Written Answers of 28 June 1994

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Naturalisation
  Mr. Keith Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applicants for naturalisation, who had not been free of immigration conditions for 12 months at the time of their application, were granted British passports in 1992, 1993 and so far this year;

  (2) how many sportsmen and women who applied for naturalisation and had not been free of immigration conditions for 12 months at the time of their application, were granted British passports in 1992, 1993 and so far this year.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  This information is not recorded.

  Mr. Keith Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances an applicant for naturalisation is granted a British passport within 12 months of being granted indefinite leave to remain.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  An applicant for naturalisation who is not married to a British citizen is normally expected to have been free of immigration time restrictions, but there is discretion to waive this requirement in the special circumstances of any particular case. It is not possible to provide an exhaustive list of all the circumstances in which this discretion would be exercised in favour of an applicant, but we would consider doing so where the 12-months period has been missed by only a few months, provided that the other naturalisation requirements were met in full and that the applicant had well-established links with this country. We are normally prepared to overlook more than this only if there exist compelling reasons of a business or compassionate nature. We will also exercise this discretion if, at the time the application is considered and is otherwise in order, the 12-month period has been completed.

  Mr. Keith Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long on average it takes to process an application for naturalisation; and what targets have been set in terms of upper time limits.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Average waiting times for certificates of naturalisation in May 1994 were 15 months. No upper time limits for completing the consideration of applications are set, but we aim to process all applications as expeditiously as possible while ensuring that the

  Consultant

  Privatisation

  Market Testing

  Management advice

  Accounting

  Audit

  Consultancy

  Other service

  Total sum £

  1988–1991

  Coopers & Lybrand

  1

  1

  3

  3

  822,331

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  3

  303,145

  Ernst and Young

  1

  2

  1

  3

  614,610

  454
  statutory requirements for naturalisation are met. The target is to reduce average waiting times to below 12 months.

  Police Firearms
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the result of the inquiry carried out by the Lancashire police force into the recent loss, and recovery in Blackburn town centre, of police revolvers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I understand that disciplinary proceedings are being taken against a police officer.

  Firearms
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving the use of firearms were committed in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Maclean
  Figures of notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used are published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", copies of which can be found in the Library—latest edition, 1992, Cm 2410, table 3.1.

  Figures for 1993 are not yet available.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of firearms held on certificate(a) at present and (b) one year ago.

  Mr. Maclean
  Estimates of the number of firearms held on certificate are published in paragraph 4 of Home Office statistical bulletins "Firearm Certificates Statistics, England and Wales". Copies for 1991 and 1992 can be found in the Library.

  Figures for 1993 are not yet available.

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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, (f) Touche Ross, (g) Grant Thornton, (h) Robson Rhodes and (i) Pannell Kerr Forster for (i) privatisation, (ii) market testing, (iii) management advice, (iv) accounting, (v) audit, (vi) consultancy and (vii) other services in (1) 1980 to 1983, (2) 1984 to 1987, (3) 1988 to 1991 and (4) 1992–93.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The available information on the number of contracts let by the Home Office to each listed company for the specified consultancies and the total sum paid to each company for 1988 to 1991 and 1992–93 is given in the table. Information for the years prior to 1988–89 is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  455

  Consultant

  Privatisation

  Market Testing

  Management advice

  Accounting

  Audit

  Consultancy

  Other service

  Total sum £

  Price Waterhouse

  4

  1,731,981

  Arthur Andersen

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Touche Ross

  7

  1

  779,700

  Grant Thornton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Robson Rhodes

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Pannell Kerr Forster

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1992–1993

  Coopers & Lybrand

  1

  1

  145,000

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  1

  1

  *—

  Ernst and Young

  6

  1

  463,064

  Price Waterhouse

  2

  1

  1

  311,760

  Arthur Andersen

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Touche Ross

  2

  6

  300,335

  Grant Thornton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Robson Rhodes

  1

  *—

  Pannell Kerr Forster

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  *Individual contract values are not given on the grounds of commercial confidentiality.

  Racially Motivated Attacks
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the reported number of racially motivated attacks by white people on non-white people within the Greater London area in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Maclean
  Figures are not collected centrally on the ethnic origin of perpetrators of racial attacks in relation to the ethnic origin of their victims.

  The number of white offenders in cases where there has been an arrest and the number of non-white victims of racial attacks recorded by the Metropolitan police service in the last three years are set out in the table. It cannot be assumed that white people were the offenders in all attacks involving non-white victims.

  1991

  1992

  1993

  White offender

  90

  106

  88

  Non-white victim

  424

  430

  495

  Attacks are classified as incidents of violence against the person.

  Information on the ethnic origin of offenders was not collected before 1991.

  Table: Offenders born in 1953: Estimated1 percentage of the population convicted2 of six or more offences, at selected ages, and the percentage of the total number of convictions2 of those born in 1953 attributable to these offenders

  England and Wales

  Percentages

  Offenders with six or more convictions2

  Under 17

  Under 21

  Age under 26

  Under 31

  Under 36

  MALES

  Percentage of male population born in 1953

  1

  3

  5

  6

  6

  Percentage of convictions of those born in 1953

  30

  47

  56

  60

  62

  Police (Performance-related Pay)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the studies and research findings on which he based his decision to introduce a system of performance-related pay for senior police officers.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend took account of the argument in support of relating pay to overall performance contained in the report of the inquiry into police responsibilities and rewards. But the most influential factor in the Government's decision to introduce performance-related pay for all ranks in the police service was the benefit it will bring to the police service itself. Distinguishing especially good performance from the average performance provides an incentive to people to improve the effectiveness of their contribution, bringing added benefit to both the organisation and the individual, and is a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

  Offenders
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his assessment of the extent to which a small number of offenders commit a disproportionate number of offences, the percentage(a) of each age group and (b) of the total population that such a group constitutes and the percentage (i) of crime committed by the age group and (ii) of total crime committed in England and Wales that is attributable to such a group.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information in the following table is taken from a birth cohort study using the "Offenders Index":
  457

  Offenders with six or more convictions2

  Under 17

  Under 21

  Age under 26

  Under 31

  Under 36

  FEMALES

  Percentage of female population born in 1953

  3—

  0·1

  0·2

  0·3

  0·3

  Percentage of convictions of those born in 1953

  6

  11

  18

  23

  27

  1Based on the conviction histories of all offenders born in four selected weeks in 1953.

  2For 'standard list' offences, ie all indictable and triable either way offences and certain summary offences.

  3Indicates less than 0·05 per cent.

  United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd.
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. has been subject to a financial penalty due to the late delivery of a prisoners or prisoners resulting in the need to accommodate prisoners elsewhere; and what was the financial penalty on each occasion.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 28 June 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of cases in which United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. have been subject to a financial penalty due to the late delivery of a prisoner or prisoners resulting in the need to accommodate the prisoners elsewhere.
  There have been no cases in which United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. have been subject to a financial penalty due to the late delivery of a prisoner or prisoners.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the Home Office has paid United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. for additional journeys or out-of-area journeys in respect of its contract to run Blakenhurst prison; and what was the amount paid on each occasion.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 28 June 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of times the Home Office has paid United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. for additional journeys or out of area journeys in respect of their contract to run Blakenhurst Prison; and the amount paid on each occasion.
  No additional payments have been made to United Kingdom Detention Services Ltd. for additional journeys or our of area journeys.

  Prisoner Escapes
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners escaped from prisons in England and Wales on each day from 17 to 20 June; and if he will list the number of prisoners involved in each escape, the prisons from which they escaped, and whether they have been recaptured.
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  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 28 June 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about escape statistics during the period 17–20 June.
  During this period, one prisoner escaped from HMYOI Wetherby. No-one else is believed to have been involved. The prisoner concerned returned to Wetherby on 22 June 1994.

  Full Sutton Prison
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the disturbance at HMP Full Sutton on the weekend of 17–19 June; what damage occurred; what is the estimated cost of that damage; and what injuries there were to(a) staff and (b) inmates.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 28 June 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the disturbance at HMP Full Sutton on the weekend of 17th–19th June; what damage occurred; what is the estimated cost of that damage and what injuries there were to (a) staff and (b) inmates.
  No disturbance took place at Full Sutton on the weekend of 17th–19th June. The only recorded incidents which took place during that period were two minor fires in prisoners' cells which occurred separately. No injuries were sustained by either staff or inmates and the damage caused to clothes, bedding and a single item of furniture were negligible in value. In both cases these small fires were extinguished by staff before the arrival of the fire brigade.

TREASURY

  Crown Estate
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether nature conservation orders made under section 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 apply to land owned or leased by the Crown Estate Commissioners.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Section 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is applicable to Crown lands, including the Crown Estate, as set out in section 67 of the Act.
  459
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what actions taken within the last three years by the Crown Estate Commission has had"regard to the desirability of conserving the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside"
  as required under section 11 of the Countryside Act 1968.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The policies of the Crown Estate Commissioners on environmental issues are set out in their statement "Stewardship in Action". Activities associated with these policies are described in the annual reports submitted to Parliament each year by the commissioners. Copies of these documents have been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much foreshore land is owned by the Crown Estate; and how much land owned by the Crown Estate is leased to(a) shooting organisations, (b) conservation bodies and (c) other bodies.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The Crown Estate owns about half the foreshore in the United Kingdom. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, this amounts to some 1,600 miles of which the shooting rights have been leased on about 130 miles, and 480 miles have been leased to conservation bodies. The remainder of leased foreshore—very little is not leased—is let, mainly to local authorities and port and harbour authorities. In Scotland there is a public right to shoot, so that no shooting rights are leased. There, 3,100 miles of foreshore are owned by the Crown Estate of which 84 miles are leased to conservation bodies and 470 to other bodies, mainly local authorities, ports and harbours.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what responsibilities the Crown Estate Commissioners have for wildlife conservation on land that they own or lease.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The Crown Estate Commissioners have a duty under the provisions of the Crown Estate Act 1961 to maintain and enhance the value of the estate and the return obtained from it, but with due regard to the requirements of good management. Within this framework the commissioners are committed to an overall objective of balancing environmental with commercial and other needs in order to achieve effective stewardship. Strategies to support this objective are in place in each business group, but more particularly in the agricultural and marine estates, where wildlife conservation is a high priority. More specifically, the commissioners co-operate fully in the work of statutory agencies responsbible for the protection of wildlife in designated areas—for example, sites of special scientific interest and marine nature reserves. Full details of the policy of commissioners are set out in "Stewardship in Action", which can be found in the House of Commons Library.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  United Artists (Cable Laying)
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of whether United Artists is fulfilling the terms of its licence to install fibre optic cables 460
  in the Basildon area and that the criteria for siting of junction boxes is in accordance with the terms of the licence.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Regulatory responsibility for ensuring that United Artists fulfills the terms of its build programme rests with Oftel and it is content that the company is meeting its build obligations. The standard of the company's street works and the siting of junction boxes are Highway Authority matters. United Artists' licence includes conditions designed to ensure that the company operates in a responsible manner and adheres to all relevant street works legislation. Street works in the maintainable highway are subject to the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, and its associated regulations, which are enforced by local highway authorities. The company's licence permits it to install junction boxes subject to certain conditions. The company is required to agree guidelines with the planning and highway authorities on the positioning of its above-ground apparatus. It is also required to inform the local authority of its intention to install apparatus and identify where they propose to place the apparatus so that the local authority have an opportunity to make conditions on the siting of the junction box. I have not received any evidence to suggest that junction boxes are not being sited in accordance with licence terms.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will visit the Royal Mail sorting office at Queensferry, Deeside, Clwyd.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have no plans at present to visit Queensferry post office sorting office.

  Insolvency Service
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what targets he has set the Insolvency Service for closure of files(a) before 8 July and (b) for 1994.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The majority of the Department's agencies are set annual targets. For 1994–95 the Insolvency Service has been set the target of reducing the number of its open cases to a level equivalent to approximately 12 months' input. This will result in the closure of 53,000 cases.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect of the increased number of insolvency completions on the detection of fraud and the prosecution and disqualification of delinquent company directors.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Although some specialist resource will be diverted to assist the process of increased case completions, the Insolvency Service still anticipates that it will devote some 25 per cent. more manpower resource to prosecution and disqualification activity in 1994–95 then in 1993–94.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much extra funding is being allocated to the Insolvency Service in the current year for(a) file closure and (b) fraud investigation.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  A total of £1·831 million has been allocated to the service from my Department's running
  461
  costs for 1994–95 to fund the additional work required to meet the case closure target of 53,000. The additional allocation provided in relation to fraud investigation for 1994–95 is £1 million.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the cost to the Insolvency Service of employing private sector secondees.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  For 1994–95 the estimated cost of employing private sector secondees and/or of engaging other private sector resources on a short-term basis will be £1·12 million.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy on the investigation by the Insolvency Service of potential offences or possible areas of investigation when reviewing whether insolvencies can be completed; and what are the reasons for this policy.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The investigation of an insolvency or the consideration of possible offences can be and often is conducted independently of its administration. Where, in reviewing a case with a view to the conclusion of the administration, matters are identified which, prima facie, require further investigation those matters receive full consideration.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his assessment of how the Insolvency Service's recent investigation in the local office information system will assist(a) the mechanical processing work of the service and (b) the investigation work of the service.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Insolvency Service's investment in LOIS—local office information system—links a relational database to office automation software. The system assists official receivers in streamlining case administration, particularly in the document production area; and it will provide management with additional information relevant to the allocation of resources and monitoring of performance.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what effect increases in the rate of closure of files by the Insolvency Service will have on checks for fraud and prosecution of fraudulent directors.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  None. The additional cases to be closed in 1994–95 will already have been vetted for any requirement for further investigation.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many private sector secondees are currently on loan to the Insolvency Service; and what work they are doing.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  A total of five private secondees are currently in post in the Insolvency Service and a further two are due to start on 4 July 1994. Three of the secondees are working in the disqualification unit on disqualification matters and two are working in official receivers' offices assisting examiners. The two secondees due to start on 4 July 1994 will be working in the disqualification unit on disqualification matters.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which Insolvency Service targets are affected by the completion of extra insolvencies in the current financial year; and to what extent.
  462
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  None.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what considerations underlie the allocation of time in the Insolvency Service between mechanical processing work and core investigation functions.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  A minimum amount of routine administration work has to be done on each insolvency. The Insolvency Service seeks to devote the minimum level of resource to such work consistent with a proper discharge of official receivers' statutory duty so that it can maximise the resource devoted to its investigative role.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps have been taken to implement the recommendations of the 18th report of 1993–94 from the Public Accounts Committee on the Insolvency Service executive agency and company director disqualifications.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Government's response to the 18th report of the Committee of Public Accounts on the Insolvency Service executive agency and company director disqualifications will be published in due course.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many officials have been to the Insolvency Service on six-month contracts since the establishment of the service.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  None.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many disqualification proceedings are expected to be issued in the current financial year, identifying those proceedings initiated by insolvency practitioners and those by the Insolvency Service.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  There is no target for the number of disqualification proceedings to be issued. On present information, it would appear likely that in 1994–95 between 750 and 800 disqualification proceedings will be commenced, of which between 60 per cent. and 70 per cent. are likely to relate to cases reported on by insolvency practitioners while the remainder will relate to cases dealt with by official receivers.

  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
  The allocation and deployment of additional investigative resources will enable the Insolvency Service to increase the number of reports produced identifying criminal offences, including those relating to a failure to maintain adequate accounting records.

  Company Directors
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his plans to increase the conviction rate of directors who have traded fraudulently.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Prosecutions by my Department for fraudulent trading resulted in 11 convictions in 1991–92, 24 convictions in 1992–93 and 32 convictions in 1993–94. In relation to offences of fraudulent trading, as
  463
  with other prosecutions for which it is responsible, my Department's practice is to prosecute offenders wherever there is a realistic prospect of a conviction, where the other criteria in the code for Crown prosecutors are satisfied and where bringing such charges will enable the prosecution to put before the court an accurate picture of the defendant's wrongdoing as a whole.

  These criteria will remain the basis for prosecution decisions.

  Pulp and Paper
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made as to the adequacy of the supply of home-produced or imported pulp and paper for packaging and production; and if he will publish a table showing(a) United Kingdom production, imports and net home disposals of pulp and paper by end-use in each month this year to date compared to 1989, (b) the rate of return on capital required to make it profitable for United Kingdom pulp and paper manufacturers to invest in new capacity in the United Kingdom at current rates of exchange and (c) the actual rates of return on replacement and historic cost in 1993.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Estimates of the supply of pulp and paper for packaging and production are a matter for industry. Official statistics on manufacturers sales, imports and exports are published annually by the Central Statistical Office in Business Monitor PAS4710. Copies of this publication are available in the Library of the House. There are no official data on rates of return, but information may be available from commercial organisations which analyse company accounts.

  AGIP (Africa) Ltd.
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what transactions his Department has had with AGIP (Africa) Ltd.

  Mr. Needham
  My oil and gas projects and supplies office has not had any transactions with AGIP (Africa) Ltd.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what decisions his Department has taken in respect of TECs over the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on his Department's involvement with TECs over the same period.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My Department has developed an increasingly close working relationship with the TEC movement over the last 12 months. We have placed particular emphasis on their role in bringing together Business Link partnerships in each local area and the importance of completing the national Business Link network by the end of 1995.

  The Government's White Paper "Competitiveness: Helping Business to Win" and our strategic guidance to TECs, published in May 1994, have both confirmed the importance of TECs working with other partners to agree strategies for business competitiveness and sustainable economic growth.

  To support this work and provide a more secure basis for planning business support services, we have decided that, from 1 April 1995, DTI funding to TECs will be for
  464
  a three-year period which will be rolled forward each year. However, three-year rolling funding will be available only to those TECs which have obtained a three-year licence from the Government office in their region and which can demonstrate satisfactory progress in establishing a Business Link.

  Markets
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to change regulations relating to markets overt; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  A Bill to abolish the rule of market overt, which has Government support, is at present before Parliament.

  Standing Charges (Electricity)
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he has had with the regional electricity companies regarding their policies on(a) standing charges in general, (b) standing charges for prepayment meters and (c) where consumption is low; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  I discuss a wide range of issues with representatives of the regional electricity companies from time to time. Electricity charges are primarily a matter for the companies themselves and for the Director General of Electricity Supply. I understand that the director general is currently considering the issue of standing charges as part of his review of the RECs' distribution price controls.

  Pakistan (Trade Figures)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the trade figures between the United Kingdom and Pakistan over the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Needham
  Between 1989 and 1993 the value of United Kingdom exports to Pakistan increased at an annual rate of 9·7 per cent. while imports increased by 11·7 per cent.

  Nigeria
  Sir Michael Grylls
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has concerning the current level of United Kingdom investment in Nigeria and in the Nigerian oil industry; and what steps he is taking to further the interests of British investors in Nigeria.

  Mr. Needham
  According to the latest available information, the book value of United Kingdom assets in Nigeria in 1992 was £476 million. The value of United Kingdom investment in the Nigerian oil industry was £324·6 million.

  My Department is mounting a series of seminars entitled "Opportunity Africa" in conjunction with chambers of commerce around the United Kingdom which will feature Nigeria. We also plan to publish Nigerian market reports on ports management, power generation, agriculture and mining.

  We continue to encourage inward British investment where there is a good prospect of repatriation of profits. There is at present a need for the Nigerian Government to provide an enabling environment for investment.
  465
  We continue to lobby for a change in the current Nigerian legislation which limits existing investors to a maximum of 40 per cent. foreign shareholding. Although Nigeria has abolished this restriction for new investors, it has refused to make any changes to the rule for established companies because of political sensitivities.

  Nigeria
  Sir Michael Grylls
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the current balance of trade between the United Kingdom and Nigeria; what were the comparable figures for each of the previous three years; and what particular steps he intends to take to encourage further improvements in United Kingdom trade with Nigeria.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer27 June 1994]: In 1993, the United Kingdom had a trade surplus with Nigeria worth £522 million. In 1991 and 1992, the trade surplus with Nigeria was worth £295 million and £455 million respectively.

  As one of our major markets, Nigeria receives particular attention from my department in the key sectors of oil and gas, power generation and distribution, telecommunications, agriculture/water resources, ports management, mining equipment, railway equipment and pharmaceuticals.

  EC Industry Council
  Mr. Stephen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting of the EC Industry Council held in Luxembourg on 22 June.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Council had a general debate on the report of the Bangemann group on Europe and the Global Information Society which has been presented to the Corfu European Council. There was welcome emphasis on the role of the private sector, liberalisation and market forces in developing the information society.

  Preliminary conclusions were adopted by the Council on the Commission's integrated programme in favour of small and medium-sized enterprises and the craft sector. This brings together existing measures and new proposals in favour of SME's within an overall framework. The Council agreed to complete its detailed examination of the programme by the end of the year.

  The Council heard a report from the Commission on the progress of the OECD negotiations on shipbuilding subsidies and emphasised the importance of concluding these in July as long as the few outstanding issues could be resolved satisfactorily.

