Written Answers of 18 July 1994

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans his Department has to place some of the legal work it currently performs out to competitive tendering; and in what areas.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor's Department has no plans at present to place the legal work which it currently performs out to competitive tendering.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects to make an announcement on the provision of grants of probate in a bilingual format in Wales.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The necessary changes to the Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987, which will allow bilingual forms, will be made before the end of this year.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects to be able to reply to the letter of 21 June from the hon. Member for South Hams and the letter from Brooke Blain Russell and Quinn, reference LB/DH/COAT40011, concerning the case of Mrs. Coates.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The hon. Member's letter was received in the Parliamentary Secretary's office on 23 June. A reply will be sent to the hon. Member on or before 21 July.

  Finance
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) pursuant to his answer of 11 July,Official Report, column 393, what plans he has to order (a) increases in the fees for civil business and (b) cuts in his Department's spending to make up for the £52 million shortfall in predicted income from civil business for the current financial year;

  (2) what is the total sum that he is seeking to recover from individual circuits in the current financial year;

  (3) how much, by way of running costs, he is seeking to recover from each individual circuit in the current financial year;

  (4) pursuant to his answer of 11 July, Official Report, column 393, what effect the £52 million shortfall in projected income from civil business in the current financial year will have on (a) the circuit court building programme, (b) the magistrates courts building programme, (c) the number of hours sat by recorders and assistant recorders and (d) the number and the length of time for which courtrooms are not in use.
  2
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  We plan to meet the forecast shortfall by a combination of fee increases and expenditure cuts. A package of county court fee increases, worth an estimated £11 million this year, is in hand. We are monitoring changes in income and expenditure closely, and drawing up detailed plans to cover the remaining gap. It is too early to say what the extent of the expenditure cuts will be, where they will fall, or what the effects of them will be.

  Divorce Law
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to publish a White Paper on divorce law reform.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  No decisions have been made about the proposals in the consultation paper. It is therefore too early to make plans for publication of a White Paper.

PRIME MINISTER

  Electricity and Water Companies
  Mr Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of ministerial exhortation on the pay and other benefits of directors of electricity and water companies in 1994.

  The Prime Minister
  I have made it clear on many occasions that directors should follow the lead that the Government have set for pay in the public sector.

  However, remuneration of directors is a matter for the judgment of companies and their shareholders, within the framework of established company law, and reflecting affordability and individual and corporate performance.

  Nuclear Proliferation
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Chingford of 11 July,Official Report, column 674, which are the other countries involved in nuclear proliferation to which he referred in his answer.

  The Prime Minist
  Both Iraq and North Korea are countries of nuclear proliferation concern. Both states have breached their obligations under the International Atomic Energy Authority full scope safeguards agreements. We are also concerned by reports that Iran may be seeking to develop nuclear weapons, and we continue to emphasise the importance we attach to all states party abiding by their obligations under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. We also take very seriously reports that India, Israel and Pakistan may possess nuclear weapons. We urge these countries to allay suspicions about their nuclear programmes by acceding to the NPT as non-nuclear weapons states.

  G7 Summit
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the cost to the Exchequer of the G7 summit in Naples.

  The Prime Minister
  It is not possible to give the cost of this meeting at present. A figure will, however, be available in due course.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) of 11 July,Official Report, column 376, if he will set out the reasons why he will not make it his policy that all Government Departments provide substantive replies to questions rather than referring them to the Library.

  The Prime Minister
  It has long been the practice that right hon. and hon. Members should be directed to the original source of information which is detailed or long.

  Gordon McNally
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has held with Gordon McNally relating to Government procurement.

  The Prime Minister
  None.

TREASURY

  Staff Surveys
  Mr. Radice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what surveys of the views, opinions and attitudes of the staff of his Departments have been carried out in the last three years; and if he will place copies of the findings in the Library.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Treasury, Customs and Excise, Inland Revenue, Central Statistical Office and the Royal Mint have conducted separate staff attitude surveys in the last three years; copies of the summaries of the findings have been placed in the Library.

  Tourism
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many visits to the United Kingdom were made by foreign tourists, and how many tourism trips abroad were made by United Kingdom residents, in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Nelson
  Information on this topic is published each month in "CSO First Release" titled "Overseas Travel and Tourism".

  Manufacturing
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures for the balance of trade in manufactured goods.

  Mr. Nelson
  The information is available from the CSO database, which may be accessed by the House of Commons Library.

  Personal Investment
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses have applied to register with the Personal Investment Authority; and whether individual registration will be permitted.

  Mr. Nelson
  As at 18 July the Personal Investment Authority has received 3,666 applications for membership. The PIA has announced that it will maintain a register of 4
  member firms, appointed representatives of member firms and individuals appointed by member firms as financial advisers or company representatives. The PIA is considering whether it should enter into a direct contractual relationship with relevant individuals working for member firms.

  Home Income Schemes
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Securities and Investments Board concerning restitution proceedings under section 61 of the Financial Services Act 1986 to obtain compensation for investors who suffered from unsuitable advice on home income schemes.

  Mr. Nelson
  None.

  Exchange Rate
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times the former right hon. Member for Blaby, when Chancellor of the Exchequer, informed Parliament and its Committees that he was shadowing the deutschmark; and on what dates.

  Mr. Nelson
  While sterling has not been participating in formal exchange rate systems it has been the practice of successive Governments not to make public any targets for sterling's exchange rate.

  Financial Services
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Securities and Investments Board and the Personal Investment Authority concerning the impact of regulatory costs on the competitive edge of retail financial services and on the creation, continuity and expansion of small firms which offer independent financial advice.

  Mr. Nelson
  In order to give the Securities and Investments Board leave to recognise the Personal Investment Authority as a self-regulatory organisation, the Financial Services Act required the Treasury to consider whether the PIA's rules, regulations, statements of principle and codes of practice had, or were intended or likely to have, the effect of restricting, distorting or preventing competition to any significant extent. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 22 June at columns 208–9 on that point.

  In addition, the Securities and Investments Board is required by the Act to have satisfactory arrangements for taking account of the cost of complying with statements of principle, rules regulations and codes of practice which it proposes to make. The review of the role and functions of the board, "Making the Two Tier System Work", published in May 1993, extends this commitment to oversight of the cost effectiveness of the whole system of financial regulation under the Act. SIB intends shortly to set up a cost of compliance unit.

  My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor meets the chairman of SIB from time to time to discuss these and other matters. I have no hesitation in confirming the Government's appreciation of the value of independent financial advice.

  Debt Relief
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what commitments were made at the Naples economic summit of 8 to 10 July on the sale of part of the International Monetary Fund's gold reserves to assist debt relief for developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  Decisions on the sale of the IMF's gold reserves require an 85 per cent. majority of the board of governors of the IMF. No commitments were therefore made at the Naples G7 economic summit.

  The G7 did agree to explore ways of mobilising more effectively the existing resources of the International Financial Institutions to respond to, among others, the needs of the poorest most indebted countries. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made clear in his statement to the House on the Naples summit, sales of IMF gold could be one way of helping such countries.

  Travel to Work Expenses
  Mr. Denis MacShane
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider(a) taxing free employee car parking or (b) granting tax relief to users of public transport travelling to work.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have noted the hon. Gentleman's suggestions.

  Financial Advisers
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the comparative fee scales chargeable for independent financial advisers as required by FIMBRA, IMRO, SIB and PIA; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  For a typical firm of independent financial advisers which has two registered individuals, a gross income of £75,000 does not act as a fund manager and does not handle clients' money or investments, the figures would be as in the table.

  £

  FIMBRA1

  1,260

  IMRO2

  2,633

  SIB2

  3,025

  1 1994–95 figures.

  2 1993–94 figures.

  The large majority of independent financial advisers are currently regulated by FIMBRA. The PIA has yet to settle its fees for 1994–95. Existing fee structures will be retained for that year. The PIA proposes to increase aggregate fees by 18 per cent. compared with the fees that would otherwise have been incurred by members in 1994–95.

  Public Transport (Tax Relief)
  Mr. Denis MacShane
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce tax relief on the purchase of new public transport vehicles.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Expenditure on the purchase of new public transport vehicles is already entitled to tax writing down allowances of 25 per cent. per annum on a reducing balance basis. This allows almost 70 per cent. of the cost to be written off over the first three to four years of the vehicle's life.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his Department in helping small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring; and if he will set out his targets to help small businesses in the next year.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Government's overall economic objective is to promote sustained economic growth, by establishing a stable microeconomic environment. Small businesses stand to benefit from such conditions.

  Particular Budget measures aimed at helping small businesses to become established and grow include:

  implementing a simpler and more efficient regime for assessing personal tax;

  proposals for aligning income tax and national insurance contributions;

  simplifying the audit requirement for most small companies; relief on capital gains where proceeds are reinvested in qualifying unquoted trading companies;

  extension of CGT retirement relief;

  reduction in employers' NICS;

  protection from costs of changes to statutory sick pay;

  halving of real increases in business rates for businesses in transition to higher rates;

  increasing the limits for small companies rate of corporation tax by 20 per cent;

  consultation on a new type of investment, a venture capital trust, which will channel savings specifically into unquoted trading companies;

  the introduction of a new scheme to replace the business expansion scheme, the enterprise investment scheme, to encourage direct equity investment in unquoted trading companies.

  In the recent competitiveness White Paper, the Government also announced a number of measures to combat late payment, a problem which has particularly affected small businesses in recent years.

  The Chancellor is also currently conducting, with the help of the Financial Secretary and myself, an examination of external finance to business to identify whether there are any market imperfections which may distort the flows of finance, and if there are, to consider how present arrangements can be improved.

  European Union
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government now intend to introduce legislation to implement the own resources decision agreed at the Edinburgh summit of December 1992 and announced in the last Gracious Speech.

  Sir John Cope
  I am not able to add to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith) on 4 May at column 242.

  Finance Bill
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he intends to publish the next Finance Bill before the Christmas recess.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Government will publish the next Finance Bill as soon as possible after the Budget, but I cannot give a firm date at this stage.

  Public Sector Borrowing Requirement
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the public sector borrowing requirement was accounted for by payments of unemployment benefit and redundancy payments in each of the years 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Mr. Portillo
  The table sets out the latest data for payments of unemployment benefit and the PSBR in each of the years 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94. No data are collected centrally on public sector redundancy payments.

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Payments of unemployment benefit £ million

  1,642

  1,801

  1,786

  Public sector borrowing requirement

  13,879

  36,578

  45,937

  It is not meaningful to express total general Government expenditure or any of its components as a percentage of the PSBR since the PSBR is the difference between expenditure and receipts.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Channel 4 (Exhibition)
  Sir David Knox
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to "Twelve Years of Channel 4" to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 14 November to Friday 18 November.

  Child Care
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will publish the results of the survey into child care in the parliamentary estate.

  Mr. Beith
  Copies of the report of the survey of potential demand for child care facilities are now available from the Vote Office. The report was prepared by RSL in February 1994 in consultation with the Department of Finance and Administration and the Administration Committee. The House of Commons Commission has agreed that it should be made available to assist the House in considering a child care policy.

  Gracious Speech
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list those occasions since 1979 when a Bill that has been announced in the Gracious Speech has not subsequently been introduced in that Session.

  Mr. Newton
  The Queen's Speeches at the beginning of the 1979–80 and 1980–81 Sessions included references to Bills which were not subsequently introduced in the same Session.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Conservative Party Funds
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to his oral answer of 5 July,Official Report, column 144, whether the Conservative party will return the donation received from the Palumbo family trust if it proves to have been misappropriated.

  Mr. Newton
  This is not a matter for the Government.

WALES

  Welsh Economic Council
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the current membership of the Welsh Economic Council together with the cost associated with servicing it and remuneration or expenses paid to its members in respect of their duties.

  Mr. Redwood
  Current members of the Welsh Economic Council are:Professor John Andrews, Ms Noreen Bray, Professor Tim Congdon, Mr. Richard Cuthbertson, Mr. Nigel Guy, Mr. Carl Hadley, OBE, Mr. David Jenkins, MBE, Mr. Tony Lewis, Councillor John Pembridge, Mr. David Rowe-Beddoe, Mr. John Troth, OBE and Councillor Tom Williams.

  Membership carries no remuneration but there are arrangements for reimbursement of travelling expenses and any necessary subsistence or additional child care costs incurred, in line with Welsh Office rates. To date, a total of £138.60 has been paid in expenses to members. Other people are invited to attend individual meetings to bring their expertise to bear on the chosen subject.

  The cost associated with servicing the council, including members' expenses, will be met from within a budget of £9,921 for the current financial year.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which management consultants have been employed by his Department to assist in the assessment of applications for trust status; how much each was paid; and how many assessments they undertook, in each wave.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 1 November 1993 at column 51.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  "Good government" Initiative
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he can report with the "Good government" initiative.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Good government is crucial to development. This is now very widely accepted by aid recipient countries.

  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the overseas aid budget goes to east African countries.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Twelve per cent. of bilateral aid to developing countries went to east African countries in 1992–93.

  Gaza and Jericho
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the assistance being given by Britain and the European Union to support the Palestinian authority in Gaza and Jericho.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In January 1994 my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced our intention to give, over the three years 1994–95 to 1996–97, £70 million in aid for the Palestinians and in support of the peace process. Most of it will be channelled through the programmes of the European Community, but a significant proportion, currently £6 million a year, will go through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. The rest will be bilateral technical cooperation.

  On 8 July my right hon. Friend announced a further £5 million of bilateral assistance for the new Palestinian administration this year. This is made up of £3 million for immediate running costs and £2 million for increased technical assistance.

  Part of these funds will go to the Palestinian police force to help in the maintenance of law and order. Priorities for British assistance are good government—for example, legal infrastructure, elections and the police, finance and private enterprise, health and water.

  During the period 1994–98, the EC will provide an assistance package worth 500 mecu or £388 million, half of which will be grant and half loans through the European Investment Bank. Over 50 mecu has been approved this year, including 10 mecu for housing, 10 mecu for education, 10 mecu for police, 10 mecu for the rehabilitation of detainees, 8 mecu for credit institutions, 5 mecu for technical assistance, 1.5 mecu for statistical support and 1.5 mecu to support the elections. The EC is also contributing the UNRWA over 30 mecu or £23.5 million per annum for the period 1993–94. In April EU Foreign Ministers adopted a joint action plan in support of the middle east peace process, focusing on support for the police, elections and election monitoring and an international presence in the occupied territories.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what administrative impediments there are in the way of the giving of assistance by Britain and the European Union to the Palestinian authority in Gaza and Jericho; and how they are being resolved.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Some key appointments still remain to be made by the new Administration, which itself lacks administrative experience. Assistance with institution-building is a priority for the international community. In particular, the World bank has helped the Palestinians draw up a priority investment programme, and is providing technical assistance and feasibility studies through a special fund to which Britain contributed $2 million. The World bank is also administering a separate fund set up as a channel for bilateral contributions to the running costs of the Palestinian central administration. Discussions are taking place among donors aimed at the rapid establishment of a similar mechanism for funding police running costs.

  Both Britain and the EC are providing direct help in the development of administrative capacity and are contributing towards the Palestinians' immediate budgetary needs.

  Rwanda
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid is currently being given to Rwanda by(a) the European Union and (b) the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Since the start of the crisis the British Government have committed over £11 million bilaterally in emergency aid to Rwandans, both inside Rwanda and as refugees in neighbouring countries. The European Union has committed over £34 million. Details of the substantial amounts provided bilaterally by other member states are not immediately available.

  World Summit for Children
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the 1994 United Nations Children's Fund report, "The Progress of Nations"; and to what extent he considers the report to be an accurate assessment of the objectives set out in the 1990 summit for the world's children and the progress made in achieving those objectives.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  "The Progress of Nations" is an interesting and encouraging account of real achievements by developing countries. It also highlights, however, those areas, such as the elimination of neonatal tetanus and improvements in child rights, where more work remains to be done.

  An assessment of progress towards achievement of the summit's goals is expected to be made in the mid-decade review next year.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has(a) to increase contributions to UNICEF and (b) to press for a greater proportion of UNICEF's expenditure to be spent on meeting the objectives set out in the 1990 summit for the world's children.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Our core contribution to UNICEF in 1994–95 will be £8.5 million. In addition, we will continue to consider each UNICEF appeal for supplementary and other funding on its merits.

  A mid-decade review of progress on the world summit for children will be made to the United Nations Secretary-General. Progress on the summit's goals is a matter not simply of asking UNICEF to devote more resources but of ensuring a concerted effort by donors, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and, above all, national Governments, to achieve the goals.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the procedures for monitoring the achieving of the objectives set out at the summit for the world's children in 1990.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Agencies of the United Nations take the lead in monitoring performance in respect of ale goals established at the 1990 world summit for children. These agencies produce regular reports which measure progress in such areas as child health, basic education and child protection.

  Aid (Allocation)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account he takes of military spending by recipient countries in deciding the allocation of aid resources.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Kingdom actively supports the increased emphasis placed by the donor community, including the International Monetary Fund and the World bank, in their relations with developing countries on the implications for economic and social development of an excessive level of military expenditure. We have made it clear that we consider the setting of an appropriate level of military expenditure to be an important part of good government. It is one of the factors we take into account when deciding our allocations of bilateral aid.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for analysing contributions to overseas aid in terms of allocation to(a) basic education, (b) primary health care, (c) safe drinking water, (d) adequate sanitation, (e) family planning aid and (f) fair distribution of resources between different groups.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The ODA has recently introduced a computerised policy information marker system which records both expenditure and future commitments against the seven priority objectives of the aid programme outlined in the ODA's 1994 departmental report. Spending commitments in the areas listed in the question will not be shown separately under the PIMS system but will score against some of ODA's seven objectives, such as human development, including better education and health and children by choice and direct poverty reduction. PIMS data will be drawn upon in the series of biennial monitors' reports which will assess performance, including spending performance, against each of the objectives, and consider what lessons this may have for future strategy and allocation of resources.

