Written Answers of 15 July 1994

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Royal Courts of Justice
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much has been spent on the new extension to the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand; how much has been spent on facilities for(a) members of the public, (b) plaintiffs' prosecution witnesses, (c) defendants and defence witnesses, (d) solicitors and barristers, (e) judges and (f) administrative staff.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The works cost of this scheme amounted to £15.4 million including VAT. No elemental cost breakdown of the areas to which the hon. Gentleman refers can be produced without incurring disproportionate cost.

  Civil Enforcement Agencies
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects to announce the findings of his Department's 1992 review of the organisation and management of civil enforcement agencies.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Dr. Jones) on 23 June,Official Report, column 247. The consultation exercise raised a wide range of difficult issues. The Lord Chancellor is continuing to give consideration to these, and is not in a position to say when an announcement will be made.

  Small Claims Procedure
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to introduce paper arbitrations into the small claims procedure.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  There are no plans at present to introduce paper arbitrations into the small claims procedure.

  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has in this Parliament to raise the small claim court limit from its current level of £1,000.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor will review the monetary limit for automatic reference into the county court arbitration procedure later in the year. No new figure has yet been decided and no date for implementation has yet been set.

EMPLOYMENT

  National Vocational Qualifications
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the consultants used by his Department on standard development work associated with NVQs in each of the years 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94, together with the specific subject areas on which they worked, the cost of each contract and whether these contracts were publicly advertised and tendered.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Travel-to-Interview Scheme
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to extend the eligibility for the travel-to-interview scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  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. Andrew Smith, dated 15 July 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about extending the eligibility for the Travel to Interview Scheme (TIS). I am replying in the Chief Executive's absence.
  We are presently considering a package of changes to improve the working of the Scheme within available resources. In doing so we are re-examining many of the rules which cause people most concern. These include rules about the salary level cut-off point, the duration of the job applied for and help where a second or third interview is necessary for the same job. In making such changes we have first to be sure that the Scheme remains an incentive for unemployed people to widen their job search and that it does not subsidise activity which would, in any case, take place.
  If it is possible to redevelop the scheme in the way we wish, we would hope to be able to introduce the changes this year.
  I hope this is helpful.

EDUCATION

  Special Education, Manchester
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when his Department received the city of Manchester's proposals for reorganising special education in the city; when he will be responding; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  Manchester city council notified the Department on 20 July 1993 of its intention to reorganise special education in the city. Formal proposals were submitted to the Department on 1 October.

  The council was notified on 31 March 1994 of the Secretary of State's decision to approve the reorganisation of the Ewing special school. On 11 July, the council was informed that the Secretary of State had given qualified approval, subject to the satisfactory completion of building work, to the reorganisation and closure of other special schools in the city.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many nursery units and nursery schools have been granted capital funding in each of the last five years; and what was the total amount of funds granted to nursery units and nursery schools in capital allocation in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Nursery education does not represent a separate category in the distribution of annual capital guidelines to local education authorities. Authorities' plans for spending on nursery classes and schools are taken into account in the formula calculation of the ACG category covering improvement and replacement work. Capital spending at all county and controlled schools is entirely the responsibility of LEAs.

  For voluntary aided and special agreement schools the governors are responsible for building work and may claim grant of up to 85 per cent. on their expenditure. The table sets out the number of new nursery units approved for funding since 1989–90, together with projected allocations for total governors' expenditure:

  Voluntary aided and special agreement schools

  Year

  Number of new units

  Governors' Expenditure (£000)

  11989–90

  5

  898

  11990–91

  5

  913

  1991–92

  13

  1,109

  1992–93

  13

  1,089

  1993–94

  19

  1,202

  21994–95

  10

  1,023

  1 Projects flowing from statutory proposals approved after the annual capital announcement were not recorded separately and may be omitted from the 1989–90 and 1990–91 statistics.

  2 To date.

  Figures are not available for funding work within existing aided school nurseries.

  The allocation of capital grants to grant-maintained schools is now the responsibility of the Funding Agency for Schools. I have asked the chairman of the Funding Agency to reply to the hon. Member.

PRIME MINISTER

  Mr. Gordon McNally
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 7 July,Official Report, column 274, (1) on what three dates he attended functions at which Mr. Gordon McNally was present; at what location he attended functions at which Mr. Gordon McNally was present; and for what purpose and in what circumstances the functions were held at which both he and Mr. Gordon McNally were present;

  (2) in what official circumstances he has been photographed in a group with Mr. Gordon McNally.

  The Prime Minister
  The three large functions which I attended, at which Mr. McNally also attended, were on 29 September 1992, 13 November 1992 and 23 March 1993. Photographs are often taken at such events and may have been taken on each occasion.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Prime Minister whether he has sought the views of the Data Protection Registrar in relation to the possible introduction of a national identity number; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  We have no plans to introduce a national identity number. The question of a national identity card scheme is kept under review. If we decided to introduce such a scheme there would be a full consultation exercise.

  Ex-service People
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 11 July,Official Report, column 377, if it is his intention at present or at any time in the future to implenent the resolution of the House of 1 July on welfare of ex-service people.

  The Prime Minister
  We have no such plans at present.

ENVIRONMENT

  Environmental Bodies
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to hold further public consultation on the future of English Nature and the Countryside Commission for England.

  Mr. Atkins
  The public consultation which has already taken place produced well over 300 replies, which have been taken fully into account by the study group considering the possible merger of the Countryside Commission and English Nature. There are no plans at present for a further round of consultation.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the final report of the study group on the future of English Nature and the Countryside Commission for England will be published; and if he will also publish the evidence submitted.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will wish to consider the issue of the report further once he has made up his mind on the results of the study. Copies of responses to the consultation will be made available in the usual way when a decision is announced.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the study group on the future of English Nature and the Countryside Commission for England has completed its report; and when he expects to make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Yes. My right hon. Friend will make a statement when he has had an opportunity to draw his own conclusions from the study.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the London Ecology Committee in relation to the study group on the future of English Nature and the Countryside Commission for England, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The detailed submission from the London Ecology Committee was one of well over 300 responses received to the public consultation. All the views expressed have been taken fully into account by the study group.

  Safer Cities
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to make an announcement about proposals for further safer cities projects.

  Sir George Young
  I am pleased to announce that, as part of our undertaking to meet existing commitments to programmes now coming within the single regeneration budget, we propose to set up another 20 safer cities projects in this financial year.

  The areas invited to participate in the next wave are:

  Bolton

  Bournemouth

  Brighton

  Camden

  Easington

  Great Grimsby

  Hackney

  Kensington and Chelsea

  Lincoln

  Liverpool

  Newham

  Norwich

  Oxford

  Portsmouth

  Sandwell

  Scunthorpe

  Southwark

  Wansbeck

  Westminster

  York

  Each of these areas has above average rates of recorded crime and significant evidence of deprivation.

  Subject to confirmation of support for a project from each of the key local agencies—local authorities, police and probation service—we shall shortly seek tenders for their management from organisations with experience in crime prevention and project management.

  In addition to the running costs being met by the Department of the Environment, each project will have access to grant funding of up to £100,000 a year, for three years, to support local crime prevention and community safety initiatives.

  We expect the projects to be set up towards the end of 1994.

  Funding for these projects represents an existing commitment under the SRB, and is additional to resources set aside for initiatives starting in 1995–96, approved in accordance with the bidding guidance issued on 14 April 1994, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Building Regulations
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he proposes to make to the Building Regulations 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is today laying before Parliament the Building (Amendment) Regulations 1994. The main purpose of these amendments is to strengthen the requirements of part L of the Building Regulations 1991 for the conservation of fuel and power; to improve part F on ventilation; and to simplify part A on structural stability. They also introduce a new regulation 13A to regularise unauthorised development.

  In revising part L, the aim has been to reduce CO2 emissions from buildings by incorporating cost-effective
  780
  measures, but to do so in a way which does not introduce unacceptable technical risks and maintains some flexibility for designers. The Building Research Establishment estimates that the changes will improve the energy performance of space and water heating in houses by some 25 per cent. to 35 per cent. compared with current building regulations standards, with similar improvements in the non-domestic.

  The revisions to part F have been introduced to improve and simplify the current provisions for ventilation in dwellings and to provide builders with a wider range of options on how this can be achieved. Requirements for non-domestic buildings are included in building regulations for the first time to reflect the relevant requirements of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 so that new building work should not require subsequent adaptation.

  To provide sufficient time for the industry, including builders, designers and building control bodies, to assimilate the changes, parts L and F will come into force on 1 July 1995.

  The revision to part A simplifes the requirement relating to disproportionate collapse of certain public buildings without detriment to safety. The new regulation 13A has been introduced to allow local authorities to certify building work which should have been subject to control but was previously unauthorised. The local authorities will be able to charge fees for carrying out this new task-fees which will be prescribed in new regulations to be laid before Parliament shortly. The revision to part A comes into force on 1 September 1994, and the new regulation 13A on 1 October 1994.

  Copies of the new editions of approved documents F and L and the related cost compliance assessments have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Waste Shipments Regulation
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will issue guidance on the EC waste shipments regulation.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department of the Environment has published a circular, DoE circular 13/94, giving guidance on the implementation of the EC waste shipments regulations and the associated Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 1994. The circular will assist waste regulation authorities and the waste disposal and recovery industries to follow the requirements of the new system.

  The final text of the circular reflects the outcome of public consultation on a draft document issued in March, and incorporates various changes to meet the concerns and interests of industry, local authorities and the public. The circular explains the provisions and administrative procedures of the waste shipments regulations and United Kingdom regulations, describes the roles and responsibilities of the various parties involved in the shipments process, and offers guidance on issues such as the options available for the provision of financial guarantees, and local authorities' administrative charges.

  A compliance cost assessment has been undertaken in relation to the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 1994. Copies of both circular 13/94 and the compliance cost assessment have been placed in the Library.

  The new system strengthens controls over transfrontier shipments of waste in the interests of protecting human

  781
  health and the environment. We are confident that the guidance in this circular will help both industry and regulators to get to grips with the demands of the new regime.

  Pennine Bridleway
  Mr. Brandreth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce his decision on the proposed Pennine bridleway.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has today signified that he is minded to approve the Countryside Commission's report in respect of the Pennine bridleway, with modifications to the route as submitted by the Commission.

  Further consultation will now take place with the local authorities through whose areas the route passes to confirm their agreement to the modification put forward.

  Coastal Zone Policies
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the recent consultation exercise on coastal zone policies.

  Mr. Atkins
  In October 1993, the Department of the Environment and the Welsh Office published two discussion papers on coastal issues: "Managing The Coast" and "Development Below Low Water Mark". Both papers were prepared with the full co-operation of all relevant Departments. They fulfilled the commitments made by the Government in their response, Cm 2011: July 1992, to the report from the Environment Select Committee, April 1992, on coastal zone protection and planning.

  Extensive comments were received on the two papers and reflected a wide range of views. I am today arranging for those comments and a summary of them to be made available in my Department's Library.

  The Government recognise the heightened importance attached to effective management of the coastal zone, and to ensuring that a balance is achieved between the commercial, environmental, leisure and other demands—for example, military needs—on such areas, in accordance with the principles of sustainable development.

  Following full consideration, we remain confident that existing statutory systems—including the specialised sectoral controls which apply offshore—are the most effective means of regulating development in the coastal zone. Accordingly, in recognition of the distinct needs of land and marine environments, we believe that a case has not been made for any general extension below low water mark of the jurisdiction of town and country planning legislation. However, we shall keep under continuing review the scope for making appropriate improvements to present arrangements: for example, to ensure maximum transparency and liaison in the decision-making process. We shall also consider further the scope for addressing some more detailed points raised in responses to the recent consultation exercise.

  However, we accept that there is concern in some quarters that new means of taking an overview of the impact and development of policies towards the coast are required, and that increased emphasis should be placed on the wider management of the coastal zone on the basis of defined goals and objectives.
  782
  We have already taken a number of initiatives to improve the planning and management of the coast: for example, publication of planning policy guidance note 20 on coastal planning; the launch last autumn of a strategy for flood and coastal defence in England and Wales, recent proposals for a revised regime for the dredging of marine aggregates, and more broadly, the continuing role of the interdepartmental group on coastal policy, which provides a vehicle for effective liaison on coastal zone matters within central Government.

  We have also laid before Parliament regulations to implement the provisions of the EC habitats directive, which include a new approach to the conservation of certain internationally important marine areas, and have supported the work of the nature conservation agencies in promoting the drawing up of management plans in a number of important estuaries.

  We now propose to take further measures to enhance the effective co-ordination of policies for the coastal zone in England. Responding to the call for clear and comprehensive objectives, we intend to publish within a year a statement of national policy guidelines for the coast. This will draw together in a convenient form policy guidance already provided on coastal issues. In turn, public and private bodies, agencies and organisations will be asked to have due regard to the principles set out in the proposed guidelines, when giving consideration to actions which may impinge directly, or indirectly, on the coastal zone.

  Secondly, reflecting the priority which we attach to informed discussion on coastal issues, we intend to create by the end of this year a standing forum on coastal zone management. It will have a broad and balanced membership, including central and local government, and commercial, conservation and recreation interests. We will consult on its membership and terms of reference. Such a forum should be an effective vehicle for promoting understanding of the national guidelines and building on liaison arrangements at regional and local level already established. It will complement, but not overlap with, existing ministerial meetings dealing with specific issues such as flood and coastal defence.

  Thirdly, in recognition of the growing role and coverage of coastal zone management plans, we believe there is a strong case for highlighting good practice and clarifying, where necessary, the interaction of the different elements of such management. The proposed forum will have an important role here in ensuring effective co-operation between the responsible bodies. We shall therefore set this work in hand, and, in addition, consider how best to monitor the management plans being developed locally.

  Lastly, we shall proceed with the proposed review of byelaw powers relating to coastal management, and broaden its scope to look more widely at the general issue of implementing coastal zone management and the relationship between the voluntary principle and regulatory support. We shall therefore establish an interdepartmental working party to consider these matters, and in undertaking its task the group will consult widely with interested parties.

  Colleagues in the Scottish Office are currently preparing a discussion paper on coastal policy which will reflect Scotland's distinctive circumstances. It is expected that this paper will be published in the autumn. Colleagues in Northern Ireland also hope to issue a consultation paper on coastal policy to interested parties later in the year, taking

  783
  into account the different local government framework which exists. The Secretary of State for Wales will consider the position in Wales.

