highways Directorate of the Welsh Office, wherever development is proposed of services facilities wholly or partly within 400 metres of the boundary of a motorway. They should consult similarly wherever development is proposed for an area exceeding 2 hectares which includes the provision of fuel and refreshments and lies within 1 kilometre of a motorway junction.
  13. The Departments will also be concerned to ensure that MSAs do not come to be used as routes from the motorway through to other nearby developments; that is, as all purpose motorway junctions. At sites accessed direct from the motorway, therefore, the Departments will be reluctant to agree to the provision of rear access roads connecting to the local road network. Where such accesses may be agreed, the Departments will expect to require developers to enter into arrangements to ensure their use is restricted to staff, deliveries and the emergency services. Other onward access will not be countenanced.

  65
  14. In considering issues affecting the motorway itself, traffic flow and safety considerations are of great importance and good visibility is essential. Any access provided direct to a motorway would need to conform fully to the Departments' standards. At all MSAs, it will be particularly important to avoid the risk of congestion or slowing on the main carriageway. Advice on these aspects should be sought from the relevant Regional Network Management Division of the Highways Agency, or the Highways Directorate of the Welsh Office.
  15. The full cost of any access provided direct to a motorway, or direct to a trunk road at or near a motorway junction, including those elements of the works within the motorway or trunk road boundary, will fall to be met by the developer by means of an agreement with the Secretary of State under Section 278 of the Highways Act 1980. Advice on this is provided in Circular Roads 6/91 and Welsh Office Circular 65/91.

  Election Campaigns
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the Government's policy on publishing statistics relating to budgetary restraint within the period of an election campaign; and if he will make a statement on the conventions involved.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Guidance to officials stresses the need to ensure that statistics are presented in an objective and impartial manner and that care is taken on the timing and announcement of sensitive decisions. The convention is that Ministers, too, seek to defer announcing sensitive decisions during an election period.

  Railtrack
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of his officials attended a meeting with members of the Railtrack board on 9 June; who else was present; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Freeman
  Meetings between the Department and the Government companies and nationalised industries for which it is responsible are frequent, and mostly informal; the substance of any discussions are confidential to the participants. It is not our practice to identify individual officials present at such meetings.

  List of the 20 Contractors receiving the largest share of Motorway and Trunk Road Contracts in the Financial Year April 1991 to April 1992

  Contractor and Scheme name

  Award date

  Award price (£)

  Amey Construction Ltd.

  A 34 Between A4130 Junction—A417 Overbridge

  22 August 1991

  1,613,206·00

  A421 Bicester Bypass

  18 September 1991

  3,904,118·00

  A 41 Berkhamstead Bypass, Contract 4B

  11 December 1991

  18,139,479·00

  Total

  23,656,803·00

  Associated Asphalt Ltd.

  M5 Between Junctions 24–25—Huntworth—Blackbrook

  3 April 1991

  730,869·00

  A3 Reconstruction, Eshep Bypass

  24 May 1991

  1,420,897·00

  M25 Junctions 13–14

  5 August 1991

  3,559,223·00

  M3 Junctions 4–5 Overlay, Frimley to Hook, Hampshire

  14 August 1991

  2,236,246·00

  A30 Pearces Hill to Cutteridge

  9 October 1991

  2,470,273·00

  M5 Junctions 24–25, Stage 7, Huntsworth—Blackbrook

  28 October 1991

  545,488·00

  A27 Crossbush, 2km East of Arundel

  2 January 1992

  2,951,714·00

  A27 Lewes Bypass Maintenance

  14 January 1992

  1,529,660·00

  A40 Oxford Northern Bypass, Banbury Road—Green LA

  25 March 1992

  1,169,854·00

  Total

  16,614,224·00

  Road-building Contracts
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the 20 contractors who have received the largest share of motorway and trunk road contracts in the financial year April 1991 to April 1992, giving for each contractor the value of the contracts received.

  Mr. Key
  Since 1 April, responsibility for managing maintaining and improving the national road network in England has rested with the Highways Agency. As the information requested by the hon. Member relates to these responsibilities, I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Ms Joan Walley, dated 30 June 1994
  You put down a Parliamentary Question for answer by the Secretary of State for Transport asking him to list the 20 contractors who received the largest share of motorway and trunk road contracts in the financial year April 1991 to April 1992, giving for each contractor the value of the contracts received.
  As the information you asked for concerns operational matters for which the Highways Agency is now responsible, as promised by the Minister, Robert Key, I am replying to your Question.
  The information requested (but excluding contracts below £1m in value for which records are not currently held centrally) is set out in the attached tables.

  List of top 20 contractors for financial year April 1991 to April 1992

  £

  1. Balfour Beatty Limited

  95,813,750

  2. Tarmac Construction Limited

  95,395,774

  3. John Laing Construction Limited

  59,368,900

  4. Tarmac Quarry Products Limited

  38,209,542

  5. Costain Civil Engineering Limited

  37,534,578

  6. Amey Construction Limited

  23,656,803

  7. Norwest Holst Construction Limited

  21,684,567

  8. Birse Construction Limited

  21,040,596

  9. A F Budge (Contractors) Limited

  19,967,881

  10. Associated Asphalt Limited

  16,614,224

  11. Fitzpatrick Contractors Limited

  14,882,556

  12. Lilley Construction Limited

  12,175,042

  13. Galliford (UK) Limited

  10,767,262

  14. Alfred McAlpine Construction Limited

  10,719,283

  15. Edmund Nuttall Limited

  10,219,417

  16. Eden Construction Limited

  8,504,752

  17. Miller Construction Limited

  7,908,250

  18. Colas Roads Limited

  7,052,620

  19. Henry Boot (Southern) Limited

  7,042,636

  20. Fairclough Civil Engineering Limited

  6,923,494

  67

  Contractor and Scheme name

  Award date

  Award price (£)

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  M62 Widening, Junctions 17–18, Manchester

  17 April 1991

  3,752,243·00

  M25 Junctions 23–25

  3 May 1991

  5,207,194·00

  M61 Junctions 9–6, Southbound

  28 June 1991

  2,412,919·00

  M20 Junctions 5–8, Improvement

  4 July 1991

  68,304,939·00

  M1 Junctions 5–6A

  13 August 1991

  1,936,854·00

  A39 Waderbridge Bypass

  27 September 1991

  8,305,268·00

  A38 Plympton Bypass (Northbound)

  7 February 1992

  970,683·00

  M1 Junction 9—Southbound, Hertfordshire

  13 March 1992

  3,188,861·00

  M5 Cullompton—Hele Straight

  28 March 1992

  1,234,789·00

  Total

  95,813,750·00

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  M25 Sevenoaks—Godstone, Junctions 5–6, Clacket Lane

  5 November 1991

  3,896,152·00

  A20 Folkestone—Courtwood, Contract 2 (Viaduct)

  5 December 1991

  11,550,041·00

  A638 Doncaster, North Bridge Relief Road

  21 February 1992

  5,594,403·00

  Total

  21,040,596·00

  Boot, Henry, (Southern) Ltd.

  M1–A1 Link, Thrapston—Brampton, Contract 8

  5 July 1991

  7,042,636·00

  Total

  7,042,636·00

  Budge, A. F. (Contractors) Ltd.

  A41 Kings Langley Bypass, Contract 3

  19 June 1991

  19,967,881·00

  Total

  19,967,881·00

  Colas Roads Ltd.

  M27 Between Junctions 9–10

  10 April 1991

  1,158,123·00

  M27 Between Junctions 5–7

  19 June 1991

  868,773·00

  M23 London—Crawley Junctions 9–10

  2 September 1991

  2,913,705·00

  A40 Steppe House Farm to A4137, Reconstruction

  13 December 1991

  2,112,019·00

  Total

  7,052,620·00

  Costain Civil Engineering Ltd.

  A3 West of Milford, Carriageway Construction

  4 October 1991

  7,889,074·00

  A23 Warninglid Flyover to Sayers Common

  9 October 1991

  15,685,563·00

  A1 Apex Corner to Stirling Corner

  14 October 1991

  2,920,040·00

  A339 North of Basingstoke, Hampshire

  2 January 1992

  8,597,625·00

  M6 Junctions 9–10 Marker Posts 196/4–199/3

  5 March 1992

  2,442,270·00

  Total

  37,534,578·00

  Eden Construction Ltd.

  A1 Barnsdale Bar to Red House

  11 April 1991

  4,394,771·00

  A1 (M) Blind Lane to Blackfell, Reconstruction

  1 August 1991

  1,882,572·00

  M6 Junctions 42–39, Southbound Carriageway

  14 August 1991

  2,227,409·00

  Total

  8,504,752·00

  Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd.

  A27 South East of Westhampnett

  19 February 1992

  6,923,494·00

  Total

  6,923,494·00

  Fitzpatrick Contractors Ltd.

  A47 East Dereham to North Tuddenham

  21 June 1991

  6,895,877·00

  M1–A1 Link, Contract 5(N), A43 North of Kettering

  26 November 1991

  3,752,253·00

  A2 Whitfield to Guston, Contract 11

  13 March 1992

  1,097,862·00

  M20 Junction 3 (M26)—Junction 4 (A228)

  20 March 1992

  3,136,564·00

  Total

  14,882,556·00

  GallifOrd (U.K.) Ltd.

