Written Answers of 24 June 1994

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Audiovisual Eureka
  Dr. Liam Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans his Department has for the United Kingdom's forthcoming presidency of Audiovisual Eureka.

  Mr. Brooke
  The United Kingdom presidency of Audiovisual Eureka will run from 1 July 1994 to 30 June 1995.

  Our objectives for the presidency will be to enhance and give priority to those aspects of Audiovisual Eureka which complement other European initiatives aimed at strengthening the European audiovisual industry. We shall place particular emphasis on those which foster practical co-operation between western European countries and the countries of central and eastern Europe. We shall also aim to promote the use of new technologies for the production of films and programmes; and we shall seek to promote audiovisual technology transfer between east and west.

  A central part of the United Kingdom presidency work programme will be to oversee an independent evaluation of Audiovisual Eureka as part of a thorough review of its effectiveness, and to ensure that any recommendations arising from the review are implemented.

  I shall be inviting Ministers of the 32 participating countries, as well as the European Commission and Council of Europe, to attend a meeting in London on 16 June 1995 to mark the culmination of our presidency.

  Football Stadiums
  Mr. Coe
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he has reached his final decision on applications received from Premier League and first division football clubs for an extension to the Government's 1 August all-seater deadline.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have. On 26 May, in answer to a written parliamentary question from my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre Forest (Mr. Coombs), columns 227–29, I announced that I had considered applications made by 11 clubs, and having taken into account the recommendations made by the Football Licensing Authority, formed a preliminary view. I also set out the criteria against which each application had been assessed.
  "Clubs seeking an extension in order to relocate to a new ground are expected to produce clear evidence that such an extension would be for a strictly limited period and that the club could realistically complete its relocation within a reasonable and definite time scale.
  Clubs applying for an extension in order to redevelop their existing grounds are expected to show why their circumstances are wholly exceptional, why the reasons for the delay could not reasonably have been foreseen and why they could not be attributed to the actions or inaction of the club."
  324
  Clubs were given until 16 June to make further representations to me in support of their case, before I announced my final decision.

  On the basis of the information then before me, I indicated that I was minded to agree that the following clubs, all of which are actively engaged in relocation to new stadia, have a valid case for an extension of the 1 August deadline:

  Derby County

  Grimsby Town

  Middlesbrough

  Portsmouth

  Sunderland

  I have today written to the chairmen of each of these clubs to confirm that my final decision is to grant limited extensions in each case.

  I have warned, however, that although I have granted an extension, my general policy remains, and I have in mind that the extensions will be for one year only. I have also explained that any decision to allow the retention of standing accommodation for a limited period will not affect safety requirements at the ground. Clubs will still be required to observe the terms and conditions of the local authority safety certificate issued under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975, and any requirement placed on the club as a result of the FLA exercising its powers under section 13 of the Football Spectators Act 1989. The responsibility of each club to ensure that the ground meets the necessary safety requirements remains unchanged, irrespective of whether or not an extension is granted.

  On 26 May, I also wrote to the chairmen of the following clubs indicating that, although I appreciated the very real difficulties they faced, I did not consider that the case they had presented was sufficiently strong to warrant an extension of the deadline beyond 1 August 1994:

  Barnsley

  Chelsea

  Manchester City

  Newcastle United

  Oldham Athletic

  Swindon Town

  I said that in reaching my final decision I would consider each case on its individual merits in the light of the above criteria, having regard to all material facts and to the need to be consistent where circumstances are similar and fair to all clubs in the Premier League and Football League first division. I said that I would also take into account any other relevant points which the clubs wish to make in response to my letters.

  Representations were received from five of these clubs before the 16 June deadline. I have given careful consideration to the points raised, and have also reviewed the original applications which each club made to the Football Licensing Authority.

  I have decided that only one of these clubs, Newcastle United, has presented a sufficiently exceptional case to warrant an extension to the deadline, and that I would not be justified in granting extensions to Barnsley, Chelsea, Manchester City, Oldham Athletic or Swindon Town. I have therefore written to the chairmen of each of these clubs to inform them of my final decision.

  I have today laid an Order under section 11 of the Football Spectators Act 1989 directing the Football Licensing Authority to include in its licences the following conditions:
  Only seated accommodation shall be provided for spectators at a designated football match; and

  325
  Spectators shall only be admitted to watch a designated football match from seated accommodation.

  The order will come into force on 15 July, and will apply to all clubs in the Premier League and first division of the Football League, save those which have been granted extensions to the 1 August deadline. The following clubs promoted into the—now—first division since 1991 will also be omitted from the order:

  Bolton Wanderers—promoted in 1993

  Burnley—promoted in 1994

  Port Vale—promoted in 1994

  Reading—promoted in 1994

  Stoke City—promoted in 1993

  West Bromwich Albion—promoted in 1993

  These clubs will have three years from the date of their promotion to ensure that their grounds are all-seated.

  I am pleased to report that the majority of clubs in the top two divisions will meet or are planning to meet the Government's deadline. I congratulate those clubs on the great strides they have made in improving the safety and comfort of spectators at their grounds. I will follow closely the progress made by clubs to which I have granted an extension, and I look forward to being able to report that these clubs also have successfully achieved all-seater stadiums.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Romanian Children
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what projects to improve the care and education of Romania's children are being supported through the Poland and Hungary assistance for economic restructuring—PHARE—programme of the European Union; and how British organisations are contributing.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  A wide range of projects to improve the care and education of children in Romania are being supported under the PHARE programme. They include: in health care, particularly maternal and infant health services; the rehabilitation of orphanages and the training of personnel; the establishment—in concert with the Romanian Government—of a national policy for the protection of children; and the development of strategies to prevent the institutionalisation of vulnerable groups of children.
  European Commission data on contracts awarded under PHARE are not broken down by recipient country. Between 1990 and 1993, 125 contracts were awarded to British organisations working in the areas of non governmental organisations, social adjustment, humanitarian aid, science and techonology, health and public administration.

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received about deaths occurring in Omo valley district in southern Ethiopia because of transport difficulties in reaching famine victims; and what the Government and the European Union are doing to overcome these difficulties.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are in touch with the Ethiopian Relief and Rehabilitation Commission—RRC—about the situation. There are no official figures for deaths from 326
  drought and famine. The terrain in much of the region is mountainous with poor or non-existent roads. Road and air access is difficult; ox carts are often the only means of transporting supplies.
  The RRC is planning to carry out a helicopter survey of the remoter areas of the region to assess accurately needs and access routes. We are prepared to help with the survey and with implementing its recommendations.
  Since January, we have committed 45,000 tonnes of bilateral food aid to Ethiopia. The EU has committed 264,000 tonnes. We have also provided about £191,000 for seeds and tools and therapeutic feeding centres throughout the Omo region.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what overseas aid Her Majesty's Government are currently providing to Pakistan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 23 June 1994]: Gross British bilateral aid to Pakistan for 1992–93—the latest year for which figures are available—was £34·483 million. This consisted of £18·619 million under the ODA's bilateral country programme, £12·676 million in Commonwealth Development Corporation investments and £3·188 million in other aid, including debt relief and drug related assistance.

  Recent initiatives include projects in primary education and health, family planning and participatory urban and rural development. Other main sectors covered are land development and irrigation, energy and water and sanitation.

  Brazil (Mahogany)
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he makes of the percentage of mahogany exported from Brazil to the United Kingdom which has been obtained illegally in Brazil.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have no reliable means of assessing whether or not timber entering the United Kingdom has come from an illegal source in its country of origin. The legality of timber extraction is a matter for the authorities in the country in which it takes place.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Debts (Non-payment)
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the 20 Prison Service establishments to which the largest number of those found guilty of offences in respect of non-payment of debt were committed in the latest period of 12 months for which there is information, specifying in addition how many of these offenders were sentenced for non-payment of(a) television licences and (b) community charge.

  Mr. Maclean
  The available information is given in the tables separately for the non-criminal offences of non-payment of debt and also for non-payment of fine for using a television without a licence.
  327

  The 20 Prison Service establishments receiving the most non-criminal prisoners committed to custody for the non-criminal offences of non-payment of debt in England and Wales, May 1993—April 19941

  Numbers received for non-payment of debt

  Prison Service establishment ranked by number received for non-payment of debt

  Total

  of which, Non-payment of community charge

  1. Liverpool

  134

  129

  2. Hull

  120

  109

  3. Leicester

  94

  79

  4. Leeds

  74

  32

  5. Woodhill

  73

  72

  6. Durham

  55

  54

  7. Canterbury

  54

  54

  8. Preston

  54

  54

  9. Lincoln

  52

  18

  10. Shrewsbury

  40

  39

  11. Bedford

  38

  28

  12. Lewes

  38

  24

  13. Risley

  37

  31

  14. Birmingham

  35

  34

  15. Drake Hall

  34

  33

  16. Holme House

  33

  32

  17. Swansea

  32

  30

  18. Low Newton

  31

  30

  19. New Hall

  30

  25

  20. Pentonville

  30

  25

  1Provisional figures.

  The 20 Prison Service establishments receiving the largest numbers committed to custody for non-payment of a fine for using a television without a licence, May 1993–April 19941

  Prison Service establishment

  Number

  1. Risley

  83

  2. Liverpool

  69

  3. New Hall

  68

  4. Holloway

  55

  5. Low Newton

  47

  6. Hull

  44

  7. Birmingham

  43

  8. Pucklechurch

  34

  9. Leicester

  33

  10. Leeds

  33

  11. Lincoln

  27

  12. Shrewsbury

  25

  13. Drake Hall

  23

  14. Holme House

  21

  15. Exeter

  20

  16. Blakenhurst

  18

  17. Pentonville

  13

  18. Bedford

  12

  19. Preston

  12

  20. Durham

  11

  Canterbury

  11

  Wood Hill

  11

  1Provisional figures.

  Illegal Immigrants
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals his Department has to make it an offence to employ an illegal immigrant.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  At present, although it is an offence knowingly to harbour an illegal entrant or an overstayer, there is no general requirement on employers to satisfy themselves as to the immigration status of their employees. The immigration service already gives priority to detecting those working here illegally and taking 328
  subsequent action to curtail their stay or remove them from the United Kingdom. The Government keep the law in this area under review and expect employers to behave responsibly.

  Racial Incidents
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many racial incidents were recorded by each police force in England and Wales in 1993.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  This information is now collected on a financial year basis. The figures for 1993–94 are given: these have been collected by the same means as figures published for earlier periods, and they are comparable. I will be considering further the arrangements which are in place for collecting and publishing such figures in future in the light of the recent report by the Home Affairs Select Committee on racial attacks and harassment—HC 71–1.

  Reported racial incidents April 1993–March 1994

  Number

  Avon and Somerset

  159

  Bedfordshire

  60

  Cambridge

  100

  Cheshire

  98

  City of London

  1

  Cleveland

  50

  Cumbria

  17

  Derbyshire

  221

  Devon and Cornwall

  14

  Dorset

  25

  Durham

  32

  Dyfed-Powys

  0

  Essex

  133

  Gloucestershire

  28

  Greater Manchester

  658

  Gwent

  21

  Hampshire

  212

  Hertfordshire

  117

  Humberside

  79

  Kent

  160

  Lancashire

  262

  Leicestershire

  315

  Lincolnshire

  4

  Merseyside

  155

  Norfolk

  33

  North Wales

  2

  North Yorkshire

  22

  Northamptonshire

  102

  Northumbria

  405

  Nottinghamshire

  264

  South Wales

  400

  South Yorkshire

  106

  Staffordshire

  117

  Suffolk

  73

  Surrey

  79

  Sussex

  214

  Thames Valley

  166

  Warwickshire

  87

  West Mercia

  100

  West Midlands

  487

  West Yorkshire

  244

  Wiltshire

  51

  Provincial total

  5,873

  Metropolitan total

  3,889

  England and Wales total

  9,762

  Channel Islands
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the circumstances of the departure from office of the Deputy Bailiff and Lieutenant Bailiff of the island of Jersey.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Appointment as Deputy Bailiff of Jersey is by the Crown, on advice from the Home Secretary in his capacity as the Privy Councillor with special responsibility for Jersey. A Deputy Bailiff may depart from office on the expiry of the period of appointment, or on appointment to other office, or by resignation, or by removal by the Crown acting on advice.

  The Bailiff of Jersey of the day may appoint for a purpose ad hoc, or permanently, one or more lieutenant bailiffs. Permanent appointees may resign from office, or be removed from it by the bailiff; otherwise, their appointments end with the departure from office of the Bailiff who appointed them.

  Prison Visits
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were allowed to take part in an assisted prison visits scheme during 1993; and what was the total amount of funding paid under this scheme for such visits.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 24 June 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of people taking part in the assisted prison visit scheme during 1993 and the total amount of funding paid out under it.
  The information you request is not available for the calendar year or in the form requested. For the financial year 1993–94 the number of successful applications was 74,280 and the total funds disbursed were £2,236,816.

  Firearms
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were(a) killed and (b) injured in incidents involving firearms in each year since 1983.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", copies of which can be found in the Library—latest edition, 1992, Cm 2410, table 3.8. Figures for 1993 are not yet available.

  Mrs. Karamat Bi
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when arrangements are to be made to issue Mrs. Karamat Bi—Ref.: TH/2964/93—through the British high commission in Islamabad with a visa to visit the United Kingdom following her appeal against refusal to grant being upheld in Leeds on 15 December 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  A copy of the adjudicator's determination was sent to the entry clearance officer in 330
  Islamabad on 6 January. Inquiries are being made into the present position, and the hon. Member will be informed as soon as possible.

  Remand
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many males remanded in custody in 1993 spent(a) up to one week, (b) one to two weeks, (c) two to four weeks, (d) four to eight weeks, (e) eight weeks to three months, (f) three to six months, (g) six months to 12 months and (h) over 12 months in prison before their court case was concluded;

  (2) how many females remanded in custody in 1993 spent (a) up to one week, (b) one to two weeks, (c) two to four weeks, (d) four to eight weeks, (e) eight weeks to three months, (f) three to six months, (g) six to 12 months and (h) over 12 months in prison before their court case was concluded.

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

  Letter from A. J. Butler to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 24 June 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions asking how many males and females remanded in custody in 1993 spent (a) up to one week, (b) one to two weeks, (c) two to four weeks, (d) four to eight weeks, (e) eight weeks to three months, (f) three to six months, (g) six months to 12 months and (h) over 12 months in prison before their court case was concluded.
  The available information is given in the attached table.

  Remand prisoners in Prison Service establishments on 30 June 1993 By length of time since first reception1 England and Wales

  Number of persons2

  Length of time since first remand into a Prison Service establishment

  Males

  Females

  All lengths

  10,250

  400

  Up to and including 1 week

  1,000

  50

  More than 1 week up to and including 2 weeks

  800

  50

  More than 2 weeks up to and including 4 weeks

  1,300

  50

  More than 4 weeks up to and including 8 weeks

  1,750

  70

  More than 8 weeks up to and including 3 months

  1,500

  70

  More than 3 months up to and including 6 months

  2,300

  80

  More than 6 months up to and including 12 months

  1,300

  40

  Over 12 months

  400

  10

  1Time since first reception on remand into a Prison Service establishment. This includes any intervening time spent on bail, but excluding time spent in police cells beforehand.

  2Rounded estimates which therefore may not add to the totals.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Regional Assistance
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the regions of the United Kingdom that have received European regional development funding in each of the last three years; and what was the amount of the funding to each region.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The last programme period for the European regional development fund ran for five years,

  ERDF Allocations 1989 to 1993 Objectives 1,2 and 5b

  £ million 1994 prices

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1989–93

  Objective 1

  Northern Ireland

  53

  63

  64

  95

  93

  369

  Objective 2

  North East England

  35

  44

  41

  59

  60

  240

  East England

  54

  68

  63

  91

  92

  368

  West Midlands

  40

  51

  47

  68

  69

  276

  North West England

  47

  59

  55

  79

  81

  321

  West Cumbria

  2

  2

  2

  3

  3

  13

  West Scotland

  46

  59

  54

  79

  80

  318

  East Scotland

  15

  19

  18

  25

  26

  103

  South Wales

  23

  29

  27

  39

  40

  158

  North East Wales

  7

  9

  8

  12

  12

  47

  Total Objective 2

  269

  340

  315

  456

  463

  1,844

  Objective 5b

  South West England

  8

  20

  16

  12

  10

  66

  Rural Wales

  11

  29

  24

  17

  15

  95

  Highlands and Islands

  10

  27

  22

  16

  14

  89

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1

  3

  3

  2

  2

  11

  Total Objective 5b

  30

  80

  65

  46

  40

  261

  Miscellaneous

  —

  —

  —

  4

  6

  10

  Mahogany
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what are the sources of his Department's data on the importation of Brazilian mahogany into the United Kingdom;

  (2) if he will list the Brazilian companies from which mahogany was imported into the United Kingdom during 1993;

  (3) which United Kingdom companies imported mahogany during 1993 from the (a) Bannach, (b) Perachi, (c) Maginco and (d) Impar companies of Brazil;

  (4) how much mahogany from Brazil by volume and value was imported into the United Kingdom in 1993.