  Linked with existing initiatives and measures, we believe that these proposals offer a sound basis for achieving increased responsiveness to the specific needs of the coastal zone, and will make a major contribution to helping reconcile conflicting pressures on this vital and potentially vulnerable resource.

  Procurement and Contractural Arrangements
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received a copy of Sir Michael Latham's final report of the joint Government-industry review of procurement and contractual arrangements in the United Kingdom construction industry.

  Mr. Baldry
  Sir Michael Latham has now presented his final report, which was due this month, and I have received a copy. Sir Michael will publish his report on Monday 18 July and copies of the report will be placed in the Library.

  Sir Michael's report contains recommendations to Government, the construction industry and its clients about

  Quintiles of gross weekly household income

  Lowest twenty per cent.

  Second quintile group

  Third quintile group

  Fourth quintile group

  Highest twenty per cent.

  All households

  1992

  Lower boundary of group (£)

  —

  108

  213

  341

  515

  —

  Average weekly expenditure on water and sewerage charges (£)

  1·90

  2·30

  2·70

  2·90

  3·60

  2·70

  Percentage of weekly household expenditure

  2·00

  1·40

  1·10

  0·90

  0·70

  1·00

  1987

  Lower boundary of group (£)

  —

  82

  162

  260

  381

  —

  Average weekly expenditure on water and sewerage charges (£)

  0·60

  1·00

  1·30

  1·60

  2·00

  1·30

  Percentage of weekly household expenditure

  0·90

  0·80

  0·80

  0·70

  0·60

  0·70

  Source: Family Expenditure Survey.

  Environmental Protection
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposal on the costing of environmental protection arising from(a) the Marrakesh meeting on the implementation of the Uruguay round by GATT and (b) recent EU council decisions he intends to put to the forthcoming meeting of the G7 in Naples.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have been asked to reply.

  At Marrakesh in April, Ministers decided that the World Trade Organisation should establish a committee on trade and environment. G7 leaders at the Naples summit welcomed the new World Trade Organisation's work on trade and the environment.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment reported the outcome of the last EU Environment Council meeting in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Lincoln (Sir K. Carlisle) on 17 June, Official Report, column 671. G7 leaders at the Naples summit said that they supported the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development in reviewing progress in the implementation of the Rio process.

  They also welcomed the restructuring and the replenishment of the global environment facility and supported its choice as the permanent financial mechanism of the biological diversity and climate change conventions.
  784
  practical reforms to reduce conflict and litigation, and to improve productivity and competitiveness. The Government are now considering the report and the recommendations contained in it.

  A conference, organised by the industry groups involved in the review, is being held on 25 July. It will provide a platform for Government, the construction industry and its clients to give an initial response to the report's recommendations.

  Water Charges
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of family expenditure in each quintile of income was taken up by water charges in 1987 and 1992.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The amounts and proportions of weekly household expenditure on water and sewerage charges for each quintile of income are given in the table for the United Kingdom for 1987 and 1992. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10p.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Correspondence
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive replies to his two letters of 7 June concerning constituents ref. 09/06/94 and 08/06/94.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I wrote to the hon. Member on 14 July and understand that the Minister of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Fareham, also replied on that date.

  Wheel Clamping
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement before the summer recess regarding his proposals on private wheel clamping.

  Mr. Maclean
  We have no plans to do so.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his Department's current practice in respect of immigration officials passing on details of the claims of persons seeking asylum to the embassies of countries from which asylum seekers have travelled.
  785
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  It is not our practice to disclose any information about an individual asylum application to the diplomatic post of the asylum seeker's country of origin.

  Immigration
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the types of personal data held by his Department which relate to the administration of immigration procedures; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Car Boot Sales
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce measures to give trading standards officers the power to control car boot sales.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have been asked to reply.

  Trading standards officers already have extensive powers to enforce legislation intended to protect consumers. These powers can be exercised at car boot sales.

TRANSPORT

  Steel Rolls (Lorry Transportation)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if steel rolls are required to be secured to a lorry cradle during transportation along minor roads; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  Steel rolls and the cradles upon which they are carried are both required to be secured to a lorry when they are in transit on any road.

  The safety of loads on vehicles used on roads is controlled by the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. Regulation 100(2) requires that any load carried by a vehicle be secured, if necessary, by additional restraints so that it is not likely to cause danger or nuisance by moving, falling or blowing off the vehicle. This would apply to steel rolls.

  Section 8 of the Department of Transport's publication "Code of Practice on the Safety of Loads on Vehicles" advises operators of the best way to secure metal rolls to their vehicles.

  Air Services (Liberalisation)
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on developments on the liberalisation of United Kingdom-United States air services.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I am writing today to the United States Transportation Secretary saying that I am prepared to give exceptional approval for airlines to bring in new services to replace certain transatlantic routes which have recently been or are about to be suspended. I am therefore offering United States airlines rights to serve Manchester-Los Angeles and Stansted-New York-Chicago.

  I am making this offer in order to help to maintain services for consumers while we continue to seek to make progress in securing a wider liberalisation of United
  786
  Kingdom-United States air services. I hope that the United States will soon be in a posiiton to return to the liberalisation negotiations. This offer is a further demonstration of my determination to secure liberal changes to the current air services agreement in the interests of consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.

  Network SouthEast
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the public service obligation grant awarded to Network SouthEast in each year since 1978, in both cash and 1993–94 prices.

  Mr. Freeman
  The table shows the level of public service obligation grant spent on Network SouthEast since 1985–86. Figures are not readily available to split PSO by sector before 1985–86. Up to 1986–87 figures are shown for London and the south-east region.

  Year

  £ million Cash

  £ million 1993–94 Prices

  1985–86

  253

  388

  1986–87

  205

  304

  1987–88

  230

  324

  1988–89

  140

  184

  1989–90

  86

  106

  1990–91

  146

  169

  1991–92

  355

  384

  1992–93

  575

  595

  11993–94

  371

  371

  1Subject to audit.

  Road Schemes
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what costs have been incurred by his Department in developing road schemes subsequently abandoned in respect of(a) Preston southern and western bypass, (b) Hereford bypass, (c) Durham western bypass, (d) the A40 north of Oxford and Headington bypasses and (e) the A40 Longford-Gorsley improvement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 23 June 1994]: As the information requested 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 Mr. Simon Hughes, dated 12 July 1994:
  I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the costs incurred in developing road schemes subsequently abandoned in respect of (a) Preston Southern and Western Bypass, (b) Hereford Bypass, (c) Durham Western Bypass, (d) the A40 North of Oxford and Headington Bypasses and (e) the A40 Longford-Gorsley Improvement.
  The information is as follows:

  £ million

  a. Preston Southern and Western Bypass.

  1·62

  b. Hereford Bypass—this scheme has not been abandoned; it is a Priority 2 scheme in the revised Roads Programme.

  c. Durham Western Bypass.

  2·00

  d. The A40 North of Oxford and Headington Bypasses.

  2·196

  e. The A40 Longford-Gorsley Improvement.

  5·500

  These costs include consultants' fees, preparation costs, surveys, advance land purchase and VAT.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Bilateral Aid Programme
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what amount of the United Kingdom's bilateral aid programme was spent last year in(a) sub-Saharan Africa, (b) India and (c) South Asia; and how much the Oversease Development Administration plans to spend in each year to 1996–97 in these places in (a) cash prices, (b) real terms and (c) as a percentage of the relevant year's bilateral aid programme.

  Mr. Lennox Boyd
  Actual expenditure figures for the last financial year, 1993–94, are not yet available. United Kingdom bilateral aid expenditure figures in 1992–93, the latest year for which actual data are available, are:

  1992–93 Prices £ million

  Percentage of Total Bilateral Aid

  Sub-Saharan Africa

  509

  137

  of which: Country Programmes

  285

  21

  Other Bilateral Aid2

  224

  16

  India

  115

  18

  of which: Country Programmes

  92

  6

  Other Bilateral Aid2

  23

  2

  South Asia (excluding India)

  145

  111

  of which: Country Programmes

  99

  7

  Other Bilateral Aid2

  46

  4

  Other Regions

  439

  132

  of which: Country Programmes

  174

  13

  Other Bilateral Aid2

  265

  19

  World Unallocated3

  166

  12

  of which: Other Bilateral Aid

  166

  12

  1 The corresponding figures as a percentage of bilateral aid allocable by region are higher.

  2 Other bilateral aid is made up of Aid and Trade Provision, Food Aid, Disaster Relief, Debt relief, Non-Project Technical Co-operation, Drugs Assistance and CDC Investments.

  3 "World Unallocated" comprises block grants to the British Council, Natural Resources Institute, VSO, NGOs, Research Institutions and Commonwealth Organisations based in the United Kingdom.

  For 1993–94 and subsequent years, no breakdown is available for sub-Saharan Africa, India or South Asia. Figures are available for Africa, including North Africa and the middle east, and for the whole of Asia and the Pacific. The table shows planning figures for bilateral country programmes only for these two areas. These figures are not directly comparable with the figures for 1992–93.

  Country programmes only

  Percentage of total country programmes

  Cash prices

  1992–93 prices

  Year

  £ million

  £ million

  Africa (including North Africa and Middle East)

  1993–94

  330

  320

  47

  1994–95

  344

  324

  45

  1995–96

  315

  286

  45

  1996–97

  284

  252

  44

  788

  Country programmes only

  Percentage of total country programmes

  Cash prices

  1992–93 prices

  Year

  £ million

  £ million

  Asia/Pacific

  1993–94

  254

  246

  35

  1994–95

  248

  233

  33

  1995–96

  227

  206

  32

  1996–97

  217

  192

  33

  These planning figures include an allowance, additional to the overall figure agreed in the public expenditure survey, to compensate for expected slippage of expenditure. For this reason, and because of the many detailed changes that take place over a period at country level in the rate of spending, actual spending will vary from the figures shown.

  Aid Programme
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government first received(a) a draft copy and (b) the final version of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report on the United Kingdom's aid programme published on 5 July; and what plans there are to respond to the criticisms contained in the OECD report.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We received a copy of the draft version of the report on 24 February and the final version on 5 July. The intervening period was required for the OECD to circulate the draft to other members for comments, and to fit publication into its printing schedule. Overall the OECD report recognised the many strengths in the "highly concessional and business-like" United Kingdom aid programme. We are continually looking for ways to improve efficiency and in doing so we shall take into account the conclusions of the OECD review.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Japan (Technology Agreement)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wyre (Mr. Mans) of 4 July,Official Report, column 80, what discussions took place on civil nuclear science and technology co-operation during his visit to Japan in June; and if he will place a copy of the United Kingdom-Japan science and technology agreement of 13 June in the Library.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My visit in June was to attend the seventh Carnegie group meeting of Science Ministers and advisers of G7 countries. This informal biannual meeting has a wide-ranging agenda and useful discussions took place on strengthening international co-operation and on progress with major science projects, including some in the field of civil nuclear research. However, no bilateral discussions took place.

  I have arranged for a copy of the United Kingdom-Japan science and technology agreement to be placed in the Library.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to improve the opportunities for employment and career development of disabled people in the civil service.

  Mr. David Davis
  The civil service has had a code of practice on the employment of people with disabilities since 1985. The code has done much to improve the position of disabled people in the civil service, but we have recognised that still more needs to be done. For this reason, on 15 July the code will be replaced by a programme for action to achieve equality of opportunity in the civil service for disabled people.

  The programme provides a framework which will help Departments and agencies recruit, retain and promote people on merit, regardless of disability. It also provides detailed action checklists to help Departments and agencies make the best possible use of their disabled employees. The programme for action is accompanied by a stand-alone support document, "Focus on Ability", which offers practical advice on how to implement the programme.

  In addition, the approval of the Privy Council is currently being sought to an amendment to the civil service Order in Council, which will permit Departments and agencies to offer disabled applicants encouragement and assistance in the selection process, such as a guaranteed interview, and thus enable those Departments and agencies that wish to do so to sign up to the Employment Service's two-ticks symbol.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Planning (Ecclesiastical Exemption)
  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement about the future of the ecclesiastical exemption from listed building and conservation area control.

  Mr. Brooke
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have today laid before Parliament an order under section 60(5) and 75(7) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 defining the future scope of the exemption in England and Wales.

  As foreshadowed in my reply to my right hon. Friend on 17 December 1992, Official Report, column 370–71, a measure of exemption will be retained only for those church buildings which are covered by denominations' own arrangements for the control of works, where those arrangements satisfy our code of practice. Statutory procedures already exist for the Church of England; other denominations which are in the process of setting up arrangements are the Church in Wales, the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Church, the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Baptist Union of Wales and the United Reformed Church. Buildings of all other denominations and faiths will from 1 October 1994, when the order is due to come into force, be fully subject to normal listed building and conservation area control.

  Where the exemption is retained, its scope will be reduced. Subject to what is said below, it will apply in future only to buildings whose primary use is as a place of worship, and to objects or structures attached to their exterior or within their curtilage to the extent that these are
  790
  not listed in their own right. Where such objects or structures are listed in their own right, they will be fully subject to normal listed building control. My right hon. Friend and I came to the view that this was the most appropriate method of demarcation, taking into account the need to minimise duplication of control with the internal systems of the denominations concerned and, in relation to tombstones, the concerns expressed about possible inconvenience for the bereaved.

  To ensure reasonable parity of treatment between exempted and non-exempted bodies, we propose directions to bring within conservation area control tombstones, memorials and monuments not covered by the ecclesiastical exemption but below the current control limit of 115 cu m. To minimise any practical inconvenience, this extension of control will relate only to tombstones and so on erected before 1 January 1925.

  Special arrangements will apply to cathedrals of the Church of England. In this case, the exemption will cover the cathedral itself and buildings, objects or structures which are located within an area designated by me after consulting the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England and which fall within a precinct indicated by the Commission under the Care of Cathedrals Measure 1990. It will also cover places of worship elsewhere within the precinct, and tombstones elsewhere within the precinct which are not listed in their own right.

  The new arrangements will be summarised in planning policy guidance notes, to be issued in due course. Details of the exempted denominations' procedures will also be circulated to all local planning authorities. Plans showing the designated English cathedral areas have been sent to those local authorities concerned.

  As mentioned in the previous statement, our intention is to monitor these arrangements and review them after two years.

