Written Answers of 15 March 1994

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what improvements are planned for the system of selecting solicitors and counsel to act for the Legal Aid Board in the future; and what consideration has been given to providing an opportunity for all suitably qualified firms of solicitors and counsel to benefit from the available work which the Legal Aid Board is able to provide.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  No changes are planned. Suitably qualified solicitors and counsel are instructed by the board as required. Any suitably qualified firm of solicitors or counsel have the opportunity to be instructed just as they have the opportunity to be instructed by any other client choosing a legal representative.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what directions and other guidance are given to solicitors and counsel acting for the legal aid fund to ensure that costs from unsuccessful non-legally aided litigants are recovered for the benefit of the legal aid fund.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The instructions given by the board will depend on the nature of the particular case. In general terms, the board will seek to recover costs wherever possible.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many cases have been decided or settled against the Legal Aid Board.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what rates of remuneration have been claimed since the creation of the Legal Aid Board by firms of solicitors acting for the Legal Aid Board in litigation; if he will specify the expense rates and mark-up claimed by such firms of solicitors in their bills and the period or periods to which such charges relate; and what are the comparable rates allowed upon taxation and the proposed civil legal aid rates.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Information on the rates of remuneration since the creation of the board claimed by firms of solicitors acting for the board and on the expense rates and mark-up rates claimed by those firms is not available. A prescribed hourly rate for civil non-matrimonial cases came into force on 25 February 1994. Details of the rates and their application are given in the following statutory instruments which are available from HMSO:

  SI 1994/228

  Legal Aid in Civil Proceedings (Remuneration) Regulations 1994

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  SI 1994/229

  Civil Legal Aid (General) (Amendment) Regulations 1994

  SI 1994/230

  Legal Aid in Family Proceedings (Remuneration) (Amendment) Regulations 1994

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many bills submitted by firms of solicitors acting for the Legal Aid Board have been reduced by negotiation or taxation; and what amounts have been saved in real and percentage terms.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many firms of solicitors have been instructed by the Legal Aid Board's head office legal department to conduct litigation on behalf of the Legal Aid Board.

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

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much has been paid by the Legal Aid Board since its creation to(a) firms of solicitors instructed by the Legal Aid Board to represent the Legal Aid Board in litigation, (b) the firm of Messrs. Collyer-Bristow when instructed to act for the Legal Aid Board in litigation and (c) counsel instructed to act for the Legal Aid Board in litigation.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  (a) The information requested is not available. (b) It is not the Legal Aid Board's policy to disclose details of a commercially confidential nature between itself and its suppliers. (c) The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what redundancies are being made at the Liverpool area office of the Legal Aid Board; who is being made redundant; what are their qualifications and experience; how many years service they have had in being employed in dealing with legal aid matters by(a) the Legal Aid Board and (b) the Law Society when it was responsible for administering legal aid.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  A voluntary redundancy scheme has been introduced and 17 volunteers are being sought. The Legal Aid Board cannot predict with certainty which staff will volunteer.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many staff have been, are and will be engaged in the Liverpool area office of the Legal Aid Board on franchising; and how much time has been, is being and will be spent on franchising.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Up to now, three senior staff at the Liverpool area office have been engaged on a part-time basis carrying out preliminary audits. Over the next four to six months an additional six quality auditors will be engaged at that office on a part-time basis on the pre-contract audits. Excluding training in the current financial year, the equivalent of one full-time member of staff has been engaged on franchising. In the next financial year, with the commencement of pre-contract audits this figure will increase to approximately four full-time equivalents. This figure will increase if a higher than predicted number of applications is received in this office.
  555
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the staff levels, taking account of qualifications and experience to be employed by the Liverpool area office of the Legal Aid Board will be after the redundancies which are to take place; and what were the comparable staff levels employed prior to(a) the creation of the Legal Aid Board and (b) the redundancies.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Seventy-three staff will be employed in the Liverpool area office post the redundancy programme; 80 staff were employed in the office in 1988 prior to the board's creation. The number of staff employed in March 1994 prior to any staff leaving under the voluntary redundancy programme is 90.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what criteria are used to select solicitors firms and counsel to be instructed by the Legal Aid Board; what are the costs considerations involved; and who is responsible for the selection.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The criteria used for these purposes are value for money, fitness for purpose and delivery against price. The costs considerations are value for money given the nature, complexity and importance of the matter. A number of individual staff are responsible for the selection of solicitors' firms and counsel, depending on the nature of the particular matter.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many court actions have been brought by and against the Legal Aid Board since its creation; in how many cases the Legal Aid Board has conducted such litigation by solicitors(a) employed at the Legal Aid Board area offices, (b) employed by at the legal aid head office and (c) in private practice.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what volumes of work have been received by the legal aid area office in Liverpool immediately prior to its creation and in each year thereafter; and how the volume of work is calculated and recorded.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  In 1988–89, immediately prior to the Legal Aid Board's creation, the Liverpool area office handled 51,041·9 units of work. The table shows work volumes for each full year since then.

  Units

  1989–90

  53,199·2

  1990–91

  51,975·4

  1991–92

  57,485·8

  1992–93

  65,706·2

  Units of work are calculated using a series of weighted calculations derived from the standard times necessary to complete specific transactions. The volume of work is calculated and recorded by computer.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much the Legal Aid Board's administration and the legal aid fund, respectively, has had to pay by way of(a) damages and (b) costs in respect of litigation in which the Legal Aid Board has been unsuccessful.
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  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how quickly bills submitted to the Legal Aid Board by firms of solicitors acting on its behalf have been paid; and what scrutiny, including referring the matter for taxation, takes place before such bills are paid.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information requested on the speed with which the board pays firms of solicitors which have acted for it is not available. Bills received from solicitors instructed to act for the board are scrutinised by the Department which has been responsible for issuing the instructions. If necessary, the board would apply for a solicitor and own client taxation in respect of a bill submitted by a solicitor instructed to act for it.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many cases have been brought by or against the Legal Aid Board since its creation by a party who is legally aided.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many sets of counsels' chambers and individual counsel have been instructed to represent the Legal Aid Board in litigation.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what fees have been paid directly by the Legal Aid Board to counsel who have been instructed by firms of solicitors acting for the Legal Aid Board.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what staff will be left in the Liverpool legal aid area office following the redundancies; and what are the qualifications and experience of the remaining staff.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Seventy-three staff will be employed in the Liverpool area office after the redundancy programme. It is not possible to say what the mix of staff will be after the redundancy exercise. The redundancy exercise is a voluntary arrangement and the Legal Aid Board cannot predict with any certainty which staff will volunteer.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what cost has been involved in franchising at the Liverpool area office of the Legal Aid Board to date; what further costs are envisaged; what savings have been made as a result of franchising in real terms; and how such savings have been calculated.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The cost of establishing franchising in the Liverpool area office has been the cost of training four existing staff and of recruiting and training five additional staff. Excluding salaries this is estimated to be £42,500. The cost of running franchising in the Liverpool office on an on-going basis is £100,000 per annum.
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  Franchising has been introduced to ensure the delivery of a quality assured, value for money legal aid service from the board's suppliers, mainly solicitors. Franchising has not been introduced to achieve savings in the administration costs of legal aid.

  Judges
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on how many occasions in each year since 1987 his Department has written to individual judges regarding their interpretation of the workings of the legal system; if he will list each such occasion; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  My Department conducts a great deal of correspondence with the judiciary on a wide variety of topics which is usually conducted on a confidential basis. Information on the precise volume and nature of correspondence is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

HEALTH

  Life Expectancy and Infant Mortality
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the contribution of prescribing practice and limitation to the change of life expectancy and infant mortality.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Life expectancy has improved steadily and the rate of infant mortality has improved markedly over the past 10 years. Prescribing is only one part of clinical care; increased health screening, promotion and vaccination and the availability of new medicines will all have contributed to these improvements.

  Toxoplasmosis
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to publish information from the Public Health Laboratory Service showing the number with toxoplasmosis in pregnancy; and if she will give the results why testing for toxoplasmosis is not a standard procedure in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Public Health Laboratory Service communicable disease surveillance centre is currently reviewing laboratory reports of human toxoplasma infections in England and Wales from 1981 to 1992. Submission for scientific publication of this analysis is expected later this year. This review will contain information on laboratory reported human infections in pregnant women, although the incidence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women is unknown due to unrecognised or undiagnosed asymptomatic infections or individuals with non-specific symptoms that may go undetected.

  Screening for toxoplasmosis in pregnancy is not a standard procedure in the United Kingdom because the significance of the test, the natural history of the disease and the efficacy of the treatment are all surrounded by uncertainty. For any screening programme, the benefits conferred by screening must clearly outweigh the risks.

  Health Care Staff, London
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the numbers of (i) health visitors, (ii) school nurses, (iii) district nurses and (iv) community psychiatric nurses should be in London.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department makes no recommendations as to local staffing levels in the groups listed. Decisions concerning staffing are the responsibility of local managers who, with advice from professional colleagues, are in the best position to consider the amount and type of work to be done, and therefore the work force they require.

  Private Practice Consultations
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give details of the charges made to consultants for the use of NHS premises, staff and facilities for private practice consultations.

  Mr. Sackville
  Charges which are intended to cover the cost to the hospital of providing facilities for consultation purposes are made direct by the hospital to the patient.

  Health Care Premises
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the system of inspection in respect of the suitability and adequacy of premises from which NHS services are provided by(a) medical general practitioners, (b) dental general practitioners, (c) pharmacists and (d) opticians.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Through their management responsibility for primary health care services, family health services authorities are required to be satisfied that premises used by doctors, dentists and opticians are suitable and adequate. In the case of pharmacists, responsibility rests with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society inspectorate. On-site inspection of the premises used by each type of practitioner can be made to ensure that the appropriate standards are met.

  John Radcliffe Hospital
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times the hospital complaints procedure for the John Radcliffe hospital, Headington, Oxfordshire, has been invoked in the last two years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This is a matter for Oxfordshire health authority. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Dr. Peter Iredale, the chairman, for details.

  Surrogacy
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to review surrogacy arrangements; what inquiries she makes as to the expenses paid for surrogate pregnancies; how many children were born to surrogate parents in 1993; what counselling and information is given to surrogate and natural parents prior to insemination; whether the surrogacy parenting centre was approved by her Department; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Surrogacy Arrangements Act 1985 prohibits the negotiation of surrogacy arrangements on a
  559
  commercial basis and advertising of or for surrogacy services. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 amended the Surrogacy Arrangements Act 1985 so as to make clear that surrogacy arrangements are unenforceable by or against any persons making them.

  There is no requirement for voluntary organisations concerned with surrogacy to be approved by the Department. Where treatment is being undertaken by a centre licensed under by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority surrogates and couples will be assessed and offered counselling in accordance with the HFEA's code of practice. Copies of the code of practice are available in the Library.

  Information on the number of children born to surrogate parents in 1993 is not available.

  Nursing and Residential Homes
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to bring within the regulations governing inspection of nursing and residential homes with three or fewer residents(a) in all cases or (b) in all cases where the funding of a resident is from public funds.

  Mr. Bowis
  Health authorities are required to inspect all nursing homes, whatever their size, at least twice a year. Since April 1993 local authorities have had powers to inspect independent residential care homes for three or fewer residents.