  On steel, the Commission gave a progress report on the implementation of the article 95 state aid decisions approved in December 1993. In response to a request from the United Kingdom the Commission agreed to a minute statement that it would not hesitate to take action where breach of the article 95 decisions was established. The Commission also reported on progress being made with the restructuring plan for the Community's steel industry and informed the Council that, using its own powers under the steel aids code, it intended to permit Italy to give aid to assist capacity reductions among its private sector producers. The majority of the Council supported the Commission's approach. The United Kingdom was among those expressing reservations about the Commission's interpretation of the aids code, but we were able to obtain
  466
  agreement to tighter conditions being attached to any aid granted. Member states will be consulted on resulting aid applications from Italy on a case-by-case basis.

  Mahogany
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on the sources within the Amazon rain forest area of the mahogany provided by Brazilian suppliers to the principal British importers.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 24 June 1994]: There are no official sources for information on the importation of Brazilian mahogany into the United Kingdom. The information has not been available since 1992 because the United Kingdom trade classification no longer separately identifies mahogany from several other non-coniferous woods.

  Information on United Kingdom importing companies and Brazilian exporting companies is not available.

  Illegal Arms Trading
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what knowledge the Government had of the activities of Mr. William Harper, Lieutenant-Colonel Eric Matson and Mr. Michael Aspin before their conviction in 1988 for illegal arms trading; and whether the Government had relevant information about these activities which was not revealed at the trial.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 17 June 1994]: As far as can be ascertained, my Department had no knowledge of the activities of the three men.

  European Regional Funds
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list each area in the United Kingdom that has been designated eligible for objective 5b status.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 27 June 1994]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Langbaurgh (Mr. Bates) on 22 February 1994, Official Report, column 173.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if the terms of reference of the inquiry into the future of the BBC include the possibility of scrapping the BBC in its present form and the creation of a new and cheaper form of public service broadcasting.

  Mr. Brooke
  Our consultation document on the future of the BBC, published in November 1992, set out the key issues for consideration, including the range of the BBC's programmes and services and how they should be financed. I plan to publish a White Paper shortly, setting out our proposals.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) how many television licences were sold in 1993; how many unlicensed television sets were estimated to be operating in 1993; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what is the estimated cost, per annum, of identifying and prosecuting people who do not have a television licence; and if he will make a statement.
  467
  Mr. Brooke
  Television licensing records relate to the number of licences in force, rather than the number of licences sold, and to the financial rather than the calendar year.

  The number of licences in force at 31 March 1994 was 20·75 million. The estimated number of households with unlicensed television sets at that date was 1.61 million, and the estimated number with a black and white licence but a colour set was 570,700. The cost to the BBC of identifying and prosecuting television licence evaders in 1993–94 was £15·9 million.

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will now make a statement on the future of the BBC charter.

  Mr. Brooke
  I plan to publish a White Paper very shortly.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) if he will publish for each county in Wales, for each local authority in Wales and for Wales as a whole the numbers of people(a) able to claim concessions to their television licence fee and (b) currently claiming such concessions to their television licence in respect of being registered blind or partially sighted;

  (2) what was the level of television licence fee for colour television users in each of the past 10 years; and what was the level of television licence fee concession paid to blind or partially blind people in the past 10 years.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 27 June 1994]: From March 1985 to March 1988 the colour television licence fee was £58. Since then, the fee has been increased annually each April as follows:

  Year

  £

  1988

  62·50

  1989

  66·00

  1990

  71·00

  1991

  77·00

  1992

  80·00

  1993

  83·00

  1994

  84·50

  The reduction in the television licence fee for registered blind people has remained at £1·25 since separate radio licences were abolished in 1971.

  I understand that the number of registered blind people in Wales at March 1993 was 9,595. It is not known how many of these own a television set. The number of people in Wales claiming the reduction for registered blind people is not available as records are not held in this form. Registered partially sighted people are not entitled to a reduction on their television licence fee on account of being partially sighted.

  Consultants
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage 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, (f) Touche Ross, (g) Grant Thornton, (h) Robson Rhodes and (i) Pannell Ker Forster for (i)
  468
  privatisation, (ii) market testing, (iii) management advice, (iv) accounting, (v) audit, (vi) consultancy and (vii) other services since his Department was created.

  Mr. Sproat
  Since my Department was established in April 1992, it has let contracts to the consultants listed as shown in the chart.

  In addition, my Department has awarded a call-off contract to Touche Ross for audit services to be provided to its sponsored bodies. It has no minimum or maximum value and payment takes place between the sponsored body and Touche Ross.

  Consultancy Description

  Purpose1

  Value (£000's)

  (a) Coopers and Lybrand

  Review of Schools Library Services

  vi

  43·94

  Innovation workshop in preparation for DNH National Seminar

  vii

  1·76

  (b) KPMG Peat Marwick

  Evaluation Review of the European Co-production Fund

  iii and vi

  26·14

  Evaluation Review of British Screen Finance

  iii and vi

  48·41

  Study of contracting out in English public library authorities

  vi

  57·68

  Assistance in preparation of DNH Performance Appraisal system

  iii and vi

  80·00

  3 separate computer projects on behalf of The Royal Parks agency

  vi

  50·49

  (c) Ernst and Young

  Review of market testing in the British Library

  ii and vi

  36·00

  Review of facilities management in 16 museums and galleries

  Phase 1

  iii and vi

  4·50

  Phase 2

  iii and vi

  60·00

  Audit Services

  v

  11·00

  Feasibility study into the development of a computerised database of the statutory list of historic buildings

  iii and vi

  62·00

  (d) Price Waterhouse

  Review of the Arts Council

  iii and vi

  53·00

  Financial audit of British Library Project following privatisation of PSA

  v

  131

  (e) Arthur Anderson

  Nil

  —

  —

  (f) Touche Ross

  TV Licence Fee consultancy to assess the BBC's revenue gains and advise on the level of fee for the next 3 years

  vi

  207·90

  Management Review of the National Film and Television School

  iii and vi

  16·85

  (g) Grant Thornton

  Nil

  —

  —

  (h) Robson Rhodes

  Nil

  —

  —

  (i) Parnell Kerr Forster

  Nil

  —

  —

  1 (i) Privatisation.

  (ii) Market testing.

  (iii) Management advice.

  (iv) Accounting.

  (v) Audit.

  (vi) Consultancy.

  (vii) Other services.

  Museums
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what Government resources are allocated via museum bodies to assist with annual running costs of any museum; and what policy is used to determine such allocations.

  Mr. Sproat
  My Department's grant in aid to the Museums and Galleries Commission includes £1·02 million in 1994–95 towards the cost of supporting the Tyne and Wear museum service. My Department gives no other assistance towards the running costs of museums other than those museums it funds directly.

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

  Mr. Sproat
  My Department has taken no decisions in respect of TECs. The Department's only involvement has been to invite the appropriate TEC to attend each of the regional conferences which we are holding.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Kenya
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions will be held shortly between the World bank and the Government of Kenya about support for Kenya.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The World bank will be meeting donors and the Government of Kenya on 20 July.

  African Development Bank
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the task force on project quality in the African development bank.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Copies of the report have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Know-how Fund
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the work of the know-how fund.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The know-how fund, Britain's programme of bilateral technical assistance to central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, now covers 24 countries in the region. Disbursements for 1993–94 were in the region of £61 million. A list of projects has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Yemen
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about Somali refugees in Yemen caught up in the civil 470
  war; and what efforts are being made by the United Nations and humanitarian organisations to take assistance to the Somali refugees.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There have been reports of over 170 fatalities and many more wounded in the Al Koud camp, east of Aden. Following negotiations with both parties to the conflict, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees evacuated the remaining refugees to safe areas. There is concern for the safety of Somali refugees in Aden itself. UNHCR is discussing with the local authorities the possibility of moving them to another location in Yemen.

  To date the United Kingdom has responded by contributing £100,000 to the ICRC appeal and a further United States $50,000 has been chanelled through the International Organisation for Migration.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his Department's involvement with TECs.

  Mr. David Davis
  The Cabinet Office Office of Public Service and Science is involved with TECs in a number of ways.

  First, it has made itself known to all TECs as the recognised industry training organisation for the civil service. It has adopted this role in support of its objective to encourage and support Departments and agencies in meeting the national targets for education and training. This role is publicised to TECs through guides issued by the National Council for Industry Training Organisations, of which the Cabinet Office (OPSS) is a member.

  Secondly, the Cabinet Office organised seminars in London, Leeds, Cardiff and Edinburgh during 1993 as part of the programme of active support for the achievement of Investors in People across the civil service. The local TEC, or local enterprise company in the case of Edinburgh, was closely involved in the planning of each seminar, was consulted on likely local interest and supplied a speaker on each occasion.

  Finally, in terms of domestic involvement with TECs, different parts of the Department have or will have direct contact with their local TEC as they make progress with their own commitment to the Investors in People initiative.

  Child Support Act
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what limitations are placed on individuals employed in the civil service regarding campaigning to change the Child Support Act 1991.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No specific rules or guidance have been issued on campaigning to change the Child Support Act 1991. Departments and agencies that have responsibilities under the Act may, however, require their staff to avoid public comment on Government policy in this area in accordance with chapter 4 of the personnel management section of the civil service management code.

  Civil Service
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many non-European Union nationals are working for the British civil service in Europe.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  All officials working in the EC institutions, including those on secondment from the United Kingdom civil service, work for those institutions. There are non-European Union nationals working for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Europe and for the United Kingdom civil service in this country, but their numbers could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Citizens Charter
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the Government's policy on answering under the citizens charter questions from members of the public concerning Government policy and its effect where the information can be obtained from the Central Statistical Office databank on payment to an outside contractor.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Government's policy under the citizens charter of extending access to official information is supported by the code of practice on access to Government information. The code does not, however, require Departments to provide information which is provided as part of an existing charged service other than through that service. Any data on the CSO databank can be obtained directly from the CSO as well as from outside contractors.

  1989–90 Number of contracts per firm per category

  Gen. MGT CON.

  IT.

  Privatisation (Includes Market Testing)

  Next steps (includes prior option studies)

  Coopers and Lybrand

  33

  44

  2

  0

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  13

  1

  0

  0

  Ernst and Young

  18

  0

  0

  0

  Price Waterhouse

  24

  1

  1

  0

  Arthur Andersen

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Touche Ross

  24

  3

  5

  0

  Grant Thornton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Robson Rhodes

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Pannell Kerr Forster

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Contracts Total

  112

  49

  8

  0

  Total amount of spend by 9 listed Consultancy groups £2,239,941.

  1990–91 Number of contracts per firm per category

  Gen. MGT CON.

  IT.

  Privatisation (Includes Market Testing)

  Next steps (includes prior option studies)

  Coopers and Lybrand

  28

  29

  1

  1

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  7

  1

  0

  0

  Ernst and Young

  14

  1

  0

  0

  Price Waterhouse

  28

  1

  0

  0

  Arthur Andersen

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Touche Ross

  5

  0

  0

  0

  Grant Thornton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Robson Rhodes

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Pannell Kerr Forster

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Contracts Total

  82

  32

  1

  1

  Total amount of spend by 9 listed Consultancy groups £2,200,062.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Arable Subsidy
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by county the amount of European Union arable subsidy received for the latest year for which figures are available; and what were the figures for each of the past four years.

  Mr. Ancram
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Sherwood (Mr. Tipping) on 14 June,Official Report, columns 448–50. The arable area payments scheme was introduced in 1992 and first payments were made in 1993. There are no comparable figures for previous years.

  Consultants
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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, (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.

  Sir John Wheeler
  It is not possible to provide the information except at disproportionate cost. Figures are available, however, on a financial year basis, from 1989 under the categories of general management consultancy, information technology, privatisation—including market testing, and next steps agencies—including prior options studies, and are as follows:
  473

  1991–92 Number of contracts per firm per category

  Gen. MGT CON.

  IT.

  Privatisation (Includes Market Testing)

  Next steps (includes prior option studies)

  Coopers and Lybrand

  38

  26

  0

  3

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  14

  1

  0

  2

  Ernst and Young

  17

  1

  0

  0

  Price Waterhouse

  22

  1

  1

  0

  Arthur Andersen

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Touche Ross

  13

  10

  1

  0

  Grant Thornton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Robson Rhodes

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Pannell Kerr Forster

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Contracts Total

  104

  39

  2

  5

  Total amount of spend by 9 listed Consultancy groups £2,426,719.

  1992–93 Number of contracts per firm per category

  Gen. MGT CON.

  IT

  Privatisation (includes Market Testing)

  Next steps (includes prior option studies)

  Coopers and Lybrand

  27

  13

  0

  1

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  8

  1

  0

  0

  Ernst and Young

  14

  0

  0

  0

  Price Waterhouse

  21

  0

  0

  1

  Arthur Andersen

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Touche Ross

  21

  6

  2

  1

  Grant Thornton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Robson Rhodes

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Pannell Kerr Forster

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Contracts Total

  91

  20

  2

  3

  Total amount of spend by 9 listed Consultancy groups £3,118,228.

  1993–94 Number of contracts per firm per category

  Gen. MGT CON.

  IT.

  Privatisation (Includes Market Testing)

  Next steps (includes prior option studies)

  Coopers and Lybrand

  39

  2

  4

  0

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  14

  0

  0

  1

  Ernst and Young

  20

  0

  0

  0

  Price Waterhouse

  22

  1

  3

  1

  Arthur Andersen

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Touche Ross

  38

  3

  4

  0

  Grant Thornton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Robson Rhodes

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Pannell Kerr Forster

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Contracts Total

  133

  6

  11

  2

  Total amount of spend by 9 listed Consultancy groups £2,743,931.

  Obscene Publications Branch
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the role in the Province of the obscene publications branch of Scotland Yard.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The obscene publications branch of New Scotland Yard has no operational role in Northern Ireland. Criminal investigations into breaches of the obscenity laws are a matter for the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

  Skin Cancer
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have died from skin cancern in Northern Ireland in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:
  474

  Year

  Deaths from skin cancer

  1979

  27

  1980

  33

  1981

  39

  1982

  35

  1983

  31

  1984

  35

  1985

  41

  1986

  38

  1987

  29

  1988

  32

  1989

  30

  1990

  47

  1991

  28

  1992

  34

  Figures for 1993 are not yet available.

TRANSPORT

  Roadworthiness Checks
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for the last financial year the number of spot checks carried out on heavy goods vehicles, the number of immediate prohibitions, delayed prohibitions and defect notices issued.

  Mr. Key
  The table gives the information for roadworthiness spot checks.

  1993–94

  Number

  Heavy Goods Vehicles and HGV Trailers

  134,266

  Immediate Prohibitions

  8,951

  Delayed Prohibitions

  10,068

  Defect Notices

  18,206

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what studies his Department has commissioned into the effect on traffic congestion of the use by heavy goods vehicles of the inside three lanes on four-lane motorways;

  (2) what discussions he has had with motoring organisations regarding the use by heavy goods vehicles of the inside three lanes on four-lane motorways.

  Mr. Key
  I have commissioned no specific studies of the use made by heavy goods vehicles of different lanes on four-lane motorways nor have I consulted motoring organisations on this subject.

  Vehicle Emissions
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what plans he has to promote the use of low or zero-emission vehicles for public transport services; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what plans he has to promote the use of low or zero-emission public transport service vehicles to improve air quality in cities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  There are no plans to promote low or zero-emission vehicles specifically for public transport services. However, the Department of Transport, in recognition of the contribution that motor vehicles make to urban pollution, will continue to set increasingly stringent emission standards for all motor vehicle categories. We are also conducting research to evaluate the role that alternative fuels and control technologies could play in minimising vehicle emissions.

  Last March, I announced a £1·2 million collaborative project involving the Departments of Transport, Trade and Industry, and Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to trial alternative fuels. This project will compare panel vans and urban buses using compressed natural gas, liquid petroleum gas, electricity and biodiesel with conventional fuels. Sixteen
  476
  buses are being converted using funds exceeding £200,000 from local authority budgets, £116,000 of which was allocated by the Department of Transport.

  In parallel studies, the Department is assessing the effectiveness of various emission control technologies, including particulate traps, that could also help achieve lower emissions.

  MV Derbyshire
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to complete his investigation of the facts presented to him by the chief inspector of marine accidents following receipts of the evidence and footage from Oceaneering Technologies in respect of the wreck of the Derbyshire, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  It is too early to say when the examination of the material by the marine accident investigation branch will be complete to enable the chief inspector to be in a position to advise my right hon. Friend on the course of action which should be followed.

  Automatic Train Protection
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received British Rail's report on automatic train protection; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Sir Bob Reid has sent my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State a report setting out the results of the BR's work evaluating the technical trials, costs and benefits of ATP systems. No decisions have yet been taken on implementation. My right hon. Friend has asked the Health and Safety Commission and Railtrack for their views on the report. The HSC's advice is expected in the autumn.

  The report's findings will be made available by Railtrack in the next few weeks. Copies of the report will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Rail Franchising Director
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what directions he has given to the Franchising Director in respect of payment of subsidy, where services do not operate.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend has given no directions to the Franchising Director on this issue.

  London Underground (Fires)
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fires have occurred(a) on London Underground property and (b) in London Underground stations in each of the last 10 years; which stations they were in; and how many of them involved escalators.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 27 June 1994]: The information is not held in the form requested. Figures are readily available only from 1990 onwards, and are not held for individual stations.
  477

  Confirmed Fire Incidents on London Underground 1990 to date

  Year

  In Stations (excluding escalators)

  On Escalators

  Other Property (track and rolling stock)

  Total

  1990

  658

  136

  1,830

  2,624

  1991

  80

  73

  993

  1,146

  1992

  59

  46

  525

  630

  1993

  56

  11

  365

  432

  1994 to date

  13

  5

  52

  70

  Safety
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration his Department gives to value-for-money performance indicators for transport safety measures; and what research has been undertaken by his Department into such indicators.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 27 June 1994]: My Department strongly supports the use of value-for-money criteria in the consideration of transport safety measures and the need for systematic assessment of costs and benefits in the introduction of safety legislation. A range of research has been commissioned by the Department into the valuation of safety benefits, particularly in relation to road safety. The public transport operators also commission research in which the Department takes a close interest.

  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions officials of his Department have had with the National Audit Office concerning value-for-money performance indicators for transport safety measures.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 27 June 1994]: Officials from my Department participated in the National Audit Office seminar in July 1993 and have more recently had a number of informal discussions on performance measures for transport safety.

  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what instructions are given to public inquiries after transport disasters regarding(a) the prioritisation of any recommendation produced by such inquiries and (b) the estimation of the costs of implementing any recommendations produced by such inquiries.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 27 June 1994]: The Department believes it important that consideration is given to the costs as well as the likely benefits of implementing any recommendations produced by public inquiries after major transport disasters. This is reflected in the terms of reference of Lord Donaldson's inquiry into the prevention of pollution from merchant shipping which required that due consideration should be given to the economic implications of any new measures. The Department attaches importance to ensuring that any future inquiries also include this requirement. The Department has not issued specific instructions about the prioritisation of recommendations.

  Air Misses
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the number of category A air misses between civilian and military aircraft for each year since 1989.
  478
  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 24 June 1994]: According to the information supplied by the National Air Traffic Services' joint air miss section, the number of category A air misses between civilian and military aircraft for each year since 1989, are as follows:

  Year

  Total

  1989

  12

  1990

  12

  1991

  8

  1992

  9

  1993

  4

PRIME MINISTER

  Government Ministers
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Prime Minister what consideration he has given to reducing the total number of Government Ministers.

  The Prime Minister
  None.

  Disabled People
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the legislative measures for the benefit of disabled people which were introduced during the period that he served as Minister with responsibility for disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  During the relatively short period when I was Minister for disabled people—September 1986 to June 1987—the Government introduced a number of legislative measures, including those which improved local authority services for disabled people bringing them additional rights of assessment; requiring authorities to consider the needs of carers; and improving information and consultation.

  Since I became Prime Minister disabled people have benefited from many more important initiatives such as the introduction of the disability living and working allowances, the access-to-work scheme and improvements to promote the integration of disabled pupils within mainstream schools. I have also made clear our commitment to do still more.

  Corfu Summit
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals on environmental protection the United Kingdom has submitted to the European Union Heads of Government summit in Corfu.

  The Prime Minister
  The United Kingdom did not submit any specific environmental protection matters for discussion.

  Japan (Nuclear Weapons)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what communications he has had with his Japanese counterpart, Mr. Hata, in regard to his statement to the Japanese Diet on 17 June that Japan has the capacity to build nuclear weapons.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office today.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions he has made statements in the House on whether he had plans to increase value added tax, both in terms of scope and rate, since he assumed office.

  The Prime Minister
  I have made statements in the House concerning VAT on numerous occasions, details of which are available in the Library of the House.

  AGIP (Africa) Ltd.
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) whether he will appoint an independent committee, like that of Lord Justice Scott, to investigate all aspects of money laundering by AGIP (Africa) Ltd;

  (2) whether, further to his correspondence with the hon. Member for Great Grimsby, he has initiated inquiries into money laundering involving AGIP (Africa) Ltd.