  The present exemption is also to be continued for the time being for certain categories of ecclesiastical buildings, mainly belonging to the denominations mentioned. My officials are writing to the bodies concerned to invite them to consider how works to such buildings should be controlled in future. These categories include buildings within Church of England peculiars, buildings of religious communities, school and other institutional chapels, and buildings of certain Scottish denominations within England and Wales.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Bovine Immunodeficiency Virus
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 4 July,Official Report, column 37, whether an immunodeficiency virus has ever been communicated from cattle to humans; why no tests are done on imported milk; what tests are done on United Kingdom produced non-pasteurised milk; whether bovine immunodeficiency virus has been found in non-pasteurised milk; and what assessment she has made of whether BIV is killed by (a) pasteurisation, (b) sterilisation and (c) ultra heat treatment.

  Mr. Soames
  There is no evidence that an immunodeficiency virus has been communicated from cattle to humans and there is no evidence that bovine immunodeficiency-like virus affects humans.
  791
  Experimental efforts to grow BIV in human cells have failed. Two United States laboratory personnel who accidentally had needle stick injuries with BIV infected cell material some five years ago have shown no signs of illness as a result. In the absence of any risk to human health from BIV, we do not consider it necessary to test milk for the virus. Raw cow's milk produced in the United Kingdom is subject to hygiene and quality checks for example for plate counts, antibiotic residues and added water. In addition, raw cow's milk sold for drinking in England and Wales is subject to strict microbiological standards, for plate count and coliforms, under the Milk (Special Designation) Regulations 1989. We are not aware that BIV has been isolated from unpasteurised milk either here or abroad. It is known that lentiviruses are susceptible to heat treatment. Studies have been commissioned at the Central Veterinary Laboratory on the inactivation of BIV in milk by pasteurisation.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 4 July,Official Report, column 37, if she will now require testing of all milk imported from other EC countries to ensure that it complies with EC directive 92/46 on milk hygiene and that it is free of bovine immunodeficiency virus.

  Mr. Soames
  EC directive 92/46 allows milk to be traded within the EC if it meets requirements in the directive and bears the EC health mark. Under the EC veterinary checks regime, it is the responsibility of the exporting member state to ensure that only products meeting these requirements enter intra-Community trade. An importing member state can carry out nondiscriminatory checks at destination unless there is suspicion of an infringement of requirements in the directive, in which case spot checks, including sampling, can be carried out at any stage. However, it would be a barrier to trade and contrary to EC law to check for bovine immunodeficiency-like virus, which is not referred to in the directive.

  Intervention Board
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how the Intervention Board performed against its targets for 1993–94; and what key performance targets Agriculture Ministers have set the agency for 1994–95.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Intervention Board's performance against its key targets in 1993–94 was as follows:

  1993–94

  Target (per cent.)

  Performance (per cent.)

  Percentage of claims processed within deadlines

  98·0

  99·9

  Percentage of claims processed correctly

  98·5

  98·8

  Running cost efficiency gains

  2·5

  4·5

  Improvement in productivity

  5·0

  8·0

  Ratio of disallowance to EAGGF funds handled

  0·40

  0·03

  To main expenditure within vote provision, cash and running cost limits

  —

  Met

  New value for money savings in procurement of goods and services

  5·0

  6·5

  792
  In agreement with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, I have set the following targets for 1994–95:

  Per cent.

  Percentage of claims processed within deadlines

  98·5

  Percentage of claims processed correctly

  98·5

  Running cost efficiency gains

  2·5

  Improvement in productivity

  6·0

  Ratio of disallowance to EAGGF funds handled

  0·40

  To maintain expenditure within vote provision, cash and running cost limits

  —

  New value for money savings in procurement of goods and services

  5·0

  Veterinary Medicines Directorate
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the 1993–94 annual report and accounts for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate is due to be published.

  Mrs. Gillian Shepherd
  I am pleased to report that the Veterinary Medicines Directorate's annual report and accounts for 1993–94 was published today. Copies are available in the Library of the House

  The report charts the continuing success of the directorate as a next steps agency, and I would like to congratulate the chief executive and his staff on their considerable achievements during the year.

  Food Stockpile
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the destination of the donation of biscuits from the strategic food stockpile; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  During the past three years more than 30,000 tonnes of high-energy biscuits have been donated from the strategic food stockpile administered by my Department. The biscuits were subject to stringent quality testing prior to release for donation. They were donated to some 20 United Kingdom-based charities to help the starving and homeless victims of serious disasters in more than a dozen countries in Africa and eastern Europe, particularly to help relieve the plight of the civilian population in the former Yugoslavia.

  The final 5,000 tonnes of biscuits will be donated to the United Nations World Food Programme through the Overseas Development Administration over the coming months. This is a step towards the liquidation of the strategic food stockpile by March 1996.

  The biscuits would provide sufficient food for over 250,000 people for a year. To provide similar aid at today's prices would cost in excess of £20 million and represents a significant contribution to the United Kingdom's response to disaster relief.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Political Talks
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on which dates he met representatives of the Irish Government since 1 September 1993 to discuss political developments in Northern Ireland.
  793
  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I have held such discussions with the Irish Foreign Minister, Mr. Spring, at six meetings of the intergovernmental conference on 10 September and 3 November 1993, 28 January, 10 March, 25 April and 17 June 1994, during a visit to Dublin on 5 March and in the margins of the opening of the Shannon-Erne waterway on 23 May.

  I was also present on 3 and 15 December 1993 and 19 February 1994, when these matters were discussed by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and Mr. Reynolds, the Irish Prime Minister.

  Perceived religious affiliation

  Type of Employee

  Roman Catholic

  Protestant

  Not known

  Total

  Full-time

  29

  22

  4

  55

  Part-time

  24

  13

  7

  44

  Information on the Roman Catholic : Protestant ratio in each of the employment catchment areas for the three homes is not readily available.

  Recipients of Benefit in Northern Ireland

  Current1

  1991

  1981

  Total population= 1,628,000

  Total population= 1,601,400

  Total population= 1,637,700

  Recipients

  Percentage of population

  Recipients

  Percentage of population

  Recipients

  Percentage of population

  Housing Benefit

  137,621

  8

  168,000

  10

  n/a

  —

  Attendance Allowance

  49,237

  3

  41,400

  3

  18,300

  1

  Invalid Care Allowance

  18,736

  1

  10,600

  1

  700

  2—

  Disability Living Allowance

  67,080

  4

  n/a

  —

  n/a

  —

  Disability Working Allowance

  159

  2—

  n/a

  —

  n/a

  —

  Mobility Allowance

  n/a

  —

  17,000

  1

  6,900

  2—

  Child Benefit (Children)

  488,372

  29

  459,700

  29

  482,600

  31

  One Parent Benefit

  30,890

  2

  26,400

  2

  20,800

  1

  Family Credit

  19,952

  1

  15,300

  1

  n/a

  —

  Family Income Supplement

  n/a

  —

  n/a

  —

  10,700

  1

  Income Support

  222,621

  14

  203,700

  13

  n/a

  —

  Supplementary Benefit

  n/a

  —

  n/a

  —

  161,600

  10

  Industrial Injuries Benefits

  9,574

  1

  10,200

  1

  8,200

  2

  Sickness Benefit

  4,183

  2—

  3,898

  2—

  18,100

  1

  Invalidity Benefit

  87,813

  4

  58,800

  4

  32,600

  2

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  14,334

  1

  13,400

  1

  n/a

  —

  Maternity Allowance

  893

  2—

  500

  2—

  14,085

  1

  Guardian's Allowance/CSA

  100

  2—

  100

  2

  400

  2—

  Unemployment Benefit

  14,595

  1

  18,900

  1

  41,200

  3

  Widows Benefit

  11,129

  1

  12,800

  1

  15,100

  1

  Non-contributory Invalidity Pension

  n/a

  —

  n/a

  —

  10,200

  1

  1 Most recent information available—mainly May 1994.

  2—denotes less than 0·5.

  1971

  1984

  Total population = 1,540,400

  Total population = 1,450,000

  Benefit

  Recipients

  Percentage of population

  Recipients

  Percentage of population

  Family allowance (children)

  308,100

  20

  270,100

  19

  Widows' benefits

  15,100

  1

  15,900

  1

  Guardians allowances, orphans' pensions and children's allowances

  290

  1—

  329

  1—

  Supplementary benefit

  108,395

  7

  n/a

  n/a

  National assistance allowance

  n/a

  n/a

  58,324

  4

  Residential Homes
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons are employed on(a) a full-time and (b) a part-time basis at the residential homes of the Southern area health board; how many i n each category at each home are (a) Protestants, and (b) Roman Catholics; and what is the Roman Catholic/Protestant ratio in each of the employment catchment areas for the three homes.

  Mr. Ancram
  The table below gives a breakdown of staff by perceived religious affiliation in the three residential homes within the Armagh and Dungannon unit of management which is the only remaining directly managed unit within the Southern board's area.

  Benefits
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the resident population are in receipt of benefits other than retirement pension; and what were the numbers in(a) 1964, (b) 1971, (c) 1981 and (d)

  Mr. Ancram
  The information requested is provided in the tables:
  795

  1971

  1984

  Total population = 1,540,400

  Total population = 1,450,000

  Benefit

  Recipients

  Percentage of population

  Recipients

  Percentage of population

  Insured persons absent from work due to:

  Sickness

  42,000

  3

  35,000

  2

  Industrial injury

  1,400

  1—

  1,100

  1—

  1Denotes less than 0·5. per cent.

  NHS Trust Hospitals
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by wave(a) the number of non-executive directors of NHS trust hospitals and (b) the number of chairs of NHS trust hospitals, by salary band.

  Mr. Ancram
  Information on appointments to HSS trusts in Northern Ireland is set out in the table:

  Chairmen

  Non-executive directors

  Band 1 £19,285

  Band 2 £17,145

  Band 3 £15,125

  Wave 1

  5

  1

  —

  —

  Wave 2

  43

  3

  4

  2

  Wave 3

  114

  —

  1

  2

  1One non-executive director post remains to be filled.

  Birth Statistics
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many sets of(a) twins, (b) triplets, (c) quadruplets, (d) quintuplets and (e) sextuplets were born in Northern Ireland in each year from 1990 to 1993; what was the total number of maternities in Northern Ireland in each year; and how many multiple births of each type in each year were conceived as a result of (i) in-vitro fertilisation, (ii) gamete infra-fallopian transfer and (iii) other forms of assisted conceptions.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  1990

  1991

  1992

  19931

  Sets of

  (a) Twins

  267

  315

  258

  293

  (b) Triplets

  5

  6

  8

  9

  (c) Quadruplets

  —

  —

  —

  —

  (d) Quintuplets

  —

  1

  —

  —

  (e) Sextuplets

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Maternities

  25,338

  26,058

  25,425

  24,828

  (i) IVF2

  (a) Twins

  12

  11

  4—

  4—

  (b) Triplets

  2

  1

  4—

  4—

  (ii) GIFT3

  1 Provisional.

  2 These figures are the results of IVF by year of conception.

  3 GIFT was available in Northern Ireland in only 1986 and 1987.

  4 Not known.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  UN Agencies
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals the United Nations Secretary-General has made in respect of moving the UN Relief and Welfare Agency and other agencies; what sites he has suggested; and what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on this.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Secretary-General has proposed moving UNRWA's headquarters from Vienna to Gaza. We will discuss this proposal with other donors represented on UNRWA's advisory commission. We have seen no proposals to move other agencies.

  Burma
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now make special representations to the Burmese Government for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  With our European Union partners, we will underline our very serious concern about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's continued detention on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of her house detention.

  East Timor
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communications he has received from the retired Australian diplomat James Dunn in relation to loss of life in East Timor; what reassessment he has made of the situation there; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We can find no record of any communication from Mr. Dunn in the last three years. Research of earlier files would involve disproportionate cost.

  Middle East
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on developments on the Jordanian track of the middle east peace process.

  Mr. Hurd
  We warmly welcome the recent decision by Jordan and Israel to initiate detailed discussions in the region on the elements of an eventual peace agreement. We similarly welcome King Hussein's decision, communicated to members of Jordan's Parliament on 9 July, that he and other Jordanian leaders should hold direct talks with Prime Minister Rabin and other Israeli leaders. I understand that discussions on border, security and water issues will begin on 18 July and that Foreign Minister
  797
  Peres plans to meet the Jordanian Prime Minister and the United States Secretary of State, on the Jordanian side of the border on 20 July, to discuss economic issues.

  Kuwait
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects an announcement to be made by the Kuwaiti Government in respect of orders for United Kingdom ships; and what size and type of vessel is involved.

  Mr. Aitken
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Kuwaiti Government is currently considering bids for eight 42m fast patrol boats from British, French and German shipyards. Vosper Thornycroft are a leading contender.

  I am unwilling to speculate when an announcement is likely to be made as the Kuwaiti Minister of Defence has recently stated that the bids are still under consideration.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total value of claims and recoveries to the Export Credits Guarantee Department in each of the last five years; and how much of each of these was in relation to defence exports.

  Mr. Needham
  The total value of claims and recoveries to the Export Credits Guarantee Department in each of the last five years was as follows:

  Claims £ million

  Recoveries £ million

  1989–90

  912.9

  229.1

  1990–91

  967.5

  224.9

  1991–92

  954.1

  187.2

  1992–93

  734.3

  157.1

  11993–94

  517.5

  177.0

  1 Provisional.

  ECGD does not record claims and recoveries by industry sector. It is thus not possible to provide the breakdown which the hon. Gentleman has requested.

  Brewing Industry
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consultations he has held with representatives of regional breweries with regard to the tie system and public house management.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Neither my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade nor I have recently had discussions with the regional brewers about the tie or public house management. However, my officials are in regular contact with individual regional brewers and Independent Family Brewers of Britain, which represents many local brewers, on a number of issues of concern to the brewing industry.

  I am aware that some brewers are concerned that the EC Commission may bring forward proposals to amend or rescind regulation 1984/83, which concerns beer supply agreements. The regulation is due to expire at the end of 1997 and the EC Commission has said that it will not begin
  798
  to review it until 1996 at the earliest. The Government will, of course, take into account the views of all interested parties when considering any proposals that the Commission may bring forward during that review.

