Written Answers of 27 June 1994

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  European Court of Justice
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will take steps to publish a record of the accumulated legal costs borne by the United Kingdom in the cases initiated against Her Majesty's Government in the European Court of Justice.

  The Solicitor-General
  Legal costs excluding travel and subsistence totalled approximately £90,000 in nine out of the 10 cases brought since 1 January 1986.

  Prosecutors' Code
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Attorney-General what steps he is taking to make the revised code for prosecutors known to the public.

  The Attorney-General
  The revised "Code for Crown Prosecutors" was published by the Director of Public Prosecutions on 21 June 1994. It has been widely distributed to those with an interest in the criminal justice system. Copies are available from Crown Prosecution Service headquarters.

  Lenient Sentences
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Attorney-General how many cases have been referred to him in the last 12 months as being unduly lenient sentences.

  The Attorney-General:
  One hundred and sixteen sentences have been considered and I have applied for leave to refer 46 as appearing to me to be unduly lenient.

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Brandreth
  To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to make an official visit to the Crown Prosecution Service in Chester to discuss the work of the office; and if he will make a statement.

  The Solicitor-General
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General has no plans to visit the Crown Prosecution Service in Chester, but I shall be visiting offices of the Crown Prosecution Service in the north-west area, of which Chester is a part, in the near future.

  Guildford and Woolwich Bombings Inquiry
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Attorney-General when and in what form he expects to publish Sir John May's inquiry into the Guildford and Woolwich bombings case; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary and I expect to publish the report shortly.

  PC Guscott
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Attorney-General what change of policy will be made by the Crown Prosecution Service as a result of the case of PC Guscott at Bridgwater magistrates court.

  The Attorney-General
  The CPS is aware of the difficulties and dangers which police officers face in their work. This is a factor which is always taken into account in deciding whether the prosecution of a police officer is in the public interest. The public interest however also demands that officers should conduct themselves within the law. These cases are considered with great care according to their individual merits. The DPP does not consider any change of approach to be necessary.

  Racial Harassment
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to review the Crown Prosecution Service guidelines on dealing with cases of racial harassment.

  The Attorney-General
  The revised edition of the "Code for Crown Prosecutors" makes it clear that a prosecution is likely to be needed if, among other considerations, the offence was motivated by any form of discrimination against the victim's ethnic or national origin.

SCOTLAND

  Law Officers
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will name the Lords Advocate and Solicitors-General who have held office since 1964.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is as follows:

  Date

  Lord Advocate

  George Gordon Stott QC

  1964

  Lord Wilson of Langside QC

  1967

  Norman Russell Wylie QC MP

  1970

  Ronald King Murray QC MP

  1974

  Lord Mackay of Clashfern QC

  1979

  Lord Cameron of Lochbroom QC

  1984

  Lord Fraser of Carmyllie QC

  1989

  Lord Rodger of Earlsferry QC

  1992

  Solicitor General

  James Graham Leechman QC

  1964

  Henry Stephen Wilson QC

  1965

  Ewan George Francis Stewart QC

  1967

  David William Robert Brand QC

  1970

  William Ian Stewart QC

  1972

  Lord McCluskey of Churchhill QC

  1974

  Nicholas Hardwick Fairbairn QC MP

  1979

  Peter Lovat Fraser QC

  1982

  Alan Ferguson Rodger QC

  1989

  Thomas Cordner Dawson QC

  1992

  Criminal Justice
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made with the review of the Scottish criminal justice system; and what conclusions he has reached on proposals for improving the delivery of justice in Scotland.
  395
  Mr. Lang
  I have today laid before Parliament and published a White Paper entitled "Firm and Fair" which sets out the Government's proposals for reform of the Scottish criminal justice system. The White Paper is the culmination of a wide-ranging review of the Scottish criminal justice system and criminal legal aid, in which I have sought the views of all those with a genuine interest in the delivery of justice in Scotland. The response to the four consultation papers we issued was very encouraging. We have received a large number of thoughtful comments which have been carefully considered. The White Paper contains the Government's conclusions following that consideration.

  The White Paper also reports on our consideration of those recommendations of the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice which were of relevance to Scotland and includes proposals on other aspects of the Scottish criminal justice system which were not part of the main review exercise.

  The proposals in the White Paper seek to ensure that offenders are quickly identified, brought to account and punished and that all those who come into contact with the criminal justice system, whether as victims, witnesses or jurors, are dealt with fairly and sensitively. The proposals include action to tighten up bail procedures and to deal with people who commit offences while on bail, changes to pre-trial procedures, the operation of the jury system, the powers of the courts and appeals procedures.

  On certain issues, I have concluded that there should be no change or that further work is necessary. One of the most controversial issues on which I consulted was the future of the not proven verdict. This provoked a healthy public debate. The clear weight of opinion was, however, in favour of retention and I have decided that the three verdicts, including not proven, should remain.

  I also consulted on the need for change in the Appeal Court's consideration of appeals and the handling of alleged miscarriages of justice in Scotland, in the light of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice for a new independent review authority for England and Wales. The response to the consultation was inconclusive and, given the complexity and importance of these related issues, I have decided to appoint an independent committee, which will include a senior member of the judiciary, to consider both these matters in the Scottish context and to report to me. I shall announce the membership and remit of the Committee soon.

  The consultation exercise has been productive and worthwhile. I believe that the proposals contained in this White Paper will command widespread support. I also believe that they will significantly improve the delivery of justice in Scotland. Where legislation is required to implement the proposals contained in the White Paper, it will be brought forward at the next available opportunity.

ENVIRONMENT

  Appointments
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many and what proportion of(a) chairmen, (b) chief executives and (c) board members of (i) urban development corporations and (ii) housing action trusts are women.
  396
  Mr. Gummer
  The number and proportion of women in urban development corporations and housing action trusts are as follows:

  Number of Women

  Proportion of Women

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  (i) Urban Development Corporations

  (a) Chairmen

  0

  0

  (b) Chief Executives

  0

  0

  (c) Board Members

  22

  18

  (ii) Housing Action Trusts

  (a) Chairmen

  1

  20

  (b) Chief Executives

  0

  0

  (161)

  (c) Board Members

  22

  46

  1The acting chief executive at the shadow Stonebridge housing action trust is a woman. The parliamentary process to establish the HAT is currently underway.

  Sweetloves Reservoir, Bolton
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of North West Water plc's actions in respect of the preservation of the amenity values of Sweetloves reservoir, Bolton; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have considered carefully the concerns expressed by my hon. Friend over North West Water's proposed redevelopment of the Sweetloves reservoir, together with the information provided by the company to my Department. While I consider that it would have been better if the company had carried out consultations prior to draining the reservoir and bringing forward its redevelopment proposals, I am satisfied that failure to do so does not of itself constitute a breach of the company's statutory environmental duties under the Water Industry Act 1991. I have however written to North West Water informing it of my serious concerns over its handling of this matter.

  Quarries, Doncaster
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his policy relating to the development of quarries within the area of Doncaster metropolitan borough council.

  Mr. Baldry
  Policy guidance on the provision to be made for minerals in development plans is given in minerals planning guidance notes 1 and 6. In particular MPG 6 sets out regional apportionments for meeting projected demand for aggregates to 2006. In drawing up policies and proposals in their development plans for meeting the demand for aggregates and other minerals, mineral planning authorities should have regard to the local apportionments for the supply of aggregates and the other guidance in MPG 6.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Redmond:
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each of South Yorkshire metropolitan borough councils in rank order their full-time equivalent number of employees per thousand of population.
  397
  Mr. Curry
  The information requested is not available centrally. However, figures are available for the total number of employees per thousand of population. These are:

  Staff1

  Population2 (thousands)

  Staff per thousand population

  Barnsley

  11,386

  225

  50·6

  Doncaster

  14,718

  294

  50·1

  Rotherham

  12,581

  255

  49·3

  Sheffield

  22,959

  531

  43·2

  Sources:

  1Joint Staffing Watch March 1994.

  2OPCS mid year estimates of population 1992.

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

  Sir George Young
  Information on short-life accommodation managed by housing associations in England, including property owned by a local authority, is published for the year ending 31 March 1993 by the Housing Corporation in table 13.1, page 47 of "Housing Associations in 1993", an analysis of the annual statistical survey, part 1, general report. No information is held centrally on short-life accommodation owned by local authorities and not managed by housing associations. A copy of the report is held in the Library.

  Domestic Heating Radiators
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information his Department has on accidents arising from surface heat of domestic heating radiators; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department of the Environment does not keep statistics on this subject. In general, reducing surface heat to a level which is completely safe will also result in living space temperature falling to a level incompatible with comfort.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what regulations cover the surface temperature of domestic heating radiators.

  Mr. Atkins
  There are no regulations relating specifically to the surface temperature of domestic heating radiators. In sheltered accommodation, such as nursing homes, the relevant local authority has responsibility for setting a maximum surface temperature for radiators.

  Noise Pollution
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans she has to increase the powers of local authorities and affected persons to take action against noisy neighbours.

  Mr. Atkins
  Local authorities and individuals already have a range of powers to tackle neighbour noise nuisance.398

  Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities can serve abatement notices to control noise from domestic and other premises which they judge to be a statutory nuisance. These powers have recently been extended by the Noise and Statutory Nuisance Act 1993 to control certain types of noise in the street, including misfiring vehicle alarms. Contravention of abatement notices can lead to substantial fines.

  In addition, a number of local authorities have successfully confiscated equipment such as hi-fis and stereos where an abatement notice has been ignored. Individuals can also take their own action in the magistrates' court to have a noise nuisance abated or they can take civil action.

  Local Government Finance
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the current distribution of standard spending assessments in reflecting need to spend in(a) deprived local authority areas and (b) Birmingham.

  Mr. Curry
  The standard spending assessment formulae, which apply to authorities throughout England, contain many indicators related to the additional need to spend in deprived local authority areas. As well as the economic and social indices which reflect general needs, there are indicators such as the proportion of children in lone-parent families or in families receiving income support, homeless households, households living in non-self-contained accommodation and elderly residents with a long-term illness. These indicators have been chosen after detailed statistical analysis of the patterns of local authorities' spending.

  Housing
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the analysis of English housing fitness contained in the report "English Homes—A National Asset?" presented to him in March; and what proposals he intends to make in response.

  Sir George Young
  The analysis of housing fitness contained in the report "English Homes—A National Asset?" is based on the 1991 English house condition survey, published by the Department in September 1993. The recommendations of the report are being considered in the context of the Department's current review of the future of private housing renewal programmes.

  Stadium, Stoneham
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce his decision on the report of the public inquiry into the proposed community stadium at Stoneham, Southampton.

  Mr. Baldry
  It is hoped to announce the decision shortly.

  New Forest
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses to the Department of the Environment's consultation paper "The New Forest: The Government's Proposals", published in September
  399
  1992, were received by the Department before the end of 1992; and of these responses what proportion supported the Government's proposals that (a) statutory designation should be given to the area broadly related to the heritage area proposed by the New Forest committee and that (b) a planning regime similar to that which applies in the national parks and the Broads should apply to this area.

  Mr. Atkins
  We received 209 responses to our consultation paper on the New Forest before the end of 1992. Sixty per cent. of these responses addressed the issue of a statutory designation for an area related to the New Forest heritage area, of which 84 per cent. supported the proposal for a statutory status which would bring with it a planning regime similar to that which applies in the national parks and the Broads.

  Objective 5b Grants
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps his Department is taking to provide advice and support to local authorities in preparing bids for objective 5b grant;

  (2) in which part of his Department objective 5b bids are handled.

  Mr. Baldry
  Applications for funding under objective 5b of the European structural funds will be handled by secretariats located at the appropriate Government office in each region.

  Local authorities and other potential applicants to use objective 5b funding may obtain advice and guidance from the appropriate regional office. The European Commission is currently considering proposals for the use of the funds in each of the eligible areas, which have been prepared by the Government offices in consultation with local partnerships including the local authorities. When agreed by the European Commission, these single programming documents will provide the framework within which decisions on project applications will be made, and further guidance will be made available to interested organisations.

  City Challenge
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards voluntary agencies funded through City Challenge which operate unsatisfactory employment practices and procedures.

  Mr. Baldry
  Decisions as to which agencies and projects City Challenge supports are matters for individual partnerships set up under the initiative and the appropriate local authorities. As far as possible, the partnerships should be satisfied that the agencies operate within the requirements of the law.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Durum Wheat, Italy
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on the discrepancy between the claimed and the satellite measured areas of durum wheat in Italy.

  Mr. Jack
  I understand that work on remote sensing commissioned by the European Commission in 1990 400
  identified some discrepancies between the actual and declared areas of durum wheat in Italy. Appropriate action was taken by the Italian authorities. Remote sensing can make a useful contribution to preventing fraud and the Commission is continuing to encourage its use in appropriate circumstances.

  Nutrient Intakes
  Ms Corston:
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the recommended 1991 daily intake, reference nutrient intake and lower reference nutrient intake, for children of different ages; and what percentage these figures represent of the values recommended in 1979.

