Written Answers of 11 March 1994

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Social Security Appeal Tribunals
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many appeals to the social security commissioner against decisions of social security appeal tribunals have taken over 12 months to resolve; what percentage this represents of the total; and what is the average length of time taken.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  As of 31 December 1993, the average waiting time between an appeal against a social security appeal tribunal's decision and its determination by a social security commissioner was 433 days. The further information requested is not collected and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Jury Service (Deaf People)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement regarding the banning of a deaf person from sitting on a jury at King's Lynn Crown court in January.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Section 10 of the Juries Act 1974 provides that if it appears to a member of the court staff that there is doubt as to the capacity of a person who attends for jury service to serve effectively, on the grounds of physical disability, the person may be brought before a judge. The judge shall then determine whether or not the person should serve as a juror and, if not, shall discharge the summons. That procedure was followed in the case of a juror at King's Lynn. I cannot comment on the judge's decision to discharge the summons.

TRANSPORT

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make it his policy to exclude the company which the Government select to build the channel tunnel rail link from claiming tax relief on trading losses without taking account of the value of the written off debt of European Passenger Services Ltd. when it is incorporated within the new company.

  Mr. Freeman
  The company which builds the channel tunnel rail link will be subject to the same taxation rules that apply to any other company in the private sector. The Government have no wish to interfere with those rules.

  Disabled People (Parking)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review arrangements for disabled people's parking bays; and if he will consider extending the powers 406
  of local authorities to prevent parking across ramps to homes where access is required for disabled people's vehicles, other than cars.

  Mr. Key
  Local authorities already have wide powers to create disabled people's parking bays and I am not aware of any suggestion that these powers are inadequate and need to be reviewed.

  The Road Traffic Act 1991 contains provision which enable most non-endorsable parking offences, including the unauthorised use of disabled people's parking bays, to be decriminalised and enforced by local authorities. The expectation is that such arrangements will lead to higher levels of enforcement. They are already being introduced in London and they will be made available shortly to local authorities elsewhere.

  Parking across ramps provided for disabled people can amount to obstructing the highway — which is an offence, even in streets where parking is not otherwise prohibited. Enforcement is a matter for the police.

  Transport Research Laboratory
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much he paid the corporate finance section of KPMG for advice on the future of the Transport Research Laboratory.

  Mr. Key
  A total of £91,826·26 inclusive of VAT.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which tenderers for the work of advising him on the future of the Transport Research Laboratory were individuals or groups with expertise in commissioning or completing casualty reduction, environmental, structural or mechanical research.

  Mr. Key
  All tenderers were free to structure teams as they judged best able to undertake the contract, KPMG Peat Marwick assembled a team which embraced a range of skills, including transport and research specialisms.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the terms of reference and correspondence with the corporate finance section of KPMG on the future of the Transport Research Laboratory.

  Mr. Key
  I am placing copies of the terms of reference for the study in the Library. These terms of reference were the subject of consultation with the trade unions.

  Exchanges between the Department and the contracted consultants during the course of such studies necessarily take place in confidence because they involve a range of sensitive issues which may be commercially confidential. It would not be appropriate to make such exchanges public.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he gave instructions that the corporate finance section of KPMG should advise on(a) whether it would be possible or (b) whether it would be sensible to have a clean break between the Transport Research Laboratory and his Department;

  (2) for what reasons he advocates a clean break between the Transport Research Laboratory and his Department.

  Mr. Key
  KPMG Peat Marwick's work was guided by the terms of reference for the study. The desirability of a clean break was identified by the consultants in light of the
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  Government's wider policy for securing the complete transfer to the private sector of functions that need not be undertaken in the public sector, along with associated assets.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the competitive advantage of the corporate finance section over other sections, and the competitive advantage of KPMG over other consultancies, in respect of the future of the Transport Research Laboratory.

  Mr. Key
  KPMG Peat Marwick was appointed following a competitive process involving a written submission and a subsequent interview. They were judged best able to achieve the requirements of the study set out in the terms of reference. It was their decision to manage the work from their corporate finance section.

  M62 Relief Road
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total number of(a) valid objections to and (b) indications of support received by his Department for the proposed M62 relief road.

  Mr. Key
  So far, over 17,500 representations have been received. Most are opposed to the proposals. The figure includes an element of duplication.

  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what effects his recently announced intention of accelerating the approvals procedure for new roads will have on the M62 relief road.

  Mr. Key
  Last August my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport announced a package of measures aimed at cutting the time it takes to prepare and build new roads and bypasses. A major element is the setting up of the Highways Agency which is to take on responsibility for the management and delivery of the roads programme on the 1 April. This does not mean that the rights of those opposed to the M62 relief road will be changed. Progress on this scheme will depend on its meeting objectives, the proper clearance of the approval procedures, and the availability of funds.

  British Rail
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guarantees have been provided for the operational telecommunications requirements of British Rail and successor companies following the transfer of British Rail Telecommunications to the private sector.

  Mr. Freeman
  Discussions are taking place between BRT and Railtrack with a view to agreeing contractual arrangements to protect requirements for operational telecommunications for the railway.

  Lollipop Ladies
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to amend the law to permit lollipop ladies to assist pre-school children across roads.

  Mr. Key
  None. Sections 26 and 28 of the Road Traffic Act 1984 empower school crossing patrols to stop traffic at places where 408
  "children cross roads on their way to or from school, or from one part of a school to another".
  The words "children" and "school" are not defined. The interpretation of the law is a matter for the courts, but it would seem that the legislation would not prevent school crossing partrols from escorting children to or from an educational institution that provides education or instruction to children of no pre-determined minimum age. This would include a nursery school or play group. It is, however, for appropriate authorities to decide their own policy in this matter, consulting their own legal advisers as necessary.

  Coaches
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of coaches registered in other European countries checked by the Vehicle Inspectorate at the weighbridge on the A2 at Broughton in the latest convenient period exceeded 17 tonnes.

  Mr. Key
  Of those coaches registered in other European countries and check-weighed at Broughton, 18 per cent. were found to be overloaded by more than 5 per cent., or 1 tonne, whichever was the lesser. The figures, which are for the period 1 January to 31 December 1993, include those vehicles with a maximum permitted weight of more than 17 tonnes. Information on European vehicles weighed and found to be less than 5 per cent. overweight cannot be disaggregated from the data.

  UK-US Air Services
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he is proposing to continue negotiations with the United States Government on the liberalisation of air services between the two countries, following the announcement by British Airways in respect of its plans for further investment in USAir.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have this week made proposals to the United States Government on how we should take forward our discussions on air services following British Airways' announcement. Although the outcome of USAir's restructuring may well influence the shape of the new agreement, I have said that in my view talks should certainly continue on the framework of a new agreement —on which excellent progress has already been made. I have also said that I remain open to an interim limited exchange of new rights to maintain the momentum of the talks; and have suggested that there should be an exchange of views on the economic significance of the code sharing rights granted to United Kingdom carriers under the 1991 agreement, whose renewal is due to be confirmed by the United States Government on 17 March.

  Railway Drink and Drugs Law
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a full list of all organisations to which his Department sent and from which it has received responses regarding the consultation paper on proposed railway drink and drugs legislation, together with the addresses of each such organisation.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 18 January 1994]: My Department issued 42 copies of the consultation paper to transport operators, passenger transport executives, trade

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  unions, the police, magistrates and the medical profession, and we received 27 responses. It is not our practice to identify those organisations or individuals who respond to consultation exercises.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  State Earnings-related Pension Scheme
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of continuing family credit and disability working allowance towards an individual's SERPS entitlement in the years(a) 2000, (b) 2010, (c) 2025 and (d) 2035;

  (2) what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of (i) men and (ii) women who will see an increase in their SERPS entitlement as a result of counting family credit and disability working allowance awards towards SERPS in (1) 2000, (2) 2010, (3) 2025 and (4) 2035.

  Mr. Hague
  The Government Actuary's Department project that expenditure will graually build up to about £0·1 billion in 2035. This figure must be treated with caution as it is based on current family credit and disability working allowance caseloads and does not allow for any future growth in the take-up of these benefits.

  Modelling of the costs of this measure does not track the cumulative effect on individuals over time and so it is not possible to provide an estimate of numbers of beneficiaries. Most families and disabled people who receive family credit/disability working allowance—approximately 0·5 million at present—should be helped by this measure.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the cost of extending home responsibilities protection to SERPS entitlements in the years(a) 2000, (b) 2010, (c) 2025 and (d)

  Mr. Hague
  The Government Actuary's Department estimates the cost of extending home responsibilities protection to SERPS as about £0·5 billion in 2010, rising to about £1·5 billion in 2035.

  Freephone and Freepost
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the use of freephone and freepost facilities currently being operated by his Department; how much these facilities are costing; for what purposes these facilities are being used; and how much his Department has spent on operating freephone and freepost facilities in each financial year since its establishment on a separate Department.

  Mr. Hague
  This Department offers the following services by way of freephone:Freeline 0800 666555 —The freeline social security telephone service gives general advice and information on the full range of Social Security benefits and covers all aspects of an enquiry, regardless of the circumstances. Its aim is to provide a confidential, speedy and expert advice service without access to any benefit files.
  It originally started as a series of regional initiatives and became a national service in 1984 with 40 staff.
  There are 10 freeline centres based at: Sutton; Ilford; Cambridge; Birmingham; Bootle; Nottingham; Leeds; Edinburgh; Cardiff and Newcastle, with an 11th Freeline centre due to be opened this year in Preston.
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  Ethnic freeline—Punjabi 0800 521360, Urdu 0800 289188 and Cantonese 0800 252451—services giving general advice and information on social security benefits in these languages;
  Welsh freeline—0800 289011—a service giving general advice and information on social security benefits in Welsh;
  Family credit freeline—0800 500222—a service is available 24 hours per day, to order information packs on family credit;
  The benefit enquiry line—0800 882200—introduced in June 1991—a service giving advice and information to people with disabilities and to those caring for them. Extended in April 1993 to provide a form completion service for invalid care allowance, severe disablement allowance, disability living allowance, attendance allowance and disability working allowance.
  Social security advice line for employers (SSALE)—0800 393539—introduced in August 1993—a service for employers which gives general advice and information on NI contributions, statutory sick pay and maternity pay.
  Itsa service help desk—introduced in late 1988—provides advice and help to users in DSS agencies, DSS or DH headquarters staff on approximately 250 systems ranging from the mainframe based operational strategy systems to small server based systems.

  This Department uses freepost to a very limited extent mainly in advertising campaigns aimed at increasing the knowledge of the general public, for example, council tax benefits, or alerting them to changes in their liabilities and rights under the law. We offer an extensive business reply service—pre-printed addressed labels—which enables our customers to reply free of charge. Business reply envelopes are issued to our customers to facilitate the return of information or where a reply is essential to our business needs.

  Costings for freephone and freepost are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Rents
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the range of rents paid by those receiving housing benefit in each local authority area.

  Mr. Burt
  The latest available information is in the table.

  Eligible rent (£/week)1

  Region3

  2Minimum

  2Maximum

  South East (excluding London)

  3·50

  165·53

  London

  2·50

  431·22

  North (including Cumbria)

  3·00

  173·87

  Wales

  1·00

  100·00

  Scotland

  2·00

  250·87

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  0·78

  214·17

  East Midlands

  3·25

  271·20

  East Anglia

  3·32

  187·62

  South West

  0·75

  130·52

  West Midlands

  1·29

  168·70

  North West (excluding Cumbria)

  3·00

  325·00

  National

  0·75

  431·22

  Data Source:

  The Housing Benefit annual one per cent. sample of May 1992.

  Note:

  As the figures are from a sample, which has also excluded cases where the assessed amount of housing benefit is less than 50 pence per week, there could be cases with rents higher or lower than those selected in the sample.

  1Data on rent paid is not available, therefore, the information relates to the amount of rent eligible for housing benefit.

  2Range has been defined as the lowest and highest amount of rent eligible for housing benefit.