  A5 Little Brickhill Bypass

  28 June 1991

  5,837,410·00

  M56 Junctions 10–11

  13 August 1991

  3,229,856·00

  M1 Junctions 21–22 between Leicester Forest and Rathby

  1 October 1991

  1,699,996·00

  Total

  10,767,262·00

  Laing, John, Construction Ltd.

  M5 Widening, Junctions 6–8

  6 June 1991

  59,368,900·00

  Total

  59,368,900·00

  Lilley Construction Ltd.

  A1 Blyth Bypass

  14 August 1991

  1,412,961·00

  A500 Potteries D Road between Etruria and Talke

  3 October 1991

  1,045,105·00

  A11 Trunk Road between Four Went Ways and Newmarket Bypass

  27 February 1992

  9,716,976·00

  Total

  12,175,042·00

  68 69

  Contractor and Scheme name

  Award date

  Award price (£)

  McAlpine, Alfred, Construction Ltd.

  A595 Egremont Bypass

  10 July 1991

  6,666,666·00

  A596 Wigton Bypass

  10 July 1991

  4,052,617·00

  Total

  10,719,283·00

  Miller Construction Ltd.

  A590 Dalton-in-Furness Bypass

  11 November 1991

  7,908,250·00

  Total

  7,908,250·00

  Norwest Holst Construction Ltd.

  A20 Courtwood—Dover, Contract 3

  14 May 1991

  21,684,567·00

  Total

  21,684,567·00

  Nuttall, Edmund, Ltd.

  M6 Reconstruction at Junction 20–21A (widening)

  30 April 1991

  1,812,266·00

  A40(M) Westway, M41 Junction—Marylebone Flyover

  20 August 1991

  2,612,555·00

  A420 Kingston Bagpuize Bypass

  31 January 1992

  4,296,787·00

  M5 Oldbury Viaduct, R37

  6 March 1992

  1,497,809·00

  Total

  10,219,417·00

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  M25 Kent Boundary to Marker Post 37/0

  18 April 1991

  3,524,959·00

  M40 London—Oxford, Junctions 1–2, Buckinghamshire

  21 May 1991

  6,610,000·00

  M26 Between Junction 5—Junction 2A

  29 August 1991

  3,124,576·00

  A30 Okehampton—Launceston

  29 August 1991

  26,809,215·00

  A38 Swinfen Island to Cappers Lane

  29 August 1991

  1,827,919·00

  M4 Junction 12, Theale Interchange

  3 September 1991

  1,516,553·00

  M1–A1 Link, Thrapston—Brampton, Contract 9

  9 October 1991

  16,364,732·00

  M1–A1 Link, Contracts 2 and 3, East of Naseby

  19 November 1991

  35,617,820·00

  Total

  95,395,774·00

  Tarmac Quarry Products Ltd.

  M61 Junctions 5 and 6 North West of Manchester

  5 April 1991

  5,929,014·00

  M181 Interchange with M180 to A18

  10 April 1991

  2,197,728·00

  A1 Grantham Bypass, Lincolnshire (Gorse Lane-A52)

  15 May 1991

  1,047,267·00

  A1(M) Major maintenance, Wadworth

  22 May 1991

  1,836,153·00

  M180 Junctions 1–2

  5 June 1991

  1,142,648·00

  A38 Little Eaton to Coxbench, North East of Derby

  18 June 1991

  1,378,150·00

  M11 Junctions 11–12

  26 June 1991

  1,383,682·00

  M1 Junctions 41–43

  15 July 1991

  8,787,070·00

  M6 Stafford Bypass

  24 September 1991

  3,150,544·00

  M62 Junction 34 (Langham)—Junction 35 (Pollington)

  1 October 1991

  1,840,781·00

  A1(M) Doncaster Bypass—Hayworth of Tickhill

  25 November 1991

  1,566,762·00

  M1 Junctions 38–39, 16 km South of Leeds

  31 January 1992

  2,307,460·00

  M55 Junction 3—Resurfacing, Contract No. M610

  7 February 1992

  1,362,954·00

  M56 Junctions 3–4, South of Manchester

  27 February 1992

  4,283,329·00

  Total

  38,209,542·00

  Traffic Flow Study
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake a study of the traffic flow consequences in the United States of allowing car drivers to proceed through red lights in order to turn right at specified junctions provided there is no car approaching the green light at that junction and the junction is not displaying a no right turn red sign; and if he will consider a further study of the traffic flow implications in the United Kingdom of allowing drivers in the United Kingdom to cross a red light to turn left in the equivalent circumstances.

  Mr. Key
  Differences in operating conditions between junctions in the United States and United Kingdom—particularly the use of vehicle-actuated signals in the United Kingdom—mean that, at best, only small improvements could be gained in junction efficiency by allowing drivers to turn left against a red light, and only at
  70
  the risk of an increase in the number of accidents. We shall continue to monitor United States experience as it is reported.

  Motorway Use
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made as to trends in lane discipline on motorways.

  Mr. Key
  Poor lane discipline on motoways is a long-standing problem. Last autumn I discussed it with representatives of the police, the motoring organisations, commercial interests and others. It was agreed that our policy on lane discipline should remain broadly the same.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (I) if he will list his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which are required to produce annual reports;

  (2) if he will list his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which are required to publish their advice to Government;

  (3) if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to consult before legislation proposals; and in respect of which bodies the Government must publish their response to advice supplied by them;

  (4) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department are required to lay their annual reports before Parliament; and if he will list them;

  (5) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory basis; and if he will list them;

  (6) if he will list the advisory bodies which he has set up in his Department since the publication of "Public Bodies 1993".

  Mr. Norris
  The Department of Transport has two active advisory non-departmental public bodies, the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee and the Street Works Advisory Committee. Both committees are required to make annual reports to the Secretary of State. Neither is required to lay them before Parliament. There is no requirement for the Government to consult them on legislation proposals and they are not required to publish their advice. The DPTAC has a statutory basis under the Transport Act 1985. The SWAC is a non-statutory body.

  Cycle Routes
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce more cycle routes in(a) London and (b) the royal parks.

  Mr. Norris
  Responsibility for the provision of cycle routes in London rests primarily with the 33 London local authorities. The Government are supporting provision of the 1,000 mile cycle network in London which is being developed by the London Cycling Forum. Approximately a third of the network is in existence or in preparation. We are also supporting Sustrans' promotion of a "Thames cycle route" between Hampton Court and Dartford.

  The royal parks are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for National Heritage.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles (Fatalities)
  Mr. Hinchcliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatalities resulted from persons being struck by reversing heavy goods vehicles in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Key
  The information is shown in the table.

  Fatalities resulting from accidents involving a reversing HGV1: GB 1983–93 Casualties

  Killed

  1983

  8

  1984

  10

  1985

  6

  72

  Killed

  1986

  7

  1987

  6

  1988

  7

  1989

  12

  1990

  4

  1991

  5

  1992

  8

  1993

  2

  1Goods vehicles with an unladen weight over 1·52 tonnes.

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of his Department's(a) press releases and (ii) written answers are printed on recycled paper.

  Mr. Norris
  None. My Department will examine the scope to use recycled paper.

EDUCATION

  Private Health Insurance Schemes
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidelines he has issued in respect of the use of education funds for payment of contributions to private health insurance schemes for staff members and their families by colleges of further and higher education.

  Mr. Boswell
  It is for individual colleges to decide what they will pay their staff, within the resources available to them and within the framework of the Government's policy on public sector pay.

  Access Funds
  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects the results of the monitoring requirement contained in the Higher Education Funding Council for England circular "Access Funds: Terms and Conditions for Payment" and notes of guidance for the academic year 1993–94 to be published.

  Mr. Boswell
  There are no plans to publish the results of the monitoring returns from higher education institutions on their use of discretionary access funds in 1993–94. In issuing revised guidance on access funds annually, my Department takes into account the report it receives each year from the funding council on the results of its monitoring exercise.

  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education why the publication of the Higher Education Funding Council for England circular "Access Funds: Terms and Conditions for Payment" and notes of guidance for the academic year 1993–94 was delayed until April.

  Mr. Boswell
  In sending guidance on access funds to the Higher Education Funding Council for England in November 1993, we advised that an amendment was likely to be required following the European Economic Area agreement. The funding council decided to delay issue of its circular until details of the amendment were received, at the end of January 1994, so as to incorporate them. The council then issued its circular as soon as the high priority
  73
  work on the 1994–95 funding allocations allowed. It is its intention that allocations and conditions circulars for 1994–95 will be issued at the beginning of the new academic year.

  New Schools
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will state the names and location of recently completed secondary schools, without sixth form provision, of eight or more form entries per year, distinguishing between(a) county schools, (b) voluntary-aided schools, (c) grant-maintained schools and (d) city technology colleges together with their costs, exclusive of site.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information on capital projects since 1987 indicates that the only secondary school, without sixth form provision, of eight or more forms of entry to have recently been completed is Tanbridge school—a county comprehensive—in Horsham, West Sussex. The cost of the school, exclusive of site, was £12·1 million.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what account he takes of the likely proportion of statemented children attending newly built schools to which his cost and other regulations apply.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend judges each case for a new school on its merits. Before approving new accommodation, the Secretary of State takes into account the extent to which the accommodation is consistent with his building guidelines and whether, in the case of accommodation for pupils with special educational needs, it is appropriate for those needs. The need for special accommodation for pupils with statements of special educational needs may form part of that consideration.