  Mr. Sackville
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information concerning the reference nutrient intake—RNI—the estimated average requirement—EAR—and the lower reference nutrient intake—LRNI—for 33 nutrients were published in the 1991 Report on Health and Social Subjects No. 41 "Dietary Reference Values (DRV) for Food Energy and Nutrients for the United Kingdom", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  It is not possible to establish what percentage the 1991 DRVs represent of the 1979 recommended daily amounts—RDA—because figures are not comparable in the two reports.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Benefits
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will set out in tabular form the non-contributory benefits and contributory benefits, where the rates of contribution are the same, available to Members of the European Parliament and hon. Members of this House on ceasing their employment, setting out the reasons for any differences; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  A resettlement allowance is payable to Members of the House in accordance with the Resolution of 22 May 1991 at rates that vary between 50 and 100 per cent. of annual salary according to age and length of service. Our intention is that the same terms should be available to Members of the European Parliament. Accordingly, the Home Secretary laid an order on 24 June making certain changes to their scheme in line with improvements already made in the scheme for Members of this House.

  Members of this House and Members of the European Parliament pay contributions of 6 per cent. of salary for pensions at retirement, as distinct from cessation of employment. The Home Secretary laid an order on 24 June to make certain changes to the scheme for MEPs to ensure that the benefits are the same for both schemes.

PRIME MINISTER

  Broadcasting Act
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will set up a Royal Commission to investigate the workings of the Broadcasting Act; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  No. However we are keeping the working of the Act under review.

  Beggars
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister what instructions are given to security staff at No. 10 Downing street for dealing with beggars in the vicinity; and how many problems with beggars have been experienced in the last three months.

  The Prime Minister
  None, in both cases.

  British Pension Rights
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Prime Minister how many representations he has received since 1 January 1993 calling for the unfreezing of British state retirement pensions in those countries where British pensioners are denied annual upratings.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received numerous representations.

  Press Releases (Recycled Paper)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the Government Departments which issue press releases on recycled paper; and what percentage of press releases from each department are on recycled paper.

  Mr. Gummer
  I have been asked to reply.

  The use of recycled and environmentally friendly paper for the issue of press releases is a matter for individual Departments. However, the Government's policy, as set out in the White Paper "This Common Inheritance", is to use its influence as a major consumer. It discriminates positively in favour of recycled and environmentally-friendly products and will use recycled or environmentally friendly paper wherever this is available, of adequate quality and represents value-for-money.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Konver Programme
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the extension of the Konver programme.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The European Commission announced a second Konver initiative for the period 1994–97, to assist the regeneration or areas affected by job losses due to defence changes. It is one of 13 community initiatives to be financed from the European structural funds.

  These funds will contribute £380 million to Konver II; the allocation for the United Kingdom, and Gibraltar, will be known in July. The eligible areas should be determined in September; they will, as before, include areas other than those designated for objectives 1, 2 and 5(b) of the funds. A general programme describing the intended application of Konver II in the United Kingdom, and Gibraltar, is due to be prepared by October, and then needs to be agreed by the Commission. It is therefore unlikely that individual applications for grant can be considered before the new year.

  Insolvency Service
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade at what stage of preparation are draft contracts for the contracting out of the Insolvency Service's mechanical processing work.
  402
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No decision has yet been taken on whether to contract out this work. Drafting of any contracts has not, therefore, begun.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to increase the prosecution rate for inadequate accounting records by the Insolvency Service.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Stoy Hayward Consulting was invited to bid for the second phase of the work in a single tender action.

  United Kingdom Manufacturers (Investment)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what evidence he has that United Kingdom manufacturers are investing in increased capacity to increase exports and displace imports; and if he will publish a list of the industries in which such investment is taking place.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Information on the reasons for investment by a sample of United Kingdom manufacturing industry is contained in the CBI "Industrial Trends Survey", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  European Regional Funds
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if his Department has allocated a budget to make matching grants available to objective 5b bids in line with EU rules.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No; there is no such rule.

  Structural funds projects are funded jointly by the Community and the member state. My Department, and others, make public expenditure provision for the forecast value of the Community contributions. The remainder of the cost of each project is the responsibility of the beneficiary of the Community grant.

  Electrical Engineers
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans his Department has to use the Institution of Electrical Engineers INSPEC database and information service.

  Mr. Eggar
  The DTI information and library services use those sources of information most appropriate to each individual inquiry they receive. The ILS has accessed the INSPEC databases regularly over the last 10 years or so, using a variety of hosts. In addition, the ILS subscribes to a number of IEE publications.

  British Coal
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many employees of British Coal have been removed from their posts on the grounds of conflict of interest where they have been interested in participation in a management buy-out of their colliery; and if those in senior positions within British Coal are deemed to be affected by the same conflict of interest.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 24 June 1994]: This is a matter for British Coal, which has put in place detailed internal guidelines designed to avoid any potential

  403
  conflicts of interest. These procedures require any manager wishing to participate in a management buy-out to obtain the consent of the chairman of the corporation to do so. I understand that in each case potential conflicts of interest are assessed and appropriate measures put in place.

  Electricity Order
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects amendments to the Electricity (Class Exemptions from the Requirement for a Licence) Order 1990 to be made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  [pursuant to his reply, 14 April 1994, c. 253]: I have today laid before Parliament an order further amending the Electricity (Class Exemptions from the Requirement for a Licence) Order 1990.

  This order, and the earlier order which I laid on 14 April, will bring into effect a package of five amendments to the exemption order that I announced at the end of last year. One effect of this order will be to allow more companies, including some joint ventures, to be included in a qualifying group of companies that may be supplied by an unlicensed on-site generator. In addition, more small generators may be exempt from the requirement for a generation licence, as a result of the change to the definition of a "qualifying group".

  This package of amendments will reduce the regulatory burden on small generators, on-site generators and companies which sell on a small proportion of the electricity they purchase.

TREASURY

  VAT on Fuel
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the revenue the Treasury will derive from the imposition of value added tax on domestic fuel in the financial years 1994–95 and 1995–96; how much of this will be attributable to the imposition of value added tax on the standing charge element of domestic fuel bills; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  Latest published estimates of the revenue yield were set out in annex B to chapter 4 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report for 1994–95". Approximately 12 per cent. of the VAT yield is attributable to the standing charge element of domestic fuel bills.

  Departmental Spending Reviews
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and which Departments have been asked to conduct a fundamental review of their spending; how many and which Departments have produced a report as a result of such a review; and how many and which Departments have(a) published and (b) plan to publish such a report.

  Mr. Portillo
  Four fundamental reviews were started in early 1993 covering social security, health, education and the Home Office. A further eight were announced in the November Budget last year. These covered employment and transport programmes, the legal Departments, Trade and Industry, Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise, Her 404
  Majesty's Treasury and urban expenditure. It is intended that all Departments will conduct such reviews by the end of this Parliament.

  The reviews once started are on-going. There are no plans to publish reports on the reviews, but their output will, as the first four reviews did last year, inform the annual public expenditure survey decisions.

  Government Deficit
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the central Government deficit in the last financial year as a percentage of gross domestic profit; and what is the maximum level allowed under the Maastricht convergence criterion.

  Mr. Nelson
  There is no maximum level for the budget deficit allowed under the excessive deficits procedure of the Maastricht treaty. Rather, there is a reference level of 3 per cent. of GDP which is one of the factors to be taken into account in deciding whether a country has an excessive deficit.

  The measure of the budget deficit used for the excessive deficit procedure is the general Government financial deficit—GGFD. This is provisionally estimated at 7.8 per cent. of GDP in 1993–94. The projections in the 1994–95 medium term financial strategy showed the GGFD being reduced to 3 per cent. of GDP in 1996–97.

  Income Statistics
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 13 April,Official Report, column 169, if he will make a statement on measures being taken to allow for changes in the family expenditure survey and in the classification of both income and taxation to improve time series statistics on the distribution of income, or specify upper and lower ranges of possible error, to overcome the problems of comparability.

  Mr. Nelson
  The family expenditure survey is modified over time to improve the quality and usefulness of the data and consequently changes are made which can have an effect on the continuity of published data. The aim of the Central Statistical Office article on the effects of taxes and benefits on household income is to give the best estimates for the current year. It is not possible to eliminate all inconsistencies.

  Places of Worship (VAT Exemption)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the rationale underlying the decision for places of religious worship to lose their VAT exemption from 1 April 1994.

  Sir John Cope
  The religious activities of churches remain outside the scope of the VAT system but they pay VAT on the things that they buy. The introduction of VAT on fuel and power from 1 April 1994 applies across the board to all consumers.

  National Savings Adjudicator
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the salary of the national savings adjudicator; how many disputes he has settled during the last year; and if he will give a breakdown of the settlement.
  405
  Mr. Nelson
  The national savings adjudicator is paid for the amount of work he is required to carry out, at a rate of £32 per hour plus associated travel expenses. In 1993–94, this totalled£5,450.

  In the year to 31 March 1994 the adjudicator dealt with 10 disputes. A breakdown of the types of dispute is outlined:

  Summary of hearings held in 1993–94

  National Savings Bank Deposits

  National Savings Certificates

  National Savings Stocks, Bonds and Premium Bonds

  Higher interest rate claim

  —

  2

  —

  Third party title claim

  4

  —

  —

  Denied receipt of monies allegedly paid

  2

  —

  —

  Negligence

  —

  —

  —

  Miscellaneous

  —

  2

  —

  Total

  6

  4

  0

  Award made in favour of claimant

  2

  2

  —

  Claim dismissed

  4

  2

  —

  Total

  6

  4

  0

  Number pending as at 31 March 1994

  6

  0

  2

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money previously attributed to civil service expenditure has not been accounted to that source of expenditure due to the establishment of executive agencies, in each year since the first executive agency was established; if he will publish a table breaking down the figures for each agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  Expenditure by next steps agencies remains part of their sponsor Minister's programme.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money which was previously accounted to the civil service pay bill has not: been attributed in each year since the establishment of the first executive agency; if he will publish a table breaking down these figures; what was the gross and net civil service pay bill in each relevant year; how much has been saved for accounting purposes by the civil service pay bill due to the establishment of executive agencies, expressed as a percentage; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  Spending by next steps agencies on civil service pay remains part of the total civil service paybill.

  Public Expenditure
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the identifiable amount of public expenditure per head of population in Scotland; and by what amount, as a total sum for Scotland as a whole per annum, this differs from the average for England.
  406
  Mr. Portillo
  Identifiable general Government expenditure per head in Scotland in 1992–93, the latest year for which information is available, was £3,968. The equivalent figure in England was £3,290. The total difference in public expenditure between the two countries, on this basis, was therefore some £3.5 billion.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Peter Shore
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the official estimate of the United States and Japanese direct investment in the United Kingdom as a percentage of direct investment in all European Community countries in each year from 1989 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 23 June 1994]: Fully comparable information on direct inward investment in the European Community from outside the EC is not available. However the following estimates for the years 1989 to 1992 have been prepared, based on the most readily available sources.

  Value of stock of direct investment in United Kingdom as a percentage of that in all EC countries

  Year

  United States

  Japan

  1989

  42·1

  37·7

  1990

  40·4

  40·5

  1991

  39·5

  40·9

  1992

  38·8

  41·2

  Sources:

  1. United States Department of Commerce: "Survey of Current Business".

  2. Japanese Ministry of Finance: "MITI News".

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  MI6 (Cleaners)
  Mr. Spellar:
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the estimated annual savings to be achieved from the replacement of regular cleaners at MI6 by contract cleaners.

  Mr. Hurd
  As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made clear in his answer to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms Harman) on 21 June at columns 85–86; the contract for office cleaning services at the new Secret Intelligence Service headquarters at Vauxhall cross will achieve a substantial saving to public funds. It is not our policy to give detailed information about the expenditure of the individual security and intelligence agencies.

  Consultants
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many contracts and for what total sum were let out by his Department and agencies for which it is responsible to(a) Coopers & Lybrand, (b) KPMG Peat Marwick, (c) Ernst & Young, (d) Price Waterhouse, (e) Arthur Andersen, (f) Touche Ross, (g) Grant Thornton, (h) Robson Rhodes and (i) Pannell Kerr Forster for (i) privatisation (ii) market testing, (iii) management advice, (iv) accounting, (v) audit, (vi) consultancy and (vii) other services in (1) 1980 to 1983, (2) 1984 to 1987, (3) 1988 to 1991 and (4) 1992–93.
  407
  Mr. Goodlad
  The table shows the relevant information for contracts let out to the named companies by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office diplomatic and aid wings in 1992–93.

  Privatisation

  Market testing

  Management advice

  Audit

  Consultancy

  Other services

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  Coopers & Lybrand

  1

  21,000

  6

  123,000

  17

  7,374,000

  1

  53,000

  1

  355,000

  5

  900,000

  KPMG

  —

  —

  3

  58,000

  —

  —

  5

  313,000

  1

  5,000

  1

  56,000

  Ernst and Young

  1

  175,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  76,000

  —

  —

  Price Waterhouse

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  83,000

  —

  —

  3

  142,000

  2

  417,000

  Touche Ross

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  8,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Pannell Kerr Foster

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  29,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  No contracts were let by the FCO to Arthur Andersen, Grant Thornton and Robson Rhodes in 1992–93.