  3The data relates to regions because reliable information cannot be given for individual local authorities from a 1 per cent. sample.
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  Agency Chief Executives
  Mr. Radice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many agency chief executives in his Department are currently paid more than £82,925, excluding performance-related bonuses; and whether such chief executives were recruited directly to their present post from outside the civil service.

  Mr. Hague
  None.

  Child Maintenance
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many child maintenance assessments have been completed to date.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive of the Child Support Agency to my right hon. Friend the Member for Mid Sussex (Mr. Renton) on 8 March.

  Service Delivery Directorate
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to outsource the service delivery directorate of his Department; what consultations have taken place with the employees who will be affected; and what analysis has been made of the benefits in terms of service and savings to be achieved from any such change.

  Mr. Hague
  On 31 January 1994, the chief executive of the Information Technology Services Agency announced proposals to transfer the bulk of day-to-day computer and output handling operations to the private sector with effect from April 1995.

  A programme of meetings was held immediately at which the chief executive, Ian Magee, explained to all ITSA staff the proposals. There have been further meetings to enable employees to discuss the outsourcing with senior management.

  Information suggests that significant improvements in value for money and services to ITSA's customers can be achieved by transferring this work to the well-developed market that now exists for this type of work.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisoner Transfers
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when the last transfer to Northern Ireland of a prisoner was carried out; how many prisoners who

  Number of offences of homicide in which firearms were reported to have been used 1985—1992

  Cleveland

  Durham

  Northumbria

  England and Wales

  Year

  Shotgun

  Other firearm

  Shotgun

  Other firearm

  Shotgun

  Other firearm

  Shotgun

  Other firearm

  1985

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  29

  16

  1986

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  37

  14

  1987

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  43

  34

  1988

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  27

  9

  1989

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  26

  19

  1990

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  33

  27

  1991

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  32

  23

  1992

  2

  —

  —

  1

  2

  1

  25

  31

  No information is available centrally on whether firearms used in offences are licensed or not. Figures for 1993 are not yet available.
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  have applied for transfer are still waiting for a reply to their request; and for what reasons these prisoners are still waiting for a reply;

  (2) how many prisoners have applied for transfer to prisons in Northern Ireland since 23 November 1992;

  (3) how many prisoners have applied for transfer since 23 November 1992 following the findings of the inter-departmental review; how many prisoners were transferred to Northern Ireland while the review was being undertaken; and how many prisoners have been transferred to Northern Ireland since the release of the inter-departmental review.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  An interdepartmental review of the transfer of prisoners between United Kingdom jurisdictions was announced to Parliament on 4 June 1991. The recommendations of the review were accepted and reported to Parliament on 23 November 1992.

  During this period 35 prisoners were transferred to Northern Ireland. Since the announcement of the outcome of the review 65 prisoners have applied for transfer to Northern Ireland; 11 prisoners, including some who applied for transfer before the conclusion of the review, have been transferred to Northern Ireland. The last such transfer took place on 20 January. Fifty-eight requests by prisoners to transfer to Northern Ireland remain to be determined.

  Two prisoners temporarily transferred to Northern Ireland challenged the basis of their transfer by application for judicial review. These applications were dismissed by the High Court in Belfast at the end of last year. It has been necessary to give further consideration to the legal implications of these challenges before determining the outstanding requests. We expect to make decisions on these cases shortly.

  Firearms
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were killed in crimes involving(a) shotguns, (b) licensed firearms and (c) unlicensed firearms in (i) the north-east of England and (ii) the United Kingdom for each year since 1985.

  Mr. Maclean
  The available information is contained in the following table:
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  Figures for Scotland are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and figures for Northern Ireland are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Video Pornography
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answer the letters of 2 December 1993, February 1994 and telephone calls from the hon. Member for Lewisham, East on the subject of unsolicited advertising of pornographic video material.

  Mr. Maclean
  I wrote to the hon. Member on 9 March 1994.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he intends to publish the rules under which the proposed new regime for criminal injury compensation is to operate;

  (2) if he will now place in the Library a copy of the draft regulations for the operation of the amended criminal injury compensation scheme.

  Mr. Maclean
  The publication of the detailed rules of the tariff scheme which comes into force on 1 April 1994, was anounced on 9 March, column 224. Copies of the text of the rules and the accompanying guide, which explains to claimants how the new scheme works and the criteria adopted for deciding applications, have been placed in the Vote Office and the Library of the House.

  Grand National
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the costs of policing the Grand National in 1990, 1991 and 1992.

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

  Racial Attacks
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to commission a survey comparable to the British crime survey, to examine the occurrence of racial attacks and racial harassment.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have no plans to commission a separate survey. The 1992 British crime survey involved some 10,000. households, and had a boosted sample of about 1,700 ethnic minority respondents. This produced a sufficiently large sample to compare rates and patterns of criminal victimisation between these groups and the white majority.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce new legal measures aimed at combating racial violence, racial discrimination or racial harassment.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government are considering recommendations for legislative change made by the Commission for Racial Equality in its second review of the Race Relations Act 1976; we will be looking carefully at the recommendations of the Home Affairs Committee inquiry into racial attacks and harassment.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to require chief constables to publish annual clear-up rates for racial incidents as compared with other offences in each division.
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  Mr. Charles Wardle
  As part of the package of core performance indicators for the police, introduced in April 1993, each force will publish annual data on the total number of reported racial incidents in the force area, and the percentage of these in which further investigative action was undertaken. My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to require the police to publish clear-up rates for racial incidents since in many instances the matters reported may not be ones for the police, but for other agencies, and may not involve criminal offences.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to provide additional resources to enable the establishment of local multi-agency panels aimed at combating racism.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Many local multi-agency groups are already in existence to combat racial attacks and harassment. The racial attacks group, as part of its work programme, will be seeking to inform itself of the number of multi-agency groups that have been established locally, and to learn from their experience. The allocation of resources to support these groups must be a matter for local agencies in the light of local priorities.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to investigate possible links between the activities of extremist organisations and incidences of racially motivated attacks.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The investigation of racially motivated attacks, and of organisations which might pose a threat to public order, is the responsibility of the police. There is no evidence to suggest that the role of extremist groups in racial attacks is anything but a very minor one.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to recommend that in cases where race is an issue, the defence or prosecution be able to propose and the judge be empowered to direct, that the composition of the jury includes some ethnic minority representation.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Royal Commission on Criminal Justice recommended that, where compelling reasons are advanced, it should be possible for the defence or the prosecution to apply to the judge for the selection of a jury containing up to three people from ethnic minorities. This recommendation raises serious questions of both principle and practicality and the Government have yet to reach a conclusion on it.

  Horserace Betting Levy
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce his determination under section 1 of the Horserace Betting Levy Act 1969 of the horserace betting levy scheme beginning on 1 April.

  Mr. Howard
  I have today sent the following letter to the chairman of the Horserace Betting Levy Board and written similarly to the chairman of the Bookmakers Committee. A copy of the scheme has been placed in the Library of the House. The letter reads:Following the Levy Board's and the Bookmakers' Committee's failure to agree the scheme for the 33rd Levy period last October, the scheme fell to be determined by me.
  I have now reached my decision and I enclose a copy of the Scheme which I have determined.

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  The main feature is that the cash and credit rates remain unchanged. In other words, the scheme rolls over from 1993–94 with indexation of the other elements in the Scheme.
  In reaching my decision I have taken into account the submissions made to me by the Government-appointed members of the Levy Board and by the Bookmakers' Committee, together with other submissions, including those from the British Horseracing Board, on which the Board members and the Committee were afforded the opportunity to comment.
  The cash yield from the Scheme will depend on the leviable betting turnover. I have taken as my starting point an estimated £4,358 million in 1993–94. It seems unlikely that there will be no growth in turnover in 1994–95. Representations have been made in regard to the possible adverse effect of the National Lottery on betting turnover, but I doubt whether the National Lottery will have a significant effect in 1994–95.
  In all the circumstances, my view is that the needs of racing justify a yield in the range of £50 million-£53 million and that such a yield is within the capacity of bookmakers to pay.
  It is a long accepted principle that I should take into consideration bookmakers' capacity to pay I have given careful consideration to the arguments put to me in this regard. The scheme which I have determined does not increase the cash or credit rates payable by the bookmakers. This reflects my view that an increase in rates is not necessary to meet racing's current needs nor could it be justified. Furthermore, the first slice of turnover on which a fixed fee is charged has been increased in line with inflation.
  The bookmakers have put forward arguments for a reduction in the cash rate. I am not convinced that in the present circumstances any such reduction is justified.
  In reaching this view on the cash rate, I have had regard to the bookmakers' contention that falling profitability is a factor which should be taken into account in determining their capacity to pay the Levy. I am not convinced that the position has been reached where any erosion of profit margins is such that it impacts significantly on the bookmakers' capacity to pay the Levy. My attention has been drawn to the structure of the scheme whereby the larger bookmakers are, in affect, subsidising the smaller concerns with detrimental effects on the profits to be made from additional turnover. However, the way the scheme is structured in order to benefit the smaller bookmakers is a matter of choice by the Bookmakers' Committee. Nor am I convinced that the overall effect of the Scheme is such that there would be a real effect on capacity to pay the Levy at unchanged rates in the coming year.
  I have been asked whether falling profit margins are a matter which should be taken into consideration in setting the Levy. I could not accept the argument that it is completely irrelevant to the question of "capacity to pay". On the other hand, the fact that some bookmakers may not recover the costs of the Levy in full from punters is not an argument in itself for reducing cash rates. The levy is a liability on the bookmaker, and it is up to him how he chooses to meet that obligation. In my view, however, it is reasonable to expect the Horserace Betting Levy Board, in discussing future schemes, to have regard to the likely effect of the Levy, amongst other factors, on the ability of bookmakers to manage their businesses effectively.
  As a matter of general principal, it seems to me very much more preferable that disputes over the Levy should be settled without reference to me. There are matters which most intimately concern the horseracing industry and bookmakers and should, given goodwill, be capable of resolution between them. I should be greatly concerned about any tendency for requests for my determination of the levy to become the norm rather than the exception. Were this to happen, I should want seriously to consider alternative proposals for settling Levy disputes.

  Octopus
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that no species of octopus other than octopus vulgaris should be used for scientific procedures in Great Britain which might cause pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 8 March 1994]: No. The Animal Procedures Committee considered in 1993 whether cephalopods were sufficiently sentient to justify extension to them of the protection for laboratory
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  animals provided by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. My right hon. and learned Friend accepted the majority view of the committee that octopus vulgaris alone might meet this test.

ENVIRONMENT

  Management Systems
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much his Department's computer-aided facilities management systems cost; from whom they were purchased; how many person hours were required to commission them; what the estimated and actual saving has been from their operation; and to what extent the use of such systems accounts for the apparent rise in theft noted in his answer to the hon. and learned Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell) of 17 February,Official Report, column 973.

  Mr. Baldry
  My Department does not operate computer-aided facilities management systems as such, although, as in other parts of the Department, computers are used by those employed in facilties management as part of their day-to-day work. There is no reason to suppose any link between this and the number of thefts from the Department.

  Fuel Economy
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has taken to encourage other Government Departments to economise in the use of fuel; and with what results.

  Mr. Atkins
  Energy management in individual Government Departments is a matter for the Ministers responsible for those Departments. My Department provides information on good practice and monitors the progress of Departments towards the target of improving energy efficiency by 15 per cent. over the five years to 1995–96. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State also reviews progress at meetings of Green Ministers, which he chairs. Results for 1992–93 were given in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Clappison) on 20 October 1993,Official Report, columns 256–59, and updated energy expenditure information was provided in answer to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 20 January 1994, Official Report, columns 829–30.

  Advice and guidance is made available to all Departments through regular meetings and correspondence and through technical literature, videos and seminars. Current initiatives include encouraging Departments to take advantage of opportunities for using contract energy management and to examine the scope for combined heat and power.

  Marsham Street
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has of(a) previous land use, (b) contaminants present, (c) clean-up work completed and (d) health risks present regarding the site of his Department's offices at Marsham street; and how he came by this information.