  Staff Surveys
  Mr. Radice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what surveys of the views, opinions and attitudes of the staff of his Department have been carried out in the last two years; and if he will place copies of the findings in the Library.

  Mr. Forth
  The most recent staff attitude survey carried out in my Department took place in 1991. A copy of the findings was placed in the Department's library. I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Efficiency Grants
  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance he has given to the Higher Education Funding Council for England to protect research resources in the allocation of planned efficiency grants.

  Mr. Boswell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) on 24 June at column 339.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his latest estimate of the cost(a) to public funds and (b) to private funds of the city technology colleges.
  74
  Mr. Robin Squire
  Total spending on city technology colleges by the Department since 1987–88 and projected expenditure to 1994–95 are shown in the following table. This includes both capital and recurrent expenditure, the latter is broadly equivalent to that incurred in other secondary schools.

  Financial Year

  DFE expenditure Cash (£m)

  1987–88

  1

  1988–89

  14

  1989–90

  30

  1990–91

  58

  1991–92

  56

  1992–93

  50

  11993–94

  50

  21994–95

  52

  1estimated outturn.

  2plans.

  Private sector contributions received by city technology colleges amount to £36·8 million.

  Voluntary-aided Schools
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (I) what arrangements are in place to enable a school to which he grants voluntary-aided status to repay private loans made to enable urgent capital works to be undertaken before his decision on the school's voluntary-aided status application was announced;

  (2) what discretion he has to make loans to voluntary aided schools in respect of initial capital expenditure; what discretion he has to make loans to schools applying for voluntary aided status where applications are regarded by his Department as viable and deserving approval; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has no power to provide a loan to promoters of proposed new voluntary aided schools to assist with costs incurred on capital work carried out before the decision on the statutory proposals has been made.

  If proposals to establish a new voluntary aided school are approved, the promoters may apply for a loan under section 105 of the Education Act 1994 to assist them with their share of capital costs to provide the site or buildings for the new school. The site and buildings project plans and costs, which would be scrutinised by the Department's architects, would require the prior approval of the Secretary of State. A loan may be granted subject to availability of funds, the approval of building plans and the acceptance of a statisfactory loan agreement.

  Teacher Education
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will provide figures on admissions to courses of initial teacher education starting in autumn 1994, broken down by gender for primary and secondary schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information on these courses will not be available to the Department until next year.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what are the admission targets for initial teacher
  75
  education for 1994, 1995 and 1996, for school based and non-school based training; and what difficulties are expected in meeting the targets.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The following recruitment targets for higher education institutions were notified to the Higher Education Funding Council for England—HEFCE—in January 1993.

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  Primary

  12,930

  12,115

  10,855

  Secondary

  16,050

  17,000

  17,935

  TOTAL

  28,980

  29,115

  28,790

  In addition, some 460 places are expected to be provided on approved courses of school-centred ITT—SCITT—in 1994–95. The targets are based on the best available information about the needs of the system and are reviewed annually.

  Targets for 1995–96 and later years will be reviewed and notified to the Teacher Training Agency—TTA—in the autumn, subject to the passage of the Education Bill. It will be for the TTA to determine the allocation of places, both on SCITT courses and those in higher education institutions.

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of his Department's(a) press releases and (b) written answers are printed on recycled paper.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department's policy is to use recycled paper wherever possible. It is used for all headed paper, enveloped, file covers and forms. For printing purposes recycled paper is best suited to conventional printing processes and not to high speed electronic machines. The Department's press releases and written answers are printed using high speed electronic machines using environmentally friendly—chlorine free—paper.

  Pupil Statistics
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education' if he will list pupil to teacher ratios, average class sizes and the percentage of classes with more than 30 pupils for each year since 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I refer the hon. Member to tables 3 and 7 in "Statistical Bulletin 8/94" published in June 1994, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what evidence his Department has on the relationship between class size and pupil attainment.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department has no evidence of a link between class size and pupil attainment in the United Kingdom. The Government agree with the authors of "Curriculum Organisation and Classroom Practice in Primary Schools that quality of teaching is of paramount importance.

  Teacher Statistics
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the gender profile, average length of service and average age of the teaching profession.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The tables show the distribution by gender, the average age and the distribution by length of service of full-time teachers in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools sector in March 1992. It is not possible to calculate accurately the average length of service.

  Table 1: Distribution of full-time teachers by gender in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools

  England and Wales: March 1992

  Percentages

  Men

  Women

  Total

  Nursery and Primary Schools

  Headteachers

  6

  6

  12

  Deputy heads

  3

  7

  10

  Standard scale

  9

  68

  78

  Total teachers

  19

  81

  100

  Secondary Schools

  Headteachers

  2

  1

  2

  Deputy heads

  3

  2

  5

  Standard scale

  46

  47

  93

  Total teachers

  51

  49

  100

  Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools

  Headteachers

  4

  3

  7

  Deputy heads

  3

  4

  8

  Standard scale

  28

  57

  85

  Total teachers

  36

  64

  100

  Table 2: Mean age of teachers in full-time maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools England and Wales: March 1992

  Mean age

  Men

  42

  Women

  41

  All teachers

  41

  Table 3: Distribution of full-time teachers by length of service in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools

  England and Wales: March 1992

  Percentages

  Length of service in years

  Men

  Women

  All teachers

  Under 5

  13

  21

  18

  5 to 9

  10

  19

  16

  10 to 14

  16

  21

  19

  15 to 19

  25

  19

  21

  20 to 24

  16

  11

  13

  25 to 29

  14

  7

  9

  30 and over

  6

  2

  4

  Total

  100

  100

  100

  Parents Charter
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what action he intends to take to correct mistakes in the parents charter relating to parents' legal duty to provide education for their children; what additional cost will be incurred; and if he will make a statement.
  77
  Mr. Robin Squire
  The updated parents charter is a brief introduction to the operation of the school system, and explains many of the important changes that have taken place. It is a popular summary for parents and the general public as a whole, not a definitive guide to the law. My right hon. Friend sees no need to issue a correction in respect of parent's duty to provide education for their children.

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement about teachers' pay in 1994–95.

  Mr. Patten
  I have today laid before Parliament a pay and conditions order bringing the provisions of the school teachers' pay and conditions document 1994 into force from 1 September 1994. Copies of this order are being sent to local education authorities, the chairmen of governors of grant-maintained schools and the teachers' and employers' associations.

  The school teachers' pay and conditions document 1994 was published on 6 June following detailed consultation with the teachers' and employers' associations and representatives of the governors of voluntary schools and grant-maintained schools. The document sets out the statutory pay and conditions of service for teachers in maintained schools in England and Wales which will apply from 1 September.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Debt Forgiveness
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which financial year Her Majesty's Government began including debt forgiveness in relation to officially supported export credits in the United Kingdom's total official development assistance figures.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In 1988–89. The country involved was Mali.

  Sub-Saharan Africa
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the World Health Organisation about the adequacy of its services in sub-saharan Africa; and what undertakings he has received about improvements.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The World Health Organisation's activities in Africa, in common with its activities elsewhere, are examined each year by the WHO executive board, of which the United Kingdom is a member.

  At World Health Assembly and WHO executive board meetings, we have supported WHO's efforts to improve the health conditions of the people in sub-Saharan Africa. At the May 1994 assembly, we supported resolutions requesting WHO to give special assistance to the peoples of Rwanda, and to continue its assistance to the peoples of Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland and to those countries in sub-Saharan Africa affected by drought.
  78
  In reacting to a United Kingdom-chaired working group on WHO's response to global change, the organisation has undertaken to review the role of its country representatives—a matter of particular relevance to sub-Saharan Africa.

  Aid Contributions
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of gross national product in rank order was contributed in aid by each member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's development assistance committee in 1979.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The information requested is as follows:

  Net Official Development Assistance as a percentage of Gross National Product—1979

  DAC countries in rank order

  Percentage

  Sweden

  0·94

  Netherlands

  0·93

  Norway

  0·93

  Denmark

  0·75

  France

  0·59

  Belgium

  0·56

  Australia

  0·52

  United Kingdom

  0·51

  Canada

  0·46

  Germany

  0·44

  New Zealand

  0·33

  Japan

  0·26

  Finland

  0·21

  Switzerland

  0·21

  United States

  0·20

  Austria

  0·19

  Italy

  0·08

  Sudan
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what part of the further tranche of the £15 million provided for relief aid to the Horn of Africa will be spent in those areas under the jurisdiction of the Sudanese Government.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Harrogate (Mr. Banks) on 29 April,Official Report, column 368. The funds are available to meet emergency humanitarian needs in rebel and Government-held areas.

  Statistics
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 22 June,Official Report, column 322, what was the source or sources of the information that (a) Britain's overseas aid expenditure in 1992 on basic needs was 10 per cent. of bilateral aid and (b) the United Kingdom is better than the average of all donors in that area; and if he will place the relevant statistics in the Library.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  (a) The 10 per cent. figure is an estimate based on 1992–93 figures and is calculated as follows:

  Expenditure £ million

  Water and Sanitation1

  25·8

  Health and Population1

  48·9

  Block Grants to Non-Governmental Organisations1

  12·8

  79

  Expenditure £ million

  Grant to International Planned Parenthood Federation1

  8·0

  Basic Education2

  15·8

  Total

  111·3

  1Source: British Aid Statistics 1988–89 to 1992–93, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  2Estimated 15 per cent. of total education spending.