  Caribbean Sugar
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the United Kingdom Government are taking to ensure the continued support for Caribbean sugar in the European Union.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Government remain firmly committed to the sugar protocol to the Lomé convention, which provides levy-free access to the European Union at guaranteed prices, negotiated annually, for 1·3 million tonnes of cane sugar from African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. Of the Caribbean countries, Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana and St. Kitts benefit from this protocol.

  Nigeria
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are currently taken by diplomatic personnel in Nigeria positively to promote the interests of British industry in that country; and what plans he has to improve such representation in the immediate future.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has commercial officers in Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Kano and Port Harcourt—the latter two were opened in late 1993. They are there to seek out export opportunities, advise British companies on the business to be won in the market, lobby on their behalf for major contracts and against discrimination, and to organise inward and outward trade missions. A programme of promotional activity agreed by the tropical Africa advisory group, Department of Trade and Industry and the FCO is underway with a view to increasing our market share.

  The level of commercial representation in Nigeria was reviewed and adjusted by a team of inspectors in February and March 1994. The staffing requirement will be kept under review.

  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has concerning the number of British citizens who are currently resident in Nigeria.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There are 7,000 British citizens registered with British diplomatic missions in Nigeria. In addition, the high commission in Lagos estimates that there are between 2,000 and 3,000 British citizens who are not registered. The total is therefore about 10,000.
  408
  Similar information on contracts let to the named companies in the periods 1980–83, 1984–87 and 1988–91 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement setting out Her Majesty's Government's policy on relations with Nigeria.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd:
  We value our relations with Nigeria. We hope to see firm progress soon towards a restoration of democratic civilian rule.

  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has concerning the extent to which release from custody has now been granted for those human and civil rights activists arrested in Nigeria following the annulment of the June 1993 presidential election; and what response he has made to such releases.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Those arrested immediately after the annulment of the June 1993 election were released shortly afterwards. We welcomed these releases.

  In the last few weeks however there have been fresh detentions, including Chief Abiola, presumed winner of the 1993 election. We strongly regret those arrests and call on the Nigerian Government to engage all sides in political dialogue.

  Antarctic Protocol Secretariat
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to be able to announce the siting of the Antarctic protocol secretariat.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Discussions continue among Antarctic treaty consultative parties about where the proposed Antarctic treaty secretariat should be sited. We hope that the secretariat will be in operation by the time that the environmental protocol to the antarctic treaty enters into force.

  Liberia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impartiality of the Nigerian forces in supporting the UNOMIL peacemaking mission in Liberia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have no reason to doubt the commitment of Nigerian forces to help implement the peace process.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Aid Budget
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the United Kingdom's aid budget was(a) given as bilateral aid, (b) multilateral aid and (c) administered by the . European Community in 1979, 1983, 1987, 1992 and currently.

  Mr. Hurd
  In 1979–80, 72 per cent. was bilateral aid, 12 per cent. was channelled through multilateral institutions other than the EC, and 16 per cent. was administered by the EC.

  In 1983–84, the figures were 55 per cent., 15 per cent., 30 per cent.; in 1987–88 the figures were 60 per cent., 16 per cent., 24 per cent.; and in 1992–93, the most recent year for which figures are available, the figures were .54 per cent., 21 per cent., and 25 per cent. respectively.

  Bosnia
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has had with his European counterparts to improve the delivery of humanitarian aid in Bosnia.

  Mr. Hurd
  My noble Friend the Baroness Chalker is in regular contact with her European counterparts to increase the effectiveness of aid to Bosnia.

  Rwanda
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest position on aid to Rwanda.

  Mr. Hurd
  Since 6 April 1994, Britain has committed over £11 million bilaterally of emergency aid for displaced Rwandans and Rwandan refugees in neighbouring countries. We continue to monitor the situation closely and plan a further assessment mission to the region next month.

  Sub-Saharan Africa
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the overseas aid budget for sub-Saharan Africa goes to assist sustainable development.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In 1992–93, 78 per cent. of total bilateral aid to sub-Saharan Africa was provided as development assistance.

  Overseas Aid
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations he has received this year in favour of the United Kingdom raising its contribution to overseas aid to 0·7 per cent. of GNP; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We continue to receive representations from hon. Members and others. The Development Assistance Committee has just reported that United Kingdom aid in 1993 was above the average of OECD countries in terms of percentage of GNP.

  Malawi
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Government of Malawi about humanitarian needs caused by drought; and what response he has made.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In April, the Government of Malawi appealed for help to offset a serious crop failure resulting from poor rains. We have pledged 10,000 tonnes of emergency food aid costing about £2.5 million. We have also pledged a further £3 million in balance of payments support for 1994–95 to help pay for additional imports of maize. This is in addition to our earlier pledge of £12 million of balance of payments aid to support Malawi's reform programmes.

  Liberia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the money in the United Nations Liberian trust fund has been spent.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In addition to the United Kingdom contribution of $1 million, other contributions to date to the Liberian trust fund have been from the USA, $19·8 million and Denmark, $0·3 million.

  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply of 14 April, Official Report, column 259 for details of how the United Kingdom contribution is being spent. The other contributions have gone towards the costs of deploying equipping and maintaining the Ugandan and Tanzanian battalions as well as helping to maintain the rest of the ECOMOG force.

  St. Kitts and Nevis
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the timetable for reviewing the framework for economic assistance to St. Kitts and Nevis; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We expect to review the nature of our bilateral aid programme to St. Kitts and Nevis in early 1995. The programme will be fully committed until then, largely on assistance to infrastructure development.

HEALTH

  Dentists
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of(a) general dental practitioners in practice, (b) general dental practitioner practices, (c) community dental practitioners and (d) salaried dental practitioners, for each family health services authority area in England for each year since 1984; and if she will express these figures per 1,000 of the population resident in each family health services authority area.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The available information will be placed in the Library. Information is not collected on general dental practices. As community dentists are employed by national health service trusts or district health authorities, information is not available by family health services authorities.

  Nurses
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were in training for state registration in each of the last 10 years.

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

  Pre-Registration in Training Population—England Years ended 31 March 1987–1993

  Total Pre-registration

  1st Level Registered: Total

  2nd Level Registered: Total

  1987

  60,192

  50,813

  9,379

  1988

  58,042

  50,167

  7,875

  1989

  51,116

  47,333

  3,783

  1990

  51,628

  49,608

  2,020

  1991

  49,350

  48,667

  683

  1992

  51,760

  51,679

  81

  1993

  52,245

  52,214

  31

  Source: English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

  Nutrition
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the numbers and percentages of the population, by age and income, with inadequate nutritional intakes for the last five years for which information is available.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available in the form requested.

  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to issue a report updating the 1986–87 dietary and nutritional survey of British adults.

  Mr. Sackville
  The adult survey was part of a rolling programme of surveys on diet and nutrition covering all population groups. The adult survey will be repeated after 1998.

  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research has been commissioned by her Department on the adequacy of nutritional intake among children in the last five years;

  (2) what assessment she has made of the recent trends in the nutritional adequacy of the diets of children, by household disposable income and socio-economic status.

  Mr. Sackville:
  Twelve months' field work for a dietary and nutritional survey of children aged one and a half to four and a half years was completed in July 1993. Data from this survey are now being analysed. A report of the survey is expected to be published in the autumn. It will provide information on the links between nutritional adequacy and dietary patterns and a full range of socio-economic variables.

  The survey was carried out as part of the joint Department of Health and Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food national diet and nutrition survey—NDNS—programme which was set up to ascertain the dietary habits and nutritional status of all sections of the population in an eight-year cycle. Field work on a survey of schoolchildren aged five to 15 years is expected to begin in 1996.

  In addition the Department of Health has, since 1975, commissioned five-yearly national surveys of infant
  412
  feeding practice. The last survey was in 1990. Plans are now underway for the 1995 survey. The Department has also this year commissioned a survey of infant feeding practices in Asian ethnic subgroups of the population. The results of this survey are expected in 1997. Socioeconomic data are collected in all surveys of infant feeding practice.

  Perinatal Mortality
  Mr. Redmond:
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the perinatal mortality rate in each of the past 10 years in each district health authority in (a) South Yorkshire, (b) West Yorkshire, (c) North Yorkshire and (d) Humberside.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information will be placed in the Library.

  Prostheses
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will amend the patients charter so that patients who by their general practitioner are to undergo hip or knee major joint surgery are informed of the type of prosthesis to be used.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The patients charter already sets out the right for patients to be given a clear explanation of any treatment proposed, including any risks and alternatives, before the patient decides whether or not to agree to the treatment.

  VAMP National Medicines Database
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements have been made regarding the VAMP national medicines database; and what discussions have been held with(a) commercial and (b) academic research organisations in the United Kingdom and the United States of America regarding its future.

  Mr. Sackville
  Discussions with Reuters Ltd., the owners of the VAMP research databank are continuing. A seminar has been arranged for 11 July for interested researchers, academic departments, pharmaceutical companies and representatives of national health service organisations at which views will be canvassed on the best long-term management arrangements.

  Infant Mortality, Yorkshire and Humberside
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the level of infant mortality in each of the past 10 years in each district health authority in(a) South Yorkshire, (b) West Yorkshire, (c) North Yorkshire and (d) Humberside.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information will be placed in the Library.

  Infertility Treatment
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what variation there is in the provision of infertility treatment between each regional authority in England; and what waiting lists are maintained.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those health authorities which(a) will

  413
  purchase in-vitro fertilisation treatment for any couple of child-bearing age, (b) will purchase in-vitro fertilisation treatment for a restricted group of couples and (c) will not purchase in-vitro fertilisation treatment for any couple.

  Mr. Sackville
  It is the responsibility of each individual health authority to determine its provision of infertility treatment. Information on which health authorities provide in-vitro fertilisation treatment is not available centrally. Available information on waiting times for infertility treatment is given in "Hospital Episode Statistics, Volume 2", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what initiatives she proposes to reduce waiting lists for infertility treatment.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We are committed to reducing all waiting times, including that for infertility treatment. Patients charter guarantees limit the time people have to wait for hospital treatment. District health authorities are encouraged to improve upon these guarantees.

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

  Mr. Sackville:
  It is for individual ambulance services to determine the number of ambulances which meet the requirements. Total numbers of vehicles in England and Wales are not available centrally.

  I understand that Scotland has 92 accident and emergency ambulances per million population and that Northern Ireland has 80 accident and emergency ambulances per million population.

  Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints she has received in(a) 1992–93 and (b) 1993–94 from patients and organisations representing patients at Walsgrave hospital, Coventry; and what assessment she has made of the working of the patients charter there.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We have received a number of letters about the Walsgrave hospitals national health service trust in Coventry. These have been referred to Mr. David Loughton, chief executive of the trust. Meeting the requirements of the patients charter is the responsibility of the trust. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Robert Jordan, chairman of the Walsgrave hospitals NHS trust, for details.

  Hospital Trusts (Complaints)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she is taking to reduce the number of complaints received by hospital trusts.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  National health service trusts should be seeking constantly to raise the standards of care provided to meet the aspirations of health care purchasers and individual patients. They should give patients every opportunity to make comments and suggestions or put 414
  forward complaints on their services. Patients' complaints can and should be used for enhancing the quality of the health services provided.

  Patients Charter, West Midlands
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will make a statement as to how the patients charter is working in(a) hospitals in the west midlands and (b) the health service in the west midlands;

  (2) what benefit to patients the patients charter has given in the west midlands.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The patients charter has brought benefits to national health service patients in all areas, including the west midlands, by informing patients of their rights and the standards of service they can expect to receive. It is an important step forward in ensuring the delivery of quality services to patients.

  Vaccination Targets
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what incentive payments general practitioners receive under their contracts for meeting vaccination programme targets; how the payments are related to the number of vaccines administered; and what limit exists on the number of vaccinations for which payments are made.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Two incentive payments are available to general practitioners for meeting immunisation targets. The first is for achieving either higher or lower targets for immunising children aged two against diphtheria, tetanus, polio, whooping cough, measles, mumps, rubella, and, from 1 July this year, Hib meningitis. The second is for booster immunisations in children aged five against diphtheria, tetanus and polio. Details of the payment mechanisms are contained in the "Statement of Fees and Allowances", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Medical Negligence
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of out-of-court settlements for medical negligence claims involving national health service bodies in each year since 1990–91.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available centrally.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to her answer of 10 May,Official Report, columns 484–86, if she will itemise which national health service bodies have been involved in medical negligence claims, and for what amount;

  (2) pursuant to her answer of 14 March, Official Report, column 537–38, if she will itemise which national health service bodies have been involved in medical negligence claims; and for what amount.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information supplied to the Department by national health service bodies is provided voluntarily in confidence on the basis that it will be collated to show regional and national trends.