  Imported Medicines
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is her Department's policy to encourage the parallel importation of medicines in order to save money for the NHS; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Parallel imports are a consequence of substantial price differentials for pharmaceuticals created by a wide variety of national pricing mechanisms across the European Union within a single European market with common licensing criteria. We consider that the parallel importing scheme which has operated since 1984 neither encourages nor discourages parallel imports, but strikes the right balance between ensuring that imported medicines comply with EU standards of safety, quality and efficacy and avoiding placing undue obstacles in the way of importers.

  Asthma
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will initiate a study in Hammersmith in respect of any correlation between heavy traffic use on major roads and asthma, eczema and other related diseases.

  Mr. Sackville
  No. A causal link between air pollutants from traffic and the induction of eczema, asthma and other diseases has not been proven. However, high levels of air pollutants may exacerbate pre-existing respiratory illness.

  The Department is advised on these matters by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants and by the Advisory Group on the Medical Aspects of Air Pollution Episodes. The latter's three reports are available in the Library; they are on ozone; on sulphur dioxide, acid aerosols and particulates; and on oxides of nitrogen. The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants has formed a sub-group specifically to consider the relationship between air pollution and asthma.
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  Advice and information for the public is provided on the freephone helpline: 0800 556677.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will require NHS health trusts to open their meetings to the public.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No. In accordance with the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990, NHS trusts are required to have one public meeting per year. Many NHS trusts have developed substantial programmes of public meetings and regular meetings with community health councils.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those English national health service trusts which in 1992–93 exceeded their external financing limit; and by how much in each case.

  Mr. Sackville
  The NHS trusts which exceeded their external financing limit in 1992–93, and the amount by which they did so, are shown in the table. These trusts have had their 1993–94 EFL reduced by the amount of the 1992–93 excess.

  Trust

  Amount by which EFL exceeded £'000

  Airedale NHS Trust

  4

  Bath Mental Health Care NHS Trust

  1

  Central Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  6

  Dacorum and St. Albans Community NHS Trust

  141

  Devon Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  4

  Doncaster Healthcare NHS Trust

  2

  Eastbourne Hospitals NHS Trust

  3

  East Hertfordshire Health NHS Trust

  2

  Epsom Health Care NHS Trust

  2

  First Community NHS Trust

  1

  Guy's and Lewisham NHS Trust

  37

  Homewood NHS Trust

  3

  Milton Keynes Community Health NHS Trust

  47

  Mulberry NHS Trust

  4

  Northern General Hospital NHS Trust

  4

  North Hertfordshire NHS Trust

  4

  North Middlesex Hospital NHS Trust

  1

  Optimum Health Services NHS Trust

  161

  Ravensbourne Priority Health NHS Trust

  30

  Royal United Hospital, Bath NHS Trust

  27

  South Downs Health NHS Trust

  35

  The Cardiothoracic Centre Liverpool NHS Trust

  1

  The Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery NHS Trust

  1

  Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust

  4

  Walsgrave Hospital NHS Trust

  5

  Wellhouse NHS Trust

  22

  West Dorset General Hospitals NHS Trust

  20

  Weston Area Health NHS Trust

  2

  Weybourne Community NHS Trust

  2

  Source: NHS Trust Annual Accounts.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those English national health service trusts which in 1992–93 failed to achieve a 6 per cent. return on capital in(a) percentage terms and (b) cash terms.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is as follows.
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  Return on capital employed

  Trust

  Amount £ thousands

  Percentage

  Airedale NHS Trust

  2,128

  4·00

  Allington NHS Trust

  127

  2·40

  Anglian Harbours Health NHS Trust

  979

  5·90

  Barnsley Community and Priority Services NHS Trust

  1,512

  5·70

  Bedford Hospitals NHS Trust

  1,633

  5·80

  Bradford Community Health NHS Trust

  1,635

  5·20

  Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust

  2,392

  5·67

  Broadgreen Hospital NHS Trust1

  -3,783

  -6·20

  Central Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  7,723

  5·80

  Chester and Halton Community NHS Trust

  205

  5·70

  Christie Hospital NHS Trust

  531

  3·00

  Devon Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  77

  1·50

  Ealing Hospital NHS Trust

  914

  2·80

  East Hertfordshire Health NHS Trust

  2,319

  5·10

  Eastbourne Hospitals NHS Trust

  3,025

  4·80

  Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust

  1,601

  5·85

  Liverpool Obstetrics and Gynaecology Services NHS Trust

  -925

  -14·40

  Mersey Regional Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  482

  3·30

  Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust

  881

  2·80

  Milton Keynes General Hospital NHS Trust

  2,846

  5·75

  Mount Vernon Hospital NHS Trust

  1,594

  4·60

  North East Essex Mental Health NHS Trust

  1,059

  5·60

  Newcastle Mental Health Services NHS Trust

  1,369

  4·70

  Norfolk Ambulance NHS Trust

  224

  4·50

  Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust

  1,817

  5·00

  North Hertfordshire NHS Trust

  2,572

  4·40

  North Tees Health NHS Trust

  2,493

  5·60

  Northumbria Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  555

  5·30

  Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust

  4,620

  4·80

  Nottingham Community Health NHS Trust

  563

  4·40

  Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital NHS Trust

  630

  5·10

  Royal United Hospital, Bath NHS Trust

  2,864

  4·00

  South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance and Paramedic Service NHS Trust

  333

  5·00

  Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust

  1,641

  3·70

  South Bedfordshire Community Healthcare NHS Trust

  46

  0·50

  Southend Health Care NHS Trust

  2,744

  5·10

  Southport and Formby NHS Trust

  2,107

  4·60

  St. Helen's and Knowsley Hospital NHS Trust

  332

  5·20

  St. James's University Hospital NHS Trust

  2,778

  4·60

  St. Peter's Hospital NHS Trust

  2,053

  4·80

  The Poole Hospital NHS Trust

  2,245

  5·80

  The Royal Cornwall Hospitals and West Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust

  3,322

  5·68

  The Royal Liverpool University Hospital NHS Trust

  2,100

  2·20

  The Royal Surrey County and St. Luke's NHS Trust

  806

  1·78

  The United Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

  5,870

  5·50

  United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust

  6,673

  4·40

  Walsgrave Hospital NHS Trust

  2,615

  4·50

  Wellhouse NHS Trust

  2,089

  2·47

  West Dorset Community Health NHS Trust

  691

  4·60

  West Dorset General Hospitals NHS Trust

  2,042

  5·60

  West Dorset Mental Health NHS Trust

  407

  5·00

  1 I regret that this trust was omitted in error from the list supplied in the reply that I gave the hon. Member on 8 March at columns 163–64.

  Source: NHS trust annual accounts.
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  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those NHS trusts which in 1992–93 failed to break even; and by how much in each case.

  Mr. Sackville
  The national health service trusts which had a deficit of income over expenditure in 1992–93 and the amounts of those deficits are:

  £000

  Trust

  Amount of deficit

  Airedale NHS Trust

  577

  Allington NHS Trust

  82

  Anglian Harbours Health NHS Trust

  165

  Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust

  1,312

  Broadgreen Hospital NHS Trust

  3,783

  Christie Hospital NHS Trust

  321

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Mental Handicap NHS Trust

  186

  Cleveland Ambulance NHS Trust

  141

  Devon Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  134

  Ealing Hospital NHS Trust

  594

  Hillingdon Community Health NHS Trust

  32

  Liverpool Obstetrics and Gynaecology Services NHS Trust

  1,006

  Mersey Regional Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  153

  North East Essex Mental Health NHS Trust

  264

  Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital NHS Trust

  113

  Royal United Hospital, Bath NHS Trust

  767

  Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust

  528

  South Bedfordshire Community Healthcare NHS Trust

  18

  Southport and Formby NHS Trust

  347

  St. James's University Hospital NHS Trust

  521

  St. Peters Hospital NHS Trust

  119

  The Royal Liverpool University Hospital NHS Trust

  2,097

  The Royal Surrey County and St. Lukes NHS Trust

  1,215

  Wellhouse NHS Trust

  1,735

  West Dorset Mental Health NHS Trust

  22

  Source:

  NHS trust annual accounts.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS trusts were operating in the 1992–93 financial year.

  Mr. Sackville
  One hundred and fifty-six.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trusts(a) met and (b) failed to achieve a 6 per cent. return on assets.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [pursuant to his reply, 29 November 1993, c. 305]: I regret that my previous reply contained an error. The number of trusts which have made a pre-interest rate of return of less than 6 per cent. is 51.

  Laryngectomy
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what funding is available for health authorities to supply artificial larynx equipment to those who have undergone a laryngectomy operation; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) if the supply of artificial larynx equipment is available free of charge under the NHS to all laryngectomy patients.

  Mr. Sackville
  Funding for health authorities to supply artificial larynx equipment to those who have undergone a laryngectomy operation is provided through resources made available to the national health service.

  It is for individual health authorities to determine the level of service provision required to meet the needs of people needing these operations in their area. Priorities are determined in the light of local circumstances.
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  National health service consultants may prescribe artificial larynx equipment as part of NHS treatment and when they do so no charge is made. As for all other services, supply is dependent on resources, with decisions being made on the basis of clinical priorities and local needs.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if sterile tracheostomy dressings are available on prescription to patients who have undergone laryngectomy surgery, once discharged from hospital; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Sterile tracheostomy dressings are not available on general practitioner prescription, but they continue to be available to discharged patients through the hospital service.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was her Department's response to the request from the Home Office to provide NHS hospital beds for nine Algerian and one Indian political asylum seekers who were on hunger strike at Campsfield detention centre in Oxfordshire in the first week in March; and for what reasons that response was given.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Officials in the immigration department were advised that assessment of patient health care needs and appropriate hospital placement were matters for the local health authorities. Officials in the National Health Service Management Executive approached Oxford regional health authority to help identify suitable facilities in the region.

  Medicines (Side-effects)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has on the incidence of side-effects on patients, as a result of allergies or other reasons, when taking more than one brand or form of a particular medicine for a specific ailment.

  Mr. Sackville
  A product licence in the United Kingdom for a generic medicine is granted on provision of evidence to demonstrate that the product is equivalent to the branded form. Since formulation and manufacturing methods may vary among all the different proprietary and generic forms of a particular medicine, it must be demonstrated that any differences do not produce untoward effects.

  The yellow card system for monitoring adverse reactions to drugs is a voluntary system whereby doctors send reports of suspected adverse reactions to the Medicines Control Agency. There have been occasional reports of adverse reactions apparently associated with generic substitution. However, a report of an adverse reaction in association with a drug does not necessarily mean that the drug caused the reaction.

  Leadership Award Scheme
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the NHS leadership award scheme was established; how many recipients there have been during each year; what criteria are used in deciding an award; who nominates candidates for the award; who determines each recipient;564
  what an individual award comprises; what has been the budget for the award for each year; and who paid for the advertisement in the South London Press of 8 March concerning the receipt of such an award by the chief executive of Lewisham hospital trust.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The scheme was introduced last autumn by Sir Duncan Nichol as part of his strategy for improving the quality of management within the national health service. Staff were invited to nominate their chief executives or general managers for awards if, as a result of their leadership, improvements in local services had been achieved. On 8 March Sir Duncan presented plaques to the nine awards recipients he had selected in the light of assessments made by senior executives from major public companies. There was no budget specifically for the scheme; costs were met from within existing management executive budgets for non-staff expenditure. The advertisement to which the hon. Member refers was paid for by private individuals who wanted to celebrate the fact that Mrs. Val Martin was one of the nine awards recipients.