  Mr. Needham
  There are no official sources for information on the importation of Brazilian mahogany into the United Kingdom. The information has not been available since 1992 because the United Kingdom trade classification no longer separately identifies mahogany from several other non-coniferous woods.

  Information on United Kingdom importing companies and Brazilian exporting companies is not available.
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  from 1989 to 1993. The table gives a breakdown of the ERDF funding provided by objective and by region during that time.

  Objective 1 is for development and structural adjustment of the regions whose development is lagging behind. Objective 2 is for converting regions or parts of regions seriously affected by industrial decline. Objective 5(b) is for development of rural areas. These objectives are specifically regional in nature; they involve measures restricted to certain eligible regions or parts of regions.

  Smaller sums shown in the table as "miscellaneous", were made available outside the objective 1, 2 and 5(b) areas.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he intends to take in order to ensure that illegally felled mahogany from Brazil does not enter the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Needham
  The Government have no reliable or practical way of identifying Brazilian mahogany which has come from an illegal source. Nor is there any legitimate way in which the United Kingdom could adopt a national ban on the import of such products. Primary responsibility for ensuring that harvesting and export is carried out lawfully must rest with the Brazilian Government.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Correspondence
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the latest figures showing the volume of correspondence from hon. Members to Ministers and agency chief executives, the targets set for reply and the percentage of replies sent within target.

  Mr. David Davis
  The 1993 figures are set out in the table. The table also sets out figures showing ministerial correspondence in 1992 first published on 23 March 1993,Official Report, columns 550–54.
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  Correspondence from Members of Parliament to Ministers and Agency Chief Executives

  1992

  1993

  Department or Agency

  Target set for reply (working days)

  Number of letters received

  Percentage of replies within target

  Target set for reply (working days)

  Number of letters received

  Percentage of replies within target

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  15

  11,001

  81

  15

  11,150

  69

  Cabinet Office (OPSS)

  15

  492

  57

  15

  911

  59

  Central Statistical Office

  18

  26

  85

  110

  63

  77

  Crown Prosecution Service

  15

  102

  67

  15

  229

  66

  Customs and Excise

  18

  2682

  90

  18

  36,457

  55

  Ministry of Defence

  15

  5,189

  74

  15

  6,374

  75

  Defence Research Agency

  —

  —

  —

  15

  53

  66

  Department for Education

  20

  15,192

  72

  20

  317,049

  84

  Teacher's Pensions Agency

  10

  115

  93

  10

  98

  92

  Department of Employment

  17

  43,797

  96

  15

  7,604

  85

  Employment Service

  15

  248

  94

  15

  313

  92

  Department of the Environment

  15

  18,103

  56

  15

  21,057

  54

  Planning Inspectorate Agency

  8

  430

  81

  8

  5555

  80

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  10

  7,921

  76

  10

  9,641

  83

  Department of Health

  20

  16,353

  72

  20

  19,822

  72

  Medicines Control Agency

  —

  —

  —

  15

  13

  90

  NHS Pensions Agency

  —

  —

  —

  20

  14

  100

  Her Majesty's Stationery Office

  —

  —

  —

  5

  11

  100

  Home Office

  15

  2,221

  22

  615

  15,950

  25

  25

  3,171

  61

  625

  11,318

  52

  HM Prison Service7

  —

  —

  —

  725

  348

  54

  United Kingdom Passport Agency

  10

  51

  29

  15

  40

  83

  Inland Revenue

  18

  2680

  27

  818

  34,202

  45

  23

  2202

  12

  923

  3805

  39

  Valuation Office

  —

  —

  —

  23

  474

  45

  Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers

  15

  729

  82

  15

  10675

  77

  Lord Chancellor's Department

  20

  5,417

  84

  20

  6,716

  84

  Land Registry

  —

  —

  —

  20

  40

  100

  Department of National Heritage

  18

  2,007

  55

  18

  111,145

  83

  Northern Ireland Office (inc. Northern Ireland Departments)

  10

  3,194

  57

  1210

  33,814

  66

  15

  3,061

  77

  1315

  32,057

  73

  Child Support Agency (NI)

  —

  —

  —

  10

  27

  96

  Compensation Agency (NI)

  7

  34

  79

  7

  80

  85

  Rate Collection Agency (NI)

  7

  12

  75

  5

  13

  100

  Social Security Agency (NI)

  20

  43

  91

  10

  28

  82

  Overseas Development Administration

  15

  5,500

  63

  15

  4,218

  87

  The Scottish Office

  17

  3,393

  57

  17

  6,860

  52

  Department of Social Security

  20

  14,222

  63

  20

  23,518

  76

  Benefits Agency

  20

  20,822

  64

  20

  1428,242

  84

  Child Support Agency15

  —

  —

  —

  20

  2,222

  13

  Contributions Agency

  20

  340

  63

  20

  264

  70

  Department of Trade and Industry

  10

  28,129

  63

  10

  325,988

  66

  Companies House

  10

  79

  42

  10

  159

  46

  Insolvency Service

  10

  60

  91

  10

  30

  97

  Radiocommunications Agency

  10

  25

  96

  10

  43

  100

  Department of Transport

  15

  16,987

  74

  15

  324,754

  71

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

  10

  891

  98

  10

  345

  95

  Driving Standards Agency

  15

  123

  91

  10

  91

  96

  Vehicle Inspectorate

  10

  61

  72

  15

  15

  93

  Her Majesty's Treasury

  15

  21,241

  58

  15

  311,396

  58

  334 335

  1992

  1993

  Department or Agency

  Target set for reply (working days)

  Number of letters received

  Percentage of replies within target

  Target set for reply (working days)

  Number of letters received

  Percentage of replies within target

  Welsh Office

  12

  3,022

  61

  12

  3,468

  81

  CADW (Welsh Historic Monuments)

  12

  21

  90

  12

  31

  91

  Notes on 1993 figures16

  1Represents target set for Central Statistical Office (CSO) to submit replies to HM Treasury. In addition, the chief executive received three letters directly from Members of Parliament, all of which were answered within the 10-working day target.

  2Figures cover November and December 1992 only.

  3Includes all ministerial replies, not only letters from Members of Parliament.

  4Figures cover 1 January to 31 August 1992. On 1 September new 15 working day target was set. From 1 September to 31 December 1992, 91 per cent. of 2,205 letters received were replied to within target.

  5Figure includes 29 cases relating to Wales—with effect from 1 April 1993.

  6Targets within the Home Office are actually expressed in calendar days, because of bank holidays therefore, performance will occasionally be measured against fewer than the 15—or 25—working day target. 25 working day target is for replies to Immigration and nationality department, Prison Service and United Kingdom Passport Agency subjects, 15 working day target is for all other subjects. Members of Parliament are encouraged to write direct to the immigration and nationality department board. These letters are included in the totals shown. New Home Office targets were adopted on 1 October 1992 and some 20,000 cases in 1992–93 were not included in the main chart.

  7HM Prison Service established as an agency on 1 April 1993. Targets within the Prison Service are actually expressed in calendar days, because of bank holidays therefore, performance will occasionally to measured against fewer than the 25 working day target.

  8Head office figures.

  9Local office figures.

  10Figure excludes letters received by the legal secretariat to the Law Officers which were subsequently replied to by either the Director of Public Prosecutions or the Director of the Serious Fraud Office.

  11Represents correspondence received since 1 April 1993 when new computer recording system was introduced.

  12Replies signed by Minister.

  13Replies signed by Private Secretary to Minister.

  14Includes correspondence from Members of Parliament sent directly to local operational units.

  15Child Support Agency was launched on 5 April 1993.

  16The 1992 figures were taken from the Official Report, 23 March 1993, columns 550–54. Please also refer to notes given with that reply.

  In addition, the following Departments/agencies received at least one but less than 10 letters from Members of Parliament in 1993 and are not shown in the table:

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food - Intervention Board, ADAS, Veterinary Medicines Directorate.

  Cabinet Office - Central Office of Information, Occupational Health Service, Recruitment and Assessment Services.

  Ministry of Defence - Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Defence Accounts Agency, Defence Analytical Services Agency, Defence Animal Centre, Defence Postal and Courier Services, Queen Victoria School, RAF Maintenance.

  Department of the Environment - Building Research Establishment, Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, The Buying Agency, The Security Facilities Executive.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  Attorney General - Government Property Lawyers Agency.

  Northern Ireland Office (including Northern Ireland Departments) - Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (NI), Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency (NI), Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland, Training and Employment Agency (NI), Valuation and Lands Agency (NI).

  Overseas Development Administration - Natural Resources Institute.

  Ordnance Survey.

  Scottish Office - Historic Scotland, Scottish Prison Service.

  Serious Fraud Office.

  Department of Social Security - Information Technology Services Agency, Resettlement Agency.

  Department of Trade and Industry - Accounts Services Agency National Physical Laboratory, Patent Office.

  Department of Transport - Vehicle Certification Agency, Transport Research Laboratory.

  Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what key targets have been set for the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency for the current financial year.

  Mr. David Davis
  I have set the following targets for Recruitment and Assessment Services for 1994–95:

  1. Financial break-even in accruals terms;

  2. A 2 per cent. increase in efficiency over 1993–94 performance;

  3. evaluation ratings of 96 per cent. of RAS customers satisfied with the service they have received, and 75 per cent. of these giving "more than satisfied" or "highly satisfied" assessments.

EDUCATION

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many contracts and for what total sum were let out by his Department or agencies for which it is responsible to(a) Coopers and Lybrand, (b) KPMG Peat Marwick, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) Price Waterhouse, (e) Arthur Andersen, (f) Touche Ross, (g) Grant Thornton, (h) Robson Rhodes and (i) Pannell Kerr Forster for (i) privatisation, (ii) market testing, (iii) management advice, (iv) accounting, (v) audit, (vi) consultancy and (vii) any other services in 1980 to 1983, 1984 to 1987, 1988 to 1991 and 1992 to 1993.

  Mr. Forth
  The information for the periods 1980 to 1983 and 1984 to 1987 is not available, and the information requested for the periods 1988 to 1991 and 1992 to 1993 broken down in the format could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  337
  The total number of contracts and the value of those contracts with the companies referred to for the periods 1988 to 1991 and 1992 to 1993 is as follows:

  1988 to 1991

  Contracts

  £

  Coopers and Lybrand

  17

  387,500

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  11

  525,000

  Ernst and Young

  2

  51,000

  Price Waterhouse

  2

  61,000

  Touche Ross

  6

  235,000

  Robson Rhodes

  1

  22,250

  No contracts were placed in this period with Arthur Anderson, Grant Thornton and Pannell Kerr Forster.

  1992 to 1993

  Company

  Contracts

  £

  Coopers and Lybrand

  12

  1,708,000

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  9

  236,500

  Ernst and Young

  2

  51,000

  Price Waterhouse

  5

  111,500

  Touche Ross

  4

  116,500

  No contracts were placed in this period with Arthur Anderson, Grant Thornton, Robson Rhodes and Pannell Kerr Forster.

  St. Paul's Primary School
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when the architects and building branch of his Department will make its recommendation on the St. Paul's primary school nursery class building in Hammersmith.

  Mr. Forth
  A letter giving full approval to the building project was despatched to the local education authority on 25 May 1994, with a request to forward a copy of the letter to the school governors.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what advice he has given to the Higher Education Funding Council for England regarding efficiency gains from(a) teaching and (b) research funding; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  The spending plans announced in last year's Budget imply annual efficiency gains in the HEFCE sector of 4 per cent. in 1994–95 and 1995–96 and 3 per cent. in 1996–97. Separately, we have asked the HEFCE to maintain broadly the current proportional split between funds for teaching and research, and it will monitor the impact of these arrangements.

TREASURY

  Life Insurance Directives
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the consequences for the taxation of insurance activities of the coming into force of the European Community's third life insurance directive—92/96/EEC—and third non-life insurance directive—92/49/EEC.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The third life and non-life insurance directives come into force on 1 July 1994. They are an 338
  important part of measures being taken to create a single market in financial services throughout the European Union. One effect of the directives is that insurance companies whose head office is in another member state of the European Union will not be subject to regulation and supervision by the Department of Trade and Industry under the Insurance Companies Act 1982. This will have the effect of taking these companies outside the tax rules which apply to insurance companies because those tax rules are based on provisions of the Insurance Companies Act which will no longer apply to them.
  As a result, we shall be introducing legislation in the next Finance Bill to change the definition of insurance company to ensure that all companies operating in the United Kingdom remain within the special tax rules for insurance companies. We shall also be amending provisions which give relief from tax where there is a transfer of insurance business sanctioned by a court in the United Kingdom so that they also apply where there is a transfer of United Kingdom insurance business sanctioned by the regulatory authorities in another member state.
  We will also introduce measures to prevent a loss of tax where there is a transfer of insurance business to a transferee who does not carry on that business in the United Kingdom so as to be within the charge to tax.
  Subject to their approval by Parliament, these measures will take effect from 1 July 1994, the date on which the third insurance directives come into force.
  I also wish to make it clear that, contrary to some reports, the coming into force of the third life assurance directive will of itself have no effect on the taxation of gains from life assurance policies. At my request, the Inland Revenue is currently conducting a review of life assurance taxation in the light of single market developments and this includes the taxation of policy holders. The Government will decide in due course in the light of that review whether changes to the taxation of gains from life assurance policies are necessary. Meanwhile, the existing rules on policyholder taxation remain in force, and the Inland Revenue will continue to certify policies as "qualifying policies" where they meet the conditions laid down in the legislation.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Macedonia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what conditions are being sought by the Greek Government for the lifting of its embargo on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; and what his response is to these proposed conditions.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Greek Government's decision to close Salonika to Macedonian trade was in reaction to a long-running dispute about the flag, name, symbols and constitution of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. We consider the Greek action to be unjustified and support the decision of the European Commission to refer the case to the European Court of Justice.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in lifting Greece's unilateral sanctions on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Greece still refuses to reopen Salonika to Macedonian trade. On 14 June, the European
  339
  Court of Justice heard the Commission's request for interim measures, pending the hearing of the substantive case against Greece. The court's decision is expected shortly. We continue to make clear to the Greek Government that their action is unjustified, and that it should be reversed without precondition.

  Burundi
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what armed activity is taking place in Burundi; and what action is being taken by the United Nations to prevent the Rwandan war from spreading to Burundi.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have had no reports of armed activity in Burundi. The special representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ould Abdullah, heads a small good offices mission in Bujumbura which has been successful in promoting stability in the country.

  There are also 47 Organisation of African Unity observers stationed in Burundi in a confidence-building capacity. This mission has the full support of the UN.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many member states of the European Union have totally independent military nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Two—the United Kingdom and France. The United Kingdom's nuclear forces are assigned to NATO but remain at all times under the control of the British Government.

  Liberia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the United Nations Security Council last considered Liberia; and what are the latest reports to the United Nations on the progress of its mission there.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Security Council met in late May 1994 to discuss the Secretary-General's report on Liberia of 18 May 1994. The Council President issued a statement on Liberia on behalf of the Security Council on 23 May 1994. Copies of both the statement and the report have been placed in the House Library.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what problems exist with the financing of the United Nations supported peace initiative in Liberia; and which countries have proposed to withdraw.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Nations status of contributions reports shows that at 30 April 1994, of the $39.8 million assessed on member states for the United Nations observer mission in Liberia—UNOMIL—for the period 22 September 1993 to 21 March 1994, unpaid assessments amounted to $24·6 million.