  Regional Health Authorities
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish an updated list of the chairmen and non-executive members of regional health authorities.
  415
  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 25 April at column 68. Mr. P. Wright has since filled the vacancy on the board of the North West regional health authority.

  Remuneration
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current level of remuneration paid to chairmen and members of(a) regional health authorities, (b) district health authorities, (c) national health service trusts and (d) family health service authorities.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Worsley (Mr. Lewis) on 5 May 1993 at column 91.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will show for each NHS trust into which band the trust falls for the purpose of evaluating the chairman and non-executive members' salaries.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  It is the responsibility of each trust to pay its chairman in line with the appropriate band for that trust, which is based on the unit's turnover in 1988–89. Information on the band applicable to individual trusts is not available centrally. The annual rate of remuneration for all non-executive directors of national health service trusts is currently £5,000.

  NHS (Private Accommodation)
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private pay(a) bed units and (b) wings there were within the national health service in each year since 1990–91.

  Mr. Sackville
  These are local matters about which the Department does not collect information.

  Medical Consultants
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to penalise medical consultants for inadequate performance.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This is a matter for employing authorities.

  Surgical Interventions (Quality)
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of all surgical interventions are provided by unsupervised junior hospital doctors; what evidence she has as to whether the quality of this care is good; and what evidence she has as to monitoring of these practices and the provision of quality control by non-clinical managers.

  Mr. Sackville
  Detailed operational issues are the responsibility of health authorities and national health service trusts. Information on which staff undertake surgical interventions is not available centrally.

  Hospital consultants are responsible for ensuring that junior doctors do not undertake any surgical intervention which is beyond their competence and for providing adequate supervision. The report of the 1991–92 national
  416
  confidential enquiry into perioperative deaths—NCEPOD—published in 1993, commented that in some specialties, basic specialist trainees should not be left to work alone without suitable supervision and direction. NCEPOD has recommended that consultants and hospital managers at local level should work together to achieve this. Copies of the report are available in the Library.

  Health authorities are now responsible for funding clinical audit through contracts, and non-clinical managers are therefore involved in deciding the agenda of topics for clinical audit.

  NHS Chief Executives
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what deficiencies she has identified in career training for chief executives in the NHS; and what plans she has to remedy them.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There is a wide range of training and development programmes for chief executives and other senior managers in the national health service, much of it carried out at local level to meet the specific requirements of individual managers and the changing needs of the service. The national health service executive works with managers of professional and educational bodies to ensure that chief executives are able to meet the demanding standards expected of them.

  Acute Beds
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list, by London health district, the total number of acute beds for each of the past five years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information will be placed in the Library. Figures for some district health authorities may not be comparable over the period because of boundary changes.

  During the period 1988–89 to 1992–93 there was a 4.49 per cent. increase in the number of in-patients treated.

  Local Pay Agreements
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects all trusts to be operating local pay agreements.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 provided for all trusts to employ staff on such terms as they think fit. The chief executive of the NHS executive wrote on 6 June to the chief executives of all trusts asking for local action plans to be established by October 1994 for local pay machinery to be in place by February 1995.

  Matrons
  Mr. Lord
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to re-introduce the post of matron into all NHS hospitals; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The exact titles and responsibilities of senior nurses are for local decision. The title matron may be used if appropriate. Every national health service trust is required to have a senior nurse as an executive director.

  General Practice Manpower
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the trend in entry into general practice in the last three years; and what assessment she has made as to the adequacy of entry to compensate for loss.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Over the past three years there have been approximately 1,400 new entrants to general practice per year in England and Wales. This has been sufficient to ensure a continuing increase in overall numbers of general practitioners.

  Distinction Awards (Consultants)
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the report on consultants' distinction awards will be published.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We are considering the report of the working party on the review of the consultants' distinction awards scheme, and an announcement will be made in due course.

  Lynfield Mount Hospital
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will appoint an independent inquiry into how a patient admitted to the secure unit located at Lynfield Mount hospital in Bradford escaped from the hospital grounds on 21 June; what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the security arrangements at the secure unit and in the hospital; and what her policy is in respect of the location of secure units in residential areas.

  Mr. Bowis
  Bradford community health national health service trust has instigated a full investigation into this matter.

  Hospitals are responsible for ensuring that security of pyschiatric patients is maintained at a level consistent with the risk that they may present to themselves or to other people. The siting of national health service facilities has, since April 1991, been subject to the normal requirements of town and country planning legislation.

  Table 1

  General Dental Services, adult and child patients deregistered, the number of dentists deregistering patients from week ending 3 July 1992 to 1 April 1994 and the number of additions to dentists' registers1 during July 1992 to March 1994, by region.

  England

  Region

  Number of patients deregistered

  Number of1 additions to dentists' registers

  Dentists deregistering 2adults

  Dentists deregistering 2children

  England

  659,134

  21,119,080

  2,392

  246

  Northern

  20,038

  1,486,949

  52

  14

  Yorkshire

  34,368

  1,661,152

  220

  27

  Trent

  40,485

  1,976,989

  159

  19

  East Anglia

  41,987

  861,961

  113

  9

  North West Thames

  17,324

  1,692,096

  103

  6

  North East Thames

  23,342

  1,875,752

  121

  16

  South East Thames

  88,521

  1,670,670

  280

  18

  South West Thames

  68,196

  1,275,543

  143

  1

  Wessex

  63,590

  1,152,992

  123

  1

  Oxford

  75,831

  1,045,617

  252

  4

  South Western

  115,719

  1,426,337

  333

  33

  West Midlands

  29,168

  2,028,579

  121

  13

  Mersey

  8,665

  1,123,464

  107

  6

  North Western

  31,900

  1,840,979

  265

  79

  Source: Department of Health

  1Includes transfers of patients from one dentist to another and inclusions on a dentist's list of a former patient whose registration had lapsed.

  2Some dentists will have deregistered adults and child patients and will appear in both columns.

  Practice Nurses
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what scientific evidence she has as to the cost-effectiveness of the increase in practice nurses in primary care.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We are satisfied that the effect of the increase in practice nurses is evident in benefits to patients, for example, through support of general practitioners in the provision of the following services;immunisation—over 90 per cent. of GPs have achieved top rates;
  97 per cent. of GPs have reached cervical cytology targets; over 90 per cent. of GPs have reached band three of health promotion, while almost 90 per cent. of GPs have been approved to run chronic disease management programmes for the treatment of asthma and diabetes;
  a survey conducted by MORI in 1991 found that almost four out of five elderly patients, over 75 years of age, who were offered a health check took advantage of it while nine out of ten of those patients who had the health check found it to be useful.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women were eligible for free dental service during pregnancy and one year after the birth of the child in each of the past three financial years.

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

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been deregistered by their dentists in each regional health authority since 1 July 1992; and how many dentists in each of the RHA areas have been involved in deregistrations.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 20 June 1994]: The information is shown in the tables. Over a similar period total patient registrations rose by 1,049,178 or 3·8 per cent.
  419

  Table 2

  General Dental Services, adult and child patients deregistered, the number of dentists deregistering patients from week ending 8 July 1994 to 10 June 1994 and the number of additions to dentists' registers1 during April 1994, by region.

  England

  Region

  Number deregistered

  Number of1 additions to dentists' registers

  Dentists deregistering2adults

  Dentists deregistering2children

  England

  28,631

  1,100,653

  85

  12

  Northern and Yorkshire

  3,295

  164,009

  8

  0

  Trent

  2,916

  90,373

  3

  1

  South Thames

  5,109

  154,977

  25

  4

  North Thames

  937

  164,422

  9

  0

  West Midlands

  2,360

  95,421

  4

  0

  North West

  1,844

  177,826

  17

  6

  East Anglian and Oxford

  5,328

  98,982

  4

  0

  South West

  6,842

  154,643

  15

  1

  Source: Dental Practice Board

  1Includes transfers of patients from one dentist to another and inclusions on a dentist's list of a former patient whose registration had lapsed.

  2Some dentists will have deregistered adults and child patients and will appear in both columns.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Obscene Publications Branch
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what contingency plans he has formulated for co-ordination and liaison between Governments and international agencies responsible for supervising broadcasting standards and broadcasting regulation compliance with specific reference to sexually violent and explicit material should the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis proceed with his plans to disband the obscene publications branch of the Metropolitan police; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  I understand that no proposals about the future of the branch have been made, but the Metropolitan police have given assurances that the work of the branch, as it relates to broadcast material, will continue.

  Audio-description Services
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has made to broadcasting authorities concerning the availability of audio-description services on television for blind and partially sighted people; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  None. But I know that a consortium of the Independent Television Commission, the BBC, the ITV Association, the Royal National Institute for the Blind, together with a range of industrial and academic partners, are developing the Audetel project. This project aims to provide an audio-description commentary on television to help those who are blind or partially sighted to understand the programme. I understand that the BBC and ITV hope to begin experimental transmissions in July.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what research has been undertaken by his Department into the use of audio-described television for blind and/or partially sighted people in the United States; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  Audio-description services for television were introduced in the United States in 1990. It is for the partners in the Audetel project to consider how far American experience is helpful in developing audio-descriptive services in the United Kingdom.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Crime Prevention
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance is given by his Department in conjunction with the Department of the Environment to local authorities regarding crime prevention through planning and design.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  In February the Department of the Environment and the Welsh Office in consultation with the Home Office issued a circular on "Planning Out Crime" which gave detailed guidance to local authorities and others about planning considerations relating to crime prevention. Specialist advice on designing out crime is also provided to local authorities and others by police architectural liaison officers.

  Birds of Prey (Thefts)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there have been for stealing(a) captive and (b) wild birds of prey in each year since 1990 and each month during 1994.

  Mr. Maclean
  The number of offenders convicted under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 from 1990 to 1992 for offences related to birds are given in the table. Information is not collected centrally as to the species involved.

  Number of offenders convicted under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 of offences related to birds England and Wales

  Offence description

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

  Protection of wild birds (Section 1)

  24

  33

  33

  Protection of nests and eggs of wild birds (Section 1)

  2

  12

  7

  Illegal entry into bird sanctuaries (Section 3)

  —

  2

  —

  Protection of wild birds in sanctuaries (Section 3)

  —

  1

  —

  Protection of the nests and eggs of wild birds in sanctuaries (Section 3)

  —

  —

  —

  421

  Offence description

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild birds (Section 5)

  9

  6

  5

  Protection of captive birds (Section 8)

  7

  —

  4

  Police (Performance-related Pay)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the police functions he intends shall be subject to measurement in order to provide a basis for performance-related pay for chief constables and other senior officers.

  Mr. Charles Wardle:
  This matter is under discussion with the relevant interests.

  Mr. Michael:
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the possible incentives he is considering as the rewards in a system of performance-related pay for chief constables and other senior police officers.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 20 June to my hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge, (Mr. Shersby),Official Report, column 9.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will restore the practice of publishing quarterly detailed figures for recorded crime in England and Wales and in each police force area as soon as such figures can be compiled by his Department.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have no plans to revert to quarterly publication of recorded crime statistics.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what sources of information he relies for an assessment of intensity or persistence of law-breaking with regard to the age and sex of offenders compared with the generality of the population; and if he will publish such of it as is not already published.

  Mr. Maclean
  The main source of official statistics on criminal careers is the offenders index, a database containing information on all serious convictions in England and Wales from 1963 to 1992. Studies carried out using the offenders index include cohort studies which enable estimates to be made of the percentage of the population with serious convictions at different ages and by sex. Periodically, the offenders index is supplemented with information on cautioning collected from police forces. Information on the offenders index and studies carried out using it is contained in "The Offender; Tale: Janus Studies", a copy of which is available in the Library. The results of cohort and other analyses based upon the offenders index are published regularly and will continue to be so.

  A detailed analysis carried out by the Home Office research and planning unit of criminal careers, including involvement in offending, frequency of offending and factors associated with persistance and desistance analysis, was published last year.
  "Analysing Offending: data, models and interpretations", by Roger Tarling, published by HMSO.

  Air Rifles
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make it his policy to introduce measures to control the purchase of air rifles by mail order;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to introduce greater controls over the purchase and possession of air rifles by young people.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No. There are already extensive restrictions on the purchase, possession and use of such weapons, particularly in relation to young people. In its second annual report, the Firearms Consultative Committee, the independent statutory body established to advise Government on the firearms legislation, concluded that the law as it stands is adequate to deal with current levels of misuse. My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to introduce further controls.

  Immigration Act 1971
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals under the age of 18 years who are(a) asylum seekers and (b) others are currently detained under the powers of the Immigration Act 1971, as amended; and what is the age of each such person.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  On 23 June, there were 10 people detained under Immigration Act powers who were, or claimed to be, under the age of 18. A breakdown by age is in the table:

  Numbers

  Asylum Seekers

  15 years

  11

  16 years

  0

  17 years

  8

  Others

  17 years

  1

  1The detainee who claims to be 15 years old has been medically examined and is believed to be several years older.