  King's Fund Health Policy Institute
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response she has made to the report published on 24 February by the King's Fund Health Policy Institute; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Government welcome this contribution to the debate over the achievements and directions of the national health service reforms and in particular the report's confirmation that the reforms offer potential for real gains to patients.

  Emergency Services, South Yorkshire
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current ratio of accident and emergency units to district general hospitals in South Yorkshire; and what the ratio was(a) two, (b) five and (c) 10 years ago.

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for Trent regional health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Michael Carlisle, chairman of the authority, for details.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to meet employees of the South Yorkshire ambulance trust and the hon. Member for Don Valley to discuss patient transport services; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  I met the hon. Member on 16 February to discuss the South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance and Paramedic Service National Health Service Trust.

  Disabled Employees
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many registered disabled people are employed in her Department; and what percentage this is of the total employed.

  Mr. Sackville
  In February 1994, 1·4 per cent. or 68 members of the total work force were registered disabled. In addition, a number of staff have a disability but are not registered.

  Drugs Prescriptions
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish her estimate for each year since 1985 of the proportion of generic, non-branded drugs as a percentage of the total amount of drugs prescribed by general practitioners; and what was the total estimated cost in constant prices for both categories for each year.

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

  The percentage of prescription items and the net ingredient cost of drugs prescribed generically: England

  Year

  Percentage prescribed generically1

  Net ingredient cost for items prescribed generically at 1992 prices2(£ million)

  Net ingredient cost for all items at 1992 prices2 (£ million)

  1985

  35·0

  359·7

  1,877·2

  1986

  39·0

  423·1

  2,010·1

  1987

  39·0

  443·8

  2,131·2

  1988

  40·0

  478·3

  2,248·5

  1989

  42·0

  560·5

  2,287·0

  1990

  44·0

  643·0

  2,328·6

  31991

  43·0

  641·1

  2,423·2

  41991

  41·0

  654·4

  2,616·5

  1992

  43·0

  786·0

  2,858·0

  1 Prescription items for dressings and appliances are excluded from the totals in calculating generic prescribing. Items generically prescribed include those written as a generic but dispensed as a proprietary because a generic is not available.

  2 The net ingredient cost is the basic cost of drugs before discount and excludes dispensing costs or fees. The net ingredient cost figures at 1992 prices are calculated using the GDP deflator. The net ingredient cost of dressings and appliances is excluded.

  3 1991 data are based on items and have the same coverage as 1985 to 1990 data.

  4 1991 and 1992 data are based on items and cover all prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, arid through direct administration to patients by GPs. These include not only prescriptions originating from general practitioners in England but also from hospital doctors, dentists, and armed services doctors and dentists.

  Note: 1985 to 1990 data are based on fees and cover prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors only.

  Source: Prescription cost analysis statistics.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new measures she proposes to relieve the work pressure and work load on general practitioners in the light of the recent report by the Audit Commission; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We continue to take forward, in consultation with the profession, ways of reducing pressures in general practitioners' work load.

  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been removed from the lists of(a) non-fundholding general practitioners and (b) fundholding general practitioners, for each family health service authority in Merseyside, in each year since 1990.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Family health services authorities are not required to record the fundholding status of general practitioners when dealing with a request to remove a patient's name from a doctor's list.

  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines are issued to general practitioners 566
  concerning the removal of patients from their lists; and what rights of redress patients have who have been removed from their general practitioner's list.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she will take to ensure that a private out-patient cannot bypass existing national health service waiting lists; and what steps she has taken to determine the extent to which such patients are currently able to receive priority over NHS patients.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. Any private work a consultant does is additional to his duties and is carried out in his own time, sometimes using resources bought from the health service. As a result more treatments are given, pressure on the national health service is relieved, and the generality of waiting times is not adversely affected.

  Agensic-Anosmic
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has concerning Agensic-Anosmic; and what research is being undertaken into the loss of sense of smell.

  Mr. Bowis
  The Department is aware that Ageusic-Anosmic helps people who have lost their sense of taste and smell. Ageusic-Anosmic has campaigned since 1992 to draw attention to the plight of sufferers. Research into the condition is primarily a matter for the Medical Research Council which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Internationally there is research work being undertaken into the possible affects of environmental pollution on the senses of taste and smell and the Department keeps this under review.

  Wakefield Health Authority
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons Wakefield health authority has blocked extra-contractual referrals by general practitioners within its area.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This is a matter for Wakefield district health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Brian Hayward, the chairman, for details.

  Health Authorities (Mergers)
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list health authorities as of 1 April with details of new health authorities formed by merger listing the former health authorities merged.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information will be placed in the Library.

  Tobacco Companies
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance or guidelines have been issued by her Department regarding the appropriateness of investment in tobacco companies by NHS trusts or health authorities.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Trusts and health authorities cannot invest Exchequer funds in tobacco companies.
  567
  Paragraph 7 of schedule 3 to the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 limits the manner in which trusts can invest any money held to securities of the Government of the United Kingdom, or such other manner as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State may, with the consent of the Treasury, approve. Approval has been given for investment in certain United Kingdom public sector institutions, banks which are authorised institutions under part I of the Banking Act 1987, and building societies authorised under the Building Societies Act 1986. Trusts are therefore unable to invest in tobacco companies.

  There is no provision in the National Health Service Act 1977 which would allow health authorities to invest funds.

  Stage Hypnotism
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to initiate research into the health hazards of stage hypnotism.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 31 January at columns 598–99.

  Doctors (Free Speech)
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether doctors employed by NHS trusts are guaranteed the same rights of free speech as apply under paragraph 330 of the Whitley council agreement for doctors employed by health authorities.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Doctors have rights specified in their contracts.

  Public Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many public interest immunity certificates she has signed in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Sackville
  Two. One was signed in relation to confidential policy formation documents relevant to listeria litigation and the other was to protect a confidential report into a maternal death which was requested by a solicitor in medical negligence litigation against a health authority. In the first case the court allowed the other party to see the documents and in the second case the application has been withdrawn for the time being following receipt by the solicitors of the signed certificate.

  Blood Supplies
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of blood supplies in each region were supplied to private hospitals in each of the last five years; and how many units this represented.

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

  Extra-contractual Referrals
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 8 March,Official Report, column 167, if she will publish for the last two years the quarterly information by regional health authority on (a) forecast outturn spend on extra-contractual referrals and (b) planned level of spend.
  568
  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is estimated and unaudited; it is collected, and is only appropriate for, internal performance management purposes.

  Private Patients
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private patients received treatment in national health service hospitals in each medical discipline for each year since 1990 in each regional health authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 4 March 1994]: Figures for 1989–90 and 1990–91 will be placed in the Library. Data for both years are subject to deficiencies in overall coverage and episodes with a valid diagnosis. Because of this, some specialties and regions show wide year-on-year variation, and the data should therefore be regarded as an estimate only.

TREASURY

  Taxation
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will produce tables showing(a) the proportion of Government and social contribution income coming from indirect taxation and (b) the top rates of income tax in each other European Union member state.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information is as follows:

  Indirect taxes as a proportion of total taxes and social security contributions, 19911(per cent.)

  Top rate of income tax (per cent.)

  Belgium

  27·0

  355

  Denmark

  35·9

  65

  France

  33·4

  56·8

  Germany

  31·7

  453

  Greece

  51·8

  40

  Ireland

  43·9

  48

  Italy

  30·1

  551

  Luxembourg

  n.a.

  50

  Netherlands

  26·7

  660

  Portugal

  n.a.

  40

  Spain

  231·8

  56

  United Kingdom

  39·4

  40

  1 Source: Data derived from OECD statistics. Includes some taxes within OECD classification, 4,000, property. For details see "Economic Trends", February 1994.

  2 In 1990.

  3 At present, increased by a surcharge taking the effective rate to 56·5 per cent. Local authorities levy a further surcharge on top, taking the effective rate to around an average 60 per cent.

  4 For business income, can be up to 58 per cent.

  5 In addition, a local income tax at a nationwide rate of 16·2 per cent. is levied on income from business activities and investments.

  6 In addition, a municipal income tax is imposed on income from business activities. The rate varies according to municipality, but takes the effective rate to around 55 per cent.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff are working in the areas of(a) capital gains tax, (b) schedule D tax, (c) corporation tax, (d) pay as you earn and (e) national insurance contributions.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Excluding staff employed on central administration, in other supportive roles and those in certain specialist offices the table sets out the total numbers
  569
  of Inland Revenue staff working within its network of local offices for the most recent year for which data are available—1992–93. The table shows how many were working in the areas of (a) capital gains tax, (b) schedule D tax, (c) corporation tax and (d) schedule E tax. Under (d) figures have been provided for schedule E tax rather than as PAYE as PAYE is simply a mechanism for collecting schedule E tax. Resource usage on national insurance contribution work is incidental to mainstream tax work and not separately recorded.

  Number

  Capital gains tax

  833

  Schedule D

  19,664

  Corporation tax

  3,236

  Schedule E

  27,065

  Total

  50,798

  Fuel and Vehicle Taxes
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the yield in 1992–93 and what is the latest estimate of yield in 1993–94 from(a) petrol duty, (b) derv duty, (c) vehicle excise duty, (d) value added tax on petrol and DERV sales and (e) value added tax on vehicle sales.

  Sir John Cope
  Information on the outturn yield in 1992–93 and the projected yield in 1993–94 is provided in the table:

  £ billion 1992–93 Outturn

  1993–94 Forecast

  Petrol duty

  8·2

  9·3

  DERV duty

  3·0

  3·4

  Vehicle excise duty

  3·2

  3·7

  VAT on petrol and derv

  1·6

  n/a

  VAT on vehicle sales

  2·9

  n/a

  No direct figures are available for the VAT yield on petrol and DERV and on vehicle sales. The table contains estimates of the outturn on total VAT yield that can be attributed to these items on the basis of national accounts data on expenditure. For petrol and DERV the estimate covers only consumers' expenditure—the yield from business expenditure is highly uncertain because the majority of businesses can reclaim the VAT paid as input tax. The relevant data are not available for 1993–94.

  Inheritance Tax
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will require all persons who have benefited from exemption from inheritance tax on works of art to publish details of public access to such works of art in the previous year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 28 January,Official Report, column 454. Records are not kept centrally of how many members of the public exercise their rights to view works of art which are conditionally exempt from inheritance tax.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to publish, at least annually in 570
  each county, a schedule of all works of art granted exemption from inheritance tax in a form which will enable citizens to exercise their rights of access.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 28 January 1994,Official Report, column 454. The register of conditionally exempt works of art, which can be consulted at the Victoria and Albert museum in London, the national library of Scotland in Edinburgh, the national museum of Wales in Cardiff and the Ulster museum in Belfast, can be used to pick out items by broad location, usually the county, in which each object is available for viewing. The register is updated quarterly. Copies of the register in computer-readable format may also be purchased from the capital taxes office of the Inland Revenue at £10 each.

  Indonesia (Visit)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the purpose of his visit to Indonesia in December; and what benefits have accrued to the United Kingdom from his visit.