  Mr. Baldry
  Before the existing buildings were constructed in the 1960s, the site was occupied by a
  417
  mixture of domestic and commercial users, the largest of which was a coal gas works. Consultants have advised that the site's previous use as a gas works may have led to some soil contamination. However, much of the contamination in the soil is likely to have been removed when the deep basements of the current building were evacuated. The building fabric itself protects the current occupants from any risks of contamination. This information is based on advice from consultants looking at the planning and development potential of the 2 Marsham street site.

  Local Authority Tenants
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to lay regulations to give force to the new right to manage for local authority tenants.

  Sir George Young
  I have today laid before Parliament the Housing (Right to Manage) Regulations 1994 which will come into force on 1 April. The regulations implement our citizens charter commitment to give local authority tenants' organisations a statutory right to manage their own homes.

  Seventy-four tenant management organisations are already managing their own housing under the present voluntary arrangements, and reaping the benefits of greater cost control, local accountability and responsive services. The right to manage will put those benefits within the grasp of any properly constituted and representative tenants' organisation. I expect to see many more TMOs managing their housing over the next few years.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans the Government have to require local authorities to provide better information on their housing management performance to tenants.

  Sir George Young
  I am pleased to announce that today the Department has issued to all local housing authorities a revised "Reports to Tenants Determination" together with an explanatory circular. This determination sets out the information that local authorities must provide to their tenants each year on their housing management performance. I am placing copies in the Library.

  The publication of the new determination follows a review of the existing reports to tenants regime, in consultation with the local authority associations and others, in the light of recent research on the operation of the regime since the first reports were published in 1991. I hope that the new reports will be more relevant to tenants' needs. This citizens charter initiative will help tenants to judge how well their council is managing its housing stock on the basis of reports written in clear and simple language.

  From 1994–95 authorities will be required to report on housing stock, allocations, management costs, rents and repairs. Authorities will be encouraged to set targets for their performance to set the required information on the broader context of their housing strategies, current and future, and to provide information broken down to estate level as far as possible.

  Land Searches
  Mr. Spring
  'To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to bring forward proposals for statutory time limits within which local authorities must answer standard inquiries by home buyers; and if he will make a statement.
  418
  Mr. Gummer
  My Department has today published proposals for new statutory arrangements for local authorities' handling of search inquiries made by people buying and selling property. These proposals are set out in a consultation paper entitled "A Statutory Scheme for Local Authority Land Searches", copies of which have been placed in the Library. The proposed new arrangements include new powers for local autorities to provide a one-stop service on standard search inquiries, a duty on local authorities to respond to these inquiries within 10 working days, and refunds of some or all of the fee if the local authority fails to respond within the time limit.

  Contaminated Land
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress there has been on the review of the arrangements for dealing with contaminated land which was announced on 24 March 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  I have been asked to reply.

  I have today issued on wide circulation our proposals for the clean up and control of contaminated land. The consultation paper recognises that liability for past pollution is complicated and there are no easy solutions.

  Interested organisations and individuals have provided helpful views which have been useful in identifying the key issues and options. The consultation paper gives all interested parties an opportunity to comment on the preliminary conclusions.

  The consultation paper makes clear our support for a "suitable for use" approach to dealing with contaminated land. This means that contaminated land should be treated to deal with unacceptable actual or perceived threats to health, safety or the environment, taking into account the actual or intended use of the site. Where practicable, it should be kept in, or brought back into, beneficial use. This will help us to minimise pressures on greenfield sites.

  The consultation paper invites comments by 26 May, and any views expressed will be taken into account before final conclusions are reached. I have placed a copy in the Libraries of the House. A parallel, but separate, consultation exercise is already under way in England and Wales.

SCOTLAND

  Training
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, in 1993–94 prices and cash terms, the total amount spent from public funds on training for Scotland in each year since 1989–90, the expected outturn in 1993–94 and the plans for 1994–95.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 10 March 1994]: Training expenditure in Scotland was not recorded separately in the years prior to 1991–92. Since then, resources have been made available as part of the grant-in-aid of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to support the training programmes administered by these bodies. The following table provides details:

  419

  £ million

  Cash

  1993–94 prices

  1991–92

  227·985

  244·431

  1992–93

  218·122

  225·211

  11993–94

  204·420

  204·420

  21994·95

  207·486

  199·506

  1 Estimated.

  2 Plans.

  Cornton Vale Prison
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to close Cornton Vale prison and disperse its prisoners to local, mixed prisons; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 9 March 1994]: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Scottish Prison Service under its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Dr. Norman Godman, dated 11 March 1994:

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about what plans there are to close Cornton Vale Prison and disperse its prisoners to local, mixed prisons.

  There are no plans to close Cornton Vale Prison nor to disperse its prisoners to local, mixed prisons. Some consideration has been given to the possibility of providing open prison opportunities for women prisoners elsewhere but the practical difficulties are such that it is not in prospect at present.

DEFENCE

  Desert Storm Syndrome
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information in the form of oral testimony or written submission his Department has provided to the scientific panel established by the United States Defence Department to investigate the Desert Storm syndrome effects on allied service men who served in the Gulf war.

  Mr. Hanley
  My Department has been invited to provide information to two of the scientific panels established by the United States authorities to investigate the alleged Desert Storm syndrome. One is the defence science board task force on Gulf war health effects and the other the committee to review the health consequences of service during the Persian Gulf war.

  My Department has provided both oral and written information confirming that there were no detections of chemical agents during the Gulf conflict and no evidence that British troops were exposed to such agents.

  A written note on United Kingdom experience of the alleged Desert Storm syndrome was also provided to the committee which confirms our previously announced findings that there is no clinical evidence that members of the British armed forces are suffering from any unexplained medical condition peculiar to their service in the Gulf.
  420

  F15E Noise Trial
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will send the hon. Member for Don Valley a copy of the report on the results of the F15E noise trial when it becomes available.

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 9 February,Official Report, column 357.

  Homosexuality
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provisions exist at present for the welfare advice and counselling of members of the armed services dismissed as a result of their homosexuality; what plans he has to improve such provision; and what discussions he has held with the organisation Rank Outsiders about this issue.

  Mr. Hanley
  Service personnel awaiting administrative discharge or dismissal as a result of their homosexuality may continue to avail themselves of the welfare facilities provided for members of the armed forces. My Department has not held any discussions with the organisation Rank Outsiders but wrote early last year in response to two letters from Rank Outsiders.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to bring forward proposals for changes to the armed services regulations to enshrine the commitment no longer to prosecute members of the forces on grounds of their homosexuality.

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 December,Official Report, column 610.

  Defence Export Services Organisation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) on 3 March,Official Report, column 873, if representatives of foreign Governments have been consulted as part of the planned appointment of the head of the United Defence Export Services Organisation.

  Mr. Aitken
  No.

  9 Squadron
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many ground crew there were attached to 9 Squadron of the RAF in(a) 1980, (b) 1985 and (c) 1990; and what is planned for 1995.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information for 1980 and 1985 is not available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The integral ground crew establishment for 9 Squadron as at 1 April 1990 was 154 posts. The forecast for 1 April 1995 is 134.

  Yugoslavia
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 4 March,Official Report, column 943, if he will state the reasons for the decision to increase the number of the mortar-locating troops by an additional 10 personnel; and if he will make a statement.
  421
  Mr. Hanley
  The increase was made to increase the troop's operational effectiveness.

EDUCATION

  Pupil Exclusion
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils have been expelled from secondary schools for drug abuse in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Forth
  Figures for each of the last 10 years are not available. Information on permanent exclusions from maintained schools in England was collected by the Department over a two-year period, starting with summer term 1990, under the national exclusions reporting system. Eighty-one exclusions in year one and 179 in year two were reported to relate at least partly to drug or solvent misuse. These figures were not disaggregated between primary and secondary schools.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to collate and publish on a regular basis the figures on exclusion from school.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department monitored permanent exclusions at maintained schools over a two-year period starting with summer term 1990 under the national exclusions reporting system to inform the review of the operation of exclusion procedures under the Education (No. 2) Act 1986. Following that review, the Education Act 1993 made significant changes to the law on exclusions which come into effect in September 1994. In the light of experience of the operation of the new procedures the Secretary of State will consider whether any further monitoring of permanent exclusions is necessary.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his Department is doing to encourage schools to use the exclusion of pupils as a last resort rather than a routine sanction.

  1

  2

  3

  4

  1992–93

  Percentage of total local authority expenditure on education

  Percentage of total local authority expenditure on education less mandatory awards

  Percentage of education expenditure on administration and other non-school expenditure

  Percentage of education expenditure allocated to schools

  Avon

  59·9

  52·9

  26·2

  73·8

  Bedfordshire

  62·2

  55·9

  23·3

  76·7

  Berkshire

  57·4

  51·2

  25·9

  74·1

  Buckinghamshire

  62·7

  54·5

  29·5

  70·5

  Cambridgeshire

  62·2

  54·8

  25·1

  74·9

  Cheshire

  62·9

  54·7

  28·4

  71·6

  Cleveland

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Cornwall

  58·8

  51·4

  28·2

  71·8

  Cumbria

  57·3

  53·0

  26·5

  73·5

  Derbyshire

  62·6

  56·6

  25·3

  74·7

  Devon

  57·5

  49·8

  28·6

  71·4

  Dorset

  57·5

  50·0

  31·6

  68·4

  Durham

  61·7

  56·4

  24·4

  75·6

  East Sussex

  56·4

  49·0

  26·5

  73·5

  Essex

  59·3

  53·1

  24·3

  75·7

  Gloucestershire

  59·0

  51·0

  30·9

  69·1

  Hampshire

  62·7

  55·5

  26·8

  73·2

  Hereford and Worcester

  61·5

  53·6

  26·5

  73·5

  Hertfordshire

  65·3

  56·9

  28·0

  72·0

  Humberside

  58·7

  53·7

  22·8

  77·2

  Isle of Wight

  59·7

  53·1

  29·3

  70·7

  Kent

  54·9

  48·3

  24·8

  75·2

  422
  Mr. Forth
  A draft circular on exclusions was issued for consultation recently as part of the "Pupils with Problems" package. It makes clear that exclusion should be used sparingly and always as a last resort in response to serious breaches of a school's behaviour policy or of the criminal law. The final version of the circular will be issued in May to all schools.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the advice given to parents whose children face exclusion from school.

  Mr. Forth
  None. This is a matter for individual LEAs and schools in the light of the requirements of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986. Many schools and LEAs issue leaflets to parents explaining the exclusion process and their rights.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to give excluded pupils the right to appeal against their exclusion.

  Mr. Forth
  Pupils—or parents, if the pupil is under 18 —already have a right of appeal under the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 against permanent exclusion.

  Education Expenditure
  Mr. Jopling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish a table giving the percentage of current expenditure being devoted to education for each shire county in England, both before and after mandatory student awards; what percentage of the education expenditure is spent on education administration and other non-school expenditure; and what percentage is allocated to the schools, for each shire county.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The provisional figures for 1992–93 for the shire counties are as shown in the table.
  423

  1

  2

  3

  4

  1992–93

  Percentage of total local authority expenditure on education

  Percentage of total local authority expenditure on education less mandatory awards

  Percentage of education expenditure on administration and other non-school expenditure

  Percentage of education expenditure allocated to schools

  Lancashire

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Leicestershire

  60·8

  53·7

  26·9

  73·1

  Lincolnshire

  58·9

  51·8

  27·9

  72·1

  Norfolk

  59·2

  53·2

  25·3

  74·7

  North Yorkshire

  62·2

  53·6

  28·2

  71·8

  Northamptonshire

  56·3

  49·9

  27·4

  72·6

  Northumberland

  64·9

  58·1

  21·8

  78·2

  Nottinghamshire

  59·2

  53·6

  22·8

  77·2

  Oxfordshire

  59·9

  51·8

  29·9

  70·1

  Shropshire

  62·9

  56·1

  24·8

  75·2

  Somerset

  61·4

  53·9

  30·8

  69·2

  Staffordshire

  61·7

  55·3

  18·0

  82·0

  Suffolk

  62·4

  56·3

  24·2

  75·8

  Surrey

  59·5

  49·8

  31·8

  68·2

  Warwickshire

  62·2

  53·0

  30·7

  69·3

  West Sussex

  59·8

  52·0

  25·9

  74·1

  Wiltshire

  60·9

  54·5

  30·0

  70·0

  Notes to table

  1. Column 1 presents net current expenditure on education as a percentage of the total local authority current expenditure.