  The United Nations Secretary-General reported on 18 April that as of 31 March, voluntary contributions to the trust fund for the implementation of the Contonou accord amounted to $15.16 million, from the Governments of Denmark, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. At the time of the Secretary-General's report, expenditure authorised from the trust fund totalled $11·7 million.
  340
  The Secretary-General also reported that, on the basis of a draft budget prepared by a joint mission of the United Nations and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems in September 1993, the Elections Commission has estimated that an overall amount of $13·7 million will be required to carry out the electoral process. The report stated that the transitional Government will endeavour to provide some $8·5 million of this amount and will seek international support for the remaining $5·2 million.

  Of the United Nations troop contributors, only Tanzania has announced a decision to withdraw.

  European Union
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what subjects he has sought to bring to the attention of the Greek Government for discussion during their period as holders of the presidency of the European Union; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We have had discussions on a full range of European and international issues with the Greek Government during their presidency of the Council of the European Union.

  Brazil
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will instruct appropriate United Kingdom diplomatic staff in Brazil to discuss with representatives of the Nucleus for Indigenous Rights the issue of the mahogany trade between Brazil and the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Our embassy in Brasilia is instructed to continue its close contacts with the Nucleus for Indigenous Rights on various issues, including mahogany.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Wolfson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security during the first year of the child support scheme how many parents with care previously in receipt of income support ceased to be eligible as a result of receipt of child maintenance.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Income Support
  Mr. Wolfson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in respect of those parents who have ceased to receive income support as a result of receiving child support during the first year of the scheme, in how many cases their resulting income has been(a) up to £5, (b) up to £10, (c) up to £15 and (d) up to £20 per week above income support level.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Consultants
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many contracts, and for what total sum were let out by his Department or agencies for which
  341
  it is responsible to (a) Coopers and Lybrand, (b) KPMG Peat Marwick, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) Price Waterhouse, (e) Authur Andersen, (f) Touche Ross, (g) Grant Thornton, (h) Robson Rhodes and (i) Pannell Kerr Forster for (i) privatisation, (ii) market testing, (iii) management advice, (iv) accounting, (v) audit, (vi) consultancy and (vii) any other services in 1980 to 1983, 1984 to 1987, 1988 to 1991 and 1992 to 1993.

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

  Firm

  Number of contracts

  Total value (£)

  1986–87

  Coopers and Lybrand

  1

  5,635·00

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  0

  0

  Ernst and Young

  2

  60,145·00

  Price Waterhouse

  3

  112,971·00

  Arthur Andersen

  0

  0

  Touche Ross

  1

  75,306·00

  Grant Thornton

  1

  15,836·00

  Robson Rhodes

  0

  0

  Pannell Kerr Forster

  0

  0

  1987–88

  Coopers and Lybrand

  3

  319,006·00

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  0

  0

  Ernst and Young

  1

  10,459·00

  Price Waterhouse

  2

  42,720·00

  Arthur Andersen

  0

  0

  Touche Ross

  3

  59,601·00

  Grant Thornton

  1

  270·00

  Robson Rhodes

  0

  0

  Pannell Kerr Forster

  0

  0

  1988–89

  Coppers and Lybrand

  3

  37,341·00

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  2

  10,235·00

  Ernst and Young

  0

  0

  Price Waterhouse

  2

  51,037·00

  Arthur Andersen

  1

  10,000·00

  Touche ross

  4

  258,948·00

  Grant Thornton

  0

  0

  Robson Rhodes

  0

  0

  Pannell Kerr Forster

  0

  0

  1989–90

  Coopers and Lybrand

  4

  262,571·00

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  2

  59,891·00

  Ernst and Young

  1

  14,909·00

  Price Waterhouse

  6

  1,137,894·00

  Arthur Andersen

  0

  0

  Touche Ross

  3

  314,210·00

  Grant Thornton

  0

  0

  Robson Rhodes

  0

  0

  Pannell Kerr Forster

  0

  0

  1990–91

  Coopers and Lybrand

  5

  288,365·00

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  4

  723,280·00

  Ernst and Young

  5

  442,365·00

  Price Waterhouse

  10

  3,587,350·00

  Arthur Andersen

  0

  0

  Touche Ross

  7

  709,104·00

  Grant Thornton

  0

  0

  Robson Rhodes

  0

  0

  Parnell Kerr Forster

  0

  0

  1991–92

  Coopers and Lybrand

  1

  47,290·00

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  6

  136,292·00

  Ernst and Young

  3

  139,502·00

  Price Waterhouse

  11

  952,994·00

  Arthur Andersen

  0

  0

  Touche Ross

  3

  78,294·00

  Grant Thornton

  0

  0

  Robson Rhodes

  0

  0

  342

  Firm

  Number of contracts

  Total value (£)

  Pannell Kerr Forster

  0

  0

  1992–93

  Coopers and Lybrand

  4

  117,775·00

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  7

  447,258·00

  Ernst and Young

  2

  22,637·00

  Price Waterhouse

  9

  259,064·00

  Arthur Andersen

  0

  0

  Touche Ross

  2

  249,620·00

  Grant Thornton

  0

  0

  Robson Rhodes

  0

  0

  Pannell Kerr Forster

  0

  0

  Family Credit
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many income support applicants were refused benefit on grounds of(a) partners' earnings and (b) partners in receipt of family credit in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is not routinely collected and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects the research by the social policy research unit on the assessment of self-employed earnings in family credit to be published.

  Mr. Burt
  The report "Measuring Low Incomes: Self-Employment and Family Credit" by the social policy research unit at the university of York was published on 3 February and copies were placed in the Library.

  In addition, I have today placed in the Library copies of the consultation document on the report. We have circulated it to a wide range of interested bodies and have asked for comments by 31 August.

  Job Seekers
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether(a) the Benefits Agency or (b) the Employment Service will implement the new job seeker's allowance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's reply of Tuesday 21 June at column 87.

  Habitual Residency Test
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what action he intends to take in relation to the habitual residency test; and if he will make a statement:

  (2) when the Social Security Advisory Committee reported to him in relation to the proposed habitual residency test; what was the committee's conclusion or main recommendation in this matter; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library;

  (3) what parliamentary action is required to implement the habitual residency test in relation to social security payments.

  Mr. Burt
  We are still considering the introduction of a habitual residence test in the income support, housing
  343
  benefit and council tax benefit schemes. The report from the Social Security Advisory Committee and the Government's response will be published at the same time.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many representations he has received to date concerning the habitual residency test; how many have been(a) broadly favourable and (b) broadly unfavourable.

  Mr. Burt
  No separate count has been kept of representations received on this matter.

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when the new Benefits Agency premises in Johnstone town centre are scheduled to open; where these will be located; how many staff will be transferred to this location; from where they will be transferred; how many additional jobs will be created at what grade; what new or enhanced services will be available to clients from these new premises; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what is the total contract value of the new Benefits Agency office in Paisley; when he expects the office to be operational; when he expects the office to be officially opened; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  The opening of new Benefits Agency offices in Johnstone and Paisley is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Gordon McMaster, dated 23 June 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the new Benefits Agency offices in Johnstone and Paisley.
  Benefits Agency Estates, in liaison with Property Holdings, are negotiating the acquisition of a lease for Unit 5, William Street, Johnstone which on present plans is scheduled to open as a caller service point by the beginning of 1995.
  The six staff currently employed in Johnstone will transfer from Floors Street to the new premises. No additional jobs will be created nor will any be lost.
  The move to the main shopping area will mean the new office is more accessible to our customers and will provide an improved service for all members of the public in and around Johnstone.
  The total contract value of the new Benefits Agency premises in Paisley is approximately £5·2 million.
  It is expected that the new office will be operational in June 1995 with the official opening within 2 months thereafter. Plans for the official opening have yet to be finalised.
  The Renfrew District Manager, Colin Wright, will be happy to provide you with any further details should you require them.
  I hope you find my reply helpful.

  Benefits, Doncaster and Mexborough
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current number of recipients of(a) income support, (b) invalidity benefit and (c) retirement pension in the Doncaster and Mexborough areas; and what were the figures (i) 12 months and (ii) 24 months ago.

  Mr. Burt
  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. Martin Redmond, dated 23 June 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about benefit recipients in the Doncaster and Mexborough areas.
  344
  The information is not available in the format requested. This is because Benefit Agency (BA) District boundaries do not correspond with county or borough boundaries.
  Income Support (IS) recipients in the Doncaster area are dealt with by the Doncaster District of BA. This District comprises Doncaster West District Office (DO) and Doncaster East Branch Office (BO). IS recipients in the Mexborough area are dealt with by the Wath-on-Dearne Branch Office (BO) of the Rother and Dearne District. This office, however, also deals with areas other than Mexborough. Identifying the number of IS recipients resident in the Mexborough area and dealt with by Wath-on-Dearne BO would incur disproportionate cost.
  In Appendix 1, I have provided information relating to numbers of IS recipients in the area dealt with by the Doncaster District, and by Wath-on-Dearne BO.
  Although the Doncaster District of BA deals with Invalidity Benefit (IVB) and Retirement Pension (RP) for most of the Doncaster area, a small part is dealt with by the Mexborough BO of the BA Rother and Dearne District. Mexborough BO also covers IVB and RP for the Mexborough area, but from May 1994 also assumed responsibility for the Swinton and Wath-on-Dearne areas. Identifying the number of IVB or RP recipients resident in either the Mexborough or Doncaster areas and dealt with by Mexborough BO would also incur disproportionate cost.
  However, in Appendices 2 and 3, I have provided information relating to IVB and RP recipients in the areas dealt with by the Doncaster District, and by Mexborough BO.
  The figures provided for RP recipients include a small number of Widows Benefit recipients and an estimated number of RP recipients paid by direct credit transfer. The latest information available does not fully reflect the additional numbers appropriate to Mexborough BO following that office assuming responsibility for additional geographical areas in May 1994.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Appendix 1

  IS Recipients

  Doncaster District

  Wath-on-Dearne Branch Office

  30 May 1992

  27,416

  8,736

  31 May 1993

  28,848

  9,556

  31 May 1994

  30,090

  11,703

  Appendix 2

  IVB Recipients

  Doncaster District

  Mexborough Branch Office

  30 May 1992

  11,933

  2,319

  31 May 1993

  13,026

  2,435

  31 May 1994

  13,973

  3,943

  Appendix 3

  RP Recipients

  Doncaster District

  Mexborough Branch Office

  30 May 1992

  49,657

  6,310

  31 May 1993

  49,166

  6,280

  31 May 1994

  48,477

  6,426

TRANSPORT

  Highways Agency
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how often the chief executive of the Highways Agency has met representatives from the private sector to discuss the possibility of market testing, contracting out or privatising work currently undertaken by the agency; and what were the names of the companies involved and the dates of the meetings.
  345
  Mr. Key
  These questions relate 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 Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 23 June 1994:
  The Minister for Roads and Traffic, Mr. Key, has asked me to write to you in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about market testing.
  I have not met any representatives from the private sector to discuss the possibility of market testing, contracting out or privatising work currently carried out by the Agency.

  Road Schemes
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total cost to date of the employment of the Bray's detective agency to gather information on Twyford Down protesters; and from which subheads of which votes these funds were taken.

  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 23 June 1994:
  The Minister for Roads and Traffic, Mr. Robert Key, has asked me to write to you in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the cost of employing Bray's Detective Agency (Southampton) to gather evidence of trespass on the M3 construction site near Winchester.
  To date, Bray's have been paid £251,65637. These costs have been met from the Highways Agency Vote 1 (National Road System: Capital Section Al (New Construction and Renewal) of the Roads Vote.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations his Department has had with environmental groups about individual road schemes.

  Mr. Key
  This question relates to the 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 23 June 1994:
  The Minister for Roads and Traffic, Mr. Robert Key, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary question about what consultations there have been with environmental groups with regard to individual road schemes.
  Consultations with statutory bodies such as English Nature, English Heritage, the Countryside Commission and the National Rivers Authority take place from an early stage of route development.
  Other environmental groups are given the opportunity to comment on a proposed scheme at public consultation and when the draft orders for the preferred route are published.

  Consultants
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many contracts and for what total sum were let out by his Department or agencies for which it is responsible to(a) Coopers and Lybrand, (b) KPMG Peat Marwick, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) Price Waterhouse, (e) Arthur Andersen, (f) Touche Ross, (g) Grant Thornton, (h)
  346
  Robson Rhodes and (i) Pannell Kerr Forster for (i) privatisation, (ii) market testing, (iii) management advice, (iv) accounting, (v) audit, (vi) consultancy and (vii) any other services in 1980 to 1983, 1984 to 1987, 1988 to 1991 and 1992 to 1993.

  Mr. Norris
  The information requested cannot be obtained except at disproportionate cost for contracts let before 1989. Those let in the period 1989 to 1993 are shown in the table.

  (a) Coopers and Lybrand

  (i) 1991: Railways privatisation—value £1,446,808

  1992: DVOIT privatisation strategy review—value £15,000

  1993: Railways privatisation—value £425,532

  (iv) 1992: Temporary finance director—value £52,000

  (v) 1992: Financial audit of DVOIT—value £7,532

  (vi) 1989: Birmingham northern relief road—assessment of proposals and financial advice on concession agreement—value £1,374,000

  1989: Cashless parking equipment—value £50,000

  1990: Financial advisers on private roads—value £150,000

  1991: Study of EC directives and liberalisation—value £450,377

  1992: Evaluation of telesales tenders—value £18,000

  1993: Two seminars on tender evaluation-value £2,000

  1993: Sale of anonymised data—value £25,000

  1993: Evaluation of vehicle re-licensing tenders—value £25,000.

  1993: Scottish Office road safety review—value £18,000

  1993: Review of NMCS maintenance contract specification and performance—value £59,794

  (b) KPMG Peat Marwick

  (i) 1992: Financial advice on DVOIT privatisation—value £553,820

  1993: TRL privatisation study—value £78,150

  1993: Railways privatisation—value £2,893,618

  (iv) 1990: Implementation of a computerised accounting system—value £94,000

  (vi) 1989: Network information system—value not known

  1990: Routine maintenance management system—value £174,500

  1991: PMS implementation study—value £146,954

  1991: Audit of ex-Trinity House liquidated funds—value £4,800

  1992: Network referencing—value £101,300

  1992: DISC network policy—value £70,846

  1992: IT/IS strategy advice—value £90,000

  1992: Project management software—value £171,980

  1993: Purchasing and supply IT system study—value £43,880

  (c) Ernst and Young

  1992: DVOIT privatisation—value £2,000

  1993: Railways privatisation—value £680,851

  (vi) 1990: Consultancy advice to DVLA—value £111,000

  1992: European engineering standards study—value £87,414

  1992: Payroll costs model—value £106,000

  1993: OPRAF consultancy—two contracts, total value £170,000

  1993: IT strategy support—value £38,545

  347
  (d) Price Waterhouse

  1991: Privatisation of trust ports—value £886,233

  1992: DVOIT privatisation—three contracts, total value 86,127

  1992: Privatisation of London Buses—value £551,000

  1993: VI privatisation feasibility study—value £72,500

  1993: Advice to TRL on privatisation—value £9,230

  (iv) 1992: Consultancy advice to DVLA—value £162,000

  (vi) 1992: Taxation/company car advice—value £5,850

  (e) Arthur Andersen

  Nil

  (f) Touche Ross

  (ii) 1993: Advice to DVLA on market testing—value £139,000

  (vi) 1990: The impact of price-fixing agreements—value £5,000

  1990: Future of Greater Manchester Buses—value £53,120

  1992: Accommodation management information system—value £87,799

  (g) Grant Thornton

  Nil

  (h) Robson Rhodes

  Nil

  (i) Pannell Kerr Forster

  Nil

  Marine Pollution
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to request MARPOL—the marine pollution convention—to give special area status against oil pollution for the North sea.

  Mr. Norris
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Mr. Walley) on 10 February 1994,Official Report, column 471.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for the last financial year the total salary costs plus bonuses for each of his agency chief executives and his Permanent Secretary.

  Mr. Norris
  Information on agency chief executives' salaries was set out in the answer I gave the hon. Lady on 21 March,Official Report, column 103. Details of chief executives' total remuneration including bonuses in 1993–94 will be published in the annual report for each agency. The salary of the Permanent Secretary was £90,148 per annum with effect from 1 April 1993.

  Road Accidents
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence he has of changes in the severity of road accident injuries resulting from the use of bull bars on road vehicles.