  Mr. Nelson
  The purpose of the visit was to enable the Chancellor to see at first hand the rapid developments in the Indonesian economy, and to raise the profile of United Kingdom banks and investment houses in top level Indonesian government and business circles. The benefits of the visit will arise over the longer term through the encouragement to Indonesia to look to United Kingdom financial expertise to assist its development programme.

  Money Supply
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will publish in table form the change in the money supply for each year since 1976 and the change in the rate of inflation two years later;

  (2) what was the change in the broad money supply for each year since 1972; what is his estimate of the proportion of that change directly attributable to (a) the banks, (b) the building societies and (c) the balance of payments;

  (3) what figures he has for the supply of broad money in the United Kingdom and the rate of inflation for each year since 1979; and what assessment he has made of the degree of correlation between them;

  (4) if he will publish a table showing for each year since 1976 the percentage change in the money supply in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) West Germany;

  (5) what was the increase in the money supply, broadly defined, since May 1979; and how much of it was created by Government and how much by other agencies.

  Mr. Nelson
  Monetary policy is conducted so as to deliver low inflation. Monetary policy decisions are based on an assessment of a range of monetary and other indicators, including narrow and broad money. However, the Government do not rely on any single indicator.

  The Treasury published a detailed assessment of broad money in the autumn 1991 edition of the "Treasury Bulletin". The Government have also set a monitoring range for M4. But experience indicates that the relationship with future inflation is not sufficiently close to justify establishing M4 as a formal target.

  Figures for retail price inflation, narrow and broad money in the United Kingdom since 1972 can be found in the Central Statistical Office's Economic Trends. More

  571
  detailed figures for the money supply—and its components and counterparts—can be found in the Bank of England's "Statistical Abstract" and in its "Quarterly Bulletin". West German money supply figures are available in the International Monetary Fund's "International Financial Statistics". Copies of all these publications are in the House Library. The relationship between the balance of payments and the overseas contribution to broad money growth is described in special articles in the Bank of England's "Quarterly Bulletin" December 1978 and December 1983 editions and in the Central Statistical Office's "Financial Statistics" explanatory handbook.

  Cuba
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the next meeting of the Paris Club is scheduled to take place; whether the question of Cuba's public sector indebtedness will be on the agenda; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  The next meeting of the Paris Club is scheduled to take place during the week beginning 21 March 1994. Cuba is not on the agenda.

  Cuba's debt position was last discussed by the Paris Club in January. Creditors agreed to consider an application for rescheduling for Cuba during the course of 1994, subject to there being a genuine balance of payments need.

  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the extent of Cuba's public sector indebtedness to the United Kingdom, including interest.

  Mr. Nelson
  Cuba's current outstanding debts with the United Kingdom total £69·82 million, all of which are owed to the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  Profit-related Pay
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of employees in the United Kingdom have their income linked to Inland Revenue approved profit-related pay schemes.

  Mr. Dorrell
  It is estimated that about 5 per cent. of employees in the United Kingdom were covered by registered profit-related pay schemes at the end of March 1993.

  Insurance
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table setting out a breakdown of the total revenue he expects to raise from insurance premium tax in 1994–95 and 1995–96 by principal type of insurance risk, including motor insurance, home building insurance, home contents insurance and private medical insurance.

  Sir John Cope
  The following table shows the estimated breakdown of the expected revenue yield from insurance premium tax.

  1994–95 £ million

  1995–96 £ million

  Motor (business)

  25

  110

  Motor (private)

  35

  150

  Building (household)

  20

  85

  572

  1994–95 £ million

  1995–96 £ million

  Home contents

  15

  60

  Medical and other

  5

  25

  Other business

  75

  330

  Charities (VAT)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated cost to the Treasury in 1994–95 of a scheme to allow registered charities to reclaim 25 per cent. of their value added tax liability; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  The Charities Tax Reform Group has estimated that such a scheme would cost £80 million a year.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many public interest immunity certificates he has signed in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No public interest immunity certificates have been signed by Treasury Ministers since 1990.

  Council Tenants (Domestic Fuel)
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether councils which provide unmetered supplies of gas and electricity to council tenants through district heating schemes will be able to claim back VAT incurred under section 20 of the Value Added Tax Act 1983; whether council tenants receiving unmetred supplies of gas and elecricity through district heating schemes will be effectively exempt from VAT on gas and electricity; if he will provide an estimate of the number of council tenants receiving unmetered supplies of gas and electricity through district heating schemes; and how many council tenants receive metered supplies of gas and electricity through district heating schemes.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: A local authority can recover the VAT incurred in pursuance of its statutory, non-business activities under section 20 of the Value Added Tax Act 1983. This includes the provision of council housing. Council tenants paying rents which include a flate rate element for heat supplied under an unmetred district heating scheme will, in VAT terms, be receiving only a single supply of heated accommodation and will be unaffected by the extension of VAT to domestic fuel. The number of council tenants receiving unmetred supplies is estimated to be less than half of one per cent. of total United Kingdom households.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Electric Car Project (Coventry)
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what requests he had for assistance to the City of Coventry Peugeot electric car project.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  None.

  Engine Emissions
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assistance his Department is giving to the reduction of emissions from engines.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department is currently supporting some early work on fuel cells which, if successful, could find application in the transport market in the long term. The Department is also considering with other Government Departments a possible programme of field trials for selected vans and buses to assess, among other things, their emissions performance when using a number of alternative road transport fuels.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what study he has undertaken between the relative emissions between diesel engines and petrol engines with catalytic converters in normal urban driving conditions.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Transport have jointly commissioned the energy technology support unit to quantify the implications of a further switch from petrol to diesel in the United Kingdom passenger car market in terms of energy use, emissions and refinery investment. The Departments are currently consulting industry representatives on technical aspects of this work. The completed study will be published in the next few months.

  Engine Development
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what direct financial assistance his Department is providing for the development of(a) petrol engines, (b) diesel engines and (c) electric motors for vehicles; and what research it is sponsoring in each case.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The only current research project is the Drives Club II. This involves DTI financial support of up to £790,102 to ERA Technology Ltd. for innovative, pre-competitive research in the field of electric variable speed drives under the research and technology initiative. Although the project is not specifically targeted at motor vehicles, the research is relevant to electric vehicles. Rover Group, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd. and Lucas Industries are involved in the research.

  Excessive Interest Rates
  Mr. French
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what is his assessment of the potential effect of the Office of Fair 'Trading's recommendations on the Consumer Credit Act 1974 on lenders who charge extortionate rates of interest;

  (2) what is his estimate of the number of people who have encountered financial difficulties through their dealings with lenders charging extortionate rates of interest; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have made no estimate of the number of people encountering financial difficulties as a consequence of such dealings. In his report "Unjust Credit Transactions", the Director General of Fair Trading said that his recommendations were intended to deter socially harmful lending more strongly and to improve the ability of borrowers who are its victims to gain redress.

  Ice Cream
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he received the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the supply of ice cream; and when he will publish it.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I received the report on 14 January. It will be published as soon as possible.

  Watt Committee
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consultations he has had with the secretariat of the Watt Committee on Energy in relation to the proposed publication of the final report of the working group on methane emissions as regards(a) the date of the publication, (b) the inclusion or exclusion of the annex submitted by the dissenting member in the published version and (c) representations concerning the publication of the dissenting member's annex; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: The Watt committee on energy has undertaken as a project commissioned by my Department, a review of United Kingdom methane emissions, in particular in support of the development of the United Kingdom's climate change programme. The working group, under the chairmanship of Professor Alan Williams of Leeds university's department of fuel and energy, brought together relevant experts from industry, academia and Government.

  A number of the findings of the group have already been published as part of "Climate Change, The UK Programme."

  Publication of the working group's full report is expected in May.

  One of the members of the working group has raised concerns over some matters in the report. The chairman has advised my Department that these are under consideration by the group as a whole.

  Beer (Short Measures)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many complaints he has received about short measures in the sale of beer for each year since 1979.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 8 March 1994]: The numbers of letters about short measure beer or about not receiving a full liquid pint of beer for each year from 1989 are as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1989

  4

  1990

  11

  1991

  31

  1992

  13

  1993

  716

  11994

  20

  1 1 January to 8 March.

  These figures include letters from trading standards departments reporting surveys of pubs selling draught beer. They do not include replies to consultations. The figures for 1993 include 601 letters from people who had inserted their name and address in a preprinted form.
  575
  Information for the years 1979 to 1988 could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the organisations that have complained to him about short measures in the sale of beer for each of the last five years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 8 March 1994]: My Department has received letters from the following organisations about short measure beer or about less than a full liquid pint of beer being served.

  1989

  Barnsley metropolitan borough council

  1990

  Bedfordshire county council

  Tayside regional council

  LACOTS

  South Tyneside metropolitan borough council

  Walsall metropolitan borough council

  1991

  Surrey county council

  Association of Greater Manchester Authorities

  Tomporcon Ltd. (on behalf of the Allied Brewery Traders Association)

  St. Helens metropolitan borough council

  North Yorkshire county council

  1992

  London borough of Southwark

  Strathclyde regional council

  1993

  Association of Greater Manchester Authorities

  CAMRA (Portsmouth and South East Hampshire branch)

  Tomporcon Ltd. (on behalf of the Allied Brewery Traders Association)

  CAMRA

  Consumers Association

  Hereford and Worcester county council

  John Glover (Wholesale) Ltd.

  Birmingham city council

  Cleveland county council

  North Yorkshire county council

  Shropshire county council

  Leeds city council

  Oldham metropolitan borough council

  Durham county council

  Barnsley metropolitan borough council

  CAMRA (Grimsdyke branch)

  CAMRA (West Middlesex branch)

  1994 (1 January to 8 March)

  Trafford metropolitan borough council

  Birmingham city council

  Consumers Association

  CAMRA

  In addition to the organisations listed above, a number of others have written to my Department in response to consultations.

  Business Statistics
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what general conclusions have been reached by the study into business attitudes to the contractorisation of business statistics; and if he will place a copy of the results of the inquiry in the Library.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary on 14 January at column 308.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Attorney-General if it is his policy to instruct counsel to advise judges that it is a matter of judicial discretion as to whether documents protected by public interest immunity certificates should be disclosed; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The test to be applied by judges is a matter of general law. Judges are required to order disclosure in any case where, in the judgment of the court, the case for disclosure in the interests of justice outweighs the public interest considerations in favour of non-disclosure. Prosecuting counsel are expected to assist the judge as to all relevant law.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Attorney-General what proposals he has to restrict the discretion of judges to inspect documents in respect of which public interest immunity certificates have been issued and decide upon their disclosure on the basis of the interests of justice; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The extent of judges' discretion to inspect documents is a matter of law. I have no power to impose any restrictions, nor would I wish to do so.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Attorney-General how many public interest immunity certificates he has signed in each year since 1990.

  The Attorney-General
  I have signed none. My predecessor signed two certificates:

  (i) In 1991 relating to the civil case of Dorrian v. Chief Constable of the RUC.

  (ii) In 1992 relating to the criminal case of Latimer, Hegan, Bell and Allen which was before the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland.