  This represents 10·7 per cent. of ODA's bilaterial aid to developing countries. A more useful measure is aid for basic needs as a percentage of aid which is allocable by sector, estimated to be 16 per cent. in 1992–93. Neither estimate includes £150 million of bilateral emergency aid, most of which goes to meet basic human needs in times of crisis. In addition, much of the 46 per cent. of United Kingdom aid which is channelled through multilateral agencies is for basic needs.

  (b) The average percentage of bilateral aid for human priorities among 15 development assitance committee countries was 7 per cent. between 1989 and 1991.

  Statistics on aid for human priorities can be found in table 4.4 of the "Human Development Report 1994", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 22 June,Official Report, column 253, what was the source or sources of the information given (a) that Britain has one of the best records among the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's development assistance committee donors of allocating aid to the poorest countries and (b) that in each of the past five years between 80 per cent. and 85 per cent. of Britain's bilateral aid which is allocatable by income group has been spent in low-income countries defined as those with an income per capita of less than $765; and if he will place the relevant statistics in the Library.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  (a) The source of this information is table 37 of the development co-operation 1993 report published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. This shows that the United Kingdom ranks fourth among DAC donors in the percentage of total aid to low income countries.

  (b) This information is taken from Table A2 of "British Aid Statistics 1988–89 to 1992–93", published by the ODA.
  Copies of both publications are available in the Library.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Public Service League Tables
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans the Government have to provide more league tables to assess the standards of public service.

  Mr. David Davis
  Publication of comparative information on the performance of schools and colleges is already well established. The first national tables on the performance of hospitals and ambulance authorities have just been published.

  Later this year, the revised passengers charter will be published containing comparative information on the
  80
  performance of railway routes. This will supplement the information on local performance already displayed monthly at each station.

  Next year, the first national tables on the performance of local authorities, including the police, will be published.

  Japan (Co-operation)
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he has taken to increase co-operation with Japan in science and technology.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I am happy to say that I visited Tokyo on 13 June where I signed a formal science and technology agreement with the Japanese Foreign Minister. This marks a further step in our excellent science and technology co-operation with Japan.

  Charter Mark Winners
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what charter mark winners are doing to help advance charter principles in the public sector.

  Mr. David Davis
  Charter mark winners are a constant example to others in the public sector of the successful application of the citizens charter principles. The eight winners in Kent have been particularly helpful in acting as an inspiration to other organisations to implement the charter principles and improve services.

  On a national basis, I am pleased to be able to say that 520 applications have been received for this year's charter mark scheme.

  Government Expenditure
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made through his Department's initiatives in obtaining best value for money in central Government expenditure.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My Department co-ordinates a wide range of initiatives to improve value for money across Government, including the citizens charter, next steps, and competing for quality programmes. They have played their part in achieving a reduction in civil service numbers of nearly 30,000 since 1990, with savings of £150 million now estimated from the competing for quality initiative alone.

  Citizens Charter
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what he estimates to be the total cost of the citizens charter initiative.

  Mr. David Davis
  The citizens charter initiative applies to all public services, and this is reflected in their individual expenditure programmes. Centrally, the cost of the charter unit between the inception of the citizens charter and 31 March 1994 was £8,005,980.

  Duchy Benevolent Fund
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the total of charity donations made within the County Palatine from the Duchy Benevolent Fund during the last financial year.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  For the Duchy year ending 29 September 1993, donations from the Duchy Benevolent Fund made within the County Palatine totalled £127,444.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his latest assessment of the progress that has been made in the Government's market testing exercise; and what are his plans for the future.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  On the basis of the provisional information which is currently available, I am able to estimate that approximately £1·3 billion of activities have been market tested or otherwise examined. Annual savings from the competing for quality programme will be at least £150 million. I expect to report in more detail in the autumn.

  Information
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance was sought from his Department, and what advice was given, in regard to the request made by the Financial Times for details of decisions taken by qualified majority vote at ministerial meetings of the Foreign Affairs, Internal Market, Social Affairs and Agriculture Councils since 1989, under the EU code of conduct on public access to information.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Government have argued in the Council that the response to the Financial Times should be as helpful as possible. This position took account of advice provided by the Cabinet Office.

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of his Department's(a) press releases and (b) written answers are printed on recycled paper.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My Department does not at present use recycled paper for press releases or written answers. However, in accordance with Government policy to use recycled and environmentally friendly paper wherever this is available, of adequate quality and where it represents value for money, all copy paper used by the Department is environmentally friendly. That includes paper used for the issue of press releases and for written answers.

  Electronic Data
  Sir Michael Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will outline work which is currently within his Department to ensure that all Government Departments and their agencies maximise the use of electronic data interchange.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My Department recognises the significant benefits afforded by electronic data interchange, especially where those can improve the efficiency and quality of public services. The OPSS has been actively promoting the use of electronic data interchange through the activities of CCTA, the Government Centre for Information Systems. That work encourages Departments to use EDI as a strategic business tool.

  The CCTA has recently published a best practice guide called "EDI in Government: the Business Opportunities" which draws on the experience collected from the Government interest section run jointly with EDI Association. I hope my hon. Friend will endorse its contents.
  82
  Ministerial colleagues and I are actively considering further ways to exploit the use of EDI in order to maximise the benefits to public service.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment he has made of the implications of the open government initiative in relation to the destruction of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The open government initiative does not override or disturb the existing arrangements for disclosure in legal proceedings.

DEFENCE

  Aviation Medicine
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the future of the RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine;

  (2) what are his plans for the future of the speciality of aviation medicine;

  (3) if the RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine will continue with its present range of activities with particular reference to the full extent of its research work.

  Mr. Aitken
  In March this year, I endorsed a decision to bring together under the management of the chief executive of the Defence Research Agency all elements in the Ministry of Defence dealing with human factors research, including the RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine.

  The RAF speciality of aviation medicine will continue under the control of the Director General of Medical Services (RAF).

  The DRA has formed these elements into a new centre for human sciences which will seek to preserve the already well-established reputation and skill of establishments including the Institute of Aviation Medicine and build on these to offer a comprehensive and expert service to customers both inside and outside my Department.

  These activities remain vote funded by my Department and staff conditions of service remain unchanged. It is planned, however, that by 1 April 1996 at the latest, all human factors research will be formally absorbed into the DRA's trading fund and under this regime it is for customers ultimately to decide what research they are prepared to pay for, although a strong demand and continued support of current activities is anticipated. No decisions have yet been taken about the final location of such work, although staff will be fully consulted before any changes are made.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the United States Department of Energy informed his Department in advance of its intention to release information on 27 June that it had used reactor-grade plutonium imported from the United Kingdom in a test nuclear explosion conducted in 1962 at the Nevada test site.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department was consulted about the announcement by the United States Energy Secretary on 27 June that the United States had conducted in 1962 a
  83
  nuclear test explosion using reactor-grade plutonium of British origin. We agreed to this information being released.

  Our general policy is not to release information on the use of nuclear material for weapons purposes nor to comment on the details of any tests that may have been carried out. The 1962 test confirmed the technical feasibility of constructing a nuclear explosive device using reactor-grade plutonium. This fact was declassified by the United States in 1977. There are, though, significant technical difficulties which would complicate the manufacture and storage of any weapon based on reactor-grade plutonium.

  It remains our policy that all grades of plutonium should be rigorously protected, and in accordance with our international non-proliferation obligations, stringent controls are applied to all forms of plutonium.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has received from the United States Government regarding the use to which plutonium exported to the United States under the United States-United Kingdom mutual defence agreement on

  Service married quarters

  MOD civilian houses

  Former married quarters in the process of sale

  Total

  North Devon

  27

  0

  0

  27

  Exeter

  7

  0

  0

  7

  Honiton

  14

  0

  3

  17

  Plymouth Devonport

  182

  5

  17

  204

  Plymouth Drake

  52

  0

  0

  52

  Plymouth Sutton

  54

  0

  0

  54

  Torridge and West Devon

  11

  0

  0

  11

  Falmouth and Camborne

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North Cornwall

  173

  0

  0

  173

  St. Ives

  83

  0

  0

  83

  South East Cornwall

  6

  0

  0

  6

  A large number of the vacant married quarters were either undergoing or awaiting major maintenance work or modernisation or were already allotted to service families due to move in shortly.

  Royal Marines
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to move the Royal Marines from Seaton barracks in Plymouth to Chivenor in north Devon; and when he expects to make an announcement.

  Mr. Hanley
  My Department is currently considering alternative defence uses of the Chivenor estate, including possible use by units of the Royal Marines. We hope to make an announcement soon.

  Boarding School Allowance Scheme
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to reduce funding for the boarding school allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  There are no current plans to change the rules concerning eligibility for my Department's boarding school allowance scheme. The rates at which the allowance is paid are reviewed annually. The hon. Member will be
  84
  atomic energy matters dated 1958, as amended in 1959, has been put since 1964 according to information provided by the United States Government.