  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect of a revision of the tie system on employment prospects in regional breweries.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Regional brewers have benefited greatly from the guest beer provision of the 1989 beer orders, which has enabled many to sell their cask-conditioned beer in tied pubs owned by the national brewers. They have also been able to acquire pubs sold by national brewers who were obliged to reduce the size of their tied estates to comply with the provisions of the beer orders.

  Directors' Fees
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, further to his letter dated 11 July 1985, concerning pay of directors in answer to the written question from the hon. Member for Great Grimsby, whether he will now publish his letter, dated 11 July 1985, with the two enclosures, concerning the emoluments of the chairmen and highest-paid directors of large industrial and commercial companies.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The letter was published on 25 July 1985,Official Report, columns 730–32.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, further to his letter dated 11 July 1985 about the pay of directors of plcs in answer to the written question from the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (1) whether he will publish a table showing the same information for the most recent years for which corresponding figures are available;

  (2) whether he will bring the two tables concerning the emoluments of chairmen and highest paid directors of plcs enclosed with his letter up to date with the full figures for 1983 as mentioned there together with those for subsequent years.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The information requested is not readily available. It ceased to be compiled from 1990, and obtaining information for 1983 to 1990 from archive data could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.

  Electricity Supply
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what direct benefits will accrue to the United Kingdom from the liberalisation of the electricity market in the European Union.

  Mr. Eggar
  Liberalisation of electricity markets will put downward pressure on electricity prices and will help to provide a level playing field in electricity supply in the European Union, particularly for energy-intensive industries. The opening of markets will create new investment opportunities for the United Kingdom electricity companies which do not exist at present.

  Local Authorities (Contracting Out)
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which local authorities have been approached by his Department for their views on the contracting out of
  799
  trading standards departments and/or environmental health enforcement; what proposals were made by those authorities; and what position his Department took on such proposals.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 13 July 1994]My officials approached the trading standards departments of the City of Westminster and the London boroughs of Wandsworth and Bromley. None of the authorities is proposing to contract out its trading standards function; however, the London borough of Bromley is considering contracting out some trading standards work. My Department has noted the position and continues to monitor developments.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Compensation Recovery Unit
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what are the major reasons for the increase in the amounts recovered by the compensation recovery unit between 1990–91 and 1993–94;

  (2) if he will provide a breakdown of the main sources of income from the compensation recovery unit;

  (3) from how many asbestosis victims the compensation recovery unit recovered money in 1993–94; and what were the amounts involved.

  Mr. Hague
  The administration of the compensation recovery scheme is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Tony Worthington, dated 14 July 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking (a) the main sources of income for the Compensation Recovery Unit (b) from how many asbestosis victims the Compensation Recovery Unit recovered money in 1993–94 and (c) what are the major reasons for the increase in the amounts recovered by the Compensation Recovery Unit between 1990–91 and 1993–94.
  During the financial year 1993–94, £81.9 million was recovered by the Compensation Recovery Unit (CRU). The main sources of this income were as follows:

  £ millions

  Benefit

  Amount

  Invalidity Benefit

  35.2

  Statutory Sick Pay

  16.7

  Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

  9.2

  Income Support

  5.8

  Reduced Earnings Allowance

  5.5

  Sickness Benefit

  3.5

  Disability Living Allowance

  2.8

  Mobility Allowance

  1.1

  The remaining £2·1 million was made up of the following benefits:Unemployment Benefit, Attendance Allowance, Constant Attendance Allowance, Retirement Allowance, Family Credit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Disability Working Allowance and Exceptionally Severe Disablement Allowance.During the same period the number of asbestosis cases where recovery was made by the CRU was 157 and the total amount recovered in relation to these cases was £408,665.There are two main reasons for the increase in the amounts recovered by the CRU between 1990–91 and 1993–94:firstly, the number of claims notified to the CRU has increased significantly over the years by some 49 per cent. since 1991;
  800
  secondly, the Compensation Recovery legislation only relates to accidents or diseases which occurred on or after 1 January 1989. Settlements which occurred in 1990–91 resulted in recovery of benefits which had been paid for one or two years only. As the more protracted claims come to settlement, up to five years of benefits are now being recovered.I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Child Support Formula
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consideration he has given to changing the child support formula so that children from the first and second families of the absent parent and any stepchildren for whom he or she may be caring are all treated equally when a maintenance assessment is carried out.

  Mr. Burt
  It is a basic principle of child support that, once his or her own personal living costs are met, the first duty of a parent is the support of his or her own children. Where an absent parent has stepchildren in his current family, the stepchildren's natural father has prime responsibility for their support.

  However, although the main child support formula does not treat stepchildren as the absent parent's own by making allowance for their living costs, their needs are taken into account when the protected income calculation is made. This ensures that the absent parent and his family will remain significantly above income support levels after the payment of child support maintenance. The changes which we introduced in February increased this protection and will be particularly helpful to absent parents with step-families.

  Bronchitis and Emphysema
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims of disablement benefit in respect of chronic bronchitis or emphysema have been made by persons currently on income support benefit since September 1993; how many of these claims have been successful; and in which circumstances it can be financially advantageous for those suffering from chronic bronchitis or emphysema to be successful in claiming disablement benefit.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Industrial injuries disablement benefit is payable in addition to other incapacity and disability benefits, but is taken into account in assessing entitlement to income-related benefits.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he will take to ensure that those in receipt of chronic bronchitis or emphysema disablement benefit receive this payment as compensation for a prescribed disease or illness which they have suffered.

  Mr. Scott
  The industrial injuries scheme provides non-contributory, non means-tested, tax-free benefits on a no-fault basis to workers disabled by industrial accidents or prescribed diseases. Industrial injuries disablement benefit in respect of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, as prescribed, is payable on this basis.

  Housing Expenditure Cuts
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will publish an estimate of the effect on social security expenditure and tax revenues of
  801
  reductions in Department of the Environment housing expenditure between 1992–93 and 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is not available. The link between reductions in Department of the Environment housing expenditure and social security expenditure and tax revenues is not direct and is affected by the complex interaction of a number of factors.

  Year

  Rent Rebate

  Rent Allowance

  RPI

  Eligible Rent2

  Percentage increase

  All Tenants

  Housing3 Association

  Other Private

  £

  Eligible Rent2 £

  Percentage increase

  £

  £

  Per cent.

  May 1988

  18·84

  —

  21·32

  —

  —

  —

  4·2

  May 1989

  20·57

  9·2

  24·29

  13·9

  —

  —

  8·3

  May 1990

  23·62

  14·8

  29·42

  21·1

  —

  —

  9·7

  May 1991

  27·29

  15·5

  35·75

  21·5

  —

  —

  5·8

  May 1992

  30·48

  11·7

  41·67

  16·6

  36·54

  48·57

  4·3

  Data Sources: The Housing Benefit Management Information System annual one percent sample of May in each year and the Employment Gazette, which provides figures based on the increase in the Retail Price Index from May of the previous year to May of the year shown.

  1 Figures on the extent to which increases in spending on rent rebate and rent allowance are due to increases in rents over inflation are not available.

  2 Data on rent paid is not available, therefore, the information relates to the amount of rent eligible for Housing Benefit.

  3 Discrete information for Housing Association tenants was not collected before 1992.

  Family Credit
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will publish a table setting out the number of people who have taken up the disregard in family credit to meet part of the cost of child care, as announced in the Budget, divided between(a) male and female claimants and (b) those who were already in work before the introduction of this reform and those who have moved from unemployment into paid employment since its introduction; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will publish an estimate of the number of people who have taken up the disregard in family credit to meet part of the cost of child care, as announced in the Budget; what his estimate is of the average additional amount of family credit which they will each receive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  We plan to introduce the child care disregard from 4 October 1994. Our best estimates are that about 150,000 families will benefit from it, of whom about 100,000 will already be in paid work and about 50,000 will move into work of 16 hours or more. The extent of additional help will depend in individual cases on earnings, on the cost of the child care and on whether family credit is received alone or in combination with housing benefit and council tax benefit.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table setting out his estimates of the cost in 1994–95 of the disregard in family credit to meet part of the cost of child care, as announced in the Budget, as it affects(a) expenditure on family credit, (b) total expenditure on social security, including any offsetting reductions in spending on other benefits and (c) the public sector borrowing requirement, including any offsetting reductions in spending in other areas and any increase in tax revenues; and if he will make a statement.

  Rent Rebate and Rent Allowance
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table setting out for every year since 1988–89 how rents paid by claimants of(a) rent rebate and (b) rent allowance, divided between those claimants who are housing association tenants and those who are private sector tenants, have risen relative to the retail prices index; how much of the increase in spending on each of these benefits is accounted for by such increases above inflation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hague
  The available information is in the table1.

  Mr. Burt
  The full-year effects of the proposed child care disregard in family credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit and disability working allowance, to be introduced from October 1994, are expected in the longer term to be as follows:

  £ million pa

  (1) Increase in Family Credit expenditure

  +250

  (2) Savings on other benefits, mostly Income Support

  -190

  (3) Net increase in Social Security expenditure

  +60

  (4) Offsetting increases in Tax and NI revenue

  -30

  (5) Net increase in Public Sector Borrowing Requirement

  +30

  Pensions
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how work will progress on his proposals for the new requisite benefits test for contracted-out salary related occupational pension schemes as set out in his White Paper "Security, Equality, Choice: The Future for Pensions" published on 23 June.

  Mr. Hague
  A technical consultation paper is being issued today. The paper seeks views on the detailed criteria of our proposals for the new requisite benefits test, including definitions of pensionable salary and the role of scheme actuaries. It is being issued to a number of interested parties and is available to others on request. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library.

TREASURY

  Public Sector Assets
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Cunningham), of 30 June,Official Report,

  803
  column 678, if he will allocate the public sector assets to broad areas of spend, distinguishing between the Government and non-governmental public sector in cash and real terms for the years specified.

  Mr. Portillo
  Table 8.2 of the "Statistical Supplement to the 1992 Autumn Statement", Cm. 2219, provided a detailed breakdown of public sector asset creation by spending sector and function between 1987–88 and 1992–93. Table 1.8 of the "Statistical Supplement to the

  Public sector capital by spending sector and function, 1989–90 to 1996–97 in real terms1

  £ million

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  outturn

  outturn

  outturn

  outturn

  estimated outturn

  plans

  plans

  plans

  Central Government Own

  Defence

  663

  566

  638

  649

  707

  700

  -100

  500

  Overseas services including overseas aid

  85

  90

  124

  147

  174

  100

  100

  100

  Agriculture, fisheries, foods and forestry

  173

  633

  497

  429

  454

  200

  200

  200

  Trade, industry, energy and employment

  797

  750

  604

  531

  625

  700

  700

  700

  of which: Regional and general industrial support

  500

  395

  313

  224

  264

  300

  300

  200

  National roads

  1,824

  2,254

  2,142

  2,196

  2,278

  2,100

  2,000

  2,000

  Other transport

  68

  35

  33

  36

  43

  —

  —

  —

  Housing

  1,206

  1,813

  2,194

  2,559

  2,044

  1,600

  1,500

  1,500

  Other environmental services

  232

  221

  240

  404

  448

  300

  300

  200

  Prisons

  450

  527

  451

  355

  293

  300

  200

  200

  Other law, order and protective services

  255

  278

  277

  294

  278

  300

  200

  200

  Education

  541

  576

  633

  629

  842

  800

  1,000

  1,100

  National heritage

  160

  180

  200

  191

  170

  200

  500

  500

  Hospital and community health services

  1,671

  1,769

  1,589

  1,402

  1,064

  500

  600

  500

  Other health and personal social services

  142

  152

  163

  185

  135

  100

  100

  100

  Social security

  372

  332

  353

  356

  386

  300

  300

  200

  Miscellaneous

  510

  629

  655

  419

  498

  500

  400

  400

  Total central government

  9,148

  10,802

  10,793

  10,781

  10,442

  8,800

  8,100

  8,600

  Local Authorities

  Agriculture, fisheries, foods and forestry

  43

  55

  46

  9

  33

  —

  —

  —

  Trade, industry, energy employment

  15

  9

  12

  9

  26

  —

  —

  —

  Local roads

  1,279

  1,106

  1,215

  1,283

  1,494

  —

  —

  —

  Other transport

  246

  174

  139

  186

  180

  —

  —

  —

  Housing

  2,635

  1,414

  1,966

  1,688

  1,460

  —

  —

  —

  Other environmental services

  1,257

  1,211

  1,334

  1,370

  1,579

  —

  —

  —

  Law, order and protective services

  376

  304

  331

  359

  361

  —

  —

  —

  Education

  1,038

  916

  914

  904

  902

  —

  —

  —

  National heritage

  510

  383

  301

  234

  296

  —

  —

  —

  Personal social services

  228

  201

  172

  166

  205

  —

  —

  —

  Total local authorities

  7,627

  5,773

  6,430

  6,208

  6,536

  5,500

  5,000

  4,750

  Public Corporations

  Electricity industries

  2,600

  2,487

  788

  542

  426

  300

  100

  100

  British Rail

  685

  1,031

  1,337

  1,523

  1,067

  800

  700

  600

  Other nationalised industries

  2,146

  1,236

  1,066

  1,366

  1,396

  1,200

  1,200

  1,300

  Other public corporations

  772

  1,097

  1,356

  1,705

  2,243

  2,800

  2,700

  2,700

  Total public corporations

  6,204

  5,851

  4,547

  5,136

  5,133

  5,200

  4,800

  4,800

  Allocation from the reserve

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  300

  600

  900

  plus national accounts adjustment

  1,204

  450

  628

  1,076

  1,003

  900

  900

  900

  Total public sector

  24,183

  22,876

  22,398

  23,201

  23,114

  20,750

  19,500

  20,000

  11992–93 prices.

  Pensioners (Income Tax)
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has, for the latest tax year, of the number of people over retirement age(a) who pay no income tax at all, (b) who pay income tax only at the 20 per cent. rate, (c) who pay more than (i) £100, (ii) £500, (iii) £1,000 and (iv) £3,000 in income tax in the year.
  804
  Financial Statement and Budget Report 1994–95", Cm. 2519, provides a similar breakdown of public sector capital spending, on a national accounts definition, between 1988–89 and 1996–97. Annex A to chapter 5 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1994–95" explains the relationship between asset creation and the national accounts definition of capital spending.

  The table gives a breakdown of public sector capital spending, on a national accounts definition, in real terms between 1989–90 and 1996–97.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Provisional estimates for 1994–95 are:

  Numbers (millions)

  (a) Non-taxpayers aged 65 or over

  6·2

  (b) Taxpayers aged 65 or over liable only at 20 per cent.