ENVIRONMENT

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many prosecutions have been taken out under the Widlife and Countryside Act 1981 in England in each year since 1982 for(a) carrying out a potentially damaging operation to a site of special scientific interest and (b) contravening a nature conservation order under section 29; how may of these were successful; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information is not available in the form requested. However, since 1984 prosecutions for damage to sites of speical scientific interest under section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 have been taken on 10 occasions. Prosecution is taken only in the last resort. Where a site has been damaged, the usual practice is to seek the co-operation of the landowner in restoring it.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many outstanding management agreements for English Nature for sites of special scientific interest protection there have been in 1993–94; what is the estimate of their cost; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  At 28 February 1994 there were 1,964 management agreements in force under section 15 of the
  577
  Countryside Act 1968. The estimated cost of these agreements in 1993–94 is £7·9 million. Further details will be published in due course in the third annual report of English Nature.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if this month's edition of "Countywide", published by East Sussex county council conforms with the guidelines issued by the Audit Commission in connection with local government reorganisation.

  Mr. Baldry
  I cannot comment on individual publications. We have, however, had in operation since 1988 a code of recommended practice on local authority publicity. The code make it clear that authorities should not use public funds to mount publicity campaigns to persuade the public to hold a particular view on a question of policy.

  Local Government Review, Cleveland
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library all submissions relating to the local government review of Cleveland that he has received since the final report of the commission was published on 8 November.

  Mr. Baldry
  When we lay an implementation order for Cleveland we will place in the Library a summary of all representations received by the Secretary of State about the Commission's final recommendations. Individual representations will be made available if requested unless the writers intended their views to be treated in confidence.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library all submissions relating to the local government review of Cleveland that have been received by the commission since the publication of its final report on 8 November.

  Mr. Baldry
  All such representations have been forwarded to my Department, as the commission has no further role once its review is complete.

  Council Tax Banding Appeals
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals against council tax banding in the London borough of Lewisham were lodged in each month since April 1993; how many were processed and concluded in each month; and what is the current backlog.

  Mr. Baldry
  The numbers of proposals to alter the valuation list which were received from the London borough of Lewisham area are as follows:

  Month

  Received

  Settled

  April 93

  712

  0

  May

  545

  0

  June

  356

  1

  July

  281

  20

  August

  276

  25

  September

  210

  215

  October

  167

  60

  November

  546

  50

  December

  19

  37

  January 94

  36

  94

  February

  22

  192

  578

  Month

  Received

  Settled

  Total

  3,170

  694

  There are therefore 2,476 cases outstanding.

  Birch Coppice
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he sought legal advice on the validity of his decision to refuse planning permission to opencast at Birch Coppice announced on 2 August 1993 before the announcement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Once a decision has been taken by the Secretary of State, it is not his practice to comment on the merits of the decision or the process by which the decision was reached.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much(a) Warwickshire county council and (b) North Warwickshire borough council spent on the Birch Coppice public inquiry on 30 July to 23 August 1991.

  Mr. Baldry
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on the basis of which mineral planning guidance he proposes to make the decision on opencasting at Birch Coppice in Warwickshire.

  Mr. Baldry
  The decision on the Birch Coppice case will be based on the version of mineral planning guidance notes which is in force at the time the decision is made.

  Wandsworth Rent Assessment Panel
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the names of the members of the Wandsworth rent assessment panel and when they were appointed.

  Sir George Young
  Wandsworth falls within the area of the London rent assessment panel. I have placed in the Library a list showing the names of the 84 members of this panel, together with the year of first appointment.

  Landfill Sites
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce a tax on waste disposal for those who use landfill sites.

  Mr. Atkins
  In order to inform our decision about whether to introduce a landfill levy, my Department commissioned a report on "Externalities from Landfill and Incineration" from the Centre for Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment, Warren Spring Laboratory and the Economics for the Environment Consultancy. We are currently considering comments on that report and will announce our conclusions in due course.

  UN Environment Programme
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much financial support was given to the United Nations environment programme in each year since 1989–90.
  579
  Mr. Atkins
  The United Kingdom contributed £3 million to the United Nations Environment Programme's environment fund in 1989–90; in 1990–91, £3 million; in 1991–92, £4 million; in 1992–93, £4·5 million; and in 1993–94, £4·5 million. In 1993–94 this represented the third largest national contribution.

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account he has taken of recent resolutions of the Dail, relating to environmental risks posed by THORP; and what meetings or communications he has had with his Irish counterpart on THORP and Sellafield.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer the hon. Member to my answers given to him on Thursday 20 January,Official Report, column 827; Wednesday 2 February, Official Report, column 794; Friday 11 February 1994, Official Report, column 508; and to my answer given to the hon. Members for Pembroke (Mr. Ainger) and for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on Monday 29 November, Official Report, columns 385–86.

  I have noted the motion of the Dail of 2 March 1994.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) of 15 December,Official Report, column 1098, if all contracts to reprocess foreign spent fuel in THORP at Sellafield contain stipulations requiring the return of all radioactive wastes to countries of origin.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. Friend was referring to BNFL's proposals for waste substitution in respect of those contracts with overseas customers which include options for the return of waste to the country of origin.

  As was made clear in the "Statement of Government Policy on Reprocessing and Operation of the Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant at Sellafield", published in August last year, BNFL has such options in respect of all overseas spent fuel contracted for since 1976. The

  Rent assessment committee decisions in appeal cases in Wandsworth

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Number of cases

  304

  631

  559

  339

  13

  39

  25

  31

  Number of cases where rent was decreased

  (4 per cent.)

  (6 per cent.)

  (4 per cent.)

  (9 per cent.)

  53

  124

  76

  24

  Number of cases where rent remained the same

  (17 per cent.)

  (20 per cent.)

  (14 per cent.)

  (7 per cent.)

  238

  468

  458

  284

  Number of cases where rent was increased

  (78 per cent.)

  (74 per cent.)

  (82 per cent.)

  (84 per cent.)

  Mean rent officer's current rent (£pa)

  1,442

  1,911

  1,8,771

  2,234

  Mean rent assessment committee's determined rent (£pa)

  1,573

  2,059

  1,941

  2,442

  Mean change to rent officer's rent

  10 per cent.

  7 per cent.

  10 per cent.

  10 per cent.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) of 7 March,Official Report, column 45, if he will set out the research and monitoring programmes on nuclear waste in Cumbria conducted by Government Departments, to which he makes reference.
  580
  Government intend that these options, which are backed by formal exchanges of letters with the Governments of THORP customer countries, will be exercised. The Government have not yet reached a decision on BNFL's proposals for waste substitution.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the representations he has received from professional lobby organisations on behalf of local authorities concerning their standard spending assessment allocation.

  Mr. Baldry
  We receive numerous representations on standard spending assessments from the local authority associations, trades unions, chambers of commerce and other professional bodies. My right hon. Friend considered carefully all of the representations made to him on standard spending assessments before taking final decisions on the revenue support grant settlement for 1994–95.

  Rents, Wandsworth
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the number of objections by local residents living in the London borough of Wandsworth to rents fixed by the Wandsworth rent assessment officers in each of the last five years; and how many of the objections were successful on appeal.

  Sir George Young
  Either a landlord or a tenant may appeal against a rent officer's determination, and the available statistics do not distinguish between these situations. The number of cases referred to the London rent assessment panel from Wandsworth over the last four years is shown in the table. Statistics for earlier years are not available. It should be borne in mind that the rent assessment committee fixes a rent at the time of its hearing, which can be some months later than the rent officer's original determination. Some of the differences between the two determinations may therefore reflect the passage of time.

  Mr. Atkins
  Details of the main Government-sponsored programmes are given in the following documents:Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution Annual Report (Department of the Environment, 1987–88 onwards)
  Monitoring of Radioactivity in the UK Environment: an Annotated Bibliography of Current Programmes (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Directorate of Fisheries Research, Fisheries Research Data Report No. 27, 1992)
  Terrestrial Radioactivity Monitoring Programme (TRAMP) Report for 1992: Radioactivity in Food and Agricultural Products in England and Wales (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, publication PB1468, 1993)

  581
  Radioactivity in Surface and Coastal Waters of the British Isles (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Aquatic Environment Monitoring Report No. 38, 1992)
  Radiological Protection Research Annual Reports (AEA Technology, editions up to and including 1993)

  Copies of these documents are available in the Library of the House. The National Radiological Protection Board which advises Government on radiological matters, has also undertaken a number of radiological studies of the Cumbria area.

  Water Disconnections
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what monitoring he is conducting of the number of people who have had water supplies disconnected in London; how many households in Lewisham had their water disconnected in 1991–92 and 1992–93; and to what socio-economic categories those people belonged.

  Mr. Atkins
  None. Responsibility for the protection of customers' interests rests with the Director General of Water Services who publishes data on the total number of domestic disconnections twice a year, by water company area. Information on disconnections according to socio-economic categories is not available.

  Local Government Review
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the value of MORI opinion polling in informing of the work and recommendations of the Local Government Commission.

  Mr. Baldry
  It is for the Local Government Commission itself to determine the value of the opinion polling which it has commissioned.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by county and non-metropolitan district in England such information as he has concerning the amount of money spent publicising the local authority's case on the current review of local government.

  Mr. Baldry
  That is a matter for authorities themselves; we do not collect information on these costs.

  Children at Risk
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information is used to decide the relative weight given to the different factors used in the estimate of children at risk in respect of the standard spending assessment.

  Mr. Baldry
  The estimate of children at risk used in the personal social services standard spending assessment for children is based on the children in need index. This index is based on four indicators, with the following weightings:

  (i) the proportion of dependent children aged under 18 in lone parent families (weight of 3);

  (ii) the proportion of household residents under 16 years of age living in rented accommodation (weight of 1);

  (iii) the proportion of children who were dependent children of claimants receiving income support (weight of 1);

  (iv) the number of homeless households with dependent children or a pregnant woman accepted as in priority need for permanent accommodation, relative to the number of residents under 18 years of age (weight of 1).

  582
  The selection of indicators and the weights applied were based on detailed statistical analysis and previous research findings. In particular, the personal social services research unit at the university of Kent has carried out detailed research on the factors involved.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 9 March,Official Report, columns 294–95, which London authorities raised the issue of homelessness as a indicator in the 1993 consultation; and when they raised it.

  Mr. Baldry
  The following London authorities made representations to my Department, on the dates shown, on the use of data on homelessness as an indicator in the calculation of standard spending assessments.

  Date

  London borough of Barnet

  27 May 1993

  London borough of Brent

  21 May 1993

  23 September 1993

  London borough of Ealing

  5 May 1993

  London borough of Enfield

  9 July 1993

  10 January 1994

  London borough of Greenwich

  8 June 1993

  London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

  14 April 1993

  London borough of Haringey

  23 December 1993

  London borough of Harrow

  7 May 1993

  London borough of Hillingdon

  24 June 1993

  London borough of Lambeth

  21 June 1993

  London borough of Lewisham

  22 December 1993

  London borough of Newham

  16 April 1993

  14 October 1993

  5 January 1994

  London borough of Tower Hamlets

  9 July 1993

  Westminster city council

  8 April 1993

  23 December 1993

  Material Exposure Programme
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what work is being carried out in the national material exposure programme on building decay.

  Mr. Baldry
  The national materials exposure programme was initiated in 1987 as a joint exercise involving the Building Research Establishment of the Department of the Environment, the Central Electricity Generating Board—now Power Gen-National Power— the Warren Spring Laboratory of the Department of Trade and Industry, and British Coal. The aim of the programme is to assess the effects of air pollution on a range of building materials, including metals and stone.