HEALTH

  Capitation Targets
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give a table showing those district health authorities that are(a) over and (b) under their capitation targets indicating for 1994–95 (i) the percentage by which they diverge from their capitation and (ii) the cash amount that this represents of current budgets.

  Mr. Sackville
  A table summarising district health authority capitation positions as supplied by regional health authorities to the Department will be placed in the Library.

  Maternity Care
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each of the 14 former NHS regions and for special health authorities for each financial year from 1992–93 onwards(a) the total number of maternities, (b) the total number of birth episodes in the maternity hospital episode system and (c) the total number of birth episodes in the maternity hospital episode system which had a maternity tail.
  12
  Mr. Sackville
  The data are contained in the tables, the latest available being those for the year 1992–93. Maternities occurring in hospitals are shown for calendar year 1992; financial year data are not available.

  Table 1 Maternities in hospitals, 1992 Regional health authority of occurrence

  Number

  Northern

  39,450

  Yorkshire

  49,051

  Trent

  57,461

  East Anglian

  27,572

  North West Thames

  41,282

  North East Thames

  59,574

  South East Thames

  49,738

  South West Thames

  37,994

  Wessex

  36,609

  Oxford

  35,328

  South Western

  38,720

  West Midlands

  72,370

  Mersey

  30,729

  North Western

  56,890

  Special Health Authorities

  5,130

  ENGLAND

  637,898

  Source: Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys.

  Table 2 Maternity hospital episode statistics, 1992–93 Estimated numbers of birth records and birth records with maternity tails containing data

  RHA of treatment

  Birth records

  Birth records with maternity tails containing data

  Northern

  39,168

  35,960

  Yorkshire

  49,768

  25,852

  Trent

  52,652

  52,552

  East Anglian

  27,680

  21,308

  North West Thames

  31,460

  25,252

  North East Thames

  51,736

  51,736

  South East Thames

  49,528

  17,084

  South West Thames

  34,920

  34,732

  Wessex

  36,620

  36,620

  Oxford

  34,624

  32,484

  South Western

  38,556

  24,872

  West Midlands

  57,956

  57,956

  Mersey

  19,264

  15,752

  North Western

  53,900

  53,900

  Special Health Authorities

  5,132

  5,132

  ENGLAND

  582,964

  491,192

  Source: DH 25 per cent. births file.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of active registrations of capitation patients for dental treatment in(a) Trafford family health services authority and (b) City and East London family health services authority in the age categories (i) nought to two years, (ii) three to five years, (iii) six to nine years, (iv) 10 to 14 years, (v) 15 to 17 years and (vi) under 18 years for the period January to March; and what was the take-up rate for each age group per 100 local population.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The available information is shown in the table. Figures are available on a quarterly basis. Patients are free to register with a dentist outside the family health services area where they live. The take-up rates
  13
  shown in the table therefore reflect registrations with dentists in each family health services area and not registrations of each area's residents. Our recent publications, "Improving NHS Dentistry" and "An Oral

  Number of capitation patients registered and take-up rate per 100 local population1 at 31 March 1994 Trafford and City and East London family health services authorities

  Trafford family health services authority

  City and East London family health services authority

  Age group

  Number registered

  2Take-up rate per 100 local population

  Number registered

  2Take-up rate per 100 local population

  0 to 2

  3,284

  37

  1,980

  6

  3 to 5

  7,107

  82

  9,059

  31

  6 to 9

  10,620

  95

  16,343

  45

  10 to 14

  12,550

  94

  17,224

  45

  15 to 17

  5,873

  80

  7,854

  39

  Under 18

  39,434

  80

  52,460

  34

  Source: Dental Practice Board.

  1 Take-up rate per 100 local population is calculated using Office of Population Censuses and Surveys estimated resident population at mid-1992. The take-up rate per 100 local population is the number of children registered with a dentist in the FHSA area expressed as a percentage of the population. This is not a measure of the population of children in an FHSA area registering with a dentist because there is no restriction on patients registered with a dentist outside their FHSA area.

  2 Of the relevant age group.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 7 July,Official Report, column 318, what research her Department intends to commission to discover the proportion of the population who visit a dentist every six months.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The 1993 General Household Survey included questions about attendance patterns at the dentist.

  NHS Staff (Early Retirement)
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many national health service staff took early retirement in each of the last three years; and what was the total cost to the national health service.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The number of people taking early retirement age 50 and over, except those retiring because of ill health, in each of the last three years is:

  Early retirement

  Year

  Number

  1991–92

  3,108

  1992–93

  4,033

  1993–94

  6,318

  National health service employers meet the full cost of paying these retirement benefits early. The total costs in each of the last three years are:

  Early retirement

  Year

  £

  1991–92

  19,222,371

  1992–93

  27,065,579

  1993–94

  42,522,384

  The cost of ill health retirement is not charged to NHS employers. The number of people taking ill health retirement in each of the last three years is:

  Year

  Number

  1991–92

  7,387

  1992–93

  8,381

  1993–94

  6,613

  14
  Health Strategy for England" aim further to improve children's oral health and address regional variations. Copies of these documents are available in the Library.

  Property Theft
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the value of NHS property stolen in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The reported losses of property, including cash, due to theft, fraud, arson, neglect of duty or gross carelessness are shown in the table.

  The figure relates to regional, district and special health authorities and family health services authorities. Figures for national health service trusts are not collected on a comparable basis.

  Reported losses to RHA, DHA and FHSA property

  Year

  £ thousands

  1988–89

  2,482

  1989–90

  2,667

  1990–91

  3,138

  1991–92

  4,995

  1992–93

  2,111

  Source: Annual receipts and payments returns of regional, district and special health authorities and family health services authorities.

  Community Care
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of patients discharged from hospital in(a) England, (b) each regional health authority and (c) each hospital or trust between January and March had a community care plan for their continuing health and social care needs agreed with them prior to discharge.

  Mr. Bowis
  The patients charter states that before a patient is discharged from hospital a decision should be made about any continuing health or social care needed. Local authorities and health authorities should work together to assess and respond to the needs of people who may need long term care and should agree local arrangements for monitoring hospital discharge.

  Skin Cancer
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the registration of skin cancers other than melanomas; and what improvements she proposes.

  Mr. Sackville
  I am advised that there is under-registration of skin cancers other than melanomas. Registration varies widely depending on the registry's access to out-patient records and general practitioners. The steering committee on cancer registration has recommended that the implications of improving registration of these cancers should be examined in a cost-benefit analysis. This is under consideration.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department is doing into malignant skin cancer.

  Mr. Sackville
  Research is being undertaken by or commissioned by this Department, 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 and the National Radiological Protection Board. Current and recent research has looked at the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of the public in relation to the risks of over-exposure to sun, underlying mechanisms of ultraviolet-induced skin damage and the benefits of screening for skin cancer.

  World Health Organisation
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has made to the World Health Organisation about the quality of its work in emergency situations in developing countries.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Afairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Morecambe and Lunesdale (Mr. Lennox-Boyd), gave him on 13 July at column 636.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has about the quality of the work of the World Health Organisation in emergency situations in sub-Saharan Africa; and what proposals she has to improve the quality of her monitoring of the activities of the World Health Organisation in developing countries.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Morecambe and Lunesdale (Mr. Lennox-Boyd), gave him on 4 July at column 77.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the instructions which are given to national health service trusts for calculating hospital charges to private patients; and what surpluses these are expected to achieve.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 29 June at col 587. No targets have been set for the amounts to be raised from treating private patients.
  16
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will make a statement on the extent to which national health service trusts can undertake private work;

  (2) what controls and reporting mechanisms there are within national health service trusts to ensure that the treatment of national health service patients is not adversely affected by the use of staff and resources for private patient treatment.

  Mr. Sackville
  National health service trusts may make accommodation and services available for private patients providing there is no significant interference with the performance of the trust of its obligations under NHS contracts. This statutory requirement prevents NHS patients from being disadvantaged by private practice within the health service. It is for local management to ensure that these statutory obligations are met.

  Mr. Graham Smith
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health why Mr. Graham Smith was not recommended for reappointment as chairman of Doncaster health authority; and at what level the decision was taken.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Mr. Graham Smith's term of office expired on 31 March 1994. The decision not to offer a further term was made by Ministers, on advice.

  Breast Disease
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what measures the Government are taking to ensure that all patients with breast cancer are treated and cared for by expert and experienced staff with specific skills in the management of breast cancer;

  (2) what steps she is taking to define what constitutes a critical mass of patients to be seen and cared for in breast clinics;

  (3) what plans she has to ensure that patients suffering from breast cancer are seen only by specialist surgeons experienced in the management and treatment of breast cancer.

  Mr. Sackville
  The expert advisory group on cancer consultative document entitled "A Policy Framework for Commissioning Cancer Services", copies of which are available in the Library, recommends that professional bodies should urgently develop guidelines on the level of expertise and support required to manage the commoner cancers including breast cancer. Professional bodies are currently being consulted on the group's recommendations.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to increase the current number of specialist breast care nurses to ensure that all patients have access to their skills and support in the physical and psychological effects of the disease and treatment.

  Mr. Sackville
  The expert advisory group on cancer's consultative document entitled "A policy Framework for Commissioning Cancer Services", copies of which are available in the Library, recommends that the benefits of specialised care are available to all cancer patients. It is for individual health authorities to decide what staff to employ in the light of local needs and priorities.
  17
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she has planned to lessen variations in breast cancer deaths occurring within a single regional health authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  The expert advisory group on cancer's consultative document entitled "A Policy Framework for Commissioning Cancer Services", copies of which are available in the Library, makes a number of proposals to improve cancer care. In particular it recommends that all patients should have access to a uniformly high quality of care wherever they may live to ensure the maximum possible cure rates and best quality of life. Decisions on the group's proposals will be made when the consultation exercise has been completed.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she is taking to expand services to care for the number of patients with breast disease in whom curative treatment is not appropriate and who require continuing care and support.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Government are continuing to encourage the development of palliative care in all settings to ensure that patients receive sensitive care and relief from pain and other distressing symptoms. Regional health authorities have been asked to ensure that an appropriate level of palliative care services for terminally ill people is commissioned through service contracts.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to provide a confidential, appropriate and comprehensive prosthetic service for patients who have had breast surgery.

  Mr. Sackville
  The arrangements for the supply of breast prostheses to women who have suffered a mastectomy are through the hospital service. Where they are prescribed through the hospital consultant they are supplied and fitted free. The Department of Health is providing section 64 project funds for a survey, conducted by the charity Breast Cancer Care, into the experience of women fitted with a prosthesis. Their findings will be studied by the Department.

  Family Health Services Appeal Unit
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the family health services appeal unit uses the information it receives through identifying practitioners who have persistently been found to be in breach of the terms of service to monitor and improve services.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Decisions of the director of the family health services appeal unit are notified to family health services authorities who are responsible for monitoring and improving family health services in their localities. The director may also inform the relevant professional regulatory body of his decision in a particularly serious case.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average time since 1 April 1992 taken by the family health services appeal unit(a) from the time of appeal to reach a decision concerning a breach of the terms of service, (b) from the time of the receipt of the request to reach a decision concerning waiving of time limits, (c)to arrange an appeal hearing from the time of receipt of appeal, when the appeal is made by the complainant, (d) to
  18
  arrange an appeal hearing, from the time of receipt of appeal, when a practitioner has appealed against a withholding and (e) to notify the result of an appeal hearing, after the date of the hearing.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what performance standards the family health services appeal unit has.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Officials are discussing the development of performance standards with the new director of the unit.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the family health services appeal unit's most recent annual report was made available to the public.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In March 1994.

  National Skin Bank
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to set up a national skin bank; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have recently asked the United Kingdom Transplant Support Services Authority to commission a review of the current arrangements for the retrieval, storage and use of tissue, including skin, in the United Kingdom. Once the findings are complete we will give careful consideration to what tissue banking arrangements will be needed for the future.

  Cancer Services
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to increase the current number of non-surgical oncologists in line with the Expert Advisory Group on Cancer consultative document entitled "A Policy Framework for Commissioning Cancer Services".

  Mr. Sackville
  We are currently consulting on the proposals contained within the consultation document; final decisions are still some months away. We will be looking at manpower issues, but any changes required will be phased gradually over a number of years to allow for the required training of any additional staff and necessary changes to the organisation of cancer provision.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to ensure that patients will receive a firm diagnosis within a minimun of four weeks of a referral by their general practitioner to a hospital providing on-site comprehensive histology, cytology and radiography services.

  Mr. Sackville
  We recognise the fears and anxiety of patients who are concerned that they may have cancer and we consider it unacceptable for patients to wait an undue period for their results. In many places patients are already seen promptly. The expert advisory group on cancer's consultative document entitled "A Policy Framework for Commissioning Cancer Services", copies of which are available in the Library, identifies the need to ensure appropriate referral from general practitioners and for patients to be seen by appropriately trained multidisciplinary teams which should ensure patients are seen
  19
  more quickly. Commissioning authorities, hospitals and general practitioners are being consulted on the group's recommendations.

  Sight Tests
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the population was eligible for free NHS eye examinations in each of the last five financial years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Such estimates are not available.

  Revenue Resource Allocation
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was(a) the share of the revenue resource allocation 1994–95, based on population adjusted for age and standardised mortality ratio and the weighted capitation target, (b) the actual allocation of the revenue resource allocation 1994–95 made, in pound sterling, as of April 1994, (c) the amounts in pound sterling, for London weighting market forces factors and Thames factor and other sums specivically allocated, (d) the amounts for additional moneys included in the actual allocations to region and the district health authorities, which are not weighted capitation target funded and (e) the contigency sums held back by the region or other top-sliced amounts not included in the allocation budgets to district health authorities for (i) each of the four Thames regional health authorities, (ii) each district health authorities in Greater London and (iii) England; and what was the method of sub-regional allocation of the four Thames regional health authorities.

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

  Mental Health Act 1983
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to introduce legislation to reform the Mental Health Act 1983.

  Mr. Bowis
  We have been consulting on the need to amend section 18 of the Act relating to the return to hospital of detained patients who are absent without leave. We have also put forward proposals to amend the Act on extended leave and supervised discharge and will do so when parliamentary time permits.

  General Practitioner Fundholders
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to extend the scope of GP fund holding; and whether this requires primary legislation.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Ministers will be reviewing the options for expanding and developing the fundholding scheme. Revisions to the scope of the list of goods and services for fundholding would not require primary legislation.

  Burns Unit, Billericay
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 20 June,Official Report, column 28, if she is now in a position to announce when she will make a decision on the proposal to move the burns unit from Billericay to Broomfield hospital, Chelmsford; and if she will make a statement.
  20
  Mr. Sackville
  The proposals have been referred to Ministers by the regional health authority, and a decision will be made in due course.

  Diabetes
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she now expects the task force on diabetes to report; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The St. Vincent joint task force for diabetes is expected to offer initial advice to the Department of Health and the British Diabetic Association later this year on the implementation of the St. Vincent declaration. Further discussions are then expected to take place to identify possible courses of action and priorities.

  Mr. John Sheppard
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will call for a report on the death of Mr. John Sheppard and the consequent actions of Brent council.

  Mr. Bowis
  The Department has been provided with information about the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. John Sheppard. I understand that Brent social services and housing departments have already taken steps to improve procedures to check on people who have social services discontinued or who accumulate large rent arrears.

  Extra-contractual Referrals
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what level of spending there has been on extra-contractual referrals in each region in each quarter for which statistics are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  The National Health Service Executive quarterly monitoring system collects information by region on their actual spend on extra contractual referrals compared with planned levels of spend. This information is not audited and is only suitable for management purposes.

  Homoeopathy, Liverpool
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received about the proposed closure of the homoeopathic service at Mossley Hill hospital in Liverpool.

  Mr. Sackville
  The hon. Member tabled an early day motion on 13 July, and the Department has received one letter from the North West Friends of Homoeopathy. North Mersey Community national health service trust is temporarily closing its homoeopathy in-patient unit; the hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. R. James, chairman of the trust, for further details.

  Departmental Staff (Travel Costs)
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 12 July,Official Report, column 527, what is the annual cost of travel for Department of Health and NHS Executive staff between Leeds and London.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 12 July at column 527.

  Steroids
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she has taken to control the prescribing of prednisolone steroids; what information she has on the possible harmful side-effects of this drug; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The side-effects of prednisolone and other corticosteroids are well recognised. Information on the side-effects are widely available in the published literature including the product data sheets, which are authorised by the licensing authority and the British National Formulary which the Department sends free to all prescribers. Information on suspected adverse reactions is also provided to the Medicines Control Agency through the yellow card scheme for spontaneous reporting. Steroid treatment cards are routinely issued to patients which give clear guidance on the precautions to be taken and details of the prescribed drug, including dosage and duration of treatment.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Disposable Products
  Dame Angela Rumbold
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy in respect of pre-stamping disposable products.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I have it in mind to make use of the powers proposed by clauses 1–4 of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Bill, once enacted, to amend the Weights and Measures Act 1985 so as to make pre-stamping lawful in defined circumstances and subject to prescribed conditions.

  Disabled People
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what role will be played by his Department in any consultation on disability; and what plans he has to publish a consultation paper on countering unfair discrimination against disabled people in trade and industry matters.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Disabled People announced the publication of a consultation document on 15 July. My Department contributed to its preparation. I welcome the publication of this document and would encourage everyone with an interest in these issues, especially disabled people themselves, to let us have their views.

  Gas
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he still intends to introduce legislation to introduce competition to the domestic gas supply market as stated in paragraph 6 of the joint DTI/Ofgas consultative document, "Competition and Choice in the Gas Market"; and what form that legislation will take.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government's policy, and the form of the legislation proposed, continue to be as described in the text referred to by the hon. Member.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which sections of the Gas Act 1986 require modification to establish competition in the domestic gas supply market.
  22
  Mr. Eggar
  In the light of responses to the recent consultation on competition and choice in the gas market, my Department is preparing instructions on the legislative changes which will provide the basis for the new regulatory system. Several provisions of the Gas Act 1986 are likely to require modification. The precise sections will be identified in the process of the preparation of the instructions, and the subsequent consideration of them by Parliamentary Counsel.