  1·1

  805

  Numbers (millions)

  (c) Taxpayers aged 65 or over with liabilities of

  (i) over £100

  2·7

  (ii)over £500

  1·8

  (iii) over £1,000

  1·2

  (iv) over £3,000

  0·4

  Trade Statistics
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when he intends to restore the monthly return of trade statistics reporting British trade on a comprehensive basis;

  (2) what are the reasons for the delay in the publication of United Kingdom trade figures with individual EU countries and with the EU as a whole; and when he hopes to be able to publish these figures on a monthly basis.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Central Statistical Office restarted publication of monthly estimates of the total value of the United Kingdom's visible trade with the world, including figures for trade with the European Community, on 11 October 1993. Since then, it has published aggregate details for trade with the European Community for every month, including details for trade with individual countries, 10 weeks after the end of the month. This information is available on the Central Statistical Office database, which can be accessed through the Library of the House. The full detailed statistics for every month are made available approximately 14 weeks after the end of the month through marketing agents appointed by Customs and Excise. It is planned to reduce this delay in publication to 10 or 11 weeks by the end of March 1995.

  Comparable statistics for trade with countries outside the European Community are available six weeks after the end of a month. This difference in the availability of the two sets of statistics is due to differing systems of collection. The statistics on trade with European Community countries are not released until response from industry is such that the statistics are of an acceptable quality.

  House Builders Federation
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the House Builders Federation; and when he next expects to meet it.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Chancellor last met the House Builders Federation on 22 September 1993. My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans at present for further meetings with the Federation.

  EU Contributions
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimate of the United Kingdom's gross contributions to the European Union in 1995, after rebate; and what he expects will be the gross contribution in 1994.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 11 July 1994]: The Government's latest estimate of the United Kingdom's gross contributions to EC institutions for the calendar year 1994 is set out in the "Statement on the 1994 Community
  806
  Budget" Cm. 2486, which was published in March this year. The Government's estimate for the calendar year 1995 will be published in next year's statement.

  "The Arts and Compulsory Competitive Tendering"
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to respond to the report "The Arts and Compulsory Competitive Tendering" commissioned from the consultants Positive Solutions Ltd.

  Mr. Brooke
  [pursuant to his reply, 13 July 1994, c. 599]: I have been asked to reply.

  Last year, I commissioned Positive Solutions to undertake a study of management practice in local authority arts facilities and ways in which it might be improved.

  The consultants have produced a thorough report, reflecting extensive consultation with local authorities, arts organisations, the commercial sector and others: a copy is being placed in the Library. Taken with the recent Arts Council survey of local authority expenditure on the arts, it shows that local authorities are very significant supporters of all forms of arts provision, both through direct assistance of artists and entertainers and through the provision of facilities for arts events either in purpose-built venues or in other general purpose facilities. I am pleased to pay tribute to local authorities' work in ensuring a high quality and innovative arts sector, accessible to all.

  The report shows that there have been significant improvements in local authorities' management of arts facilities. Since the Audit Commission's report on arts and entertainment in 1991, greater attention is now paid to such matters as the definition and communication of arts policies and the control of expenditure against agreed plans and targets.

  Nevertheless, there is general agreement that performance varies greatly between authorities and that there remains considerable scope for management improvements. There is also further scope for authorities to encourage the growth of private sector competition in the longer term.

  I therefore propose to review with local authorities a detailed programme of voluntary mechanisms for implementing management improvements where they have not already been adopted. Specific areas to cover include identification of a client-side function within authorities; development of performance indicators similar to those developed by the Audit Commission for other areas of local authority services; establishment of service level agreements; monitoring of performance against agreed performance targets; mechanisms for effective consumer feedback; and scrutiny of staff terms and conditions. In addition, as means of promoting competition I shall explore with local authorities mechanisms to encourage them to introduce efficiencies of scale through cluster management and to exercise customer choice within the internal market of their facilities.

  I shall aim to conclude this review by the end of 1994–95, with a view to implementing its conclusions from the following year. I would propose to assess the progress which authorities have made on this voluntary basis in two years' time.

  I am confident that the resulting changes will improve management standards in arts facilities and be to the benefit of users, artists, local authority staff and local taxpayer alike.

HEALTH

  Police Surgeons
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the standard of treatment given by police surgeons to detainees compared with standard national health service treatment.

  Mr. Sackville
  Arrangements for the provision of services of police surgeons are a matter for individual police authorities. I understand that police surgeons are predominantly national health service general practitioners. There is no reason why the standard of treatment given by police surgeons to detainees should be any different from that given to NHS patients.

  Trust Membership
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by wave(a) the number of non-executive directors of NHS trust hospitals and (b) the number of chairs of NHS trust hospitals by salary band.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information on the numbers of trust chairmen by salary band is not available centrally. The number of chairmen and non-executive directors of national health service trusts by wave is shown in the table.

  Chairmen

  Non-executive directors

  First Wave

  49

  246

  Second Wave

  91

  458

  Third Wave

  136

  668

  Fourth Wave

  143

  707

  Surgical Cases
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of patients admitted for day case surgery in(a) England, (b) each regional health authority and (c) each hospital or trust between January and March for (i) inguinal hernia repair, (ii) arthroscopy of the knee, (iii) cataract extraction and (iv) laparoscopy with sterilisation had their condition successfully treated by that surgical intervention;

  (2) what proportion of patients admitted for surgery in (a) England, (b) each regional health authority and (c) each hospital or trust between January and March in (i) general surgery, (ii) urology, (iii) trauma and orthopaedics, (iv) ear, nose and throat, (v) ophthalmology, (vi) oral surgery, (vii) plastic surgery and (viii) gynaecology whose condition was successfully treated by that intervention.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available centrally. General practitioners and local health authorities are encouraged to collect information on outcomes at local level to judge the quality of service provided. The Department has a range of initiatives aimed at developing and promoting methods to support this function. These are described in a leaflet on the work of the central health outcomes unit, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what percentage of patients admitted to hospital in(a) England, (b) each regional health authority and (c) each hospital or trust between January and March for surgery
  808
  subsequently died before discharge in (i) general surgery, (ii) urology, (iii) trauma and orthopaedics, (iv) ear, nose and throat, (v) ophthalmology, (vi) oral surgery, (vii) plastic surgery and (viii) gynaecology;

  (2) what percentage of patients admitted to hospital in (i) England, (ii) each regional health authority and (iii) each hospital or trust between January and March for (a) acute myocardial infarction, (b) congestive heart failure, (c) pneumonia/influenza, (d) stroke, (e) sepsis, blood poisoning, (f) hip replacement/recontruction, (g) prostatectomy, (h) gall bladder removal, (i) initial pacemaker insertion, (j) maternity, (k) angioplasty, (l) coronary artery bypass graft and (m) all admissions, subsequently died before discharge;

  (3) what percentage of patients were admitted to hospital in (a) England, (b) each regional health authority and (c) each hospital or trust between January and March 1993 for surgery who lived for not less than (A) 90 days, (B) 180 days and (C) one year after their operation in (i) general surgery, (ii) urology, (iii) trauma and orthopaedics, (iv) ear, nose and throat, (v) ophthalmology, (vi) oral surgery, (vii) plastic surgery and (viii) gynaecology;

  (4) what percentage of patients admitted to NHS hospitals between January and March subsequently died before discharge in hospitals with (a) 1 to 49, (b) 50 to 99, (c) 100 to 299, (d) 300 to 499, (e) 500 to 999 and (f) 1,000 plus beds.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available in the form requested. Information by regional health authority in England on the percentage of patients in the acute sector who died in hospital was published in table 17 of the Department of Health statistical bulletin entitled "NHS Hospital Activity Statistics: England 1981 to 1991–92". A copy is available in the Library. Post-operative deaths which occur after patients have been discharged from hospital are not linked to the hospital records.

  Consultants (Choice)
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of NHS patients referred to hospital between January and March were given a choice of consultant;

  (2) what proportion of NHS patients (a) requested and (b) were granted a second medical opinion following a diagnosis by a consultant between January and March.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available. The patients charter includes the right for a patient, when his or her general practitioner thinks it necessary, to be referred to a consultant who is acceptable to the patient; and to be referred for a second opinion if the patient and the GP agree that this is desirable.

  Out-patient Consultations
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of patients attending accident and emergency departments in(a) England, (b) each regional health authority and (c) each hospital or trust between January and March were treated by an accident and emergency consultant;

  (2) what proportion of patients attending out-patient clinics in (a) England, (b) each regional health authority and (c) each hospital or trust between January and March were seen (i) by consultants and (ii) by other health staff.
  809
  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available centrally. It is for individual consultants to make professional judgments about how their case load is shared with other members of their team.

  Accident and Emergency Departments
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list each hospital accident and emergency department which restricted access to patients at any time(a) in 1993–94 and (b) in the first three months of 1994–95; and if she will indicate the number of occasions on which access was restricted in each case.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on the opening hours of individual accident and emergency departments is not available centrally. Every health authority is required to purchase accident and emergency services which meet the needs of all patients who need these services.

  Angiontensin-converting Enzyme Inhibitors
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was(a) the expenditure and expenditure per head of population on general practitioner prescribed angiontensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in each region and family health services authority area in 1992–93, (b) the number of prescriptions per head in such areas and (c) the cost per prescription of such inhibitors in such areas.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The available information will be placed in the Library.

  Cold Surgery
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients admitted for cold surgery in(a) England, (b) each regional health authority and (c) each NHS hospital or trust between January and March were (i) NHS patients of fundholding GPs, (ii) NHS patients of non-fundholding GPs and (iii) private patients in (1) general surgery, (2) urology, (3) trauma and orthopaedics, (4) ear, nose and throat (5) ophthalmology, (6) oral surgery, (7) plastic surgery, (8) gynaecology and (9) all specialties.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Patients Charter
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of producing each copy of the patients charter "Hospital and Ambulance Services Comparative Performance Guide"; how many were printed; and what was the total cost of distribution.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Some 150,000 copies of the patients charter "Hospital and Ambulance Services Comparative Performance Guide" were produced, at a unit cost of £1·63. The total cost of distribution was £42,000.

  Health Authority Mergers
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy on merging health authorities when there is not strong local support for mergers.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Ministers take into account a wide range of local views and the best interests of patients before deciding upon any proposal to merge health authorities.

  Children in Care
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children are being held in local authority care as of 8 July whose parents are foreign nationals serving a prison sentence or being held on remand in custody in prisons in England and Wales.

  Mr. Bowis
  No information is held by the Department concerning the nationality of parents of children looked after by local authorities. It is estimated that, at 31 March 1992, the latest year for which figures are available, a total of 240 children in England were looked after because one or both of their parents was in prison.

  Personal Social Services
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what further steps she intends to improve standards in the personal social services.

  Mr. Bowis
  In accordance with plans previously announced, the Department is today issuing an invitation to tender for a project concerned with the definition of some possible standards of conduct and practice for those engaged in social services. We intend to use the outcome of this project to extend discussion of the social services issues raised in the final report of the General Social Services Council action group published by the National Institute for Social Work in 1994.

  I am placing a copy of the tender invitation in the Library.

  Multiple Births
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many sets of(a) twins, (b) triplets, (c) quadruplets, (d) quintuplets and (e) sextuplets were born in England and Wales in each year from 1990 to 1993; what was the total number of maternities in England and Wales in each year; and how many multiple births of each type in each year were conceived as a result of (i) in-vitro fertilisation, (ii) gamete infra-fallopian transfer and (iii) other forms of assisted conceptions.

  Mr. Sackville
  The latest available figures for England and Wales are:

  Type of birth

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Twins

  7,934

  8,160

  8,314

  Triplets

  201

  208

  202

  Quadruplets

  10

  10

  8

  Quintuplets

  —

  2

  1

  Sextuplets

  —

  —

  —

  Total number of maternities with multiple births

  8,145

  8,380

  8,525

  Total maternities

  701,030

  693,857

  683,854

  Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

  Information on multiple maternities is not yet available for 1993.

  Information on the number of multiple births attributed to assist reproduction is not available. However, some information on multiple pregnancies for 1990 and 1991 is published in the first and second annual reports of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and in earlier reports of the HFEA's predecessors, the interim licensing authority. Copies are available in the Library.

  811
  Information relating to 1992 will be published later this month in the next annual report of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

  Birth Weights
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 3 December 1993,Official Report, columns 799–800, what further research her Department has funded in response to the proposals for collecting data about children who were very low birthweight babies in the Audit Commission's report, "Children First".

  Mr. Sackville
  Government-funded research into neonatal intensive care and issues surrounding low birth weight continues to be carried out by the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. In addition to the research work reported in my earlier reply to the hon. Member of 3 December,Official Report, columns 799–800, the national perinatal epidemiology unit is developing a full-scale project proposal on the detection of trends in morbidity and disability among seven-year-old children of different birth weights. The Department is also examining, through its public health information strategy a project to improve information on maternal and child health to support the Department's public health needs.

  Research Units
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 30 June,Official Report, column 674, what plans she has to evaluate the first pilot research centre announced on 21 February; and what criteria and methods will be used in the evaluation.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Department's director of research and development will establish a steering group to oversee the work of the centre. Its terms of reference will include advising on the delivery of the research programme, its scientific quality and its continuing relevance to policy and practice, together with the effectiveness of the dissemination of research findings. In addition, the steering group will undertake formal reviews of the work of the centre based on the receipt of an independent peer review at particular points during the contract period and advise on action arising from the reviews.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 30 June,Official Report, column 674, what plans she has to establish any further research centres.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I shall make an announcement in due course.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what autonomous powers NHS trusts have to determine geographical catchment areas within the district covered by a health authority which has a contract with the trust from which patients will be exclusively drawn; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None.
  812
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the latest regulations or guidance which govern decisions as to the appropriateness of a person to serve as the chair or non-executive of an NHS trust.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The National Health Service Trusts (Membership and Procedure) Regulations 1990.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to instruct national health service trusts to produce and publish separate audited accounts for their commercial activities; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  All national health service trusts publish annual accounts, as far as possible, in line with best commercial practice and the Companies Acts. We have no plans to instruct them to produce and publish any additional and separate audited accounts.

  Epsom District General Hospital
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with Epsom district general hospital over the treatment of patients with a history of mental illness.