  2. Column 2 presents column 1 minus Mandatory Awards expenditure.

  3. Column 3 presents the percentage of net current education expenditure on service strategy, management and administration, inspectors and advisory services, other support costs and direct expenditure on colleges, adult and other continuing education, youth and other community services.

  4. Column 4 presents the percentage of net current education expenditure spent directly on nursery/primary, secondary and special schools.

  5. n/a indicates that returns of expenditure are not yet available. All figures are provisional and subject to further checking.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the unit cost per pupil in each London local education authority for 1992–93 for(a) nursery/primary and (b) secondary pupils.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the right hon. Member for Doncaster, Central (Sir H. Walker) on Wednesday 9 March,Official Report, columns 238–40.

  Table A: Schools and pupils in the shire counties in England Maintained primary schools

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  LEA

  Total number schools

  Total number GM schools

  Per cent. GMS in LEA

  Total number pupils

  Total number GM pupils

  Per cent. GM pupils

  Isles of Scilly

  4

  0

  0·0

  174

  0

  0·0

  Avon

  369

  0

  0·0

  79,059

  0

  0·0

  Bedfordshire

  218

  3

  1·4

  42,138

  708

  1·7

  Berkshire

  273

  7

  2·6

  60,613

  2,371

  3·9

  Buckinghamshire

  287

  6

  2·1

  61,601

  2,262

  3·7

  Cambridgeshire

  264

  6

  2·3

  58,427

  1,912

  3·3

  Cheshire

  446

  3

  0·7

  88,694

  418

  0·5

  Cleveland

  203

  0

  0

  65,058

  0

  0·0

  Cornwall

  248

  0

  0·0

  40,128

  0

  0·0

  Cumbria

  309

  10

  3·2

  42,663

  1,628

  3·8

  Derbyshire

  450

  7

  1·6

  84,037

  1,775

  2·1

  Devon

  440

  1

  0·2

  79,424

  285

  0·4

  Dorset

  201

  1

  0·5

  44,782

  415

  0·9

  Durham

  297

  0

  0·0

  55,779

  0

  0·0

  East Sussex

  218

  0

  0·0

  50,300

  0

  0·0

  Essex

  580

  55

  9·5

  122,010

  14,287

  11·7

  Gloucestershire

  262

  5

  1·9

  42,887

  1,366

  3·2

  Hampshire

  579

  13

  2·2

  129,822

  3,927

  3·0

  Hereford and Worcester

  288

  0

  0·0

  47,895

  0

  0·0

  Hertfordshire

  433

  5

  1·2

  82,844

  908

  1·1

  Humberside

  353

  2

  0·6

  84,426

  335

  0·4

  Isle of Wight

  46

  0

  0·0

  7,232

  0

  0·0

  Kent

  572

  15

  2·6

  126,005

  4,227

  3·4

  424

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Jopling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the numbers and percentages of(a) schools and (b) children at (i) primary and (ii) secondary levels who are in grant-maintained establishments for each shire county in England, both inclusive and exclusive of those in the private sector.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The tables show numbers and percentages of grant-maintained schools and pupils in such schools in the 40 shire local education authorities.
  425

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  LEA

  Total number schools

  Total number GM schools

  Per cent. GMS in LEA

  Total number pupils

  Total number GM pupils

  Per cent. GM pupils

  Lancashire

  600

  1

  0·2

  128,579

  283

  0·2

  Leicestershire

  333

  0

  0·0

  79,549

  0

  0·0

  Lincolnshire

  293

  20

  6·8

  48,946

  5,663

  11·6

  Norfolk

  396

  11

  2·8

  62,086

  2,520

  4·1

  North Yorkshire

  395

  0

  0·0

  58,165

  0

  0·0

  Northamptonshire

  269

  9

  3·3

  50,185

  3,072

  6·1

  Northumberland

  144

  0

  0·0

  21,566

  0

  0·0

  Nottinghamshire

  424

  0

  0·0

  91,370

  0

  0·0

  Oxfordshire

  238

  1

  0·4

  39,886

  81

  0·2

  Shropshire

  215

  1

  0·5

  35,410

  307

  0·9

  Somerset

  229

  1

  0·4

  35,343

  232

  0·7

  Staffordshire

  409

  1

  0·2

  92,355

  32

  0·0

  Suffolk

  255

  0

  0·0

  43,420

  0

  0·0

  Surrey

  372

  9

  2·4

  76,491

  1,863

  2·4

  Warwickshire

  244

  0

  0·0

  45,715

  0

  0·0

  West Sussex

  246

  0

  0·0

  51,813

  0

  0·0

  Wiltshire

  293

  6

  2·0

  47,063

  1,544

  3·3

  Totals

  12,695

  199

  1·6

  2,503,940

  52,421

  2·1

  Table B: Maintained secondary schools

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  LEA

  Total number schools

  Total number GM schools

  Per cent. GMS in LEA

  Total number pupils

  Total number GM pupils

  Per cent. GM pupils

  Isles of Scilly

  1

  0

  0·0

  108

  0

  0·0

  Avon

  60

  2

  3·3

  53,946

  1,569

  2·9

  Bedfordshire

  71

  10

  14·1

  43,813

  8,568

  19·6

  Berkshire

  59

  10

  16·9

  46,298

  7,389

  16·0

  Buckinghamshire

  45

  9

  20·0

  36,011

  9,123

  25·3

  Cambridgeshire

  44

  16

  36·4

  40,247

  15,109

  37·5

  Cheshire

  69

  3

  4·3

  62,810

  2,395

  3·8

  Cleveland

  44

  0

  0·0

  35,560

  0

  0·0

  Cornwall

  31

  0

  0·0

  28,965

  0

  0·0

  Cumbria

  43

  11

  25·6

  30,702

  7,988

  26·0

  Derbyshire

  61

  14

  23·0

  57,061

  15,275

  26·8

  Devon

  64

  6

  9·4

  57,479

  4,571

  8·0

  Dorset

  56

  9

  16·1

  40,345

  8,813

  21·8

  Durham

  43

  0

  0·0

  37,068

  0

  0·0

  East Sussex

  34

  0

  0·0

  33,201

  0

  0·0

  Essex

  105

  63

  60·0

  94,951

  60,897

  64·4

  Gloucestershire

  42

  24

  57·1

  32,592

  19,806

  60·8

  Hampshire

  94

  17

  18·1

  76,216

  14,614

  19·2

  Hereford and Worcester

  76

  5

  6·6

  46,846

  3,558

  7·6

  Hertfordshire

  88

  20

  22·7

  67,063

  17,833

  26·6

  Humberside

  60

  0

  0·0

  55,202

  0

  0·0

  Isle of Wight

  21

  0

  0·0

  10,294

  0

  0·0

  Kent

  135

  57

  42·2

  100,813

  45,695

  45·6

  Lancashire

  107

  8

  7·5

  82,152

  6,593

  8·0

  Leicestershire

  79

  5

  6·3

  58,809

  3,222

  5·5

  Lincolnshire

  63

  24

  38·1

  36,951

  16,323

  44·2

  Norfolk

  52

  12

  23·1

  40,181

  8,608

  21·4

  North Yorkshire

  59

  0

  0·0

  43,107

  0

  0·0

  Northamptonshire

  64

  12

  18·8

  44,356

  9,197

  20·7

  Northumberland

  61

  1

  1·6

  29,102

  632

  2·2

  Nottinghamshire

  83

  3

  3·6

  62,607

  1,831

  2·9

  Oxfordshire

  44

  0

  0·0

  34,189

  0

  0·0

  Shropshire

  36

  5

  13·9

  24,707

  3,540

  14·3

  Somerset

  39

  1

  2·6

  27,598

  398

  1·4

  Staffordshire

  85

  5

  5·9

  68,344

  4,298

  6·3

  Suffolk

  77

  0

  0·0

  47,215

  0

  0·0

  Surrey

  51

  13

  25·5

  38,877

  9,915

  25·5

  Warwickshire

  38

  8

  21·1

  24,657

  4,669

  18·9

  West Sussex

  41

  0

  0·0

  39,154

  0

  0·0

  Wiltshire

  44

  13

  29·5

  33,696

  10,905

  32·4

  Totals

  2,369

  386

  16·3

  1,823,023

  323,604

  17·8

  426 427

  Table C: All schools

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  LEA

  Total number schools

  Total number GM schools

  Per cent. GMS in LEA

  Total number pupils

  Total number GM pupils

  Per cent. GM pupils

  Isle of Scilly

  5

  0

  0·0

  282

  0

  0·0

  Avon

  524

  2

  0·4

  151,664

  1,569

  1·0

  Bedfordshire

  334

  13

  3·9

  95,048

  9,276

  9·8

  Berkshire

  433

  17

  3·9

  128,493

  9,760

  7·6

  Buckinghamshire

  395

  15

  3·8

  108,659

  11,385

  10·5

  Cambridgeshire

  356

  22

  6·2

  107,607

  17,021

  15·8

  Cheshire

  577

  6

  1·0

  162,217

  2,813

  1·7

  Cleveland

  271

  0

  0·0

  104,718

  0

  0·0

  Cornwall

  302

  0

  0·0

  72,407

  0

  0·0

  Cumbria

  387

  21

  5·4

  77,872

  9,616

  12·3

  Derbyshire

  577

  21

  3·6

  149,862

  17,050

  11·4

  Devon

  607

  7

  1·2

  151,459

  4,856

  3·2

  Dorset

  315

  10

  3·2

  95,282

  9,228

  9·7

  Durham

  388

  0

  0·0

  99,214

  0

  0·0

  East Sussex

  343

  0

  0·0

  98,284

  0

  0·0

  Essex

  785

  118

  15·0

  231,780

  75,184

  32·4

  Gloucestershire

  355

  29

  8·2

  85,011

  21,172

  24·9

  Hampshire

  816

  30

  3·7

  230,973

  18,541

  8·0

  Hereford and Worcester

  432

  5

  1·2

  107,726

  3,558

  3·3

  Hertfordshire

  630

  25

  4·0

  172,273

  18,741

  10·9

  Humberside

  451

  2

  0·4

  145,645

  335

  0·2

  Isle of Wight

  74

  0

  0·0

  19,005

  0

  0·0

  Kent

  836

  72

  8·6

  251,211

  50,192

  20·0

  Lancashire

  823

  9

  1·1

  227,866

  6,876

  3·0

  Leicestershire

  460

  5

  1·1

  148,013

  3,222

  2·2

  Lincolnshire

  401

  44

  11·0

  91,813

  21,986

  23·9

  Norfolk

  501

  23

  4·6

  110,573

  11,128

  10·1

  North Yorkshire

  524

  0

  0·0

  112,214

  0

  0·0

  Northamptonshire

  386

  21

  5·4

  103,060

  12,269

  11·9

  Northumberland

  224

  1

  0·4

  52,155

  632

  1·2

  Nottinghamshire

  580

  3

  0·5

  163,363

  1,831

  1·1

  Oxordshire

  375

  1

  0·3

  89,774

  81

  0·1

  Shropshire

  294

  6

  2·0

  67,169

  3,847

  5·7

  Somerset

  313

  2

  0·6

  73,260

  630

  0·9

  Staffordshire

  574

  6

  1·0

  170,542

  4,330

  2·5

  Suffolk

  380

  0

  0·0

  100,542

  0

  0·0

  Surrey

  591

  22

  3·7

  153,063

  11,778

  7·7

  Warwickshire

  328

  8

  2·4

  79,107

  4,669

  5·9

  West Sussex

  363

  0

  0·0

  104,485

  0

  0·0

  Wiltshire

  378

  19

  5·0

  87,914

  12,449

  14·2

  Totals

  17,683

  585

  3·3

  4,781,323

  376,025

  7·9

  Footnotes to the tables.