  Mr. Aitken
  The assurance given in 1964 by the United States Government to the United Kingdom Government, that plutonium produced in United Kingdom civil reactors and supplied to the United States under the 1958 agreement would not be used for weapons purposes, remains valid. No such restrictions apply to plutonium originating from the United Kingdom military reactors at Calder Hall and Chapelcross. The use to which this plutonium has been put is a matter for the United States Government.

  Departmental Accommodation
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many vacant dwellings are owned by his Department in each parliamentary constituency in Devon and Cornwall.

  Mr. Hanley
  As at 31 March 1994, my Department owned the following vacant dwellings in each parliamentary constituency in Devon and Cornwall:

  aware that service career and manpower structures and terms and conditions of service are the subject of an independent review which I announced on 30 March, Official Report, column 752.

  Devonport Dockyard
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral answer of 21 June,Official Report, columns 111–12, how many of the 850 job losses announced recently by the management of Devonport dockyard his Department estimates were due to efficiency measures.

  Mr. Aitken
  Employment levels at Devonport dockyard are primarily a matter for Devonport Management Ltd.

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of his Department's(a) press releases and (b) written answers are printed on recycled paper.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is departmental policy for recycled paper to be used wherever it can be obtained at reasonable cost and is adequate to the task. Press releases and written answers are almost invariably printed on recycled paper.

  Procurement Contracts
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the annual value of defence procurement contracts placed into small and medium-sized enterprises since 1979 expressed in constant 1994 prices;

  (2) what percentage of defence procurement contracts were placed by his Department with small and medium sized enterprises in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Aitken
  I regret that the information could be made available only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department intends to take to increase the number of defence procurement contracts placed into small and medium-sized enterprises; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  Our aim in placing contracts is to secure best value for money for the defence budget. My Department's defence suppliers service has a specific remit to advise smaller firms on how to sell their products and services to the MOD.

  Haymes Garth
  Sir Jim Spicer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further information he has on the total cost of rebuilding and refurbishing Haymes Garth near Cheltenham, the official residence of the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, RAF Personnel and Training Command, Innsworth.

  Mr. Hanley
  A detailed internal investigation of the recent refurbishment of Haymes Garth has been carried out. This has shown that the total cost of the restructuring and refurbishment programme is likely to be some £387,000 during the two financial years 1992–93 and 1993–94, not £260,000 as indicated in my previous answer of 29 March,Official Report, column 732. The exact figure will be dependent on the final settlement of some minor bills still outstanding. In addition, in 1993–94, some £9,000 was spent on routine maintenance. I very much regret that the figure given to the House in my earlier answer was incorrect; the full figures had not been reported to me at the time.

  The circumstances in which the expenditure was authorised, incurred and notified have yet to be fully clarified. A high-level independent external investigation has been commissioned to look urgently into the apparent failure of the financial control system and to recommend appropriate action to ensure that there is no repeat.

  We have also set in hand a separate audit of expeniditure on official service residences to ensure that in other instances financial control mechanisms have functioned as they should.

  I intend to make a full report to the House on the conclusions of all this work, and any action found necessary, as soon as possible after the House returns in the autumn. At the same time, I will reort to the House on the wider question of official service residences.

  Danger Areas (Air Space)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the(a) statutory requirements and (b) requirements set out in service orders, for the operating authorities of military firing ranges and training areas to report infringements of danger area air space.
  86
  Mr. Hanley
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who are the members currently appointed to the advisory council for the Royal Navy engineering college, Manadon.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 28 January 1994]: The members of the advisory council for the Royal Navy Engineering College are as follows:

  Professor Sir Hermann Bondi KCB FRS (Chairman)

  R. J. Bull BSc FCCA

  Dr. J. Daniel

  Professor M. G. Farley CEng FRAeS FIMechE FIProdE DBIM

  Dr. A. F. Frodsham CBE

  Professor W. Gosling DSc FIEE FInstD

  Sir Richard Morris CBE

  Sir Alistair Pilkington FRS

  Professor G. S. Sims OBE MSc PhD DSc LID FIEE FCGI FEng

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who are the members currently appointed to the Armed Forces Pay Review Body.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 3 February 1994]: The current members of the Review Body are as follows:

  Gordon Hourston (Chairman)

  Michael Bolton

  John Cox CBE

  John Crosby

  Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde

  Dorothy Venables

  Air Chief Marshal Sir Roger Palin KCB OBE

WALES

  Unemployment (Alyn and Deeside)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he has taken to find work for the long-term unemployed of Alyn and Deeside.

  Mr. Redwood
  The North-East Wales training and enterprise council and the Employment Service provide a range of services to help the long-term unemployed of Alyn and Deeside back into work. These include the training for work programme, which offers the widest-ever range of measures available and focuses specifically on providing help to the long-term unemployed.

  My Department and the Welsh Development Agency also provide a diverse range of measures aimed at combating unemployment through stimulation of the local economy.

  Local Government Reform
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he proposes to take to deal with those councils which are using council reserves to undertake a general regrading of local authority staff in advance of consideration of staff transfer orders for the new unitary authorities elected under the local Government (Wales) Bill[Lords].

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Shadow Staff Commission for Wales is consulting local authorities about a draft circular on regrading in the period before local government reorganisation. If the commission decides to issue advice on this matter after Royal Assent to the Local Government (Wales) Bill[Lords], it would be open to my right hon. Friend to direct authorities to comply with the advice.
  87
  I informed the Association of District Councils at its conference on 29 June that my right hon. Friend and I are concerned about the marked increase in use of reserves by Welsh local authorities. Use of reserves is a matter for councillors. We do not propose to give special help to any new authority which finds that it has inherited only limited reserves from its predecessors.

  Parents Charter
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet representatives of the teaching unions in Wales before drawing up a parents charter for Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend and I are always ready to consider requests from teaching unions for

  Table 1: Crop areas at June 1993

  Hectares taken up by:

  Cereals

  Potatoes

  Linseed

  Sugar beet

  Horticultural produce

  Oilseeds

  Clwyd

  8,019

  251

  194

  66

  371

  220

  Dyfed

  17,156

  2,097

  679

  1—

  366

  325

  Gwent

  5,544

  488

  202

  1—

  265

  268

  Gwynedd

  4,371

  270

  0

  1—

  98

  1—

  Mid Glamorgan

  1,555

  65

  64

  0

  69

  125

  Powys

  8,837

  333

  86

  1—

  73

  248

  South Glamorgan

  3,344

  64

  97

  0

  62

  110

  West Glamorgan

  1,019

  281

  0

  0

  210

  1—

  Wales

  49,845

  3,849

  1,322

  104

  1,512

  1,358

  Source: June Agricultural and Horticultural Census.

  Note.—Figures exclude minor holdings. County figures may not sum to Wales total due to rounding.

  1Data withheld to avoid disclosure of information relating to any particular land or business.

  Table 2: Holdings at June 1993

  Number of holdings growing:

  Cereals

  Potatoes

  Linseed

  Sugar beet

  Horticultural produce

  Oilseeds

  Clwyd

  583

  124

  13

  8

  89

  12

  Dyfed

  1,535

  526

  54

  1—

  203

  26

  Gwent

  294

  141

  14

  1—

  71

  15

  Gwynedd

  461

  218

  0

  1—

  57

  1—

  Mid Glamorgan

  50

  25

  3

  0

  18

  4

  Powys

  629

  131

  8

  1—

  46

  13

  South Glamorgan

  117

  28

  9

  0

  25

  9

  West Glamorgan

  115

  112

  0

  0

  69

  1—

  Wales

  3,784

  1,305

  101

  15

  578

  85

  Source: June Agricultural and Horticultural Census.

  Note.—Figures exclude minor holdings.

  1Data withheld to avoid disclosure of information relating to any particular land or business.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the payment rates made per hectare under the arable area payments scheme for(a) cereals, (b) oilseeds, (c) proteins, (d) linseed, (e) set-aside and (f) the simplified scheme paid in (i) the first year and (ii) the second year of the scheme in Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  Payment rates under the arable area payments scheme in 1992–93 and 1993–94 are as follows:

  1992–93

  1993–94

  (£)

  LFA (£)

  Non-LFA (£)

  Cereals

  110·28

  108·35

  168·73

  Oilseeds

  453·12

  445·39

  445·39

  Protein

  286·73

  201·22

  313·35

  88
  discussions about matters of common interest, but it is not always necessary to meet for views to be made known to us and we always welcome written comments from teaching unions and others.

  Agriculture
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, column 92, if he will now give (i) the number of hectares taken up and (ii) the number of holdings in each county in Wales in 1993 for (a) cereals, (b) potatoes, (c) linseed, (d) sugar beet, (e) horticultural produce and (f) oilseeds.

  Mr. Redwood
  The requested information, derived from the final results of the June 1993 agricultural census, is shown in the following tables.

  1992–93

  1993–94

  (£)

  LFA (£)

  Non-LEA (£)

  Set-Aside

  198·50

  176·46

  274·78

  Simplified Scheme

  110·28

  108·35

  168·73

  Linseed was not included in the 1992–93 scheme and the rate for 1993–94 is not yet available. The rates payable in 1994 may be reduced if base areas are exceeded and the rate for oilseeds may be adjusted to reflect changes in the reference price.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the take-up of the arable area
  89
  payments scheme in hectares for (a) the simplifed scheme, (b) cereals, (c) oilseeds, (d) proteins, (e) linseed and (f) set-aside in Wales for 1994.