  Mr. Key
  We have no direct evidence. Impact tests using an instrumented child-size headform on a bull bar have shown that the severity of an impact on a bull bar appears significantly more than on a flexible bonnet. We 348
  have, therefore, taken steps to identify accidents where a pedestrian has been struck by a vehicle fitted with a bull bar with a view to determining whether bull bars are, in fact, causing increased injuries.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the numbers of road traffic accidents in each year since 1983 involving at least one motor vehicle driver who had been previously advised by a medical practitioner that they were not medically fit to drive; and how many involved(a) serious injuries and (b) fatalities.

  Mr. Key
  This information is not available.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he intends to issue the safeguarding direction for the route of the new channel tunnel rail link at Pepper Hill in the borough of Gravesham;

  (2) when he intends to issue the safeguarding directions for the route of the new channel tunnel rail link at Ashford in Kent.

  Mr. Freeman
  Safeguarding directions for the route of the new channel tunnel rail link at both Pepper Hill and Ashford were issued yesterday and will come into force today. Copies are being placed in the Library.

  Marine Pollution
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those ports which have facilities to accept chemical contaminated waste.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 23 June 1994]: The Marine Safety Agency is currently undertaking a comprehensive survey of the provision of reception facilities in United Kingdom ports. The results of the survey will be published when they have been evaluated.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to improve the monitoring of non-accidental discharges in United Kingdom territorial waters.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 23 June 1994]: All United Kingdom registered ships, aircraft and offshore installations are asked to report any incidents or sightings of oil to the United Kingdom Coastguard who passes the information to the marine pollution control unit. The MPCU carries out 500 hours of aerial surveillance per annum, using aircraft fitted with specialised electronic equipment for detecting oil slicks on the surface of the sea. This is targeted on the main shipping lanes where non-accidental discharges are known to occur most often.

  These measures are considered adequate for the purposes of monitoring non-accidental discharges, and there are no plans to change or increase them.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ratify annex IV of the marine pollution convention; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 23 June 1994]: The Government will consider ratification of annex IV of MARPOL when the findings of a comprehensive survey of United Kingdom reception facilities, including those for sewage, are available later in the year.

ENVIRONMENT

  Brixton City Challenge
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what indication he has given to Brixton city challenge that its grant is to be curtailed.

  Mr. Baldry
  Following a ministerial annual review of Brixton challenge, officials wrote to the chairman of the company on 10 March, indicating that it was not possible to approve the 1994–95 action plan at that time. Since then, the Minister for Housing, Inner Cities and Construction has met representatives of the three parties on Lambeth council, and the chairman of Brixton challenge. Satisfactory assurances have been given with regard to the implementation of the Brixton challenge 1994–95 action plan, and the Minister therefore wrote to the party leaders and chairman on 22 June confirming the continuation of funding.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on Brixton city challenge.

  Mr. Baldry
  It was not possible to approve a second year of operation for Brixton challenge before the start of the current financial year because of their poor performance in 1993–94. However, assurances have now been given by the three party leaders at Lambeth that they will fully support Brixton challenge in the future, and the 1994–95 action plan has been revised by the company to make up for outputs lost last year. In these circumstances, the Minister for Housing, Inner Cities and Construction wrote to the Brixton challenge chairman and the Lambeth party leaders on 22 June informing them that he is now willing to approve a continuation of funding.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received concerning Brixton city challenge.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Department has recently received three representations concerning Brixton city challenge.

  Disabled People
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of England's housing stock is constructed or adapted to meet the needs of physically disabled people at the latest date for which information is available; if he will break this information down into categories of housing tenure; what plans he has to enhance the availability of such housing stock; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  The Department collects information for England on building starts and completions of specialised housing for the chronically sick and disabled, and on conversions or improvements for disabled persons, but not on the stock of such dwellings for physically disabled people.

  The available figures of housebuilding starts and completions by housing associations and local authorities for the chronically sick and disabled are shown in "Housing and Construction Statistics". Provisional data for 1993–94 in England are to be published shortly in the March quarter 1993 issue, part 1, and these are given in the table.
  350

  New housebuilding completions for the chronically sick and disabled England: 1993–94

  Housing associations

  Local authorities

  Totals

  Wheelchair

  136

  7

  143

  Mobility

  810

  59

  869

  All

  946

  66

  1,012

  The numbers of dwellings converted or improved for disabled persons are published in "Housing and Construction Statistics". The latest available financial year figures are for 1992–93 and are on tables 2.19 and 2.20 of the December quarter 1993 issue, part 2.

  All new housing association dwellings are required to be built to mobility standards. Allocations and priorities for local authority dwellings are determined by the individual authorities. The Department is considering whether to extend part M of the Building Regulations to cover all new buildings.

  Housebuilding
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give figures for the last 15 years, in respect of the number of permanent dwellings(a) started, (b) under construction and (c) completed; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  Estimates of housebuilding starts and completions, and dwellings under construction in England are shown in the quarterly and annual publication "Housing and Construction Statistics".

  Figures for 1991 and 1992, with provisional figures for 1993, are in the December quarter 1993 edition, part 1, table 1·2(a); and those for each year from 1982 to 1990 are in table 6.1 (a) of the 1982 to 1992 annual edition. Figures for 1979 to 1981 are in the same table of the editions for earlier years: 1980 and 1981 figures are in the 1980–1990 edition, and 1979 figures are in the 1979–1989 edition.

  Copies of these publications are in the Library.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Building Defects
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations his Department has received(a) about the amount of award given to plaintiffs who have successfully sued professional advisers who have been negligent in reporting defects in a building that the plaintiff has purchased and (b) about cases where the cost to the plaintiff of repairing the building is very much higher than the award given by the court because the award given by the court reflects what the value of the property would have been if the purchaser had known about the defect but was still willing to purchase but at a lower price; and if he will make proposals to enable courts to award the full reinstatement cost.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  There has been correspondence between the Lord Chancellor's Department and my hon. Friend about the principles which apply in these cases. We do not propose to change those principles.

  Community Charge Offences
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many cases involving community charge offences have been taken to the High Court for judicial review, or are awaiting a date for a judicial review.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Schedule 4 to the Local Government Act 1988 provides for certain types of offence. The number of convictions and acquittals under these provisions referred for judicial review cannot be assertained except at disproportionate cost. For the same reason, it is not possible to provide the number of judicial review cases involving the enforcement of community charge; there are, however, currently 169 such cases awaiting a hearing date.

PRIME MINISTER

  Intergovernmental Conference
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he has in respect of the 1996 IGC relating to a written European constitution.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply. None.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Mahogany
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Attorney-General what action he intends to take in respect of imports of stolen Brazilian mahogany into the United Kingdom.

  The Attorney-General
  I understand that there are no restrictions on the import of Brazilian mahogany into the United Kingdom. The procedures for the investigation of criminal offences allegedly committed in relation to Brazilian mahogany are no different from those applicable to any other criminal offence, and the proper course, if it is believed that a criminal offence has been committed within the jurisdiction, is for the facts to be reported to the police.

WALES

  Medical Consultants (Merit Awards)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money has been paid by his Department as merit awards to medical consultants in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is as follows:

  Payment of distinction awards to consultants

  £

  1983–84

  1,841,988

  1984–85

  1,974,672

  1985–86

  2,273,522

  1986–87

  2,617,765

  1987–88

  2,698,790

  1988–89

  3,272,598

  1989–90

  3,753,583

  1990–91

  4,104,603

  352

  £

  1991–92

  3,701,500

  1992–93

  3,340,347

  Source: Health authorities annual accounts/financial returns Pembrokeshire NHS trust annual accounts—1992–93 only.

  Notes:

  1. Includes medical and dental consultants, NHS staff and honorary contract holders.

  2. 1992–93 figures are latest available.

  Agriculture
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the counties served, the number of hectares and the number of farmers in each of his Department's divisional offices for agriculture; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Coverage of Welsh Office Divisional Offices1

  Divisional Office and Counties served

  Hectares of agricultural land2

  Farmers, partners and directors3

  Llandrindod Wells

  Powys; South, Mid and West Glamorgan; Gwent

  559,635

  11,835

  Carmarthen

  Dyfed

  453,589

  12,099

  Caernarfon

  Gwynedd; Clwyd

  479,798

  9,545

  Source: June 1993 agricultural census.

  1The figures shown are for the main holdings and therefore exclude the estimated 6,800 minor holdings in Wales which account for 18,700 hectares of land. Minor holdings data are not available at below national level.

  2Excludes common rough grazing land.

  3Farmers, partners and directors working whole-time or part-time on farm holdings on 1 June 1993. Excludes wives/husbands of farmers, partners and directors, even if the wives/husbands themselves may be partners or directors.

EMPLOYMENT

  Railway Signalmen
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the increase in real earnings of railway signalmen and white collar workers in the private sector since 1979; and what were the corresponding increases in productivity.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The available occupational information from the new earnings survey in 1979 closest to that requested is for full-time railway signalmen and shunters and in 1993 for railway signal operatives, crossing keepers, shunters and points operatives. When adjusted for the increase in the retail prices index at April, the earnings of this group increased by 47·3 per cent. during the period.

  The corresponding increase for private sector full-time non-manual employees was 51·6 per cent.

  The information requested for productivity is not available.

  University Graduates
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of graduates left university and took up careers in industry in(a) 1990, (b) 1991, (c) 1992 and (d) 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The table shows the number of first degree graduates who were in permanent employment in industry at the end of the calendar year in which they graduated. The figures are expressed as a percentage of all first degree graduates from United Kingdom universities and as a percentage of all those in permanent employment in the United Kingdom. They are derived from surveys published by the "Universities' Statistical Record" and exclude graduates from the former polytechnics and central institutions which received university status from 1992 onwards.

  Per cent. of all graduates

  Per cent. of those in permanent employment

  1990

  12·3

  28·2

  1991

  9·4

  25·2

  1992

  8·1

  22·9

  1993

  7·8

  21·3

  Note: Industry is defined as including agriculture, the extractive industries, utilities, construction, transport and manufacturing.

  Barnsley/Doncaster Training and Enterprise Council
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much of the Barnsley/Doncaster training and enterprise council's budget for(a) 1993–94 and (b) 1994–95 was devoted to the development of (i) self-employed businesses and (ii) new businesses.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In 1993–94, of the total training and enterprise council budget for Barnsley and Doncaster, business start-up accounted for 14·1 per cent. of expenditure. The planned expenditure for 1994–95 is 10·9 per cent. of the total TEC budget.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the information he receives from the Barnsley/Doncaster TEC about the operation of local enterprise companies; and what plans he has to increase the information available to him.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Training and enterprise councils do not provide information about the operation of local enterprise companies.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of his Department's staff who were seconded to the Barnsley/Doncaster TEC have taken advantage of the voluntary early retirement scheme while remaining in employment with the TEC; and at what cost to the voluntary early retirement scheme.

  Miss Widdecombe
  None.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many overseas persons are currently being trained under the auspices of the Barnsley/Doncaster TEC.
  354
  Miss Widdecombe
  The training and enterprise council operating agreement precludes TECs from training overseas nationals who are subject to employment restrictions or to a time limit in their stay in Great Britain or both—other than refugees or asylum seekers.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what instructions he has given to the Barnsley/Doncaster TEC in respect of when local enterprise companies may take steps to provide serviced sites.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Training and enterprise councils are not responsible for local enterprise companies.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made to the cost to public funds of the applicants of voluntary early retirement schemes to secondees from his Department to the Barnsley/Doncaster TEC, combined with the absence of a clawback mechanism for the former civil servants benefiting from the early retirement scheme but continuing in full-time employment with the TEC; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  There is no cost to public funds as I know of no such cases.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the companies used by the Barnsley/Doncaster TEC which are members of the Confederation of British Industry.

  Miss Widdecombe
  This information is not available.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list for each of the last five financial years the date on which the Barnsley/Doncaster training and enterprise council was notified of its yearly budget; when it actually received its funding; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Training and enterprise councils are notified of their budgets after the public expenditure survey announcement each year. TECs are funded monthly in arrears in accordance with their agreed contract.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of women members of each TEC; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The number of women on training and enterprise council boards is set out in the table. TECs are private companies and are responsible for the composition of their boards.

  TEC Name

  Number of Female directors

  Avon TEC

  3

  AZTEC

  3

  Barnsley/Doncaster TEC

  1

  Bedfordshire TEC

  2

  Birmingham TEC

  2

  Bolton Bury TEC

  1

  Bradford and District TEC

  2

  Calderdale/Kirklees TEC

  1

  CAMBSTEC (Central and South Cambridgeshire)

  1

  Central England TEC

  2

  355

  TEC Name

  Number of female directors

  CENTEC (Central London)

  3

  CEWTEC (Chester, Ellesmere Port, Wirral)

  2

  CILNTEC (City and Inner London North)

  2

  County Durham

  2

  Coventry and Warwickshire TEC

  1

  Cumbria TEC

  2

  Devon and Cornwall TEC

  2

  Dorset TEC

  2

  Dudley TEC

  1

  ELTEC (East Lancashire)

  2

  Essex TEC

  3

  Gloucestershire TEC

  2

  Greater Nottingham TEC

  1

  Greater Peterborough TEC

  1

  Hampshire TEC

  2

  HAWTEC (Hereford and Worcester)

  3

  Heart of England (Oxfordshire) TEC

  3

  Hertfordshire TEC

  2

  Humberside TEC

  2

  Kent TEC

  2

  Leeds TEC

  1

  Leicester TEC

  1

  Lincolnshire TEC

  1

  London East TEC

  2

  Manchester TEC

  2

  Merseyside TEC

  2

  Mid Glamorgan TEC

  2

  Norfolk and Waveney TEC

  3

  NORMIDTEC (North and Mid Cheshire)

  1

  North Derbyshire TEC

  3

  North London TEC

  1

  North Nottinghamshire TEC

  2

  North West London TEC

  2

  North Yorkshire TEC

  3

  Northamptonshire TEC

  2

  Northumberland TEC

  1

  Oldham TEC

  2

  Powys TEC

  2

  QUALITEC (St. Helens) Ltd.

  2

  Rochdale TEC

  4

  Rotherham TEC

  1

  Sheffield TEC

  2

  Shropshire TEC

  1

  SOLOTEC

  2

  South and East Cheshire TEC

  2

  South Thames TEC

  3

  Southern Derbyshire TEC

  3

  Stockport/High Peak TEC

  2

  Suffolk TEC

  2

  Surrey TEC

  2

  Sussex TEC

  2

  TARGED North West Wales TEC

  1

  Teesside TEC

  1

  Thames Valley Enterprise

  1

  Tyneside TEC

  2

  Wakefield TEC

  2

  Walsall TEC

  2

  Wearside TEC

  2

  West London TEC

  2

  West Wales TEC

  1

  Wight Training and Enterprise

  1

  Wiltshire TEC

  2

  Wolverhampton TEC

  1

  Total

  137

  Astra Training Ltd.
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the properties transferred to Astra Training Services Ltd. in 1990 as part of the privatisation of the skills training agency, and their market value at that time; what is the total sum received by the 356
  Government in respect of the sales of any of those properties since 1990; and what details have been supplied to him of the current ownership of each of the properties and the current status of the agreement made with Astra Training Services Ltd. regarding the clawback of any profit on the sales of the properties following the company's collapse.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The following 33 properties were transferred to Astra Training Services Ltd. in 1990 as part of the privatisation of the Skills Training Agency:

  Barking

  Medway

  Basildon

  Milton Keynes

  Bellshill

  North Staffs

  Billingham

  Norwich

  Birmingham

  Peterborough

  Bradford

  Plymouth

  Bristol

  Preston

  Cheshire

  Redruth

  Dundee

  Rochdale

  Durham

  Sheffield

  Enfield

  Southampton

  Gloucester

  Tyneside

  Gwent

  West Glamorgan

  Hillingdon

  West Sussex

  Hull

  Wigan

  Irvine

  Wrexham

  Manchester

  The market value of the properties at the time of the privatisation is a matter of commercial confidentiality. The Government have received no sum in respect of the sale of any of the above properties since 1990 and full details of the current owners of each of the properties have been supplied to the Department, along with confirmation that, in all but one case, the clawback conditions continue to apply to new owners.

  None of the sales to date has triggered an actual clawback payment, due mainly to the low values generated in the depressed property market which has prevailed since privatisation.