  Mr. Bowis
  None.

  Royal Free Hospital
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she or officials of her Department have had with(a) officials from the Royal Free hospital, London, (b) officials from Camden and Islington district health authority and (c) representatives of general practitioners in Camden and Islington regarding the decision of the Royal Free hospital to restrict routine admissions to patients of general practitioners practising within the area covered by the former Hampstead health authority; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None.

  Medicines Control Agency
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has started her review of the Medicines Control Agency.

  Mr. Sackville
  A review of the agency status of the Medicines Control Agency has now started. As a next steps agency, the performance of the MCA will be evaluated and MCA activities will be subjected to the normal prior option tests set out in the 1993 "Next Steps Review", Cm. 2430, copies of which are available in the Library. Comments and contributions from those with an interest in the MCA and its work would be welcome and should be sent by 23 September 1994 to Kate James, MCA Review Team, Room 360C, Skipton house, 80 London road, London SE1 6LW.

  Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes she has authorised in the access arrangements to the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys' computers.

  Mr. Sackville
  The British Computer Society reviewed the confidentiality and computing arrangements for the
  813
  1991 census, and its report was published in a White Paper in 1991, Cm 1447, copies of which are available in the Library. The society's report commended the arrangements that had been made to secure the processing of the census, but also recognised that significant changes to computer access mechanisms and procedures would take place in the 1990s. The Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys also recognised that advances in information technology would provide opportunities to improve the availability of the wide range of statistical information which it holds. The society's report had recommended a further review after the main census processing was complete. In 1993, the Registrar-General commissioned such a review from Insight Consulting, who are independent security consultants. In the light of their report, I have agreed, in principle, that information which OPCS would normally provide to central Government agencies by other means—and only that information—may also be directly accessible to them on the OPCS mainframe computer. For other users, information may be directly accessible only from a separate computer not connected to the OPCS mainframe.

  In addition, the Registrar-General has engaged Secure Information Systems Ltd. to advise on technical and management issues. With their help, arrangements are being put in place to guard against unauthorised access to personal information held on OPCS's computers.

  I have also agreed that, if the results of market testing require this, and subject to the passage of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Bill, data managed by OPCS may be processed by contractors, either on OPCS's computers or elsewhere. Any such contractors will be subject to the same stringent confidentiality requirements as OPCS's own staff.

  The Registrar-General and I are confident that the precautions taken will enable OPCS to provide a welcome increase in the availability of information while continuing to manage the data in its care in accordance with best practice, to maintain security and confidentiality of those data, to meet fully the provisions of data protection legislation, to honour the guarantees of confidentiality of personal information, and to comply with its published statement of policies on the security and confidentiality of personal information.

WALES

  Cardiff Bay Development Corporation
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how much the Cardiff Bay development corporation spent on legal fees in each year in the period 1983 to 1993;

  (2) how many legal actions were initiated by the Cardiff Bay development corporation which were (a) discontinued and (b) settled out of court for each year in the period 1983 to 1993.

  Mr. Redwood
  I will arrange for the chief executive of the corporation to write to the hon. Member and for a copy of his letter to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral statement of 7 July,Official Report, column 465, what consultations he has had with the relevant local authorities in relation to the winding up of the Cardiff Bay development corporation; and what
  814
  proposals he has made for independent arbitration in relation to the value of the land and other assets to be transferred to the local authorities when no agreement can be reached between the local authorities and the corporation.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Welsh Office will be consulting local authorities about this after the reorganisation of local government has been implemented.

  Redundant Hospitals
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales for what reasons the selling price of redundant national health service hospitals is not made publicly available after completion of the sale.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Details of individual land and property sales are commercially sensitive and may impact on future potential sales. In some instances, the purchaser and vendor may agree a confidentiality clause in the sale contract.

  Agricultural Schemes
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cost in 1993 in Wales of payments under(a) the sheep annual premium, (b) the suckler cow premium, (c) the beef special premium, and (d) the hill livestock compensatory allowances; and what is his estimate of the cost in 1994.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information is as follows:

  1993 Estimated outturn £ million

  1994 Provision £ million

  (a) Sheep Annual Premium

  125·7

  121·7

  (b) Suckler Cow Premium

  17·1

  21·5

  (c) Beef Special Premium

  16·0

  20·82

  (d) Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances

  32·0

  28·9

  Total

  190·8

  192·92

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cost in 1993 in Wales of payments under(a) the environmentally sensitive area scheme, (b) the nitrate sensitive area scheme, (c) the farm and conservation grant scheme, (d) the pilot beef and sheep extensification schemes, (e) the woodland grant scheme, (f) the farm woodland premium scheme, (g) the orchard grubbing scheme, (h) the optional five year set-aside scheme, (i) the habitat scheme, (j) the moorland scheme, (k) the countryside access scheme and (l) the organic aid scheme; and what is his estimate of the cost in 1994.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information requested is in the table:

  £ million

  Scheme

  Expenditure 1993–94

  Expenditure forecast for 1994–95

  (a) Environmentally Sensitive Area Scheme

  1·541

  6·399

  (b) Nitrate Sensitive Area Scheme1

  —

  —

  (c) Farm and Conservation Grant Scheme

  6·200

  6·900

  815

  Scheme

  Expenditure 1993–94

  Expenditure forecast for 1994–95

  (d) Pilot Beef and Sheep Extensification Scheme

  0·027

  0·027

  (e) Woodland Grant Scheme

  1·200

  1·300

  (f) Farm Woodland Premium Scheme

  0·057

  0·204

  (g) Orchard Grubbing Scheme

  nil

  nil

  (h) Optional Five Year Set-Aside Scheme

  0·349

  0·405

  (i) Habitat Scheme

  nil

  0·500

  (j) Moorland Scheme

  nil

  nil

  (k) Countryside Access Scheme

  nil

  nil

  (l) Organic Aid Scheme

  nil

  0·170

  1 This scheme is not applicable to Wales.

  Health Promotion Authority
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in relation to the publication of the district auditor's report of April 1994 into the allegations of travel expenses fraud and public and private work recompense procedures at the Health Promotion Authority for Wales; what proposals he has to respond to the district auditor's recommendations; and what response he has made to the district auditor's request for legal advice on the application of the guidelines on privately negotiated fees and contracts arising from work done in Health Promotion Authority time.

  Mr. Redwood
  The only representations that I have received concerning the publication of the district auditor's report have been from the hon. Gentleman. The district auditor made a number of recommendations to the authority. I understand that the authority has accepted all these recommendations and either has already implemented them or are in the process of doing so.

  My Department provides legal advice to the Health Promotion Authority for Wales and as part of this function obtained counsel's opinion on the points raised by the district audit service. This was provided to the authority on 27 May 1994.

  Management Costs
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce the final outturn for the management costs line in his departmental costs for the year 1993–94; and if he will list each of the management cost reduction initiatives he has undertaken in each quarter of that year and the savings estimates for the consequences of each of them(a) in 1993–94 and (b) in a full year.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Welsh Office appropriation accounts for 1993–94, including details of administration costs, are due to be published by the National Audit Office in October. The Welsh Office is committed to improving its cost-effectiveness, and efficiency savings of at least £3.8 million—5.5 per cent. of running costs—were secured in 1993–94. A breakdown of these savings is not available in the form requested, but the main gains reflect the absorption of new work, improved purchasing procedures and the rationalisation of accommodation.

  Tourism
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Wales tourist board in relation to the number of hotels and other tourist enterprises in receipt of loans from the board who requested suspension of repayments in each of the years from 1988 to 1993; and how many suspended repayments during that period before recommencement were for(a) one year or less, (b) one to two years, (c) two to three years and (d) more than three years.

  Mr. Redwood
  None on these specific matters. The information requested is as follows:

  Number

  (i) Requests for suspension of loan repayment:

  1988

  Nil

  1989

  Nil

  1990

  Nil

  1991

  Nil

  1992

  4

  1993

  1

  (ii) Length of time before recommencement

  (a) 1 year or less

  4

  (b) 1–2 years

  1

  (c) 2–3 years

  Nil

  (d) More than 3 years

  Nil

  Mid-Wales Development Grant
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral statement of 7 July,Official Report, column 464, what consultations he has had with the Welsh local authority associations in relation to the transfer of the Mid-Wales development grant to the relevant local authorities.

  Mr. Redwood
  My officials will be contacting the local authority associations soon.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for strengthening the guidelines for the formation and conduct of joint venture boards established to further the urban regeneration aims and objectives of the Welsh Development Agency and other parties; and what representations he has had in relation to the confidentiality of information supplied by private companies to joint venture boards chaired by agency personnel.

  Mr. Redwood
  Operational guidelines for the Welsh Development Agency are kept under review and I have recently approved revised guidelines covering its urban development function. I have received representations about the agency's involvement with the Cynon Valley joint venture and the confidentiality of information supplied by private companies. These matters are being considered as part of the investigations put in hand by the agency.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency concerning the use of letters of comfort or their telephoned equivalent by agency staff involved with joint venture boards to assist third parties in the acquisition of land for urban regeneration purposes.
  817
  Mr. Redwood
  I have had none.

  Local Government (Wales) Bill
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the date of the interim meeting with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel for the purpose of drafting amendments to clause 44 of the Local Government (Wales) Bill[Lords].

  Mr. Redwood
  I have nothing to add to my replies of 26 May,Official Report, column 235 and 28 June, Official Report, columns 516–11.

DEFENCE

  Plutonium
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) of 4 July,Official Report, columns 82–83, which reactors were the source of the plutonium for the test.

  Mr. Aitken
  The military reactors at Calder Hall and Chapel Cross.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) of 4 July,Official Report, columns 83–84, regarding the use of plutonium from the United Kingdom in the United States of America, whether any undertaking was given by the United States Government in 1964 that plutonium produced in the United Kingdom from civil reactors would not be used in United States of America experimental nuclear explosive devices.

  Mr. Aitken
  The assurance was that plutonium from United Kingdom civil reactors would not be used for weapons purposes. We understand the term "weapons purposes" in this context to include experimental nuclear explosive devices.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what occasions since 1964 his Department has requested British Nuclear Fuels, or its division within the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, to co-process weapons-grade plutonium from electricity board reactors along with that arising from the dedicated military reactors at Calder Hall or Chapel Cross.

  Mr. Aitken
  We have no record of ever having made such a request.

  Helicopters
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many(a) RAF and (b) RN Sea King and Wessex search-and-rescue helicopters are expected to be available in (a) 1995, (b) 1996 and (c) 1997;

  (2) how many (a) RAF and (b) RN Sea King and Wessex search-and-rescue helicopters were available, serviceable or being serviced on 1 January 1994 and how many are expected to be available, serviceable or being serviced on 31 December 1994;

  (3) how many (a) RAF and (b) RN Sea King and Wessex search-and-rescue helicopters were available, serviceable or being serviced in 1993.
  818
  Mr. Hanley
  For the RAF the total number of SAR helicopters available, serviceable or being serviced, were as follows:

  1993

  1 January 1994

  31 December 1994

  Sea King

  17

  17

  17

  Wessex

  17

  16

  11

  On current plans, the RAF will have the following numbers of SAR helicopters deployed in the United Kingdom:

  1 April 1995

  1 April 1996

  1 April 1997

  Sea King

  17

  23

  23

  Wessex

  9

  6

  Nil

  A total of five Sea Kings are normally made available by the Royal Navy for the search and rescue task. As SAR is not a primary task of RN helicopters, however, future availability cannot be determined with any precision.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions or protocols govern RAF Wessex search-and-rescue helicopters missions at night or in bad weather; and how they differ from those in respect of the RAF Sea King search-and-rescue helicopters.

  Mr. Hanley
  I will write to the hon. Member

  Redundant Military Sites
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what obligations his Department have to clean up redundant military sites before disposing of them.

  Mr. Hanley
  There is no statutory requirement fully to restore land offered for sale. It is my Department's policy, however, to seek to identify instances of contamination on sites allocated for disposal and this information is made available to prospective purchasers and will be taken into account in agreeing the sale price. Decontamination work is generally limited to the removal of ordnance and other contaminants such as explosives, radioactive and microbiological materials on which a civilian contractor could not be expected to have appropriate expertise.

  Proof and Experimental Establishments
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what considerations his Department has given to the environmental impact of siting an ammunition demilitarisation and disposal facility at the proof and experimental establishment, Shoeburyness.

  Mr. Aitken
  The facility has received accreditation by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. The local authority was also consulted and supplied with all relevant information including transport movements, noise data and meteorological analysis.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies his Department has done of the cost in terms of(a) infrastructure and (b) recruitment at transferring the NATO small arms regional test centre from proof and experimental establishment, Pendine.

  Mr. Aitken
  The European regional test centre uses facilities which are required for national purposes. There
  819
  would be no separately identifiable costs were it to transfer with other small arms work. A decision on the location of the ERTC is for the NATO authorities.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total revenue and operating cost of proof and experimental establishment, Pendine, in the financial year 1993–94.

  Mr. Aitken
  Gross operating costs at proof and experimental establishment, Pendine in financial year 1993–94 were £7·157 million. Receipts over the same period totalled £2·259 million.

  Salisbury Plain and Otterburn
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which regiments that use multiple-launch rocket systems and AS90s are likely to train with them on(a) Salisbury plain and (b) Otterburn; where the regiments will be based; where their multiple-launch rocket systems and AS90s will be stored; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  There is one AS90 regiment at Tidworth and one at Topcliffe. MLRS regiments are based at Catterick and Larkhill and it is intended that a further regiment will be based at Ouston from late 1995 when it returns from Germany. Equipment will be collocatecd with these regiments.

  It is planned that they will conduct their AS90 and MLRS training at Salisbury plain, Otterburn and Catterick.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the remit for the environmental impact assessment for his Department's proposals for Otterburn; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what arrangements he is making for consultations with (a) statutory organisations, (b) voluntary organisations and (c) individuals concerning his Department's proposals for Otterburn; what are the stages of this consultation process; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is our intention to appoint independent consultants in August to carry out a full environmental impact assessment in accordance with the provisions of Department of Environment circular 15/88, to consider the effects of our proposals for Otterburn. This is expected to take approximately four months to complete. As part of the EIA, the consultants will seek the views of the local planning authority, statutory bodies, and other interested parties. In addition, my officials will provide briefings to voluntary organisations. The formal consultation process is a matter for the local planning authority, after submission by my Department of a notice of proposed development.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to develop dry training at Otterburn in the future; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  While the proposals which I announced on 23 June,Official Report, columns 250–51, will not involve an increase in dry training at Otterburn, the pattern of dry training carried out there is likely to change. In addition, we are currently considering our overall requirement for dry training in the United Kingdom.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he intends to conduct a public inquiry into his Department's proposals for developments at Otterburn; and if he will make a statement.
  820
  Mr. Hanley
  My Department's proposals for the development of the Otterburn training area will be submitted to the local planning authority, for its consideration in accordance with the provisions of the Department of Environment circular 18/84. If the local planning authority raises objections to the proposed developments, the matter will be referred to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment to determine whether a public inquiry should be held.