  ECGD
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much of the debt relief given to Jordan by the United Kingdom has been granted on past Export Credits Guarantee Department credits for defence equipment; and under which departmental budget such costs were carried.

  Mr. Needham
  The United Kingdom along with other official creditors in the Paris Club has agreed to reschedule Jordan's debts on three occasions. These agreements include debts of £255 million in respect of defence sales covered by ECGD. They provide for the debts to be repaid in full by Jordan, with interests being charged at a commercial rate.

  The claims paid by ECGD in respect of these rescheduled debts are met from the ECGD vote for the relevant year. They are also reflected in ECGD's published trading accounts.

  Coal Industry Act 1994
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the purpose of the reception to mark the Royal Assent to the Coal Industry Act 1994 on 19 July; who has been invited to this event; and what is its total cost.

  Mr. Eggar
  The reception on 19 July is to mark the Royal Assent to the Coal Industry Act 1994 and to thank many of those who have been involved in its passage. Those invited include hon. Members who served on the Standing Committee, including the hon. Gentleman, and others who worked on the Bill. The total cost is expected to be around £1,000.

  Postal Services
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the options contained in the Green Paper on the future of postal services would require paving legislation.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Paving legislation would be required for option 2, a 100 per cent. share sale of Royal Mail, and for option 3, joint ownership by Government, the public and employees, but not for option 1, commercial freedom within the public sector.

  Gas Industry Regulation
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he plans to introduce legislation in the next parliamentary Session to regulate the gas industry.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government intend, subject to the availability of parliamentary time, to introduce legislation to provide the basis for the new regulatory system to come into operation by April 1996. The legislative programme
  23
  for the next Session has not been finalised, so I cannot say at this stage whether time will be found for a Gas Bill in 1994–95.

  Cable Television
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how he regulates cable television companies to ensure that cable laying does not cause serious disruption to other local services and to local residents;

  (2) what monitoring his Department carries out of fracturing of gas, water or electricity mains and other serious damage by cabling companies; and if he will publish a list of such incidents.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Under the terms of their telecommunications licences, cable operators are required to carry out their street works in a responsible manner, to maintain effective liaison with other statutory undertakers, and to adhere to all relevant street works legislation. Street works are subject to the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, and its associated regulations. The Act imposes a duty on the cable operator to co-operate with the local highway authority in the interests of safety, to minimise the inconvenience to persons using the street and to protect the structure of the street and the integrity of apparatus in it. The Act makes an undertaker liable to pay compensation for damage caused to another undertaker's apparatus.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the procedure for reviewing the terms of a franchise awarded to companies laying cables for television.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Franchises are awarded to cable television companies by the Independent Television Commission, which also has responsibility for those franchises awarded by its predecessor, the Cable Authority. All franchisees are required to be licensed under both broadcasting and telecommunications legislation. Review of the terms of broadcasting licences for cable programme services is a matter for the ITC. Responsibility for review of the terms of a telecommunications licence governing the running of a telecommunications system rests with the Office of Telecommunications. Review of the terms governing the installation of that system are for DTI to consider.

  Regional Assistance
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out for each year from 1985–86 to 1993–94(a) the number of offers made for regional, selective assistance, (b) the value of the offers and (c) the number of requests for regional selective assistance refused.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 7 July 1994]: The number and value of offers made and the number of requests refused for regional selective assistance in England from 1985–1986 to 1992–93 is set out in the table. Information on regional selective assistance for 1993–94 is not yet available.

  Offers Made

  Number

  Value £ million

  Number of applications rejected

  1985–86

  720

  110.9

  146

  1986–87

  1,025

  122.2

  102

  1987–88

  1,553

  164.1

  125

  24

  Offers Made

  Number

  Value £ million

  Number of applications rejected

  1988–89

  1,261

  120.3

  134

  1989–90

  1,180

  101.5

  132

  1990–91

  906

  98.9

  92

  1991–92

  787

  89.4

  154

  1992–93

  834

  94.9

  146

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Film Industry
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he expects to be able to announce the results of his recent consultations about his policy with regard to the British film industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  During the consultation round, and subsequently, I have received numerous proposals aimed at increasing the level of private investment in British film production. Some of the issues raised are not straightforward, and affect the interests of other Departments. I shall make an announcement as soon as practicable.

  Television Licences
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what plans he has to extend the current concessions in television licence fees to partially blind people; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what plans he has to give further concessions in the television licence fee for blind people; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Government have no plans to increase the current reduction in the television licence fee for registered blind people, or to introduce a similar concession for registered partially sighted people.

  Cross-media Ownership
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to introduce legislation in the next parliamentary Session to reform the rules covering cross-media ownership.

  Mr. Brooke
  Ministers will be considering a report reviewing the cross-media ownership rules shortly. An announcement about the outcome of the review, including any legislative implications, is likely in the autumn.

  Tourism
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much was earned by the tourism industry in the United Kingdom from foreign tourists; and how much was spent by United Kingdom residents on tourism abroad, in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information on this topic is published each month in "CSO First Release" titled "Overseas Travel and Tourism".

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Church Organisation
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, what response the Commissioners have made to the Archbishops Commission on the Organisation of the Church of England.

  Mr. Alison
  The Commissioners have submitted a factual note to the Turnbull commission tracing the way in which the Commissioners' functions have developed through the years. Further evidence may be submitted in due course. The First Church Commissioner, Sir Michael Colman, is a member of the Turnbull commission and has submitted his own evidence.

  Official Accommodation
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, what is his estimate of the current annual cost of official accommodation for bishops and archbishops.

  Mr. Alison
  The Commissioners have budgeted £2.1 million in 1994 for the upkeep of the 45 official residence of diocesan bishops and the two archbishops, with a further £0.7 million for possible capital works. The cost of maintaining the 69 houses occupied by suffragan bishops is estimated at £0.4 million, though these costs are shared equally with dioceses.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Sudan
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made on the outcome of the Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development talks on the future of Sudan and on the desirability of a new international initiative.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We support the IGADD initiative which is still continuing. The third round of talks between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Army factions is due on 18 July in Nairobi.

  Burundi
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the United Nations is taking in Burundi to stop(a) the operators of radio stations and (b) political parties promoting genocidal activity.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are aware of reports of radio stations in Burundi inciting Burundians to inter-tribal violence. The United Nations has yet to confirm these reports, but if such activities were found to be taking place it would strongly condemn them and call for them to cease forthwith as it has done in the case of Rwanda.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about extrajudicial killings on a tribal basis in Bujumbura in Burundi; and what representations are being made and what actions are being taken by international organisations.
  26
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are concerned at reports that tribal killings may have taken place in Bujumbura and other areas of Burundi. The United Nations Secretary-General will advise on appropriate action if these reports are confirmed by the United Nations or the Organisation of African Unity presence in Burundi.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Australian and Canadian high commissions concerning their use of enforced subject access, in the manner described in the 10th report of the Data Protection Registrar; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Procedures used by other Governments to satisfy themselves as to the suitability of prospective immigrants from the United Kingdom are a matter for them—provided, of course, that they are consistent with British law.

  Rwanda
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will initiate measures to prevent the Government of Rwanda taking over the presidency of the United Nations Security Council in September.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Consultations are already in train over the question of Rwanda's presidency of the Council, which has to be considered in the light of the evolving situation in Rwanda.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to increase his logistical support to the United Nations operation in Rwanda.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are in discussion with the United Nations about UNAMIR's continuing requirement for logistic support.

  Operation Turquoise
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Nations is on schedule to take over responsibility from the French Government's Operation Turquoise at the end of this month; how many troops have been committed; and whether the necessary logistical support has been pledged.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The UN is continuing to strengthen UNAMIR pursuant to its mandate under SCR 918. UNIMAR currently consists of 328 troops, including an advance contingent of 206 Ghanaian troops who arrived in Kigali on 6 July, a Canadian signals unit and a Bangladeshi company as well as 250 military observers from a wide range of countries.

  Canada, Senegal, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Tunisia have pledged further troops. The UN has received offers of logistical support from a number of countries, including the United States, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for naturalisation as British Dependent Territories citizens on
  27
  the basis of a connection with Hong Kong have been (a) received, (b) granted and (c) refused in 1993 and 1994 to the nearest available date.

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

  1993

  11994

  Applications received

  12,280

  9,435

  Applications granted

  2,332

  1,954

  Applications refused

  137

  93

  Outstanding

  9,739

  7,388

  1 First six months.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British Dependent Territories citizens from Hong Kong have applied for and been granted the status of British national, overseas, in 1993 and 1994 to the nearest available date.

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

  1993

  11994

  Applications received

  523,767

  496,613

  Applications granted

  471,379

  400,844

  Outstanding

  52,388

  95,769

  1 First six months.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the remit of the United Nations tribunal on war crimes in the former Yugoslavia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Under Security Council Resolution 827 which established the war crimes tribunal for former Yugoslavia, the tribunal has power to prosecute and try persons responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in former Yugoslavia since 1991.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who are the judges who have been appointed to the United Nations tribunal on war crimes in the former Yugoslavia; and what is the British contribution to the work of the tribunal.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) on 7 July at column 288 for the details of the judges of the tribunal. The United Kingdom has submitted four batches of evidence of alleged atrocities to the United Nations Commission of Experts, which has passed its findings to the tribunal. The United Kingdom will submit any further evidence direct to the tribunal. The United Kingdom will contribute funding to the tribunal through its share of the United Nations regular budget which amounts to 5.02 per cent. of the costs. We have also contributed £20,000 worth of computer and camera equipment to the prosecutor's office.

  Immigration
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many explanatory statements, related to entry clearance appeals, were 28
  awaiting typing at each post in the Indian sub-continent, in Manila, Kingston, Bangkok, Lagos and Accra at the latest available date; how many staff are employed, both full time and part time, to type statements; and when he expects the backlogs to be cleared.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I am seeking the information requested.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how long a person, applying for entry clearance for settlement at the British post in(a) Manila, (b) Accra, (c) Lagos, (d) Kingston, (e) Nicosia, (f) Cairo, (g) Bangkok, (h) Rabat and (i) each post in each country of the Indian sub-continent on 31 March or the latest convenient date, could expect to wait for (i) interview, (ii) referral of the case to the Home Office and the requested information being received by the post, (iii) decisions and (iv) an explanatory statement prepared by the post in the event of an appeal against a refusal to be despatched to the immigration appellate authorities in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I am seeking the information requested.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for (1) single entry and (2) multiple entry visit visas were(a) received, (b) granted and (c) refused at each post in the Indian subcontinent, Ghana, Nigeria, the Philippines and Jamaica in each quarter of 1993 and the first quarter of 1994; and what was the delay between application and interview for those whose applications were felt to need a second or long interview at each of the above posts in (i) June 1993, (ii) January 1994 and (iii) June 1994 or the nearest available date.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The total number of single and multiple visa applications received, granted and refused in 1993 is as follows:

  Applications 1993

  Applied for

  Issued

  Refused

  Accra

  Single

  10,466

  6,364

  3,883

  Multiple

  4,710

  4,354

  46

  Bombay

  Single

  16,354

  13,366

  2,774

  Multiple

  17,268

  16,752

  390

  Islamabad

  Single

  25,937

  18,730

  6,561

  Multiple

  8,313

  6,568

  81

  Karachi

  Single

  15,673

  12,601

  1,955

  Multiple

  8,150

  7,697

  174

  Kaduna

  Single

  4,307

  2,649

  1,139

  Multiple

  1,936

  1,808

  35

  Manila

  Single

  9,980

  8,928

  812

  Multiple

  2,508

  2,329

  87

  Kingston

  Single

  2,272

  1,594

  688

  Multiple

  148

  147

  1

  29

  Applied for

  Issued

  Refused

  Lagos

  Single

  28,351

  15,721

  8,927

  Multiple

  14,266

  12,697

  481

  Madras

  Single

  4,754

  4,568

  182

  Multiple

  4,344

  4,312

  19

  New Delhi

  Single

  22,576

  18,097

  3,090

  Multiple

  12,558

  12,053

  102

  Dhaka

  Single

  10,406

  7,125

  3,187

  Multiple

  3,887

  3,887

  —

  Calcutta

  Single

  3,259

  3,048

  186

  Multiple

  3,264

  3,155

  38

  I am seeking the other information requested.

  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visa applications from residents of the republics of the former Soviet Union have been granted since April 1992.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Entry clearances granted by British diplomatic and consular posts in the former Soviet Union were:

  1992-49,732

  1993-69,758

  Precise information on how many of these were granted to residents of the FSU is not available, but no doubt the great majority would have been.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for entry clearance as(a) wives, (b) husbands, (c) fiancés, (d) fiancées in each British post in all countries for which figures are available apart from those of the Indian subcontinent were (i) granted and (ii) refused in each quarter since January 1993; how many such applications in each category, at each post and in each quarter were refused (1) wholly and (2) partly because of the primary purpose rule; what was the refusal rate at each post; and what percentage of those refusals were (x) wholly and (y) partly on primary purpose grounds.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The information could be provided in the form requested only at disproportionate cost. However, in 1993 a total of 15,228 entry clearances for settlement were issued and 2,759 refused by posts other than those in the Indian sub-continent.

  Committee of the Regions
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has concerning the discrepancies in eligibility of the United Kingdom's representatives to the Committee of the Regions from Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England, to claim re-imbursement of expenses incurred by themselves in pursuance of their duties; and what proposals he has to remove those discrepancies.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are not aware of any such discrepancies. All United Kingdom full members and alternate members of the Committee of the Regions will be entitled to the same allowances for meetings they attend in Brussels on official Committee of the Regions business.

  Malaysia
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the name of the Malaysian Defence Minister who visited the United Kingdom during the period 4 to 11 July; and which United Kingdom officials or Ministers he met or communicated with.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  During a private visit to the United Kingdom from 29 June to 3 July the Malaysian Defence Minister, Dato Sri Najib, called on my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Malaysian Prime Minister last visited the United Kingdom; and which United Kingdom officials or Ministers he communicated with.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Malaysian Prime Minister was last in the United Kingdom in October 1993 on a private visit. The Prime Minister sent a message to him during his stay.

  Tiger Conservation Schemes
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support is being provided by his Department for tiger conservation schemes.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of 18 April 1994 at column 376. In recognition of the fact that tigers are endangered, we would be prepared to consider providing support for tiger conservation. At the United Kingdom's instigation, European Environment Ministers issued a statement in June expressing concern about pressure on tiger populations, condemning the illegal trade in tiger products and undertaking to be particularly vigilant in enforcing CITES for this species.

  St. Helena
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what legal authority the Governor of St. Helena was acting in excluding a German national, Mr. Timmreck, from St. Helena; and what assessment he has made of the effect of United Kingdom obligations under the human rights convention.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The acting governor made an exclusion order against the German national, Mr. Timmreck, in exercise of the power vested in him by section 10(1) of the Immigration Ordinance 1972. We are satisfied that the action of the acting governor in this case is entirely consistent with the United Kingdom's international human rights obligations.

  Gibraltar
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 11 July,Official Report, column 427, what plans he has to arrange for a United Kingdom Member of the European Parliament to look after the interests of Gibraltar in the Parliament.
  31
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  A number of United Kingdom MEPs have, without prompting from us, taken an active interest in Gibraltar's affairs and ensured that Gibraltarian concerns have been aired in the European Parliament.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Mr. Brian Charrington
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement regarding the case of Mr. Brian Charrington.

  The Attorney-General
  The case of Mr. Brian Charrington was at all stages conducted by HM Customs and Excise which is an independent prosecuting authority. The decision to withdraw the case was taken entirely by the Commissioners on the advice of prosecuting counsel. I refer the hon. Member to the detailed answers that I gave on 26 January at column 246 to the right hon. and learned Member for Aberavon (Mr. Morris) and on 7 February at column 13 to the hon. Member for Thurrock (Mr. Mackinlay).

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to visit the Crown Prosecution Service offices in greater Manchester to discuss the work of that office.

  The Solicitor-General
  The Attorney-General has no plans at present to visit the North West area of the Crown Prosecution Service, of which Greater Manchester is a part. However, I visited the Crown Prosecution Service offices in Manchester on 29 and 30 June 1994.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Attorney-General what plans his Department has to place some of the legal work it currently performs out to competitive tendering; and in what areas.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Brent, South (Mr. Boateng) on 8 July 1994,Official Report, column 337, I have no present plans for competitive tendering of legal work in the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office but this is one of the possibilities to be considered in the prior options studies. The legal services provided by the Treasury Solicitor's Department are subject to market testing by client departments. In such cases the Treasury Solicitor may participate in competitive tendering for work that was previously placed with him.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Mr. Charles McGhee
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what charges have been brought against Mr. Charles McGhee, prisoner 2170, Her Majesty's prison Parkhurst; with what result; and for what reasons he is still on the punishment wing.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  32
  Letter from Philippa Drew to Mr. Chris Mullin, dated 18 July 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about what charges have been brought against Mr. Charles McGhee at Parkhurst prison, their results and for what reasons he is still on the punishment wing.
  Mr. McGhee is a difficult prisoner who has been subject to forty reports, twelve of which are for assaults on staff. Given his behaviour, the governor at Parkhurst placed Mr. McGhee in the segregation unit, in the interests of continuing the smooth operation of the prison. The governor has discussed with Mr. McGhee the possibility of him being placed on normal location but Mr. McGhee is not prepared to improve his conduct.
  Since his arrival at Parkhurst, Mr. McGhee has not had any charges placed against him.

  Organised Crime, London
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of murders within the Greater London area that are related to organised crime or protection rackets in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Maclean
  No such estimates have been made.