  Mr. Redwood
  The estimated take up of arable area payments in hectares for 1994 arable area payments scheme in Wales is as follows:

  Hectares

  (a) Simplified Scheme

  22,289

  (b) Cereals

  15,231

  (c) Oilseeds

  1,365

  (d) Protein

  843

  (e) Linseed

  2,250

  (f) Set-Aside

  3,474

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is(a) the amount of land in hectares in each county, (b) the number of farmers and (c) the cost of the five-year set-aside scheme in Wales in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Payments made to farmers in Wales under the five-year set-aside schemes for the financial year

  Scheme

  Caernarfon £

  Carmarthen £

  Llandrindod Wells £

  (a) subsidy schemes

  Sheep Annual Premium

  32,054,660

  19,837,965

  42,422,627

  HLCA

  10,680,187

  7,034,460

  16,430,743

  Suckler Cow Premium

  3,016,226

  2,343,353

  5,832,802

  Farm Woodland Scheme

  12,239

  10,081

  17,162

  Milk Community Outgoers

  23,262

  41,298

  2,220

  (b) grants

  Farm Conservation

  32,597

  80,297

  78,416

  Grants scheme (1991) EC (1989): National

  1,129,559

  2,297,080

  1,144,240

  (1989): EC

  161,591

  238,493

  374,595

  Agricultural Improvement Scheme: EC

  268,812

  779,219

  332,479

  National

  7,366

  9,315

  22,290

  Agricultural and Horticultural Development Scheme

  319,237

  249,167

  377,633

  Farm Diversification:

  Capital

  47,443

  154,953

  72,190

  Marketing and feasibility

  4,500

  3,980

  9,978

  ESA

  395,663

  576,282

  533,548

  5 Year Set Aside

  36,914

  196,177

  167,062

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) farmers and (b) holdings there were in each county in Wales in 1993.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information is shown in the following table.

  Farmers and farm holdings in Wales, June 1993

  Farmers, partners and directors1

  Holdings

  Clwyd

  4,376

  3,780

  Dyfed

  12,099

  11,064

  Gwent

  2,439

  2,185

  Gwynedd

  5,169

  4,885

  Mid Glamorgan

  1,046

  943

  Powys

  6,758

  5,685

  South Glamorgan

  618

  498

  West Glamorgan

  974

  876

  Wales

  33,479

  29,916

  1Farmers, partners and directors working whole-time or part-time on farm holdings on 1 June 1993. Excludes wives/husbands of farmers, of partners and of directors, even if the wives/husbands themselves may be partners or directors

  90
  1993–94 amounted to £349,937. Those payments relate primarily to land set aside during the scheme year October 1993 to September 1994 under 61 agreements covering some 1,936 hectares. Estimated expenditure for 1994–95 is about £286,000 based on 52 agreements for the 1993–94 scheme year covering about 1,608 hectares. The reduction is the result of some farmers completing their five-year agreements and others taking advantage of the option to terminate early in order to join the arable area payments scheme. It is not possible to give a breakdown to county level without disclosing information relating to any particular land or business.

  Subsidies and Grants
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what amount of money was paid out by each of his divisional offices for each(a) agricultural subsidy scheme and (b) grant scheme to farmers in 1992–93.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information requested is set out in the following table.
  Note: Excludes minor holdings.Source: June Agricultural and Horticultural Census.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 14 June,Official Report, column 554, what was the purpose of each of his visits to the Bridgend constituency.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have made three official and three political visits to the Bridgend constituency since I became Welsh Secretary.

  Development Board for Rural Wales
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines he has given to the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency and to the board of the Development Board for Rural Wales concerning the co-ordination of policy and resources management in the present financial year and during 1995–96.
  91
  Mr. Redwood
  I discuss a wide range of issues with the chairmen and the boards of the Welsh Development Agency and the Development Board for Rural Wales. I have considered with each of them their objectives and priorities and set targets for 1994–95. I will be making a statement about this matter shortly.

  Cardiff Bay Barrage
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with(a) the chairman of the Cardiff Bay development corporation and (b) the Balfour Beatty/Costain consortium in relation to the commencement of construction of the Cardiff bay barrage indemnities sought and given thereto in respect of European environmental infraction proceedings under article 169 of the treaty of Rome; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  I myself have had no such discussions with either the chairman of the Development Corporation or the Balfour Beatty/Costain consortium.

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of his Department's(a) press releases and (b) written answers are printed on recycled paper.

  Mr. Redwood
  The answers are(a) 100 per cent.; (b) nil. Recycled paper suitable for general use, which includes the preparation of written answers, could not be found at reasonable cost. The position is kept under review.

  Bed Provision
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the hospitals in Wales which have had to refer patients elsewhere because beds were not available during the last year, giving the number of days on which this has occurred and the places to which patients were referred in each case.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is not held centrally but could be provided by the hospitals concerned.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 28 June,Official Report, column 516, if he has received information from NHS trusts about changes in the number of people whom they employ.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  As there is no requirement on trusts to provide such information, the position across Wales is not known.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the standard spending assessment for each police force in Wales for 1994–95 and for each financial year since 1990, together with the police components of grant-related expenditure assessments for the years 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There are no standard spending assessments for police authorities in Wales. The 92
  assessments for county councils include provision for police services. Assessments are unhypothecated as were grant-related expenditure assessments. Expenditure on police and other services is determined by county councils in the light of their statutory responsibilities, local needs and available resources.

EMPLOYMENT

  National Union of Teachers
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 27 June, column 450, what are the appropriate qualifications to be an auditor of a return of trade union numbers to the certification officer; and if he will list the names of the auditors used by the National Union of Teachers in its returns in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Eligibility for an appointment as an auditor of a trade union is set out in the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. Section 34(1) provides that a person is not qualified to be the auditor, or one of the auditors, of a trade union unless he is eligible for appointment as a company auditor under section 25 of the Companies Act 1989.

  Before the commencement of the provisions in the 1992 Act in October 1992, the eligibility qualifications were set out in part I, schedule 2 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1974. This provided that a person would not be qualified to be the auditor, or one of the auditors of a trade union unless he is either:

  a. a member of one or more specified bodies (ie the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales; the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland; the Association of Certified Accountants; the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland; and any other body of accountants established in the United Kingdom and for the time being recognised for the purposes of the Companies Act 1985 by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State); or

  b. a person who is for the time being authorised by the Secretary of State under the 1985 Act as being a person with similar qualifications obtained outside the United Kingdom.

  I understand from the certification officer, an independent statutory officer, that since 1985 the auditors of the accounts contained in the annual returns submitted by the National Union of Teachers have been Knox Cropper of 16 New Bridge street, London EC4V 6AZ, chartered accountants and registered auditor.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 27 June, column 450, in which years each of the late returns of the National Union of Teachers were made; what were the reasons given in each case; and what penalties are imposed on trade unions making late returns.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I understand from the certification officer, an independent statutory officer, that the annual returns by the National Union of Teachers were submitted after the due date of 1 June in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992.

  I also understand from the certification officer that he will consider representations from a trade union where circumstances make it difficult for a return to be submitted, in any year, by the statutory date. However, any reasons given at the time for the delay in making any of the NUT returns are not now available.

  Under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, any trade union that refuses or

  93
  wilfully neglects to submit an annual return by the due date is liable for prosecution and, on conviction, a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 27 June, column 450, how many of the members of the National Union of Teachers in the annual returns to the certification officer are retired teachers; and what figures his Department keeps on the numbers of people employed as teachers.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I understand from the certification officer, an independent statutory officer, that information regarding the number of members of the National Union of Teachers who are retired teachers is not available from the annual return submitted to him by that union.

  Information on the number of people who are employed in teaching occupations is available from the quarterly labour force survey. Latest estimates from this show that there were 997,000 teaching professionals in Great Britain at winter 1993–94.

  It is possible to perform detailed analysis of LFS data by a number of demographic characteristics including region of residence, age, sex and ethnic origin. All this information can be accessed via the Quantime LFS service available in the Library.

  Sunday Trading
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the effect of the changes in respect of Sunday trading on the employment rights of workers who deliver food and drink supplies to stores which will open seven days a week; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The employment rights of workers who deliver food and drink to stores which will open seven days a week will not be altered by the changes in respect of Sunday trading.

  Asbestosis
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the incidence and geographical distribution of deaths from asbestosis and related diseases for the last 10 years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The numbers of death certificates mentioning asbestosis or the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma in each of the last 10 years is shown in the following table:

  Year

  Asbestosis

  Mesothelioma

  1982

  128

  504

  1983

  121

  578

  1984

  129

  626

  1985

  140

  615

  1986

  166

  703

  1987

  144

  809

  1988

  152

  862

  1989

  157

  899

  1990

  164

  880

  1991

  163

  1,018

  Total

  1,464

  7,494

  The geographical breakdown of these deaths was as follows:
  94

  Region

  Asbestosis

  Mesothelioma

  North

  267

  811

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  155

  604

  North West

  170

  839

  West Midlands

  83

  343

  East Midlands

  50

  381

  South West

  114

  704

  East Anglia

  30

  231

  South East

  380

  2,561

  Wales

  63

  217

  Scotland

  152

  803

  Total (Great Britain)

  1,464

  7,494

  Exposure to asbestos can also lead to lung cancer. Industrial cases cannot be distinguished medically from lung cancers due to other causes, principally smoking. The total of such cases is estimated from epidemiological evidence to be roughly twice the number of mesotheliomas.