  Military Training
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what review has been conducted concerning the future military training requirements in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The structure and content of training for all three services is kept under constant review to ensure that it meets present and future operational requirements. For example, I announced on 7 July,Official Report, column 263, a wide review of how and where Army-sponsored training is conducted.

  In addition, in accordance with recommendations contained in the 36th report of the Committee of Public Accounts dated 26 April 1993, my Department is carrying out a study to compare the requirement for Army training land with existing capacity. This study is due to be completed shortly.

  Rocket Systems
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the regiments which use(a) AS90s and (b) multiple launch rocket systems; how many are attached to each regiment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery and 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery are equipped with AS90. Each regiment currently has 24 guns, which will rise to 32 guns in 1995. Only 24 guns will be manned during peace time for training.

  The 5th Regiment Royal Artillery, 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery and 39th Regiment Royal Artillery are to be equipped with the multiple launch rocket system. Each regiment has 18 launchers.

  McCarthy and Sons (Torquay)
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if McCarthy and Sons (Torquay) Ltd. is eligible to participate in his Department's contracts.

  Mr. Aitken
  Provided that McCarthy and Sons, Torquay, meet the MOD's contract terms, including security requirements, there is no reason why the company should not be eligible to bid for MOD contracts.

  F3 Tornados
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his letter of 22 June, when he expects to commence civil legal action against Brecom in relation to the Airwork damage to the F3 Tornados at RAF St. Athan.

  Mr. Aitken
  Work to investigate the damage caused by Airwork and to compile the technical and cost evidence necessary to support a claim is not yet completed. It will be some time therefore before the appropriate action to prosecute a claim for compensation can be commenced.

  Ministry of Defence Police
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Sir John Blelloch's inquiry report was received by his Department.

  Mr. Hanley
  The report was received by officials on 1 July 1994.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when a copy of the report of Sir John Blelloch was sent to his Department's Police Federation for consultation purposes;

  (2) if he will list those to whom the report of Sir John Blelloch has been circulated for consultation purposes since its receipt by his Department.

  Mr. Hanley
  Sir John Blelloch's report has been circulated widely both within my Department and within other interested Government Departments. Copies have also been sent to the Association of Chief Police Officers, to staff associations representing the MOD police including the Defence Police Federation and to trades unions representing the MOD guard service. These were provided on 14 July. Copies have also been placed in the Library of the House. Consultation on specific proposals will be undertaken in due course in the normal way.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if it is his intention in relation to the consultation timescale and procedure for the report and recommendations of Sir John Blelloch, to follow the practice of the Home Secretary in consulting on the report of Sir Patrick Sheehy in respect of allowing the Police Federation to be consulted fully prior to decisions being taken at ministerial level;

  (2) if he will publish the report and recommendation of Sir John Blelloch into the future of his Department's police.

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for City of Chester (Mr. Brandreth) on 14 July,Official Report, columns 760–61.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what requests have been received from his

  (a) Hospital and Community Medical Staff; by health board: at 30 September

  Number

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Scotland

  7,302

  7,312

  7,475

  7,441

  Argyll and Clyde

  434

  424

  436

  463

  Ayrshire and Arran

  340

  347

  368

  384

  Borders

  95

  95

  100

  106

  Dumfries and Galloway

  179

  185

  191

  193

  Fife

  281

  314

  320

  312

  Forth Valley

  284

  289

  297

  277

  Grampian

  739

  756

  769

  759

  Greater Glasgow

  2,087

  2,035

  2,064

  1,984

  Highland

  254

  256

  258

  250

  Lanarkshire

  483

  487

  514

  500

  Lothian

  1,349

  1,318

  1,349

  1,396

  Orkney

  17

  17

  17

  17

  Shetland

  15

  17

  15

  20

  Tayside

  649

  669

  665

  694

  Western Isles

  18

  17

  24

  24

  CSA

  78

  81

  81

  78

  State Hospital, Carstairs

  —

  5

  7

  9

  822
  Department's Police Federation about advancing the consultative procedure in respect of the contents of the report and recommendations of Sir John Blelloch.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Defence Police Federation wrote to the Department on 4 July 1994 requesting an early copy of the report by Sir John Blelloch. It was provided with a copy of Sir John's report on 14 July 1994.

  Defence Postal and Courier Services Agency
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key performance targets have been set for the Defence Postal and Courier Services Agency for the financial year 1994–95.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Defence Postal and Courier Services Agency has been set the following key targets:

  1. Review the assessment of Military Core Capability and Report by 1 July 1994.

  2. Increase the Agency's efficiency by making 0·5 per cent. saving against 1993–94 outturn net operating costs.

  3. Improve the percentage of mail moved by the MOD Mail Service that meets Quality of Service standards by 0·5 per cent. against target.

  4. Complete Phase 2 of the DPCS Market Testing Plan.

  5. Following the necessary consultations, implement the Mail 2000 recommendations, and report progress by 31 March 1995.

SCOTLAND

  NHS Staff
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the latest figures and list for each of the last four years by region the number of(a) doctors, (b) nurses, (c) midwives, (d) health visitors, (e) administration and clerical staff and (f) managers.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is shown in the tables. It should be noted that tables(c) and (d) are extracts from table (b).
  823

  (b) Qualified Nursing staff; by health board: at 30 September

  Number

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Scotland

  42,459

  43,011

  43,123

  42,344

  Argyll and Clyde

  3,055

  3,159

  3,220

  3,188

  Ayrshire and Arran

  2,394

  2,493

  2,436

  2,422

  Borders

  799

  791

  829

  842

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,310

  1,336

  1,349

  1,365

  Fife

  2,436

  2,497

  2,513

  2,604

  Forth Valley

  2,294

  2,338

  2,473

  2,329

  Grampian

  4,566

  4,586

  4,709

  4,160

  Greater Glasgow

  9,042

  8,850

  8,642

  8,534

  Highland

  1,809

  1,831

  1,843

  1,798

  Lanarkshire

  3,954

  3,970

  3,809

  3,758

  Lothian

  5,979

  6,053

  6,073

  6,162

  Orkney

  175

  184

  188

  201

  Shetland

  175

  192

  187

  188

  Tayside

  4,117

  4,128

  4,241

  4,154

  Western Isles

  285

  284

  280

  324

  CSA

  69

  53

  58

  63

  State Hospital, Carstairs

  —

  266

  273

  252

  (Qualified nursing staff) of which: (c) Midwives, by health board: at 30 September

  Number

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Scotland

  3,051

  3,357

  3,393

  3,426

  Argyll and Clyde

  272

  321

  343

  338

  Ayrshire and Arran

  154

  277

  261

  262

  Borders

  45

  43

  42

  43

  Dumfries and Galloway

  105

  104

  103

  113

  Fife

  179

  195

  203

  207

  Forth Valley

  155

  177

  205

  208

  Grampian

  312

  323

  337

  317

  Greater Glasgow

  673

  710

  666

  671

  Highland

  158

  164

  164

  163

  Lanarkshire

  277

  298

  300

  315

  Lothian

  398

  427

  441

  452

  Orkney

  9

  9

  8

  9

  Shetland

  12

  11

  10

  10

  Tayside

  280

  280

  292

  302

  Western Isles

  22

  18

  18

  16

  (Qualified nursing staff) of which:—(d) Health Visitors; by health board: at 30 September

  Number

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Scotland

  1,612

  1,585

  1,533

  1,519

  Argyll and Clyde

  124

  132

  127

  127

  Ayrshire and Arran

  118

  111

  98

  99

  Borders

  27

  26

  25

  26

  Dumfries and Galloway

  35

  31

  30

  29

  Fife

  122

  117

  123

  123

  Forth Valley

  91

  90

  92

  86

  Grampian

  175

  174

  171

  161

  Greater Glasgow

  309

  301

  276

  266

  Highland

  54

  50

  49

  54

  Lanarkshire

  174

  173

  166

  171

  Lothian

  237

  241

  238

  237

  Orkney

  6

  5

  5

  4

  Shetland

  8

  8

  7

  6

  Tayside

  124

  116

  118

  121

  Western Isles

  8

  10

  8

  9

  (e) Administrative and Clerical Staff (excluding managers); by health board: at 30 September

  Number

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Scotland

  16,918

  17,459

  18,363

  18,914

  Argyll and Clyde

  1,338

  1,351

  1,491

  1,496

  Ayrshire and Arran

  865

  895

  960

  981

  Borders

  252

  265

  285

  291

  Dumfries and Galloway

  421

  458

  477

  494

  Fife

  778

  824

  853

  969

  Forth Valley

  672

  704

  755

  785

  824 825

  Number

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Grampian

  1,569

  1,657

  1,722

  1,705

  Greater Glasgow

  3,692

  3,742

  3,891

  3,975

  Highland

  595

  631

  658

  666

  Lanarkshire

  1,184

  1,204

  1,247

  1,313

  Lothian

  2,652

  2,659

  2,697

  2,855

  Orkney

  26

  26

  28

  29

  Shetland

  48

  51

  56

  61

  Tayside

  1,460

  1,516

  1,623

  1,569

  Western Isles

  53

  58

  75

  79

  Common Services Agency

  1,313

  1,394

  1,518

  1,613

  State Hospital, Carstairs

  —

  24

  27

  33

  (f) Administrative and Clerical Managers; by health board: at 30 September

  Number

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Scotland

  1,069

  1,312

  1,677

  2,094

  Argyll and Clyde

  78

  81

  105

  124

  Ayrshire and Arran

  52

  58

  90

  114

  Borders

  17

  19

  24

  28

  Dumfries and Galloway

  29

  36

  49

  53

  Fife

  62

  76

  82

  110

  Forth Valley

  52

  60

  69

  92

  Grampian

  100

  135

  178

  207

  Greater Glasgow

  169

  221

  273

  345

  Highland

  39

  50

  70

  85

  Lanarkshire

  66

  65

  80

  116

  Lothian

  119

  135

  184

  275

  Orkney

  5

  6

  6

  6

  Shetland

  6

  8

  8

  8

  Tayside

  102

  112

  138

  147

  Western Isles

  9

  11

  12

  19

  CSA

  164

  237

  302

  356

  State Hospital, Carstairs

  —

  2

  7

  9

  Child Mortality Rates
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list child mortality rates for each assigned social class within each health board area.

  Deaths of persons aged 0–15 by social class and health board area Scotland 19931

  Social class

  Total

  I

  II

  III

  VI

  V

  Not stated

  (non manual)

  (Manual)

  Scotland

  665

  21

  95

  34

  166

  83

  54

  212

  Borders

  9

  —

  5

  —

  —

  1

  —

  3

  Dumfries and Galloway

  20

  —

  3

  1

  6

  4

  1

  5

  Fife

  41

  1

  3

  4

  14

  6

  6

  7

  Forth Valley

  34

  2

  6

  2

  7

  5

  1

  11

  Grampian

  50

  —

  9

  3

  14

  9

  4

  11

  Highland

  32

  4

  5

  33

  6

  1

  3

  10

  Lothian

  93

  4

  12

  8

  22

  8

  7

  32

  Tayside

  49

  1

  3

  1

  10

  9

  4

  21

  Orkney Islands

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Shetland Islands

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Western Isles

  4

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  1

  1

  Argyll and Clyde

  58

  3

  7

  4

  13

  2

  8

  21

  Ayrshire and Arran

  51

  1

  4

  1

  19

  7

  3

  16

  Greater Glasgow

  150

  3

  24

  4

  38

  18

  10

  53

  Lanarkshire

  71

  2

  13

  3

  15

  11

  6

  21

  1 Provisional.

  826
  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 11 July 1994]: Mortality rates are not available. The table shows the number of children who died for each assigned social class within each health board area. Children whose parents' occupation is unknown are shown in the "not stated" column.

  Redundant Hospitals
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for what reasons the selling price of redundant national health service hospitals is not made publicly available after completion of the sale.
  827
  Mr. Stewart
  In Scotland the selling price of NHS and other property is publicly available when the purchaser's title is recorded in the general register of sasines or the land register, as required by law. It is for the NHS body managing the transaction to decide, in the light of the circumstances, whether price details can be released at an earlier stage, bearing in mind the fact that information on property disposals may be commercially sensitive.

  Police
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if it is his intention to give evidence to the Home Office's review of police care and ancillary tasks; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Home Office review relates only to England and Wales. Further work will be undertaken by the Scottish Office, including consultation with interested parties in Scotland, once the Home Office review has been completed.

  NHS Trust Hospitals
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by wave(a) the number of non-executive directors of NHS trust hospitals and (b) the number of chairs of NHS trust hospitals, by salary band.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is as follows:

  Remuneration £

  Number of Non-executive Directors

  Number of Chairmen

  NHS Trust first wave

  5,000 per annum

  10

  —

  17,145 per annum

  —

  1

  19,285 per annum

  —

  1

  Second wave

  5,000 per annum

  75

  —

  15,125 per annum

  —

  1

  17,145 per annum

  —

  6

  19,285 per annum

  —

  8

  Third wave

  5,000 per annum

  110

  —

  15,125 per annum

  —

  1

  17,145 per annum

  —

  11

  19,285 per annum

  —

  10

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes were made to the allocations to any of the trusts, directly managed units or other areas in Lothian for capital building programmes or for revenue during the past eight months.

  Mr. Lang
  The information requested spans two financial years. Revenue allocations are subject to numerous revision by the management executive during the course of a financial year. The original 1993–94 revenue allocation to Lothian health board was £358·175 million. By November 1993 it had been adjusted to £401·554 million and by March 1994 stood at £406·533 million. The original 1994–95 allocation was £364.805 million and is currently £419·642 million.