  The Prime Minister
  As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales investigated the allegations of misconduct on the part of its members and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to justify bringing a disciplinary case against them.

  Union Flag (Public Buildings)
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Prime Minister what action he will take to promote the presence of the Union flag in Government and local government offices, institutions and law courts.

  The Prime Minister
  The Union flag is flown on Government buildings on approximately 20 occasions each year at Her Majesty's command to highlight days of national celebration. Other than that there are no restrictions ; local authorities and other organisations are free to display the Union flag as often as they wish, both inside and outside their buildings. While I have no plans to regulate further the display of the Union flag I would welcome its more frequent use as a symbol of our national pride and unity.

  Roberto Calvi
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister what inquiries he has made in connection with the Banco Ambrosiano official Roberto Calvi.

  The Prime Minister
  None. The circumstances of Mr. Calvi's death were fully investigated by the police.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 28 June.

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 28 June.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.

  Jill Rutter
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Prime Minister in what grade Ms Jill Rutter is employed as a civil servant; and what are her responsibilities.

  The Prime Minister
  Ms Rutter is a grade 5 civil servant, seconded to the policy unit from Her Majesty's Treasury. Her responsibilities cover transport, among a range of other issues.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Prime Minister in what capacity Ms Jill Rutter attended a meeting of the Railtrack board on 17 June; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Ms Rutter has never attended a Railtrack board meeting. On Friday 17 June, she attended a meeting of officials at the Department of Transport, at the invitation of Department of Transport officials, part of which was attended by some Railtrack employees.

EDUCATION

  Further and Higher Education
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 25 February,Official Report, column 502, what is his current policy on the holdback of grants from the Further Education Funding Council; and whether the grant will be paid to the council to allow it discretion over payments to the individual colleges when they have satisfied its conditions.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend's policy on this matter is unchanged. He will reach a decision in due course.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proposals he has to prevent colleges of further and higher education from withholding(a) pay increases, (b) references, (c) in-service training and (d) special benefits to those seeking early retirement and other means of pressure on to staff who refuse to sign the College Employers' Forum contract; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  It is for each college to decide what action it will take in respect of the introduction of new contracts.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many representations he has received in the last two years on the subject of student loans; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  Since June 1992 my right hon. Friend has received 175 letters from hon. Members and members of
  481
  the public on the subject of student loans. In addition my right hon. Friend has received a number of letters on the issue of student support generally. It is not possible to say how many of these mentioned student loans.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will establish a permanent organisation for investigation of accusations in respect of(a) nepotism, (b) preferential contract deals, (c) conflicts of interest and (d) other forms of corruption by principals and governors of colleges of further and higher education and universities; and how many investigations of individual colleges he has ordered to date.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend sees no need for a permanent organisation for the investigation of complaints.

  In the case of an institution in the further education sector my right hon. Friend may intervene under section 57 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 in the event of mismanagement, on the advice of the Further Education Funding Council, or breach of duty. He has requested the FEFC to carry out investigations into the governance and management of two institutions in the further education sector.

  Under section 81 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, if it appears to my right hon. Friend that the financial affairs of any institution within the higher education sector have been mismanaged, he may, after consulting the Higher Education Funding Council and the institution, make directions to the council about the provision of financial support in respect of the activities carried out by the institution. No such direction to the council has been made in respect of any higher education institution.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 3 March,Official Report, column 805, on new contracts for staff of colleges of further education, what authority the Further Education Funding Council has to bring pressure or offer inducements to colleges to move existing staff on to new contracts; and how it proposes to secure uniformity of conditions in colleges.

  Mr. Boswell
  The FEFC has asked each college to sign a declaration that contracts for new staff satisfy the two conditions that I set out in the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) on 16 February,Official Report, column 842. It is for each college to decide what form of contract it wishes to introduce for new staff and whether it can then sign the declaration.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what instructions or advice his Department offers to firms auditing the accounts of colleges of further and higher education for reporting on staff privileges, membership of private health insurance paid for by the colleges or for the detection of fraud, nepotism or sweetheart contracts by governors and principals.

  Mr. Boswell
  Colleges of further education are required by their instruments of government to appoint auditors and to carry out audit work in accordance with the requirements of the Further Education Funding Council. The Further Education Funding Council Unit, the precursor of the Further Education Funding Council, issued in July 1992 advice on external audit, including guidance on the appointment of auditors, scope of audit 482
  and reporting arrangements. The Comptroller and Auditor General and the Council both have powers to inspect colleges' accounts where they consider this appropriate.

  Colleges of higher education are subject to the auditing requirements of the Higher Education Funding Council for England. The Council's audit code of practice was issued in July 1993. Higher education institutions funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England are required, from 1994–95, to disclose the actual total emoluments of the vice-chancellor, director or principal, including benefits in kind valued as cash.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) pursuant to his answer of 25 February,Official Report, column 503, whether his Department has asked any colleges for explanations about the forms of contract they have agreed with staff, or approved any contract offered by any college;

  (2) what explanation he has sought from Manchester college of arts and technology about its new contract terms for staff.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department has asked Manchester college of arts and technology to explain how its agreement with the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education allows it to sign the declaration to the FEFC that its new contract of employment for lecturing staff is significantly different from its current contract of employment. It has not sought an explanation from any other college.

  Universities
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to include the bonds proposed to be issued on behalf of universities in the public sector borrowing requirements; and what factors he intends to take into account to assess whether such inclusion was required.

  Mr. Boswell
  Universities are classified as private institutions and loans they raise from the private finance sector do not add to the PSBR. The definition of the public sector is essentially a matter for the Central Statistical Office.

  Special Educational Needs
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the effect of his Department's funding for special educational needs grants for education support and training on other education budgets.

  Mr. Forth
  The GEST programme prioritises less than 2 per cent. of overall LEA expenditure. In 1994–95, there are five SEN grants which total £23·7 million of the overall budget for GEST of £270·6 million.

  It is for LEAs themselves to decide how much of their overall education budget to spend respectively on special educational needs and other areas of education.

  Nursery Classes
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many full-time equivalent pupils in designated nursery classes in January 1993 were born between(a) 1 September 1987 and 31 December 1987, (b) 1 January 1988 and 31 March 1988 and (c) 1 April 1988 and 31 August 1988 in each local education authority;
  483
  (2) how many full-time equivalent pupils in primary schools, though not in designated nursery classes, in January 1993 were born between (a) 1 September 1987 and 31 December 1987, (b) 1 January 1988 and 31 March 1988 and (c) 1 April 1988 and 31 August 1988 in each local education authority.

  Full Time Equivalent1 of pupils aged 4 in maintained primary schools in each Local Education Authority in England

  January 1993

  Pupils aged 4 born between:-

  1 September 1987–31 December 1987

  1 January 1988–31 March 1988

  1 April 1988–31 August 1988

  LEA

  Nursery classes

  Infant classes

  Nursery classes

  Infant classes

  Nursery classes

  Infant classes

  Corporation of London

  0·0

  8·0

  0·5

  5·0

  6·5

  5·0

  Camden

  0·0

  509·0

  1·0

  364·0

  18·0

  580·0

  Greenwich

  1·0

  1,050·0

  9·0

  782·0

  411·0

  229·0

  Hackney

  0·0

  871·0

  1·0

  560·0

  449·5

  229·0

  Hammersmith

  0·0

  477·0

  2·0

  363·0

  174·5

  220·0

  Islington

  0·0

  746·0

  1·5

  568·0

  363·5

  293·0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1·0

  313·5

  0·0

  246·5

  128·5

  93·0

  Lambeth

  0·0

  951·0

  12·0

  736·0

  326·5

  254·0

  Lewisham

  0·0

  974·0

  2·5

  798·5

  412·0

  237·0

  Southwark

  4·0

  1,112·0

  9·0

  771·0

  503·5

  366·0

  Tower Hamlets

  21·0

  969·0

  36·0

  685·0

  472·0

  290·0

  Wandsworth

  0·0

  791·0

  0·0

  609·5

  0·0

  1,071·5

  Westminster

  4·0

  469·0

  4·0

  332·0

  161·0

  153·0

  Barking and Dagenham

  0·5

  750·0

  1·0

  559·0

  2·0

  896·0

  Barnet

  0·5

  1,120·5

  0·5

  831·0

  8·0

  1,401·5

  Bexley

  0·0

  890·0

  0·5

  808·0

  173·5

  206·5

  Brent

  57·0

  960·0

  42·0

  732·0

  73·5

  1,232·0

  Bromley

  0·0

  1,156·0

  0·5

  938·0

  27·5

  225·5

  Croydon

  0·0

  1,287·0

  0·0

  1,005·5

  0·5

  1,788·0

  Ealing

  11·0

  1,172·0

  7·5

  905·0

  15·0

  1,437·0

  Enfield

  1·0

  1,081·0

  0·0

  871·5

  1·0

  1,447·5

  Haringey

  0·0

  943·0

  1·0

  671·0

  5·5

  1,116·0

  Harrow

  1·0

  855·0

  0·5

  622·0

  0·5

  1,015·5

  Havering

  0·0

  967·0

  1·0

  745·0

  2·5

  747·5

  Hillingdon

  1·0

  964·0

  341·0

  49·0

  590·5

  15·5

  Hounslow

  1·0

  841·0

  3·0

  697·0

  14·5

  1,087·5

  Kingston upon Thames

  0·0

  502·0

  13·5

  363·5

  5·5

  376·5

  Merton

  0·0

  695·0

  0·0

  511·5

  200·5

  359·0

  Newham

  0·0

  1,206·0

  379·5

  3·0

  522·5

  0·0

  Redbridge

  0·0

  953·5

  40·5

  655·5

  184·5

  520·0

  Richmond upon Thames

  0·0

  569·0

  0·0

  209·0

  0·5

  375·5

  Sutton

  0·0

  702·0

  186·5

  34·0

  308·0

  15·0

  Waltham Forest

  1·0

  981·0

  13·5

  785·0

  445·0

  192·0

  Birmingham

  1·0

  4,907·0

  5·0

  3,618·0

  14·5

  6,263·5

  Coventry

  0·5

  1,411·0

  0·0

  1,053·0

  1·0

  1,762·0

  Dudley

  0·0

  1,293·0

  1·5

  1,060·0

  460·0

  246·0

  Sandwell

  23·0

  1,404·0

  16·5

  1,048·0

  26·0

  1,732·0

  Solihull

  0·0

  909·0

  0·0

  681·0

  0·0

  1,152·0

  Walsall

  0·0

  1,186·0

  0·0

  923·0

  0·5

  1,533·0

  Wolverhampton

  0·0

  1,132·0

  0·0

  849·0

  2·0

  1,463·0

  Knowsley

  0·0

  808·0

  0·0

  642·0

  2·0

  955·0

  Liverpool

  1·0

  2,268·0

  5·0

  1,691·0

  8·5

  2,841·0

  St· Helens

  0·0

  775·0

  0·0

  604·0

  2·5

  1,003·5

  Sefton

  0·5

  1,171·5

  1·5

  927·0

  5·0

  1,503·0

  Wirral

  0·0

  1,419·0

  0·0

  1,169·0

  0·0

  1,907·0

  Bolton

  3·5

  1,226·0

  0·0

  934·0

  3·0

  1,599·0

  Bury

  1·0

  771·0

  1·0

  584·0

  4·0

  1,010·5

  Manchester

  6·5

  2,186·0

  24·0

  1,611·0

  1,660·5

  779·0

  Oldham

  0·0

  1,070·0

  0·0

  825·0

  1·0

  1,356·5

  Rochdale

  1·0

  1,005·0

  0·0

  787·5

  0·0

  1,303·0

  Salford

  10·0

  968·0

  14·0

  785·0

  24·0

  1,377·0

  Stockport

  8·0

  1,268·0

  9·5

  927·0

  20·5

  1,529·0

  Tameside

  0·0

  1041·0

  0·0

  817·0

  2·0

  1,337·0

  Trafford

  0·0

  929·0

  0·5

  666·0

  20·0

  1,141·0

  Wigan

  0·0

  1,406·0

  0·0

  1,028·5

  0·0

  1,673·5

  Barnsley

  0·5

  983·0

  0·5

  773·0

  399·0

  293·0

  Doncaster

  0·0

  1,325·0

  0·0

  1,023·0

  0·0

  1,723·0

  Rotherham

  0·0

  1,098·0

  0·5

  966·0

  542·5

  195·0

  Sheffield

  1·0

  2,135·0

  11·5

  1,712·5

  759·0

  660·5

  Bradford

  0·0

  2,392·0

  3·0

  1,895·0

  524·0

  1,715·5

  Calderdale

  0·0

  929·0

  0·0

  751·0

  0·0

  1,139·0

  Kirklees

  0·0

  1,782·0

  13·0

  1,304·0

  486·0

  1,027·0

  Leeds

  1·0

  3,056·0

  1·5

  2,422·0

  1,049·5

  1,152·0

  Wakefield

  1·0

  1,414·0

  2·0

  1,092·0

  462·0

  718·5

  Gateshead

  0·0

  820·0

  0·0

  585·0

  0·0

  1,058·0

  484
  Mr. Robin Squire
  The number of pupils aged four at the beginning of the school year 1992–93 being taught in nursery and infant classes in maintained primary schools in each local education authority in England is shown in the table.
  485

  Pupils aged 4 born between:-

  1 September 1987–31 December 1987

  1 January 1988–31 March 1988

  1 April 1988–31 August 1988

  LEA

  Nursery classes

  Infant classes

  Nursery classes

  Infant classes

  Nursery classes

  Infant classes

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  1·0

  1,089·0

  1·0

  810·0

  1·0

  1,375·0

  North Tyneside

  0·0

  828·0

  0·0

  581·5

  0·5

  1,063·0

  South Tyneside

  0·0

  727·0

  1·0

  534·0

  0·0

  849·0

  Sunderland

  0·0

  1,321·0

  0·0

  1,050·0

  0·0

  1,685·0

  Isles of Scilly

  0·0

  10·5

  0·0

  4·0

  0·0

  9·5

  Avon

  3·0

  3,763·5

  1·5

  2,877·5

  4·5

  5,017·5

  Bedfordshire

  42·5

  2,480·5

  416·0

  999·0

  695·0

  936·0

  Berkshire

  6·5

  3,102·0

  386·5

  510·5

  725·5

  107·0

  Buckinghamshire

  2·0

  2,666·0

  4·0

  1,395·5

  387·5

  541·0

  Cambridgeshire

  0·0

  2,840·0

  0·0

  2,251·5

  2·0

  3,631·5

  Cheshire

  0·0

  4,159·0

  0·0

  3,196·5

  6·5

  5,138·0

  Cleveland

  12·0

  2,702·0

  7·0

  2,085·0

  22·5

  3,478·0

  Cornwall

  1·0

  1,956·0

  2·0

  1,450·5

  117·5

  1,322·0

  Cumbria

  0·0

  1,947·5

  0·0

  1,501·0

  0·0

  2,478·5

  Derbyshire

  2·5

  3,841·5

  15·5

  3,090·5

  1,129·0

  1,688·0

  Devon

  0·0

  3,854·0

  4·5

  3,030·5

  434·5

  1,249·5

  Dorset

  0·0

  2,260·5

  0·0

  1,463·0

  7·5

  1,507·5

  Durham

  1·0

  2,554·5

  3·0

  1,941·0

  93·0

  2,808·5

  East Sussex

  1·0

  2,556·0

  1·0

  2,083·5

  58·0

  1,705·5

  Essex

  0·5

  6,178·0

  18·0

  5,067·0

  454·5

  1,542·5

  Gloucestershire

  0·0

  2,121·5

  0·0

  1,705·5

  0·0

  2,720·0

  Hampshire

  0·0

  6,538·0

  0·5

  5,356·0

  236·0

  1,444·5

  Hereford and Worcester

  0·0

  2,676·5

  0·0

  2,081·0

  363·5

  444·0

  Hertfordshire

  0·0

  4,066·5

  29·5

  3,362·0

  1,139·0

  1,377·0

  Humberside

  0·0

  4,068·0

  7·0

  3,081·0

  1,285·5

  2,347·5

  Isle of Wight

  0·0

  474·0

  0·5

  357·0

  0·0

  598·0

  Kent

  0·5

  6,256·0

  1·0

  4,594·5

  46·0

  6,649·0

  Lancashire

  0·0

  6,245·0

  0·5

  4,835·0

  1·5

  7,884·0

  Leicestershire

  21·0

  3,923·5

  389·5

  2,432·0

  1,233·0

  1,463·0

  Lincolnshire

  0·0

  2,271·0

  0·0

  1,786·5

  31·0

  3,126·5

  Norfolk

  0·0

  2,776·5

  1·5

  2,134·0

  18·5

  2,460·5

  North Yorkshire

  11·0

  2,694·0

  20·0

  2,146·0

  285·0

  2,787·0

  Northamptonshire

  1·0

  2,615·0

  4·0

  2,015·5

  4·5

  3,435·5

  Northumberland

  0·0

  1,227·0

  1·5

  959·0

  15·0

  1,566·5

  Nottinghamshire

  3·0

  4,438·0

  687·5

  1,620·5

  1,831·0

  364·5

  Oxfordshire

  8·0

  2,235·0

  176·0

  559·5

  284·0

  169·0

  Shropshire

  0·0

  1,677·0

  2·0

  1,303·0

  313·5

  605·0

  Somerset

  0·0

  1,807·5

  0·0

  1,423·5

  5·5

  2,414·0

  Staffordshire

  2·0

  4,404·0

  0·0

  3,576·0

  65·5

  5,594·0

  Suffolk

  16·0

  2,546·5

  10·5

  2,010·5

  680·5

  615·5

  Surrey

  1·0

  3,503·5

  2·5

  2,749·0

  421·5

  1,087·5

  Warwickshire

  0·0

  1,972·0

  0·0

  1,536·0

  3·0

  2,541·0

  West Sussex

  0·0

  2,639·0

  1·0

  2,031·0

  42·5

  832·5

  Wiltshire

  0·0

  2,447·0

  0·0

  1,954·5

  96·0

  1,311·0

  Total

  301·0

  200,781·5

  3,417·0

  146,100·0

  25,027·0

  155,592·0

  1Part-time pupil=0·5.

  Obscene Publications Branch
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance his Department has issued to head teachers or governors on computer pornography in schools; how his future plans for tackling it have been affected by the possible closure of the obscene publications branch at Scotland Yard; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  The National Council for Educational Technology is developing guidance for parents and schools on access to computers. This will include advice on computer pornography and will be available later this year. The review of the obscene publications branch is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department, but I understand that there are no plans to reduce police effort in this area.

  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consultation there has been with teachers' unions on the future of the obscene publications branch at Scotland Yard.
  486
  Mr. Forth
  None.

  Professor Tim Brighouse
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much public money has been paid, or will be paid, to cover costs incurred by him as a result of Professor Tim Brighouse's successful High Court action against him.

  Mr. Patten
  None.

  Student Loans Company
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list each chairman of the Student Loans Company since its inception, the date of their appointment and who made it, the salary they received and the companies of which they were directors at the time they were also chairman of the Student Loans Company.

  Mr. Boswell
  The shareholders have appointed three chairmen to the Student Loans Company: Mr. John
  487
  Vereker was appointed, unpaid, on 21 December 1989 and was also a director of the Institute of Manpower Studies; Mr. Malcolm Hurlston was appointed on 6 September 1991 at a salary of £12,000 and was a director of Registry Trust Ltd. and ESOP Centre Ltd. and Mr. Kenneth Young was appointed on 28 July 1992 at a salary of £12,000 and has served as deputy chairman of the Post Office, chairman of Post Office Counters Ltd., Girobank plc and Subscription Services Ltd. and is a non-executive director of FBG Pensions Ltd. and FBG Pensions Investments Ltd.

  National Youth Agency
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the future of the National Youth Agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  A policy review of the National Youth Agency is under way. Contributions to an assessment of the general effectiveness of the agency have been invited from interested bodies. My right hon. Friend plans to announce the outcome of the review in the autumn. Meanwhile, I will be placing in the Library today a copy of the letter of consultation to interested bodies which includes details of the terms of reference of the policy review.

  Educational Achievement
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will conduct research into the levels of educational achievement attained by different ethnic groups.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Research evidence is already available on the levels of educational achievement attained by different ethnic groups. The reasons why some groups achieve better than others were examined in detail by the former Swann committee of inquiry into the education of children from ethnic minority groups. Lord Swann concluded that there would be little to be gained in studying the causes further and that the focus should now be on efforts to counter underachievement. The Government have been doing this, through a variety of measures to raise the educational achievement of all pupils, whatever their ethnic background.

  Special Schools
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of statutory age pupils attended a special school in each local education authority; and what was the national average, for the latest year for which information is available.

  Mr. Forth
  The percentage of pupils aged five to 15 attending maintained special schools in England in January 1993 was 1.31 per cent.