  1. The figures for total schools and pupils are estimates derived from the Department for Education's January 1993 Schools' Census.

  2. The figures for numbers of pupils are based on a head count of full-time and part-time pupils.

  3. The numbers of grant-maintained schools are the totals operating in January 1994.

  4. Table A (maintained primary sector) and table B (maintained secondary sector) exclude figures for special and indpendent schools. The data on these schools held by the Department cannot be divided into `primary' and 'secondary'.

  5. Table A and table B include middle deemed primary and middle deemed secondary schools respectively.

  6. Table B excludes sixth form colleges as these institutions are now part of the further education sector.

  7. Table C includes maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, and non-maintained special and independent schools.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many appeals by parents against admission decisions by grant-maintained schools were considered by his Department for each school since the establishment of the grant-maintained sector;

  (2) how many members of his Department are involved in considering appeals against admission decisions by grant-maintained schools and what is the total annual cost; and what plans he has to increase the number of staff involved.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  All admissions authorities, including the governing bodies of grant-maintained schools, are required to give parents the right to appeal to an independent committee. Where such an appeal is unsuccessful, parents may appeal to my right hon. Friend. That right of appeal applies to parents for all schools, both 428
  LEA and grant-maintained. No record is kept of the number of appeals that are made to him; in many cases an approach takes the form of an inquiry to the Department or of a request for advice. Most are handled by staff in the Department's territorial teams as part of their normal duties. There are no plans on that account to increase the number of staff in post.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what are the links between Sun Alliance and the Grant-maintained Schools Mutual Insurance Co.; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This is largely a matter for the Grant Maintained Schools Mutual although we understand that Sun Alliance acts in a reinsurance capacity.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what grant aid is estimated will be received by(a) the

  429
  Grant Maintained Schools Centre, (b) the Grant-maintained Schools Foundation and (c) the Grant-maintained Schools Trust in 1993–94; and what amounts are projected for 1994–95.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  In 1993–94, grant of up to £794,000 has been made available for the Grant Maintained Schools Centre Ltd. Neither the Grant Maintained Schools Foundation nor the Grant Maintained Schools Trust is in reciept of government grant.

  The directors of the Grant Maintained Schools Centre Ltd. intend to restructure the organisation with effect from April 1994. Their intention is that the provision of information to schools considering grant maintained status should be handled by a new company, the Grant Maintained Schools Foundation Ltd. We understand that the present Grant Maintained Schools Foundation will change its name to the Grant Maintained Schools Charitable Trust.

  The Department is currently considering an application for grant-aid for the new Grant Maintained Schools Foundation Ltd. for 1994–95. We have not received, and do

  Children with statements of special educational needs in the shire counties in England January 1993

  Children for whom a statement is maintained

  1Pupils with statements in maintained primary and secondary schools

  Primary

  Secondary

  LEA

  2number

  3as a percentage of all pupils in schools

  number

  as a percentage of pupils on the register

  number

  as a percentage of pupils on the register

  Avon

  4,054

  2·7

  797

  1·0

  642

  1·2

  Bedfordshire

  2,448

  2·5

  505

  1·2

  602

  1·3

  Berkshire

  3,009

  2·3

  896

  1·5

  372

  0·8

  Buckinghamshire

  3,793

  3·5

  927

  1·5

  761

  2·1

  Cambridgeshire

  1,842

  1·7

  502

  0·9

  522

  1·2

  Cheshire

  4,154

  2·5

  1,278

  3·4

  1,329

  2·0

  Cleveland

  2,353

  2·2

  464

  0·7

  471

  1·2

  Cornwall

  2,571

  3·5

  1,119

  2·8

  1,010

  3·4

  Cumbria

  2,076

  2·6

  1,085

  2·5

  858

  2·7

  Derbyshire

  4,066

  2·7

  1,274

  1·5

  1,664

  2·9

  Devon

  4,740

  3·1

  1,236

  1·6

  1,465

  2·5

  Dorset

  2,320

  2·4

  321

  0·7

  542

  1·3

  Durham

  2,133

  2·1

  624

  1·1

  349

  2·9

  East Sussex

  2,200

  2·2

  350

  0·7

  320

  2·9

  Essex

  5,067

  2·1

  895

  0·7

  1,035

  1·0

  Gloucestershire

  2,070

  2·4

  393

  0·9

  446

  1·4

  Hampshire

  6,802

  2·8

  1,669

  1·3

  1,404

  1·6

  Hereford and Worcester

  1,676

  1·5

  285

  0·6

  342

  0·7

  Hertfordshire

  4,145

  4·Feb

  988

  1·2

  914

  1·4

  Humberside

  2,373

  1·6

  697

  0·8

  601

  1·0

  Isles of Scilly

  1

  0·4

  0

  0·0

  1

  0·9

  Isle of Wight

  391

  2·1

  50

  0·7

  85

  0·8

  Kent

  6,008

  2·4

  1,177

  0·9

  1,221

  1·2

  Lancashire

  6,556

  2·8

  1,316

  1·0

  2,057

  2·4

  Leicestershire

  N/a

  N/a

  1,023

  1·3

  761

  1·2

  Lincolnshire

  2,810

  3·1

  618

  1·3

  814

  2·2

  Norfolk

  3,060

  2·7

  1,104

  1·8

  1,055

  2·6

  North Yorkshire

  2,193

  1·9

  617

  1·1

  616

  1·4

  Northamptonshire

  1,983

  1·9

  391

  0·8

  346

  0·8

  Northumberland

  1,200

  2·3

  231

  1·1

  328

  1·1

  Nottinghamshire

  1,934

  1·2

  150

  0·2

  172

  0·3

  Oxfordshire

  1,521

  1·7

  276

  0·7

  250

  0·7

  Shropshire

  2,112

  3 0

  626

  1·8

  906

  1·4

  Somerset

  1,594

  2·2

  359

  10

  477

  1·7

  Staffordshire

  3,699

  2·2

  760

  0·8

  542

  0·8

  Suffolk

  2,704

  2·7

  703

  1·6

  1,502

  3·2

  Surrey

  4,449

  2·8

  1,613

  2·1

  569

  1·3

  Warwickshire

  1,458

  1·8

  319

  0·7

  223

  0·9

  West Sussex

  1,930

  1·8

  384

  0·7

  332

  0·8

  430
  not expect, grant applications for 1994–95 from the Grant Maintained Schools Centre Ltd. or the Grant Maintained Schools Charitable Trust.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many grant-maintained schools have insurance policies with Sun Alliance or its subsidiaries.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This information is not held centrally.

  Special Needs
  Mr. Jopling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will give the numbers and percentages of(a) all, (b) primary and (c) secondary school children who have been statemented for each shire county in England; and what is the national average.

  Mr. Forth
  Information on children for whom statements of special educational needs were being maintained in January 1993 in the shire counties and in England is shown in the table. Also included is information on the numbers of pupils with statements attending maintained primary and secondary schools.
  431

  Children for whom a statement is maintained

  1Pupils with statements in maintained primary and secondary schools

  Primary

  Secondary

  LEA

  2number

  3as a percentage of all pupils in schools

  number

  as a percentage of pupils on the register

  number

  as a percentage of pupils on the register

  Wiltshire

  3,419

  3·9

  1,183

  2·5

  1,141

  3·4

  ENGLAND

  176,698

  2·3

  43,464

  1·0

  41,558

  1·4

  1 Derived from returns received from schools. Includes middle schools as deemed.

  2 Derived from returns received by LEAs. Includes children in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools; non-maintained special and independent schools and children being educated otherwise than in a school.

  3 Divisor includes pupils in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools and non-maintained special and independent schools.

  N/a—Information for Leicestershire LEA.

EMPLOYMENT

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give details of the public appointments he is responsible for making in addition to those identified in "Public Bodies 1993", including non-executive agency and other departmental management boards.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has made appointments to the following bodies in addition to those listed in "Public Bodies 1993":

  —The National Advisory Council for Education and Training Targets (Appointments made jointly with my right hon. Friends, the Secretaries of State for Education and for Wales)

  —The TEC Assessors Committee (Appointments made jointly with my right hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Trade)

  —The Certification Officer for Trade Unions and Employers Associations

  Appointments have also been made to:

  —The Commissioner for Protection Against Unlawful Industrial Action

  —Investors in People UK Ltd.

  These will be included in the 1994 edition of "Public Bodies".

  Part-time Workers
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he intends to take to provide employment protection for part-time workers employed by their existing employer for less then five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Many important rights are enjoyed by all employees, irrespective of hours of work or length of service. The Government are studying carefully the recent House of Lords judgment on the hours thresholds which employees have hitherto had to meet to qualify for the full range of rights. The eight and 16-hour thresholds were put in place by a Labour Administration in 1975 and have not been changed since.

  EC Directives
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how his Department meets its obligations under EC directive 75/129/EEC as amended by Council directive 92/56/EEC concerning the consultation period provided for in paragraph 1 to be used by the competent 432
  public authority to seek solutions to the problems raised by the projected collective redundancies; how these obligations are met locally in respect of redundancies at a particular establishment; and how these obligations are met nationally where redundancies affect more than one establishment in more than one region.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Statutory advance notifications of possible redundancies provided by employers are made available in confidence to the Employment Service, training and enterprise councils—local enterprise com-panies in Scotland—the Careers Service and other relevant Government Departments in order that assistance can be offered where appropriate to the employers and employees concerned. Such assistance is given most effectively at local level.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what judicial and administrative procedures for the enforcement of obligations under the EC directive 75/129/EEC as amended by Council directive 92/56/EEC are available to(a) the representatives of workers and (b) workers themselves to ensure that the competent public authority has fulfilled its obligations.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The directives confer on workers' representatives a right to be consulted about prospective redundancies and on employers a duty to inform the Employment Department. Consultation rights are enforceable through the industrial tribunals upon a complaint by a recognised trade union. Failure to notify the Department is an offence under section 194 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.

  Sex Discrimination
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will direct industrial tribunals to sit in private where cases of sexual discrimination are being heard.

  Miss Widdecombe
  No. The general principle is that complaints of sexual discrimination, like all other complaints to industrial tribunals, should be heard in open court. However, sections 40 and 41 of the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993 give industrial tribunals and the employment appeal tribunal new discretionary powers to prevent those making or affected by allegations of sexual misconduct from being identified in media reports.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to amend the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 to provide for compensation in cases of unintentional, indirect discrimination.
  433
  Miss Widdecombe
  This matter is under consideration.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to extend the remedies available under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 to include reinstatement and re-engagement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The option of recommending reinstatement or re-engagement is already available to industrial tribunals under section 65(1)(c) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and a respondent's failure to comply without reasonable justification may lead to an increase in the amount of compensation awarded.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will expand the support services of the Equal Opportunities Commission in relation to its work for the Sex Discrimination Act 1975.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Equal Opportunities Commission received grant-in-aid of £5·794 million for 1993–94, and will receive £5·949 million in 1994–95. Within the limits set by the Sex Discrimination Act, the EOC determines its own priorities and allocates resources within its overall budget.

  Productivity (Rewards)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is Government policy on the rewarding of workers for increases in productivity; to what extent this has occurred; and if he will publish a table showing the percentage increase since 1979 in(a) real earnings and (b) output per man-hour of (i) male manual workers in manufacturing industry, (ii) white collar workers in the public sector and (iii) other white collar workers, together with an explanation for the difference in each case.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The extent to which workers are rewarded for an increase in productivity is a matter for employers and workers to decide in the light of their particular circumstances.