  Job Seekers Allowance
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the proposed job seekers allowance as it will affect north-east Wales.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  From 1996, job seekers allowance will replace unemployment benefit and income support for the unemployed. It will encourage wider and more effective job search, and bring improvements in the delivery of benefit to unemployed people throughout the United Kingdom.

  Employment Service (Alyn and Deeside)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in Alyn and Deeside have been placed in work by the Employment Service in the last 12 months.

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

  Letter from A. G. Johnson to Mr. Barry Jones, dated 4 July 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about how many people in Alyn and Deeside have been placed into work by the Employment Service in the last 12 months. I am replying in the Chief Executive's absence.
  There were 2,605 job placings made by the Employment Service in Alyn and Deeside in the 12 month period ending 3 June 1994. 2,300 of these were placings of unemployed people, 341 of which were people unemployed for more than six months and 52 of which were unemployed people with disabilities.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Acquired Rights Directive
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the Government's policy on the implementation of the acquired rights directive, following the recent decision of the European Court of Justice on the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981; and what steps he will take to ensure that the terms of the directive are being complied with when a transfer of work from the public to the private sector takes place.
  95
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The directive was implemented by the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981. Amendments to the regulations in the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993 had already dealt with all but one of the points in the European Court of Justice judgment of 8 June. The Government are presently considering what changes need to be made in respect of the outstanding issue which concerns consultation arrangements.

  Detailed guidance on the application of TUPE to market testing was issued by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in the note entitled "Guidance on the Relevance of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations to Market Testing of Public Services", published on 11 March 1993, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of his Department's(a) press releases and (b) written answers are printed on recycled paper.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In line with Government policy, all the Department's(a) press notices and (b) parliamentary questions are printed on environmentally friendly paper.

HEALTH

  Official Secrets Act 1989
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many persons were bound by, or required to sign declarations relating to, the Official Secrets Act 1989 in her Department and the NHS management executive in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Sackville
  All employees of the Department, including people seconded into the Department, are subject to the terms of the Official Secrets Act 1989. The amendments made in the 1989 Act mean that employees are no longer required to sign an "Official Secrets Act Declaration". They do sign an acknowledgement that they understand the terms and conditions on which they are employed including the terms of the Official Secrets Act.

  Paramedics
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many qualified paramedics there are per head of population in(a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland, (d) England and (e) the United Kingdom as a whole; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  These figures are not routinely collected centrally, but an informal survey in England showed that there were approximately 4,380 paramedics at the end of 1993–0·91 per 10,000 population. Comparative figures for other countries and the United Kingdom are not available. A target has been set of, having an extended trained paramedic on every front-line ambulance by 1995.

  Mental Health Task Force
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the mental health task force reported about its work in London; and when she expects to publish its report.

  Mr. Bowis
  The mental health task force is due to report to Ministers later this summer.

  Skin Cancer
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received from Dr. Julian Verbov, consultant dermatologist, skin cancer co-ordinator Liverpool and Sefton, Broadgreen Hospital NHS trust concerning skin cancer; when those representations were received; and when she expects to reply.

  Mr. Sackville
  A number of letters were received from Dr. Verbov this year. A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 8 June which addressed the issues raised by Dr. Verbov.

  Surgeons (Guidance)
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to ensure that surgeons adhere to the guidance issued by the Royal College of Surgeons regarding the training of specialists in minimally invasive techniques.

  Mr. Sackville
  Chief executives of national health service trusts and general managers of directly managed units are responsible for ensuring high standards of practice within hospitals. District health authorities also have a responsibility, through the contracting process, to ensure that their populations have access to high quality care.

  Standards of postgraduate and continuing medical education are the responsibility of the medical royal colleges, which are independent bodies. A representative of the appropriate royal college sits on consultant appointment advisory committees. We have welcomed the Senate of Royal Surgical Colleges' statement on quality assurance. This will provide useful support for NHS management and dovetails well with our current initiative on continuing medical education.

  Complementary Medicine Policy Unit
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the role, manpower and budget of the complementary medicine policy unit; when the unit was established; and what work it has undertaken to date.

  Mr. Sackville
  A complementary medicines unit has existed in the Medicines Control Agency since it was established as an executive agency in April 1989, and before this was part of the former medicines division of the Department of Health. The unit does not have a separate budget, and its staffing varies according to the resource requirements of work being undertaken. Principal tasks carried out by the unit in the past year include the implementation of the EC homoeopathics directive and the introduction of a new registration scheme for homoeopathic products. The unit provides the secretariat to the Advisory Board on the Registration of Homoeopathic Products and it also forms a focus for advice and expertise
  97
  on questions relating to complementary medicines. Other units within the agency have been responsible for major tasks in recent years, including a review of all herbal medicinal products covered by product licences of right.

  National Health Service Managers
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to publish a strategy for training and retraining NHS managers throughout their career.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The management development strategy for the national health service was launched by Sir Duncan Nichol in 1991, and copies are available in the Library.

  Comfrey
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans she has to review the ban on the sale of comfrey products;

  (2) what recent representations she has received concerning the ban on the availability of comfrey products; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have no plans at present to reconsider the withdrawal of certain comfrey products. We are currently considering the results of a survey received recently from the Society for the Promotion of Nutritional Therapy.

  Pharmaceuticals
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to ensure that practitioners will adhere to the guidelines published in conjunction with the association of the British pharmaceutical industry regarding economic evaluation of pharmaceuticals; and how national health service purchasers will be trained to ensure that they can distinguish good from bad practice in economic evaluations of pharmaceuticals.

  Mr. Sackville
  If claims are made about the cost-effectiveness of a pharmaceutical product any doctor may call on the company to produce the full study justifying those claims. If they remain dissatisfied, they may refer the matter to the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority, which has agreed to take note of the guidelines. The Department has established a centre for reviews and dissemination at the university of York whose functions include maintaining a register of quality assured cost-effectiveness studies and communicating the results to relevant audiences, including national health service purchasers. In addition, purchasers are able to seek advice on the availability and quality of research through regional research and development networks facilitated by regional directors of research and development.

  Research and Development
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were employed directly or indirectly to administer research and development in the national health service in 1992–93 and 1993–94; and what was the cost of employing these staff.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many civil servants were employed in the 98
  administration of her Department's research and development programme in (a) 1990–91, (b) 1991–92, (c) 1992–93, (d) 1993–94 and (e) at the latest available date; how many contract staff were employed in research and development administration in each of those years; and what was the expenditure on these staff in each year.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The numbers of civil servants and contract staff employed in the Department's research and development division, and the expenditure on these staff are as follows:

  Civil Servants

  Contract stuff

  Year

  Number

  Cost £ million

  Number

  Cost £

  1990–91

  56

  1·18

  1

  4,165

  1991–92

  70

  1·68

  1

  16,827

  1992–93

  85

  2·04

  4

  83,105

  1993–94

  78

  2·32

  3

  40,523

  Current year

  76

  12·36

  2

  9,050

  1Planned spend for 1994–95.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health service researchers are funded by(a) departmental and (b) national health service research and development expenditure; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No central record is kept of the number of researchers engaged in health service research across the 230 contracts of the Department's centrally commissioned programme of health and social services research. Some 57 health service researchers are currently involved in national health service executive centrally funded research and development projects under the national health service research and development programme. No central records are kept of the number of health service researchers employed by the national health service itself.

  Cancer Treatment
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the evidence supporting the conclusion that the creation of specialist centres for cancer treatment produce better outcomes than non-specialist centres.

  Mr. Sackville
  The recommendations set out in the consultation document "A Policy Framework for Commissioning Cancer Services" produced by the Chief Medical Officers' expert advisory group on cancer, were based on the knowledge and experience of the advisory group members and research findings, published and unpublished. Copies of the framework document are available in the Library.

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of her Department's(a) press releases and (b) written answers are printed on recycled paper.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department's policy is to use only paper manufactured by elemental chlorine free—ECF—and totally chlorine free—TCF—processes, from countries who operate a tree farming policy, that is, planting two trees for every one used to make paper. All paper used for the Department's press releases and written answers is ECF.
  99
  Letterhead stationery is produced on pure recycled paper.

  Confidentiality
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will issue guidance to ensure that case material and photographs gained by pathologists are subject to the same rules of confidentiality as medical records.

  Mr. Sackville
  All health information held by the national health service, including case material and photographs, is confidential and must be treated as such by all NHS personnel.

  Patient Transport
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what vetting procedures are operated on the staff of taxi firms which operate patient transport services.

  Mr. Sackville
  The purchaser of any patient transport service should satisfy itself that the private contractor will employ staff who are sufficiently qualified and of good character. The competence required of staff can be specified in the contract conditions. Further guidance is in the code of practice for private ambulance operators—EL(93)109—and revised guidance on market testing in the national health service—EL(93)55. Copies of the guidance are available in the Library.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many accidents have occurred involving patient transport services operated other than by ambulance services.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specialist training is given to staff of non-ambulance service passenger transport services.