  Results so far indicate that dry deposition of sulphur dioxide on metals and stone is the main cause of attack by pollution. The wet deposition of pollutants on to materials

  583
  is of lesser consequence. The dissolution of calcareous stone by rainwater can be a significant factor, however, even in areas of low pollution.

  Some of the sites used on the national materials exposure programme are also part of an international programme by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide information on the dates on which the member states of the European Union submitted their reports to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development.

  Mr. Atkins
  We understand that three member states have submitted their reports. The Netherlands submitted its report in January, and Belgium submitted its in February. The Secretary of State wrote to the chairman of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development on 6 March enclosing the United Kingdom's report. Copies of the United Kingdom's report have been placed in the Library.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the present role and remit of(a) the Countryside Commission and (b) English Nature.

  Mr. Atkins
  The role and remit of both the Countryside Commission and English Nature are fully detailed in the public consultation document recently issued as part of the current study into the possible bringing together of the two bodies. The document is available in the Library of the House. I have also arranged for the hon. Member to receive a copy.

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what co-ordination of air pollution information is planned following the closure of Warren Spring Laboratory.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 10 March 1994]: My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade announced last year the closure of Warren Spring Laboratory and the merging of its business with the environmental business of the Atomic Energy Authority Technology to form the new National Environmental Technology Centre.

  The co-ordination and provision of information to the public on air quality are undertaken by a number of organisations, including Warren Spring Laboratory. We expect the closure to have no significant effect on this activity.

  Wind Turbines
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people have been either injured or killed as a result of the operation of wind turbines in the United Kingdom since 1979; and what information he has as to deaths resulting from the operation of wind farms or aerogenerators abroad.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have been asked to reply.

  In the United Kingdom no deaths or serious injuries have occurred as a result of the operation of wind turbines.
  584
  In the Netherlands one death occurred in 1990 when a machine went out of control during a storm.

  In Denmark two deaths occurred in 1991 in a single incident involving the servicing of a rotor.

  In the United States of America three deaths and a number of injuries have been reported over the past 15 years of operation of the wind turbines.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  "Back to Basics"
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of his Department's staff are currently engaged on the Government's "back to basics" policy.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 14 March at column 464.

  Occupied Territories
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Israeli Government on disarming the settler community in the occupied territories.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I wrote to the Israeli ambassador on 11 March drawing his attention to the European Foreign Ministers' statement of 7 March noting that Israel is responsible for the safety of all inhabitants in the occupied territories. I welcome moves by the Israeli Government to disarm extremist settlers and outlaw two extremist settler organisations. I recognise that some settlers face risks themselves.

  European Union
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government expect to be on the agenda of the 1996 intergovernmental conference; and for what changes to the treaty on European union the Government will be pressing.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Maastricht treaty calls for the 1996 intergovernmental conference to look at possible treaty chapters on energy, civil protection and tourism, under article 3(t); the powers of the European Parliament under article 189 b.8; defence, under article J.4.6; the common foreign and security policy, under article J.10; the hierarchy of Community acts, under a declaration on the hierarchy of Community acts made at Maastricht; and the pillared structure of the treaty on European Union under article B. It is too early to say what changes to the treaty on European Union we will press for.

  Subsidiarity
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's latest position on the principle of subsidiarity within the European Community.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The principle of subsidiarity remains central to the Government's European policy. We are committed to ensuring that it is fully applied in all areas of Community business. We welcomed the Commission's
  585
  report to the Brussels European Council in December, which must now be translated into appropriate action. Under the inter-institutional agreement of 25 October 1993, the Commission has undertaken to ensure that it will not table new proposals unless they can be justified on subsidiarity grounds.

  Lomé Convention
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the implications of the latest general agreement on tariffs and trade for the future of the Lomé convention.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave him on 11 January at column 40.

  Seeds
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of the Government, within European Union discussions about the general agreement on tariffs and trade, concerning the potential impact on farmers in India and other Commonwealth countries, of proposals made within the GATT agreement for the enforcement of the intellectual property rights over varieties of seeds.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No such representations have been made. Traditional or well-known seeds cannot be patented because they are not new. The Uruguay round agreement on trade-related intellectual property rights will not alter this, and farmers in India and elsewhere can go on using such seeds without any restrictions.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Sudan
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the impact of recent military activity on the delivery patterns for humanitarian aid of Operation Lifeline Sudan.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Our information is that the hostilities by the Government of Sudan, factions of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army and non-aligned groups have continued to impede the delivery and distribution of relief supplies in parts of the south. Eastern and Western Equatoria and Upper Nile are most affected. The Government of Sudan have withheld flight permission to six relief centres in March: Boma, Kajokeji, Maridi, Mundri, Pariang, and Thiet. World Food Programme relief barges along the Nile network have been suspended and clearance for the relief train serving Wau has been withheld by the SPLA.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about crop failure and food shortage in Sudan.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Food and Agricultural Organisation-World Food Programme crop assessment report of December 1993 estimated emergency food aid requirements for 1993–94 at 464,000 tonnes. A copy of the report has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Thailand
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the water supply project in Thailand which is under consideration for support under the aid and trade provision.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The main purpose of this project would be the improvement of the quality of drinking water supplies in 25 towns in Thailand.

  Aid and Trade Provision
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in full the report of the review of the aid and trade provision implemented in June 1993.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  No. We made the ATP review available as part of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's memorandum to the Foreign Affairs Committee to assist its inquiry into the Pergau hydro-electric project and the aid and trade provision.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisoners (Benefit Claims)
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Prison Service notifies the Benefits Agency if a claimant is received into custody.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Governors of establishments are asked to complete a form about national insurance in respect of any prisoner admitted to custody for a period of 21 days or more. The form, which includes questions about the receipt of benefits immediately before arrest, is sent to the Contributions Agency. This procedure is being supplemented by sending the Benefits Agency, on request, lists of prisoners.

  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what incentives exist for remand prisoners to disclose the details of the benefits received.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A form about national insurance, which includes questions about the receipt of benefits, is designed for completion in respect of all prisoners—whether convicted or remand—admitted to custody for a period of 21 days or more. Prisoners—including those on remand and hoping to be granted bail—are encouraged to contact the DSS quickly to sort out their benefit affairs, not least so that families do not lose any benefits to which they may be entitled.

  Mr. Bryan Ruppert
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he was requested to meet an all-party group of hon. Members to discuss the application of Bryan Ruppert for leave to remain in the United Kingdom on the basis of his long-term relationship with David Green; what was his response; and what were the reasons for his response.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I declined to meet an all-party group of hon. Members for the reasons set out in my letter of 17 February in reply to the hon. Member's letter of 1 February.

  Colne Police
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average time for the police in Colne, Lancashire to respond to an emergency call in 1979, 1983, 1987, 1992 and at the current date.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No information on emergency response times in Lancashire is available prior to 1993–94. In the current financial year, up to February, on average 86 per cent. of 999 calls were answered within 10 seconds, although no specific figures are available for Colne. During the same period, the average time taken to arrive at the scene of an emergency incident in Colne was four minutes from receiving the call.

  Domestic Violence
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the work of the interdepartmental working group on domestic violence;

  (2) which Departments are represented on the interdepartmental working group on domestic violence.

  Mr. Maclean
  The official interdepartmental group on domestic violence considers initiatives designed to ensure that the perpetrators of domestic violence are brought to justice; that victims and their children receive the necessary practical and emotional support; and that preventive strategies to help reduce violence are identified and promoted. Proposals currently being considered by the group include ways of improving inter-agency co-operation at a national and local level and or raising public awareness of domestic violence. These and other related issues will be considered soon by the ministerial group on domestic violence.

  Both groups are serviced by the Home Office with representation from the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Law Officer's Department, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Departments of Employment, Environment, Health and Social Security, the Department for Education, the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland Offices and the Treasury.

  Immigration
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests he received from hon. Members in(a) 1993, (b) 1992, (c) 1991 and (d) 1990 to exercise ministerial discretion in deportation cases and in refusals to extend the length of visas and in port clearances; in how many in each year the decision of immigration officers was overturned; to how many in each year he replied personally; and to how many the immigration and nationality department replied.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information is not collected in the form requested. The total numbers of letters and telephone inquiries about immigration matters received from right hon. and hon. Members in the years in question were as follows:588

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Correspondence

  Ministerial replies

  8,587

  9,000

  9,163

  8,356

  Official replies

  677

  1,383

  1,899

  1,928

  Telephone enquiries1

  901

  900

  943

  829

  1 Not including calls to Ministers and private offices.

  How many of these approaches contained requests to exercise discretion in individual cases is not recorded separately. Nor is the number of cases in which decisions were changed following representations from hon. and right hon. Members.

  EC Citizens (Voting Rights)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he intends to take to publicise EC voting rights and registration requirements for European citizens of voting age resident in the United Kingdom; and what are the costs of these measures, and the timetable for them in the period before the European parliamentary elections.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs. Gillan) on 25 February, columns 508–9. All the measures noted in that reply have now been completed. In addition, we have also issued a press release to over 1,300 broadcast and written media, and offered a draft news article to over 100 regional newspapers. The costs of these measures have been met from within existing resources and are not separately identifiable.

  Car Crime Prevention
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 March,Official Report, column 735, what was the cost of (a) the February 1993 phase and (b) the September 1993 phase of the car crime prevention campaign.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The campaign did not run during February 1993. There was a burst of national television advertising during January 1993, which cost £500,000.

  A further burst of national advertising and promotions ran from May to the middle of September 1993 on television, posters, bus-sides, local press and radio at a cost of £3,419,185.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are detained in each prison in Yorkshire; for Humberside, what is the number of prisoners detained; of these how many are(a) serving prison sentences, (b) on remand and (c) awaiting deportation on the latest date for which he has figures available; and what were the figures 12 months ago.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The total population in each prison in Humberside and Yorkshire is given in the tables for 31 January 1993 and 1994 and is sub-divided by type of custody.
  589

  Population in Prison Service establishments on 31 January 1994 in Humberside and Yorkshire by type of custody

  County/Establishment

  Remand

  Sentenced

  Fine defaulter

  Immigration act detainee1

  Other non-criminal

  All

  Humberside

  The Wolds

  321

  1

  —

  —

  —

  322

  Hull

  168

  205

  18

  15

  10

  416

  Everthorpe

  —

  223

  —

  —

  1

  224

  Full Sutton

  —

  542

  —

  —

  —

  542

  Yorkshire

  Askam Grange

  —

  94

  —

  —

  1

  95

  Northallerton

  114

  38

  5

  —

  —

  157

  New Hall

  55

  99

  3

  —

  2

  159

  Wakefield

  —

  635

  —

  —

  —

  635

  Leeds

  551

  549

  20

  6

  3

  1,129

  Rudgate

  —

  247

  4

  —

  1

  252

  Thorpe Arch

  —

  165

  —

  —

  —

  165

  Wetherby

  —

  134

  —

  —

  —

  134

  Lindholme

  —

  528

  1

  —

  —

  528

  Moorland

  440

  169

  8

  1

  —

  618

  Hatfield

  —

  174

  2

  —

  —

  176

  1 Detained pending further consideration or removal or deportation under schedule 2 or 3 to the Immigration Act 1991.

  Population in Prison Service establishments on 31 January 1993 in Humberside and Yorkshire by type of custody

  County/Establishment

  Remand

  Sentenced

  Fine defaulter

  Immigration act detainee1

  Other non-criminal

  All

  Humberside

  The Wolds

  304

  —

  —

  —

  —

  304

  Hull

  41

  200

  30

  3

  —

  274

  Everthorpe

  —

  222

  —

  —

  —

  222

  Full Sutton

  —

  427

  —

  —

  —

  427

  Yorkshire

  Askam Grange

  —

  71

  —

  —

  —

  71

  Northallerton

  —

  181

  —

  —

  —

  181

  New Hall

  35

  79

  —

  —

  —

  114

  Wakefield

  —

  654

  —

  —

  —

  654

  Leeds

  397

  332

  22

  1

  3

  755

  Rudgate

  —

  218

  —

  —

  —

  218

  Thorpe Arch

  —

  164

  —

  —

  —

  164

  Wetherby

  —

  119

  —

  —

  —

  119

  Lindholme

  —

  554

  —

  —

  —

  554

  Moorland

  320

  257

  —

  —

  —

  577

  Hatfield

  —

  111

  —

  —

  —

  111

  1 Detained pending further consideration or removal or deportation under schedule 2 or 3 to the Immigration Act 1991.

  Missing Persons
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve the procedures for tracing missing persons.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Government are providing an extra £90,000 a year for three years to improve the procedures for tracing missing persons and are investing in the technology that will allow the system to be computerised.