  Information on attendance at maintained special schools in each local authority in England is given in the table.

  Percentage of pupils of compulsory school age attending maintained special schools in each Local Education Authority in England January 1993

  Local education authority

  Percentage of pupils attending special schools

  Corporation of London

  0·00

  Camden

  1·76

  Greenwich

  2·11

  488

  Local education authority

  Percentage of pupils attending special schools

  Hackney

  2·75

  Hammersmith

  2·55

  Islington

  1·60

  Kensington and Chelsea

  0·78

  Lambeth

  3·21

  Lewisham

  1·68

  Southwark

  1·59

  Tower Hamlets

  1·72

  Wandsworth

  3·32

  Westminster

  1·14

  Barking

  0·69

  Barnet

  0·77

  Bexley

  0·89

  Brent

  1·14

  Bromley

  0·99

  Croydon

  1·26

  Ealing

  1·32

  Enfield

  1·06

  Haringey

  1·30

  Harrow

  0·79

  Havering

  0·61

  Hillingdon

  1·24

  Hounslow

  1·39

  Kingston upon Thames

  1·45

  Merton

  1·22

  Newham

  0·74

  Redbridge

  1·30

  Richmond upon Thames

  0·85

  Sutton

  1·13

  Waltham Forest

  2·37

  Birmingham

  1·72

  Coventry

  1·83

  Dudley

  1·36

  Sandwell

  1·87

  Solihull

  0·90

  Walsall

  1·21

  Wolverhampton

  1·36

  Knowsley

  2·45

  Liverpool

  2·16

  St. Helens

  1·73

  Sefton

  0·96

  Wirral

  1·57

  Bolton

  1·14

  Bury

  1·18

  Manchester

  2·33

  Oldham

  1·30

  Rochdale

  1·55

  Salford

  1·28

  Stockport

  0·99

  Tameside

  1·27

  Trafford

  1·28

  Wigan

  1·85

  Barnsley

  0·43

  Doncaster

  1·50

  Rotherham

  1·56

  Sheffield

  1·27

  Bradford

  0·89

  Calderdale

  0·48

  Kirklees

  1·14

  Leeds

  0·91

  Wakefield

  1·29

  Gateshead

  1·28

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  1·96

  North Tyneside

  1·49

  South Tyneside

  1·40

  Sunderland

  1·39

  Isles of Scilly

  0·00

  Avon

  1·63

  Bedfordshire

  1·36

  Berkshire

  1·59

  Buckinghamshire

  1·66

  Cambridgeshire

  1·00

  Cheshire

  0·92

  Cleveland

  1·46

  Cornwall

  0·42

  Cumbria

  0·34

  489

  Local education authority

  Percentage of pupils attending special schools

  Derbyshire

  0·89

  Devon

  1·33

  Dorset

  1·37

  Durham

  1·24

  East Sussex

  1·65

  Essex

  1·18

  Gloucestershire

  1·74

  Hampshire

  1·63

  Hereford and Worcester

  1·21

  Hertfordshire

  1·40

  Humberside

  0·89

  Isle of Wight

  1·23

  Kent

  1·43

  Lancashire

  1·56

  Leicestershire

  0·80

  Lincolnshire

  1·35

  Norfolk

  0·89

  North Yorkshire

  1·04

  Northamptonshire

  1·18

  Northumberland

  1·12

  Nottinghamshire

  1·07

  Oxfordshire

  1·06

  Shropshire

  0·85

  Somerset

  1·02

  Staffordshire

  1·36

  Suffolk

  0·84

  Surrey

  1·58

  Warwickshire

  1·65

  West Sussex

  1·37

  Wiltshire

  0·99

  England

  1·31

ENVIRONMENT

  Habitats Directive
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will be laying the draft regulations for the implementation of the EC habitats directive before the House.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will announce the Government's detailed response to the EU habitats directive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Government are firmly committed to the transportation of the directive into United Kingdom law. I expect to lay draft regulations under the affirmative procedure before the House shortly.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total amount of local authority capital receipts from council house sales set aside as provision to meet credit liabilities.

  Mr. Baldry
  Returns from local authorities indicate that the total amounts set aside as provision to meet credit liabilities at 31 March 1993 was £6·2 billion. No figures are available within this total for the amounts set aside from capital receipts arising from the sale of council houses.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been(a) the total number of council house sales and (b) the number as a percentage of stocks in each district council area for the period since 1980.
  490
  Sir George Young
  A table showing the available information on the total number of council dwelling sales in each English local authority for every financial year since 1979–80 and a cumulative total to December 1993 is in the Library. The table also gives data on the cumulative total of sales expressed as a percentage of the estimated stock at 1 April 1979.

  Ponds
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider carrying out a survey into the desirability of pond preservation orders, similar to tree preservation orders; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Results from a special analysis of the countryside survey 1990 on ponds are expected shortly. Environmental schemes, such as countryside stewardship, protect environmental features including ponds and encourage their creation. Against this background I have no plans to introduce specific statutory protection for ponds.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on the relationship between the new index of local conditions and the Z score of deprivation as used by his Department to distribute resources to local government;

  (2) what plans he has to change the resource distribution methodologies to reflect the deprivation of Birmingham as measured by the index of local conditions.

  Mr. Baldry
  The index of local conditions and its predecessor based on Z scores are not used to determine resource distribution. The index is one of the factors which Government offices of the regions may take into account in assessing bids for funding through the single regeneration budget. There are no plans to include the index of local conditions in the standard spending assessment system used to distribute revenue support grant. As well as many other indicators reflecting higher spending need, the SSA system already includes economic and social indices.

  Local Government Review
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the cost of the local government review to local government.

  Mr. Baldry
  We have no estimates for the expenditure incurred by local authorities on the local government review.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate Ordnance Survey has made of the costs of revising maps to show new local authority boundaries resulting from the current local government review.

  Mr. Baldry
  The provisional estimate is for a cost between £1·5 million and £3·5 million. Ordnance Survey will make a more precise estimate when results of the local government review are known.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the costs to date and estimated future costs of(a) the Local Government Commission, (b) the Staff Commission and (c) the Audit Commission in relation to the local government review.
  491
  Mr. Baldry
  The Local Government Commission incurred expenditure of £2·056 million in 1992–93 and received grant in aid of £5·124 million in 1993–94. We are making available £8·300 million to fund the Commission's activities in 1994–95, and have announced provision of £2·500 million and £1·500 million for the years 1995–96 and 1996–97.

  The Local Government Staff Commission (England) incurred expenditure of £270,692 in 1993–94. We are making available £363,000 to the staff commission in 1994–95, and intend to make available £374,000 in 1995–96, and £386,000 in both 1996–97 and 1997–98.

  Where the Local Government Commission invited the Audit Commission's views on proposals for reorganisation, its costs were reimbursed. The Audit Commission has also produced a consultation paper on local government reorganisation—"Time for Change"—at a cost of £46,603. Future work and associated costs will be determined by the response to that consultation paper.

  River Water Quality
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received regarding river water pollution from mining or former mining works in each region in England during the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  In the past year, some 60 representations have been received expressing concern specifically about potential or actual mine water pollution in the National Rivers Authority's Northumbria and Yorkshire region; eight in the Severn-Trent region, two in the North West region and five in the South Western region. In addition there have been some 20 general representations.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes have taken place in each of the last 10 years in river water quality in the north-west; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The relevant five-year river quality surveys for 1985 and 1990 are available in the House Library. The most recent report on river quality by the National Rivers Authority, published in May 1994, shows a significant improvement in the north-west, with the proportion of good quality rivers increasing from 42 per cent. to 53 per cent. between 1990 and 1992, and the proportion of poor or bad quality rivers declining from 27 per cent. to 19 per cent.

  Road Crossing Facilities
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make additional financial resources available for the provision of road crossing facilities for(a) the visually disabled and (b) other disabled; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Resources for revenue spending by local authorities on the provision of road crossing facilities for the disabled are included within their standard spending assessment for highway maintenance. Provisional decisions on the highway maintenance standard spending assessment for 1995–96 will be announced shortly after the Budget as part of the proposed local authority finance settlement.
  492
  Local authorities may also include the provision of such facilities within their annual transport policy programmes which receive funding from the Department of Transport.

  The provision of road crossing facilities for the disabled is at the discretion of individual local authorities, which are best placed to decide on the level of provision taking account of local circumstances and their own spending priorities.

  Wildlife
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) pursuant to his answer of 3 February,Official Report, column 879–80, how many more nature conservation orders he has granted or refused under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in England; how many are still in force; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 15 March, Official Report, column 576, how many further prosecutions have been taken under sections 28 or 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Since 31 December 1993, one new nature conservation order has been made and three orders have been revoked. There are now 16 orders in force.

  There have been no further prosecutions under section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and one under section 29.

  Departmental Housing
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Government will publish the report of the empty homes task group.

  Sir George Young
  We intend to publish shortly the report of the task force on Government Departments' empty houses, along with a Government response to its recommendations.

  Medway Special Protection Area
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons Her Majesty's Government excluded Lappel bank from the Medway special protection area.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. Friend's reasons for excluding Lappel bank from the Medway special protection area are set out in my officials' letter of 10 December 1993 to the chief executive, English Nature, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

  Water Meters
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has agreed that the Director General of Water Services should be able to make it a condition that water companies intending to expand their system should be required to extend also the installation of meters.

  Mr. Atkins
  This is a matter for the Director General of Water Services, the NRA and water companies. When expanding their systems, water companies are expected to assess the relative merits of demand management measures, such as metering or leakage control as compared with resource development. I understand that all but five water companies have a policy of metering water supplies for new connections.

  Coal Extraction
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what policies he proposes to include in revised planning guidance for coal extraction in the light of responses to the public consultation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what policies he proposes to include in revised planning guidance for coal extraction in the light of responses to public consultation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The draft guidance that we published in December last year provides a stronger environmental framework than the guidance published in 1988. The Government believe that the planning framework for coal extraction should be based on the same general principles as for other mineral extraction. To avoid any misunderstanding, we have decided to delete the statement in the draft guidance that "it would be against the national interest to refuse permission for coal extraction". It is clear from the responses to consultation that the reference to "the national interest" in paragraph 15 of the draft guidance has been wrongly interpreted as giving an extra presumption in favour of coal mining development.

  The Government wish to see the development of the largest economically viable coal industry for the longer term within its broad objectives of encouraging competition, promoting economic growth and assisting the creation and maintenance of employment. This must, of course, be consistent with land use planning criteria, and the best way of striking the balance between the economic importance of this indigenous energy resource and the protection of the environment is through the careful consideration of individual applications within the framework of the development plan-led system.

  The Government's policy is that, where the development can be carried out in an environmentally acceptable way and consistent with the principles of sustainable development, there is no case, in land use planning terms, for placing more restrictions on coal extraction and colliery spoil disposal than are necessary to ensure full and proper protection of the environment.

  We hope to publish final guidance before the summer recess to provide a planning framework which will ensure that the industry can develop the mineral resource in a way that has proper regard to local concerns and is fully compatible with economic growth, the protection of the environment and the principles of sustainable development. I am confident that with careful planning and a sensitive approach to local concerns the industry will be able to come forward with proposals that contribute to economic growth and which provide an environmentally sound foundation for the future.

  Single Regeneration Budget
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if education projects with particular reference to the teaching of English to children of New Commonwealth origin are eligible as bids under the single regeneration budget; for how many such bids he has made provision; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 27 June 1994]: The single regeneration budget encourages local partnerships to come
  494
  forward with bids that reflect the needs of their areas and which meet the SRB objectives. These objectives embrace proposals which "promote initiatives of benefit to ethnic minorities" and which "enhance the employment prospects, education and skills of local people, particularly the young and those at a disadvantage, and promote equality of opportunity". It is for local partnerships to decide what their local priorities are and to say how these fit within the strategic approach to regeneration which the SRB bidding guidance requires.

  On present estimates some £100 million will be available nationally in 1995–96 to support new local bids.

DEFENCE

  Al Yamamah Agreements
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library tables showing the value of orders placed with British industry each year under(a) the Al Yamamah I intergovernmental agreement and (b) Al Yamamah II intergovernmental agreement valued in cash in US dollars and sterling with the exchange rate used for translation; and if he will estimate the value of sub-contracts on such orders placed outside Britain.

  Mr. Aitken
  No. It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on detailed matters concerning individual defence export sales.

  Ballistic Missile Defence
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the terms of the pre-feasibility study contract on ballistic missile defence; how many bids he has received; from whom; and when he expects to announce the award of the contract.

  Mr. Aitken
  The United Kingdom ballistic missile defence pre-feasibility study is the subject of a competitive tendering exercise. Tenders were received on 23 June 1994 from two consortia led by British Aerospace plc and Logica UK Ltd. The two tenders are being assessed against the invitation to tender. It is intended that the contract award will be announced in the autumn.

  Search and Rescue Services
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what comparison he has made of the cost of basing search and rescue at RAF Brawdy and RAF Chivenor following the decision to mothball Chivenor and base 14 Signals Regiment at Brawdy.

  Mr. Hanley
  All factors, particularly the operational case but also the financial arguments, were taken into account in reaching our decision to transfer the SAR flight from RAF Brawdy to RAF Chivenor. I have no plans to conduct any further financial appraisal of this matter following my recent decision to base 14 Signals Regiment at Brawdy; my Department is currently considering alternative defence uses for RAF Chivenor.

  Historic Buildings
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements have been made for independent expert advice to be given to the Ministry of Defence on the care of historic buildings which it owns or occupies.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Ministry of Defence takes seriously the Government's commitment to aim for the highest standards of conservation for its historic buildings. To assist in achieving that aim, my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence has appointed a historic buildings advisory group.

  The terms of reference of the group are that—
  It will assist my Department to manage the historic buildings on its estate by providing a source of informed advice on the care and maintenance of buildings, adaptation for new uses and disposal.
  It will offer expert advice on idividual buildings or groups of buildings, and their setting, and on any associated archaeological aspects as appropriate. Members of the group will provide a link to outside experts and specialists as necessary.
  It will provide advice on the development of my Department's general policy and strategy with a view to establishing priorities in allocating limited resources, and to devising disposal strategies for large or difficult sites. It will thus contribute to the effective management within the available resources of the Department's historic estate, in line with the Government's aim to achieve the highest standards of conservation.

  My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will chair this group whenever possible; otherwise the vice-chairman, Sir William Whitfield, CBE, will lead. Other outside members of the group are

  Mr. Alan Baxter

  Mr. Stuart Lipton

  Mr. Ian McIvor

  Mr. Les Sparks

  In addition, Mr. John Ledlie, a deputy under-secretary in my Department, is a member of the group.

  Army Technical Branches
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has for the organisation of the Army's technical branches and authorities.

  Mr. Hanley
  A review has been completed into the organisation and grouping of the Army's technical branches and authorities. The review reported its initial findings in August 1992.

  One of the recommendations of the review was that the spares divisions located at Chilwell and Donnington should be amalgamated into one division operating from a single site, with ensuing economies of scale. This recommendation has now been subjected to operational and financial appraisals. The most cost-effective solution which has emerged is that the two provisioning and procurement divisions, the vehicle spares division Chilwell and technical equipments division Donnington, should be collocated within a rented building in Telford, near Donnington, achieving savings of some £6,000,000 per annum. I have decided to accept this recommendation as the basis for consultation with the trades unions and other interested parties. Final decisions will only be taken in the light of representations made.

  I am placing a copy of the consultation document in the Library of the House.

  Small Arms Ammunition
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on future orders for small arms ammunition.

  Mr. Aitken
  A long-term contract was won by Royal Ordnance plc last October for the supply of various types of ammunition, including small arms ammunition, during the period 1993–94 to 1997–98. The contract included an option to extend all or part of the contract for a further two years. We have now reached an agreement with Royal Ordnance to extend the small arms element of the contract to cover the years 1998 to 1999 and 1999 to 2000. This increases the value of the contract to Royal Ordnance by some £40 million and should help maintain jobs at Royal Ordnance's Radway Green factory which employs nearly 600 people.

  Operation Granby
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what specific assessments have been made by his Department, the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, or by the United States Defence Department with his knowledge, of the possibility that some of the Iraqi targets bombed during Operation Granby released chemical warfare agents into the environment that may have contaminated British service men and women.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 24 June 1994]: This is a matter for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, CBDE, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, CBDE, to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Llew Smith, dated 24 June 1994:
  >1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him what specific assessments have been made by his Department, the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, or by the United States Defense Department with his knowledge, of the possibility that some of the Iraqi targets bombed during Operation GRANBY released chemical warfare agents into the environment that may have contaminated British servicemen and women has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. During Operation GRANBY, the potential hazard to Service personnel resulting from the bombing of Iraqi targets at which chemical weapons were stored was recognised by the Ministry of Defence. The Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment made an assessment of the potential downwind hazard distances based on various assumptions for the quantity of agent that might be released as a result of a bombing attack and for the associated meteorological conditions.
  3. The result of the assessment indicated that even assuming simultaneous release of the majority of agent from several bunkers under meteorological conditions which favoured the downwind travel of the agent cloud and ignoring the fact that chemical agents are organic materials which are destroyed by combustion, the maximum distance at which there would be any hazard was of the order of a few tens of kilometres. In practice, simultaneous release is unlikely to occur, agent will be destroyed by combustion and meteorological conditions will be less favourable resulting in a significantly reduced downwind hazard distance.
  4. The conclusion was that there was no evidence that British Servicemen and women would be exposed to chemical warfare agent as a result of bombing attacks. Our appreciation is that the US Department of Defense carried out similar studies and reached similar conclusions.

SCOTLAND

  Water and Sewerage
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the amount charged to council tax payers for water and sewerage charges in each of the regional and island councils of Scotland in 1994–95.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Households receiving a public water supply pay council water charges levied along with their council tax. Sewerage is one of the services funded from within council tax. Details of council water charges and expenditure on sewerage are given in the leaflet recently issued to households in Scotland. A copy is in the Library.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what effect the proposed local government reorganisation will have on the amount of revenue and capital grant paid to the proposed water boards.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The present grant system applicable to local authorities will not apply to the new water and sewerage authorities. Their arrangements will be determined by a new financial control regime. Provision is made in the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Bill for grants to be made to the new water and sewerage authorities under clause 83.

  Wildcats
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many licences have been issued for the killing or taking of wildcats in each of the past five years.

  Sir Hector Monro
  One licence was issued for the taking of wildcats in 1989. In 1990 and 1991 no licences were issued, but in 1992 two were issued to take the species followed by a further such licence in 1993.

  Arable Area Payments Scheme
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by county the amount of European Union arable subsidy received for the latest year for which figures are available; and what were the figures for each of the previous four years.

  Sir Hector Monro
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Sherwood (Mr. Tipping) on 14 June,Official Report, columns 462–63. The arable area payments scheme was introduced in 1992 and the first payments were made in 1993. There are therefore no comparable figures for previous years.

  Gaelic-medium Education
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make a statement on the future of funding arrangements for Gaelic-medium education;

  (2) if he will initiate a strategy aimed at ensuring the continuation of Gaelic-medium education into secondary schools;

  (3) how many responses he has received to Her Majesty's inspectors' report on Gaelic education; and if he will place a summary of the responses in the Library.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Office Education Department has received 123 responses to Her 498
  Majesty's inspectorate report "Provision for Gaelic Education in Scotland". These are currently being analysed and summarised, and a copy of the summary will be placed in the Library in due course.

  We intend to take account of the inspectorate report and the comments which have been received on it in formulating future policy for Gaelic education, on which I will make an announcement in due course.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children are now receiving Gaelic-medium education in primary schools, by local authority areas.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The 1993 school census showed that 1,144 primary school pupils were receiving Gaelic medium cross-curricular instruction. This figure is broken down by local authority areas as follows:-

  Local Authority Area

  Number of Pupils

  Highland

  414

  Strathclyde

  398

  Western Isles

  309

  Grampian

  17

  Tayside

  6

  Total

  1,144

  This figure excludes primary school pupils receiving bilingual Gaelic/English instruction or other Gaelic instruction.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to safeguard the place of Gaelic-medium education following the reorganisation of local government.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I see no risk to Gaelic education arising out of local government reorganisation, as the new authorities will have the same responsibilities as the old. The Scottish Office Education Department will issue guidance to education authorities after the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Bill receives Royal Assent.

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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, (f) Touche Ross, (g) Grant Thornton, (h) Robson Rhodes and (i) Pannell Kerr Forster for (i) privatisation, (ii) market testing, (iii) management advice, (iv) accounting, (v) audit, (vi) consultancy and (vii) other services in (1) 1980 to 1983, (2) 1984 to 1987, (3) 1988 to 1991 and (4) 1992–93.

  Mr. Lang
  A full reply could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, I refer the hon. Member to my replies to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 21 February 1994 Official Report, columns 51–52, and to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman) on 16 March 1994, Official Report, columns 659–60 which contain much of the information sought.

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if consultation on the future of the Forestry Commission will take place on the full range of options considered by the working group;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the timetable for consultation on the future of the Forestry Commission and on the method of consultation.