  In the one case where clawback no longer applies, Hillington, the Government accepted a settlement payment—£50,000—to remove the clawback provisions. This was on the advice of the Department's professional advisers, who saw no prospect of any actual clawback payment in a similar amount being triggered within the remaining clawback period.

  Social Affairs Council
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EC Social Affairs Council held on 22 June.

  Mr. Hunt
  I attended the meeting of the Labour and Social Affairs Council held on 22 June in Luxembourg, and was accompanied by the Minister of State, Department of Employment, and the Under-Secretary of State for Social Security, my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North (Mr. Burt).

  The Council agreed to adopt the directive on the protection of young workers and to maintain in full the United Kingdom's renewable option not to apply limits to the working time of children and adolescents in the United Kingdom. Three member states abstained.

  The other 11 member states reached a common position on the draft European works councils directive. In accordance with the terms of the social protocol to the Maastricht treaty, this directive will not apply within the United Kingdom and employees based in the United

  357
  Kingdom will not count towards the threshold which determines whether the directive applies to multinational companies. As a result, more than 200 British companies which would otherwise have been covered by the directive will not have to establish European works councils. Furthermore, the directive will not oblige any British company to extend European works councils to the United Kingdom. Unlike companies in the other 11 member states, British companies will remain entirely free to decide for themselves what arrangements are best for consulting their United Kingdom employees.

  The Council reached agreement unanimously on a regulation to set up a European Health and Safety Agency, which will be sited in Bilbao. The main aims of the agency will be to promote and encourage the dissemination of information on health and safety matters.

  The Council also unanimously reached a common position on a new European Community vocational training programme, to be called "Leonardo da Vinci". The proposal will replace a range of existing Community training programmes, PETRA, FORCE, EUROTECNET and COMETT. It will have a budget of 620 mecu over five years.

  The Council heard progress reports on the follow-up work to the Delors White Paper and conclusions of the Brussels European Council on competitiveness, growth and employment, on the draft directive on chemical agents and on a commission communication on immigration and asylum policies.

  The Council adopted unanimously a resolution on the promotion of equal opportunities for men and women through the action of the European structural funds.

  The Commission's draft programme on social exclusion was withdrawn from the agenda by the presidency.

  Disabled People
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) disabled men and (b) disabled women in (i) the parliamentary constituency of Greenock and Port Glasgow and (ii) Scotland as a whole were registered as unemployed at the most convenient date.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 14 June 1994]: The labour force survey asks people of working age if they currently have a health problem or disability which limits the kind of paid work they can do. Estimates based on answers to this question will include people with short-term or minor health problems and disabilities as well as those registered as disabled.

  The latest LFS estimates for summer 1993 show that there were 26,000 such men and 10,000 such women who were International Labour Organisation unemployed and living in Scotland. The information is not available for parliamentary constituencies.

SCOTLAND

  Regional and European Elections
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hours on average returning officers and depute returning officers at the regional and European elections are expected to devote to these additional duties; whether it is the normal practice for their employers to allow time off to allow them to perform these additional duties; and if he will make a statement.
  358
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There is no information held centrally about hours worked by returning officers and their deputies when engaged on European parliamentary election work. The arrangements for local government elections are the responsibility of the returning officer and council concerned.

  Shetland Oil Spill
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made by the ecological steering group which he appointed on 26 January 1993 to undertake work in relation to the Shetland oil spill.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The ecological steering group on the oil spill in Shetland, which my right hon. Friend appointed last year under the chairmanship of Professor William Ritchie of Aberdeen university, has now completed its substantive report on the environmental effects of the spill. I expect to publish the report on Monday 27 June, when copies will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Detention
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the results of the research into detention in Scotland under section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 and voluntary attendance at police stations are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  A report entitled "Research into Detention and Voluntary Attendance of Suspects at Police Stations" is being published today.

  The report shows that despite some difficulties in a small proportion of cases caused by the six-hour limit, the current provisions for detention and voluntary attendance generally work satisfactorily. I do not intend to bring forward any legislative proposals on this subject.

  Copies of the report are available in the Library.

HEALTH

  Emergency Dental Services
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many family health authorities have been unable to provide emergency dental services in the period since December 1992.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  General dental practitioners have an obligation under their terms of service to provide emergency cover to their registered patients. They may also offer emergency treatment to non-registered patients. Family health services authorities can make arrangements for emergency treatment for those patients who are not registered.

  Where there are already adequate emergency services available from general dental practitioners, or the community or hospital dental services, there is no need for FHSAs themselves to make arrangements. All FHSAs report that they can help patients contacting them to receive national health service dental treatment.

  The available information is shown in the table:
  359

  Total number of family health services authorities reporting that they were not providing or did not need to provide emergency dental services in each week since December 19921.

  England Week ending

  FHSAs

  4 December 1992

  6

  11 December 1992

  6

  18 December 1992

  6

  25 December 1992

  —

  1 January 1993

  —

  8 January 1993

  6

  15 January 1993

  6

  22 January 1993

  6

  29 January 1993

  6

  5 February 1993

  6

  12 February 1993

  6

  19 February 1993

  6

  26 February 1993

  4

  5 March 1993

  7

  12 March 1993

  5

  19 March 1993

  5

  26 March 1993

  6

  2 April 1993

  6

  9 April 1993

  5

  16 April 1993

  5

  23 April 1993

  7

  30 April 1993

  5

  7 May 1993

  6

  14 May 1993

  6

  21 May 1993

  5

  28 May 1993

  6

  4 June 1993

  7

  11 June 1993

  6

  18 June 1993

  5

  25 June 1993

  5

  2 July 1993

  6

  9 July 1993

  5

  16 July 1993

  5

  23 July 1993

  5

  30 July 1993

  6

  6 August 1993

  5

  13 August 1993

  6

  20 August 1993

  6

  27 August 1993

  6

  3 September 1993

  5

  10 September 1993

  5

  17 September 1993

  5

  24 September 1993

  5

  1 October 1993

  5

  8 October 1993

  5

  15 October 1993

  5

  22 October 1993

  8

  29 October 1993

  7

  5 November 1993

  8

  12 November 1993

  6

  19 November 1993

  5

  26 November 1993

  6

  3 December 1993

  6

  10 December 1993

  6

  17 December 1993

  5

  24 December 1993

  —

  31 December 1993

  —

  7 January 1994

  6

  14 January 1994

  6

  21 January 1994

  7

  28 January 1994

  5

  4 February 1994

  6

  11 February 1994

  6

  18 February 1994

  5

  25 February 1994

  7

  4 March 1994

  6

  11 March 1994

  5

  18 March 1994

  5

  25 March 1994

  5

  1 April 1994

  6

  360

  England Week ending

  FHSAs

  8 April 19942

  —

  15 April 1994

  8

  22 April 1994

  8

  29 April 1994

  6

  6 May 1994

  5

  13 May 1994

  5

  20 May 1994

  5

  1Data were not collected during the Christmas and new year periods.

  2Data received for week ending 8 April 1994 are not comparable to the other data.

  Generic Drugs
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate the savings which would have accrued to the NHS if in the financial year 1992–93 all prescribable drugs that were out of patent had been generically prescribed.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  It is not possible to quantify accurately the potential savings to the national health service because the price differentials between branded and generic drugs are subject to fluctuations, not all drugs that are out of patent have a generic equivalent and it is not always clinically appropriate to prescribe a generic drug.

  Nursing Education
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by regional health authority the numbers of entrants to initial pre-registration nursing education by course of study and by academic qualifications possessed by entrants in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  Nurses and Midwives
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by regional health authority how many qualified NHS nurses and midwives, unqualified NHS nursing staff and nursing learners there were in each of the last five years; and what percentage each group was of the total NHS and midwifery staff in each year.

  Mr. Sackville
  The latest available information will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by regional health authority the whole-time equivalent numbers of(a) agency and (b) bank nursing and midwifery staff employed in the national health service in each year for the last five years.

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

  The increase in bank nurses and midwives, together with the corresponding decrease in agency nurses and midwives, reflects the more widespread flexible working arrangements in the national health service for nurses and midwives.
  361

  Agency nurses by region 30 September 1988 to 1992 (Whole-time equivalent)

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Northern

  —

  —

  1—

  —

  —

  Yorkshire

  180

  160

  120

  110

  110

  Trent

  30

  150

  10

  130

  90

  East Anglia

  190

  190

  280

  240

  200

  North West Thames

  1,160

  1,540

  1,080

  710

  430

  North East Thames

  1,750

  1,530

  1,190

  910

  680

  South East Thames

  1,200

  1,250

  1,000

  430

  170

  South West Thames

  740

  1,000

  950

  520

  280

  Wessex

  60

  40

  —

  10

  30

  Oxford

  90

  100

  230

  180

  190

  South Western

  80

  190

  150

  70

  100

  West Midlands

  290

  410

  1,150

  370

  540

  Mersey

  80

  70

  90

  70

  10

  North Western

  50

  110

  140

  90

  100

  SHAs

  330

  500

  320

  90

  300

  Others

  —

  —

  —

  1—

  —

  ENGLAND

  6,240

  7,230

  6,710

  3,930

  3,230

  Bank nurses by region 30 September 1988 to 1992 (Whole-time equivalent)

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Northern

  330

  390

  180

  410

  610

  Yorkshire

  200

  210

  220

  270

  320

  Trent

  240

  220

  460

  490

  760

  East Anglia

  320

  400

  470

  490

  600

  North West Thames

  420

  510

  480

  590

  610

  North East Thames

  670

  460

  510

  950

  1,400

  South East Thames

  620

  590

  630

  720

  840

  South West Thames

  590

  690

  630

  1,050

  990

  Wessex

  480

  410

  550

  560

  600

  Oxford

  320

  310

  390

  730

  550

  South Western

  450

  540

  490

  780

  1,260

  West Midlands

  410

  450

  430

  500

  500

  Mersey

  310

  390

  330

  480

  450

  North Western

  470

  340

  410

  470

  480

  SHAs

  1—

  —

  40

  50

  50

  Others

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  ENGLAND

  5,830

  5,910

  6,230

  8,540

  10,020

  1Denotes figures of five and under and '—' denotes no staff.

  Notes:

  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten whole-time equivalent.

  2. 'Others' includes staff in other statutory authorities.

  3. Some totals may not equal the sum of components due to rounding.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by regional health authority the numbers of whole-time equivalent NHS nursing and midwifery staff employed on each grade and pay point of the clinical grades, educational grades, and senior nursing and midwifery pay spine in each year for the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Community Care
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many home helps are employed by each local authority responsible for community care; and what is the ratio of home helps to population in each authority.

  Mr. Bowis
  The latest available data relates to whole time equivalent directly employed home helps, excluding home help organisers and assistant organisers as at 30 September 1993 and will be placed in the Library.

  Clinical Standards
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has to include information on clinical effectiveness and performance in the patients charter.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The patients charter already includes the right to be given a clear explanation of the proposed treatment, alternatives and risks. This is an essential part of ensuring that the right treatment is provided in the right way to the right patients, thus promoting clinical effectiveness.

  Asset Sales
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will make it her policy to require regional health authorities to disclose in their accounts receipts from(a) the disposal of hospitals and (b) other large asset sales;
  363
  (2) if he will list references concerning income from the sale of hospitals in the audited accounts of the regional health authorities from 1984 to date.

  Mr. Sackville
  Since 1991, total capital receipts are disclosed in the cash flow statement of the annual accounts of regional health authorities. This complies with the financial reporting standards issued by the Accounting Standards Board. Prior to 1991, income from the sale of capital assets was disclosed in the notes to the accounts of regional health authorities.

  NHS Beds
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the total bed capacity of national health service providers is(a) unused and (b) used for private practice.

  Mr. Sackville
  Data about levels of occupancy of national health service beds are not held centrally. Information is held about the number of occupied bed days relating to each consultant episode. In total, there were over 45 million occupied bed days during 1991–92 in the

  Hospital medical consultants by population in each region England - 30 September 1992

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Whole-time equivalents

  Whole-time equivalents per 100,000 population

  Whole-time equivalents

  Whole-time equivalents per 100,000 population

  Whole-time equivalents

  Whole-time equivalents per 100,000 population

  Whole-time equivalents

  Whole-time equivalents per 100,000 population

  Northern

  940

  30·5

  940

  30·6

  970

  31·6

  1,030

  33·3

  Yorkshire

  1,020

  283

  970

  26·5

  1,000

  27·3

  1,130

  30·6

  Trent

  1,200

  25·7

  1,230

  26·2

  1,250

  26·7

  1,330

  28·2

  East Anglia

  580

  28·4

  630

  30·6

  650

  31·4

  630

  29·9

  North West Thames

  940

  27·0

  1,040

  29·9

  1,060

  30·3

  960

  27·0

  North East Thames

  1,180

  31·2

  1,240

  32·8

  1,240

  32·5

  1,340

  35·7

  South East Thames

  1,100

  30·0

  1,130

  31·0

  1,170

  31·8

  1,170

  31·6

  South West Thames

  780

  26·4

  820

  27·7

  850

  28·4

  820

  26·9

  Wessex

  770

  26·2

  780

  26·6

  810

  27·6

  840

  28·0

  Oxford

  660

  26·1

  670

  26·5

  690

  26·7

  710

  27·4

  South Western

  820

  25·3

  850

  26·0

  870

  26·7

  900

  27·0

  West Midlands

  1,410

  27·2

  1,460

  27·9

  1,500

  28·7

  1,530

  29·1

  Mersey

  690

  28·6

  720

  29·9

  730

  30·4

  750

  31·2

  North Western

  1,220

  30·7

  1,290

  32·3

  1,310

  32·6

  1,290

  32·3

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed in the NHS in each year since 1990–91.

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

  Hospital medical and dental consultants in England at 30 September (whole-time equivalent)

  Number

  1990

  14,590

  1991

  14,900

  1992

  15,290

  Note: Figures rounded to the nearest 10 whole-time equivalent

  Private Health Care
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if her Department will commission an independent inquiry to establish the full costs of providing private health care within the NHS; including the costs of capital investment and training of medical staff.
  364
  general and acute sector in England. The number of bed days used by private patients is less than 1 per cent. of this total.

  Child Care
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her response to the European Union's recommendation on child care.

  Mr. Bowis
  This relates to a requested response by March 1995.

  Medical Consultants
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by regional health authority and by year for the last four years, the number of medical consultants per head of population; and how many of them worked in private practice.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The available information is shown in the table. The number of medical consultants who worked in private practice is not available centrally.

  Mr. Sackville
  No.

  Doncaster Health Authority
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date Mr. Graham Smith was informed that he was not to be reappointed as chairman of the Doncaster health authority.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Mr. Smith was told informally at the beginning of March that he was not being recommended for reappointment as chairman of Doncaster health authority. I wrote to Mr. Smith on 28 March notifying him formally that he had not been reappointed.

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding the adequacy of her Department's risk level assessment for soot particles of an average hourly concentration of 250 micrograms per cubic metre.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department has not set a risk level for soot particles. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of
  365
  State for the Environment's expert panel on air quality standards is currently considering a standard for particulates which will include soot particles. The possible health effects of particulates are under consideration by a sub-group of this Department's expert advisory Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is her estimate of the health benefits of the reduction in air pollution to the safe levels defined by the World Health Organisation by the year 2000;

  (2) what assessment she has made of the health implications of a delay of five years in the reduction of air pollution to the safe levels defined by the World Health Organisation.

  Mr. Sackville
  The World Health Organisation air quality guidelines were established to provide information on possible effects of air pollutants and as a basis for standard setting by individual countries. They were determined with a view to protecting sensitive individuals and include safety factors to account for variations in sensitivity between individuals. Modest excursions of air pollutants above the guidelines would not therefore be expected to have a large effect on health.

  The assessment of the health effects of air pollution close to these levels remains uncertain. The Department's expert advisory committee on the medical effects of air pollutants has set up a sub-group to advise on the possible links between air pollutants and asthma and one to advise on the possible health effects of particulates including soot. The position will be reviewed in the light of its advice.

  Targets
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will identify the second order priorities for the next round of the "The Health of the Nation" targets; and what consideration she has given to the inclusion of targets specifically relating to the need to reduce the incidence of heart failure as a discrete part of the coronary heart disease targets.