  As the first step in this process, on 18 March 1994 a police national missing persons bureau will open at New Scotland Yard, under the control of the national identification bureau. The bureau will be a central clearing house for information on vulnerable missing persons for the use of all police forces in the United Kingdom and overseas agencies.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been reported missing in each of the past five years; and of those reported missing how many are traced within a period of not less than(a) six months, (b) two years and (c) five years.
  590
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Statistics on missing persons are not currently available centrally. With the establishment of the police national missing persons bureau on 18 March statistics will begin to be collected centrally for the first time.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce a statutory requirement for people to inform the police if they have not heard from next of kin for over a year so that they can then be registered as missing.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  None.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people seeking political asylum in the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available, and in each of the two preceeding years, were(a) granted temporary admission or (b) detained while their cases were examined; and how many of each group subsequently (i) were granted asylum, (ii) were deported, (iii) left the United Kingdom of their own volition and (iv) absconded.
  591
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The specific information requested is not available.

  Information on total asylum applications, decisions, asylum seekers detained for more than one month and removals and voluntary departures of asylum applicants, is, however, contained in tables 2,1, 3.1 to 3.3, 8.1 and 9.1 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin issue 19/93, "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 1992", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing how many people seeking political asylum in the United Kingdom who had a decision made on their application last year were detained by the immigration service for(a) up to one month, (b) one to two months, (c) two to three months, (d) three to six months, (e) six to nine months, (f) nine to 12 months, (g) 12 to 15 months, (h) 15 to 18 months and (i) over 18 months before the decision was made.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown of the number of asylum seekers currently detained in prison service accommodation by(a) nationality, (b) gender and (c) place of detention.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is as follows:

  Asylum seekers detained in prison service accommodation on11 March 1994 (a) By nationality

  Nationality

  Number

  Algeria

  18

  Angola

  4

  Bangladesh

  1

  Brazil

  1

  Cameroon

  1

  China

  3

  Colombia

  3

  Egypt

  3

  Eritrea

  1

  Ethiopia

  2

  Ghana

  26

  Guinea

  1

  Haiti

  3

  India

  85

  Iran

  2

  Ivory Coast

  2

  Jamaica

  3

  Kenya

  5

  Libya

  1

  Niger

  1

  Nigeria

  32

  Pakistan

  11

  Poland

  1

  Romania

  2

  Sierra Leone

  5

  Singapore

  1

  Slovania

  1

  Somalia

  1

  Sri Lanka

  4

  Thailand

  1

  Tunisia

  1

  Turkey

  30

  Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

  1

  Zaire

  2

  Zimbabwe

  13

  Nationality Unknown

  2

  TOTAL

  274

  592

  (b) By gender

  Number

  Males

  270

  Females

  4

  Total

  274

  (c) by place of detention

  Number

  Armley

  1

  Barlinnie

  1

  Bedford

  2

  Belmarsh

  2

  Birmingham

  33

  Blakenhurst

  23

  Brinsford

  4

  Bristol

  2

  Brixton

  7

  Bullingdon

  1

  Camphill

  1

  Canterbury

  20

  Chelmsford

  1

  Dover YOI

  4

  Dumfries YOI

  1

  Durham

  2

  Elmley

  2

  Exeter

  1

  Feltham YOI

  5

  Gateside

  2

  Glen Parva

  2

  Gloucester

  3

  Greenock

  2

  Haslar1

  85

  Highdown

  15

  Holloway

  5

  Hull

  2

  Isle of Sheppey

  1

  Leeds

  1

  Leicester

  1

  Lewes

  3

  Norwich

  2

  Pentonville

  15

  Reading

  4

  Risley

  1

  Rochester

  2

  Saughton

  1

  Shrewsbury

  2

  Stoke Newington

  2

  Waltham Gaol

  2

  Wandsworth

  2

  Wellingborough

  1

  Winchester

  2

  Wormwood Scrubs

  3

  TOTAL

  274

  1 The Home Office holding centre at Haslar is primarily an immigration service detention centre, although managed by the Prison Service.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown by(a) nationality and (b) gender of the total number of asylum seekers detained pending examination of their asylum claim in (a) 1992, (b) 1993 and (c) 1994 to date.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is not available. General information on the total number of asylum applicants in 1992, including data on nationality and gender, is published in table 2.1 and at paragraph 24 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin issue 1/93 "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 1992", a copy of which is in the Library.
  593
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown of the number of asylum seekers who failed to comply with the terms of temporary admission and absconded in(a) 1992, (b) 1993 and (c) 1994 to date.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information is not available in the form requested. The information available is given in the table.

  Number of passengers at United Kingdom ports of entry

  Passengers granted temporary admission

  1 Passengers who absconded

  1988

  8,692

  401

  1989

  13,744

  475

  1990

  15,357

  561

  1991

  13,220

  601

  1992

  16,947

  530

  1993

  19,066

  667

  1 These figures include passengers who abscond from the control area or from detention as well as those who abscond from temporary admission. Data on the latter are not separately available.

  Drug Prevention Teams
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what towns and cities drugs prevention teams are operating currently.

  Mr. Maclean
  Local teams are operating under the Home Office drugs prevention initiative in the following locations:

  Birmingham

  Liverpool

  Bradford

  Manchester

  Brent

  Newcastle

  Brighton and Hove

  Newham

  Bristol

  Nottingham

  Dundee

  Salford

  Glasgow

  Southwark

  Hackney

  West Glamorgan

  Lambeth

  Wirral

  Lewisham

  Wolverhampton

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of offenders appearing before the courts in the Doncaster area were aged under 21 years in each year since 1988 and this year to date.

  Number of juveniles aged 10 to under 17 years convicted of all offences by police force area and type of offence 1982, 1987 and 1992

  Type of offence/Year

  South Yorkshire

  North Yorkshire

  West Yorkshire

  Humberside

  England and Wales

  Indictable

  1982

  2,715

  863

  5,383

  2,187

  81,756

  1987

  1,551

  410

  2,055

  914

  41,963

  1992

  692

  191

  1,578

  477

  20,428

  Summary non-motoring

  1982

  462

  231

  957

  632

  17,145

  1987

  247

  75

  321

  148

  7,304

  1992

  180

  49

  478

  155

  6,673

  Summary motoring

  1982

  288

  209

  553

  487

  11,117

  1987

  84

  66

  117

  167

  4,330

  1992

  42

  14

  81

  106

  1,905

  All offences

  1982

  3,465

  1,303

  6,893

  3,306

  110,018

  1987

  1,882

  551

  2,493

  1,229

  53,597

  1992

  914

  254

  2,137

  738

  29,006

  594
  Mr. Maclean
  Information for 1988 to 1992 is given in the table. Data for 1993 and 1994 are not yet available.

  Number and percentage of offenders aged under 21 years convicted at Doncaster magistrates court1 for all offences by type of offence 1988–1992

  Type of offence/Year

  All ages

  Aged under 21

  [=100%]

  Number

  Percentage

  Indictable

  1988

  3,079

  1,324

  43

  1989

  2,602

  1,128

  43

  1990

  2,540

  1,065

  42

  1991

  2,334

  994

  43

  1992

  2,180

  816

  37

  Summary non-motoring

  1988

  3,142

  593

  19

  1989

  2,934

  720

  25

  1990

  3,513

  705

  20

  1991

  3,106

  476

  15

  1992

  3,108

  357

  11

  Summary motoring

  1988

  3,367

  648

  19

  1989

  3,912

  689

  18

  1990

  3,899

  694

  18

  1991

  3,152

  556

  18

  1992

  3,103

  484

  16

  All offences

  1988

  9,588

  2,565

  27

  1989

  9,448

  2,537

  27

  1990

  9,952

  2,464

  25

  1991

  8,592

  2,026

  24

  1992

  8,391

  1,657

  20

  1 Includes convictions at the Crown court where the committing court was Doncaster PSD.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juveniles were convicted of offences in(a) South Yorkshire, (b) North Yorkshire, (c) West Yorkshire and (d) Humberside for the latest date he has figures available; and what were the figures (i) five years and (ii) 10 years ago.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information for 1982, 1987 and 1992 is given in the table. Data for 1993 will not be available until autumn 1994.

  Prisoners (Deportation Orders)
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time that a prisoner who has been the subject of a deportation order has to wait in prison or detention centre after completing his sentence.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  During 1993 the average period for which a prisoner who was subject to deportation proceedings following a criminal conviction remained detained on completion of his or her sentence was about a week. In 463 out of 528 cases, there was no delay. In the

  Assaults on police

  Police strength

  Year

  Offences decided at court to be murder

  Cases in col. (1) involving police

  Fatal

  Serious

  Minor/other

  Male

  Female

  (1)

  (2)

  (3)

  (4)

  (5)

  (6)

  (7)

  (i)Humberside

  1983

  3

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  1,608

  157

  1984

  3

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  1,766

  146

  1985

  4

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  1,787

  149

  1986

  —

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  1,810

  152

  1987

  3

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  1,810

  149

  1988

  4

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  1,825

  154

  1989

  3

  —

  —

  6

  554

  1,840

  153

  1990

  3

  —

  —

  45

  273

  1,830

  159

  1991

  2

  —

  —

  11

  271

  1,835

  181

  1992

  —

  —

  —

  7

  226

  1,839

  194

  (ii) North Yorkshire

  1983

  —

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  1,269

  85

  1984

  2

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  1,252

  89

  1985

  —

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  1,249

  104

  1986

  1

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  1,247

  101

  1987

  1

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  1,273

  110

  1988

  2

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  1,251

  111

  1989

  4

  —

  —

  13

  113

  1,261

  118

  1990

  1

  —

  —

  6

  140

  1,246

  133

  1991

  1

  —

  —

  13

  136

  1,235

  147

  1992

  1

  11

  —

  6

  134

  1.258

  150

  (iii) South Yorkshire

  1983

  8

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  2,581

  277

  1984

  2

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  2,590

  283

  1985

  4

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  2,577

  273

  1986

  7

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  2,572

  274

  1987

  3

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  2,647

  287

  1988

  8

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  2,652

  289

  1989

  5

  —

  —

  23

  311

  2,644

  302

  1990

  6

  —

  —

  32

  276

  2,664

  320

  1991

  3

  —

  —

  85

  99

  2,661

  328

  1992

  4

  —

  —

  20

  177

  2,651

  349

  (iv) West Yorkshire

  1983

  7

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  4,613

  503

  1984

  9

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  4,543

  483

  1985

  11

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  4,567

  482

  1986

  7

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  4,636

  480

  1987

  10

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  4,704

  502

  1988

  6

  —

  ..