  EU Borders Centre
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will place in the Library reports received by the Department from the clearing house centre for information discussion and exchange on the crossing of borders and immigration.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Documents received by the Home Office from the centre for information, discussion and exchange on the crossing of borders and immigration will be made available for parliamentary scrutiny where they fall within the criteria for deposit in accordance with the Government's proposed scrutiny arrangements for title VI matters.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of staff work full time or part time for the centre for information, discussion and exchange on the crossing of borders and immigration.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The centre for information, discussion and exchange on the crossing of borders and immigration is an intergovernmental working group established under the third pillar of the treaty on European Union. It has no staff of its own but receives administrative support from the Council Secretariat.

  Prison Documents (Foreign Languages)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the official foreign language prison documents available to foreign prisoners being held in prisons in England and Wales.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  33
  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 18 July 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the official foreign language documents that are available to foreign prisoners being held in prisons in England and Wales.

  The foreign language documents issued centrally by the Prison Service are:

  The Prisoners' Information Pack

  The Foreign Prisoners' Resource Pack

  The Race Relations Policy Statement

  Custody, Care and Justice: The way ahead for the Prison Service in England and Wales

  How to make a request or a complaint

  Information on the Repatriation of Prisoners Act 1984.

  Other foreign language documents may also have been produced locally by establishments or by other agencies, but details are not kept centrally.

  Identity Cards
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Data Protection Registrar about identity cards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There have been no discussions with the Data Protection Registrar on identity cards. The question of a national identity card scheme is kept under review. If a decision was made to introduce a scheme there would be a full consultation exercise.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with other Government Departments regarding the possible introduction of personal identifiers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Prime Minister to a Question from the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 15 July at column 778.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with private sector companies regarding the introduction of identity cards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Some of the technical issues concerning identity cards have arisen in discussions which officials have had with private sector companies in the context of a wider study of smartcard applications in Government. If we decided to pursue the idea of an identity card scheme there would be a full consultation exercise.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about the fraudulent use of identity cards in those EC countries where they are compulsory; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Home Office holds no information about the fraudulent use of identity cards in European Union countries. Information is compiled by the Immigration Service about the detected incidences of fraudulent use of identity cards at the point of entry to the United Kingdom.

  In 1993 there were 60 recorded instances of the attempted fraudulent use of an identity card of the six European Union countries which have a compulsory identity card scheme.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about the costs of introducing an identity card scheme; and if he will make a statement.
  34
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on 16 May 1994 at column 338.

  Police Women
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of posts in each rank of the poiice are held by women.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is set out in the table:

  As at 30 April 1994

  Rank

  Number of female officers

  Percentage of female officers

  Deputy chief constable

  1

  2.0

  Assistant chief constable

  4

  3.5

  Chief superintendent

  11

  2.5

  Superintendent

  32

  2.5

  Chief inspector

  57

  2.7

  Inspector

  251

  3.7

  Sergeant

  1,090

  5.5

  Constables

  15,524

  16.0

  Total

  16,970

  13.3

  Research Department
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the titles together with dates of completion of all reports compiled since 1991, and the titles and projected completion dates of those currently being compiled, by the Home Office research department.

  Mr. Howard
  It is the policy of the Department to publish the results of research undertaken by the research and planning unit. Projects undertaken in 1993–94 are all in the programme for that year, a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library. The 1994–95 programme will be published shortly.

  The precise form and publication of future reports are not settled in advance.

  The next reports we expect to publish are:

  Intensive Probation in England and Wales:

  An evaluation Policing low-level disorder: Police use of Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986.

  Explaining Reconviction Rates.

  Various British Crime reports.

  Improving bail decisions.

  Public interest case assessment schemes.

  Case screening by the Crown Prosecution Service: How and why cases are terminated.

  Theft of firearms.

  A survey of satisfaction with Group 4's prisoner escort service.

  Practitioners' views of the 1991 Criminal Justice Act.

  The settlement of refugees.

  Study of Vietnamese refugees.

  Neighbourhood Watch.

  Probation Motor Projects.

  Survey of Prison Staff.

  Equal Opportunities and the Fire Service.

  Miscarriages of Justice
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the independent review tribunal on miscarriages of justice to be introduced; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Legislation will be necessary before the proposed criminal cases review authority can be
  35
  established. I cannot at present say when this legislation will be introduced, but my hope is that this will be at the earliest practicable date.

  Lenient Sentences
  Mr. Bates
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further steps are being taken to extend his powers to refer unduly lenient sentences to the Court of Appeal.

  Mr. Maclean
  After the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill has received Royal Assent, my right hon. and learned Friend intends to make an order extending the scope of the Attorney-General's power so as to include cases of serious fraud.

  Immigration
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what rights the spouse of a European economic area national exercising free movement rights in the United Kingdom may exercise before leaving the United Kingdom when he or she has been refused leave to remain in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The spouse of a European economic area national who is exercising rights of residence in the United Kingdom under the EC treaty is entitled to reside here with the EEA national. However, we do not accept that a spouse who is party to a marriage of convenience has any right to benefit from Community law on free movement and residence.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures have been put in place or are being put in place to give effect to the right of businesses based in another member state of the European Union under article 59 of the EC treaty to send a work force to complete a contract in the United Kingdom when the work force includes third country nationals who are employees of the business.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  None, but we keep the situation under review in the light of judgments of the European Court of Justice.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 26 May,Official

  EEA national

  Non-EEA national

  Outcome of application

  Danish

  1

  Croatian

  1

  Granted

  1

  Dutch

  1

  Malaysian

  1

  Granted

  1

  French

  4

  Algerian

  1

  Granted

  1

  Egyptian

  1

  Granted

  1

  Moroccan

  1

  Granted

  1

  Nigerian

  1

  Granted

  1

  German

  2

  Brazilian

  1

  Granted

  1

  Ghanaian

  1

  Granted

  1

  Irish

  22

  Algerian

  2

  Granted

  2

  Ghanaian

  2

  Granted

  2

  Iranian

  1

  Refused

  1

  Malaysian

  1

  Granted

  1

  Moroccan

  5

  Granted

  3

  Refused

  2

  Nigerian

  7

  Granted

  6

  Refused

  1

  Filipino

  1

  Granted

  1

  Turkish

  2

  Granted

  2

  Yugoslavian

  1

  Granted

  1

  Italian

  2

  Nigerian

  2

  Granted

  2

  36
  Report, column 253, in respect of the 29 entry clearance applications which have been made at British diplomatic posts abroad by persons who are not European economic area nationals and who have sought entry as family members of British citizens who have exercised treaty rights in another member state, what was the average processing time of these applications; how many were granted; and how many were refused.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Of these 29 entry clearance applications, 22 were granted and seven refused.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, in respect of the European economic area, non-European economic area national family members of European economic area nationals who were refused entry clearance or leave to remain in the United Kingdom since March 1993, and the grounds on which the refusals were based.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information is available only in respect of after entry applications for residence documents of limited validity. Between March 1993 and the end of June 1994, 56 applications were refused from non-European economic area nationals for a residence document of limited validity as the family member of an EEA national. Information is not available about the individual grounds on which these refusals were based.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 26 May,Official Report, column 254, in respect of the 39 applications involving marriage between a non-European economic area national and a European economic area national in respect of which an interview has been carried out since March 1993; what was the nationality of the non-European economic area national; and what was the outcome of the application after interview.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Of these 39 applications, 34 were granted and five refused, following the interview.

  The nationalities of the 39 EEA nationals, and their non-EEA spouses, and the outcome of their applications, are as follows:
  37

  EEA national

  Non-EEA national

  Outcome of application

  Portuguese

  4

  Algerian

  1

  Granted

  1

  Egyptian

  1

  Refused

  1

  Malaysian

  1

  Granted

  1

  Moroccan

  1

  Granted

  1

  Spanish

  3

  Algerian

  2

  Granted

  2

  Polish

  1

  Granted

  1

  Totals

  39

  39

  Granted

  34

  Refused

  5

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown of the number of applications for asylum in the United Kingdom since 1 January by(a) nationality and (b) immigration status at the time of application.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information covering the first six months of 1994 on applications for asylum by the location of the application and nationality is given in the table. Information on the immigration status of the applicant upon applying is not readily available.

  Applications1 received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, by nationality and location where made, 1 Janaury to 30 June 1994

  2Number of principal applicants

  3Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  Europe

  Bulgaria

  65

  5

  60

  Romania

  115

  20

  90

  Turkey

  1,035

  295

  740

  Former USSR

  265

  25

  240

  Former Yugoslavia

  715

  155

  560

  Other

  240

  75

  160

  Total

  2,430

  575

  1,855

  Americas

  Colombia

  195

  125

  70

  Other

  295

  80

  215

  Total

  490

  205

  285

  Africa

  Angola

  245

  70

  175

  Ethiopia

  360

  105

  255

  Ghana

  1,030

  195

  835

  Kenya

  755

  520

  235

  Nigeria

  1,750

  165

  1,585

  Sierra Leone

  660

  225

  435

  Somalia

  705

  325

  380

  Sudan

  155

  35

  120

  Togo and Ivory Coast

  375

  210

  165

  Uganda

  170

  45

  120

  Zaire

  365

  165

  200

  Other

  835

  220

  615

  Total

  7,400

  2,280

  5,120

  Middle East

  Iran

  220

  55

  165

  Iraq

  225

  95

  130

  Lebanon

  105

  35

  70

  Other

  280

  115

  160

  Total

  825

  300

  525

  Asia

  China

  145

  70

  75

  India

  890

  90

  795

  38

  3Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  Pakistan

  800

  75

  725

  Sri Lanka

  1,250

  695

  555

  Other

  400

  145

  255

  Total

  3,480

  1,075

  2,410

  Other, and nationality not known

  105

  105

  —

  Grand total

  14,730

  4,540

  10,190

  1 Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with * = 1 or 2.

  2 Provisional figures.

  3 Figures do not include overseas applications.

  Police Complaints Authority
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new appointments have been made to the Police Complaints Authority.

  Mr. Howard
  Ms Molly Meacher and Mr. Navnit Dholakia OBE have accepted my invitation to serve as members of the Police Complaints Authority and will take up their appointments on 15 August.

  Ms Meacher was previously adviser to the chairman of the Russian Federal Employment Service, and formerly director of Action Trust, now the Employment Policy Institute.

  Mr. Dholakia will join the Police Complaints Authority after 18 years with the Commission for Racial Equality, where he has been responsible for administration of justice issues.

ENVIRONMENT

  Access to Personal Files
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement concerning the costs of implementing the Access to Personal Files Act 1987.

  Mr. Baldry
  My Department has not collected information about the costs of implementing the Access to Personal Files Act 1987. Authorities are empowered to charge fees which should make the operation of the new requirements imposed by the Act self-financing.

  Environmental Schemes
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the cost in 1994 in each county in England, and in total, of payments made under(a) the countryside stewardship scheme, (b) the hedgerow incentive scheme, (c) the countryside premium scheme and (d) the wildlife enhancement scheme.
  39
  Mr. Atkins
  The Countryside Commission, which operates the countryside stewardship, hedgerow incentive and countryside premium schemes on behalf of the Secretary of State, does not keep the requested information on a county basis, but records expenditure by its regional offices. English Nature, which has operated the wildlife enhancement scheme as a three-year pilot since 1 April 1992, similarly does not record expenditure on a county basis, but by pilot area.

  Estimated grant expenditure for countryside stewardship for each of the commission's regional offices for the financial year 1994–95 is as follows:

  £

  Northern

  1,590,000

  North West

  1,105,000

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1,385,000

  Midlands

  1,238,500

  Eastern

  1,448,500

  South East

  2,126,500

  South West

  2,456,500

  Total

  11,350,000

  These figures include expenditure on the hedgerow incentive scheme, which is now fully integrated into the countryside stewardship scheme.

  The estimated cost of payments under the countryside premium scheme for 1994–95 is £453,600. The scheme operates in the counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire and Suffolk. The commission does not have disaggregated data, and these could be provided only at disproportionate expense.

  The estimated cost of payments for 1994–95 under the wildlife enhancement scheme are as follows:

  £

  Pevensey levels (Sussex)

  152,500

  Culm grasslands (Devon)

  83,500

  Coversand heaths and peatlands (Yorkshire/Humberside)

  152,500

  Craven limestone grasslands

  310,200

  Dorset heaths (Dorset)

  141,000

  Thames basin and Wealden heaths (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex)

  127,000

  Magnesian limestone grassland (Tyne and Wear, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Derbyshire)

  56,000

  Hereford and Worcester grasslands (Hereford and Worcester)

  35,500

  Other1

  41,800

  Total

  1,100,000

  1 Includes administrative and publicity costs and a small amount of money yet to be allocated.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost in 1993 in each county in England, and in total, of payments made under(a) the countryside stewardship scheme, (b) the hedgerow incentive scheme, (c) the countryside premium scheme and (d) the wildlife enhancement scheme.

  Mr. Atkins
  These payments are not recorded on a county basis. Grant expenditure for countryside stewardship and the hedgerow incentives schemes for each of the Countryside Commission's regional offices for the financial year 1993–94 was as follows:40

  Countryside Stewardship £

  Hedgerow Incentive £

  Northern

  960,000

  123,000

  North West

  805,000

  96,000

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  938,000

  89,000

  Midlands

  617,000

  171,000

  Eastern

  1,104,000

  95,000

  South East

  1,499,000

  55,000

  South West

  1,649,000

  142,000

  TOTAL

  7,572,000

  771,000

  Expenditure on payments under the countryside premium scheme in the financial year 1993–94 in the seven counties in which the scheme operates was £599,861. The commission does not have disaggregated data, and these could be provided only at disproportionate expense.

  Payments for 1993–94 under the wildlife enhancement scheme for each of English Nature's pilot areas were as follows:

  £

  Pevensey levels (Sussex)

  150,000

  Culm grasslands (Devon)

  81,100

  Coversands heaths and peatlands (Yorkshire and Humberside)

  132,700

  Craven limeston grasslands (Yorkshire)

  164,600

  Dorset heaths (Dorset)

  0

  Thames basin and Wealden heaths (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex)

  0

  Magnesian limestone grassland (Tyne and Wear, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Derbyshire

  0

  Hereford and Worcester grasslands (Hereford and Worcestershire)

  0

  Other1

  16,600

  TOTAL

  545,000

  1 Includes administrative and publicity costs.

  Barn Conversions (Planning Policy)
  Mrs.Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of state for the Environment what recent changes there have been to the planning policy guidance with relation to barn conversion in green belt designated areas.

  Mr. Baldry
  None. National policy is set out in planning policy guidance note 2, "Green Belts". Paragraph 16 of that document states that the re-use of redundant buildings in green belts should not be refused unless there are specific and convincing reasons which cannot be overcome by attaching conditions to the planning permission.

  Paragraph 12 of PPG2 states that the general policies controlling development in the countryside apply with equal force in green belts. Thus conversion of redundant buildings in the green belt will be subject to the safeguards on re-use set out in paragraph 2.15 and annexe D of planning policy guidance note 7, "The Countryside and the Rural Economy".

  Our consultation draft revision of PPG2, issued earlier this year, proposes removing the redundancy limitation from the PPG2 advice and we are currently analysing the more than 600 responses received to that document.

  Building Industry
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the latest figures for the change in price levels of building materials.

  Mr. Baldry
  Information on construction material price indices is published in the Department's "Monthly Statistics of Building Materials And Components", a copy of which is placed in the Library of the House. The "all work" index in table 1 indicates a rise of some 4½ per cent. between May 1993 and May 1994.

  Vehicle Emissions (London)
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence he has received about the impact of vehicle emissions on air quality in London.

  Mr. Atkins
  The London energy study carried out by the London Research Centre was published on 15 September 1993. It was funded by the European Commission, London Electricity plc and the Department of the Environment. One of the principal outputs of the study was a very detailed inventory of energy use, and the resultant emissions of pollutants to the London atmosphere covering almost 2,000 sq km in and around London. The table illustrates the contribution from road transport for each pollutant in 1991.

  London road transport 1991

  Percentage of total emissions

  Carbon dioxide (as carbon)

  33

  Sulphur dioxide

  22

  Black smoke

  96

  Carbon monoxide

  99

  Nitrogen oxides

  76

  Volatile organic compounds

  97

  Zoo Licensing Act 1981
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of(a) zoological gardens, (b) wildlife parks, (c) circuses, (d) aquaria, (e) vivaria and (f) insectaria subject to the full requirements of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981; and how many of each category have been granted dispensations from the requirements of the Act in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Atkins
  According to our latest information, 226 zoos are currently licensed in England under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. During the last five years, the total number of dispensations granted under section 14(2) of the Act have been:

  Number

  1990

  12

  1991

  13

  1992

  6

  1993

  7

  1994

  3

  These figures include dispensations given for aquaria, vivaria and insectaria although they do not differentiate
  42
  between collections according to species. Dispensations granted under the Act do not in any way weaken a zoo's requirement to meet the standards of modem zoo practice of animal welfare and public safety set out by the Secretary of State. The Zoo Licensing Act 1981 does not apply to circuses.

  High Street, Bedford
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to consider and adjudicate on an urgent application for a listed building consent covering premises 29 to 41 High Street, Bedford.

  Mr. Curry
  We have consulted English Heritage on the proposals. As soon as we have that organisation's advice we will consider whether the application should be called in for my right hon. Friend to determine.

  Environment Agencies
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he still intends to introduce the environment agencies paving Bill in the current session of Parliament.

  Mr. Atkins
  As my right hon. Friend the Lord President said last week, there is now no prospect of passing the environment agencies paving Bill before the summer recess. However, the Government remain committed to introducing legislation to establish the agencies as soon as parliamentary time allows and, as the Lord President also said, good progress is being made on a main Bill.

  MINIS 15 Documents
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish his Department's management information system for MINIS 15 documents.