  Fire Safety
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to effect changes in the fire precautions and safety regulations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There are no plans at present to make changes in the fire precautions and safety regulations. However, there are proposals for changes in the report of the interdepartmental scrutiny of fire safety legislation and enforcement which was published on 22 June. A copy of that report has been placed in the Library of the House. The Government are committed to full consultation on the report's recommendations before considering whether changes should be made to the current legislative regime.

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations he has received concerning the effects on New Commonwealth children
  423
  learning English of reductions in section 11 funding; and how many such representations were (a) favourable and (b) unfavourable;

  (2) what changes he proposes to make to section 11 funding; and over what time scale.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have received many representations from local authorities and associations, teacher unions, ethnic minority communities and other interested parties about reductions in section 11 funding which, it was announced in November 1992, would need to take effect in 1994–95 and 1995–96. Such representations have essentially been to express concern about implications of reductions for the education system. However, there has been widespread support among relevant organisations for the approach, which we have announced we are adopting from 1994–95, of paying grant in the form of an annual budget to each grant recipient, rather than as a fixed percentage of actual salary costs, in order to ensure maximum flexibility for grant recipients in using the substantial funding which remains available.

  In the future, funding to meet particular needs of ethnic minorities will be available from the section 11 programme, or through wider regeneration programmes under the single regeneration budget.

  Motor-propelled Boats
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has to protect tourists using the foreshores and beaches of Wales from nuisance caused by the use of motor-propelled boats; and if he will bring forward legislation to limit the use of such boats.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Secretary of State has no powers to control the use of power boats on the foreshores and beaches. Local authorities are able to make byelaws to control public bathing and to regulate the navigation of seaside pleasure boats to prevent danger to bathers, but this does not include a power to prohibit the use of particular types of craft. There are no immediate plans to introduce legislation to increase local authorities' powers in this area, but problems of competing demands on coastal areas were the subject of recent discussion papers published jointly by the Department of the Environment and the Welsh Office. Responses to these papers are currently under consideration.

  Immigration
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for entry or residence as persons of independent means were refused in the past 12 months.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information on persons of independent means refused entry clearance, or admission, to the United Kingdom is not available. Twenty such persons were refused an extension of stay, and five were refused settlement, in 1993.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications were made over the past 12 months for persons to come to the United Kingdom or continue residence in the United Kingdom as persons of independent means on the basis of assets in excess of £500,000.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information on persons of independent means applying for entry clearance, or 424
  admitted, to the United Kingdom is not available. One hundred and twenty such persons were granted an extension of stay, and 140 were granted settlement, in 1993. Such persons had assets of not less than £200,000, or income of not less than £20,000 a year. Separate information on persons with assets in excess of £500,000 is not available.

  Asylum Seekers (Detention Centres)
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a breakdown of the number of asylum seekers held in detention of 13 June by(a) nationality, (b) gender, (c) length of detention, (d) place of detention and (e) immigration status at the time of application.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information available relates to people detained under Immigration Act powers on 22 June, who had applied for asylum at some stage. It is set out in the table:

  (a) Nationality

  Numbers

  Algeria

  57

  Angola

  12

  Azerbaizhan

  1

  Bangladesh

  8

  Bulgaria

  1

  Cameroon

  2

  China

  3

  Colombia

  6

  Cyprus

  7

  Djibouti

  1

  Egypt

  4

  Ethiopia

  4

  Ghana

  62

  India

  117

  Iran

  1

  Iraq

  3

  Israel

  2

  Ivory Coast

  12

  Jamaica

  1

  Kenya

  7

  Lebanon

  1

  Liberia

  8

  Libya

  2

  Morocco

  3

  Mozambique

  1

  Nationality doubtful

  5

  Nepalese

  2

  Niger

  5

  Nigeria

  99

  Pakistan

  13

  Peru

  1

  Poland

  5

  Romania

  10

  Russia

  2

  Sudan

  4

  Sierra Leone

  11

  Singapore

  1

  Slovakia

  9

  Somalia

  6

  South Africa

  4

  Sri Lanka

  25

  Tanzania

  2

  Thailand

  1

  Togo

  3

  Tunisia

  1

  Turkey

  36

  Uganda

  3

  Ukraine

  1

  Yugoslavia (former)

  3

  Zaire

  28

  TOTAL

  606

  425

  (B) By gender

  Number

  Males

  565

  Females

  41

  Total

  606

  (C) By length of detention

  Number

  Over 12 months

  18

  6–12 months

  101

  2–6 months

  318

  1–2 months

  68

  Under 1 month

  101

  Total

  606

  (D) By place of detention

  Number

  Immigration Service

  Campsfield House

  135

  Harmondsworth

  94

  Gatwick Beehive

  8

  Queens Building

  11

  Stansted

  7

  Port Detention

  7

  Newhaven

  6

  Prison Service

  Aberdeen

  1

  Belmarsh

  4

  Blakenhurst

  8

  Brinsford R C

  4

  Bristol

  4

  Bullingdon

  1

  Brixton

  3

  Canterbury

  31

  Cardiff

  1

  Chelmsford

  4

  Dover

  23

  Durham

  2

  Elmley

  1

  Erlestoke

  3

  Exeter

  5

  Feltham

  4

  Glen Parva

  1

  Gloucester

  1

  Greenock

  8

  Haslar 1

  93

  High Down

  11

  Holloway

  3

  Hull

  4

  Leeds

  4

  Lewes

  3

  Liverpool

  3

  Norwich

  5

  Pentonville

  18

  Reading

  1

  Risley

  1

  Rochester

  1

  Shrewsbury

  1

  Strangeways

  9

  Swaleside

  1

  Swansea

  1

  Wandsworth

  7

  Winchester

  8

  Winson Green

  38

  The Wolds

  1

  Wormwood Scrubs

  6

  Police Cells

  10

  TOTAL

  606

  1Haslar Holding Centre is primarily an Immigration Service Detention Centre, although managed by the Prison Service.

  426

  (E) By immigration status at the time of application

  Application made at Post following arrival in the United Kingdom

  Illegal entrants

  Subject to deportation action

  303

  258

  45

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers and other immigration detainees were being held in police stations during each of the past three months.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  On 22 June, 10 people who had at some stage claimed asylum were detained in police cells under Immigration Act powers. Historical information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Police (Firearms)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were fully trained in the use of firearms in(a) 1983 and (b) 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There were 13,020 authorised firearms officers in England and Wales on 31 December 1983, and 6,769 on 31 December 1993. The drop in numbers reflects decisions by chief officers of police to concentrate their firearms capacity in a smaller number of highly trained officers.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers sustained firearm injuries in the course of their duty in(a)1983 and (b)1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  In 1985, the earliest year for which figures are readily available, 16 police officers were injured by firearms in the course of their duty in England and Wales, none fatally.

  In 1992, 11 police officers were injured, one, a special constable, receiving fatal injuries.

  Information for 1993 is not yet available.

  Prison Births
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile) of 10 May,Official Report, column 73, regarding babies born in prison, what were the circumstances in which one baby was born in prison in the year 1987–88 and two babies in 1988–89; at what prison the mothers were being detained; and if he will make a statement in respect of his Department's instructions about mothers giving birth in prison.

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

  Letter from Philippa Drew to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 June 1994:

  427
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the circumstances in which one baby was born in prison in the year 1987–88 and two babies in 1988–89; at what prison the mothers were being detained; and if he will make a statement in respect of his Department's instructions about mothers giving birth in prisons.
  The establishments where the mothers were being detained at the time of birth were:

  1987–88: HMP Styal

  1988–89: HMP Holloway

  1988–89: HM Remand Centre Risley

  In each case the babies were born in prison establishments because the progress of labour was too fast to allow the mother to be taken to hospital in time. It is the usual practice for mothers to be delivered at a designated local hospital. On the rare occasions that the birth takes place in a prison establishment, the birth certificate does not show that the birth took place in prison. It instead indicates the area in which the establishment is located.

  Police Officers (Abuse of Authority)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were charged with abuse of their authority in(a) 1983 and (b) 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Figures are not collected centrally on the categories of disciplinary charges leading to disciplinary proceedings.

  Substantiated complaints from members of the public of oppressive behaviour by police officers numbered 207 in 1993: assault—94; oppressive conduct or harassment—41; unlawful or unnecessary arrest or detention—72. Equivalent figures are not available for 1983.

  Firearms
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of firearms circulating illegally in Britain; and what assessment he has made of whether the number is increasing.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I have made no such estimate. The Government take the illegal possession of firearms very seriously, but I am aware of no hard evidence which would indicate that it is increasing.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have had their firearms certificate withdrawn for misuse in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  This information is not available centrally.

  Police Injuries
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work days were lost by police officers who sustained injuries in the course of their duty in(a) 1983 and (b) 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information on the number of injuries is not held centrally. In 1990, the earliest year for which complete figures are readily available, a total of 53,626 days' sick absence resulted from assaults on police officers in England and Wales. In 1992 the equivalent figure was 47,023. Information for 1993 is not yet available.

  Life Sentences
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were serving a life sentence and were released from prison after serving less than 10, 15 or 20 years, in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  Time served under sentence1

  Year of release

  Less than 10 years

  10 less than 15 years

  15 less than 20 years

  1983

  49

  44

  7

  1984

  39

  18

  7

  1985

  23

  32

  5

  1986

  19

  19

  6

  1987

  15

  24

  8

  1988

  31

  31

  3

  1989

  20

  42

  10

  1990

  14

  41

  16

  1991

  21

  35

  9

  1992

  20

  44

  18

  1993 2

  15

  29

  24

  1Other than those released on compassionate grounds.

  2Figures for 1993 are provisional.

  Fire Service
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for the future role of the fire service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There are no plans at present to change the role of the fire service as laid down in the Fire Services Act 1947, as amended.

  The role of the fire service and other bodies responsible for enforcing fire safety legislation is currently being considered in the light of the report of the interdepartmental scrutiny of fire safety legislation which was published on 22 June. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House. The Government are committed to full consultation on the report's recommendations before considering whether changes should be made to current legislative and enforcement regimes.

TRANSPORT

  Roadworthiness Checks
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mrs. Jackson) of 21 March,Official Report, columns 105–7, how many spot checks on the roadworthiness of vehicles were carried out in the year 1993–94; what was the number of traffic enforcement spot checks carried out in the same year; and how many spot checks are planned by the Vehicle Inspectorate for the current financial year.

  Mr. Key
  The following is the information:

  Roadworthiness Inspections

  1993–94

  PSV spot checks

  124,521

  HGV spot checks

  2120,335

  LGV spot checks

  320,035

  Taxis and Non-testable vehicles

  1,558

  429
  1Excludes 5,165 special checks on emissions.

  2Excludes 3,342 special checks on lighting and 10,589 on emissions.

  3Excludes 33,103 special emission checks on cars and light goods vehicles.

  Note:

  In 1993–94 the Inspectorate was not asked by Departmental customers to conduct full roadworthiness spot checks on cars.

  1994–95 (planned)

  PSV spot checks

  124,442

  HGV spot checks

  2120,413

  LGV spot checks

  318,960

  Taxis and Non-testable vehicles

  1,303

  1Excludes 4,869 special checks on emissions.

  2Excludes 3,372 special checks on lighting and 9,129 on emissions.

  3Excludes 33,807 special emission checks on cars and light goods vehicles.

  Traffic Enforcement Inspections

  Type of vehicle

  1993–94

  1994–95 (Planned)

  Heavy Goods

  240,379

  306,000

  Public Service

  34,574

  34,000

  Light Goods

  19,230

  13,157

  Road Schemes
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the result of the cost benefit analysis calculations for(a) the Swainswick and Batheaston bypass on its own and (b) the Swainswick and Batheaston bypass together with the road schemes connected to its northern and its eastern end;

  (2) if he will list the financial years in which funds have been allocated for the road schemes connecting with (a) the northern end and (b) the eastern end of the Swainswick and Batheaston bypass.

  Mr. Key
  These questions are operational matters for the Highways Agency. The chief executive, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, will be writing to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 27 June 1994:
  I am writing in response to your two recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport about trunk road schemes near Bath. These are matters for which the Highways Agency is now responsible.
  The results of the cost benefit analyses for these schemes are as follows:

  (a) A4/A46 Batheaston/Swainswick bypass

  Net present value (low growth)

  £3·2 million

  Net present value (high growth)

  £17·7 million

  Benefit:Cost ratio

  1·32:1

  (b) A46 Upper Swainswick—M4 Tormarton improvements

  Net present value (low growth)

  £13·1 million

  Net present value (high growth

  £42·2 million

  Benefit:Cost ratio

  2·78 :1

  (c) A36 Beckington—East of Bath improvement

  Net present value (low growth)

  £4·3 million

  Net present value (high growth)

  £42·2 million

  Benefit:Cost ratio

  1·60: 1

  The results are dependent on future economic growth and figures are given separately for low and high growth, which are equally likely scenarios. The benefit to cost ratio is an average which is a useful indicator of returns from investments.430 Calculations have not been carried out for all the schemes together. There could be additional benefits with the completion of all three schemes, but each is justified in its own right in any event.We are at a comparatively early stage in the development of the A46 Upper Swainswick—M4 Tormarton Improvements and the A36 Beckington—East of Bath Improvement. They are still subject to the successful completion of statutory procedures. Apart from the costs of preparation, funds have not been allocated at this stage. The claims of these schemes on our limited rsources will be assessed against other competing demands at the relevant time.