  Mr. Sackville
  The purchasers of non-ambulance service patient transport services should identify their requirements and satisfy themselves that the staff providing the service are suitably trained to meet the standard expected. The Department's code of practice for private ambulance operators—EL(93)109—copies of which are available in the Library, gives further guidance to prospective purchasers.

  London Ambulance Service
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what effect the overtime ban in the passenger transport operations of the London ambulance service is having on the ability of the service to meet contractual targets;

  (2) how much money the patient transport operations of the London ambulance service received for new vehicles in each of the last three years; and how many vehicles were purchased in each year;

  (3) what is the annual cost of management accommodation for the London ambulance service; what new buildings have been bought or leased in the last 12 months; and what was the cost of each building or lease.

  Mr. Sackville
  South Thames regional health authority has management responsibility for the London Ambulance 100
  Service. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. William Wells, chairman of the authority, for the information required.

  Car Parking
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance she has issued or intends to issue on the matters national health service trusts and health authorities should consider before introducing car parking charges;

  (2) what the policy of her Department is regarding the introduction of charges for car parking at hospitals.

  Mr. Sackville
  Charges for car parking on national health service premises are a matter for local determination in the light of local circumstances, including the needs of patients, visitors and staff and the availability and cost of providing such facilities.

  Community Nurses
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the current staffing plans for community nurses for each self-governing trust in the Greater London area for 1994–95, broken down by occupation of district nurses, health visitors, school nurses and community psychiatric nurses.

  Mr. Sackville
  Trusts are responsible for the deployment of staff to meet their contracts.

  Transport
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has carried out on the modes of transport used by patients, visitors and staff to reach hospitals and other NHS facilities.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department funded a research project on "Outpatients and their Doctors", which included a section on transport arrangements, and was published by HMSO in 1993. Copies of the project are available in the Library.

  Breastfeeding
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what policy initiatives her Department is undertaking to encourage an improvement in the uptake of breastfeeding; and what plans she has to set targets for rates of breastfeeding at three and six months among mothers of new babies.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department continues to support breastfeeding as the best way of feeding a baby. The national breastfeeding working group set up as part of the "Health of the Nation" strategy is working on a number of initiatives aimed to promote and protect breastfeeding including the drafting of guidance to the national health service which is likely to encourage district health authorities to consider setting local targets for breastfeeding rates.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department submitted evidence to the Health and Safety Commission in response to the consultative document on proposals to implement the health and safety aspects of the EC pregnant workers directive; and what effect she expects the proposed amendments to the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations to have on breastfeeding rates among mothers of new babies.
  101
  Mr. Sackville
  The Department has had discussions with the Health and Safety Executive about the proposals in its consultation document.

  We do not foresee that those amendments will have any significant effect on the breastfeeding rates.

  Non-medical Income
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total income to the national health service was from(a) car parking, (b) patient television hire and (c) other non-medical services in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  The net income received from car parking charges was £1,238,000 in 1991–92, the only year for which figures are available centrally. Information on the net income for patient television hire and other non-medical services is not available centrally.

  Transport Infrastructure
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued or intends to issue on taking into account the local transport infrastructure when considering the relocation, siting or closure of services.

  Mr. Sackville
  In considering the location of health services both purchasers and providers are required to consider accessibility to the local population. Guidance is contained in the capital investment manual, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  "Making London Better"
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the expected savings in the acute sector in the current financial year from the implementation of "Making London Better"; what increases in resources in the primary health care sector she expects to result in the current financial year; and if she will identify the main categories of spending expected to benefit from the implementation of "Making London Better".

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information on the breakdown of planned expenditure for the current year between acute and other services is not available centrally. Changes to the pattern of expenditure will depend on purchasing decisions taken locally by health authorities and general practitioner fundholders. As stated in "Making London Better", significant additional investment in primary and community services is taking place, including an additional £170 million capital investment over six years and an extra £7·5 million over three years for voluntary sector initiatives.

  Lee Review
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she plans to announce the findings of the Lee review of the Health Education Authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  An announcement will be made when we have completed our consideration of the report.

  Bath Community NHS Trust
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the recent reorganisation of community health services within Bath Community NHS 102
  trust, the implications for child protection advice and relations with general practitioner fundholders arising from it.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The organisation of services in the Bath area is a local matter.

  Hospital League Tables
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to include(a) the hours worked by junior doctors, (b) the number of patients dying on the waiting list for heart surgery, (c) the percentage of patients seen and treated by consultants and (d) the readmission rate after day surgery in the hospital league tables.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We will consider what indicators to include in future national health service performance tables in the light of discussions with the professions, the NHS and the general public.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each NHS trust in the former South West Thames region, those chairman and non-executive directors who live outside the boundaries of the district health authority in which that trust is situated.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Some 131 out of the 154—85 per cent.—chairmen and non-executive directors appointed to national health service trusts within the former South West Thames region live within the boundaries of the district health authorities in which that trust is situated. The names of the appointees who live outside the relevant district health authority boundaries are listed.

  Kingston Hospital NHS Trust

  Mr. Rowan Cole

  Mr. Peter Jarvis

  Mr. Alan Skinner

  Mrs. Maureen Ekberg

  Mr. David Heyworth

  St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust

  Mrs. Elizabeth Vallance

  Ms Fiona Colquhoun

  Sir William Asscher

  Surrey Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Mr. Colin Pincombe

  St. Helier NHS Trust

  Mr. Ralph Hill

  Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Trust

  Mr. Ian McCutcheon

  Homewood NHS Trust

  Mr. Paul Klinger

  Mr. Paul Dickensen

  Dr. Nan Carle

  Frimley Park Hospital NHS Trust

  Mrs. Pauline Sennett

  Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust

  Professor Michael Whiting

  Ms Barbara Myers

  Royal West Sussex NHS Trust

  Mrs. Susan Snowden

  Mrs. Elizabeth Davis

  Mr. David Watts

  Chichester Priority Cure NHS Trust

  103

  Sir Patrick Symons

  Mrs. Jacqueline Kennett

  Mr. Richard Paine

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each NHS trust in the former Oxford region those chairmen and non-executive directors who live outside the boundaries of the district health authority in which that trust is situated.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 1 July 1994]: Some 99 out of the 128—77 per cent.—chairmen and non-executive directors appointed to national health service trusts within the former Oxford region live within the boundaries of the district health authorities in which that trust is situated. The names of the appointees who live outside the relevant district health authority boundaries are listed.

  Aylesbury Vale Community Healthcare NHS Trust

  Mr. D. Childs

  Churchill John Radcliffe NHS Trust

  Professor M. Benwell

  East Berkshire Community Health NHS Trust

  Mr. M. Northeast

  Mr. J. Eskdale

  Mrs. C. McEwan

  East Berkshire Learning Disabilities NHS Trust

  Mr. R. Worrall

  Mr. W. Probert

  Horton General Hospital NHS Trust

  Mr. P. Hornby

  Ms. A. Grove

  Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust
  104

  Mr. L. M. Saunders Watson

  Mrs. S. Spence

  Milton Keynes Community Health NHS Trust

  Mr. R. Glover

  Northants Community Healthcare NHS Trust

  Mr. P. Cardy

  Mrs. J. Firrell

  Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust

  Mrs. M. Heaney

  Oxfordshire Ambulance NHS Trust

  Mr. S. Kirby

  Oxfordshire Learning Disabilities NHS Trust

  Mr. J. Burchfield

  Mr. P. Smith

  Radcliffe Infirmary NHS Trust

  Mr. K. Berry

  Rockingham Forest NHS Trust

  Professor J. Knibbs

  Mr. A. P. Connolly

  Royal Berkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Mrs. R. V. Monbiot

  Mrs. S. Hodson

  Dr. W. Taylor

  Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust

  Dr. R. Duthie

  Mr. G. Stevenson

  Dr. A. Furnham

  Mr. J. Brockwell

  Two Shires Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Mr. K. Cooper

  FIRE SAFETY LEGISLATION AND ENFORCEMENT REVIEW
  FIRE SAFETY LEGISLATION AND ENFORCEMENT REVIEW
  VEXATIONS LITIGATION
  VEXATIONS LITIGATION
  AIR POLLUTION CONTROL: GUIDANCE NOTES REVISION
  AIR POLLUTION CONTROL: GUIDANCE NOTES REVISION
  SERVICE PERSONNEL: COMPENSATION FOR DISCHARGE
  SERVICE PERSONNEL: COMPENSATION FOR DISCHARGE
  MARITIME RESEARCH
  MARITIME RESEARCH
  MARITIME POLICY
  MARITIME POLICY
  SOUTH GLAMORGAN: YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT, 1993
  SOUTH GLAMORGAN: YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT, 1993
  ISRAEL: ACQUISITION OF US BOMBERS
  ISRAEL: ACQUISITION OF US BOMBERS
  ISRAEL: US INTELLIGENCE AND TARGETING INFORMATION
  ISRAEL: US INTELLIGENCE AND TARGETING INFORMATION
  A. 12 MARLESFORD TO BENHALL: SPEED LIMIT
  A. 12 MARLESFORD TO BENHALL: SPEED LIMIT
  AIRCRAFT BAGGAGE SECURITY MEASURES
  AIRCRAFT BAGGAGE SECURITY MEASURES
  JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS COUNCIL, 20th JUNE
  JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS COUNCIL, 20th JUNE