  Mr. Gummer
  I am today publishing MINIS 15 and a set of documents has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Local Government
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the Local Government Commission on its estimates of the financial implications of the options for reorganisation of local government in Somerset, North Yorkshire and North Humberside; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have asked the Local Government Commission to provide the Department with a further analysis of its estimates of the costs and savings that might be expected from the options for reorganisation contained in its reports for Somerset and for North Yorkshire and North Humberside.

  In the case of Somerset, we have asked the Commission how the costs and savings of the three unitary options recommended in its report might vary under alternative three unitary options that did not involve splitting Mendip.

  In the case of North Yorkshire and North Humberside, the Commission's report gave estimates of costs and savings for a range of options for the whole review area north of the Humber. The Department has asked the Commission to give a breakdown of costs and savings between the North Yorkshire area, and the North

  43
  Humberside area for three of the options in its report: those for eight unitary authorities, four unitary authorities, and modified two-tier.

  The estimates of potential costs and savings are important considerations that will inform our decisions. In both these cases we feel that further information on how costs and savings might vary between alternative options will help all concerned to assess which option is likely to be most cost-effective. The additional information will be sent to the authorities concerned and placed in the Library of the House at the same time as it is sent to the Department. The Commission hopes that this will be within the next three to four weeks.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he makes and what studies have been undertaken or are available to him of the transitional costs including redundancy and serverance payments of the local government review, England, where(a) all employees are transferred to new unitary authorities, (b) 95 per cent. are transferred and (c) 90 per cent. are transferred.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 14 July 1994]: We have not attempted to estimate costs in this way. However, each report of the Local Government Commission gives the estimated range of total transitional costs for the proposed structural options, which includes staff redundancy and retirement costs, in line with the Ernst and Young financial methodology.

  Water Charges
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to introduce legislation to equalise water charges at the lower level in areas where different water authorities overlap and one authority is obliged to act as a collecting agent on another's behalf.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 14 July 1994]: Each company incurs costs in providing water and sewerage services relative to its topographic and demographic situation, and its particular investment needs. It follows that customers' water and sewerage charges should reflect the costs incurred by the company which provides the particular service.

  Air Quality
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans exist to promote open government with specific regard to the publication of air quality levels in urban areas.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 14 July 1994]: Information from the Department of the Environment's national automatic monitoring sites is used to provide air quality bulletins to the public, giving daily information on air pollution in both urban and rural areas across the United Kingdom via a freephone helpline, Ceefax, Teletext and a variety of other news media. The bulletin includes information on levels of pollutants which are described as "very good", "good", "poor" or "very poor" together with a forecast and health advice on what to do should levels become high. The Ceefax and Teletext bulletin services have recently been upgraded and now provide hourly updates on nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulphur dioxide and benzene.
  44
  In addition, information from the Department's non-automatic and automatic monitoring sites is published regularly.

  Carbon Dioxide
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions in the United Kingdom by the year 2005.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 15 July 1994]: The United Kingdom's climate change programme is based on projections from energy paper 59. These show that in 2005 the underlying trend in emissions may be between about 6 and about 40 million tonnes of carbon—MtC—above the level in 1990. In January, the Government announced a programme of measures designed to fulfil its commitment, under the United Nations framework convention on climate change, of aiming to return greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2000. No targets have been set under the convention for emissions levels beyond 2000 and therefore no programme of measures is in place beyond that date. However, provisional estimates made by my Department indicate that the continuing effect of measures already in place could reduce emissions in 2005 by at least 10 MtC.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Union Flag
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Northern Ireland Airports Authority has been advised of the designated dates to fly the Union flag; why the Union flag was not flown on 12 July at Aldergrove airport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  The requirement to fly the Union flag on those prescribed days relevant to Northern Ireland applies to central Government offices only. There is no requirement, therefore, for Northern Ireland Airports Ltd to comply.

  Belfast Action Team
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals there are to change the role of the Belfast action team; what changes there will be in the funding of the Belfast action team; and if he will make a statement on the future roles of the Belfast action team in the council areas of Belfast and Castlereagh.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  There are no proposals to change the role of the Belfast action teams. Funding for the teams was provided for in the 1993 Public Expenditure Survey which covers the years 1994–95, 1995–96 and 1996–97.

  Foyle Shopping Centre
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the budgeted contribution of public funds to the proposed Foyle shopping centre in the city of Londonderry; from which sources these public funds are being made available; and what is the estimated total cost of the Foyle centre.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  The public sector contribution to the Foyleside shopping centre comprises an offer of urban
  45
  development grant of up to £7.5 million and the transfer of the site at a nominal value. The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland is the funding source. The total cost is estimated to be £65 million.

  Industrial Tribunals
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the minimum, maximum and average waiting times for(a) unfair dismissal, (b) redundancy rights, (c) maternity rights, (d) race discrimination and (e) other claims in Northern Ireland; and what were the waiting times in 1979, 1989 and 1993.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  No information is available for 1979 and information for 1989 and 1993 is not available in the form requested. Northern Ireland does not have race discrimination legislation.

  The following table gives the percentage of industrial tribunal cases which came to a first hearing within the time limits specified:

  Time limit (weeks)

  1989

  1993

  12

  1

  6

  26

  28

  50

  39

  72

  72

  50

  91

  82

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he next expects to increase the maximum awards which may be made to successful applicants by industrial tribunals.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  Awards in cases of sex discrimination are not subject to an upper limit. Consideration is being given to the limits applicable in other cases.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will now increase the financial resources available to industrial tribunals.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  The financial resources allocated to industrial tribunals for 1994–95 have increased over those for last year.

  Abortion
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) whether he will make a statement on his response to the report of the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights and the laws on abortion;

  (2) when he expects to publish the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights report on the law of abortion in Northern Ireland.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  The nineteenth annual report of the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights, which contains the commission's report and recommendations on abortion law in Northern Ireland, was published on 30 June 1994 along with my response. Copies of both documents have been placed in the Library. The recommendations made by the commission are being carefully considered.

  Fair Employment
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many certificates have been issued by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under section 42, in each year since the passing of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1976.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Since 1986 the following certificates have been issued by my right hon. and learned Friend and his predecessors under section 42 of Fair Employment Act 1976:

  Patrick Gilmore, 1986.

  John Tinnelly & Sons Ltd., 1987

  F. W. Devlin, 1993.

  Liam Devenney, 1993.

  Thomas McCullough, 1994.

  Information prior to 1986 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Drug Trafficking
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what legislation or extradition agreements cover persons accused of trafficking in illegal drugs between the jurisdictions of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and accused of, or sought in relation to, dealing in such drugs in one jurisdiction who flee to the other.

  Sir John Wheeler
  People accused of trafficking in illegal drugs in Northern Ireland are covered by the Criminal Justice (Confiscation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1990 as amended by the Criminal Justice (Confiscation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1993.

  People accused of, or sought in relation to, drug trafficking offences committed in either jurisdiction who have fled to the other are covered by the Backing of Warrants (Republic of Ireland) Act 1965 or part III of the Irish Extradition Act 1965.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Calves' Brains
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will ban the use in human food of brains and spinal cords of calves under the age of six months.

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 13 July at column 644–45.

  Environmental Schemes
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost in 1993 for each county in England, and in total, of payments made 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 her estimate of the cost in 1994.
  47
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Details of payments by English County under the farm and conservation grant scheme, the farm woodland premium scheme and the nitrate-sensitive areas scheme are set out in table A.

  Information on the other schemes listed is not held in the format required to allow breakdown by county, which could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Total payments under each scheme in the 1993–94 financial year, and estimates for 1994–95, are given in table B.

  Table A

  County

  Farm and conservation grant scheme

  Farm Woodland premium scheme

  Nitrate-sensitive areas scheme

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  Avon

  304,204

  1,788

  —

  Bedford

  162,127

  6,050

  —

  Berkshire

  141,566

  9,263

  —

  Buckinghamshire

  215,992

  11,895

  —

  Cambridgeshire

  137,545

  10,475

  —

  Cheshire

  1,147,364

  1,225

  —

  Cleveland

  96,818

  5,995

  —

  Cornwall

  1,622,808

  24,796

  —

  Cumbria

  2,782,492

  2,795

  —

  Derbyshire

  746,486

  2,788

  —

  Devon

  2,609,138

  58,970

  —

  Dorset

  768,257

  13,563

  —

  Durham

  360,865

  4,116

  —

  Essex

  439,835

  35,245

  —

  Gloucestershire

  469,368

  30,503

  —

  Hampshire

  410,342

  14,393

  —

  Hereford and Worcester

  855,170

  64,953

  100,737

  Hertfordshire

  127,989

  2,335

  —

  Humberside

  353,272

  12,918

  15,107

  Isle of Wight

  17,706

  2,875

  —

  Kent

  508,772

  15,275

  —

  Lancashire

  1,971,018

  2,343

  —

  Leicestershire

  499,840

  15,158

  —

  Lincolnshire

  469,770

  29,713

  789,713

  London, Greater

  9,154

  —

  —

  Manchester, Greater

  97,432

  —

  —

  Merseyside

  45,586

  —

  —

  Norfolk

  477,287

  20,533

  —

  Northamptonshire

  240,792

  9,518

  —

  Northumberland

  575,490

  14,657

  —

  Nottinghamshire

  126,330

  2,675

  226,305

  Oxfordshire

  276,204

  35,491

  74,540

  Scilly Isles

  —

  —

  —

  Shropshire

  975,634

  12,660

  —

  Somerset

  1,006,530

  3,275

  55,858

  Staffordshire

  825,239

  4,956

  66,703

  Suffolk

  476,255

  24,665

  —

  Surrey

  174,298

  3,588

  —

  Sussex, East

  183,739

  14,775

  —

  Sussex, West

  342,831

  19,668

  —

  Tyne and Wear

  6,876

  —

  —

  Warwickshire

  220,667

  10,480

  —

  Wiltshire

  604,968

  44,495

  76,375

  West Midlands

  36,259

  —

  —

  Yorkshire, South

  203,282

  3,358

  —

  Yorkshire, North

  2,012,547

  28,589

  —

  Yorkshire, West

  312,772

  2,526

  —

  England Total

  26,449,137

  635,359

  1,405,338

  Table B

  Total expenditure (£'000s)

  Scheme

  1993–94

  1994–95

  ESA scheme

  16,550

  31,030

  NSA scheme

  11,410

  21,500

  F and CG scheme

  126,450

  27,140

  Pilot beef and sheep extensification

  401

  391

  Woodland grant scheme

  13,900

  215,000

  Farm woodland premium scheme

  635

  21,500

  48

  Total expenditure (£'000s)

  Scheme

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Orchard grubbing scheme

  510

  2nil

  Optional five year set-aside scheme

  20,685

  14,100

  Habitat scheme

  —

  3—

  Moorland scheme

  —

  4—

  Countryside access scheme

  —

  3—

  Organic aid scheme

  5—

  800

  1 All figures are given by financial year except here which indicates calendar year.

  2 Estimate.

  3 First payment due in 1995–96.

  4 Not yet operational.

  5 Not operational.

  Farm Animal Welfare Council
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total cost of the Farm Animal Welfare Council in each year since it was established.

  Mr. Soames
  Since the Farm Animal Welfare Council was established in July 1979, total costs in each financial year for which published figures are available are as follows:

  £

  1979–80

  45,000

  1980–81

  74,000

  1981–82

  112,000

  1982–83

  137,000

  1983–84

  145,000

  1984–85

  157,000

  1985–86

  178,000

  1986–87

  184,000

  1987–88

  172,000

  1988–89

  188,000

  1989–90

  235,000

  1990–91

  282,000

  1991–92

  289,000

  1992–93

  269,000

  Birds of Prey
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what support the Government are giving for research into DNA identification of stolen birds of prey;

  (2) what support the Government are giving to research and development in respect of registering birds of prey by feather samples as part of a DNA registration data base.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have been asked to reply.

  Since 1987, my Department has been funding research at the University of Nottingham into the use of DNA fingerprinting techniques to establish the genetic variation in birds of prey. The Department expects to publish the report shortly.

  In each of the bird of prey species that have so far been examined, DNA fingerprinting has proved capable of identifying individuals and their parentage. This has enabled captive breeding claims to be verified. The technique has already been used in criminal proceedings to identify individual birds that have been illegally taken from the wild or stolen from another keeper. There have been several convictions in cases where evidence from DNA tests was presented. The Government's priority is to

  49
  encourage the wider use of DNA tests to assist the police and others involved in enforcing the law on wildlife. The potential for other applications of DNA techniques will be kept under review, taking account of scientific progress and the availability of resources.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Voluntary Work
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans he has to redraft the Social Security (Sickness and Invalidity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance) Miscellaneous Amendment Regulations to give effect to disregard of voluntary work undertaken for under 16 hours per week when assessing incapacity for work;

  (2) what steps are being taken to implement the decision that people now on invalidity benefit and severe disablement allowance who undertake voluntary work of less than 16 hours per week will not have their incapacity for work questioned.

  Mr. Scott
  We have no plans to redraft the regulations.

  It is not our intention that people should lose benefit solely because they do voluntary work of less than 16 hours, and this has been made clear in revised guidance which has been issued to staff dealing with claims.

  Social Security (Incapacity for Work) Bill
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the estimated costs to his Department of the provisions in the Social Security (Incapacity for Work) Bill for the training linking rule; and how many people he estimates will use this rule to requalify(a) for incapacity benefit, (b) severe disablement allowance and (c) disability working allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  There is no reliable information on which to base an assessment of costs or the number of people who will take advantage of the training linking rule.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the Government's policy on the use of interest received on moneys held by the Child Support Agency; and whether this interest will be paid to parents caring for children.

  Mr. Burt
  As indicated in Mr. Hughes' letter to the hon. Member of 8 July, on behalf of Mrs. Hepplewhite, the Child Support Agency does not receive interest from the bank in respect of clients' funds temporarily held by the agency. Instead the agency's bank charges are abated. The administrative costs of attributing amounts of interest to individuals would be disproportionate to the typically small amounts of money involved. Clients of the agency benefit from the lower bank charges and the economy of effort through the consequent reduction in the agency's administrative costs, which is reflected in the level of the fees charged.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to publish comprehensive Child Support Agency literature incorporating the provisions in the February review.
  50
  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 15 July 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency literature incorporating details of the effects on maintenance of the changes to legislation that were introduced in February.
  The Child Support Agency published a new edition of its main leaflet for the general public called for parents who live apart at the end of June. This leaflet incorporates the legislative changes that were made to the Child Support system in February 1994.
  In addition, whenever a maintenance assessment is completed by the Agency, the clients involved receive a leaflet called your child maintenance assessment which also incorporates details of the changes. A revised version of the comprehensive leaflet called a guide to child support maintenance will be published in due course.
  I hope you will find this reply helpful.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether members of his Department have discussed legislation covering the Child Support Agency with Parliamentary Counsel in the last three months.

  Mr. Burt
  No.

  Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was his estimate of the numbers of claimants expected to receive industrial injuries disablement benefit for chronic bronchitis and emphysema from (i) 13 September 1993 to March 1994 (ii) in 1994–95 and (iii) in 1995–96.

  Mr. Scott
  Information is not available in the form requested. The original broad estimate was that there could be around 9,000 benefit awards for claims received during the initial 12-month take-on period ending in August 1994. The number of new awards in subsequent years was expected to be small.

  National Insurance Records
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy on encouraging enforced subject access to national insurance records; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hague
  The Department cannot be said to "encourage" enforced subject access requests. The number of subject access requests to the national insurance recording system of the type that have become known as enforced subject access requests is reported in the 10th report of the Data Protection Registrar, section 3(k). The Department shares the concern of the Data Protection Registrar about the nature of this type of request, but is legally obliged to process all subject access requests.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from the National Housing and Town Planning Council concerning student financial support; and what consideration he has given to allowing students to claim year-round housing benefit.
  51
  Mr. Hague
  I received a copy of the report, "Making a difference: Housing Benefit for students", published by the National Housing and Town Planning council on 23 June 1993. Following publication, the NHTPC wrote to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North (Mr. Burt), on two further occasions about the reinstatement of housing benefit to full-time students. In general, it is the educational maintenance system which is designed to provide for full-time students, and we have no plans to change this.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total amount paid in housing benefit for the last three years for which figures are available; what was the total Government spending on the housing benefit direct benefit subsidy during these years; and what is the implied percentage of total housing benefit paid by local authorities which is reimbursed by the central Government direct benefit subsidy.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is in the table:

  £ million

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Total housing benefit

  4,942

  5,997

  7,604

  Total direct subsidy

  4,378

  5,337

  6,613

  Percentage of total housing benefit expenditure met by direct subsidy

  89

  89

  87

  Source: Social Security Departmental Report—March 1994.

  Note: Since 1990–91, the bulk of rent rebate subsidy in England and Wales has been paid by the Department of the Environment as part of the housing revenue account arrangements. These figures include elements of DoE rent rebate subsidy net of any housing revenue account surpluses that are used to offset these amounts.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for the last three years for which figures are available, what was the total amount of subsidy paid in benefit in respect of vulnerable groups under regulation 11 of the housing benefit regulations; and, for the same period, what was the total amount paid as a subsidy to local authorities.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.

  Table 1

  Subsidy paid to local authorities for housing benefit expenditure on claimants protected by regulation 11 of the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations

  Year

  £ million

  1990–91

  11.5

  1991–92

  14.5

  1992–93

  18.5

  Source: Housing benefit final subsidy claim forms.

  Notes:

  1. The figures quoted represent subsidy paid to local authorities of rent allowance spending above the rent officer's reasonable market rent figure where benefit could not be restricted under the provisions of regulation 11. Local authorities are not required to record their total benefit expenditure on claimants protected by regulation 11.
  52
  2. Groups protected by regulation 11 include not only "vulnerable groups"—people aged over 60, incapable of work or with responsibility for children—but also those who were able to afford the accommodation when they first took it on and those who have recently been bereaved.