  Transport Supplementary Grant
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what formula officials within his Department adopt to determine whether a scheme qualifies for transport supplementary grant.

  Mr. Key
  No set formula is adopted. Criteria for eligibility for transport supplementary grant—TSG—are set out annually in a local authority circular on transport policies and programmes—TPP—submissions. The most recent circular, for 1995–97, is local authority circular 2/94, published on 25 May 1994. My right hon. Friend and I consider bids for TSG on their merits against the criteria and competing bids, within the resources available.

  Newly Qualified Drivers
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many traffic accidents involving newly qualified drivers were reported in(a) 1990, (b) 1991, (c) 1992 and (d) 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  Information about the number of traffic accidents involving newly qualified drivers is not available. However, a high proportion of newly qualified drivers who have recently passed their test are under 22 years of age. The following table shows the number of accident involved car drivers who were under 22 years of age, since 1990.

  Number of car drivers (under 22 years of age) involved in injury road accidents Great Britain 1990–93

  Drivers

  1990

  56,561

  1991

  51,017

  1992

  48,687

  1993

  43,823

  West Coast Main Line
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the terms of reference and scope of the feasibility study being undertaken into the upgrading of the west coast main line by Railtrack and West Coast Main Line Development Company Ltd.

  Mr. Freeman
  Railtrack and WCML Development Co. Ltd. have published a summary of the terms of reference and scope of the study in a document entitled "The West Coast Main Line, Progress on the Feasibility Study". I have placed copies in the Library.

  Disabled People (Road-crossing Facilities)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made by local authorities with provision of road-crossing facilities for(a) the visually disabled and (b) other disabled; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The Department of Transport has worked closely with local authorities since 1986 to give guidance on the use of dropped kerbs at road crossings to help wheelchair users in conjunction with tactile surfaces to provide guidance and warning to visually impaired pedestrians. The Department's guidance in this area is very widely followed by local authorities all over the country.

  In addition to tactile surfaces, audible signals at ordinary pelican crossings have been in use for some 25 years. More recently, the "Bleep and Sweep" audible unit has been developed by the Department for use at staggered pelican crossings. This provides a directional sound which overcomes the danger of confusion to visually impaired pedestrians. A tactile cone has also been introduced which provides guidance to pedestrians who are both deaf and blind. Most recently, puffin crossings have been introduced on a trial basis by the Department. These have the major advantage for elderly and disabled pedestrians that the amount of crossing time can be extended to accommodate the needs of those who move more slowly.

  Local authorities are being encouraged to include these facilities in both new designs and modifications.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to visit Paisley Gilmour Street railway station to evaluate its accessibility to disabled and infirm people; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 22 June at column 245.

  Road Accidents
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatalities occurred in accidents involving(a) light goods vehicles and (b) cars over the last five years.

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

  Fatalities in accidents involving LGVs and cars: GB 1988 to 1993

  Casualties

  Year

  Accidents involving an LGV

  Accidents involving a car

  1988

  563

  3,967

  1989

  588

  4,300

  1990

  550

  4,183

  1991

  501

  3,704

  1992

  415

  3,466

  1993

  370

  3,069

EDUCATION

  Bullying
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will produce a children's charter advising children on their rights generally and on the matter of bullying in particular; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to produce such a charter. The Department has, however, already published a leaflet of guidance for children setting out what they should do if they are bullied.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what decisions his Department has taken in respect of TECs in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement on his Department's other involvement with TECs over the same period.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Employment Department takes the lead on the majority of decisions concerning TECs. This Department has been strengthening its relationships with TECs, for example, through a series of regional seminars this year hosted by DFE Ministers and senior officials at which issues of mutual concern and interest have been discussed.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many former students with student loans are not currently making repayments as their earned income has failed to reach 85 per cent. of average incomes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  This is a matter for the Student Loans Company. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children of New Commonwealth origin he estimates will be taught English with resources obtained from the single regeneration budget; and what total amount of section 11 funding is being transferred into the single regeneration budget.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information is not readily available for the current year in the form requested in the first part of the question. The bidding round for the single regeneration budget for 1995–96 does not close until September this year. It will be up to local bidding partnerships to decide what priority to give to the needs of ethnic minority children and to bid accordingly. My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary has transferred, for incorporation into the single regeneration budget, the following financial year amounts from his Department's section 11 provision:

  £ million

  1994–95

  60·5

  1995–96

  53·0

  1996–97

  53·0

WALES

  Heart Disease
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the level of coronary heart disease in Wales; and what was the figure 10 years ago.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  In 1992, the latest year for which figures are available, there were 9,198 deaths in Wales from coronary heart disease representing 3· per 1,000 population. In 1983, the figure was 9,880, representing 3·5 deaths per 1,000 population.

  Development Board for Rural Wales
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent consultations he has had on the future of the Development Board for Rural Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend and I have consulted widely on the review and we are carefully considering the responses received. My right hon. Friend will announce his conclusions before the summer recess.

  District Nurses
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the number of unremunerated hours worked by district nurses in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  This information is not held centrally.

  Local Government
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on decentralisation schemes for local government in Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the debates in the House at Report stage of the Local Government (Wales) Bill on 15 and 16 June. I will, issue guidance under clause 27 of the Bill in due course.

  Welsh Language Act
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made on the implementation of the Welsh Language Act 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Good progress is being made. Most importantly, the Welsh Language Board is preparing statutory guidelines for Welsh language schemes about which it will consult later this year and which my right hon. Friend will put before the House thereafter.

  Port Talbot Hospital
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future of Port Talbot hospital.
  434
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  West Glamorgan health authority is proposing to close this hospital and to move on to improved arrangements for health care, including a new modern hospital at Baglan.

  Housing (Disabled People)
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of Welsh 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.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  In the 1994 housing strategies and operational plans round, local authorities reported 2,678 local authority and 1,511 registered housing association properties as meeting the particular requirements of disabled people. These figures represent 1·27 per cent. of total local authority stock—as at 1 April 1994—and 3·62 per cent. of total registered housing association stock—as at 31 May 1994—respectively. Figures are not available for the private sector. Disabled facilities grants, local authority expenditure on aids and adaptations and the special needs policy of Housing for Wales are the main vehicles for ensuring an adequate supply of adapted housing.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the total funding unaccounted for, or misused by, non-departmental public bodies in Wales during the year 1993–94; if he intends refunding such money to local authorities or relevant bodies which have suffered difficulties because of this mismanagement; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The accounts for non-departmental public bodies for 1993–94 are currently being audited and will be laid before Parliament in due course.

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

  Mr. Redwood
  Information is available only from 1988–89. Over this period the Welsh Office has awarded contracts to five of the firms mentioned for consultancy work, including market testing. Information on the number of contracts awarded is as follows:
  435

  1988–89 to 1991–92

  1992–93

  Market testing

  Consultancy

  Market testing

  Consultancy

  Coopers and Lybrand

  1

  9

  1

  5

  KPMG Peat-Marwick

  —

  5

  —

  5

  Ernst and Young

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Price Waterhouse

  —

  3

  1

  —

  Touche Ross

  —

  13

  1

  5

  Details of expenditure with individual firms cannot be disclosed for reasons of commercial confidentiality.

  Medical Consultants (Merit Awards)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what statutory basis he withheld the names of those medical consultants in Wales who currently hold merit awards.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The names of individual award holders have always been regarded as confidential on the ground that the earnings of individual members of staff are a matter between the employee and his or her employer. Publication of the names of award holders might also lead individual patients to judge the quality of the treatment afforded on the basis of the level of award held.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to remove the confidential nature relating to the names of those medical consultants in Wales who currently hold merit awards.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The working party to review the consultant's distinction awards scheme set up by the Minister for Health in November 1993 was asked to consider as part of its deliberations whether the names of award holders should in future be published. The report of the working party is currently being considered, and an announcement will be made in due course.

  Infertility, Gwent
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what provision is made for infertility investigation in Gwent;

  (2) what is the provision for infertility treatment in Gwent.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The provision for infertility investigation and treatment is a matter for Gwent health authority which will take into account need, competing demands and available resources.

  Exports
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of Britain's manufacturing industry exports originated in Wales in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Export statistics are collected on a United Kingdom basis by HM Customs and Excise at the point at which goods leave the country. It is not currently possible to routinely separate out figures for exports which originate from Wales.

  Hospital Services
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales where is the highest recorded increase in the published extra-contractual raferrals tarrif between the 436
  tariff in 1993–94 and the tariff in 1994–95 and in the specialties of (a) ENT, (b) general surgery, (c) ophthalmology, (d) orthopaedics and (e) general medicine.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The highest average increase for general surgery is at Wrexham Maelor hospital NHS trust; for general medicine it is at Llandough hospital NHS trust and for ENT, ophthalmology and orthopaedics it is at Carmarthen and District NHS trust.

  These increases need to be interpreted with care as hospitals are refining both the classification of services and the way costs are allocated to them.

  Boat Accidents
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many accidents involving motor-propelled craft and speed boats were reported off the coast of Wales during each year since 1990–91; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  This information is not held centrally.

  Commercial Property
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received about the commercial property market in Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  During the past 18 months, my Department has received about a dozen representations, on four main areas—rent reviews, confidentiality clauses in leases, dispute procedures and unfair leases.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  National Insurance
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the estimated income of the national insurance fund for 1993–94, in total, from each class of contribution, from the Treasury and from other sources; and what was the estimated expenditure of the fund for each benefit, administration and other outgoings.

  Mr. Hague
  The figures shown in the table are both provisional and estimated. The actual figures for 1993–94 will not be known until the autumn as full details of income and expenditure will not be available until then. The figures will also be subject to scrutiny by National Audit Office.

  Income of the National Insurance Fund:

  £ million

  Contributions

  Class 1: Employees

  12,224

  Employers

  19,576

  31,800

  437

  Class 1A

  430

  Class 2

  464

  Class 3

  43

  Class 4

  560

  33,297

  LESS:

  Recovery of SSP

  -679

  Recovery of SMP

  -434

  Total Contributions

  32,184

  State scheme premiums

  137

  Investment income

  500

  Payment from Consolidated Fund

  1,094

  Exchequer grant

  7,589

  Total Income

  41,504

  Expenditure of the National Insurance Fund:

  Retirement Pension

  28,169

  Widows Benefit

  1,046

  Sickness Benefit

  292

  Invalidity Benefit

  7,033

  Unemployment Benefit

  1,618

  Xmas Bonus

  116

  Guardian's Allowance and Childs Special Allowance

  1·5

  Maternity Allowance

  33·5

  Total Benefit Expenditure

  38,309

  Administration

  1,554

  Other Outgoings

  354

  Total Expenditure

  40,217

  Excess of income over outgo

  1,287

  Opening Balance 1 April 1993

  3,436

  Estimated Balance in Fund at the end of year

  4,723

  Note: The above figures are comprised of estimates from the Government Actuary Department for contribution income, the latest departmental view, based on the June in-year monitoring report of benefit expenditure and actual figures from the Department's accounting system. National Audit Office has yet to audit the figures which will be in the draft annual account and due to be presented to the Department's accounting officer in October 1994.

  Income Support
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will specify the annual income entitlement, supplementary benefit or income support, excluding housing benefit for(a) a single unemployed person aged 24 years and (b) a man and a woman both aged 34 years with two children aged 12 and 11 years, for each year since 1979, at April 1994 prices on the Rossi index.

  Mr. Burt
  The figures requested are in the attached table.

  Part of our policy in replacing supplementary benefit was to target benefit on those groups most in need, and we succeeded. Since 1988 we have given extra help, over and above normal upratings, to families with children. The income support rates for single people aged 18 to 24 take account of the fact that the vast majority live as members of someone else's household.
  438

  A Financial year

  B Single unemployed 24 year old

  C 34 year old couple with children aged 11 and 12

  1979–80

  1,974·53

  4,868·14

  1980–81

  2,012·82

  5,124·23

  1981–82

  2,064·88

  5,467·05

  1982–83

  2,118·34

  5,606·61

  1983–84

  2,182·33

  5,773·89

  1984–85

  2,185·28

  5,782·62

  1985–86

  2,188·14

  5,790·91

  1986–87

  2,208·75

  5,852·50

  1987–88

  2,185·95

  5,792·06

  1988–89

  1,790·41

  6,171·93

  1989–90

  1,785·39

  6,255·39

  1990–91

  1,750·05

  6,164·66

  1991–92

  1,764·48

  6,205·64

  1992–93

  1,829·63

  6,463·59

  1993–94

  1,838·64

  6,495·98

  Notes:

  Column B—shows for 1979 to 1988 the annual supplementary benefit entitlement, at 1994 prices, for a single householder. From April 1988 the figures are the annual entitlement to income support, at 1994 prices, for a single unemployed person aged 18–24. No additions which might have been payable within supplementary benefit or income support premiums for special needs have been included.