  Mr. Sackville
  There are no current plans for setting any new "The Health of the Nation" targets or key areas. The focus for the present is on consolidating work in the five existing key areas.

  Almost all cases of heart failure are attributable either to coronary heart disease or hypertension, both of which have specific "The Health of the Nation" targets within the CHD/stroke key area. The prevention, early diagnosis and effective treatment of heart failure are subsumed within these existing targets.

  GP Practices
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioner practices there are in operation in each NHS region in England.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is shown in the table

  Region

  Number of practices

  Northern

  523

  Yorkshire

  671

  Trent

  852

  East Anglia

  299

  North West Thames

  818

  366

  Region

  Number of practices

  North East Thames

  905

  South East Thames

  776

  South West Thames

  518

  Wessex

  442

  Oxford

  382

  South Western

  571

  West midlands

  1,064

  Mersey

  442

  North Western

  879

  The data relate to 1 October 1993.

  Intensive Therapy Units
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many intensive therapy units are in operation in each NHS region in England(a) in absolute numbers and (b) per head of population by region.

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

  Region

  Number of intensive therapy units (ITU's)1

  Population2 per ITU

  Northern and Yorkshire

  26

  252,303

  North West

  30

  219,673

  Trent

  16

  294,031

  West Midlands

  20

  260,960

  Anglia/Oxford

  13

  355,607

  North Thames

  27

  270,425

  South Thames

  13

  510,530

  South Western

  24

  246,625

  1 The number of intensive therapy units does not reflect accurately the level of provision as the number of beds in each unit varies considerably.

  2 Population figures based on 1990 Office of Population Censuses and Surveys data.

  Dentistry
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many dental deregistrations there were in the period 1985 to 1993;

  (2) how many clients were registered with general dental practitioners in each year since 1983.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 17 June 1994]: Before the introduction of the new dental contract in October 1990, patients did not register with their dentists for treatment. Patients could not therefore be deregistered before that date. There were 687,765 deregistrations between 3 July 1992, the date deregistrations started to be counted, and 10 June 1994. Over a broadly similar period, total patient registrations rose by 1,049,178.

DEFENCE

  Porton Down
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what tests and studies have been carried out by the chemical and biological warfare establishment at Porton Down using potassium; when these experiments were carried out; and what were the results and conclusions of these tests and studies.
  367
  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Dr. Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 22 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what tests and studies have been carried out by the chemical and biological warfare establishment at Porton Down using potassium, when these experiments were carried out, and what were the results and conclusions of these tests and studies has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the United Kingdom Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. Tests and studies on potassium, which is a highly reactive metal, have not been carried out at CBDE. Although potassium as a laboratory chemical has been used and continues to be used on an infrequent basis in various aspects of general organic chemical synthesis at CBDE Porton Down.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) pursuant to his answer of 26 January Official Report, columns 304–5, (1) how many service volunteers on average return voluntarily to Porton Down to take part in subsequent unrelated studies; whether they receive the same pro rata payment as volunteers who go only once; and how many times a service volunteer may go to Porton Down to participate in studies;

  (2) what details from the study are recorded on the medical records of individual service volunteers who have participated in studies at the chemical and biological defence establishment at Porton Down; what is his Department's policy on releasing the medical records of service volunteers to the individual concerned or to the individual's doctors if so requested; and how many medical records have been released in this way;

  (3) how many service volunteers on average each year withdraw from studies at the chemical and biological defence establishment at Porton Down after the nature of the intended study is explained to them; and whether they still receive payment;

  (4) how many service volunteers are on average each year recalled to have their medical health checked; how such volunteers are chosen to be recalled; how many years after the study they are usually recalled; and whether they are recalled more than once;

  (5) how many service volunteers on average each year are rejected as being unfit following the medical examination on arrival at the chemical and biological defence establishment at Porton Down; and whether they still receive payment if they are rejected.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establisment under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 22 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his answer of 26 January, Official Report, columns 304–5, further questions relating to the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment volunteer programme have been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  368
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the United Kingdom Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to use service volunteers to:

  (a) assess the ability of service personnel to function with new equipment and procedures;

  (b) develop medical countermeasures to protect Service personnel and

  (c) evaluate the effects of very low and medically safe concentrations of CW agents on the ability of unprotected personnel to operate normally.

  No studies involving volunteers are carried out unless there is a clear military need and a detailed protocol has been reviewed and approved by an independent Ethics Committee in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Royal College of Physicians.
  3. Service volunteers re-attend CBDE to take part in further studies according to their willingness and availability and are paid the same as volunteers who may only attend on one occasion. There is no restriction on the number of times a volunteer may return to CBDE to participate in studies but a volunteer cannot re-attend to participate in the same study for scientific and statistical reasons. Volunteers are paid to compensate them for the inconvenience of the tests carried out as part of the study; there is no difference in the amount of the payment for volunteers who have returned for a further study.
  4. It has long been MOD policy to release Service volunteers' medical records to a patient's GP on a MEDICAL-IN-CONFIDENCE basis when they are needed for the management of a particular case. It is entirely up to the GP how much or how little of this information he conveys to his patient. The Service volunteer's medical documents will include the results of the investigations performed as part of the entry medical examination. There are no central records maintained of how many medical records have been released in such circumstances.
  5. Over the past three years, only one volunteer has withdrawn from a study following detailed explanation of the protocol. He received payment in compensation for the inconvenience of the tests he had undertaken during the entry medical examination.
  6. There is no set pattern of recalls or selection of volunteers for recall. The number of volunteers recalled and the time after the study are varied according to the objective of recalling the volunteers. The current practice is that all volunteers upon arrival at the Establishment are read a lay statement by a military officer which states that it is our policy to call back some volunteer subjects for re-testing from time to time to ensure that the techniques used give consistent and reproducible results and that no changes in the way we apply the tests have occurred with time." The recall of any volunteers to CBDE is recorded on their medical records.
  7. About 5% of volunteers are rejected following review of their medical documents prior to their attendance at CBDE. They receive no payment. Between 5–10% of volunteers are rejected as unfit following the entry medical examination upon arrival at CBDE. They will receive payments in compensation for the inconvenience of the tests undertaken as part of the initial medical examination.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, columns 163–64, (1) what was the purpose of experiments carried out on the nerve agent VX during the specified years at Nancekuke; what was the conclusion of these experiments; what quantities of the agent VX were used in these tests; when the results of these experiments were exchanged with the United States of America; with which other countries these results were shared; and under which defence agreements this information was exchanged;

  (2) on which agents in the V series Nancekuke carried out research in the specified years; what was the purpose and conclusions of this research; when the results of these experiments were exchanged with the United States of America; and under which defence agreements this information was exchanged.
  369
  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 22 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer of 11th January, Official Report, columns 163–4 for further information about the nerve agent VX and the V series research carried out at Nancekuke have been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work the potential hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.
  3. The studies on VX during 1957–1976 were to determine whether or not this agent was producible in quantity and was stable when stored. Our records do not indicate the amount of VX but it is estimated to be less than 100 kgs.
  4. The V series agents were substituted analogues of VX. The V series agents were investigated to determine whether they were stable and whether they could be produced effectively by an aggressor.
  5. The results of this work have formed part of the chemical and biological defence programme and is part of the technical database drawn upon in collaboration with the United States, Australia and Canada under the Technical Cooperation Programme and its predecessors and with the United States and Canada under the Memorandum of Understanding on Chemical and Biological Defence.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what precautions are taken to ascertain whether individual service personnel have allergies before they are tested in the human volunteer programme at the chemical and biological warfare establishment at Porton Down;

  (2) how long is the average stay for service volunteers who are involved in studies at the chemical and biological warfare establishment at Porton Down; how much payment each service volunteer receives; and how many tests each individual undergoes on average.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 22 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what precautions are taken to ascertain whether individual Service personnel have allergies before they participated in the human volunteer programme and how long is the average stay for Service volunteers who are involved in studies at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down; how much payment each Service volunteer receives; and how many tests each individual undergoes on average have been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the United Kingdom Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to use service volunteers to:

  (a) assess the ability of service personnel to function with new equipment and procedures,

  370

  (b) develop medical countermeasures to protect Service personnel and

  (c) evaluate the effects of very low and medically safe concentrations of CW agents on the ability of unprotected personnel to operate normally.

  No studies involving volunteers are carried out unless there is a clear military need and a detailed protocol has been reviewed and approved by an independent Ethics Committee in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Royal College of Physicians.
  3. In order to ascertain whether individual Service personnel have allergies before they are tested in the human volunteer programme their Service medical documents are reviewed at CBDE before the volunteers attend for studies. No volunteer is accepted for studies at CBDE with a medical history suggesting allergic response to any substance. A recent, positive history of hay fever, asthma, eczema or other allergic phenomenon will lead to rejection at the initial medical examination, despite the fact that this may not be directly relevant to the study, or substances being used in the study being performed. Evidence or allergic response found at the initial medical examination, such as urticaria, or respiratory function tests suggesting an allergic airway response (asthma) will also lead to automatic rejection.
  4. Service volunteers may remain at CBDE for between three days to four weeks depending on the study protocol in which they are participating. The majority of recent and current protocols involve a two or three week stay. Payment for the inconvenience associated with the tests in a study will vary according to the number of tests undertaken which may vary between about a minimum of 100 to a maximum of approximately 400; a payment is made for each test. The minimum amount presently paid is £142 after tax whereas the maximum is £350 after tax.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 26 January,Official Report, column 306, what was the conclusion of the Biotechnology Committee's report into the implications of biotechnology for defence; how many members were then serving on the Biotechnology Committee; how many of them were academics; whether they were given access to the chemical and biological defence establishment at Porton Down; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 22 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer of 26th January, Official Report, column 306, what was the conclusion of the Biotechnology Committee's report into the implications of biotechnology for defence; how many members were then serving on the Biotechnology Committee; how many of them were academics; whether they were given access to the chemical and biological defence establishment at Porton Down; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The Biotechnology Committee considered the impact that biotechnology would have on the threat from biological weapons and the ways in which this technology could be harnessed to enhance the United Kingdom's defence capability to detect and provide medical countermeasures against biological agents. The Biotechnology Committee consisted of 14 members of which 7 were from academia. They were given access to the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down and to relevant documentation in order to carry out their task. Their report is classified and as such I am unable to arrange to place a copy in the Library.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official

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  Report, column 163, (1) how many service volunteers were used for tests at Porton Down in each year between 1964 and 1979; what was the purpose of those tests; and which chemicals and biological organisms were used in those tests;

  (2) what were the reasons for the increases in the number of tests on service volunteers in 1980 and 1981; why only GB (Sarin) has been used in the tests since 1979; and what were the highest and lowest amounts of this agent used in these tests.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 22 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer of 11 January, Official Report, column 163, asking how many volunteers were used for tests at Porton Down each year between 1964 and 1979 and the reasons for the increases in the number of tests in Service volunteers in 1980 and 1981 and why only GB (Sarin) has been used since 1979 have been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the United Kingdom Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to use service volunteers to:

  (a) assess the ability of service personnel to function with new equipment and procedures,

  (b) develop medical countermeasures to protect Service personnel and

  (c) evaluate the effects of very low and medically safe concentrations of CW agents on the ability of unprotected personnel to operate normally.

  No studies involving volunteers are carried out unless there is a clear military need and a detailed protocol has been reviewed and approved by an independent Ethics Committee in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Royal College of Physicians.
  3. The number of Service volunteers used for studies at Porton Down in each year between 1964 and 1979 was as follows:

  Number

  1964

  298

  1965

  146

  1966

  149

  1967

  244

  1968

  263

  1969

  181

  1970

  327

  1971

  225

  1972

  358

  1973

  264

  1974

  304

  1975

  137

  1976

  254

  1977

  117

  1978

  104

  1979

  153

  These volunteers have participated in studies carried out for the purposes outlined in paragraph 2 above. No volunteer studies have been carried out involving biological organisms.

  4. The number of Service volunteers increased in 1980 and 1981 because of the need to carry out studies into aircrew protection. A number of studies were carried out to determine the lowest acceptable level for exposure to nerve agents.
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  5. GB (Sarin) is an example of a volatile nerve agent which has been used in all studies involving nerve agents since 1979. This agent has been used as it is representative of the range of nerve agents.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, columns 165–66, which of the studies on nerve gases, CR gas and CS gas were carried out in Australia; at which Australian defence establishment these tests were done; what was the purpose and conclusion of these tests; and in which years these tests were carried out.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 22 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer of 11th January, Official Report, columns 165–6, which of the studies on nerve gases, CR gas and CS gas were carried out in Australia, at which Australian defence establishment these test were done; what was the purpose and conclusion of these tests; and in which years these tests were carried out has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work the potential hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.
  3. In this work it has been necessary to evaluate the potential hazards from nerve gases and the irritants CR and CS. Our records do not indicate that any of our work on these materials has been carried out in Australia.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 26 January,Official Report, column 303, (1) at which military establishments studies for the human volunteer programme have taken place other than the chemical and biological defence establishment at Porton Down; when and for what reasons these studies were conducted at Porton Down; and what was the conclusion of these studies;

  (2) when the detailed protocol was approved by the independent ethics committee and adopted by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment; and if he will publish this protocol covering the testing of volunteers.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 22 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer of 26 January, Official Response, column 303, when the detailed protocol was approved by the Independent Ethics Committee and adopted by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment; and if he will publish this protocol covering the testing of volunteers and at which military establishments studies for the human volunteer programme have taken place other than the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down; when and for what reasons these studies were conducted at Porton Down; and

  373
  what was the conclusion of these studies have been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to use service volunteers to:

  (a) assess the ability of service personnel to function with new equipment and procedures,

  (b) develop medical countermeasures to protect Service personnel and

  (c) evaluate the effects of very low and medically safe concentrations of CW agents on the ability of unprotected personnel to operate normally.

  No studies involving volunteers are carried out unless there is clear military need and a detailed protocol has been reviewed and approved by an independent Ethics Committee in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Royal College of Physicians.
  3. A separate detailed protocol is prepared for each study; these are classified and are not published.
  4. Our records indicate that studies involving Service volunteers have also taken place at RMCS Shrivenham, Dover, Bulford, The Cambridge Military Hospital and some collaborative work has been carried out with the Institute of Aviation Medicine. Such studies are carried out at these other Establishments when it is more convenient to do the studies there than to require the volunteers to come to Porton Down.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what tests and studies have been carried out by Porton Down to assess the so-called pepper sprays; when these tests and experiments were carried out; whether they involved humans and animals; what were the conclusions of these studies; when the results of these studies and tests were exchanged with other United Kingdom Government Departments and other countries; and with which other countries and United Kingdom Government Departments these results were shared.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him what tests and studies have been carried out by Porton Down to assess the so-called pepper sprays; when these tests and experiments were carried out, whether they involved humans and animals; what were the conclusions of these studies; when the results of these studies and tests were exchanged and other United Kingdom government departments and other countries; and with which other countries and United Kingdom government departments these results were shared has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the United Kingdom Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work the potential hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.
  3. Our records indicate that no tests or studies have been carried out at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment to assess so-called pepper sprays. We are aware that the active material in the so-called pepper sprays devices is capsaicin; this was studied by CBDE in the 1920s as a possible incapacitating agent. Our records do not indicate what detailed work was done with capsaicin.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department last negotiated with the United States 374
  of America to supply Britain with a shipment of nerve gas; what prompted the negotiations; and what were the conclusions of the negotiations.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking when his Department last negotiated with the United States of America to supply Britain with a shipment of nerve gas; what prompted the negotiations; and what were the conclusions of the negotiation has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work the potential hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.
  3. Our records indicate that the last transfer of nerve gas from the United States of America to Britain took place in June 1967 and was transported to the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down. Our records do not indicate precisely when the negotiations took place but they are likely to have been in the course of the regular trilateral and quadlateral discussions with the US on chemical and biological defence, and to have taken place shortly before the transfer in 1967. The negotiations which led to this transfer took place to enable a collaborative programme of work into the stability and analytical research of nerve agents to be carried out. The results of this work was part of the chemical and biological defence programme and would therefore be part of the technical database drawn upon in collaboration with the United States, Australia and Canada under the Technical Co-operation Programme and its predecessors and with the United States and Canada under the Memorandum of Understanding on Chemical and Biological Defence

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many staff at the Chemical and Biological Warfare Establishment at Porton Down have been permanently disabled since 1964 due to work-related activity; in which year each occurred; what were the causes and circumstances of each one; and what was the establishment's response in terms of changing procedures to prevent such cases;