  Table 2

  Total housing benefit subsidy paid to local authorities

  £ million

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Rent allowances

  1,530

  2,154

  2,894

  Rent rebates

  2,848

  3,183

  3,719

  Grand total

  4,378

  5,337

  6,613

  Source: Social Security departmental Report 1994.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by region for(a) February 1992–93, (b) February 1993–94 and (c) February 1994 to date, the total number of claimants for invalidity benefit who have been examined by a doctor from the Benefits Agency medical service in each region; how many of these claimants were subsequently found fit for work and their benefit disallowed; how many of those claimants whose benefit was disallowed appealed against the decision; and how many were successful.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Rhodri Morgan, dated 18 July 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking, for February 1992–93, February 1993–94 and February 1994 to date, about the total number of claimants for Invalidity Benefit who have been examined by a doctor from the Benefits Agency Medical Services in each region; how many were found fit for work and their benefit disallowed; how many subsequently appealed against the decision; and how many were successful.
  The information regarding numbers of recipients of Invalidity Benefit (IVB) examined by a doctor from the Benefits Agency Medical Service (BAMS), (formerly the Regional Medical Service), in the periods requested and the outcomes of such medical examinations, is not available in the format requested. This is because the information relating to IVB is aggregated with other incapacity benefits. Similarly, statistics are not available relating to the numbers of cases found fit for work following examination by a BAMS doctor and who have their benefit disallowed by an Adjudication Officer (AO); and have appealed against the decision; and how many were successful. This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
  BAMS provide an opinion on a customer's capacity for work. However, the decision on this question lies with the AO, the independent adjudication authority. The AO considers the BAMS report along with all other available evidence.
  The information which is available relating to examination by doctors from BAMS is provided at Appendix 1.
  This information is collated quarterly and therefore does not correspond exactly with the periods requested. Additionally, the statistics have only been maintained since 1 January 1993 and therefore no earlier information is available.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.
  53

  BA Medical services reference work

  SB/IVB/SDA cases examined and where the opinion was capable of work

  Reference office

  1 January 1993 to 31 March 1993

  1 April 1993 to 30 June 1993

  1 July 1993 to 30 September 1993

  1 October 1993 to 31 December 1993

  1 January 1994 to 31 March 1994

  Examined

  Found capable of work1

  Examined

  Found capable of work1

  Examined

  Found capable of work1

  Examined

  Found capable of work1

  Examined

  Found capable of work1

  Inverness

  243

  66

  253

  86

  318

  109

  296

  113

  232

  50

  Aberdeen

  174

  38

  318

  102

  267

  62

  266

  63

  219

  65

  Dundee

  1,021

  257

  1,070

  281

  1,160

  332

  914

  258

  1,182

  212

  Glasgow

  8,227

  2,847

  6,514

  2,182

  5,151

  2,130

  9,681

  2,072

  6,508

  2,497

  Edinburgh

  1,038

  470

  1,209

  617

  2,777

  1,124

  2,170

  810

  1,597

  664

  Newcastle

  6,632

  2,650

  6,484

  2,841

  7,943

  3,409

  6,392

  2,815

  6,497

  2,702

  Leeds

  11,030

  4,826

  11,361

  4,726

  14,230

  6,047

  13,939

  5,809

  13,896

  5,951

  Bottle

  6,288

  2,335

  2—

  2—

  7,702

  2,750

  20,372

  2,463

  7,645

  2,761

  Manchester

  6,819

  2,213

  6,716

  2,379

  8,501

  3,440

  6,166

  2,244

  7,146

  2,425

  Nottingham

  3,700

  1,474

  3,569

  1,465

  4,642

  1,804

  4,537

  1,884

  4,331

  1,898

  Birmingham

  7,361

  2,077

  6,763

  2,100

  7,944

  2,365

  7,685

  2,613

  9,970

  3,233

  Wembley

  6,493

  2,577

  5,264

  1,869

  6,429

  2,831

  6,043

  2,827

  8,527

  3,725

  Sutton

  4,778

  2,039

  4,698

  1,888

  5,612

  2,263

  5,843

  2,328

  6,811

  2,473

  Bristol

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  5,844

  2,501

  3,473

  1,401

  4,139

  1,699

  Cardiff

  8,147

  2,861

  9,016

  3,375

  6,373

  2,468

  8,005

  2,322

  8,352

  2,523

  1 This column includes recipients who were considered either capable of following their own occupation or of undertaking suitable alternative work.

  2 Statistics not available.

  3 Bristol office not yet open. Statistics for Bristol are aggregated with Birmingham.

  Pensions
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to introduce legislation to implement the proposals contained in the White Paper entitled "Security, Equality, Choice: The Future for Pensions".

  Mr. Hague
  We intend to introduce legislation at the first available opportunity.

  Job Seekers Allowance
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he intends to publish his proposals for a job seekers allowance to coincide with the Budget statement on 29 November.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, North (Mr. Thompson) on 21 June at column 87.

  Disabled People (Rights)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to introduce legislation in the next parliamentary Session to improve the rights of people with disabilities.

  Mr. Scott
  On 15 July, I issued a consultation document inviting comments by 7 October on a variety of proposals in five areas to combat discrimination against disabled people. A number of the proposals being considered would require legislation. Final decisions on the way forward will be taken in the light of the responses to the consultation document.

  Bosnian Refugees (Benefit Assistance)
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what level of benefit assistance is given to Bosnian refugees on arrival in the United Kingdom.
  54
  Mr. Burt
  Bosnian refugees admitted to the United Kingdom who are not being looked after in reception centres are entitled to the full rate of income support subject to the normal rules of entitlement. People who seek asylum at a port of entry to the United Kingdom can receive income support at a reduced rate—90 per cent. of their appropriate personal allowance—while their application for refugee status is being processed by the relevant authorities. Both groups can receive housing benefit, which can meet up to 100 per cent. of reasonable housing costs, if they are liable to pay rent for their home.

SCOTLAND

  Abortions
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many abortions were performed in Britain on women residents in each health board area in Scotland in each year since 1990; and how many of these were performed in NHS hospitals.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information on the number of abortions performed in England and Wales on Scottish residents does not differentiate between those carried out in NHS hospitals and those carried out in the private sector, and is not yet available for 1993. The information available is as follows:

  1990

  Scottish hospitals

  Hospitals in England and Wales

  Health board of residence

  Total

  NHS

  Total

  Argyll and Clyde

  723

  711

  122

  Ayrshire and Arran

  616

  612

  84

  Borders

  132

  131

  6

  Dumfries and Galloway

  238

  217

  34

  Fife

  771

  767

  16

  Forth Valley

  495

  488

  35

  Grampian

  1,195

  1,140

  14

  Greater Glasgow

  1,686

  1,641

  284

  Highland

  454

  451

  13

  Lanarkshire

  822

  804

  127

  Lothian

  1,862

  1,836

  32

  55

  Scottish hospitals

  Hospital in England and Wales

  Health board of residence

  Total

  NHS

  Total

  Orkney

  27

  27

  —

  Shetland

  31

  31

  1

  Tayside

  1,121

  1,113

  11

  Western Isles

  25

  25

  5

  Scotland

  10,198

  9,994

  784

  1991

  Scottish hospitals

  Hospitals in England and Wales

  Health board of residence

  Total

  NHS

  Total

  Argyll and Clyde

  739

  734

  101

  Ayrshire and Arran

  663

  657

  65

  Borders

  179

  178

  5

  Dumfries and Galloway

  244

  238

  26

  Fife

  816

  811

  11

  Forth Valley

  507

  502

  32

  Grampian

  1,327

  1,270

  19

  Greater Glasgow

  1,892

  1,837

  258

  Highland

  431

  425

  12

  Lanarkshire

  895

  880

  134

  Lothian

  2,112

  2,093

  32

  Orkney

  24

  24

  —

  Shetland

  23

  22

  1

  Tayside

  1,168

  1,163

  13

  Western Isles

  26

  25

  3

  Scotland

  11,046

  10,859

  712

  1992

  Scottish hospitals

  Hospitals in England and Wales

  Health board of residence

  Total

  NHS

  Total

  Argyll and Clyde

  645

  639

  67

  Ayrshire and Arran

  677

  673

  51

  Borders

  181

  181

  5

  Dumfries and Galloway

  251

  246

  28

  Fife

  755

  753

  13

  Forth Valley

  530

  521

  23

  Grampian

  1,282

  1,235

  18

  Greater Glasgow

  1,953

  1,918

  193

  Highland

  433

  429

  15

  Lanarkshire

  903

  887

  116

  Lothian

  2,007

  2,000

  30

  Orkney

  39

  39

  0

  Shetland

  33

  32

  0

  Tayside

  1,071

  1,067

  13

  Western Isles

  31

  31

  1

  Scotland

  10,791

  10,651

  573

  19931

  Scottish hospitals

  Health board of residence

  Total

  NHS

  Argyll and Clyde

  600

  593

  Ayrshire and Arran

  671

  668

  Borders

  164

  164

  Dumfries and Galloway

  216

  214

  Fife

  759

  757

  Forth Valley

  491

  484

  Grampian

  1,349

  1,303

  Greater Glasgow

  2,126

  2,100

  Highland

  452

  450

  Lanarkshire

  905

  895

  Lothian

  2,084

  2,075

  56

  Scottish hospitals

  Health board of residence

  Total

  NHS

  Orkney

  28

  28

  Shetland

  48

  48

  Tayside

  1,089

  1,080

  Western Isles

  19

  19

  Scotland

  11,001

  10,878

  1 Provisional

  Skin Cancer
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what has been the change in the rate of incidence of melanomas from 1984 to 1994;

  (2) what survey of skin cancer has been conducted through general practitioners; and what consultation he has had about the results with the Association of Dermatologists.

  Mr. Stewart
  Registrations of malignant melanomas in Scotland for the years 1993 and 1994 are not yet complete. The most recent 10-year period for which information is available is 1982–92. The incidence rate for men rose from 3.17 per 100,000 in 1982 to 6.2 per 100,000 in 1992. The comparable figures for women were 5.11 per 100,000 and 8.29 per 100,000.

  I am not aware of any survey of skin cancer conducted through general practitioners. This is, however, an area of increasing concern which has been brought to GPs' attention by the Chief Medical Officer of the Scottish Office Home and Health Department. There has been considerable research into the subject by individuals and groups, often with GPs' co-operation, and the Scottish Dermatological Society and the British Association of Dermatologists (UK) are no doubt aware of the results.

  Secure Hospital Places
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many persons are currently in prison because there is no place available in a secure hospital; and what steps he is taking to resolve this problem;

  (2) if he will publish the result of his inquiry into the imprisonment of persons for whom no place could be found in a secure hospital.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested by the hon. Member cannot be compiled in time before the House rises. I shall therefore write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House for the benefit of other hon. Members.

  Dangerous Plants
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what are the conclusions of the latest research available to him on the potential dangers of humans coming into contact with Heracleum Mantegazzianum or Giant Hogweed; if he intends to fund further research; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will place a specific duty on river purification boards and water authorities to eradicate Heracleum Mantegazzianum or Giant Hogweed from the banks and verges of rivers, reservoirs and lochs;

  (3) what powers he has to ensure that Heracleum Mantegazzianum or Giant Hogweed is eradicated from

  57
  places to which the public have access or are likely to have access; what powers and duties local authorities have in this regard; what are the duties and responsibilities of landowners in relation to its eradication; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) if he will bring forward legislation to give local authorities and/or landowners a duty to eradicate Heracleum Mantegazzianum or Giant Hogweed from places to which the public have access; and if he will make a statement;

  (5) how many cases were recorded in each of the past five years of people requiring medical treatment after coming into contact with Heracleum Mantegazzianum or Giant Hogweed; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 1 July 1994]: The effect of Humans coming into contact with the sap of Heracleum Mantegazzianum or Giant Hogweed may require medical treatment from a GP or hospital but data are not available on the numbers of people requiring such treatment. Nor has my right hon. Friend been informed of research into any potential dangers from contact with this plant.

  There is no specific statutory duty placed on any individual or body to eradicate Giant Hogweed from public places. Private landowners are free to do so and district councils have adequate powers under the nuisance provision of the Public Health (Scotland) Act 1897 where they consider that a public nuisance exists from Giant Hogweed. There are no plans to bring forward legislation imposing new duties of this kind on local authorities or landowners.

  Multiple Births
  Mr. Wrigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sets of(a) twins, (b) triplets, (c) quadruplets, (d) quintuplets and (e) sextuplets were born in Scotland in each year from 1990 to 1993; what was the total number of maternities in Scotland 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 intra-fallopian transfer and (iii) other forms of assisted conception.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 15 July 1994]:information available is set out in the table:

  Type of birth

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Twins:

  2 live

  711

  682

  790

  751

  1 live, 1 stillbirth

  15

  22

  11

  25

  2 stillbirth

  5

  5

  6

  4

  Triplets:

  3 live

  14

  18

  15

  10

  2 live, 1 stillbirth

  2

  4

  —

  —

  1 live, 2 stillbirth

  —

  2

  —

  —

  3 stillbirth

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Quadruplets:

  4 live

  1

  1

  —

  —

  3 live, 1 stillbirth

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Quintuplets

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sextuplets

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Maternities

  65,556

  66,630

  65,307

  62,946

  58
  Information on the number of multiple births in Scotland attributed to assisted conception is not available. Some information on these matters is published in the first annual report of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, and in earlier annual reports of the interim licensing authority, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Electricity Interconnector
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland at what date Her Majesty's Government decided to set up separate inquiries in Scotland and Northern Ireland into the proposed electricity interconnector; and how this decision was reached.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 15 July 1994]: My right hon. Friend appointed a reporter to take a public inquiry to consider Scottish Power's application for the Scottish part of the proposed interconnector with Northern Ireland, and the objections to it, and to report to him. He understands that the reporter subsequently arranged that the public inquiry should start in Ayr on 4 October. Consideration of the application from Northern Ireland Electricity for that part of the interconnector which is proposed in Northern Ireland is not a matter for my right hon. Friend.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the Ove Arup report on the proposed Scotland-to-Northern Ireland electricity inter-connector; and if he will consider postponing the public inquiry into the matter of the interconnector until copies of this report have been made available to the objectors and the reporter.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 15 July 1994]: My right hon. Friend has not seen the Ove Arup report on the proposed electricity interconnector with Northern Ireland.

  Conflicts of Interest
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions employees of Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Enterprise or the Forestry Authority have declared that there might be a potential conflict of interest between their work for their agency and any outside private interest or business.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 15 July 1994]: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Glasgow-Barrow Air Service
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the performance criteria on which the subsidy payable to Loganair/British Airways Express for the Glasgow-Barra service is dependent; what weight is given to the number of advertised scheduled flights actually completed between Glasgow and Barra; and what steps he is taking to monitor performance in this service.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 15 July 1994]: Subsidy is payable in arrears for the lifeline air service operated between Glasgow and Tiree and Barra based on the deficit incurred in providing the service designated by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. In addition, the service must be operated in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Aviation Authority regulatory regime.
  59
  Under the terms of the contract, the operator is required to submit to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State details of each occasion on which the company fails to operate the air service with an explanation for each failure. The performance of the service is continuously monitored and reviewed with the company concerned.

  Children Bill
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will present a children's Bill for Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 11 July 1994]: We are making preparations for children's legislation and will introduce it when parliamentary time permits. The Government's decisions on future legislation will be announced in the Queen's Speech.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration has been given to the implications of the forest fires in south-west Scotland for the dispersal of radioactive waste in the area; and if he will now. commission a further report on the subject.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 11 July 1994]: There is no evidence to suggest that radionuclides are concentrated within the forest biomass and hence it is not believed that forest fires will affect the dispersal of radionuclides within south-west Scotland. There is no intention to commission further work on this topic.

  Number

  Description

  Value £

  Recipient

  3

  Bell, Nameboard, Honours Board ex-HMS Ariadne

  375.00

  Scunthorpe Borough Council

  1

  Bell—ex HMS Minerva

  200.00

  City of Salford

  1

  Bell—ex RMAS Invergordon

  60.00

  Town of Invergordon

  1

  Bell—ex HMS Osiris

  60.00

  Ilkley Parish Council

  1

  Bell—ex HMS Charybdis

  300.00

  Island of Guernsey

  2

  Nameboards—ex HMS Jupiter

  100.00

  TS Jupiter

  1

  TON Class MCM Instructional Equipment

  725.00

  The Bronington Trust

  1

  Deck Plate—ex HMS Minerva

  30.00

  1st Battalion Scots Guards

  1

  MK 28 Mine Shell

  12.00

  New Tavern Fort Project

  67

  Ship's Crests, Badges and Associated Items

  335.00

  The Sea Cadet Corps

  4

  Mines/Sinkers

  100.00

  Royal Naval Museum—(for display on HMS Minerva)

  1

  Unmarked Ship's Bell

  150.00

  Parishes of East Meon and Langrish

  1

  Bell—ex HMS Sinus

  300.00

  City of Portsmouth

  1

  All-Purpose Firestreak Missile and Cradle Trolley

  9.00

  Yorkshire Air Museum

  1

  WESSEX

  250.00

  State of Guernsey

  1

  Land Rover

  360.00

  RHKR(V) Museum

DEFENCE

  Aldershot Hospitals
  Mr. Critchley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are his plans regarding the Louise Margaret and the Cambridge hospitals in Aldershot.

  Mr. Hanley
  As part of "Front Line First", we propose to reorganise the service hospital base in the United Kingdom around one hospital at Haslar in Gosport. This would involve the closure of the Cambridge military hospital, including the Louise Margaret maternity wing, in Aldershot. Our proposals for the defence medical services are outlined in a consultative document, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Training
  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will(a) list the foreign Governments assisted with training and (b) the amount forgone as listed in "Other Notes" on page 19 of the Appropriation Accounts of 1992–93, class 1, vote 1.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is not our practice to disclose this information as details of military assistance are in confidence between the coutries involved.