  Sir Hector Monro
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 9 May 1994,Official Report, column 48.

  Tourism
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to launch additional initiatives to promote Scotland in the tourist market as the home of golf; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The statutory agency with responsibility for the promotion of Scotland as a tourist destination is the Scottish tourist board. The board recognises that golf is an important attraction to potential visitors to Scotland and features it prominently in its promotional activities both within the United Kingdom and overseas. Promotional initiatives are an operational matter for the board and I have therefore arranged for its chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Glenfeshie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what weight he has attached in his consideration of Glenfeshie to policies of planting set-aside areas with trees nearer to sawmills than the south Cairngorms.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Glenfeshie is a private estate, and thus tree planting on the estate is a matter for its owner.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his assessment of the value of Glenfeshie and Mar Lodge as attractions for tourism in Scotland.

  Sir Hector Monro
  As the Glenfeshie and Mar Lodge estates are privately owned, my right hon. Friend has made no specific assessment of their value to tourism. However, the principal attraction of the Cairngorms area for tourists is the high quality of its landscape and natural heritage. These attractions are well represented in the Glenfeshie and Mar Lodge estates. In recognition of the national importance of the landscape and natural heritage which they contain, significant parts of these estates have been included in the Cairngorms national nature reserve, the Cairngorms national scenic area, and the proposed Cairngorms special protection area.

  Conservation Areas
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the conservation areas in Scotland which are subject to article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992 directive by his Department.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  A comprehensive list is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  GPs (Night Visits)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 15 June,Official Report, columns 605–6, what is his assessment of the reasons for the upward growth in the figures for night visits by general practitioners.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 23 June 1994]: The rising trend is likely to reflect a range of factors but the step increase in 1990–91 can probably be attributed largely to changes introduced by the 1990 GP contract to the basis on which GPs are remunerated for night visits, including a two-tier system of payment for night visits and a two-hour extension of the period within which visits gave rise to eligibility for a fee.

  Conveyancing and Executry Services Board
  Mr. George Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has made a decision about the future of the Conveyancing and Executry Services Board; and what consultations he undertook before reaching his conclusions.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 23 June 1994]: My noble and learned Friend the Minister of State announced on 21 June that the suspension of the Scottish Conveyancing and Executry Services Board would continue for a further two years. After careful consideration, we had concluded that the housing market had not yet picked up sufficiently to provide worthwhile opportunities for qualified conveyancers. The decision will be reviewed in a year's time.

  No formal consultation exercise was undertaken in reaching this decision. We did, however, take into account the representations we had received over the period since the board was suspended.

  Public Information
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing(a) the names and addresses of those contracted to provide one-stop access to information on behalf of his Department under the taking stock exercise, (b) the estimated annual amount to each including expenses, (c) how many inquiries have been made up to and including 1 June at each office and (d) the pro rata cost of each inquiry; and if he will make a statement on what has been achieved by this project.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 24 June 1994]: Of the 25 public information points established since September 1993, 20 are in departmental offices around Scotland, three are in citizens advice bureaux in Dumbarton, Airdrie and Kirkcaldy, and two are in the offices of solicitors in Perth and Kirkcudbright—at June 1994. The total cost of establishing all 25 information points is approximately £27,000 covering racking, shelving, the provision of a telephone helpline, and printed material. No payments have been made to the firms in whose offices information points have been established. A record of the number of inquirers calling at the information points is not kept, and consequently it is not possible to calculate a cost per inquiry. Information points make an important contribution to the accessibility of the Scottish Office and allow members of the public to inquire, complain or make suggestions about the Department's services and policies.

  Johnstone Health Clinic
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the utilisation or disposal of the former Johnstone health clinic, which was closed when Argyll and Clyde health board opened the new Johnstone health centre.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 24 June 1994]: I understand that this property is currently being considered for use as a centre for day care for adults with learning disabilities. The project sponsors—Argyll and Clyde

  Area

  A+

  A

  B

  C

  Cost per area

  Argyll and Clyde

  —

  —

  10

  22

  410,282

  Ayrshire and Arian

  —

  —

  4

  23

  311,681

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  11

  112,584

  Common Services Agency

  1

  2

  4

  2

  222,565

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  —

  4

  13

  209,332

  Fife

  —

  1

  6

  18

  340,973

  Forth Valley

  —

  —

  4

  20

  281,907

  Grampian

  2

  12

  20

  54

  1,279,010

  Greater Glasgow

  12

  45

  81

  142

  4,566,621

  Highland

  —

  1

  10

  21

  442,372

  Lanarkshire

  —

  2

  4

  37

  524,275

  Lothian

  11

  27

  50

  97

  2,918,595

  Orkney

  —

  —

  —

  1

  10,235

  Shetland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  State Hospital

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Tayside

  2

  9

  23

  46

  1,088,476

  Western Isles

  —

  —

  1

  2

  40,935

  Total numbers per award type

  28

  99

  221

  509

  —

  Total cost

  —

  —

  —

  —

  12,759,843

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Consultants
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list for each of the last five years, the cost to public funds of consultancy work provided by(a) KPMG Peat Marwick, (b) Touche Ross, (c) Price Waterhouse, (d) Ernst and Young, (e) CSL, (f) Prime, (g) Basis, (h) Theodore Goddard, (i) Dibb Lupton Broomhead, (j) Capita and (k) Shreeveport to her Department; and if she will list any other firms which have provided consultancy work and the costs to public funds for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Jack
  The table gives the aggregate cost of contracts with each of the 11 named consultants for the years 1990–91 to 1993–94. Details for 1989–90 are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The final item in the table gives the total cost of other consultants employed by the Department for the same years. Lists of those consultants for the years in question appear after the table. The figures are presented in this aggregated form because showing the figures for each year would reveal the cost of some individual contracts and so breach commercial confidentiality. The figures exclude contracts with MAFF agencies.

  Consultant

  1990–91 to 1993–94 £

  (a) KPMG Peat Marwick

  509,890

  (b) Touche Ross

  795,057

  (c) Price Waterhouse

  483,641

  502
  health board, Strathclyde regional council, and Renfrewshire Healthcare NHS trust—expect to make a decision during the summer.

  Consultants (Merit Awards)
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number and total cost of merit awards currently made to consultants for each health authority in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 27 June 1994]: The information is shown in the table:

  Consultant

  1990–91 to 1993–94 £

  (d) Ernst and Young

  2,598,758

  (e) CSL

  0

  (f) Prime

  30,878

  (g) Basis

  0

  (h) Theodore Goddard

  10,126

  (i) Dibb Lupton Broomhead

  0

  (j) Capita

  39,207

  (k) Shreeveport

  254,443

  Others (see lists below)

  21,809,271

  List of additional firms which have provided consultancy work 1990–91 to 1993–94

  AC Systems Ltd.

  ACT Business Systems

  ACT Logsys

  ACT Meisys Ltd.

  Admiral Management

  Agricultural Analysts

  Aims Systems Ltd.

  Aimtec Europe

  Amba Group

  Amdahl (UK) Ltd.

  AMP Systems

  Ampersand Systems

  Amtec Consulting System

  Analytical Information System

  Andrew Cheshire

  Anglia Business Systems

  Applied Systems

  Applied Information Systems

  Arc International Plc

  Ashbourne Biosciences

  Ask Group

  Aslib Consultancy

  503

  Asterisk

  BIS Applied Systems

  BMT Reliability Consultants Ltd.

  BNSS

  Brandt Computer

  Bristol University

  Brook Systems

  Building Energy Solution

  Butler Cox

  Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants Ltd.

  Cambridge Ergonomics

  CCTA

  Chisq Ltd.

  Civil Service College

  Clarke Whitehill

  Comer Capacity

  Consort Consultancy

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Corporate Computers

  CSS Trident

  Currie and Brown

  D. M. Shaw and Associates

  DA Consulting Systems

  Data Dictionary

  DEGW

  Digital

  DIS Industrial Consultants

  Disability Matters

  DPP International

  DR Hoodless

  Duhig Berry Ltd.

  E. G. Burnett

  Easams Ltd.

  Edinburgh University

  Electronic Facilities Design

  EM Consultants

  Energy Auditing Agency Ltd.

  EOSYS Ltd.

  Exclusive Software

  Ferriby Marine

  FI Group Plc

  Fletcher King

  Forvous Computer

  Forward Catering Consultancy

  Foxware

  Gateway

  George T. Dunn Partnership

  Good Technology

  Grafton Database

  Halcrow and Partners

  Harrowell

  Harwell Computer

  Hayes-Davies PA

  Hoskyns Group Plc

  Hunterskill

  IBM (UK) Ltd.

  ICS (Sales) Ltd.

  Inference Europe

  Infologistix

  Ingres

  Insight Consulting

  Institute of Terrestrial Ecology

  International Software

  Intersect

  ISM Consultants

  Johnstone and Wright Consultants

  Keith Butterfield Associates

  Kermon

  Korda and Co. Ltd.

  L. G. Mouchel and Partners

  LAB Systems

  Lawrence Hewitt Partnership

  LBMS

  Lloyd Davies Associates

  Logica

  Manpower Plc

  Mansell Associates

  Maynes Associates

  McNeel Robertson

  Megaware Consultants

  504

  Metron

  Midsummer Computing

  Mills McClure

  Miro Communication Ltd.

  MJN Faclities Management

  MMT Computing

  Mott Macdonald

  Mouncey and Partners

  MSB International

  MSG

  National Remote Sensing Centre

  Nifes Consulting Group

  Office Angels

  Ofice

  Opal

  Oracle Corporation

  P. E. International Plc.

  PA Consulting Group

  Pactum

  Pentana Ltd.

  Personnel Health and Safety Ltd.

  Peter Goodall

  Posford Duvivier

  PQ 1546

  PSA Monitoring and Targeting Service

  Quanta Learning Systems

  R T Grundy Associates

  Reed Personnel

  Ricardo Technical Co.

  Risks and Policy Analysis

  Robertson Gould

  Royal National Institute for the Blind

  Santa Cruz

  Sapphire International

  SEC Technograph

  Secure Information

  Siemens Nixdorf

  Sema Group Systems Ltd.

  Sequelogic

  Sequent Computer Systems

  Sherwood Computer Systems

  Sir Ronald McIntosh

  Softbridge

  Softlab Ltd.

  South West Health Authority

  Span Group

  Spicer and Oppenheim

  SRU Ltd.

  Stoy Hayward

  T M Energy Consultants

  Tech Op Ltd.

  Timberlake Clark

  Triad Special Systems Ltd.

  University of Hull

  University of Reading

  Vauntberry

  Worthy Associates

  Wye College

  YACC

  Zergo

  Arable Subsidy
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list by county the amount of European Union arable subsidy received for the latest year for which figures are available; and what were the figures(a) 12 months, (b) 24 months, (c) 36 months and (d) 48 months ago.

  Mr. Jack
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend on 20 June 1994,Official Report, column 34. The arable area payments scheme was introduced in 1992 and the first payments were made in 1993. There are therefore no comparable figures for previous years.

  Bovine Tuberculosis
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will set out her reasons for not renewing this year the invitation to the Transport and General Workers Union to nominate representatives to the consultative panel on badgers and bovine tuberculosis.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Transport and General Workers Union was not invited to re-nominate a representative to the consultative panel on badgers and bovine tuberculosis this year because, following a review of membership, I decided that only those organisations with a clear and direct concern in the problem needed to be represented.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which organisations are currently invited to nominate representatives to the consultative panel of badgers and bovine tuberculosis; and which organisations were invited to nominate representatives to the panel in the previous round of nominations.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The organisations currently invited to nominate representatives to the consultative panel on badgers and bovine tuberculosis are:

  British Veterinary Association

  Country Landowners Association

  Fauna and Flora Preservation Society

  Joint Nature Conservation Committee

  Mammal Society

  National Cattle Breeders Association

  National Farmers' Union

  National Federation of Badger Groups

  Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

  Royal Society For Nature Conservation

  Tenant Farmers' Association

  Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

  Males

  1I and II

  Mean intake per day

  Percentage of total population intake

  Intake as percentage of RNI

  Intake as percentage of LRNI

  Nutrient

  Energy (kcals)

  2,470·0

  101

  298

  n/a

  Fat (g)

  103·6

  101

  n/a

  n/a

  Total sugars (g)

  120·6

  105

  n/a

  n/a

  Calcium (mg)

  1,006·0

  107

  144

  252

  Iron (mg)

  15·0

  107

  172

  313

  Carotene (µg)

  2,731·0

  113

  n/a

  n/a

  Vitamin A (µg) (retinol equivalent).

  1,735·0

  103

  248

  578

  Vitamin C (mg)

  96·8

  130

  242

  968

  Vitamin D (µg)

  4·2

  111

  n/a

  n/a

  Vitamin E (mg)

  12·4

  106

  n/a

  n/a

  Potassium (mg)

  3,363·0

  106

  96

  168

  Magnesium (mg)

  342·0

  106

  114

  180

  1Social Class

  2estimated average requirement

  n/a not applicable

  Males

  1IV and V

  Mean intake per day

  percentage of total population intake

  intake as percentage of RNI

  Intake as percentage of LRNI

  Nutrient

  Energy (kcals)

  2,410·0

  98

  295

  n/a>

  Fat (g)

  100·1

  98

  n/a

  n/a

  Total sugars (g)

  111·1

  97

  n/a

  n/a

  Calcium (mg)

  868·0

  92

  124

  217

  Iron (mg)

  12·8

  91

  147

  267

  Carotene (µg)

  2,040·0

  85

  n/a

  n/a

  Vitamin A (µg) (retinol equivalent).

  1,557·0

  93

  222

  519

  506 Womens' Farming Union
  In addition, there is an independent chairman and three independent members.

  The organisation invited to nominate representatives to the panel in the previous round of nominations were:

  British Veterinary Association

  Country Landowners Association

  Fauna and Flora Preservation Society

  Joint Nature Conservation Committee

  Mammal Society

  National Farmers' Union

  National Federation of Badger Groups

  Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

  Royal Society For Nature Conservation

  Transport and General Workers' Union

  Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

  In addition there was an independent chairman and four independent members.

  Nutrition
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the mean consumption of the nutrient intakes of(a) energy, (b) fat (c) total sugars, (d) calcium, (e) iron, (f) carotene, (g) vitamins A, C, D and E, (h) potassium, (i) magnesium and (j) iron for (i) men and (ii) women aged 16 to 64 years in (1) social classes I and II (combined) and (2) social classes IV and V (combined); and what these figures are as a percentage of (x) the mean for the population for the population as a whole, (y) the reference nutrition Intake and (z) the lower reference nutrient Intake, in accordance with figures 5.2, 5.4, 5.14, 5.20, 5.22, 5.24, 5.26, 5.28 and 5.30 of the 1994 Report of the 1986–87 dietary and nutritional survey of British adults.

  Mr. Soames
  The information requested is given in the table.
  507

  1IV and V

  Mean intake per day

  percentage of total population intake

  intake as percentage of RNI

  Intake as percentage of LRNI

  Vitamin C (mg)

  53·8

  72

  135

  538

  Vitamin D (µg)

  3·5

  93

  n/a

  n/a

  Vitamin E (mg)

  12·7

  109

  n/a

  n/a

  Potassium (mg)

  2,987·0

  94

  85

  149

  Magnesium (mg)

  299·0

  93

  100

  157

  1Social Class

  2estimated average requirement

  n/a not applicable

  Females

  1I and II

  Mean intake per day

  percentage of total population intake

  intake as percentage of RNI

  Intake as percentage of LRNI

  Nutrient

  Energy (kcals)

  1,740·0

  104

  290

  n/a

  Fat (g)

  75·8

  103

  n/a

  n/a

  Total sugars (g)

  91·2

  106

  n/a

  n/a

  Calcium (mg)

  790·0

  108

  113

  198

  Iron (mg)

  12·9

  105

  99

  179

  Carotene (µg)

  2,533·0

  119

  n/a

  n/a

  Vitamin A (µg) (retinol equivalent)

  1,722·0

  116

  287

  689

  Vitamin C (mg)

  96·2

  132

  241

  962

  Vitamin D (µg)

  3·3

  106

  n/a

  n/a

  Vitamin E (mg)

  8·7

  101

  n/a

  n/a

  Potassium (mg)

  2,633·0

  108

  75

  132

  Magnesium (mg)

  261·0

  110

  97

  174

  1Social Class

  2estimated average requirement

  n/a not applicable

  Females

  1IV and V

  Mean intake per day

  percentage of total population intake

  intake as percentage of RNI

  Intake as percentage of LRNI

  Nutrient

  Energy (kcals)

  1,580·0

  94

  282

  n/a

  Fat (g)

  69·5

  95

  n/a

  n/a

  Total sugars (g)

  78·0

  91

  n/a

  n/a

  Calcium (mg)

  660·0

  90

  94

  165

  Iron (mg)

  11·6

  94

  89

  161

  Carotene (µg)

  1,613·0

  76

  n/a

  n/a

  Vitamin A (µg) (retinol equivalent).

  1,217·0

  82

  203

  487

  Vitamin C (mg)

  55·6

  76

  140

  558

  Vitamin D (µg)

  2·9

  94

  n/a

  n/a

  Vitamin E (mg)

  8·2

  95

  n/a

  n/a

  Potassium (mg)

  2,219·0

  91

  64

  111

  Magnesium (mg)

  208·0

  87

  77

  139

  1Social Class

  2estimated average requirement

  n/a not applicable

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what decisions her Department has taken in respect of TECs over the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement on her Department's involvement with TECs over the same period.

  Mr. Jack
  Responsibility for training and enterprise councils lies primarily with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

  We attach importance to the provision of education and training for the land-based industries. MAFF takes a keen interest in ensuring that the agricultural and horticultural
  508
  industries have access to the best resources available to train their work forces. To that end, MAFF has been instrumental in providing resources to the industry training organisation for agriculture and commercial horticulture, ATB-Landbase Ltd., and in helping to ensure that those organisations, such as the TECs, which guide and provide training and education of direct interest to the land-based industries, are aware of the training needs of businesses in the rural economy.

  Over the last year, the Ministry has developed its contacts with several TECs on a regional basis. We have discussed how rural initiatives can be developed in partnership with businesses and training providers, and how the available resources can best be targeted to meet the training needs of the industry. Visits by Ministers to TECs

  509
  are a feature of their regional programmes. MAFF and the consortium of rural TECs are members of the national rural education and training strategy whose aim is to contribute to the development of the rural education and training infrastructure. NRETS is currently considering how existing training and education mechanisms are meeting the changing needs of the land-based industries and we look forward to its advice.

  Fish Marketing
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will introduce a marketing development scheme for fisheries similar to those under the Agriculture Act 1993.

  Mr. Jack
  The establishment of a marketing development scheme for fishery products similar to that already adopted under the Agriculture Act 1993 would not be in accordance with the EU rules on state aids in the fisheries sector. These rules are currently under review in Brussels, but it remains to be seen whether the Union will decide to change them in this respect.

  State Veterinary Service
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 22 June,Official Report, column 169, which interested parties he intends to consult regarding the future of the state veterinary service.

  Mr. Soames
  My right hon. Friend intends to consult very widely, and would welcome the views of any interested person or body.

  Integrated Administration and Control
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is her estimate of the proportion of eligible farm holdings, which submitted admissible integrated administration and control scheme documentation by the closing date in(a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Jack
  At the time of distributing the IACS forms we could not predict how many forms would be returned in an admissible state.

  We were able to accept 155,977 applications as having been lodged with United Kingdom Agriculture Departments by the 15 May deadline; of these 81,863 were received in England, 20,329 in Wales, 25,416 in Scotland and 28,369 in Northern Ireland. An application may relate to more than one farm holding. Departments are still carrying out detailed checks to determine eligibility for payment of these applications.

WALES

  Neighbourhood Watch
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each district council area in Wales and for Wales as a whole the number of neighbourhood watch schemes in operation as at 31 December 1993.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information is not held in the form requested. It is collated at police force level, and the available information is as follows:
  510

  Police Force

  Total at 31 December 1993

  Dyfed-Powys Police

  1,257

  Gwent Police

  210

  North Wales Police

  2,989

  South Wales Police

  1,292

  TOTAL

  5,748

  Temporary Jobs
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many temporary jobs were available in jobcentres in the week ended 28 May in each Welsh travel-to-work area and in total in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Information on vacancies for temporary jobs is available only on a quarterly basis. During the period 10 January 1994 to 8 April 1994 the number of vacancies for temporary jobs notified to jobcentres in Wales was 10,400. Information is not available for travel-to-work areas.

  Road Safety Education
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will issue guidelines to all initial teacher training colleges recommending that they include road safety education on all PGCE and B.Ed. courses;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to provide a specific allocation of financial resources for the training of teachers in road safety education.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  No. The Government set out the criteria which all courses of initial teacher training must meet, focusing on the subject knowledge and teaching skills new teachers require to be effective in the classroom. It is for the initial teacher training institutions to decide on the inclusion of cross-curricular elements such as road safety education in the courses they provide.