  (2) how many staff at the Chemical and Biological Warfare Establishment at Porton Down have died due to work-related activity since 1964; in which year each death occurred; what were the causes and circumstances of each death; and what was the establishment's response in terms of changing procedures to prevent such deaths.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking how many staff at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down have died or been permanently disabled due to work-related activities since 1964; in which year each death occurred; what were the causes and circumstances of each death; and what was the Establishment's

  375
  response in terms of changing procedures to prevent such deaths has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to have available small quantities of materials which may be used as chemical or biological warfare agents by a potential aggressor.
  3. Our records indicate that no members of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment staff have died or been permanently disabled due to a work related activity since 1964.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 27 January,Official Report, column 397, with which other countries the results of the tests on tryptamines were shared; when these results were shared and through which defence agreement they were exchanged; which animals were tested with tryptamines; how many of each of these animals were used; and when Porton Down ended its work on tryptamines.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer to 27th January, Official Report, column 397–8, with which other countries the results of the tests on tryptamines were shared; when these results were shared and through which defence agreement they were exchanged; which animals were tested with tryptamines; how many of each of these animals were used; and when Porton Down ended its work on tryptamines has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the United Kingdom Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work the potential hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.
  3. Our records do not indicate precisely how many small laboratory animals were used in this work but they are likely to have involved rats, mice, rabbits and monkeys. The work involving tryptamines ceased in the mid 1960s and the results of this work was part of the chemical and biological defence programme and would therefore be part of the technical database drawn upon in collaboration with the United States, Australia and Canada under the Technical Co-operation Programme and its predecessors and with the United States and Canada under the Memorandum of Understanding on Chemical and Biological Defence.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down has done to assess the threat of genetically engineered toxins; what was the conclusion of the work; which toxins have been studied; what tests and studies have been involved in this work; which section of the establishment has been carrying out the work; whether the results have been published in open literature; and whether the results have been exchanged with any other country.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
  376
  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him what the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down has done to assess the threat of genetically-engineered toxins; what was the conclusion of the work; which toxins have been studied; what tests and studies have been involved in this work; which section of the Establishment has been carrying out the work; whether the results have been published in open literature; and whether the results have been exchanged with any other country has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the United Kingdom Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work the potential hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.
  3. Theoretical reviews have been carried out to evaluate the threat from genetically engineered toxins by the Defence Microbiology Division in conjunction with appropriate sections of the Establishment. The results are classified and have not been published in the open literature. In addition genetic engineering has been used as a tool in work to study medical countermeasures to toxins by, for example, detoxifying toxins in order to produce safer vaccines. This work was part of the chemical and biological defence programme and would therefore be part of the technical database drawn upon in collaboration with the United States, Australia and Canada under the Technical Co-operation Programme and its predecessors and with the United States and Canada under the Memorandum of Understanding on Chemical and Biological Defence.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Mr. Livingstone), on 11 January,Official Report, columns 163–64, what was the purpose of research on the nerve agent GD during the years outlined at Nancekuke; what was the conclusion of this research; what quantities of the nerve agent were used in this research; with which other countries the results of this research were shared and under which defence agreement this occurred.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Brent East on 11th January, Official Report, columns 163–64, what was the purpose of research on the nerve agent GD during the years outlined at Nancekuke; what was the conclusion of this research, what quantities of the nerve agent was used in this research; with which other countries the results of this research were shared and under which defence agreement this occurred has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work the potential hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.
  3. The Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has carried out work on the nerve agent GD to evaluate the feasibility and hazard of the use of such an agent against the UK Armed Forces. The work enabled assessments to be made of the ease of

  377
  acquisition of the precursors for GD, the case of stabilisation of GD and the shelf life of thickened GD. The quantity used was about 60 kg.
  4. The results of this work were part of the chemical and biological defence programme and would have formed part of the technical database drawn upon in collaboration with the United States, Australia and Canada under the Technical Co-operation Programme and its predecessors and with the United States and Canada under the Memorandum of Understanding on Chemical and Biological Defence.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when female service personnel have taken part in tests under the human volunteer programme at Porton Down;

  (2) how many service personnel have died while taking part in the human volunteer programme run by the Chemical and Biological Warfare Establishment at Porton Down since 1964; in which year each death occurred; what were the causes and circumstances of each death; and what was the establishment's response in terms of changing procedures to prevent such deaths;

  (3) how many service personnel have been involved in accidents requiring hospital treatment while or after taking part in the human volunteer programme run by the Chemical and Biological Warfare Establishment at Porton Down since 1964; in which year each accident occurred; what were the causes and circumstances of each accident; and what was the establishment's response in terms of changing procedures to prevent such accidents.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him how many service personnel have been involved in accidents requiring hospital treatment while or after taking part in the human volunteer programme run by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down since 1964; in which year each accident occurred; what were the causes and circumstances of each accident; and what was the Establishment's response in terms of changing procedures to prevent such accidents, how many service personnel have died while taking part in the human volunteer programme run by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down since 1964; in which year each death occurred; what were the causes and circumstances of each death; and what was the Establishment's response in terms of changing procedures to prevent such deaths and when female service personnel have taken part in tests under the human volunteer programme at Porton Down have been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the United Kingdom Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to use service volunteers to:

  (a) assess the ability of service personnel to function with new equipment and procedures,

  (b) develop medical countermeasures to protect Service personnel and

  (c) evaluate the effects of very low and medically safe concentrations of CW agents on the ability of unprotected personnel to operate normally.

  No studies involving volunteers are carried out unless there is a clear military need and a detailed protocol has been reviewed and approved by an independent Ethics Committee in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Royal College of Physicians.
  3. Our records indicate that no Service personnel since 1964 have been involved in accidents requiring hospital treatment or
  378
  have died while or after taking part in the human volunteer programme at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  Female Service personnel have been invited to participate in the human volunteer programme since May 1972 and first participated in the volunteer programme in November 1972.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work Porton Down has carried out to assess substituted hydroxylamines and hydrazines as an incapacitating agent; when this work started and ended; what was the conclusion of this work; which and how many animals were involved in this work; if the tests involved humans; with which other countries the results of the work were shared; when this information was shared; and under which defence agreement these results were exchanged.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him what work Porton Down has carried out to assess substituted hydroxylamines and hydrazines as an incapacitating agent; when this work started and ended; what was the conclusion of this work; which and how many animals were involved in this work; if the tests involved humans; with which other countries the results of the work were shared; when this information was shared; and under which defence agreement these results were exchanged has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work the potential hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.
  3. Our records indicate that no work has been carried out at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment to assess substituted and unsubstituted hydroxylamines and hydrazines as incapacitating agents.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Mr. Livingstone) of 11 January,Official Report, column 160, where the results of the work on pyrroles were published in open literature.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer to the hon. Member for Brent East on 11th January, Official Report, column 160, where the results of the work on pyrroles were published in open literature has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the United Kingdom Armed Froces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work the potential

  379
  hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.
  3. Our records indicate that the results of the work on pyrroles carried out at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has not been published in the open literature.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Mr. Livingstone) on 11 January,Official Report, column 167, why Australia requested each of the agents and materials from Britain; from which British military establishment each was transferred; to which Australian establishment each was transferred; how each was transported and what safety precautions were required; and what was the nature of the V agent and G agent intermediates.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer to the hon. Member for Brent, East on 11 January, Official Report, column 167, why Australia requested each of the agents and materials from Britain; from which British military establishment each was transferred; to which Australian establishment each was transferred; how each was transported and what safety precautions were required; and what was the nature of the V agent and G agent intermediates has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the United Kingdom Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work the potential hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.
  3. The V agent intermediate was methyphosphonodichloride and the G agent intermediate was Di-Di which is a mixture of methylphosphonic difluoride and methylphosphonic dichloride. These were transferred from the then Chemical Defence Establishment at Nancekuke. Our records do not indicate why Australia requested the agents and materials from Britain or how they were transported to Australia. They were, however, transported to London, suitably packaged in accordance with the safety standards applicable at that time, for onward transportation to Australia.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Mr. Livingstone) of 11 January,Official Report, columns 164–65, what work Porton Down has also done on assessing the hazard of tremorines; when this work started and ended, what was the conclusion of the work; where were the conclusions published; and with which other countries the results of the work were shared and when this information was exchanged.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24th June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer to the honourable
  380
  Member for Brent East of 11th January, Official Report, column 164–5, what work Porton Down has also done on assessing the hazard of tremorines; when this work started and ended, what was the conclusion of the work; where were the conclusions published; and with which other countries the results of the work were shared and when this information was exchanged has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to have available small quantities of materials which may be used as chemical or biological warfare agents by a potential aggressor.
  3. In my reply of 11 January I advised the honourable Member for Brent East that the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment had carried out work on oxo-tremorine. Our records indicate that we have not carried out work on tremorines as such although pyrroles are substituted tremorines and my answers of 11 January 1994, Official Report, column 160 and 19 July 1993, Official Report, column 82 relate to pyrroles.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many research projects relating to genetic engineering have been funded in universities and polytechnics by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment since 1979; what are the titles of these projects and what was the duration and value of each project.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking how many research projects relating to genetic engineering have been funded in universities and polytechnics by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment since 1979, what are the titles of these projects and what was the duration and value of each project has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. A total of seven research projects relating to genetic engineering have been funded in universities and polytechnics by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment since 1979. The details are as follows:

  Title

  Duration

  Gene probes for flaviruses

  3 years

  Plasmid stability in bacillus

  3 years

  Genetic control of translational fidelity in yeast

  3 years

  Eukaryotic expression vectors

  3½ years

  Mapping of bacterial proteins

  4 years

  Bacillus brevis for biosynthesis of heterogeneous proteins

  3 years

  3. The total value of these contracts was £1,059K; it is not our normal practice to reveal the value of individual contracts as the disclosure of the value is left to the individual universities and polytechnics to make as they feel appropriate.
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which years Porton Down has tested(a) CR gas and (b) CS gas on service personnel in the human volunteer programme; what was the purpose of these tests; how the gas was administered to the volunteers in both cases; what was the conclusion of these tests for each of the gases; how many service volunteers were tested with each of the gases; and where the results of these tests are published in open literature.
  381
  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking in which years Porton Down has tested (a) CR gas and (b) CS gas on service personnel in the human volunteer programme; what was the purpose of these tests; how the gas was administered to the volunteers in both cases; what was the conclusions of these tests for each of the gases; how many service volunteers were tested with each of the gases; and where the results of these tests are published in open literature has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to use service volunteers:

  (a) assess the ability of service personnel to function with new equipment and procedures,

  (b) develop medical countermeasures to protect Service personnel and

  (c) evaluate the effects of very low and medically safe concentrations of CW agents on the ability of unprotected personnel to operate normally.

  No studies involving volunteers are carried out unless there is a clear military need and a detailed protocol has been reviewed and approved by an independent Ethics Committee in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Royal College of Physicians.
  3. Our records indicate that 460 Service volunteers were exposed to the irritant CS during the period 1959–1973 and 190 Service volunteers were exposed to CR during the period 1963–1976.
  4. The purpose was to carry out skin and eye sensitivity tests, food palatability tests, physiological tests to determine the effects on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems and exercise testing to determine the degree of incapacitation following exposure. The CS and CR was administered in controlled amounts in an exposure chamber or to the skin in the form of a solution.
  5. Our records indicate that the results of the human volunteer programme involving CS and CR have been published in the open literature as listed in the Annex.

  Open Literature Publications

  The presentation and management of individuals contaminated with solutions of dibenzoxazepine (CR).

  Ballantyne, B., Beswick, F. W. and Price Thomas, D.

  Medicine, Science and the Law, 13, No. 4, October 1973.

  The cutaneous reactions produced by dibenzoxazepine (CR).

  Holland, P.

  Brit. J. Derm (1974), 90, 657–659.

  Effects on man of whole body drenches with dilute solutions of c-chlorobenzilidene malononitrile (CS) and dibenzoxazepine (CR).

  Ballantyne B, Gazzard M. F., Swanston D. W. and Williams P. Arch. Toxicol 34 183–201 (1975).

  Riot control agents. Biomedical and health aspects of the use of chemicals in civil disturbances.

  Ballantyne B.

  Medical annual 1977.

  Report of the enquiry into the Medical and Toxicological aspects of CS orthochlorobenzylidene malononitrile. Part I. Enquiry into the medical situation following the use of CS in Londonderry on 13th and 14th August 1969.

  Himsworth Committee. October 1969. HMSO Cmnd 4173.

  Report of the enquiry into the Medical and Toxicological aspects of CS, Part II. Enquiry into Toxicological aspects of CS and its uses for civil purposes.

  Himsworth Committee. September 1971. HMSO Cmnd 4775.

  382

  The effect of CS aerosol upon exercise, ventilation and cardiac frequency in healthy men.

  Cotes J. E., Evans L. R., Johnson G., Martin H. de V. and Reed J. W.

  J. Physiol, 222, 77–78, 1972.

  Effect of CS aerosol upon Lung Gas Transfer and Alveolar Volume in Healthy Men.

  Cotes J. E., Dabbs J. H., Evans M. R. and Holland P.

  Q.JI. exp Physiol. (1972), 57, 199–206.

  The cutaneous reactions produced by o-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile and w-chloracetonphenone when applied directly to the skin of human subjects.

  Holland P., and White R. G.

  Br J. Derm (1972), 86, 150.

  The palatability of food exposed to o-chlorobenzylidene malononitirile (CS).

  Kemp, K. H. and Wilder W. B.

  Medicine, Science and the Law, 12 No. 2, April 1972

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work Porton Down has carried out to assess benzimidazoles as an incapacitating agent; when this work started and ended; what was the conclusion of the work; which and how many animals were tested during this work; how many service volunteers were tested; and where the results of the work were published in open literature.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under their framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what work Porton Down has carried out to assess benzimidazoles as an incapacitating agent; when this work started and ended; what was the conclusion of the work; which and how many animals were tested during this work; how many service volunteers were tested; and where the results of the work were published in open literature has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to have available small quantities of materials which may be used as chemical or biological warfare agents by a potential aggressor.
  3. We have no record of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment having carried out work on benzimidazoles as an incapacitating agent.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the numbers of staff and budget of the defence microbiology division of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has increased or decreased since the division was set up;

  (2) what publications have been published by scientists in the defence microbiology division of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment since 1986; in which scientific journals they were published; and on what date they were published;

  (3) what are the current priorities of the defence microbiology division of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

  Mr. Hanley
  These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework
  383
  document. I have asked the chief executive, to write to the hon. Member. There is also an annex listing research publications by scientists in the defence microbiology division, which will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994:
  1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what are the current priorities of the Defence Microbiology Division of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, whether the numbers of staff and budget of the Defence Microbiology Division of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has increased or decreased since the division was set up, what publications have been published by scientists in the Defence Microbiology Division of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment since 1986; in which scientific journals they were published; and on what date they were published have been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. The primary purpose of the Defence Microbiology Division at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down is to carry out work on defence against pathogenic micro-organisms and toxins that are assessed to present a threat to the United Kingdom Armed Forces. The work of this division contributes to the United Kingdom programme on chemical and biological defence which is aimed at ensuring that the United Kingdom Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them.
  3. The current priorities of the Defence Microbiology Division are to investigate technologies for the rapid detection and identification of biological warfare agents and to investigate medical countermeasures against their use.
  4. Since its establishment in 1979 the numbers of staff and budget of the Defence Microbiology Division have increased. Our records indicate that the research publications by scientists in the Defence Microbiology Division since 1986 are listed in the Annex.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the relationship between his answer of 29 March,Official Report, columns 732–33, and his oral statement of 27 January, Official Report, column 444, regarding his visiting South Yorkshire.

  Mr. Hanley
  There seems to have been an error in the Official Report at column 444. As the hon. Member has been informed subsequently on a number of occasions, my visit of 27 January was to North Yorkshire.

  Air Misses
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates, locations, aircraft types involved, altitude and determination of cause, for all category C air misses involving military aircraft over the United Kingdom in 1988 and 1989.