  Gifts
  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the recipients of gifts and their amounts listed in "Special Payments" on page 28 of the Appropriation Accounts 1992–93, class 1, vote 2.

  Mr. Hanley
  Details of gifts made in 1992–93 by my Department, their value, and the identity of recipients are as follows:
  61

  Number

  Description

  Value £

  Recipient

  1

  Armoured Vehicles

  1,600.00

  Canadians

  1

  Heavy Ferry

  20,000.00

  RE Museum

  1

  TACR 11

  4,500.00

  Imperial War Museum

  1

  Jet Provost Aircraft

  8,750.00

  RAF Museum

  1

  Vulcan Cannon Pod

  180.00

  RAF Museum

  1

  Quantity 70 x L39A1 Rifles

  700.00

  Army Rifle Association

  1

  Searchlights

  300.00

  RE and Army Museum

  1

  Aircraft Components

  250.00

  Bedford College

  1

  Admiral's Barge

  12,000.00

  Portsmouth Property Base

  1

  Quantity 2 x Cat 5 Viking Gliders

  1,500.00

  RAFGSA

  1

  Ship's Bells

  5,060.00

  Local Authorities

  1

  Quantity 70 x LMG's Machine Guns

  7,000.00

  Nepal

  1

  1992 NRA BISLEY Meeting Civilian Usage of 7.62mm Ammunition

  78,620.00

  National Rifle Association Bisley

  101

  143,826.00

  Contractors
  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name the contractor paid the extra-contractual amount listed under "Special Payments" on page 19 of the Appropriation Accounts 1992–93, class 1, vote 1.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is not MOD policy to identify individual contractors where matters of commercial confidentiality are concerned.

  Car Purchases
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many other Departments use the car purchase running contract drawn up by his Department; and how many vehicles were purchased through this scheme in the last year.

  Mr. Aitken
  A total of 25 other Departments and public bodies use the Ministry of Defence enabling contract arrangements. The total number of vehicles procured against the contracts in financial year 1993–94 was approximately 2,900.

  Civilian Employees
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances conviction for a violent offence for which a prison sentence has been served debars an applicant from civilian employment with the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Aitken
  A person who has been found guilty of an offence against the law is not necessarily debarred from employment with my Department. Each case is considered on its merits, taking into account the nature and date of the offence, the candidate's age at the time, and the type of work for which he or she is applying.

  Anti-personnel Mines
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which countries anti-personnel mines with self-destruct or self-neutralising mechanisms have been exported from the United Kingdom since 1982.

  Mr. Aitken
  It has been the established practice of successive administrations not to release information about individual defence exports. Nevertheless, in this case and in the context of the recent UN resolution on anti-personnel mines, I can confirm that no AP mines have been exported from the United Kingdom for well over a decade.

  Official Service Residences
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 July,Official Report, columns 341–42, if he will provide a breakdown of (a) the maintenance, furniture and equipment costs for each residence, (b) the subject matter of each contract of more than £5,000 for each residence and (c) the annual cost for domestic and household staff for each residence.

  Mr. Hanley
  For security reasons it is not our practice to reveal the location of individual residences for senior officers. The maintenance, furniture and equipment, and domestic and household staff costs for the 77 official service residences are shown in the table, with residences being identified numerically. Information on the nature of each contract of more than £5,000 for each residence is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
  63

  £ thousand

  Combined figures for 1992–93 and 1993–94 except where indicated

  Based on 1994–95 rates of pay

  Residence

  Maiintenance

  Furniture and equipment

  Annual domestic and household staff costs

  1

  7.0

  2.0

  84.3

  2

  5.0

  1.2

  9.4

  3

  2.0

  1.2

  32.2

  4

  2.5

  3.0

  36.3

  5

  63.0

  16.0

  157.7

  6

  37.5

  8.0

  61.6

  7

  56.5

  11.0

  84.3

  8

  10.0

  3.0

  0

  9

  63.0

  2.5

  173.2

  10

  30.0

  6.5

  42.8

  11

  86.0

  24.0

  117.7

  12

  27.0

  2.9

  87.2

  13

  200.0

  12.0

  78.0

  14

  3.6

  1.0

  42.8

  15

  41.7

  2.3

  42.8

  16

  9.0

  0

  51.8

  17

  7.0

  3.0

  99.8

  18

  57.0

  9.7

  84.3

  19

  80.7

  24.0

  142.2

  20

  18.0

  3.0

  44.7

  21

  14.4

  4.8

  142.2

  22

  49.0

  55.0

  81.3

  23

  25.0

  4.0

  61.8

  24

  35.0

  8.5

  173.2

  25

  14.6

  5.0

  39.5

  26

  69.0

  8.0

  65.8

  27

  37.5

  10.1

  139.3

  28

  166.6

  8.5

  52.0

  29

  15.0

  15.3

  76.0

  30

  25.5

  10.1

  66.8

  31

  22.3

  14.1

  83.0

  32

  61.5

  8.0

  30.2

  33

  13.0

  3.6

  23.4

  34

  13.7

  7.7

  37.6

  35

  22.5

  9.0

  9.6

  36

  50.4

  3.4

  55.7

  37

  23.4

  0

  72.6

  38

  29.3

  3.2

  58.4

  39

  39.2

  3.1

  50.9

  40

  23.6

  0.2

  50.9

  41

  38.3

  8.2

  35.0

  42

  83.3

  18.8

  83.9

  43

  61.7

  27.3

  95.3

  44

  26.1

  14.7

  50.9

  45

  25.0

  2.2

  69.5

  46

  49.2

  14.0

  71.3

  47

  80.7

  29.9

  84.3

  48

  19.9

  9.3

  49.1

  49

  35.9

  5.0

  42.2

  50

  21.4

  27.3

  53.6

  51

  24.6

  11.6

  41.5

  52

  82.0

  5.0

  71.2

  53

  213.9

  1.1

  36.6

  54

  229.0

  0

  99.9

  55

  563.0

  140.0

  102.4

  56

  0

  2.3

  52.3

  57

  87.4

  4.6

  121.1

  58

  19.9

  4.4

  62.5

  59

  108.8

  19.7

  80.9

  60

  0

  0

  88.6

  61

  10.6

  4.6

  63.5

  62

  0

  0

  18.0

  63

  315.1

  34.3

  4.0

  64

  3267.4

  1.2

  37.6

  65

  48.8

  2.6

  51.6

  66

  90.1

  3.2

  55.8

  67

  88.1

  4.4

  72.5

  68

  38.1

  3.1

  45.3

  69

  11.3

  4.1

  22.7

  70

  23.2

  9.5

  26.5

  71

  396.0

  1.5

  72.5

  64

  Combined figures for 1992–93 and 1993–94 except where indicated

  Based on 1994–95 rates of pay

  Residence

  Maiintenance

  Furniture and equipment

  Annual domestic and household staff costs

  72

  0

  0

  26.5

  73

  34.8

  3.6

  51.6

  74

  102.9

  1.5

  37.6

  75

  11.2

  4.8

  49.3

  76

  93.7

  2.0

  45.3

  77

  96.4

  5.9

  74.6

  Total

  4,324.7

  719.6

  4,990.3

  1 Charges over a five-year period.

  2 FYs 1990–94.

  3 FY 1993–94.

  Mr. Gordon McNally
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions since 1990 Ministers, officials or serving officers at the rank of major or above have met Mr. Gordon McNally and discussed military equipment.

  Mr. Aitken
  I am not aware of any meetings which may have taken place between Ministers, officials or serving officers and Mr. McNally.

  Arms Sales (Abu Dhabi)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to sell a type 23 frigate to Abu Dhabi.

  Mr. Aitken
  The purchase of a type 23 frigate from a United Kingdom yard is one of a number of possibilities being considered by the United Arab Emirates.

  MOD Police
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the report of the Blelloch inquiry into the Ministry of Defence police is to be published; and if he will make a statement.

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

EMPLOYMENT

  Race Relations Employment Advisory Service
  Mr. Khabra
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans the Government have to market test the race relations employment advisory service.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The race relations employment advisory service is included in the Employment Department's market testing programme for 1994–95.

  Actively Seeking Work Test
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many decisions, disallowances and warning letters have been issued to unemployment benefit
  65
  and income support claimants by adjudication officers, in respect of the definition of actively seeking work, in each year since 1979.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Information on the number of decisions and disallowances issued to unemployment benefit claimants in respect of the definition of actively seeking work is contained in the quarterly summary entitled "Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions", copies of which are held in the Library. This information is available from 1 October 1989, when the actively seeking work condition was introduced, to the year ending March 1994. My Department does not hold information about the number of decisions and disallowances issued to income support claimants on those grounds.

  The number of warning letters which have been issued to unemployment benefit and income support claimants, in respect of the definition of actively seeking work, in each full year since 1 October 1989 is shown in the following table:

  Annex A

  Number of actively seeking employment warning letters issued

  1 October 1989 to December 1989

  7,577

  January to December 1990

  44,793

  January to December 1991

  24,896

  January to December 1992

  24,636

  January to December 1993

  10,869

  January to March 1994

  2,230

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of(a) men and (b) women over the age of 50 years who are living within the Greater London area and are registered as unemployed.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In April 1994, the latest month for which figures are available, unadjusted claimant unemployment amongst people aged 50 and over in the greater London region stood at 49,664 men and 16,087 women.

  Breast Feeding
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what advice he gives to employers about arrangements for encouraging mothers to continue breast feeding on their return to work after maternity leave; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  None. Arrangements for women who wish to continue breast feeding on their return to work are best agreed between the individual women themselves and their employers.

  School Leavers
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of summer-term school leavers had(a) obtained employment, (b) started vocational training and (c) started courses of further or higher education by the following October in 1978 and in each year since then.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information in the table has been taken from the youth cohort study of England and 66
  Wales. The youth cohort study started in 1985 and has surveyed young people reaching minimum school leaving age approximately every two years since then.

  Main activity status1 of 16-year-olds2 in the October after leaving school3

  Per cent.

  In a full time job (over 30 hours a week)

  On a training scheme e.g. youth training

  College of further education (or tertiary college) full time4

  October 1984

  24.0

  39.0

  20.0

  October 1985

  23.0

  37.0

  20.0

  October 1986

  26.0

  39.0

  21.0

  October 1988

  31.0

  36.0

  25.0

  October 1990

  28.0

  23.0

  34.0

  October 1991

  22.0

  19.0

  42.0

  Source: Youth Cohoht Study.

  1 Main activity status identifies whether young people are out of work, in a full time job (over 30 hours a week), on a training scheme, full time at school or sixth form college, at a college of further education (or tertiary college) full time or doing something else.

  2 Aged 16 at preceding 31 August.

  3 Figures for October 1984 and October 1985 covered pupils in state schools only; independent schools were included from 1987 onwards.

  4 Excluding those young people who remain in school or sixth form college.

  Industrial Tribunals
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to increase the maximum awards which may be made to successful applicants by industrial tribunals.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Awards in cases of sex or race discrimination are not subject to an upper limit. We are considering the outcome of the annual review of the limits on other awards and will announce the decision as soon as possible.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now increase the financial resources available to industrial tribunals.

  Miss Widdecombe
  We have already done so. The financial resources allocated to industrial tribunals for 1994–95 have been increased over those for last year.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the minimum, maximum and average waiting times for(a) unfair dismissal, (b) redundancy rights, (c) maternity rights, (d) race discrimination and (e) other claims in (i) England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales; and what were the waiting times in 1979, 1989 and 1993.

  Miss Widdecombe
  No information is available for 1979 and information for 1989 and 1993 is not available in the form requested. The figures for 1989 and 1993, all jurisdiction, are shown in the following table:

  Length of time for registered applications to come to first hearing

  Percentage under (weeks)

  12

  20

  26

  30

  36

  England and Wales1

  1989–90

  44

  75

  85

  n/a

  n/a

  1993–94

  14

  38

  54

  63

  75

  67

  12

  20

  26

  30

  36

  Scotland

  1989–90

  43

  85

  91

  n/a

  n/a

  1993–94

  5

  65

  80

  86

  91

  1 Separate figures are not available for Wales.

  Regional Expenditure
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been his Department's expenditure in each region in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information in the form requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Unemployment, Germany
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 11 July,Official Report, column 406, if he will now provide figures giving the percentage rate of unemployment in the united Germany.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 15 July 1994]: Internationally comparable ILO based unemployment figures are not available for unified Germany. However, in June 1994, unadjusted registered unemployment in unified Germany stood at 3,594,590. No equivalent rate of unemployment is available.

TRANSPORT

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what monitoring his Department is doing of the railway privatisation fees being paid to consultants.

  Mr. Freeman
  Officials closely monitor the government's rail privatisation consultancy expenditure to ensure value for money in accordance with government accounting and financial procedures. The consultancy expenditure of BR and Railtrack is a matter for them.

  West Coast Main Line
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on the west coast main line reinvestment project under the private finance initiative.

  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on the west coast main line reinvestment project under the private finance initiative.

  Mr. Freeman
  In March, Railtrack appointed a private sector consortium—West Coast Main Line Development Company Ltd.—to work with it to produce design standards for the line and to recommend funding options for the project. The joint study is expected to be completed by the end of the year. A further competition will then be held for the contract to undertake the upgrading work. That contract is expected to be let in mid-1995 and the works will start as soon as possible thereafter.

  East Coast Main Line
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has held with local authorities in the north-east of Scotland relating to proposals for involving them in the completion of the electrification of the east coast main line beyond Edinburgh.

  Mr. Freeman
  A local group—CREATE, campaign for rail electrification Aberdeen to Edinburgh—comprising local and district councils, trades councils and chambers of commerce, is due to release a report by the end of July in conjunction with Scotrail, on the feasibility of the electrification of the line between Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

  European Union
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what actions he has taken to date to follow-up the recommendations in Lord Donaldson's report in relation to the European Union.

  Mr. Norris
  We have identified a number of recommendations, particularly those on improving port state control, transponders, provision of salvage tugs and funding, which we wish to pursue with our European partners. Copies of the report were circulated to EU Transport and Environment Ministers in May and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State raised those issues at the European Transport Council meeting in Luxembourg last month. We are greatly encouraged by the initial response from our European colleagues and we shall be taking these matters forward with them.

  Road Signs
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will announce the conclusion of his review of road signing for commerce and tourism.

  Mr. Key
  On tourism, I had hoped to introduce a new regime this summer. We have been working with the Department of National Heritage on the introduction of a more flexible system for tourist signing. We have also consulted the local authority associations. I hope that the industry will be able to agree to the introduction of my proposals in good time for next year's season. I have already consulted the industry on the introduction of more flexible commercial signing and expect to issue guidelines later this year.

  Staff Annual Reports
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the 1992–93 annual staff report markings broken down by grade 6 to AA, including typist and support grades, by gender.

  Mr. Norris
  According to the Department's computerised staff record, annual staff report markings for grade 6 to AA administrative staff in the Department of Transport, including its agencies, were as attached. Figures for typist and support grades are not broken down so as to ensure that individual members of staff cannot be identified.
  69

  Grade

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  Total

  G6 Male

  2

  16

  3

  0

  0

  21

  G6 Female

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  G7 Male

  10

  103

  81

  1

  0

  195

  G7 Female

  7

  27

  10

  0

  0

  44

  SEO Male

  4

  111

  82

  2

  0

  199

  SEO Female

  1

  29

  20

  0

  0

  50

  HEO Male

  9

  223

  207

  8

  0

  447

  HEO Female

  9

  116

  92

  1

  1

  219

  EO Female

  8

  258

  307

  7

  1

  581

  EO Female

  9

  307

  295

  3

  0

  614

  AO Female

  10

  377

  509

  11

  3

  910

  AO Female

  25

  851

  1,049

  16

  1

  1,942

  AA Female

  16

  215

  311

  10

  3

  555

  AA Female

  44

  804

  955

  16

  2

  1,821

  Typist Grades Male

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  2

  Typist Grades Female

  30

  270

  211

  3

  0

  514

  Support Grades Male

  3

  47

  98

  2

  0

  150

  Support Grades Female

  0

  37

  79

  0

  0

  116

  Total Male

  62

  1,350

  1,600

  41

  7

  3,060

  Total Female

  125

  2,441

  2,711

  39

  4

  5,320

  Runway Capacity
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to be able to make a statement on the recommendations of the RUCATSE report on runway capacity in the south-east.

  Mr. Norris
  We expect to make a statement giving the Government's response to RUCATSE some time before the end of the year.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received regarding the building of a second runway at Gatwick airport.

  Mr. Norris
  The RUCATSE working group considered a number of possible locations for additional runway capacity to serve the south-east. After the group published its report in July 1993, a period of public consultation was announced. That consultation period ended on 31 May this year. In response to that consultation, my Department has received some 350 responses from organisations and some 4,100 letters from the public, of which some 2,860 referred specifically to the option of runway development at Gatwick.

  Low Cost Public Transport
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to increase facilities for low cost public transport within the south-east of England over the next five years.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Government's policies of deregulation, privatisation and competition will ensure greater efficiency and better value for money in the provision of public transport services. The package approach will make it easier for local authorities to fund improvements in public transport facilities.

  Heavy Vehicles
  Sir David Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the comparative effects on the environment of 44 and 38-tonne lorries.

  Mr. Key
  As my right hon. Friend replied to my hon. Friend the Member for Reading, West (Sir A. Durant) on 70
  21 March Official Report, column 10, we see a positive advantage in the use of 44-tonne lorries for combined road-rail transport. That means fewer lorries and it transfers freight from road to rail and so benefits the environment.

  Bus Services
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding the elimination of competition in bus services following bus company mergers/takeovers since the Transport Act 1985.

  Mr. Freeman
  The bus industry is dynamic and changing. The spur competition and privatisation has reduced it costs and made it more responsive to the market. Recent developments may well lead to efficiency gains; it is important to maintain a healthy level of competition, which is why all qualifying mergers are considered for reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Freight
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to encourage freight to be moved by rail rather than by road in and around Surrey.