  The funding made available to initial teacher training providers by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and through tuition fees is intended to reflect the costs of all aspects of the training courses and it would be inappropriate to make special provision for road safety education which is an optional element of these courses.

  Separately, the Department provides funding to the British Institute of Traffic Education Research to provide the services of the Traffic Education Officer for Wales. Among other things, the duties of this officer involve advising on the handling of road user education in schools and organising seminars for student teachers.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to(a) place a general duty upon all schools to provide road safety education and (b) include child casualty reduction as a stated aim in their programmes of preventive health and safety education.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  There are opportunities within the framework of the national curriculum for road safety education. It is for local education authorities and schools to determine the organisation of any such education and whether it should be delivered in the context of individual national curriculum subjects or as part of a cross-curricular programme.

  The Government's strategy for reducing road accidents involving children is set out in the document "Children and

  511
  Roads: A Safer Way", a copy of which is in the Library of the House and which includes a section on road safety education in schools. Road safety officers in individual authorities provide advice to schools and a range of teaching materials is available.

  The Welsh Office provides funding for the services of the traffic education officer for Wales who advises on the handling of road user education in schools and organises seminars for student teachers.

  Simplified scheme

  Main scheme

  County

  £

  Cereals £

  Oilseeds £

  Protein £

  Set-aside £

  Total £

  Clwyd

  410,500

  201,003

  92,365

  50,903

  87,646

  842,417

  Dyfed

  1,023,574

  386,878

  127,527

  68,800

  156,527

  763,306

  Gwent

  258,122

  275,784

  158,478

  37,083

  108,494

  837,961

  Gwynedd

  201,997

  86,392

  14,143

  12,367

  32,826

  347,725

  Mid Glamorgan

  35,322

  120,958

  55,760

  21,705

  47,289

  281,034

  Powys

  362,912

  267,031

  68,021

  21,568

  96,698

  816,230

  South Glamorgan

  97,319

  219,383

  39,986

  29,344

  78,977

  465,009

  West Glamorgan

  72,248

  12,258

  12,059

  —

  5,074

  101,909

  TOTAL

  2,461,994

  1,569,957

  568,339

  241,770

  613,531

  5,455,591

  Law Students
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many students studying for a law degree in the University of Wales failed to secure legal traineeship in each year since(a) 1991–92, (b) 1992–93 and (c) 1993–94.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  This information is not held centrally.

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

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  In the last 12 months my right hon. Friend has provided strategic and planning guidance to TECs; officials have negotiated contracts based on assessments of TECs' corporate and business plans and in the light of the resources available; and TEC performance has been monitored and reviewed. Throughout the year decisions were taken in the context of the TEC operating agreement and variations to business plans made as appropriate.

  Student Employment (Summer Vacation)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial support he proposes to help Welsh students who fail to find employment during the summer vacation and whose parents are unable to support them; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Student support arrangements through the mandatory grant and loan make more resources available to students than through grant alone. The student loan is intended to cover the whole of the academic year

  Arable Subsidies
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by county the amount of European Union arable subsidy received for the latest year for which figures are available; and what were the figures for each of the previous four years.

  Mr. Redwood
  The arable area payments scheme was introduced in 1992 and the first payments were made in 1993. There are therefore no comparable figures for previous years. Payments made since 1993 to date are as follows:

  including the summer vacation period. In addition, further and higher education institutions in Wales receive access funds to provide discretionary help to students in particular financial need. Access funds totalling £1·262 million for the current academic year were distributed by the Welsh funding councils to FHE institutions in Wales.

  Tourism
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many applicants for section 4 grants were made by tourism operators in Wales in(a) 1990, (b) 1991, (c) 1992 and (d) 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested on the number of section 4 applications is as follows:

  Total applications

  1990

  210

  1991

  316

  1992

  646

  1993

  467

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total value of section 4 grants made to tourism operators in Wales in(a) 1990, (b) 1991, (c) 1992 and (d) 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested on the value of section 4 grants is as follows:

  Total value approved (£)

  1990

  3,838,409

  1991

  3,159,654

  1992

  4,845,233

  1993

  5,138,717

  513
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many section 4 grants have been allocated to those involved in tourism services in(a) 1990, (b) 1991, (c) 1992 and (d) 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested on the number of section 4 grants made is as follows:

  Total approved

  1990

  163

  1991

  169

  1992

  488

  1993

  426

  Pollution
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many prosecutions have been brought against farmers for alleged pollution incidents in Wales in(a) 1991, (b) 1992, (c) 1993 and (d) in the last six months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  This information is not held centrally. Information on numbers of prosecutions brought by the National Rivers Authority in its Welsh region following farm water pollution incidents is contained in the authority's annual reports on "Water Pollution Incidents in England and Wales", copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many companies in Wales were taken to court for polluting the environment in 1993; how many of them were successfully prosecuted; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution prosecuted three companies in 1993. All three prosecutions were successful.

  Information about prosecutions undertaken by the National Rivers Authority is included in its annual reports, copies of which are held in the Library of the House.

  Details of prosecution actions by local authorities are not held centrally.

  Infertility, Gwent
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if Gwent health authority has sought from his Department advice as to the most cost-effective and cost-efficient means of providing for infertility investigation and treatment in its area.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No.

  Advanced Technology Programme
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the effects of cuts in the advanced technology programme in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The effects of cuts will be minimal in Wales.

  Transport Planning Policy
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will issue a document on transport planning policy guidance.
  514
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend is currently reviewing planning policy guidance note 13, "Highways Considerations in Development Control", and revised guidance will issue in due course.

  Warner Report
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place a copy in the Library of Dr. Morton Warner's report for the Welsh Health Planning Forum on the future supply and demand for hospital beds and other medical facilities in Wales, with particular reference to Powys and Neath.

  Mr. Redwood
  Copies of the Welsh Health Planning Forum document "Health and Social Care 2010" have been placed in the Library of the House. Policy for the NHS Wales is to provide the number of beds needed to fulfil the promises of the patients charter.

  NHS Trusts (Job Losses)
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has received from national health service trusts about their estimates for job losses(a) up to the end of the current financial year and (b) in the next financial year.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There is no requirement for NHS trusts to inform the Welsh Office of any changes in the numbers of employees.

  Local Government (Wales) Bill
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the Minister of State's oral statement of 16 June,Official Report, column 773, giving the final date on which instructions were given to parliamentary counsel for drafting amendments to clause 44 of the Local Government (Wales) Bill [Lords], on what previous occasions his Department instructed parliamentary counsel in relation to the amendments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Details of such exchanges between Government Departments are not normally divulged.

  Social Services
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for developing the inspection of social services in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  [pursuant to his reply, 23 June 1994, Official Report, c. 274–75]: I regret that an incomplete answer was given. A full reply is as follows:

  In June 1993, I published a consultation document "Inspecting Social Services in Wales". This set out proposals for applying three key principles of the citizens charter—that inspectors should be independent of the services they inspect, that lay people should be involved in inspections, and that inspection reports should be accessible to the public.

  I intend that during 1994 there should be clear and demonstrable progress, both nationally and locally, towards the wider implementation of the citizens charter principles.

  The social services inspectorate for Wales has already made considerable progress. For some years its inspection reports have been available to the public. A small group is

  515
  being established to advise on the social services inspectorate's inspection work; half its membership will represent service users, carers and wider lay interests, and half will be drawn from local authorities and providers of services in the independent sector. Since February 1994, inspection teams have begun to include lay assessors; inspection reports will take full account of their views and observations.

  I propose to issue shortly, for a brief consultation, draft guidance on how the same principles should be applied to the work of "arm's-length" inspection units in local authority social services departments.

  The new guidance will give local authority chief executives the important role of commissioning independent annual reports on the work of inspection units. These reports will focus on whether units apply the same standards to both local authority and independent provision, and on how effectively local authorities respond when improvements are shown to be needed.

  The guidance will call for a change in the composition of advisory committees for inspection units. By the end of 1994 the number of lay people unconnected with the authority should be increased so that they form a majority on advisory committees.

  I intend, too, that during 1994 we will begin to see lay people involved in social services inspections, and their views reflected in inspection reports. It will not be possible to include lay people in every inspection, but there must be substantial lay involvement on a regular and continuing basis.

  The consultation document restated the Government's commitment to open reporting. I have been greatly encouraged to see that most county councils in Wales are already making inspection reports publicly available. I intend that by the end of 1994 this should be normal practice for all authorities.

  This requirement for open reporting will cover joint inspections by local authorities and health authorities of premises dually registered as both residential care homes and nursing homes. I believe that progress towards joint working will be further helped if both sectors are working to the same citizens charter principles. I shall be consulting health authorities, nursing home associations and others about how this can best be done.

  Health Expenditure
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of total budget in each Welsh district health authority and trust was spent on(a) managerial, (b) administrative and (c) clerical costs in each year since 1991–92.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The percentages of total expenditure by each district health authority and national health service trust in Wales accounted for by spending on managerial, administrative and clerical costs in 1991–92 and 1992–93 were as follows:

  Percentage

  Authority

  Managerial

  Administrative and Clerical

  1991–92

  Clwyd

  1·5

  6·1

  East Dyfed

  1·2

  6·6

  Gwent

  0·9

  6·3

  Gwynedd

  0·7

  6·3

  Mid Glamorgan

  0·3

  6·0

  516

  Authority

  Managerial

  Administrative and Clerical

  Pembrokeshire

  1·0

  6·3

  Powys

  1·5

  3·8

  South Glamorgan

  2·4

  8·2

  West Glamorgan

  1·2

  5·8

  1992–93

  Clwyd

  2·1

  5·6

  East Dyfed

  1·3

  6·7

  Gwent

  1·1

  6·8

  Gwynedd

  0·5

  6·9

  Mid Glamorgan

  0·6

  3·2

  Pembrokeshire

  0·2

  0·1

  Powys

  1·6

  4·2

  South Glamorgan

  2·3

  8·9

  West Glamorgan

  1·0

  5·7

  Pembrokeshire NHS Trust

  2·0

  8·9

  Sources:

  Health Authorities Annual Accounts/Financial Returns

  Pembrokeshire NHS Trust Annual Accounts/Financial Returns (1992–93 only).

  House Burglaries
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many house burglaries were reported in Wales and for each county in Wales for the year 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have been asked to reply.

  The table shows the number of domestic burglaries recorded in each police force in Wales in 1993. The information is not available centrally for counties and 1994 data are not yet available.

  Domestic burglaries recorded in Wales in 1993, by police force

  Force

  Number

  Dyfed Powys

  1,567

  Gwent

  3,315

  North Wales

  3,917

  South Wales

  14,478

  Wales

  23,277

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Liberia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the response of the United Nations to Tanzania's proposed withdrawal from the peacekeeping operation in Liberia; and what reason was given by Tanzania for this withdrawal.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Tanzania has not made a definite decision to withdraw from the ECOMOG peacekeeping force in Liberia. The United Nations is in negotiation with the Tanzanians to solve problems which have arisen with logistic support for the Tanzanian battalion.

  Inhumane Weapons Convention
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he intends to strengthen mines protocol No. 11 to the 1981 inhumane weapons convention.
  517
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  A review conference on the 1981 United Nations weaponry convention has been called for 1995, the main aim of which will be to consider strengthening protocol II on the use of land mines. We are already playing a full role in the preparations for that conference.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy and rationale with regard to the ratification of the 1980 inhumane weapons convention.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The United Kingdom has signed the 1981 United Nations weaponry convention, and we are now working actively towards ratification. We hope to achieve this soon, certainly in time for the review conference in 1995.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is seeking to extend the 1980 inhumane weapons convention to cover internal conflicts.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The application of the 1981 United Nations weaponry convention to non-international conflicts is one of the issues being considered by the expert groups preparing for the review conference on the convention in 1995. We are playing a full role in this process.

  South Lebanon
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assurances the Israeli Government have given him about their intentions for South Lebanon and on the time scale and diplomatic procedures for the fulfilment of those intentions.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has received assurances from Prime Minister Rabin that Israel recognises its international border with Lebanon and has no territorial claim on Lebanese territory.

  On 18 April, in a speech to the Knesset, Prime Minister Rabin proposed that, "In the first phase, the Lebanese army be deployed up to the Northern border of the security zone. For six months, it must prove its ability to maintain total calm and to disarm Hizbullah in Southern Lebanon If this is proven and total quiet reigns on the Northern border of the security zone, we will begin peace negotiations that I hope will last three months. We will be prepared to withdraw to the International border between Lebanon and Israel on three conditions: Full peace and normalisation; appropriate security arrangements; and, of course, our commitments to the Southern Lebanese Army and the residents of Southern Lebanon, the integration of the South Lebanese Army within the Lebanese army and a guarantee to residents of Southern Lebanon that they will not be harmed."

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Israel gave undertakings to withdraw from South Lebanon before he lifted the arms embargo on Israel.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Prime Minister Rabin has given my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs assurances that Israel recognises its international border with Lebanon and has no territorial claim on Lebanese territory.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's involvement with TECs.

  Mr. Goodlad
  My Department has in the past received help with our new entrant training programme for technical staff. A redundancy task force is now providing assistance in the design of a redundancy package; and the TECs have provided information and presentations on national vocational qualifications and Investors in People.

  Bosnia
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration has been given to funding the restoration of Bosnia-Herzegovina's historic monuments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have taken the lead in the international effort to restore Sarajevo library, and have made a substantial contribution to restocking books. We are considering together with the international community the broader general need for reconstruction once there is a lasting peace settlement.

  Entry Clearance
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when instructions for entitlement to free entry clearance were sent to all the relevant posts: and if he will deposit in the Library a copy of the instructions.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The payment, or waiver, of consular fees, which include fees for entry clearances, is regulated by the Consular Fees Act 1980 and the Consular Fees Orders, copies of which are in the Library of the House. Their texts are included in "Diplomatic Service Procedure", which is issued to all missions overseas.

  Peacekeeping Operations
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the commitments the UN Security Council has made to peacekeeping operations in(a) 1992, (b) 1993 and (c) 1994 to the latest date; what are the total estimated expenditure on each of these commitments; and what the estimated United Kingdom contribution is to each of them.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The following figures are taken from the UN status of contribution reports, as at 30 April 1994:

  Year and Peacekeeping Operation

  Total United Nations Costs ($)

  United Kingdom Assessment ($)

  1992

  UNEF/UNDOF (Golan Heights)

  35,202,425

  2,120,982

  UNIFIL (Lebanon)

  144,962,169

  8,792,954

  UNAVEM (Angola)

  56,604,651

  3,420,182

  ONUCA (Central America)

  12,120,754

  724,660

  UNIKOM (Iraq/Kuwait)

  60,869,647

  3,651,915

  ONUSAL (El Salvador)

  36,260,035

  2,175,387

  UNAMIC (Cambodia)

  33,294,358

  2,010,720

  UNTAC (Cambodia)

  801,823,206

  48,813,331

  UNPROFOR (Yugoslavia)

  250,455,801

  15,254,166

  UNOSOM (Somalia)

  108,441,298

  6,584,483

  Totals

  1,540,034,344

  93,548,780

  519

  Year and Peacekeeping Operation

  Total United Nations Costs ($)

  United Kingdom Assessment ($)

  1993

  UNEF/UNDOF (Golan Heights)

  34,876,514

  2,197,941

  UNIFIL (Lebanon)

  145,743,422

  9,222,081

  UNAVEM (Angola)

  39,455,995

  2,452,303

  UNIKOM (Iraq/Kuwait)

  47,724,255

  3,003,584

  ONUSAL (El Salvador)

  26,820,645

  1,645,125

  UNTAC (Cambodia)

  633,052,039

  39,817,868

  UNPROFOR (Yugoslavia)

  1,000,492,613

  63,180,260

  UNOSOM (Somalia)

  487,363,740

  30,982,123

  UNUMOZ (Mozambique)

  193,305,270

  12,186,193

  UNFICYP1 (Cyprus)

  8,547,112

  538,081

  Totals

  2,617,381,605

  165,225,559

  1994

  UNEF/UNDOF (Golan Heights)

  Nil at 30 April 1994

  As at end April 1994

  UNIFIL (Lebanon)

  22,551,241

  1,427,407

  UNAVEM (Angola)

  11,160,876

  699,901

  UNIKOM (Iraq/Kuwait)

  Nil at 30 April 1994

  ONUSAL (El Salvador)

  18,261,194

  1,126,194

  UNTAC (Cambodia)

  100,000,000

  6,372,790

  UNMLTC (Cambodia)

  734,462

  46,145

  UNPROFOR (Yugoslavia)

  721,870,851

  45,940,530

  UNOSOM (Somalia)

  581,887,289

  37,037,392

  ONUMOZ (Mozambique)

  138,891,762

  8,810,223

  UNFICYP (Cyprus)

  10,207,835

  641,833

  UNOMIG (Georgia)

  2,470,084

  155,453

  UNMIH (Haiti)

  1,509,915

  95,725

  UNOMIL (Liberia)

  39,801,097

  2,521,099

  UNAMIR (Rwanda)

  83,054,455

  5,265,229

  Totals

  1,732,401,061

  110,139,921

  1UNFICYP was only brought onto United Nations assessed contribution funding on 15 June 1993. It was previously funded through voluntary contributions.

  MINURSO (Western Sahara) was established in 1991. Costs for subsequent years have been met from the original resources.

  Korea
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of the documents submitted to the Foreign Affairs Council in Corfu on the European Union policy position on the Korean nuclear problem.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  At the European Council meeting in Corfu, Heads of Government expressed their deep concern at North Korea's continued failure to comply with its safeguards agreement, and their hope that exchanges currently being pursued would rapidly result in a satisfactory solution to the crisis. A copy of the presidency's conclusions has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Czech Republic
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the United Kingdom's relationship with the Czech Republic; what ministerial visits have taken place to the Czech Republic in the past 12 months; and what official Czech visits have been made to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom's relations with the Czech Republic are close and cordial.

  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary visited Prague on 5 to 6 May. Four other British Ministers have
  520
  paid visits to the Czech Republic within the last 12 months. During the same period, President Havel, Prime Minister Klaus and eight Czech Ministers or deputy Ministers have visited the United Kingdom.

  Hong Kong
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government plan to take to facilitate the extension to Hong Kong of the United Nations convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.

  Mr. Goodlad
  As extending the convention to Hong Kong involves assuming new international obligations in respect of Hong Kong, we will shortly be consulting the Chinese side in the joint liaison group, so that it can continue to apply to Hong Kong after 30 June 1997. In the meantime, the Hong Kong Government are preparing legislation to prohibit sex discrimination and to set up an equal opportunities commission to promote gender equality.

  Japan
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his Japanese counterpart following the statement by the Japanese Prime Minister to the Japanese Diet on 17 June that Japan has the capacity to make nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have made no representations to, nor have we communicated with, the Japanese Prime Minister with regard to his comment of 17 June. As a non-nuclear weapon state party to the non-proliferation treaty, Japan has given a legally binding commitment not to manufacture or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons. In accordance with the NPT, Japan has also concluded a fullscope safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency. We have no reason to doubt the commitment of the Japanese Government to the principles of the treaty.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to(a) raise with his Russian and American counterparts and (b) to instruct the British ambassador to the United Nations to raise with his counterparts as representing the other depositary states for the nuclear non-proliferation treaty the statement by the Japanese Prime Minister to the Japanese Diet on 17 June that Japan has the capacity to build nuclear weapons, in regard to Japan's commitments under the NPT.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As a non-nuclear weapon state party to the non-proliferation treaty, Japan has given a legally binding commitment not to manufacture or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons. Japan has also concluded a fullscope safeguards agreement with the IAEA. We have no reason to doubt the commitment of the Japanese Government to the principles of the treaty.

  Sudan
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times the former Prime Minister of Sudan, Sadiq al-Mahdi, has been
  521
  detained in Sudan in recent years; on what grounds he has recently been detained; and what representations he has made to the Government of Sudan about this matter.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Sadiq Al-Mahdi was detained immediately after the 1989 coup and has subsequently been regularly held for questioning. He was most recently detained on 20 June. Although he has not yet been formally charged, allegations have been made in the officially controlled press of his involvement in a plot to assassinate senior members of the regime and conduct acts of sabotage. Our chargé in Khartoum raised his detention with the Sudanese authorities on 21 June. We shall continue to monitor developments closely.

  Corfu Summit
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he plans to put to the European Union Heads of Government summit in Corfu on the control of nuclear proliferation.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The European Council agreed on the adoption of a joint action on preparation for the 1995 non-proliferation treaty extension and review conference, the primary object of which would be to secure the treaty's indefinite and unconditional extension.

  Kenya
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what difficulties are caused to British commercial interests by corruption in Kenya.

  Mr. Goodlad
  I am not aware of any specific difficulties caused to British commercial interests by corruption in Kenya. However, I am happy to make it clear that elimination of corruption is an important part of our good governance agenda in Kenya, as in other countries. We have made this clear to the Kenyan Government, and welcome their recent efforts to address the issue.