  Lothian health board's original 1993–94 capital allocation for its building programme, including provision
  828
  for its directly managed units, was £24·429 million. Changes to the allocation by the management executive were limited to projects that had a total cost of more than £1 million. These accounted for £12·708 million of the 1993–94 capital allocation. By November 1993 and March 1994, that sub-allocation stood at £11·202 million and £10·002 million respectively.

  The West Lothian NHS trust was the only trust in Lothian in 1993–94. Its opening capital was £3·080 million and its business plan income forecast was £63·639 million. At November 1993, there had been no change to the capital allocation and by 31 March 1994 the allocation was £2·896 million.

  The 1994–95 allocations for all Lothian NHS trusts currently remain as notified to them on 8 February 1994.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes there were in the capital revenue allocations to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh or to the priority services unit in Lothian in the past eight months.

  Mr. Lang
  The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and the Edinburgh priority services unit were directly managed units under Lothian health board until 1 April 1994. Lothian health board's initial 1993–94 capital allocation included specified project provision of £2·245 million for the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and £4·065 million for the Edinburgh priority services unit. Lothian health board was responsible for the financial management of the specified projects, although allocation adjustments for underspends on projects with a total cost of more than £1 million were subject to Scottish Office approval. Details of the allocation changes for the Royal Infirmary and the priority services unit projects with a total cost of more than £1 million, as approved by the NHS executive, are set out in the table.

  The 1994–95 capital allocations for both the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS trust and Edinburgh Healthcare NHS trust currently remain at the levels notified to them by the Scottish Office on 8 February 1994.

  Table to show changes to 1993–94 capital allocations for projects with a total cost of £1 million or more

  £ million

  Opening allocation

  Final Approval

  Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh

  Liver Transplant Unit

  0·170

  0·246

  Dental Hospital

  0·700

  0·243

  Residential Nurses Homes

  0·000

  0·657

  Edinburgh Priority Services Unit

  Royal Edinburgh Ward Upgrade

  0·765

  1·235

  Gogarburn Hospital

  2·000

  2·110

  Royal Edinburgh Hospital

  1·000

  1·424

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the capital allocation for all trusts, directly managed units and other areas in Lothian for the financial years 1993–94 and 1994–95;

  (2) when the capital building programme allocation to Lothian health board was determined for the financial years 1993–94 and 1994–95.

  Mr. Lang
  Lothian health board was notified of their capital building programme allocation for 1993–94 in a letter dated 20 December 1992, and a letter dated 17 December 1993 for 1994–95. The allocations for all other health boards were notified on the same dates.
  829
  The capital allocation letter for health boards covers their hospital building programme, equipment and information technology provision. The letters for NHS trusts, issued on 16 February 1993 and 8 February 1994 respectively, provided their overall external financing limit and included details of the capital provision used in calculating the limit.

  The information requested on capital allocations is set out in the table.

  1993–94 Allocations to:

  Current 1994–95 Allocations

  £

  £

  Lothian Health Board (Gross allocation)

  24,429,000

  4,969,000

  West Lothian NHS Trust

  2,896,000

  2,003,000

  East and Midlothian NHS Trust

  —

  1,368,000

  Edinburgh Healthcare NHS Trust

  —

  5,416,000

  Edinburgh Sick Children's NHS Trust

  —

  1,472,000

  Royal Infirmary NHS Trust

  —

  6,673,000

  Western General Hospitals NHS Trust

  —

  6,166,000

  Lothian Health Board
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many meetings took place between Geoffrey Scaife, chief executive of the health service in Scotland, and officials of Lothian health board this year; what were the dates and times of those meetings; if he will make available the minutes of those meetings; and what action was taken as a result of those meetings.

  Mr. Lang
  The chief executive of the NHS in Scotland meets regularly with representatives of all health boards, both individually and collectively in a variety of settings. Since the beginning of this year the chief executive has met Lothian health board representatives on six occasions to discuss a wide range of issues. Formal minutes of the meetings were not taken as a matter of course, any decision or action required being dealt with by subsequent correspondence.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the Treasury rules with regard to capital expenditure and revenue expenditure programmes in the health service in Scotland; and whether all expenditure by Lothian health board within the last eight months was within these rules.

  Mr. Lang
  The NHS in Scotland is subject, like other public sector bodies, to the relevant rules and guidance set out in "Government Accounting" a copy of which is in the Library. The expenditure of Lothian health board is subject to annual statutory audit which provides a check on its regularity and propriety. The board's annual accounts for 1993–94 have still to be audited.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish minutes of the meetings at which capital allocations to trusts, directly managed units and other areas were discussed between Lothian health board and the Scottish Office.

  Mr. Lang
  There were no formal meetings between the Scottish Office and Lothian health board to discuss the capital allocations to either the board and its directly 830
  managed units or the Lothian NHS trusts. Allocations are determined by the management executive on the basis of details submitted by the board and, in the case of NHS trusts, the capital proposals in their annual business plans. Account is taken of the relative service priorities for the NHS as a whole, individual health boards' purchasing intentions and agreed strategic objectives.

  Shipping Services
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to(a) publish and (b) announce his response to the consultants' report on the future of shipping services to the northern and western isles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  I have recently received the report of KPMG Management Consulting on subsidies for shipping services in the highlands and islands and I am studying carefully its conclusions and recommendations. However, it is too early for me to say when I will be in a position to announce any decisions in response to the report. The report contains a considerable amount of commercially sensitive information which was made available to the consultants on a strictly confidential basis, and would not therefore be suitable for publication. I shall, however, give consideration as to whether it would be possible to publish the main findings and conclusions of the report without breaching commercial confidentiality.

  Planning
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans to publish his consultation paper on the review of the Scottish planning system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  I have today published a consultation paper on the review of the Scottish planning system. Copies will be placed in the House Libraries.

  Under the banner of the citizens charter, my general aim is to stimulate discussion on ways in which the effectiveness, efficiency and responsiveness of the system can be improved. This is the first step in a wide-ranging review which will help to set the agenda for the development of the planning system in the years ahead.

  The review will not address the underlying structure of the present system or the Government's proposals for local government reform in Scotland; its focus will be on matters of procedure and practice. In that context, my specific aim is to assess the adequacy of the decision-making process in terms of its openness, fairness, consistency, speed and accountability to all interests; the extent to which current procedures help or hinder that process; the degree to which development plans and development control promote development and conservation objectives and in so doing add to the quality of the natural and built environment; and the adequacy of the arrangements for monitoring the decision-making process and for measuring the achievement of objectives, targets and standards of service.

  The consultation paper poses a number of questions to assist those who may wish to comment. However, there is no pre-determined agenda; the Government will welcome comments on any aspects of the system. Thereafter the outcome will be made public, and the Government will indicate how they propose to take matters forward.
  831
  I should make it clear that no significant changes will be introduced until after the reorganised authorities are firmly in place. However, the review is designed to pave the way for any longer-term changes that may be necessary to achieve the high standards now set by the citizens charter. That means a more responsive and efficient system to give the public, developers and Government alike confidence in the plan-making and decision-making process, in the quality of the outcomes, and in the standard of service that is being provided.

  Mental Illness
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many former patients discharged from compulsory detention by way of(a) the Mental Welfare Commission exercising its powers under the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984, (b) appeals granted by a sheriff or (c) the Secretary of State accepting a recommendation by the Mental Welfare Commission, over the past seven years have been subsequently subjected to a compulsory detention order; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 13 July 1994]: This information is not held centrally.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in how many cases during the past seven years of a patient having a restriction order placed upon his or her detention the Mental Welfare Commission has recommended to the Secretary of State that such an order be lifted; of these, how many were accepted by the Secretary of State; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 13 July 1994]: One. The Commission's recommendation was considered as part of the process which led to the patient's conditional discharge.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients have been discharged from compulsory detention by way of an appeal to a sheriff in each of the past seven years; in how many such hearings before a sheriff the patient was represented by a lawyer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 13 July 1994]: This information is not held centrally.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients have been discharged from compulsory detention by way of the Mental Welfare Commission exercising the appropriate power it has under the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 in each of the past seven years; of such discharges, how many were brought about by a request from a patient to have his or her detention reviewed by the Commission; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 13 July 1994]: The numbers of patients so discharged are as follows:

  Year

  Number

  11993–94

  0

  11992–93

  1

  1991

  2

  1990

  0

  1989

  5

  1988

  3

  1987

  5

  832
  1The Commission's annual report statistics are now produced on a financial year basis.

  The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland has no record of the number of these cases which were brought about by a request from a patient to have his or her detention reviewed.

  Electro-convulsive Therapy
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for which ailments electro-convulsive therapy is recommended; what guidelines are issued to hospitals and consultant psychiatrists concerning the use of electroconvulsive therapy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 13 July 1994]: Electroconvulsive therapy is most commonly used to treat severe intractable depressive illness. It is very occasionally used to treat acute schizophrenia.

  ECT is covered by the consent to treatment provisions of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 and guidance on these requirements is contained in "Notes on the Act", in the "Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 Code of Practice", which includes as an annexe guidance produced by the Mental Welfare Commission and in the NHS Executive's booklet "A Guide to Consent to Examination, Investigation, Treatment or Operation".

  Guidelines on "The Practical Administration of ECT" were published by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 1989. The observance of these guidelines is recommended in the training of all doctors administering this form of treatment.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what records are kept by the Scottish Office concerning the frequency of the employment of electro-convulsive therapy by hospitals and consultant psychiatrists in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 13 July 1994]: This information is not recorded centrally.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice and guidance is normally given to a psychiatric patient or members or his or her family or others with an interest in his or her welfare concerning to the employment of electro-convulsive therapy and his or her right to refuse electro-convulsive therapy in favour of an alternative form of treatment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 13 July 1994]: The principles of the general law of consent to treatment for physical disorders apply to any proposed treatment for a voluntary patient's mental disorder, and the doctor is required to explain to the patient, before he signs a consent form, the nature, purpose and likely effects of the treatment, and why he should consent to it. In the case of electro-convulsive therapy, the explanation given should clearly indicate that the treatment can be refused and that the patient may withdraw his consent at any time, even before the first treatment is given. The doctor should also make himself available to answer any questions that the patient, or their carer, may have about the treatment. A leaflet produced by Royal College of Psychiatrists also provides answers to questions about ECT commonly asked by patients.
  833
  The position of detained patients is regulated by part X of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984. In the case of ECT, the Act requires the consent of the patient and the certification by a medical practitioner—either the responsible medical officer or a practitioner appointed by the Mental Welfare Commission—that the patient is capable of understanding its nature, purpose and likely effects and has consented to it; or, alternatively, the certification by a medical practitioner appointed by the Mental Welfare Commission, other than the RMO, that the patient is not so capable but that, having regard to the likelihood of alleviating or preventing a deterioration in the patient's condition, the treatment should be given.

  In certain circumstances ECT may be given without consent or a second opinion in cases of urgency, for example where it is immediately necessary to prevent a serious deterioration in the patient's condition, or to alleviate serious suffering or to prevent the patient from being a danger to himself or others.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that those psychiatric patients who have undergone electroconvulsive therapy over the past 20 years have suffered no long-term deleterious effects from such treatment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 13 July 1994]Research by Weeks, Freeman and Kendell, 1980, found no long-term deleterious effects from electro-convulsive therapy.

  Later research—Freeman and Cheshire, 1986; Benbow, 1988; Malcolm, 1989; and Cheshire, Freeman and Chiswick, 1991—indicated a high level of patient satisfaction with the results of treatment. The Royal College of Psychiatrists also reports that more than eight out of 10 patients respond well to ECT treatment, making it the most effective treatment for severe depression, and that most patients recover their ability to work and lead a productive life after their depression has been treated in this way.

  A sub-group of the CRAG/SCOTMEG framework for action working group on mental illness is currently considering ECT and its report in the form of "good practice" guidelines is expected in the autumn.

  Firearms (Deaths)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many murders were committed in Scotland in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and of these, how many persons were killed by(a) shotguns, (b) handguns and (c) other firearms.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 13 July 1994]: The table details the number of recorded homicides in Scotland and shows the number of recorded homicides involving firearms, broken down by type of weapon use, 1990 to 1992.
  834

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Homicides

  81

  89

  137

  Homicides involving firearms of which:

  (a) shotgun

  0

  3

  5

  (b) handgun

  3

  0

  0

  (c) other

  0

  4

  1

  Total

  3

  7

  6

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people charged with causing the death of another person by the use of a firearm of any description in Scotland had authority to possess that firearm in each of the last three years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 13 July 1994]: Information on persons charged with causing the death of another person by the use of a firearm and the authority to possess a firearm is not collected centrally. However, information is available on homicides involving firearms recorded by the police and the authority of the accused to possess a firearm. The table details that information.

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Homicides involving firearms

  3

  7

  6

  Cases where the accused held a valid firearm certificate

  1

  1

  0

  Contracts
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what occasions in the last 10 years he or a Minister in his Department has given a direction to civil servants to award a contract against the advice of the civil service; what was the subject matter of the contract and its value; and when it was awarded.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 8 July 1994]: Inquiries throughout my Departments have not identified any such occasion.

  Health Service Properties
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the cost of undertaking all the identified backlog in repairs and in maintenance of health service properties.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 11 July 1994]: The responsibility for management and maintenance of the health service estate in Scotland rests with provider units, and it is for them to make estimates of this kind. However, the latest annual survey estimate is that at 31 March 1993 the appropriate expenditure required to improve the physical condition of the essential estate was £270 million including backlog maintenance and other work.

  MENTAL HEALTH REVIEW TRIBUNALS: COSTS
  MENTAL HEALTH REVIEW TRIBUNALS: COSTS
  HOMICIDES BY THE MENTALLY ILL
  HOMICIDES BY THE MENTALLY ILL
  PSYCHIATRIC HEALTH SERVICES
  PSYCHIATRIC HEALTH SERVICES
  BUILDING REGULATIONS: AMENDMENTS
  BUILDING REGULATIONS: AMENDMENTS
  WASTE SHIPMENTS: CIRCULAR
  WASTE SHIPMENTS: CIRCULAR
  COASTAL ZONE PROTECTION: MANAGEMENT
  COASTAL ZONE PROTECTION: MANAGEMENT
  PENNINE BRIDLEWAY PROPOSAL
  PENNINE BRIDLEWAY PROPOSAL
  AFRICA: AID
  AFRICA: AID
  MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS: JORDAN
  MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS: JORDAN