  Mr. Freeman
  We are encouraging rail freight in a number of ways. We have liberalised access to the rail network, facilitated the restructuring of BR's freight businesses before sale, improved the freight facilities grants scheme, introduced a new track access grant for marginal freight flows and raised the maximum gross vehicle weight limit to 44 tonnes for combined road/rail transport.

  Commuter Rail Services
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what obligations exist upon Network SouthEast and InterCity to co-ordinate passenger services in the event of the failure of a particular train to run on the lines serving commuters in Essex.

  Mr. Freeman
  We expect operators of services to co-operate in the event of breakdowns to ensure that passengers are not left stranded. It is not, however, always practicable to stop the first InterCity train which follows a breakdown on a commuter service.

  Cycling
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to encourage bicyling.

  Mr. Key
  We are continuing our work to make roads safer for cyclists and to give guidance to local authorities and others in making good provision for cycling. The package approach which we have introduced for local transport expenditure gives local authorities greater flexibility to allocate funds for cycling. We are also seeking co-operative initiatives with outside bodies to improve understanding of the value of cycling and to promote changes in conditions that will allow it to flourish. Copies of the Government's recent statement are in the Library.

  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with his colleagues at the Departments of Health, for Education and of the Environment about encouraging children to bicycle to school, in order to reduce pollution and congestion, while encouraging health.

  Mr. Key
  We recognise the potential to reduce pollution and congestion, if more people were to choose to cycle. Our recent statement on cycling policy emphasises the importance of changing perceptions of cycling and improving conditions for it. I have not discussed with colleagues encouraging children to cycle to school. It is primarily a matter for parents to judge whether cycling to school is a safe and reasonable option, given local circumstances, and to press for improved facilities should those be necessary. Ways of improving health, including through cycling, have been discussed by Ministers of the Departments mentioned as part of the "Health of the Nation" initiative.

  London Buses
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about progress on the privatisation of London Buses.

  Mr. Norris
  The privatisation of London Buses Ltd. is now well under way. There is strong competition among bidders for the 10 operating companies and London Transport is on track to complete the sales by the end of the year.

  Motorways
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of wire rope central reservation barrier have now been provided(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) on the M4; and how many additional miles have been planned.

  Mr. Key
  Some 196.5 miles of wire rope safety fencing has been installed in the central reserve of dual carriageways at 74 different locations throughout the United Kingdom's road network. Included in this total is the 16.5 miles of wire rope safety fencing on the M4 motorway. Because the wire rope and the traditional tensioned corrugated beam safety fences are normally included in highway contracts as equivalent alternative vehicle restraint systems, and are therefore subject to competitive tendering procedures, I am unable to say how many additional miles of wire rope safety fencing have been planned.
  72
  Sir Geoffrey Pattie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 1 July,Official Report, column 772, what estimate he has made of the likely increase in motorway capacity that the use of variable speed limits, electronic sensors and message signs might produce.

  Mr. Key
  None; additional throughput is one of the potential benefits that will be assessed during the 12-month period of operation of the pilot scheme. Reports have been received of additional capacity of 5 to 10 per cent. on similar systems already in use on the continent, but evidence to support those reports has yet to be produced.

  Channel Tunnel
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to an alternative route for the channel tunnel rail link through Barking under Barking Reach.

  Mr. Freeman
  Since the rail link's easterly approach to London was selected in 1991, Union Railways has considered various alignments through Barking, both on the surface and in tunnel, crossing Barking Reach and following the existing railway corridor. In consecutive reports to the Government, of March and October 1993, Union Railways presented a surface routeing along the existing London, Tilbury and Southend line, with the alternative of a tunnel following the same alignment. After careful consideration, my right hon. Friend concluded that the surface routeing should be chosen.

  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what year he expects both direct freight and direct passenger services through the channel tunnel from starting points in West Yorkshire.

  Mr. Freeman
  The timing and routes for services through the channel tunnel are a matter for European Passenger Services and British Rail, who are responsible for providing them.

  A259
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about improvements to the A259 between Hastings and Dymchurch.

  Mr. Key
  There are a number of schemes in the road programme for comprehensively improving the whole of the south coast trunk route including the section of the A259 between Hastings and Dymchurch. The schemes are at various stages of development.

  A public consultation was held last year for the A259 Guestling Thorn and Icklesham bypass but this proved inconclusive. No clear view emerged on the best scheme to take forward in this unique landscape. However, the Government remain committed to improving the A27/A259 route and we must look for a solution for this length. We have therefore decided to hold a scheme planning conference. Although we are still looking in some detail at the lessons from the recent trials at Hereford and Bodmin, we are sufficiently confident in the outcome there to believe that a conference will help at Guestling Thorn and Icklesham. To avoid limiting options, the conference will cover the area from Guestling Thorn and Winchelsea to east of Rye. The necessary arrangements will now be put in hand and a detailed announcement will be made in due course.
  73
  Draft proposals have been published for three schemes for the improvement of the A259 between New Romney and Dymchurch and a public inquiry will be held to consider the proposals and objections to them later this year. We also have plans for bypasses of Bexhill and Hastings. Following public consultation, a preferred route for the Bexhill and Hastings western bypass was announced in December 1990 and for the Hastings eastern bypass in June 1991. Detailed design work is under way, with a view to publishing draft statutory orders for these schemes later this year.

  The Minch (Tankers)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 28 April,Official Report, column 268, what appropriate action has been taken with the owners of tankers transiting the Minch against the recommendations agreed internationally since November 1993.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department has written to the owners of the seven contravening tankers. Their responses have been positive, with the result that the owners of six of the vessels involved have issued an instruction to avoid the Minch and none of the seven has since transited the Minch.

  Road Schemes
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the cost-benefit analysis 9 framework statement for each road scheme costing over £1 million that has been approved by his Department and that is(a) currently under construction or (b) scheduled for construction.

  Mr. Key
  The information requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Private Detective Firms
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give a breakdown of the bill for services supplied by Bray's Detective Agency for gathering information on protestors at Twyford Down.

  Mr. Key
  This question relates to operational matters of the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive, Mr. Lawrie Haynes to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 18 July 1994:
  I have been asked to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question requesting a breakdown of the cost of employing Bray's Detective Agency (Southampton) to gather evidence of trespass on the M3 construction site near Winchester.

  The information is as follows:

  £

  Collection and processing of evidence

  204,490.70

  Travel and subsistence expenses

  4,536.30

  Equipment and other expenses

  5,229.10

  VAT

  37,400.27

  Total

  251,656.37

  Benzene (Environmental Effects)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the natural occurrence of benzene in the atmosphere; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have been asked to reply.

  Most benzene emissions are man made and it is widely distributed as a trace atmospheric constituent over urban and industrial regions of north-west Europe. Concentrations of benzene in the atmosphere show daily and seasonal cycles resulting from emission activities and chemistry occurring in the atmosphere.

  Rural benzene measurements have been made in Oxfordshire at the Harwell laboratory since about 1986. Average concentrations at this rural site are about 0.8 ppb. Measurements made by the university of East Anglia at a rural site in Norfolk show a similar mean concentration to that observed at the Harwell site, whereas measurements at a remote rural site in Cumbria exhibited mean benzene concentrations of 0.4 ppb.

  Measurements have been made in the remote northern hemisphere troposphere and in the southern hemisphere troposphere. Benzene concentrations were found to be 0.07 ppb in the northern hemisphere and less than 0.02 ppb in the southern hemisphere. Those figures, collected in the remote background atmosphere, give a sign of what may be described at the level of natural occurrence of benzene.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evaluation he has made of the genotoxic nature of benzene in the atmosphere; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  This is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

  Efficiency Cuts
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the basis on which he has proposed efficiency cuts to(a) the Coastguard Agency and (b) the Marine Safety Agency.

  Mr. Norris
  No decisions have yet been taken about the basis for efficiency gains in either agency.

  Nuclear Fuel
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information was provided to his Department by British Nuclear Fuels in connection with the recent air shipment of plutonium-based mixed oxide nuclear fuel assemblies to Switzerland; and what information he has received on future plans to fly plutonium from United Kingdom airports to foreign customers.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department was given advance notification of the shipment. No details of any future similar shipments have been received.

  Marine Safety Agency
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what additional work arising out of the Donaldson inquiry he expects to be undertaken by the Marine Safety Agency.

  Mr. Norris
  The Government are examining all the recommendations of the Donaldson report. Many of those
  75
  will require further analysis or development, some of which will have to be undertaken by the Marine Safety Agency. The extent and nature of that work will be announced in the Government's detailed response to the report later this year.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by grade for each of the last five years the number of substantive staff employed by the Marine Safety Agency and its predecessors.

  Mr. Norris
  It is not possible to give a breakdown of the numbers of staff by grades employed for each of the last five years by the predecessor of the Marine Safety Agency, the surveyor general's office. The total staff complement of the SGO for each of the last five years was as follows:

  Numbers

  1 April 1989

  398

  1 April 1990

  361

  1 April 1991

  361

  1 April 1992

  347

  1 April 1993

  356

  Vehicle Excise Discs
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 14 June,Official Report, column 521, (1) what estimates have been made by the DVLA of the total number and value of vehicle excise discs that will have to be stored on car dealers' premises in any one year if the AFRL scheme is fully implemented across the country;

  (2) what constitutes a secure environment for vehicle excise discs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The hon. Member can be assured that the position of the Exchequer has been safeguarded in the security arrangements made, which include storage in appropriate safes. It would compromise the measures taken if I were to provide full details, just as it would to draw attention to the number and value of the discs to be held.

  Pay Awards
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when staff in his Department are due to receive their 1994 pay awards; when staff employed in the Driving Standards Agency and the Vehicle Inspectorate are due to receive their 1994 pay awards; and if he will make a statement.

  Numbers of coastguard grades

  Grade

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Coastguard Officer

  385

  390

  385

  377

  381

  Station Officer

  57

  50

  49

  56

  48

  District Officer

  26

  24

  24

  25

  26

  Inspector

  7

  7

  7

  10

  10

  Principal Inspector

  8

  8

  8

  8

  7

  Chief Coastguard

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Totals

  1484

  1480

  1474

  1477

  2473

  1 As at 31 December.

  2 As at 14 July 1994.

  76
  Mr. Key
  The pay of staff in most parts of the Department of Transport is negotiated centrally. The 1994 pay award to staff in grades represented by the Civil and Public Services Association has been agreed and will be paid at the end of August. The settlement for staff in grades represented by the National Union of Civil and Public Servants is expected shortly. The two other main groups of staff have a later settlement date. Performance pay increases are handled separately.

  Three of the Department's agencies—the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, the Driving Standards Agency and the Vehicle Inspectorate—bargain on pay directly with staff representatives. Pay negotiations between the DVLA and the unions are at an advanced stage. DSA and VI intend commencing negotiations shortly. Once settlement is reached all three agencies will implement their pay awards without delay.

  Trains
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of trains travelling between London and Plymouth have arrived(a) on time, (b) within five minutes and (c) within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Freeman
  The following figures are for the London to the west of England service group as a whole. Figures for London to Plymouth alone are not available. Services arriving within 15 minutes are not measured. Services arriving within 10 minutes of the scheduled time have been included instead.

  Per cent.

  Year

  On time

  Within 5 minutes

  Within 10 minutes

  1991

  62.6

  75.6

  83.1

  1992

  61.2

  75.3

  83.8

  1993

  61.9

  75.1

  83.9

  Coastguards
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each of the last five years the number of substantive coastguard grades employed by his Department.

  Mr. Norris
  The attached table gives a breakdown for the last five years of the number of substantive coastguard grades.

  Staff (Assaults)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list by grade and location the number of staff in his Department who have been disciplined for assault on either another member of staff or a member of the public over each of the last 10 years;

  (2) if he will list for the last 10 years, by grade, the number of staff in his Department disciplined for assault and the disciplinary penalty imposed for each case;

  (3) if he will list for the last 10 years by grade the number of staff of his Department or its agencies dismissed for assault.

  Mr. Norris
  Information held centrally by the Department relates only to the past five years. There have been two cases in that period, both occurring in 1991. To give further details of grade and location might enable the individuals to be identified. The penalties imposed in those cases were respectively dismissal and a severe reprimand. In the former case, the officer decided to resign before being dismissed. Information relating to earlier years is held on individual personnel files and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Driving Standards Agency
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what factors have led to the Driving Standards Agency considering reintroducing the nine test day;

  (2) under what authority the Driving Standards Agency undertakes pay negotiations;

  (3) if he will list for each of the last five years the number of substantive driving examiners employed by the Driving Standards Agency;

  (4) if he will list the reasons for the cancellation of the block booking facility for LGV/PCV and motor cycle driving tests;

  (5) when the Vehicle Inspectorate intends to enter into negotiations with trade unions regarding their 1994 pay claim;

  (6) what considerations underlay the exclusion of the Driving Standards Agency from the national civil service pay settlement.

  Mr. Key
  Responsibility for the subject of these questions has been delegated to the Driving Standards Agency under its chief executive, Dr. Ford, and I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter front G. Lobo to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 13 July 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked the Chief Executive to reply to the questions you have raised about DSA's operations. I am replying as Dr. Ford is on annual leave.

  PQ 2919/93/94
  You asked what factors led to the Driving Standards Agency considering re-introducing the nine test day.
  At the recent Scottish Driving Examiners' Conference, some driving examiners suggested that the 3.35 pm test, the last one, should not be programmed in winter in some areas as it was often conducted in artificial (street) lighting. This in effect would reduce the current 8-day test day to a 7-test one during winter. In discussion, the Chief Executive made the point that there might be a case for considering this—subject to extra tests lost during winter being added to the summer programme. This could have the advantage of switching staff resources to be more in line with the seasonal pattern of test demand.
  78
  PQ 2924/93/94
  You asked under what authority the Driving Standards Agency undertakes pay negotiations.
  Authority for the Agency to undertake pay bargaining was given, with effect from 1 April 1994, under a delegated instrument issued by the Treasury in accordance with the Civil Service (Managemment Functions) Act 1992. The Civil Service Unions were consulted, in draft, on the delegation instrument.

  PQ 2931/93/94
  You asked for the number of substantive driving examiners employed by the Driving Standards Agency in the last five years.
  The figures, as requested, at at 31 March for each year are as follows:

  Number

  1990

  1,245

  1991

  1,196

  1992

  1,109

  1993

  1,036

  1994

  969

  PQ 2936/93/94
  You asked the reasons for ending the block-booking arrangement for LGV/PCV and motorcycle tests.
  Please refer to the answer which the Chief Executive gave to you in his letter of 8 June.

  PQ 2940/93/94
  You asked when the Agency intends to enter into negotiations with trade unions about their 1994 pay claim.
  We intend to commence negotiations soon.

  PQ 2924/93/94
  You asked why the Agency had been excluded from the national Civil Service pay settlement.
  The Citizen's Charter White Paper and the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement on Civil Service pay (July 1991) set out the Government's view that wherever possible and within essential public expenditure controls, responsibility for pay and related conditions fo service should be delegated to agencies. The Government's view is that management decisions are best taken by those responsible for the delivery of the service, within robust strategic controls. Delegation of pay bargaining enables decisions to be taken by the Agency managers, rather than the officials in Whitehall. Those decisions better reflect an agency's particular circumstances. As one of the larger Agencies, delegation on pay bargaining was given to this Agency with effect from 1 April 1994.

  Sick Absences
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each agency in his Department what sick absence regime is operated.

  Mr. Norris
  In the Central Transport Group and in the Highways Agency, Transport Research Laboratory, Vehicle Certification Agency, Driving Standards Agency, Marine Safety Agency and Coastguard Agency, responsibility for managing sickness absence is delegated to line managers, who take action in respect of any unjustified absence. Where staff have reached a high level of sick absence, defined as more than 14 days in 12 months, managers are expected to implement measures to control absence which parallel those for dealing with poor work performance.

  In the Vehicle Inspectorate, line managers are expected to register concern informally when a total of eight days is reached and to give an oral warning if 14 day's absence is reached. The Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency allows line managers discretion in determining which cases require formal action but it uses a trigger point of 10 days' absence for considering initial action.

  Rail Dispute
  Sir David Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will invite the Confederation of British Industry and Trades Union Congress to nominate one representative each to serve on a three-man board as mediators, that he will nominate one independent 80
  chairman, and that such a board shall begin work immediately to try and solve the dispute between Railtrack and the RMT trade union; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is for the parties to the dispute to take action to resolve it. The conciliation service of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service remain at their disposal.

  INDONESIA: PRESS FREEDOM
  INDONESIA: PRESS FREEDOM
  SUDAN
  SUDAN
  DEREGULATION AND CONTRACTING OUT BILL, CLAUSE 13
  DEREGULATION AND CONTRACTING OUT BILL, CLAUSE 13
  DEREGULATION AND CONTRACTING OUT BILL, CLAUSE 5
  DEREGULATION AND CONTRACTING OUT BILL, CLAUSE 5
  ARMED FORCES PAY REVIEW BODY
  ARMED FORCES PAY REVIEW BODY
  ARMED FORCES INDEPENDENT REVIEW TEAM
  ARMED FORCES INDEPENDENT REVIEW TEAM
  NORTHERN IRELAND: GRANTS TO VOLUNTARY BODIES
  NORTHERN IRELAND: GRANTS TO VOLUNTARY BODIES
  TERRORIST PRISONERS TRANSFERRED TO NORTHERN IRELAND
  TERRORIST PRISONERS TRANSFERRED TO NORTHERN IRELAND
  PRISONERS HELD IN POLICE CELLS, 1 JULY 1994
  PRISONERS HELD IN POLICE CELLS, 1 JULY 1994
  LOCAL PRISONS: CNA AND POPULATION
  LOCAL PRISONS: CNA AND POPULATION