  Rwanda
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policy stance the Western European Union has taken on the proposed French military initiative in Rwanda.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  A number of WEU member states, including the United Kingdom, have indicated their readiness to assist and support the French initiative in Rwanda primarily through the provison of logistic resources, which might be co-ordinated through the WEU, and humanitarian assistance.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what approaches he has had from the French Government for military support in Rwanda; and what reply he has given.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The French approached the United Kingdom, as well as other European allies, for logistic support for the intervention in Rwanda authorised under Security Council resolution 929. In the event, we understand that the French supported their operation nationally.
  522
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of when the UN Security Council's decision to deploy 5,500 troops in Rwanda will be enacted.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Work on the deployment of additional troops authorised by Security Council resolution 918 is already under way. The UN expect that the force will begin to deploy in July.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the British Government are now taking through the United Nations to bring about an end to the genocide in Rwanda.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom has supported all Security Council action aimed at bringing the attacks on civilians in Rwanda to an end. We have also offered logistic support to the expanded UNAMIR operation.

  The United Kingdom supported the resolution adopted by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on 25 May which appointed a special rapporteur for human rights in Rwanda. The special rapporteur is gathering information for the United Nations Secretary General on acts which may constitute breaches of international humanitarian law and crimes against humanity, including acts of genocide in Rwanda.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans Her Majesty's Government have to provide logistical support for African countries supplying peacekeeping troops to Rwanda.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom offered the United Nations 50 four-wheel drive trucks for use in the United assistance mission to Rwanda.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement regarding the situation in Rwanda.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Ms Jackson) by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 15 June, column 615.

  Since then the United Nations Security Council has authorised a two-month humanitarian intervention by the French Government. We voted in favour and remain ready to assist with emergency aid for those displaced in Rwanda as access improves. We have urged that the UNAMIR force should deploy as quickly as possible and that the French operation should not cut across United Nations action to end the bloodshed.

  Arms Sales Embargo
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries on which the United Kingdom has imposed an arms sales embargo.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We observe mandatory embargoes imposed by the United Nations on Iraq, the former republic of Yugoslavia, Somalia, Liberia, Haiti, Libya, Rwanda and UNITA in Angola. We observe the voluntary embargo imposed by the United Nations on Yemen.

  We also observe embargoes imposed by the European Union on Syria, China, Burma, Zaire and Sudan.
  523
  We observe a voluntary embargo agreed by the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe on Armenia and Azerbaijan.

  In addition, as a matter of declared national policy we refuse to supply military equipment to Argentina and Iran.

  Pakistan
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on current relations between Her Majesty's Government and Pakistan.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Our relations with Pakistan are excellent.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to Pakistan regarding the release of all detained democratically elected members of the National Assembly, in accordance with the United Nations human rights resolution of 1966.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are not aware that any member of the Pakistan National Assembly is currently being detained.

  Nigeria
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to assist and encourage the Government of Nigeria to move towards the establishment of democracy.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the written reply I gave the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 31 January at column 485. Moves towards the establishment of democratic civilian rule would send a positive message to the European Union and other countries which have introduced measures against military rule, and to companies which do business with Nigeria. We are funding a number of practical initiatives in Nigeria in support of a democratic transition.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Welsh Affairs
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Lord President of the Council following the statement made by the Secretary of State for Wales in the Welsh Grand Committee on 8 March 1993 in Cardiff,Official Report, columns 1–13, which new initiatives he has proposed for the debate and scrutiny of Welsh affairs in the House.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have been asked to reply.

  I review the need for meetings of the Welsh Grand Committee through the normal channels. The venue for these meetings is also discussed.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Family Credit
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest figures available for women claiming family credit while(a) in employment and (b) unemployed for (i) Burnley, (ii) Lancashire, (iii) the north-west and (iv) England.
  524
  Mr. Burt
  The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Income Statistics
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average annual disposable income at(a) actual and (b) April 1994 prices of (i) pensioner households, (ii) non-pensioner households without children (iii) non-pensioner households with children and (iv) all households, in (1) the two lowest decile groups and (2) the highest decile group, applying the appropriate equivalence scale used in his Department's recent reports on households below average income for (w) 1979, (x) 1988–89, (y) 1990–91 and (z) 1991–92, before and after housing costs; and what was the mean unequivalised disposable income of these groups of households in these equivalised categories.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is not available. This Department does not produce statistics on the distribution of annual equivalised incomes. The house-holds below average income series is based on incomes estimated generally over a much shorter period, which can be expected to produce different results.

  Deafness
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the time limit on claims for industrial deafness.

  Mr. Scott
  A claim for benefit in respect of occupational deafness must be made within five years of leaving a prescribed occupation.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the differences in treatment of industrial deafness claims and war deafness claims; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The qualifying conditions and benefit rates for the two schemes are as follows:
  Industrial Injuries Benefit
  Industrial injuries benefits may be paid in respect of occupational deafness where the claimant:

  (a) is assessed as at least 20 per cent. disabled as a result of sensorineural hearing loss of at least 50 decibels in both ears, being due in the case of at least one ear to noise at work;

  (b) has worked in one or more of the nine occupations prescribed in relation to occupational deafness;

  (c) has done such work for an aggregate period of at least ten years; and

  (d) if no longer doing such work, claims benefit within five years of last doing so.

  Where these conditions are satisfied, deafness is presumed to be due to employment.

  War Pensions
  Under the War Pensions scheme, benefit may be paid for disablement due to hearing loss which is attributable to, or aggrevated by, service in the armed forces. For sensorineural hearing loss, the claimant must be assessed as 20 per cent. disabled as a result of hearing loss of at least 50 decibles in both ears. For conductive hearing loss, the claimant must be assessed as at least 1 per cent. disabled. Doctors determine which type of deafness applies in each case.
  There are no time limits for claiming under the War Pensions scheme, and no presumption of cause, but for claims arising within seven years of the termination of service, the onus is on my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the disablement is not due to a service factor. For claims arising more than seven years after the termination of service, the onus is on the claimant to show that disablement is due to service.
  525
  Benefit Rates
  Weekly benefit rates are higher under the War Pensions scheme than under the Industrial Injuries scheme. The benefit rates for 1994–95 are:

  Degree of disablement

  War pension (£)

  Industrial Injuries disablement benefit (£)

  100

  98·90

  93·20

  90

  89·01

  83·88

  80

  79·12

  74·56

  70

  69·23

  65·24

  60

  59·34

  55·92

  50

  49·45

  46·60

  40

  39·56

  37·28

  30

  29·67

  27·96

  20

  19·78

  18·64

  Under the War Pensions scheme, benefit in respect of disablement due to conductive hearing loss assessed at less than 20 per cent. is paid as a lump sum gratuity.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what industries workers or former workers are eligible for consideration for industrial deafness.

  Mr. Scott
  Occupational deafness is prescribed for disablement benefit purposes in relation to the following occupational activities:

  1. The use of powered (but not hand powered) grinding tools on cast metal (other than weld metal) or on billets or blooms in the metal producing industry, or work wholly or mainly in the immediate vicinity of those tools whilst they are being so used;

  2. The use of pneumatic percussive tools on metal, or work wholly or mainly in the immediate vicinity of those tools whilst they are being so used;

  3. The use of pneumatic percussive tools for drilling rock in quarries or underground or in mining coal, or work wholly or mainly in the immediate vicinity of those tools whilst they are being so used;

  4. Work wholly or mainly in the immediate vicinity of plant (excluding power press plant) engaged in the forging (including drop stamping) of metal by means of closed or open dies or drop hammers;

  5. Work in textile manufacturing where the work is undertaken wholly or mainly in rooms or sheds in which there are machines engaged in weaving man-made or natural (including mineral) fibres or in the high speed false twisting of fibres;

  6. The use of, or work wholly or mainly in the immediate vicinity of, machines engaged in cutting, shaping or cleaning metal nails;

  7. The use of, or work wholly or mainly in the immediate vicinity of, plasma spray guns engaged in the deposition of metal;

  8. The use of, or work wholly or mainly in the immediate vicinity of, any of the following machines engaged in the working of wood or material composed partly of wood, that is to say; multi cutter moulding machines, planing machines, automatic or semi-automatic lathes, multiple cross-cut machines, automatic shaping machines, double-end tenoning machines, verticle spindle moulding machines (including high speed routing machines), edge banding machines, bandsawing machines with a blade width of not less than 75 millimetres and circular sawing machines in the operation of which the blade is moved towards the material being cut;

  9. The use of chain saws in forestry.

  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Erewash (Mrs. Knight) on 24 February, Official Report, column 368, which sets out the further activities to be added to the list of prescribed occupations from October 1994.
  526
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many representations he has received on industrial deafness in the last 12 months.

  Mr. Scott
  In the last 12 months a total of 25 letters from members of the public and hon. Members have been received concerning various aspects of benefits in respect of industrial deafness.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's involvement with training and enterprise councils.

  Mr. Burt
  This Department has no formal involvement with training and enterprise councils in England and Wales, nor with local enterprise companies, their Scottish equivalents.

  Family Credit Scheme
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he proposes to introduce regulations regarding the £28 disregard under the family credit scheme in relation to child care; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  We expect the regulations to be laid in July before the recess. The legislation will come into effect from early October.

  Benefit Reductions
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the extent of the benefit reduction imposed in respect of claimants penalised for failing to attend a restart interview.

  Mr. Burt
  There is no benefit reduction for failing to attend an initial restart interview. But if a person fails, without good cause, to attend a second interview, the only entitlement will be under income support hardship rules. This entails a reduction of 40 per cent. in the single personal allowance—20 per cent if the claimant or a member of the family is pregnant or seriously ill and there is little or no capital. The reduction lasts until the claimant attends a rearranged interview or my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State withdraws the notice of the interview. The effect of these reductions on income support allowances is shown in the table.

  Age of claimant

  Personal allowance

  Allowance less 40 per cent.

  Allowance 20 per cent.

  Under 18

  27·50

  16·50

  22·00

  18–24

  36·15

  21·70

  28·90

  25 and over

  45·70

  27·40

  36·55

  Occupational Pension Schemes
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how he will consult on the proposals for member-nominated trustees in occupational pension schemes as set out in his White Paper "Security, Equality, Choice: The Future for Pensions" published on 23 June.

  Mr. Hague
  A consultation paper is being issued today. The paper seeks views on the practical implications of our
  527
  proposals for the selection of member-nominated trustees and also on the arrangements for schemes to retain or adopt different arrangements where those arrangements have the support of a majority of members. It is being issued automatically to all those organisations that responded to the earlier DSS discussion papers and is available to others on request. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library.

  Widows' Pension
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the maximum weekly additional pension payable in each year since 1979–80 to a widow whose husband had died in the same year.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is in the table.

  Year of death

  Notional1 maximum additional pension (£)

  1979–80

  1·54

  1980–81

  3·45

  1981–82

  5·86

  1982–83

  9·59

  1983–84

  12·40

  1984–85

  16·21

  1985–86

  20·87

  1986–87

  24·03

  1987–88

  29·11

  1988–89

  34·75

  1989–90

  41·34

  1990–91

  49·74

  1991–92

  57·10

  1992–93

  66·97

  1993–94

  76·04

  1994–95

  84·61

  1Based on the amount of additional pension payable where a contributor has paid contributions of 53 x the upper earnings limit in each relevant tax year since 1978·

  Household Income
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average household income of householders in(a) the London borough of Barking and Dagenham and (b) the London borough of Redbridge.

  Mr. Burt
  Information is not available in the form requested. Statistics on patterns of household disposable income are available only for the United Kingdom as a whole and are provided in "Households Below Average Income 1979–1990–91" published in June 1993, a copy of which is in the Library.

  One-stop Initiative
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what consultation there has been in the setting up of the one-stop initiative with(a) the Employment Service and (b) local authority housing benefit offices; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how the one-stop initiative will affect the running of both the Employment Service and local authority housing benefit offices (a) in dealing with the Benefits Agency on a day-to-day basis, (b) in the co-ordination of information, (c) in the possibilities of adopting the same or similar strategy and (d) estimated costs incurred; and if he will make a statement.
  528
  Mr. Burt
  The one-stop initiative 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. Peter Pike, dated 27 June 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the One Stop initiative.
  The decision to move towards a One Stop service followed overwhelmingly positive responses from customers, including local authorities and the Employment Service Agency (ESA), to a discussion paper published in September 1992.
  The Benefits Agency's (BA) One Stop initiative does not affect the running of the ESA and local authority housing benefit offices, but in continuing our commitment to customer service we work closely to ensure that our distinct responsibilities are performed in as co-ordinated a way as possible.
  Each local authority's circumstances are different. BA offices are encouraged to discuss local issues with the local authority concerned. Liaison arrangements have improved and each BA District now has a Service Level Agreement with the local authorities in its area. At a national level, the Local Authorities Association are regularly consulted on developments.
  The framework for improved liaison between the ESA and the BA, announced in March 1993, established a series of initiatives to encourage closer working between the two agencies. These included piloting of the co-location of BA staff in ESA outlets to provide general benefit advice and information, and joint workshops/conferences to discuss common service areas.
  We are constantly looking at ways of improving the transfer of information between our offices and the ESA and local authorities. For example, in June this year, the main computer systems supporting Income Support and Unemployment benefit were linked. This allows faster, automatic transmission of information and payment instructions between the agencies.
  The introduction of Jobseeker' s Allowance in April 1996 will see the BA, in partnership with the ESA, providing, wherever possible, a single point of contact for unemployed customers providing both jobseeking services and a gateway to the benefit and information services of the BA. This will be from a single location, wherever possible.
  One Place, which is the first phase of One Stop, has been implemented from within existing allocations and therefore at no extra cost.
  It is for each Agency and organisation to decide how best to meet their customers' needs when deciding their future strategies.
  I hope this reply is helpful.

  Contributions Agency
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of the adults who applied for national insurance numbers were refused by the Contributions Agency in each of the last five years; and of these how many were(a) women and (b) from an ethnic minority background.

  Mr. Hague
  The administration of the issue of national insurance numbers is a matter for Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive of the Contributions Agency. She will write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Mr. Alan Howarth, dated 27 June 1994:
  As Chief Executive of the Contributions Agency I am responsible for answering questions about relevant operational matters. I have been asked to reply to your question about what proportion of the adults who applied for National Insurance numbers (NINOs) were refused by the Contributions Agency in each of the last five years; and of these how many were (a) women and (b) from an ethnic minority background.

  529
  The Agency is unable to provide the details you have requested as no such records are kept. But over the last 5 years more than 1 million adults have applied for and have been given a NINO.
  In order to obtain a NINO an adult must usually attend a Social Security office in person and complete the appropriate application form. In addition suitable evidence of identity must be provided.
  NINOs are only needed by people who are paying NI contributions so that we can keep a record of their contributions, or by people who have claimed certain Social Security benefits. A NINO is likely to be refused when it is not needed for either of these purposes or when there are doubts about the validity of the application.
  I am sorry that the precise information you have requested is not available but I hope that my reply has proved helpful. If you think I could give you any more details on this topic, I would be happy to try and do so.

  Income Support
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the income support live load for the area directorates in England and Wales(a) for each quarter's date of count since May 1991 to the most recent date for which figures are available and (b) for each of the E, A and P cases; and what was the percentage change in each of the case types outlined in (b) between May 1991 and the most recent date for which figures are available;

  (2) what was the income support live level for the area directorates in Scotland (a) for each quarter's date of count since May 1991 to the most recent date for which figures are available and (b) for each of the E cases, A cases and P cases; what were the percentage changes in each of the case types outlined in (b) and for each area directorate (i) between May 1991 and the most recent date for which figures are available and (ii) between May 1993 and the most recent date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of income support 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. Henry McLeish, dated 27 June 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Questions requesting various statistical information concerning Income Support cases from the area directorates in England, Scotland and Wales from May 1991.
  I have enclosed the information you requested and a copy has been placed in the Library.
  I hope this reply is helpful.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the most recently available income support live level for each of the local office and benefit agency districts in Scotland for each of the E, A and P cases;

  (2) what is the most recently available figure for the income support live level (a) in each of his Department's offices and (b) by each Benefits Agency district in Scotland.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of income support 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. Henry McLeish, dated 27 June 1994:
  530
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about the Income Support live load in each Scottish Benefits Agency branch and district office.
  I have enclosed the information you requested and a copy has been placed in the Library.
  I hope this reply is helpful.

  Industrial Injuries
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the cost of administering the scheme for industrial injuries disablement benefit for chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of industrial injuries disablement benefit 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. Paddy Tipping, dated 27 June 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the administrative cost of Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit for chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
  There are two stages to the take on of claims for the new prescribed disease chronic bronchitis and emphysema (PD D12), for which Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit has been available since 13 September 1993 for people who have worked for at least 20 years underground in a coal mine.
  Our current estimate of the administrative cost for the two stage take-on of claims to PD D12 is £15·7 million. This is based on an estimated 80,000 claims and covers the three financial years 1993–94 to 1995–96.
  I hope this reply is helpful.

  Social Fund
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases in each Benefits Agency district in Scotland in the most recent period for which data are available an application for(a) community care grant, (b) budget loan and (c) crisis loan met the criteria but was refused because of budgetary constraints or insufficient priority; and what that was as a proportion of the total number of (i) applications and (ii) refusals in each of the Benefits Agency districts.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of the social fund 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. Henry McLeish, dated 27 June 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the operation of the Social Fund in Scotland.
  I have enclosed the information you requested, relating to 1993–94 and 1994–95 to date, and a copy has been placed in the Library.
  The Social Fund Computer System (SFCS), introduced to Scotland during the period March 1993—January 1994, collects statistical items differently from the previous system and they are not directly comparable with previous years. The old system recorded reasons for refusal per application, whereas the SFCS records reasons for refusal per item requested. In cases where a partial award is made, a reason for refusal will also be appropriate. Therefore, the sum of all the reasons for refusal will not equal the number of application refusals.
  Social Fund Officers (SFOs) ensure that the highest priority needs are met while adopting as consistent an approach as

  531
  possible. The Area SFO (District Office Manager) issues guidance on the order of priorities (high, medium or low) and the level of priority which can be sustained from the budget available to the District. Similarly, the District Office's budget, which must not be exceeded, has to be managed so that, as far as possible, similar levels of need can be met throughout the year.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for help from the social fund for budgetary loans and crisis loans were refused on the grounds of inability to pay; and what that was as a proportion of the total number of(a) loan applications and (b) loan refusals for each of the Benefit Agency districts in Scotland for each year since 1990–91 for each local office.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of the social fund 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. Henry McLeish, dated 27 June 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the operation of the Social Fund in Scotland.
  I have enclosed the information you requested and a copy has been placed in the Library. The Social Fund Computer System, introduced to Scotland during the period March 1993—January 1994, collects statistical items differently from the previous system and they are not directly comparable with previous years.
  The actual level of refusals on the grounds of inability to repay is very low. Money advice may be given to people in these circumstances on ways to reduce expenditure in order to maximise disposable income.
  The guidance to Social Fund Officers advises that where a loan application is received, the possibility that a non-repayable Community Care Grant may be more appropriate should be considered first.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

HEALTH

  Children's Beds, East London
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all current proposals for closures of children's wards and beds in east London; and if she will indicate on the basis of them being implemented(a) the number of children's beds remaining and (b) the number of children in the east London area.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The provision of services for children in east London is for the national health service to decide locally, taking account of all the local circumstances and the needs of patients.

  Patient Participation
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what initiatives her Department has taken to further the development of patient participation.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Department is involved in many projects which develop patient participation. These include patient representatives' projects in Brighton and Bristol, involvement of patients in the development of information for patients and regular meetings with the Patients Forum. The Department also supports the work of community health councils which are appointed by Parliament to represent patients' views.
  532
  We are conducting research to find out patients' views about the development of the patients charter. We have also met patients' organisations to look at charter standards.

  In 1992 the National Health Service Executive issued guidance on "Local Voices" which sets out ways in which the public could be consulted about health services. In April 1994 the National Health Service Executive issued a leaflet "Including Local People" which included examples of good practice that showed how purchasers have involved local people. I wrote in January this year to all district health authorities to ensure that the arrangements were in place to seek and act upon the views of local people. The responses to that letter indicate that most health authorities have made significant progress.

  The chief executive of the National Health Service Executive has written to regional directors to ensure that the appropriate action is taken locally and will report to me later this year.

  The National Health Service Executive funded the College of Health's research into consumer audit. The College of Health has developed consumer audit as a means of obtaining qualitative feedback from patients about health care. The consumer audit guidelines were published in March 1994.

  Care Charges
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance her Department has issued on charging patients or their carers for(a) domiciliary care, (b) day care, or (c) respite care within the national health service.

  Mr. Bowis
  None. There are no charges for these services when delivered to national health service patients.

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

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security (Mr. Hague) gave him on 24 June,Official Report, columns 342–44, for information prior to 1992–93, which includes information on health projects.