  Information on average weekly earnings of male manual workers in manufacturing industry can be found in table 4 and earnings of non-manual workers in the public and private sectors in table 1 of part A of the "New Earnings Survey" for the years requested. These figures can be converted to real earnings by using the information on the retail prices index—all items—at April, published in table 6.4 of the Employment Gazette and in table 26 of the annual supplement to Economic Trends for April of earlier years. Copies of the reports can be found in the Library.

  The data on output per man-hour for the workers in the sectors requested are not available.

  Aerospace Industry
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were employed in the aerospace industry in 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1992; and how many are currently employed in it.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information on employees in employment in the aerospace industry is available from the periodic censuses of employment and is given in the following table:434

  Number of employees in employment in the aerospace industry1 in Great Britain in September of each year

  Year

  Number

  1981

  185,000

  1984

  164,700

  1987

  158,200

  1989

  163,400

  1991

  147,400

  1 Activity Heading 3640 of the Standard Industrial Classification 1980.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what length of cable in metres was damaged in the fire in the channel tunnel which occurred on 13 November 1993.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I understand that approximately 600 m of cable was affected to some extent; only 20 m was seriously affected.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 8 March,Official Report, columns 122–23, if he will place in the Library the reports on the fire in the channel tunnel on 13 November 1993 referred to in his answer.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Disclosure of the report of the investigation into this incident by the Health and Safety Executive is restricted under section 28 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which prohibits the disclosure of information without the consent of the person providing it, except where disclosure would be for the purposes of the functions of the Health and Safety Commission, the HSE or other enforcing authorities.

  Disclosure of Eurotunnel's report to the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority on the same incident is a matter for it.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Civil Service Salaries
  Mr. Radice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the information on civil service salaries given in the Official Report of 20 January 1993, columns 254–57, in answer to the hon. Member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram).

  Mr. Dorrell
  New pay arrangements have been introduced for these grades. There are therefore no salaries exactly equivalent to those given in the previous reply.

  The nearest equivalents for 1993 are as follows:

  Grade

  1Salary £

  2Percentage of average earnings

  AA

  38,878

  53·9

  AO

  310,632

  64·5

  EO

  314,307

  86·8

  HEO

  317,895

  108·6

  Grade 7

  429,338

  178·0

  1 National pay scales applying to civil servants outside London.

  2 Percentage of gross national earnings calculated on the basis of New Earnings Survey figures, which include overtime and allowances.

  3 Standard pay, as at 1 April 1993.

  4 The old scale maximum (as at 1 April 1992) increased by the across-the-board increase of 3·9 per cent, payable from 1 August 1992, plus a settlement of 1·5 per cent, payable from 1 August 1993.

  435
  Staff can earn higher salaries through good, or better performance.

  EC Budget
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his best estimate of member states' net contributions to the EC Budget in 1993, after the United Kingdom rebate; and what is his estimate for 1994 on the basis of the latest draft proposed EU Budget, taking account of the latest estimate of the United Kingdom's rebate for 1994.

  Sir John Cope
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury gave on 13 January,Official Report, column 246.

  Public Works Loans Board
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed in the quotas for lending to local authorities by the Public Works Loan Board.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The Public Works Loan Commissioners have issued a circular today notifying local authorities of a change in the formula for calculating the quotas for 1994–95. The change reflects the Government's continued concern about the level of investments held by some authorities and the amount of market borrowing undertaken or proposed. A lower rate of interest will be payable on the majority of the quota. Interest rates on that amount of the quota equal to an authority's provison for credit liabilities will continue to be set near to, but just below, market rates.

  A copy of the circular has been placed in the House Library.

  Chargeable Gains (Sheltering)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the current legislation which prevents companies in a group from sheltering chargeable gains with losses which are brought in by a company joining the group.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Two defects in the provisions which restrict the set-off of pre-entry capital losses have been identified. The first defect allows groups of companies to side-step the provisions by transferring within the group any assets with unrealised losses which have been brought into the group. The second defect may allow one group to avoid the provisions by buying a company with an unrealised loss, carrying out a series of transactions within the group and then selling the company to a second group before the loss is realised.

  The Government have tabled a new clause to the Finance Bill to correct these two defects. The new rules will apply to disposals made on or after today.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Fish Farms
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether commercial fish farms have settling out tanks for solids produced and what supervision of disposal of these solids is carried out.
  436
  Mr. Ancram
  The majority of fish farms have settling tanks. These tanks are inspected biannually by Department of Agriculture fisheries inspectors. There is no supervision of the disposal of solids.

  Farming
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the figures in hectares for(a) set-aside, (b) pulses and (c) oilseed rape and cereals for 1989, 1990 and 1991 which were used to calculate the base rate for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  The hectarage figures used to calculate Northern Ireland regional base area for cereals, including proteins—that is, pulses—oilseeds and set-aside are as follows:

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Average

  Cereals(including forage maize and proteins)

  52,907

  50,081

  51,299

  51,429

  Oilseeds

  922

  1,223

  1,151

  1,099

  Set-Aside

  172

  248

  334

  251

  Total Northern Ireland Regional Base Area:

  52,779

  The total hectarage of proteins grown in Northern Ireland is insignificant. These are included within the cereals total.

  Fishing (Conflicts of Interest)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he will take to ensure that no conflict of interest arises where a commercial fisherman holds a licence to fish, a dealers' licence to buy and sell and a bailiff's warrant to enforce the Fisheries Acts.

  Mr. Ancram
  Powers contained in the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 will be invoked as necessary should such a conflict of interest arise. The Act empowers the Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland to revoke licences or object to the issue of a bailiff's warrant.

  Dentistry
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the amount spent per child on general dental services, including in the calculation those not registered with a general dental practitioner.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information requested is contained in the table.

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (d)

  (e)

  Gross expenditure(£000)

  Number of registered children

  Number of children in the population

  Cost per registered child (£)

  Cost per child in the population (£)

  £13,146,890

  285,646

  463,835

  £46·02

  £28·34

  Notes:

  1. The gross expenditure on general dental services (GDS) in column (a) comprises capitation payments, child item of services payments for treatments given under capitation, and child item of service payments for treatments given on an occasional basis. Data is for the financial year 1992–93.

  2. Data in column (b) is the number of children registered with a General Dental Practitioner (GDP) at September 1992.
  437
  3. Data in column (c) is for June 1992.

  4. Children may also be treated in the Community and Hospital Dental Service as well as in the General Dental Services.

  5. There is also some non-fee expenditure on general dental services (eg reimbursement of non-domestic rates, maternity payments, and employers' superannuation payments) which cannot be apportioned between child and adult treatments. In the financial year 1992–93, this represented 4 per cent. of expenditure on the GDS.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 17 February,Official Report, column 935, if he will make a statement concerning the effectiveness of the Crown Prosecution Service regional public awareness campaign, as measured by the amount of editorial coverage in newspapers, radio and television.

  The Attorney-General
  The campaign began on 17 January in the south-west and will continue, region by region, until the end of April.

  To date 50 local newspapers, with a combined circulation of 2,309,000, have reported on the campaign and the work of the service. The CPS has been notified of 27 reports about its campaign on local radio and television.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 17 February,Official Report, column 935, what was the estimated and actual cost of the Crown Prosecution Service regional public awareness campaign.

  The Attorney-General
  The estimated cost of the campaign for the current financial year is £25,500 and £2,500 for the part falling in 1994–95. Actual cost cannot be ascertained until the campaign has been concluded.

HEALTH

  "The Best Sex Guide"
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the total cost of the production and distribution of the Health Education Authority magazine entitled, "The Best Sex Guide"; how many copies were produced; and what methods of distribution were used;

  (2) what steps were taken to obtain parental advice on the editorial content and design of the Health Education Authority magazine "The Best Sex Guide"; and what control she expects parents to exercise over the distribution of this magazine to their children;

  (3) what consultations she has had regarding the consistency of the method of distribution of the Health Education Authority magazine "The Best Sex Guide" with Government policy;

  (4) what age group was targeted by the Health Education Authority with the magazine, "The Best Sex Guide"; and who was responsible for the editorial content.

  Mr. Sackville
  "The Best Sex Guide" magazine was produced by the Health Education Authority in collaboration with BBC Radio 1. It was aimed at young people of 16 and over. A total of 500,000 copies were distributed direct to young people on and around World AIDS Day 1993, 1 December, through a 24-hour event at 438
  Tower Records, Piccadilly, at some licensed concert and music venues and some colleges and health promotion units for use at their discretion. Production and distribution of the leaflet cost £83,000. The content and style, developed by the HEA, was based on consultation with Radio 1 about the needs of their audience and the HEA's general research into the views of young people and parents. The HEA produces a range of material targeted at specific population groups to address the requirement of the Government strategy on preventing unwanted pregnancies, the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

  Ministers were not consulted in advance on this publication. There is a clear public health responsibility to give advice on safer sex to those who have chosen to become sexually active in their late teens outside a stable relationship. While this publication was aimed at that group alone, the HEA will obviously need to take account of the wider public reaction in taking forward health promotion in this very sensitive field.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Health Education Authority has spent in producing "The Best Sex Guide".

  Mr. Sackville
  "The Best Sex Guide" magazine was produced by the Health Education Authority in collaboration with BBC Radio 1. Production and distribution costs were £83,000 with the BBC contributing some further funding to the production of the booklet.

  Severance Payments
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of irregular severance payments have been reported to her Department since 1989; and what was the amount paid in each of those years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Department is aware of one payment of £78,000 in 1992–93. In addition, the Department is examining other severance payments to ensure that they are fully regular.

  NHS Fraud
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will request the Audit Commission to publish a report each year on fraud within health authorities and trusts.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have no plans to do so. The Audit Commission makes independent decisions on its work and publication programme.

  Advertising
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 14 February,Official Report, column 623, if she will place in the Library copies of the market research results referred to.

  Mr. Sackville
  Market, survey and creative research commissioned by the Department of Health is used as an aid to management decision making when planning publicity campaigns. We have no plans to make management information of this kind generally available.
  439

  Amniocentesis Tests
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines her Department issues to doctors carrying out amniocentesis tests solely to identify the sex of a baby; what requirement there is to keep confidential the findings of such tests; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department of Health has not issued guidance to doctors carrying out amniocentesis tests. This is a matter for the clinical judgment of the professionals concerned in each individual case.

  All persons involved in the collection and handling of personal health information, including the results of amniocentesis tests, have a legal duty to preserve the confidentiality of that information.

  Information obtained by the national health service about patients in the course of their care and treatment is confidential to the NHS. The NHS has a duty held in common law to prevent any unnecessary disclosure of this information, which would represent a breach of confidence. Disclosure of information to the patient concerned, however, would not represent a breach of confidence. Whether or not to do so, again, is a matter for the clinical judgment of the professional concerned.

  Abortion
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what reviews are undertaken by her Department of abortion regulations and guidance following the deaths of mothers during or due to abortion;

  (2) whether her officials automatically inspect private abortion clinics or hospitals following the death of women treated in such facilities.

  Mr. Sackville
  All reported deaths following termination of pregnancy in places approved under section 1(3) of the Abortion Act 1967, as amended, are investigated by the Department and any necessary follow-up action is taken.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports she receives of individual mothers' deaths caused by abortion.

  Mr. Sackville
  Details of maternal deaths, including those from legal termination, are reported and published triennially in the "Report on Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths in the United Kingdom", copies of which are available in the Library. Also, private sector places approved by the Secretary of State under section 1(3) of the Abortion Act 1967, as amended, are required to notify the Department immediately if any death occurs during or after an abortion operation.

  Maternity Units
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department provides national guidelines for minimum standards of comfort and hygiene in maternity units.

  Mr. Sackville
  No specific guidelines are issued, but a key objective for the national health service management is to create a clean, safe and healthy environment in our hospitals in which the community can be confident that it is receiving a quality service and the best health care possible.
  440

  Agency Chief Executives
  Mr. Radice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many agency chief executives in her Department are currently paid more than £82,925, excluding performance-related bonuses; and whether such chief executives were recruited directly to their present post from outside the civil service.