  Mr. Hanley
  I will arrange for a copy of the list of all category C air miss reports involving military aircraft over the United Kingdom in 1988 and 1989, which have been investigated by the joint air miss working group to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the action taken in response to the joint air miss working group recommendations in its report on air miss No. 46/93.
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  Mr. Hanley
  The national air traffic services in conjunction with the appropriate MOD staffs have taken the requisite actions called for by the joint air miss working group in its recommendations. No discrepancies or inaccuracies were found in the United Kingdom and NATO airborne early warning orders.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library brief descriptions of the circumstances of all category A air misses involving military aircraft for each year since 1989.

  Mr. Hanley
  Lists of all categories of air misses involving military aircraft since 1988 have recently been placed in the Library of the House. Since that time, there have been a further three category A air misses, details of which will be placed in the Library shortly. The lists detail the date, location, risk category, aircraft type and descriptions of the cause.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on(a) the category A air miss 159/93 on 2 November 1993 between a Jet Ranger 206 helicopter and an RAF Tornado, (b) the category B air miss 148/93 on 18 October 1993 between a Jet Ranger 206 helicopter and an RAF Tucano and (c) the category C air miss 151/93 on 12 October 1993 between a Jet Ranger 206 helicopter and an RAF Tornado.

  Mr. Hanley
  All reported air misses are investigated by the joint air miss working group—JAWG. The reports of the investigations into these three incidents will be included in the next JAWG "Analysis of Airmisses in the UK" due to be published in the autumn. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House in the usual way.

  Royal Air Force (Bosnia)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the current interval between assignments to duties over Bosnia for Royal Air Force airborne warning and communication system crews; and what deferments of AWACS crew training tasks have taken place as a result of meeting commitments to providing crews for Bosnian operations;

  (2) what are the current (a) planned and (b) actual intervals between deployments for operational duties over Bosnia, northern Iraq and southern Iraq, for individual members of aircrew in (a) Tornado GR1/1A squadrons, (b) Tornado F3 squadrons, (c) Harrier squadrons, (d) Jaguar squadrons and (e) Royal Navy Sea Harrier squadrons; and for what period of time aircrew are assigned to these duties on each occasion.

  Mr. Hanley
  Intervals between deployments of aircrew overseas for operations related to former Yugoslavia and Iraq vary for a variety of reasons. On the assumption that the present pattern of deployments continues unchanged, the number of deployments overseas and the time spent on operational duty by individual RAF aircrew in a full year would on average be of the following order:

  Average number in a full year of

  Aircraft/Theatre

  Deployments

  Weeks spent on operational duties

  E-3D: former Yugoslavia

  8

  16

  Tornado GR1/1A: Iraq

  0·5

  3

  Tornado F3: former Yugoslavia

  0·67

  8

  385

  Average number in a full year of

  Aircraft/Theatre

  Deployments

  Weeks spent on operational duties

  Harrier: Iraq

  1·33

  8

  Jaguar: former Yugoslavia

  2

  16

  Royal Navy aircrew flying the Sea Harrier for former Yugoslavia operations deploy to the Adriatic with their ship for about six months at a time. Individuals would not spend the whole of this period on operations, and could expect there to be at least six months between deployments.

  The E-3D force is able to meet its operational commitments and although essential crew training is being achieved, the period for initial crew familiarisation has increased.

  Night Vision Goggles
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cases of disorientation have been reported by aircrew flying with night vision goggles since this equipment was first employed, in each of the flying services.

  Mr. Hanley
  There has been one reported incident, involving an Army Air Corps helicopter, attributable to aircrew disorientation when wearing night vision goggles.

  Air Exercises
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the titles, dates and locations of planned major air exercises over the United Kingdom for the remainder of 1994.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows:

  Exercise Title

  Date

  Location

  Highland Cardinal

  4–8 July 1994

  Mid Wales

  Welsh Cleric

  11–15 July 1994

  Mid Wales

  Brilliant Foil

  3–7 October 1994

  All of United Kingdom mainland

  Green Blade

  3–11 November 1994

  South of Scotland and Borders

  Tornado
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the date of the incident in which a Royal Air Force Tornado suffered an engine fire on take-off from Canadian air forces base Goose bay in 1993; what was the damage to the aircraft; where the repairs were undertaken; and what was the cause of the accident.

  Mr. Hanley
  The incident occurred on 20 July 1993. The aircraft was repaired at Goose bay after sustaining heat damage to the engines, rudder and one taileron. The cause of the incident was a servicing error during replacement of the right engine reheat fuel control unit.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average cost per flying hour, including apportionment of fixed costs, of flying the Tornado GR1 aircraft(a) from RAF Bruggen and (b) from bases in the United Kingdom.
  386
  Mr. Hanley
  Fixed costs are spread over four squadrons in the case of RAF Bruggen and two in the case of United Kingdom bases. At 1993–94 prices, the average cost per flying hour of a Torndado GR1 operated from(a) RAF Bruggen is £18,952 and (b) United Kingdom bases is £21,673. These figures include fixed costs and those relating to depreciation, interest on capital and administration.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what annual number of flying hours per member of(a) Tornado GR1, (b) Tornado F3, (c) Jaguar and (d) Harrier aircrew was provided for in Royal Air Force fuel allocations for each financial year since 1990–91.

  Mr. Hanley
  The average number of flying hours expected to be flown by each Tornado GR1, Tornado F3, Jaguar and Harrier aircrew member in 1990–91 and 1991–92 was 240 hours. In financial years 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95 the forecast average was 222 hours. Those flying hours were provided for in the Royal Air Force fuel allocations for the years concerned.

  HMS Valiant
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the result of the tests carried out on 11 May on the Royal Navy crew of HMS Valiant; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The results of the tests carried out on a representative number of the crew of HMS Valiant on 11 May showed no abnormalities.

  NATO Peacekeeping Manual
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the academic bodies consulted in the preparation of NATO's new manual on peacekeeping.

  Mr. Hanley
  Two NATO documents on peace support operations are in preparation. Academic bodies have not been consulted as part of this process.

  Low flying
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of low flying sorties carried out by Germany-based aircraft of No. 2 Group in 1993 in(a) German airspace, (b) the United Kingdom low flying system and (c) elsewhere.

  Mr. Hanley
  Aircraft of No. 2 group RAF strike command flew 5,228 sorties in the United Kingdom low flying system in 1993. The upper limit for low flying in German airspace is 1,500 feet. However for the purposes of statistical consistency No. 2 group now apply the United Kingdom upper limit of 2,000 feet when maintaining low flying records. Such records cover fast jet aircraft only. The number of sorties flown in Germany and elsewhere during 1993 were as follows:

  Fast jet sorties below 2,000 feet

  Germany

  2,229

  Elsewhere

  1,070

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances
  387
  of the unauthorised flight in the United Kingdom low flying system of three F-16s of the royal Danish air force on 14 December 1993.

  Mr. Hanley
  The aircraft had been deployed to RAF Leuchars to carry out low flying training. On their return flight to Denmark they flew at low level without authorisation and breached an avoidance area. Details of the incident have been passed to the royal Danish air force for appropriate action.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints about alleged low flying incidents occurring(a) in mid-Wales (b) in the whole of Wales and (c) throughout the United Kingdom he has received during each year since 1991 and in the current year to date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The number of inquiries or complaints relating to military low flying which my Department received in each year since 1991 to May 1994, the latest date for which figures are available, from addresses in the county of Powys, Wales and the United Kingdom are as follows:

  Year

  Powys

  Wales

  United Kingdom

  1991

  108

  791

  4,846

  1992

  199

  904

  6,295

  1993

  110

  556

  5,738

  11994

  31

  161

  1,716

  1Up to 31 May 1994.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the first low-level overland training area for air defence aircraft was established; what facilities these areas are designed to provide which were not previously available to air defence units: if he will list the locations of each such area in the United Kingdom, together with their height limits, hours of operation and arrangements for limits on aircraft numbers and for deconfliction from other air traffic; and if he will place in the Library a map showing the location and extent of the low-level overland training areas.

  Mr. Hanley
  The low-level operational training area—LOTA—system was established on 3 April 1992 in order to provide better co-ordination between air defence aircraft engaged in low level intercept training and offensive aircraft using the United Kingdom low flying system. The system does not provide for any form of training not previously available but allows aircrew to register their intention to train in a specific LOTA. This facilitates co-ordination of sorties and thereby enhances training opportunities. LOTAs are not subject to special regulations, but any military flying below 2,000 feet: within them is subject to the normal regulations of the United Kingdom low flying system. There are seven LOTAs; I am arranging for a map showing their location to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Eurofighter
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the minimum runway length necessary at any base to be used regularly by the Eurofighter aircraft.

  Mr. Aitken
  It is not our practice to release operational information.
  388
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where he proposes pilot training for the Eurofighter aircraft will take place.

  Mr. Hanley
  A decision on the location of Eurofighter 2000 pilot training has not yet been taken.

  Training Areas
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the(a) statutory requirements and (b) requirements set out in service orders for the operating authorities of military firing ranges and training areas to report infringements of danger area airspace.

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

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 14 June,Official Report, column 441, how the percentage of United Kingdom herds with adult breeding cattle that had experienced at least one case of BSE, as given in "Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy in Great Britain, A Progress Report", published by her Department in March 1994, was calculated; and if she will give the percentage for the latest available date.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The figure in the progress report is for Great Britain, not the United Kingdom, and is the best estimate available using information collected by the state veterinary service about confirmed cases of BSE and agricultural census data.

  The percentage of herds that have experienced BSE is calculated by using data from the agricultural census on the number of holdings with dairy cows plus the number of holdings with beef cows as the denominator. This introduces a small error as those holdings with both dairy and beef cows will be counted twice. Those categories will also include some holdings with non-adult animals intended for breeding but not separately identifiable. As the agricultural census collects data on "holdings" only—rather than herds—and information on BSE database relates to "herds", counting of some holdings twice is considered to give the most accurate estimate for the denominator, particularly as each holding may comprise two or more herds.

  Set-aside Scheme
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is(a) the amount of land in hectares, (b) the number of farmers and (c) the cost of the five year set-aside scheme in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  Payments to farmers in England under the five-year set-aside scheme for the financial year 1993–94 were some £20·7 million. Those payments relate primarily to land set-aside during the scheme year October 1992 to September 1994 under 3,360 agreements covering some 112,000 hectares. Estimated expenditure for 1994–95 is £14·1 million in respect of 2,130 agreements for the 1993–94 scheme year covering some 72,000 hectares. The reduction is the result of some farmers completing their
  389
  five-year agreements and others taking advantage of the option to terminate early in order to join the arable area payments scheme.

  Arable Area Payments Scheme
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much money has been paid out under the arable area payments scheme in(a) each county and (b) each region for linseed in 1993–94; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  No arable area payments have yet been made in respect of the 1993–94 scheme year.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 636, concerning the amounts paid out under the arable area payments scheme in 1993–94, whether these figures included payments for linseed; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  No. Those figures related to the 1992–93 scheme year. Linseed was not incorporated into the arable area payments scheme until 1993.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment she has made of the benefit to consumers in the United Kingdom of the 1992 CAP reform agreement; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  At the time of the CAP reform agreement, it was estimated that, when the reform is fully implemented, the annual costs imposed by the CAP on consumers should be around £8 billion lower for the EC as a whole, and around £1 billion lower for the United Kingdom.

  Regional Service Centres
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the counties served, the number of hectares and the number of farmers in each of her Ministry's regional service centres; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested in respect of the Ministry's nine regional service centres is set out in the table.

  June 1993 census of agriculture and horticulture England1

  Regional service centre location and counties covered

  Total agricultural area (Hectares)

  Farmers/partners/directors2 (Numbers)

  Bristol

  Avon

  83,583

  2,246

  Dorset

  198,653

  3,412

  Somerset

  274,254

  6,360

  Wiltshire

  269,449

  3,360

  Total

  825,939

  15,378

  Cambridge

  Bedfordshire

  91,160

  1,450

  Cambridgeshire

  285,670

  4,046

  Essex

  266,916

  4,347

  Hertfordshire

  104,892

  1,478

  Norfolk

  429,960

  5,864

  Suffolk

  305,843

  4,205

  390

  Regional service centre location and counties covered

  Total agricultural area (Hectares)

  Farmers/partners/directors2 (Numbers)

  Total

  1,484,441

  21,390

  Carlisle

  Cumbria

  461,185

  7,755

  Lancashire

  221,226

  6,441

  Northumberland

  382,262

  2,925

  Tyne and Wear

  15,442

  305

  Total

  1,080,115

  17,426

  Crewe

  Cheshire

  168,502

  5,003

  Merseyside

  19,659

  596

  Greater Manchester

  41,074

  1,624

  Shropshire

  286,821

  5,742

  Staffordshire

  197,155

  5,130

  Total

  713,211

  18,095

  Exeter

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  279,894

  7,758

  Devon

  520,312

  12,681

  Total

  800,206

  20,439

  Nottingham

  Derbyshire

  186,673

  4,450

  Leicestershire

  197,275

  3,307

  Lincolnshire

  522,994

  7,334

  Northamptonshire

  189,569

  2,361

  Nottinghamshire

  152,207

  2,459

  Total

  1,248,718

  19,911

  Northallerton

  Cleveland

  29,328

  528

  Durham

  158,136

  2,664

  Humberside

  287,186

  4,507

  Yorkshire

  North

  637,075

  10,621

  South

  83,235

  1,714

  West

  103,002

  3,401

  Total

  1,297,962

  23,435

  Reading

  Berkshire

  70,783

  829

  Buckinghamshire

  127,194

  2,131

  East Sussex

  112,163

  2,435

  Hampshire

  227,278

  3,267

  Isle of Wight

  26,494

  567

  Kent

  249,406

  4,694

  Greater London

  14,413

  492

  Oxfordshire

  203,870

  2,314

  Surrey

  68,918

  1,810

  West Sussex

  126,183

  2,335

  Total

  1,226,702

  20,874

  Worcester

  Hereford and Worcester

  313,880

  7,691

  Gloucestershire

  208,250

  3,674

  Warwickshire

  156,186

  2,817

  West Midlands MC

  15,602

  520

  Total

  693,918

  14,702

  Total for 9 regional service centres

  9,371,212

  171,650

  1Excluding estimates for minor holdings.

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

  Agriculture Council
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Luxembourg from 20 to 23 June; and if she will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  This meeting of the Council, at which I represented the United Kingdom, had a full discussion over four days of the Commission's proposals for farm support prices for 1994–95 and related measures. In the early hours of the final day, the Presidency tabled a final compromise the costs of which were assessed by the Commission to be at the limit of the funds available. Despite this, several member states regrettably continued to press for further measures involving additional expenditure. When the Presidency called a vote Germany, France and Luxembourg rejected the package as a whole and several others objected to parts of it. The proposals were accordingly not adopted and it now falls to the German Presidency to try to break the impasse.

  The Council also discussed a proposal concerning the welfare of animals in transit. Along with Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and Denmark, I expressed concern that, although the proposal contained significant improvements over the present rules, including a strengthening of enforcement, it failed to go far enough. As a result of our pressure, the Commission subsequently gave a commitment to come forward by 1 July 1995 with a further proposal on maximum journey limits.

  The Council unanimously agreed three directives establishing certain maximum pesticide residue levels in cereals and products of animal and plant origin, a decision establishing rules on the storage and marketing of eggs, a regulation fixing the support prices for certain fruits and vegetables for July 1994, and a regulation establishing a
  392
  Community scheme for plant variety rights. No decision was reached on the site of the European Community plant variety office, and this issue will be considered further during the German Presidency. I urged the Council to locate the office at Cambridge in view of that city's unique blend of scientific and technical expertise and excellent communications.

  The Council also agreed by qualified majority a directive establishing uniform principles for the evaluation of plant protection products—Germany and the Netherlands voting against—and a decision designed to provide better financial discipline and prioritisation of programmes for assistance under the veterinary fund. I voted against this proposal because of an associated Council resolution whose wording contained the potential to undermine overall budgetary control.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions she has had concerning the unpublished European Commission report on the reform of the common agriculture policy; and if she will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [pursuant to her reply, 24 March 1994, c. 372]: The study to which my hon. Friend referred has still not been published. However an article by Mr. Knud Munk, an economist employed by the Commission's DG II, which appears to cover similar ground, has recently been published in the Journal "European Economy". Copies of this article have been placed in the House Library.

  The basic thrust of the article is to point to the attractions of nationally funded direct payments to farmers, de-coupled from production, as a replacement for other forms of agricultural support.