  Information for 1992–93 is not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mortality Rate
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the figures for post-operative deaths by district health authority for each of the last two years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  Accurate information about post-operative deaths in each district health authority is not available. Information on deaths in hospitals in the national
  533
  health service in England was published in table 17 of the Department of Health Statistical Bulletin entitled "NHS Hospital Activity Statistics: England 1981 to 1991–92". Information is given on the percentage of cases in the acute sector discharged dead by regional health authority. A copy is available in the Library. Post-operative deaths which occur after patients have been discharged from hospital are not recorded.

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

  Mr. Bowis
  None.

  Gold Salts
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specific guidelines and advice is available for the prescription of the salt of gold sodium aurothiomolate to treat severe conditions of active rheumatical arthritis and its possible side effects.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Decisions about the use of sodium aurothiomolate in the treatment of rheumatical arthritis are matters for the medical practitioners concerned.

  Repetitive Strain Injury
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will discuss with the north Staffordshire repetitive strain injury support group the setting up of a working party to develop an action programme to prevent repetitive strain injury and to respond to the needs of those suffering from it.

  Mr. Sackville
  Prevention of repetitive strain injury when caused by work is a matter for the Health and Safety Executive, which is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

  Accident and Emergency Departments
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many accident and emergency departments there were in London in(a) 1979, (b) 1985 and (c) 1993; and how many there are planned to be in the year 2000.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Sir M. Neubert) on 22 February,Official Report columns 210–11.

  It is the responsibility of local health authorities to assess and secure the health services, including accident and emergency, needed by their resident populations.

  Hospitals and Bed Provision
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) beds and (b) hospitals she plans to close in the next eight years.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what change in the number of NHS hospital beds she expects by(a) 1996, (b) 1999 and (c)

  Mr. Sackville
  It is not possible to make detailed predictions about the future disposition and numbers of 534
  hospitals or hospital beds. These are matters for local determination. Changes will occur with fluctuations in local need and the development of clinical practice.

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest Health Authority
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on Redbridge and Waltham Forest health authority's restriction on non-emergency treatment.

  Mr. Sackville
  It is the health authority's role to assess the health needs of its resident population and secure services to meet those needs.

  Obscene Publications Branch
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions have taken place with the social work profession on the implications of the possible closure of the obscene publications branch at Scotland Yard for children who can become victims of pornography and organised child abuse.

  Mr. Bowis
  None.

  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department in terms of protecting children from the abuse associated with the production of child pornography of the proposed reduction in the resources of the obscene publications branch at Scotland Yard.

  Mr. Bowis
  The organisation of the obscene publications branch is a matter for the Metropolitan police. I refer my hon. Friend to the Adjournment debate on 22 June,Official Report, columns 332–40.

  Alternative Medicines
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if Her Majesty's Government will ensure that any European directive harmonising rules relating to the sale, dispensing and prescribing of vitamin and mineral supplements shall not reduce the existing scope of legally available alternative medicines available in the United Kingdom nor the work of qualified practitioners of nutritional therapy and medical herbalists.

  Mr. Sackville
  In general, alternative medicines and vitamin and mineral supplements for which medicinal claims are made are subject to the provisions of the Medicines Act but herbal remedies prepared and prescribed by herbalists for individual patients are exempt from the licensing requirements. No proposals have been made for a directive to harmonise the status of vitamin and mineral supplements and we have no plans to change the existing arrangements governing the availability of alternative medicines.

  Welsh Health Planning Forum
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she received the report of the Welsh Health Planning Forum published on 23 June; and what is her assessment of its conclusions on the impact of bed closures and the potential for keyhole surgery and day case operations.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have not had the opportunity to study the report. The national health service has already
  535
  achieved a 160 per cent. increase in day cases between 1982 and 1992–93. We are determined to promote all practices that improve the quality of care for patients.

  Skin Cancer
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people died from skin cancer in 1993.

  Mr. Sackville
  Data from 1993 are not yet available. In 1992, in England, there were 1,065 deaths from malignant melanoma of skin (ICD1 172) and 457 deaths from other malignant neoplasm of skin (ICD1 173).
  1International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision.
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers have been reported in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland since 1990.

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

  Malignant melanoma of skin (ICD1 172)

  Other malignant neoplasm of skin (ICD1 173)2

  England3

  3,661

  30,250

  Wales3

  220

  1,748

  Scotland4

  477

  4,111

  Northern Ireland4

  46

  573

  1International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision.

  2Other malignant neoplasm of skin is under-registered.

  31988 data.

  41991 data.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated current cost per case of treating a patient with(a) malignant melanoma of the skin and (b) other malignant neoplasm of the skin.

  Mr. Sackville
  The costs of specific procedures or those associated with specific diagnoses are not available centrally.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the mortality and incidence rates, per 100,000 population, for malignant melanoma of skin, ICD 172, and other malignant neoplasm of skin, ICD 173, for each year since 1991.

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

  Incidence and mortality rates per 100,000 population in England for malignant melanoma of skin (ICD1 172) and other malignant neoplasm of skin (ICD1 173)

  Incidence (1988)

  Mortality (1992)

  Malignant melanoma of skin

  7·7

  2·2

  Other malignant neoplasm of skin

  63·5

  0·9

  1International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision·

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data has been collected by her Department on the administrative costs of(a) fundholding and (b) non-fundholding arrangements in general practice.
  536
  Dr. Mawhinney
  The administrative costs of purchasing by general practitioner fundholders are about 2 per cent. of budgets set. Comparable information about the purchasing costs of district health authorities on behalf of non-fundholding general practitioners is not available.

  Necrotising Fasciitis
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has on the misclassification of necrotising fasciitis on(a) death certificates and (b) hospital finished consultant episodes and data of disease and treatment.

  Mr. Sackville
  No studies have been done to ascertain what doctors record on the death certificates of patients who have had necrotising fasciitis. From 1990 to 1992, when necrotising fasciitis was given as the underlying cause of death, this was coded by Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys as "fasciitis unspecified" using the international classification of disease index.

  Hospital League Tables
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for publishing league tables for NHS hospitals.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I shall tomorrow publish the first National Health Service performance tables: copies will be placed in the Library at 11 am and available in the Vote Office.

  Special Hospitals
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) where the two new special hospitals are to be built; and when they will become operational;

  (2) if she will make it her policy that special hospitals shall not be granted trust status;

  (3) when the Reed report on special hospitals will be published; and what has been the reason for the length of time between its completion and publication.

  Mr. Bowis
  We have not reached any firm conclusions on the future of high security services. There are no current plans to build new special hospitals or to change the status of existing special hospitals. The report of the working group on high security services raises important issues about service development which require careful consideration by this and other Government Departments. We hope to publish the report soon.

  Private Beds
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance her Department has given to NHS trust hospitals about charging patients for use of private beds when no NHS beds are available;

  (2) what guidelines her Department issued about the use of empty private beds in trust hospitals when all NHS beds are full.

  Mr. Sackville
  All beds in national health service hospitals can be used by patients receiving NHS treatment.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reviews her Department has commissioned of the administrative cost of general practitioner fundholding; and when she intends to publish the results of those reviews.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None. The National Health Service Executive will be reviewing the current system of management allowances for general practitioner fund-holders during the summer.

  Spongiform Encephalopathies
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what reports she has received from the advisory committee on dangerous pathogens concerning Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; and if she will place these in the Library;

  (2) what precautions have been introduced for laboratory staff who may be handling materials contaminated with the agents causing (a) Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and (b) bovine spongiform encephalopathy;

  (3) what guidance she has received from the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens on transmissible spongiform encephalopathies; when that guidance was received; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Specific guidance from the advisory committee on dangerous pathogens will be available shortly.

EMPLOYMENT

  Youth Training
  Sir Michael Grylls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made in the past nine months in improving delivery of the youth training guarantee in England.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Excellent progress.

  Employment Service
  Mr. Sykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the Employment Service's results against the annual performance agreement set for the 1993–94 year; and when he expects the Employment Service to publish its annual report and accounts.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I am pleased to announce that the Employment Service has continued to build on the success of recent years and in 1993–94 achieved an excellent level of performance against its annual targets. The following table details the ES's performance results against the 1993–94 annual performance agreement. Overall, die ES placed 1.64 million unemployed people into jobs, of whom 462,200-28·2 per cent.—had been out of work for six months or more and 53,300-3·25 per cent.—were people with a disability; performance in each case exceeded target. In addition, the ES met or exceeded its targets for promptness of benefit payment, delivering advisory interviews and for claims withdrawn following fraud investigation, and ended a mere fraction—0·1 per cent.—short of its target for benefit accuracy.

  I am also pleased to announce that for the 1993–94 year and beyond the ES will be publishing fully audited
  538
  commercial style accounts in its annual report. The ES's annual report and accounts for 1993–94 will be laid before Parliament, as an Act Paper, after the summer recess. In previous years, the ES's annual report and accounts has not been formally laid, and has included only an unaudited cash based financial statement. I am confident that the fuller, commercial-style accounts will serve to emphasise the extent to which the ES delivers value for taxpayers' money.

  Target

  Performance

  (per cent.)

  1.47 million unemployed people to be placed into work

  1·64 million

  Of whom:

  27 per cent. to be long-term claimants

  462,200

  (28·2)

  3 per cent. to be people with disabilities

  53,300

  (3·25)

  35 per cent. to be people in inner cities

  580,600

  (35·4)

  65 per cent. of starters on Training for Work to be from Employment Service referrals

  74·0

  87 per cent. of clients due an advisory interview to receive one

  92·0

  30 per cent. of unemployed people due a 12 month advisory interview to start on a Jobplan Workshop

  45·0

  87 per cent. of first benefit payments to be despatched on the day that entitlement is established

  89·4

  96.5 per cent. by value, of Unemployment benefit payments to be paid correctly

  96·4

  9 per cent. of initial claims enquiries not to be pursued as new claims

  8·9

  63,000 claims to be withdrawn following investigation by Employment Service inspectors

  67,400

  Long-term Unemployment, Merseyside
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has for the long-term unemployed men and women on Merseyside.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Employment Service and the local training and enterprise councils already offer the widest-ever range of employment, enterprise and training opportunities for long-term unemployed people on Merseyside.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the transfer of undertakings directive.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have had discussions with counterparts from a number of other EU countries concerning revision of the acquired rights directive.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by how much unemployment has changed in each EU country since January 1993.
  539
  Mr. David Hunt
  Claimant unemployment in the United Kingdom is down by over 300,000 since January 1993, while registered unemployment in the rest of Europe rose by 1·5 million.

  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many new full-time equivalent jobs have been created during the past 15 months.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Department does not believe that full-time equivalence is a meaningful concept. However, the labour force survey shows that total hours worked rose by 0·6 per cent. over the year to winter 1993.

  Employees and self-employed: Great Britain (thousands)

  Male

  Female

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Total

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Total

  June 1979

  —1

  —1

  14,762

  —1

  —1

  9,805

  September 1984

  12,716

  919

  13,635

  5,574

  4,205

  9,779

  March 1994

  11,602

  1,292

  12,895

  5,986

  5,165

  11,151

  Number of regions where employees have increased (September 1984 to March 1994)

  —1

  —1

  0

  10

  11

  10

  1Not available.

  Mr. Keith Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been unemployed for(a) more than one year and (b) more than two years in (i) Greater London and (ii) the Streatham parliamentary constituency; and what were the corresponding figures for each year since 1979.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information on the levels of claimant unemployment by duration is available from 1983, on the unadjusted basis only, for the months of January, April, July and October. It can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.

  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what the unemployment figures are for Devon for May 1994; and what percentage change they represent on the figures for May 1992.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Unadjusted claimant unemployment figures in the county of Devon stood at 44,405 in May 1994, a fall of 1·6 per cent. since May 1992. However, between May 1993 and May 1994, unemployment fell by over 11 per cent.

  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of unemployed people in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In May, seasonally adjusted claimant unemployment stood at 2,661,000, a fall of 258,000 on a year ago.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently unemployed in the Basildon constituency; and what was the figure one year ago.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Between May 1993 and May 1994 unadjusted claimant unemployment in Basildon fell by 959 from 6,500 to 5,541.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the major European countries where unemployment is on a clear downward trend.
  540
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) men and (b) women, excluding those on training schemes, were in (i) full-time and (ii) part-time jobs in June 1979 and at the latest date for which figures are available; and in how many standard planning regions the number of jobs has increased for (1) men and (2) women, considering part-time and full-time separately.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is provided in the table:

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Only the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current levels of unemployment in the United Kingdom textile and paper and board industries.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The estimates from the winter 1993–94 labour force survey are that there were 29,000 unemployed people—on the International Labour Organisation definition—who last worked in the textiles and textile produces industry and 17,000 unemployed people who last worked in the manufacture of pulp, paper and paper products industry.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how the level of unemployment among younger men has changed during the past 12 months.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In the United Kingdom between April 1993 to April 1994, unadjusted claimant unemployment among 18 to 24-year-old men fell by 73,435-13 per cent.

  Modern Apprenticeships
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the progress of his new apprenticeship initiative in the east midlands.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Four training and enterprise councils in the east midlands are at the forefront of the development of modern apprenticeships.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the Government's modern apprenticeship scheme.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Employers have given an overwhelmingly positive response to the challenge set by modern apprenticeships, and prototypes are due to be in place by September.

  Public Services (Privatisation)
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action he intends to take in response to the decision of the European Court of Justice that the British Government are in breach of European law by failing to ensure adequate worker representation in the privatisation of public services.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government are considering the judgment.

  OECD Report
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had on the recent Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report with colleagues in the EU; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have discussed the OECD report with colleagues on several occasions, in particular at the ministerial meeting in Paris on 7 June. There has been strong support for its conclusions. The report makes it clear that flexible skills and working practices are a crucial factor in reducing unemployment; and that statutory minimum wages and excessive non-wage labour costs reduce employment prospects, particularly for young people.

  Women's Issues Working Group
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how regularly the women's issues working group meets; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The women's issues working group meets three times a year. It is a personal advisory group chaired by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State which considers some of the obstacles encountered by women in their working lives, and advises on ways to overcome them. It currently has 14 members.

  Restart
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many claimants have(a) lost and (b) suffered a reduction in benefit because of (i) their failure to turn up to a Restart interview and (ii) their failure to adopt the course of action advocated at their interview, in each year since Restart began;

  (2) how many claimants have (a) lost unemployment benefit and (b) suffered a reduction in supplementary benefit or income support because of their failure to satisfy the availability for work rules for each year since 1974.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many people are currently on the Restart programme;

  (2) if those people on Restart programmes are included in the official unemployment statistics.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
  542
  Letter from A. G. Johnson to Mr. Gerry Steinberg, dated 28 June 1994:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about the numbers of people currently on the Restart Programme and whether they are included in the official unemployment statistics. I am replying in the Chief Executive's absence.
  It may help if I explain that Restart is not a programme but a series of regular six monthly interviews with an adviser, for people who have been unemployed for six months or more. These interviews provide clients with the opportunity to discuss their situation, consider the options available and agree a course of action which, if taken, will offer the best prospects of finding a job. Advisers also make sure that clients understand and continue to meet the conditions for receipt of benefit. The number of Restart interviews that have taken place in 1993–94 is 2,800,000. The clients involved are included in the official unemployment statistics.
  For those people who are still unsure about which course of action to take, Restart Courses are available. These are designed to give participants a more in-depth opportunity to assess their strengths and skills and become aware of local opportunities available to them in planning steps back to work. The courses also provide guidance and help in job search.
  In the 12 months from April 1993 until March 1994 over 143,000 people started on a Restart Course. From April this year 22,000 have started on a course.
  Participants remain on the unemployment register and continue to receive normal unemployment benefits whilst attending the course. They are, therefore, included in the official unemployment statistics. Fares to and from the course are also paid.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list the numbers attending Restart interviews for each year since 1986 and the outcome of these interviews for each year in question;

  (2) how many benefit reductions have been made each year since section 20 of the Social Security Act 1975 has come into force.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which TECs currently offer extended child care places to children aged five years and over outside normal school hours and during school holidays; and how many places each TEC has available.

  Miss Widdecombe
  From April 1994, all training and enterprise councils will be making grants available to help establish new after-school and holiday-care places under the Government's out-of-school child-care initiative. A total of 50,000 new places are expected to be created across Britain by March 1996.

  In 1993–94 a limited number of TECs ran the initiative. Latest available figures in the following table show the number of places notified by each TEC as created up to March 1994.

  Cumulative places created by March 1994

  Quarter 4

  England

  4,019

  Heart of England

  0

  Kent

  164

  Milton Keynes

  0

  Thames Valley

  248

  543

  Quarter 4

  AZTEC

  40

  London East

  24

  North London

  58

  South Thames

  133

  Bedfordshire

  168

  Hertfordshire

  555

  Norfolk and Waveney

  144

  Avon

  24

  Devon and Cornwall

  181

  Dorset

  0

  Gloucestershire

  64

  Somerset

  41

  Wiltshire

  62

  Central England

  126

  Coventry

  292

  Hawtec

  24

  Shropshire

  60

  Walsall

  52

  Greater Nottinghamshire

  0

  Leicester

  0

  Lincolnshire

  0

  North Nottinghamshire

  80

  Humberside

  96

  Sheffield

  222

  Rotherham

  92

  Calderdale/Kirklees

  55

  METROTEC

  90

  Rochdale

  140

  South and East Cheshire

  211

  CEWTEC

  4

  Cumbria

  136

  ELTEC

  16

  County Durham

  80

  Northumberland

  52

  Teeside

  40

  Tyneside

  245

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) black and (b) Asian people serve on each TEC; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information on the ethnic origin of training and enterprise council board members is provided voluntarily by the TECs. The following table shows that there are 38 TEC board members of ethnic origin on the board of 28 TECs. This information may not give the complete picture of the ethnic origin of TEC board members. TECs are private companies and are responsible for the composition of their own boards.

  Number of TEC board members of ethnic origin

  Training and Enterprise Council

  Number

  Avon

  1

  Bedfordshire

  2

  Birmingham

  3

  Bolton/Bury

  1

  Calderdale/Kirklees

  1

  CAMBSTEC (Central/South Cambridgeshire)

  1

  CILNTEC (City and Inner London North)

  1

  Coventry and Warwickshire

  1

  Greater Nottingham

  1

  Greater Peterborough

  1

  Hampshire

  1

  Hertfordshire

  1

  Leeds

  1

  Leicestershire

  2

  London East

  1

  Manchester

  1

  Milton Keynes and North Bucks

  1

  North London

  3

  544

  Training and Enterprise Council

  Number

  North West London

  3

  Oldham

  1

  Rochdale

  1

  Rotherham

  1

  Sandwell

  1

  Shropshire

  1

  SOLOTEC

  2

  South Thames

  2

  Walsall

  1

  Wolverhampton

  1

  TOTAL

  38

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many civil servants in his Department took early retirement on being seconded to work for a training and enterprise council.

  Miss Widdecombe
  None. While on secondment working for a training and enterprise council, all departmental staff remained employees of the Department.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 18 May,Official Report column 505, what information was given to the chairman of the training and enterprise councils, concerning the rights of civil servants seconded to the TECs to be eligible for the voluntary early retirement scheme and pertaining to their permanent employment with those TECs after completion of their secondment period.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Training and enterprise councils were told that the early retirement schemes were not meant for secondees who intended taking up TEC employment.

  Child Care
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the out-of-school child care initiative; and what are his future plans for the initiative.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The out-of-school child care initiative was piloted in 40 training and enterprise council areas in 1993–94, leading to the creation of over 4,000 after school and holiday places. From April 1994 to March 1996, the initiative will be delivered by every TEC, and we hope to create up to 50,000 new places across Great Britain.

  European Employment Legislation
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with the European Commission about the implementation of EU employment legislation in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Community's agenda must now be focused on creating jobs rather than destroying them through unnecessary employment regulations. The United Kingdom is playing a leading part in efforts to improve Europe's competitiveness in this and other ways.

  AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK: PROJECT QUALITY REPORT
  AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK: PROJECT QUALITY REPORT
  KNOW HOW FUND
  KNOW HOW FUND
  AGRICULTURE COUNCIL, 20TH TO 23RD JUNE
  AGRICULTURE COUNCIL, 20TH TO 23RD JUNE
  COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY: REFORM
  COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY: REFORM
  HISTORIC BUILDINGS ADVISORY GROUP
  HISTORIC BUILDINGS ADVISORY GROUP
  LARKHILL: PUBLIC ACCESS TO MoD LAND
  LARKHILL: PUBLIC ACCESS TO MoD LAND
  DEREGULATION AND CONTRACTING OUT BILL: JUDICIAL FUNCTIONS AFFECTED BY CLAUSE 58
  DEREGULATION AND CONTRACTING OUT BILL: JUDICIAL FUNCTIONS AFFECTED BY CLAUSE 58
  HOUSE OF LORDS APPELLATE COMMITTEE JUDGMENTS: COST OF TRANSCRIPTS
  HOUSE OF LORDS APPELLATE COMMITTEE JUDGMENTS: COST OF TRANSCRIPTS