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  Hospital Beds, London
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in the accident and emergency departments in(a) King's College hospital, (b) Bart's, (c) Guy's, (d) St. Thomas's, (e) the Royal Free, (f) Whittington and (g) University College hospital were unable to be accommodated in beds in wards suitable for their conditions on the day on which they were admitted for the week beginning 28 February.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  It is the responsibility of national health service trusts and authority boards to make appropriate provision for accident and emergency cases including short term fluctuations in the emergency workload. Sir Duncan Nichol wrote to NHS managers in January making this a priority issue. The hon. Member may wish to write to the chairmen of the trusts and authroities for detailed information on the arrangements they have made and the weekly performance of the hospitals concerned.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information is provided in the letter of appointment of non-executive directors of health authorities and trusts as to the approxmiate time commitment expected.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the salary of non-executive directors of health authorities and trusts is abated for absence due to(a) sickness and (b) other reasons.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Non-executive members of health authorities and trusts receive annual remuneration of £5,000. This is not abated for non-attendance at board meetings, but continued membership of the board may be terminated if satisfactory reasons are not given for non-attendance for six months.

  Blood Transfusion
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in arranging the transfer of regional transfusion centres from regional health authorities to the National Blood Authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  I have laid before the House an order to give the National Blood Authority functions relating to the collection, screening and processing of blood for supply to the national health service, and regulations making consequential changes to the functions of the regional health authorities when regional transfusion centres transfer to the National Blood Authority from 1 April 1994.
  441
  From that date we shall have an integrated blood service under the National Blood Authority. It will be responsible for planning and managing the service as a whole, for maintaining the very high standards of safety and quality of our blood service, and enhancing its efficiency.

  Nursing and Midwifery
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been given to the English National Board for Nursing and Midwifery regarding the terms and conditions of redundancy and severance in respect of senior management of the board and those staff working at regional level subject to redundancy arising out of the transfer of functions to London; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Departmental officials wrote on 10 December 1993 indicating that ex gratia payments above £5,000 would require the Department's approval.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what powers the English National Board for Nursing and Midwifery has to change previously applicable terms and conditions in relation to redundancy of staff; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) what direction she has given to the English National Board for Nursing and Midwifery in relation to the severance payments to be made in the light of the transfer of staff from Sheffield to London;

  (3) what proposals have been made to change the terms and conditions of severance payments previously applicable in the case of the closure and redundancies of staff at the Sheffield office of the English National Board for Nursing and Midwifery and the transfer of functions to London.

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  Research and Development
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress she has made in developing a comprehensive research and development strategy for the national health service.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The national health service research and development strategy was launched in April 1991. "Research for Health", published in June 1993 under press release H93/824, sets out the evolution of the programme and progress to that date. Copies of the press release are available in the Library.

  Since then the Central Research and Development Committee has identified NHS R and D priorities in three further areas which cover physical and complex disabilities, the interface between primary and secondary care, and health technology assessment. R and D priorities in the areas of cancer services, diabetes, dentistry and mother and child health are currently being identified. Work has been commissioned in mental health and cardiovascular disease and stroke, and programmes of work in HTA, physical and complex disabilities and the primary/secondary care interface are now being developed. The first project in the mental health R and D programme was recently completed.

  For the first time, NHS research projects are being registered on a national basis, and two complementary centres have been established to provide research evidence
  442
  systematically to the service. These will support the R and D strategy in the new NHS as it continues to provide the basis for improvements in the approach to health care adopted by NHS managers, health professionals and those using the service.

  Nurse Prescribing
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress she has made in introducing powers for nurses to prescribe.

  Mr. Sackville
  Primary legislation was enacted in 1992—the Medicinal Products: Prescription by Nurses etc. Act 1992. Work is currently in hand to introduce the necessary subordinate legislation which should enable nurse prescribing to commence in demonstration sites from October 1994.

  NHS Management
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what goals she has set for the employment of women in professional and managerial posts in the national health service; and what progress is being made towards them;

  (2) what mechanisms she has established to monitor how effectively the goals for the employment of women in professional and managerial posts in the national health service are being reached.

  Mr. Sackville
  The NHS women's unit was established by the national health service management executive in October 1991 to take forward the implementation of Opportunity 2000 in the NHS. The management executive has set a series of eight goals for the NHS for achievement by 1994 which specify targets in management, accountancy, appointment of medical staff, appointment of non-executive board members, access to training and development and the encouragement of flexible working.

  The role of the NHS women's unit is to establish national strategies and give guidance on priorities, agree and monitor performance targets for Opportunity 2000 in the NHS, recognise good performance and intervene to correct poor performance and encourage innovation and the dissemination of good practice.
  Goal 1. Increase the number of women in general management posts from 18 per cent. in 1991 to 30 per cent. in 1994.
  38 per cent. (58 out of 154) of vacant Chief Executive/General Manager posts in the 22 months between April 1992 and January 1994 went to women.
  Goal 2. Increase the number of qualified women accountants in the NHS to 35 per cent. by 1994.
  Almost 50 per cent. of trainee accountants are women. If all female trainees currently studying achieve success in their examinations this number will rise to 33 per cent.
  Goal 3. Increase the percentage of women consultants from 15·5 per cent. in 1991 to 20 per cent. by 1994 necessitating an annual increase of 10 per cent. Accelerate the rate of increase in the number of women consultants in surgical specialities from the current 9·7 per cent. per annum to 15 per cent. per annum
  Four regions have already exceeded the 1994 target.
  Goal 4. Increase the representation of women as members of authorities and trusts from 29 per cent. in 1991 to 35 per cent. in 1994.
  The 1994 target has already been exceeded. Ministers expect to maintain this progress with fourth wave trust appointments.
  Goal 5. Introduce a programme allowing women aspiring to management positions to go through a development centre with a view to establishing their own personal development needs.
  Goal 6. Introduce initiatives on recruitment and retention to ensure that the number of qualified nurses and midwives leaving the profession does not rise.

  443
  Goal 7. Ensure that following maternity leave or a career break all women, including those returning to nursing part-time or as a job share, are able to return at a grade commensurate with their leaving grade and to work of a similar status.
  Goal 8. Monitor the time taken for nurses to reach management positions to ensure that men and women have equal access to these positions.
  Progress on goals 5 to 8. These goals are about good employment practice. Authorities and trusts are addressing local needs in individual action plans. Over 50 per cent. of health authorities and trusts provide some form of help with child care provision and flexible working.

  NHS Information Service
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in establishing a national health service information service for patients.

  Mr. Sackville
  In April 1992 all regional health authorities established a regional health information service under the patients charter.

  On 26 January 1993 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State launched the new health information service when the regional services were linked together into a national network on a freephone number, 0800 665544.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in ensuring that comparative information about the health standards achieved by health authorities is available to the public.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  As part of the citizens charter initiative, we will be publishing the first set of national health service comparative performance tables later in the year. The tables will give information to the public about the quality of service offered by individual hospitals and trusts. Achieving consistently high success rates on patients charter standards, for instance, is an indication of a well-managed, patient-focused hospital. The first set of performance tables will include information about performance on five patients charter activities and on selected day surgery procedures.

  District health authorities already publish annual reports for the public giving comparative information on the patients charter performance of hospitals and trusts with which they hold contracts.

  Comparative information about health authorities has been published since 1983 in the health service indicators. It includes indicators of morbidity, mortality and outcome measures and is available to the NHS and, on request, to members of the public. Copies of the health service indicators are placed annually in the Library.

  Amenity Beds
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the facilities to which amenity bed patients are entitled.

  Mr. Sackville
  Amenity beds are defined in section 63 of the National Health Service Act 1977 as accommodation made available for patients who give an undertaking to pay charges, for accommodation in single rooms or small wards which are not for the time being needed by any patient on medical grounds. The charges represent the notional cost of the additional privacy of a small room or a small ward.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much income was generated by amenity beds in each year since 1979 in the NHS.
  444
  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.

  Year

  Amenity bed income £ thousands

  1979–80

  224

  1980–81

  239

  1981–82

  241

  1982–83

  369

  1983–84

  389

  1984–85

  345

  1985–86

  409

  1986–87

  454

  1987–88

  621

  1988–89

  764

  1989–90

  1,013

  1990–91

  1,260

  1991–92

  2,022

  1992–93

  1,776

  Source: Annual accounts and receipts and payments returns for regional health authorities, district health authorities and London postgraduate special health authorities.

  Notes:

  1. Amenity bed income received by national health service trusts is omitted as it is not possible to separately identify it.

  2. The 1991–92 and 1992–93 figures are taken from the receipts and payments returns and are not therefore comparable with those of earlier years.

  3. The figures for 1992–93 are provisional.

  Health Visitors
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many students enrolled on health visitor qualification courses in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.

  Year ending 31 March

  Entries to training

  1991

  753

  1992

  694

  1993

  684

  Source English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting Annual Report 1992–93 Table 5·3.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health visitors were employed by the NHS in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information available is shown in the table. In addition, during the period 30 September 1988 to 30 September 1992 the number of practice nurses increased by 162 per cent. from 3,480 to 9,120.

  Year

  Health visitors

  1981

  9,530

  1982

  9,810

  1983

  10,040

  1984

  9,700

  1985

  10,680

  1986

  10,800

  1987

  10,730

  1988

  10,680

  1989

  10,050

  1990

  10,480

  1991

  10,380

  1992

  10,250

  Source Non-Medical Workforce Census.
  445
  Notes:

  1. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 whole time equivalents.

  2. Figures for 1989 have to be treated with caution due to under recording of areas of work by South East Thames regional health authority.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her Department's policy on the number of health visitors.

  Mr. Sackvillle
  Staffing levels are the responsibility of local managers who, with advice from professional representatives, are in the best position to consider the amount and type of work to be done. It is for them to use the best skills on offer to deliver a high quality service whatever the background discipline.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the areas where the numbers of health visitors is proposed to be cut by FHSAs.

  Mr. Sackville
  Family health service authorities do not normally employ health visitors. Health visitors are usually employed by trusts or directly managed units. District health authorities and general practitioner fund holders usually commission health visitor services.

  Health Education Authority
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she intends to publish the report of the Lee review of the Health Education Authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  The report of the review of the Health Education Authority undertaken by Mr. John Lee and his team is still being considered. A decision about publication of the report has yet to be taken.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what present regulations or guidance govern the freedom of the Health Education Authority to criticise Government policy.

  Mr. Sackville
  Jointly agreed guidelines covering the relationship between the Department of Health and the Health Education Authority, including the balance between the authority's autonomy and freedom of action, and the need to exercise that autonomy within parameters acceptable to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State were last revised in June 1990. Copies will be placed in the Library.

  Oral Health
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are being taken, or are planned, to address geographical and social imbalances in the state of oral health.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Planning dental services and monitoring the dental health of the population are matters for district health authorities to undertake jointly with family health services authorities.

  Mentally Ill People (Assaults)
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many severely mentally ill people were responsible for violent assaults on the person in each year since 1990.
  446
  Mr. Bowis
  This information is not available centrally.

  Private Health Insurance
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 3 March,Official Report, column 860, about meeting with representatives of private health insurance companies, if she will name the people attending the meetings or list the topics for discussion at each of the five meetings.

  Mr. Sackville
  All five meetings were held at the request of private health insurance companies, to allow them to express views on a number of issues. One of the meetings was attended by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Health, one by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (John Bowis) and I attended three. Officials were also present.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 3 March,Official Report, column 857, what recommendations she has made regarding the inclusion of questions on private medical insurance in the 1995 general household survey.

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  "Help Us to Help You"
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what mechanisms she has set up to monitor progress of the "Help Us to Help You" campaign;

  (2) what plans she has to invest further money in publicity for the "Help Us to Help You" campaign through the popular media and advertising.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The "Help Us to Help You" initiative takes the form of an information pack primarily designed to encourage the development of local campaigns. It is for the national health service locally to decide how to implement and monitor the progress of local campaigns. No central record is kept of resources used for publicity on local campaigns.

  Dental Services
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the amount spent per child on general dental services including in the calculation those not registered with a general dental practitioner.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is shown in the table.