  Column C—shows for 1979–88 the annual supplementary benefit entitlement, at 1994 prices, for a couple (aged 18 or over) with two children aged 11 and 12. From April 1988 the figures are the annual income support entitlement, at 1994 prices, for the same family composition. No additions which might have been payable within supplementary benefit have been included. The income support figures included the family premium which is paid automatically.

  The Rossi index (ie the retail prices index less housing costs) has been used to revalue at 1994 prices because there is no housing element in the entitlement shown.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were claiming income support in Scotland, Wales and for each of the standard English regions for the most recent date for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of the total number of partners and dependants of those income support recipients in each area.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the table.

  Number of Claimants 000s

  Number of Partners 000s

  Number of Dependents 000s

  North East

  839

  153

  464

  North West

  812

  127

  455

  Midlands

  912

  178

  530

  London North

  1,018

  189

  595

  London South

  915

  155

  511

  South West

  411

  77

  210

  Wales

  312

  55

  174

  Scotland

  553

  79

  268

  Total

  5,771

  1,013

  3,207

  Notes:

  1. Source: Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry August 1993

  2. Figures are for DSS administrative Regions.

  3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.

  Contributions Agency
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the present policy of the Contributions Agency towards the allocation of national insurance numbers to people seeking work.
  439
  Mr. Hague
  The Department's long-standing policy has been to allocate national insurance numbers, in accordance with regulation 44 of the Contributions Regulations 1979, to applicants who may be liable to pay NI contributions. This includes the employed, the self-employed, those who wish to pay voluntary contributions and those approaching the age of 16. The Department also uses the NI number as an administrative identifier within the social security benefit system and allocate NI numbers to people who claim certain benefits and who do not already have a number.

  The Department has recently been reviewing the policy and procedures for allocating NI numbers to those who are seeking work. As a result, the Contributions Agency will shortly be issuing new guidance to its local offices. This will specify that they can accept applications from people who can demonstrate satisfactorily that they are seeking employment. If, however, the applicant cannot demonstrate satisfactorily why he needs a NI number, the Department may consider refusing the application. The Department's refusal to allocate a number in such cases does not prevent the applicant re-applying when it is appropriate to do so. Nor does it prevent anyone taking up employment before he receives a NI number.

  Living Standards (Children)
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what research he has commissioned or undertaken in the past five years in specific relation to article 27(1) of the United Nations convention on the rights of the child on an adequate standard of living.

  Mr. Burt
  No research has been undertaken specifically as a result of article 27(1) of the convention. However, research is regularly conducted into the role of social security and its impact on those in low income households. A list of research projects sponsored by the Department is published in the "Social Security Research Yearbooks"—formally the "DHSS Handbook of Research and Development"—copies of which are in the Library.

  Income-related Benefits
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received on the rate of deduction from income-related benefits for capital held by the claimant; and what response he has made.

  Mr. Burt
  The Department has received correspondence on this issue from a variety of sources. We have no current plans to change the formula applied for taking account of capital in excess of £3,000 when calculating entitlement to income-related benefits.

  Vaccine Damage
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims have been made on behalf of vaccine-damaged children for the vaccine-damaged payment, who have been accepted as vaccine damaged but were turned down because their disability was less than 80 per cent.; and how many parents have applied but have been turned down because of the six year ruling.
  440
  Mr. Hague
  The administration of the vaccine damage payment scheme 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. Richard Burden, dated 24 June 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Vaccine Damage Scheme.
  The information is not available in the exact format requested. I have been able to provide information from the first date from which figures are available, June 1981.
  Since June 1981 there have been 853 claims made on behalf vaccine damaged children for the vaccine damaged payment. Of these, 8 have been accepted as vaccine damaged but were turned down because their disability was less than 80 per cent.
  I am not able to provide you with details of the number of parents who have applied but been turned down because of the six year rule. This is because records held do not classify "parents" separately. However, I can tell you that since June 1981, with regard to all claims, the number of claims disallowed because of the six year rule is 209.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost of vaccine damage payments and the financial cost of compensation paid out to victims and their families for each year since 1987.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is in the table1

  Year

  £

  1987

  150,000

  1988

  80,000

  1989

  70,000

  1990

  10,000

  1991

  50,000

  1992

  360,000

  1993

  60,000

  Financial compensation is payable only when there has been a delay in dealing with the claim. Since 1987, approximately £25,000 has been paid in this way.

  Note: 1Figures are subject to amendment as further awards may be made on review or appeal.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many vaccine damage cases seeking compensation have been rejected and how many approved, breaking down the figures by category of damage for which the payments were made, in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the table1.

  Years

  Awards

  Disallowances

  1988

  5

  38

  1989

  2

  53

  1990

  Nil

  40

  1991

  2

  41

  1992

  216

  36

  1993

  3

  46

  1Figures are subject to amendment as further awards may be made on review or appeal.

  2The increase in awards for 1992 was due to a combination of factors and includes a number of awards for claims made in earlier years, some consequent upon Vaccine Damage Tribunal findings.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost of the vaccine damage scheme for each year since 1987.
  441
  Mr. Hague
  The information is not available)in the form requested. The administrative costs of the vaccine damage payment unit are subsumed within those of a larger administrative unit at Fylde, Blackpool.

  Benefits
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the live load in each of the area directorates in Scotland, Wales and England for sickness benefit, invalidity benefit and income support, of 16 to 17-year-olds, for the most recent date for which figures are available.

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

  Industrial Injuries
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the value of claims for industrial injuries disablement benefit for chronic bronchitis and emphysema paid in 1993–94; what is his estimate for 1994–95; and if he will break down the figures by social security districts.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is not available in the form requested. The estimated total annual benefit cost for the 12 months following prescription was £6 million. A similar cost, at 1993–94 prices, is estimated for the second and subsequent years.

  DEFENCE Landmines
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the incidents involving British troops who are serving with United Nation forces in Bosnia have been caused by landmines produced or supplied by United Kingdom companies.

  Mr. Hanley
  None of which we are aware.

  Bases (Sales)
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the bases his Department has(a) sold since 1991, (b) is currently attempting to sell and (c) intends to sell in whole or in part;

  (2) if he will list the purchasers and purchase price of the bases his Department has sold since 1991.

  Mr. Hanley
  The bases that my Department, sold between 31 March 1991 and 1 June 1994 are:Base and Location

  OFD Brixham, Devon

  OFD Willand, Devon

  OFD Swanvale, Cornwall

  Hamoaze House, Plymouth

  Royal William Yard, Plymouth

  RAF Mount Batten, Plymouth

  Mount Wise West, Plymouth

  Old Infirmary, Plymouth

  Leavesden Airfield, Hertfordshire

  Stoughton Barracks, Guildford

  RNSM Risley, Cheshire

  Cove Radio Station, Hampshire

  Filton Airfield, Avon

  Former Wilmslow MU, Cheshire

  RNAD Milford Haven, Dyfed:

  1. Depot

  442

  2. Land and Building

  3. Land

  4. Farmland

  5. Farmland

  6. Houses

  Wood Farm Camp, Malvern

  Wood Top Mill, Burnley

  Former Western District HQ, Shrewsbury:

  1. Mess

  2. MT Depot

  3. HQ Houses

  4. Land Burniston Barracks, Scarborough

  RAF Chessington, Surrey

  HMS St. Vincent (Furze House), London

  Harefield House

  Former ARE Depot, Bapaume Road, Portsmouth

  Ex RN Repair Depot, Fareham

  Eastney Barracks, Portsmouth

  HMS Mercury, Petersfield

  Signals Training Centre,

  Former RAF Sopley, Hampshire

  Jellalabad Barracks, Taunton

  RAF Escrick, North Yorkshire

  OFD Invergordon:

  1. Depot

  2. Tomich Pumphouse

  Storage Depot, Lathalmond

  Primrose Camp, Rosyth, Fife

  USN Radio Station, West Murkle, Thurso Bay

  Radio Station, Inverkip, Strathclyde

  SEMO Gillingham, Kent

  RAF Ely, Cambridge

  Gibraltar Bat-racks, Northampton

  RAF Orfordness (Site included an area owned by FCO)

  USN Facilities, Holy Loch:

  1. Commissary, Queen Street, Dunoon

  2. Dolphin Hall, Queen Street, Dunoon

  3. Ardnadam Complex, Sandbank

  4. Families Service Centre

  5. Medical/Dental Centre

  6. Land at Sandbank

  7. Supply Depot and Pier

  8. Sailing Club

  9. Rankin Complex

  Inveraray Pier

  RAF Biggin Hill, Kent

  Aerial Site, Hawklaw, Fife

  RAF Greatworth, Northamptonshire:

  1. Land and Buildings

  2. Land

  3. Land (2 plots)

  4. Land

  5. Land

  RAF Northcoates, Lincolnshire

  The bases that my Department intends to dispose of and is currently marketing are:

  Base

  Location

  RNSD Broughton Moor

  Cumbria

  CVD Hilton

  Derbyshire

  RNAD Trecwn

  Dyfed

  OFD Sully

  South Glamorgan

  PE & E Cold Meece

  Stone, Staffordshire

  DRA Swynnerton

  Stone, Staffordshire

  Meteorological Office Aughton

  Nr Ormskirk, Lancashire

  ROC HQ Church Lawford

  Nr Rugby, Warwickshire

  RAF Jurby Head

  Isle of Man

  Former HMS Phoenix

  Portsmouth, Hampshire

  Old Park Barracks

  Dover

  OFD Radford Woods

  Plymouth

  Renncy Lentney Camp

  Plymouth

  HMS Royal Arthur

  Corsham, Wiltshire

  Priddy's Hard

  Gosport, Hampshire

  Peninsula Barracks

  Winchester, Hampshire

  DRA Christchurch

  Dorset

  RAF Bentwaters

  Nr Saxmundham, Suffolk

  DRA Bedford

  Bedford

  DRA Farnborough

  Hampshire

  443

  Base

  Location

  324 Engineering Park

  Lathalmond, Fife

  RAF Hendon (East Camp)

  Greater London

  RAF Greenham Common

  Newbury, Berkshire

  Beavers Lane Camp

  Hounslow, Greater London

  RNSD Lathalmond

  Dunfermline, Fife

  PTS Medmenham

  Medmenham, Buckinghamshire

  OSDD Ruddington

  Nottingham

  RAF Swinderby

  Nr Lincoln

  DRA Waltham Abbey

  Greater London

  Royal Arsenal East and West

  Woolwich, Greater London

  Winston Barracks

  Lanark

  Former USN Communications Station

  Forss, Caithness

  'St Lukes', Regimental HQ and Museum, Aberdeen

  Grampian

  Fairfield House, Aberdeen

  Grampian

  CSOS Hawklaw

  Cupar, Fife

  Meteorological Office Site

  Shanwell, Tayport

  RAF Chicksands

  Shefford, Bedfordshire

  RAF Bicester

  Oxon

  It is my Department's practice not to disclose details of purchasers or purchase prices on the ground of commercial confidentiality. The sale prices did, however, represent the market value at the time of the sale.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the individuals or commercial enterprises which have expressed an interest in buying each base his Department is currently trying to sell.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Royal Navy Armaments Depot, Trecwn
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date tenders were invited from estate agents and surveyors for the contract to market Royal Navy armaments depot, Trecwn.

  Mr. Hanley
  Invitations to tender for the contract to market RNAD Trecwn were sent to estate agents and surveyors on 28 January 1994.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which individuals or commercial enterprises plans, details or inventories of the facilities at Royal Navy armaments depot, Trecwn were supplied during 1992.

  Mr. Hanley
  As far as can be ascertained, no details or inventories of the facilities at RNAD Trecwn were released to non-MOD bodies in 1992.

  Mr. Ainger:
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which individuals or commercial enterprises (a) plans, (b) details and (c) inventories of the facilities of Royal Navy armaments depot, Trecwn have been supplied since July 1991.

  Mr. Hanley
  Details of the facilities in RNAD Trecwn have been made widely available to individuals, commercial enterprises, statutory bodies and local authorities. Although comprehensive records have not been maintained of all those to whom information has been made available, my Department is aware of over 80 individuals or organisations to whom this material has been provided.
  444
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date his Department announced its intention to sell Royal Navy armaments depot, Trecwn.

  Mr. Hanley
  Together with the other "Options For Change" rationalisation measures, an announcement to close RNAD Trecwn was made on 16 July 1991.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date expressions of interest in buying Royal Navy armaments depot, Trecwn were first invited.

  Mr. Hanky
  Formal expressions of interest in buying RNAD Trecwn were first invited in the form of a press release on 11 April 1994 arranged by the Department's agents.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date(a) plans, (b) details and (c) inventories at Royal Navy armaments depot, Trecwn were first made publicly available to promote the sale at the base.

  Mr. Hanley
  Plans, details and inventories at RNAD Trecwn were launched to promote the sale at the establishment with the publication of the sales particulars on 27 April 1994, but details were available prior to that date on request from the Defence land agent.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which individuals or commercial enterprises details, plans or inventories at Royal Naval armaments depot, Trecwn were supplied during February 1993.

  Mr. Hanley
  The then Minister of State for the Armed Forces, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Sir A. Hamilton) undertook in February 1993 to send details of RNAD Trecwn and a site plan to Mr. R. Philipps and these were delivered to him by the Defence land agent in March of that year.

  Naval Forces (Co-operation)
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement outlining the number and dates of the meetings which have taken place over the past 12 months between representatives of his Department and representatives of the French Government on co-operation between the naval forces of the two nations; what was the nature of the subject matter covered in these discussions; and whether the operation of nuclear missile submarines was discussed.

  Mr. Hanley
  My Department holds regular discussions with French and other European nations during which many aspects of co-operation and equipment collaboration may be discussed, including issues related to nuclear deterrence.

  Hazardous Waste
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) of 26 May,Official Report, column 232, what the national and international regulations governing the movement and destruction of hazardous waste lay down as the minimum technical requirements for the handling of this waste; and whether these requirements obtain in all the third-world countries to which hazardous and toxic waste is exported.
  445
  Mr. Atkins
  I have been asked to reply.

  Transfrontier shipments of waste into and ow: of the United Kingdom are now governed by Council Regulation (EEC) No. 259/93, on the supervision and control of shipments of waste within, into and out of the European Community. The regulation fulfils the EC's obligations under the Basel convention. Shipments of wastes covered by the regulation must comply with a wide range of international transport conventions, listed in annex 1 to the regulation, dealing with the safety of consignments in transit. Disposal facilities in Great Britain must operate in accordance with authorisations given under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and waste management licences issued by waste regulation authorities under part II of that Act. The regulation prohibits shipments of waste for disposal outside the European Community, other than to EFTA countries which are parties to the Basel convention.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Information
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what rules govern the acquiring of information by Ministers or Whips on issues outside their responsibility and not connected with constituency issues.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  There are no formal rules on this matter beyond the obligation of all Ministers to preserve the privacy of Cabinet business and protect the security of Government documents.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what rules govern the passing of information with a commercial value gained by Ministers or Whips on to relatives.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Ministers are expected to act in such a way as to uphold the highest standards and protect the integrity of public life.

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what trends there have been in unemployment rates for the past 12 months for(a) females and (b) males (i) on a national basis and (ii) regionally.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Claimant unemployment rates for both males and females fell in every standard region of the United Kingdom between May 1993 and May 1994.

  Males

  Females

  Number

  Rate per cent.

  Number

  Rate per cent.

  Burnley TTWA 1

  2,629

  10·7

  644

  3·2

  Lancashire

  39,326

  10·7

  10,813

  3·7

  North West

  230,525

  13·7

  63,481

  4·8

  England

  1,691,942

  12·6

  513,200

  5·0

  1Travel to work area.

  446
  Mr. Keith Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest official figures for the numbers of unemployed in(a) Greater London and (b) the Streatham parliamentary constituency; and what were the corresponding figures for each year since 1979.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information on claimant unemployment is available from June 1983 and can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library. All figures are on the unadjusted basis.

  Mr. Keith Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest official figures for the numbers of unfilled vacancies in(a) Greater London and (b) the Streatham parliamentary constituency; and what were the corresponding figures for each year since 1979.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Comparable information is available from September 1985, down to the level of jobcentre offices, and on the unadjusted basis only. It can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the people of the Doncaster and Mexborough areas of South Yorkshire placed in work by the Employment Service in the last 12 months were in(a) full-time and (b) part-time, (i) temporary employment giving the period of time contracted for and (ii) permanent jobs; and what information he has on the proportion of these jobs which paid less than a half of the current average hourly rate.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In the 12 months to May 1994, the latest available period, it is estimated that about 80 per cent. of all those placed into employment by the Employment Service in the Doncaster and the Mexborough jobcentre office areas were placed into permanent jobs, the rest in temporary jobs of up to six months in duration. It is also estimated that about 70 per cent. of vacancies filled in the four quarters to April 1994 were for the full-time jobs, the remainder were for part-time jobs. No information is available on the rates of pay that these jobs attracted.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest unemployment figures available for(a) males and (b) females; and what these figures are for (i) Burnley, (ii) Lancashire, (iii) the north West and (iv) England.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The latest unadjusted claimant unemployment numbers and rates relate to 12 May 1994 and are given in the table:

  Barnsley/Doncaster TEC
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list what training opportunities for disabled persons there are at the Barnsley/Doncaster training and enterprise council.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The training programmes open to people with disabilities are training for work and youth training. Disabled people are exempt from eligibility rules for these programmes.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the age, sex and the number of persons currently undergoing training at the Barnsley/ Doncaster training and enterprise council; and what were the figures in each year since its inception.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Details of age groups are not collected and are therefore unavailable. Information by sex is shown in the table:

  Barnsley and Doncaster Training and Enterprise Council

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Youth training starts

  1991–92 (actual—part-year only)

  465

  337

  802

  1992–93 (actual)

  3,183

  2,432

  5,615

  1993–94 (actual)

  2,781

  2,224

  5,005

  Adult training—training for work

  1991–92 (actual—part-time only)

  1,278

  577

  1,855

  1992–93 (actual)

  4,003

  1,591

  5,594

  1993–94 (actual)

  7,298

  2,647

  9,945

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled persons have been trained at the Barnsley/Doncaster TEC since its inception; and of these, how many received employment on completion.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Since the training and enterprise council's inception a total of 559 people with disabilities have started training; of these, 271–48 per cent.—have secured employment.

  University Graduates
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of(a) Welsh, (b) Scottish, (c) Northern Irish and (d) English graduates secured full-time employment within one year of graduation in (a) 1990, (b) 1991, (c) 1992 and (d) 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe:
  The table shows the percentage of first degree graduates who were in employment at the end of the calendar year in which they graduated, according to the location of their university. It is based on surveys published by the Universities' Statistical Record and excludes graduates from the former polytechnics and central institutions which received university status from 1992 onwards. Information is not available on the employment status of graduates one year after graduation, and on whether they are in full or part-time employment.

  Per cent.

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Wales

  50·1

  39·9

  36·3

  40·8

  Scotland

  56·9

  48·7

  45·0

  45·3

  Northern Ireland

  52·8

  50·3

  45·4

  45·8

  England

  57·0

  50·6

  47·5

  49·4

  Trade Unionists
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of trade unionists in 1979, 1985, 1990 and 1993 as declared to the certification officer.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I understand from the certification officer, an independent statutory officer, that the numbers collated from the annual returns to him for the following years were as follows:

  Numbers

  1979

  13,212,354

  1985

  10,818,949

  1990

  9,810,019

  The membership figures for 1993 will be collated from the annual returns submitted to the certification officer during 1994. These will be published in his annual report for 1994, which will be available in April—May 1995.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what decisions his Department have taken in respect of TECs in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement on his Department's other involvement with TECs over the same period.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Every year the Department agrees objectives and resources for Training and Enterprise Councils in training, enterprise and vocational education.

  Over the past 12 months, we have introduced new arrangements to measure TEC performance and secure continuous improvement. These are the publication of inter-TEC comparison tables and the development of a new longer-term contractual framework.

  We have also emphasised the role of TECs as key private sector partners for the full range of economic development and regeneration activities through publication of new strategic guidance from six Government Departments.

  National Union of Teachers
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action the certification officer has taken to satisfy himself as to the accuracy of the annual returns from the National Union of Teachers.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I understand from the certification officer, an independent statutory officer, that in assessing the accuracy of the annual returns from any union, and in the absence of any complaint from a member, he relies on the report of the appropriately qualified auditor which must form part of the return.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether the annual returns from the National Union of Teachers have been supplied on time each year since 1985.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Section 32 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 requires that a trade union shall submit an annual return to the certification officer before 1 June in the calendar year
  449
  following that to which it relates. I understand from the certification officer, an independent statutory officer, that of the nine returns submitted by the National Union of Teachers since 1985, three were submitted by 1 June, four within the month of June, and the remaining two in the month of July.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the numerical strength of the National Union of Teachers as agreed by the certification officer for each year since 1985.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I understand from the certification officer, an independent statutory officer, that the total number of members shown on the annual returns submitted to him by the National Union of Teachers for each year since 1985 were as follows:

  Number

  1985

  253,672

  1986

  229,601

  1987

  224,538

  1988

  216,614

  1989

  213,482

  1990

  218,194

  1991

  214,675

  1992

  213,656

  1993

  232,243

  Skills Training Agency
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements he has made to notify former Skills Training Agency employees of the extension to the preferential reinstatement arrangements for staff employed by Astra Training Services Ltd.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The decision to extend the preferential reinstatement arrangements for staff employed by Astra Training Services was announced to Parliament on 17 January 1994,Official Report, column 427. Those staff employed by Astra Training Services who had already been in touch with the Department inquiring about prospects for reinstatement were informed personally of the extension. The departmental trade unions were notified formally on 25 January and their assistance sought to ensure that those affected were made aware of the announcement.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide a breakdown of the numbers and grades of former Skills Training Agency employees who have applied for preferential reinstatement to the Department of Employment since 1 January and the numbers and grades of those who have consequently been reinstated; and whether he will extend the arrangements for a further period.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The preferential reinstatement terms gave former Astra staff the right to consideration for posts within reasonable travelling distance of their home. Applications for reinstatement have been handled locally and no central register maintained. The information requested is not readily available, but I will write to the hon. Member in due course. When the extension was agreed it was anticipated that only a very small number of former Skills Training Agency staff were likely to benefit from these arrangements. I do know that some have done 450
  so. Although the period of the extension has now expired, the Department will continue to seek to find posts under the preferential terms until the end of the year for those who applied before the expiry date.

  Job Finders' Grant
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what evaluation he has done of the job finders' grant pilots being run in the east midlands and parts of the west midlands.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The job finders' grant pilots will be evaluated by an independent research company. A contract has been awarded for this study and work on the evaluation has begun.

  Building and Construction Industry
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the incidence of accidents in the building and construction industry(a) in the first week of a new site and (b) on established sites.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  It is not possible to distinguish between(a) and (b) because information reported to the Health and Safety Executive under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 does not contain the length of time a site has operated. The table provides overall recent trends in incidence rates for the construction industry for both employees and self-employed workers.

  Incidence rates1 for employees and self-employed persons working within the construction industry2 as reported to all health and safety commission/executive enforcing authorities

  1990–91 3

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Fatal

  Employed

  9·3

  8·8

  8·0

  Self-employed

  3·9

  2·5

  4·0

  Major injury

  Employed

  281·5

  272·4

  239·3

  Self-employed

  129·7

  112·5

  105·7

  Over three-day

  Employed

  1,616·2

  1,588·7

  1,328·8

  Self-employed

  216·4

  190·0

  199·5

  All reported

  Employed

  1,907·0

  1,869·8

  1,576·1

  Self-employed

  350·0

  304·9

  309·3

  1Incidence rates expressed per 100,000 workers.

  2As defined by 1980 Standard Industrial Classification division 5.

  3Years commencing 1 April.

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

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None.

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

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The National Advisory Council on the Employment of Disabled People and the local
  451
  committees for the employment of people with disabilities, of which there are 60 in England, Scotland and Wales, were established by the Disabled Persons Employment Act 1944.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which are required to produce annual reports;

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

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to consult prior to legislation proposals; and in respect of which bodies the Government must publish their responses to advice supplied by them.
  452
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None, although the Department voluntarily consults these bodies as appropriate.

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

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None.

  Health and Safety
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the Government's timetable for introducing the CONDAM health and safety regulations.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Health and Safety Commission have made proposals on the implementation of the design and management aspects of the European Council's Temporary or Mobile Construction Sites Directive. I am currently considering them and the representations that I have received.

  CHILD BENEFIT PAYMENT RECIPIENTS: RULES
  CHILD BENEFIT PAYMENT RECIPIENTS: RULES
  CONSERVATIVE PARTY CANDIDATE: REMARKS
  CONSERVATIVE PARTY CANDIDATE: REMARKS
  FIREARMS: LICENSING CONTROL
  FIREARMS: LICENSING CONTROL
  VEHICLE CRIME COMMITTEE: ROLE
  VEHICLE CRIME COMMITTEE: ROLE
  LANSBURY PAPERS
  LANSBURY PAPERS
  COUNTY HALL BUILDING: BANNER
  COUNTY HALL BUILDING: BANNER
  HOMELESSNESS LEGISLATION REFORM: DISCUSSIONS
  HOMELESSNESS LEGISLATION REFORM: DISCUSSIONS
  GYPSY SITES: PITCH APPLICATIONS
  GYPSY SITES: PITCH APPLICATIONS