  Child dental services

  Numbers Totals

  (a) Gross expenditure (£000)

  259,302

  (b) Number of registered children

  7,103,355

  (c) Number of children in the population

  10,951,170

  (d) Cost per registered child (£)

  36·50

  (e) Cost per child in the population (£)

  23·68

  Notes:

  1. The gross expenditure on general dental services (GDS) in column (a) comprises capitation payments, weighted entry payments, child item of service payments for treatments given under capitation, and child item of service payments for treatments given on an occasional basis in the financial year 1992–93.

  2. Column (b) is the number of children registered with a general dental practioner (GDP) at 30 September 1992.

  3. Column (c) is for 30 June 1992, estimated home population under 18.
  447
  4. Column (d) is calculated by dividing the figure in column (a) by that in (b).

  5 Column (e) is calculated by dividing the figure in column (a) by that in (c).

  6. Children may also be treated in the Community and Hospital Dental Service as well as in the GDS. Children who are not registered with a GDP can still receive GDS treatment on an occasional basis.

  7. There is also some non-fee expenditure on general dental services (eg reimbursement of non-domestic rates, maternity payments, and employer's superannuation payments) which cannot be apportioned between child and adult treatments. In the financial year 1992–93, this represented approximately four per cent. of expenditure on the GDS.

  Hospital Beds
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many additional medium secure beds, respite care or haven type beds and general psychiatric beds will now be made available.

  Mr. Bowis
  On 31 January 1993 there were 635 places available in medium secure units and a further 250 interim medium secure places. The Government have invested over £45 million from centrally held funds for capital development in this area since 1991–92. Together with additional funds made available by health authorities, this will provide approximately 500 further places over the next two or three years. Future levels of provision will be considered in the light of assessments of need undertaken within regions. In 1980 there were 30 such places.

  It is for health authorities to decide how best to meet the needs of their residents, including those who suffer from mental health problems. This would include sufficient in-patient facilities for those who need admission to hospital on either a short or long-term basis.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 8 March,Official Report, column 165, if she will list by region name and each proposed hospital whose closure was contested by the community health councils since 1988; whether the hospital closed, merged, changed its function or was downsized; and what was the number of beds each hospital had at its closure date.

  Mr. Sackville
  The details requested are not routinely provided to the Department during the process for dealing with contested closures. The information requested by the hon. Member could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Child Care
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide the latest estimates of the percentage of children under five in each OECD country who have full-time or part-time child care places, including nursery school places.

  Mr. Bowis
  Information on child care places for under-fives in the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development countries is not available. The OECD published in 1993 Education at a Glance, a copy of which is available in the Library. This includes information on participation rates for children aged under five in early childhood education in general for OECD countries.
  448

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Turkey
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) which matters were raised during General Ilter's visit to the United Kingdom;

  (2) what was the purpose of the visit of General Ilter, Commander of the Turkish Gendarmerie, to Britain; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  General Ilter visited the United Kingdom for discussion of topics of common interest with Home Office, Customs and Excise and the Ministry of Defence. In Northern Ireland he was briefed on the principles underlying our security policy there.

  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the matter of human rights abuses in Turkey was raised with General Ilter, Commander of the Turkish Gendarmerie, during his visit to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Hurd
  Yes. Every opportunity was taken to remind General Ilter that terrorism should be tackled within the rule of law and with full respect for human rights.

  EU Intergovernmental Conference
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will specify the stages leading to the European Union intergovernmental conference in 1996.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Article N of the Maastricht treaty provides that"a conference of representatives of the Governments of the Member States shall be convened in 1996"
  to review certain provisions of the treaty. Discussion of preparations for the conference has not yet begun.

  Management Systems
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department's computer-aided facilities management system cost; from whom they were purchased; how many person hours were required to commission them; what the estimated and actual saving has been from their operation; and to what extent the use of such systems accounts for the apparent rise in theft noted in his answer to the hon. and learned Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell) of 16 February,Official Report, column 768.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Overseas Development Administration use computer applications to provide effective management of computer assets and support costs. The FCO package, from Uni-Tech Ltd., cost approximately £30,000 and took five person weeks to implement. The ODA system, from Workgroup Systems Ltd., cost approximately £18,000 and took two person weeks to implement. It is not possible to identify savings resulting from the improved levels of support to computer users. However, the systems provide improved control of an inventory of some 23,000 items of equipment in the FCO and some 3,000 items in the ODA. None of the thefts referred to can be attributable to the use of these systems.
  449

  Mr. Veljko Dzakula
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to seek the freedom of Serbian politician, Veljko Dzakula, from detention by the Krajina police in a prison in Glina; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We understand that Mr. Dzakula was released on 24 February.

  China
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made as to which Chinese national organisations are independent of Communist party influence and control.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Our assessment is that most, if not all, public organisations in China are subject to a degree of control by the Communist party.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Malaysia
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Swansea, West (Mr. Williams) of 25 February,Official Report, column 498, if he will now make it his policy to make financial and contractual arrangements of soft loans for overseas aid and development projects the subject of a formal announcement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The signature of all new soft loan arrangements—umbrella agreements—and individual soft loan projects are usually announced through an ODA press release. However, the detailed financial and contractual agreements between Her Majesty's Government and the recipient Government contains commercially sensitive information and are therefore not the subject of formal announcement.

  Consultants
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what access to financial records is afforded to consultants appointed by the Overseas Development Administration to evaluate the financial soundness of companies chosen to fulfil contracts, pursuant to aid and trade financial support(a) before the final award of the contract, (b) during the fulfilment of the contract and (c) on completion of the contract.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The ODA does not appoint consultants to assess the financial soundness of companies applying for aid and trade provision support. Such assessments are the responsibility of the Department of Trade and Industry.

  Indonesia
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations he has received regarding British aid to Indonesia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We have received 196 letters about British aid to Indonesia since 1 January 1994.
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  Philippines
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what counter-trade agreements with the Philippines the Overseas Development Administration has been involved in since 1986; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr Goodlad
  None.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  National Lottery
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will bring forward proposals to revise the operation of the national lottery to provide that it will return all profits to the community in the form of funding for the arts, charities, and sport, to exempt the profits from tax and to match distributed profits with grants from public funds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have no intention of revising the basis for the operation of the national lottery, which was approved by Parliament in the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. There is no question of matching the sums raised from the national lottery with further Exchequer grants. Taxation is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

WALES

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives the Welsh Office has brought forward to reduce fuel consumption in transport as part of the effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Government's programme to reduce CO2, emissions is set out in the recently published report "Climate Change: The UK Programme". This includes a range of measures to improve fuel efficiency which apply in Wales as elsewhere.

  Non-departmental Public Bodies
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what guidelines he has issued to non-departmental public bodies regarding the admission of the public to meetings; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will publish the arrangements made by each non-departmental public body appointed by him to enable members of the public to have access to agendas, minutes and reports of such bodies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  All executive non-departmental public bodies publish annual reports and accounts which are laid before Parliament. The conduct of meetings is a matter for the bodies themselves, subject to the provisions of their founding statutes or charters.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to consult the Welsh Language Board in future on all developments concerning the national curriculum in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
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  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Welsh Language Board is currently being consulted on the draft regulations required to give effect to the proposal to suspend the national curriculum requirements for Welsh as a second language in non-Welsh speaking schools for pupils aged 14 to 16 until 1999. It is also being consulted on the draft order giving effect to the other proposed changes to the national curriculum for pupils of this age group.

  The board will be consulted in due course on the proposed changes resulting from the slimming down of the overall subject content of the national curriculum currently being carried out by the Curriculum Council for Wales.

  On 1 April this year Awdurdod Cwricwlwm ac Asesu Cymru/the Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales will come into being. ACAC will have regard to the board's views in formulating its advice to the Secretary of State on future developments and changes to the national curriculum in Wales.

  It is open to the board to give advice to the Secretary of State on any matter concerning the Welsh language at any time.

  Later this month the Welsh Office will be issuing a short guide describing the various statutory agencies' responsibilities for aspects of Welsh language education. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the statutory basis for the requirement that landowners with sites of special scientific interest on their land enter into a management agreement with the Countryside Council for Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Management agreements made under section 15 of the Countryside Act 1968 between the Countryside Council for Wales and owners or occupiers of sites of special scientific interest are voluntary, not mandatory.

  Dentistry
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the amount spent per child on general dental services, including in the calcualtion those not registered with a general dental practitioner.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information is shown in the following table.

  (a) Gross expenditure

  (b) Number of registered children

  (c) Number of children in the population

  (d)Cost per registered child

  (e)Cost per child in the population

  (£000)

  £

  £

  15,554

  421,595

  666,664

  36·89

  23·33

  Notes

  1. The gross expenditure on general dental services (GDS) in column (a) comprises capitation payments, weighted entry payments, child item of service payments for treatments given under capitation, and child item of service payments for treatments given on an occasional basis, for the financial year 1992–93.

  2. Column (b) is the number of children registered with a general dental practitioner at 30 September 1992.

  3. Column (c) is for 30 June 1992, estimated home population under 18.

  4. Column (d) is calculated by dividing the figure in column (a), by that in (b).

  5. Column (e) is calculated by dividing the figure of column (a), by
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  that in (c).

  6. Children may also be treated in the Community and Hospital Dental Service as well as in the General Dental Service.

  Local Authority Tenants
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to lay regulations to give force to the new right to manage for local authority tenants.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Housing (Right to Manage) Regulations 1994 which have been laid before Parliament today implement the citizens charter commitment to give local authority tenants' organisations a statutory right to manage their own homes.

  The right to manage will allow properly constituted and representative tenants organisations to assume housing management functions. This is another part of the process of devolving control to the most local level and thus enabling people to have greater control over their own lives. The new right means that tenant management organisations can grasp the benefits of greater cost control, local accountability and responsive services. I hope to see an increasing number of tenant organisations in Wales managing council housing over the next few years.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes she intends to make to the compensation arrangements for bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mr. Soames
  [pursuant to the reply, 21 January, Official Report, col. 855]: An order which will modify the BSE compensation arrangements as outlined in the announcement of 21 January was laid before both Houses today. The order will come into force on 1 April 1994.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Philippines (Counter-trade Agreements)
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what counter-trade agreements with the Philippines his Department has been involved in since 1986; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  My Department has not been involved in any counter-trade agreements with the Philippines. That would be a commercial matter for the exporter.

  Life Assurance
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will ask the Securities and Investments Board to publish guidelines on the investment of life assurance funds, with particular reference to investment of such funds in wholly owned subsidiaries of such institutions.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The responsibilities of the SIB in relation to life insurance under the Financial Services Act relate primarily to marketing and the provision of advice to clients.

  The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has powers relating to the maintenance of adequate solvency in

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  insurance companies. The regulations do not generally seek to limit the investments an insurance company may make, but may restrict the extent to which they are admissible as part of the required solvency margin.

  Petrol
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recommendations have been circulated within the Government from the DTI regarding altering the tax differential between leaded and unleaded petrol; and what implications these recommendations have for the Government's commitment to sustainable development.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No such recommendations have been made. I am, however, interested in the question of cost-benefit analyses of Government decisions, including the case of the excise duty differential in favour of unleaded petrol.

  Gas
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the cost of gas supplied to his Department for heating purposes in each of the past two years.
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  Mr. Eggar
  The cost of gas for the year 1992–93 was £998,598. This figure is for all gas consumption, not only for heating. Information for 1991–92 is not available.

  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the gas used by his Department is now purchased from independent suppliers; and what have been the consequent effects on public expenditure.

  Mr. Eggar
  Thirty-one per cent. of the gas used in DTI's nine headquarters buildings is purchased from independent suppliers producing an estimated saving in the first year of £7,700.

  Headquarters buildings account for about 20 per cent. of the Department's gas consumption. Information about supply arrangements outside the headquarters estate is not available centrally.

  Rolls-Royce
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much Rolls-Royce has received in launch aid since 1979.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Since 1979 the Department has provided £458·4 million in launch aid to Rolls-Royce.