  ..

  ..

  4,692

  522

  1989

  14

  —

  —

  63

  692

  4,651

  566

  1990

  15

  —

  —

  58

  629

  4,662

  614

  1991

  10

  —

  —

  59

  650

  4,538

  605

  1992

  3

  —

  —

  58

  719

  4,441

  629

  1 A special constable was fatally attacked: special constables are not included in the figures given for police strength.

  Information for 1993 is not yet available. Offences decided at court to be murder are as at 27 August 1993;
  596
  others, the period included time taken to determine outstanding appeals, applications for judicial review, and applications for asylum.

  Police (Attacks)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by year for the last 10 years and this year to date the numbers of(a) murders, (b) murders of members of the police force, (c) attacks on police officers, giving level of seriousness and (d) policemen and women in each post for the (i) Humberside, (ii) North Yorkshire, (iii) South Yorkshire and (iv) West Yorkshire police force areas.

  Mr. Maclean
  The following tables show such information as is readily available centrally.

  these figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and the courts, or as further information becomes available.

  Drugs
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the second survey on drug usage and drugs prevention, comparing urban and rural areas, is likely to be published.

  Mr. Maclean
  On 17 December 1993 we published a summary of the self-reported drug usage findings of the 1992 British crime survey, together with a report by researchers at the university of Sheffield, "Drug Usage and Drugs Prevention: the views and habits of the general public", which presented the results of a survey carried out in 1992 in four major cities on behalf of the drugs prevention initiative. The documents are in the Library. Building on the four-cities survey, the drugs prevention initiative has commissioned a further report from the university of Sheffield analysing the findings of a telephone survey conducted last year of the drugs usage and attitudes of the public in Greater Manchester and the surrounding rural area. The report is not yet completed: we hope to publish it in due course.

  Car Thefts and Burglaries
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by year for the last 10 years and this year to date the number of cars damaged, the level of house burglary, theft from cars and burglary in the(a) Humberside, (b) North Yorkshire, (c) South Yorkshire and (d) West Yorkshire police areas.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information for the last 10 years on offences of burglary and theft from cars is published annually in table 3.1 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, Supplementary Tables, Volume 3", copies of which are available in the Library. Figures for the latest available period for the 12 months to June 1993 are given in the table. Information on the number of cars damaged is not collected centrally.

  Notable offences recorded by the police—12 months to June 1993

  Number of offences

  Total—all burglary

  Burglary in a dwelling

  Theft from cars

  Humberside

  46,425

  18,789

  21,207

  North Yorkshire

  16,598

  7,551

  9,342

  South Yorkshire

  48,868

  23,274

  24,101

  West Yorkshire

  94,436

  56,624

  51,204

  Public Interest Immunity
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response the Government have made to the recommendations of the Royal Commission on criminal justice concerning public interest immunity.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Royal Commission made a number of recommendations about the disclosure of information held by the prosecution, including the proposal that criminal cases where the disclosure of sensitive material is an issue should be dealt with only by High Court or nominated circuit judges—recommendation 123. As stated in the interim Government response to the Royal Commission, placed in the Library of the House on 22 February, the Government are still considering these recommendations.
  598
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many public interest immunity certificates he has signed in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Howard
  No central record is kept of public interest immunity certificates covering the years 1990 to 9 April 1992. Since that time, I and my predecessor have signed 10 certificates.

  Prisoners Charter
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish a prisoners charter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Prison Service's commitments under the citizens charter were set out in "The Prison Service and Citizen's Charter", published in April 1993. This document was circulated very widely within the Prison Service and a copy has been placed in the Library. There is, however, no plan to publish a prisoners charter.

  Director General of the Prison Service
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many days per year the chief executive of the Prison Service agency spends on his other business interests.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Under the terms of his appointment the Director General of the Prison Service is permitted to spend a maximum of one and a half days a month in normal working hours as a non-executive director of other organisations.

  Mr. Zahid Parvaiz
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letters sent to him on 7 December 1993, 1 January 1994 and 10 February 1994 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Zahid Parvaiz.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend wrote to the right hon. Member on 14 March.

  Hypnosis
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to review the licensing guidelines for acts of hypnosis in Home Office circular 42/1989;

  (2) what plans he has to bring stage hypnotists into a central register with a code of conduct;

  (3) what plans he has to make it compulsory for stage hypnotists to carry public liability insurance.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  We have no present plans to do so.

  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information his Department has on the incidence of unlicensed stage hypnotism acts.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Between 1982 and 1992, the last year for which statistics are available, there was a total of five prosecutions for offences against the Hypnotism Act 1952, four of which resulted in convictions. Information about the number of prosecutions and convictions for the particular offence of giving an unauthorised public performance of stage hypnotism is not recorded separately.
  599
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to bring private clubs and students unions under the provisions of the Hypnotism Act 1952.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Any public peformance of stage hypnotism in such premises will already fall within the ambit of the Hypnotism Act 1952. We have no present plans to extend the application of that Act to private entertainments.

  Parkhurst Prison
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Minister of State met Professor Bob Johnson, psychiatrist at Parkhurst prison; what action the Minister has taken as a result of that meeting; what analysis has been undertaken of the results obtained from work undertaken by Professor Johnson at Parkhurst prison; if Professor Johnson and the governor of Parkhurst prison have been asked to supply further information; what plans he has to visit Parkhurst prison to discuss Professor Johnson's work with staff and prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I first met Dr. Johnson during a visit to Parkhurst prison in October last year. He subsequently came to see me at the Home Office. As a result, I asked the Director General of the Prison Service to consider the need for research into the effectiveness of Dr. Johnson's work.

  Dr. Johnson has since discussed his work and its evaluation with the director general and other Prison Service officials. It is intended that the research will be undertaken later this year.

  I have no plans to visit the prison again in the near future.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will provide a list of the full dates of publication of the annual report of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for each year since it was established;

  (2) when the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board annual report for 1992–93 will be published.

  Mr. Maclean
  The report for 1992–93 was published on 9 March. As indicated in my reply on 24 January to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche), column 63, I understand the delay on this occasion was caused by a technical difficulty encountered by the board's auditors in the transfer of the board's investment accounts for children from one financial institution to another.

  The dates of publication of the board's previous annual reports, to the extent that these can readily be ascertained within the time available, are as follows:

  Report number

  Command number

  Year ending March

  Date published

  1

  6,077

  1965

  October 1965

  2

  3,117

  1966

  October 1966

  3

  3,427

  1967

  October 1967

  4

  3,814

  1968

  November 1968

  5

  4,179

  1969

  October 1969

  6

  4,494

  1970

  October 1970

  7

  4,812

  1971

  November 1971

  8

  5,127

  1972

  November 1972

  9

  5,468

  1973

  November 1973

  600

  Report number

  Command number

  Year ending March

  Date published

  10

  5,791

  1974

  November1974

  11

  6,291

  1975

  November 1975

  12

  6,656

  1976

  November 1976

  13

  7,022

  1977

  25 November 1977

  14

  7,396

  1978

  24 December 1978

  15

  7,752

  1979

  28 November 1979

  16

  8,081

  1980

  18 November 1980

  17

  8,401

  1981

  1 December 1981

  18

  8,752

  1982

  1 December1982

  19

  9,093

  1983

  1 December 1983

  20

  9,399

  1984

  4 December 1984

  21

  9,684

  1985

  12 December 1985

  22

  42

  1986

  16 December 1986

  23

  265

  1987

  9 December 1987

  24

  536

  1988

  6 December 1986

  25

  900

  1989

  6 December 1989

  26

  1,365

  1990

  18 December 1990

  27

  1,782

  1991

  18 December 1991

  28

  2,122

  1992

  17 December 1992

  Drug Smuggling
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what his Department estimates to be the proportion of drugs smuggled into the United Kingdom which are seized by the police or Her Majesty's Customs and Excise;

  (2) what hs been the country of origin of shipments of illegal drugs seized by the police and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise since 1988.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 8 March 1994]: This information is not available, but I will write to the hon. Member.

  Age of Consent
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the age of consent for both men and women in each EC country.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 28 February 1994]: The following table sets out what I understand to be the ages at which, provided there is mutual consent and no special provisions apply—see footnote—persons may legally engage in heterosexual and homosexual acts in each EC country.

  Male/female

  Male/male

  Female/female

  Belgium

  14

  14

  14

  Denmark

  115

  115

  115

  France

  15

  15

  15

  Germany

  1214

  18

  1214

  Greece

  17

  17

  17

  Ireland

  17

  17

  15

  Italy

  114

  114

  114

  Luxembourg

  16

  16

  16

  Netherlands

  116

  116

  116

  Portugal

  14

  16

  16

  Spain

  116

  116

  116

  United Kingdom

  316

  21

  316

  1 A higher age may apply where the older person is in a position of authority, influence of trust.

  2 The German parliament is preparing to debate in March draft legislation which would unify the age of consent for each category at 16.

  3 Seventeen in Northern Ireland.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Cereals
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cereal farmers in the United Kingdom last year received cash benefits in excess of £40,000 from the common agricultural policy; and what proportion received these benefits without growing anything.

  Mr. Jack
  The number of cereal farmers receiving cash benefits in excess of £40,000 from the common agricultural policy last year cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost.

  The introduction of the arable area payment scheme was partly to compensate for cuts in support prices for cereals. Farmers claiming under the main arable area payments scheme for 1992–93 were required to set aside 15 per cent. of the area of their claim; the remaining 85 per cent. had to consist of eligible area crops. Therefore they could not receive benefits without growing anything. Under the voluntary five-year-set-aside scheme, there was no requirement to continue to grow arable crops to qualify for set-aside payments. Last year around 10 farmers who had set aside all their eligible arable land received payments in excess of £40,000.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment she has made of the extent to which the United Kingdom agricultural industry was disadvantaged by not applying for derogation on the moisture content in the 1993 cereal harvest.

  Mr. Jack
  No assessment on the lines suggested is possible.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment she has made as to(a) the moisture content of the cereals that the majority of cereal purchasers will buy and (b) whether the majority of cereal purchasers will pay a premium for cereals with a moisture content of less than 15 per cent.

  Mr. Jack
  Moisture content requirements and any premium offered are a matter for the commercial judgment of the purchaser. We have no information which allows us to establish what proportion of cereals purchasers will pay a premium for cereals with a moisture content of less than 15 per cent.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will estimate the cost of the common agricultural policy to each household in the United Kingdom, breaking this figure down into(a) the running costs of the common agricultural policy and (b) the amount which the policy adds on to food prices.

  Mr. Jack
  The Exchequer cost of common agricultural policy expenditure in the United Kingdom in the current financial year is estimated at £2,727 million. In addition, the United Kingdom also contributes to the cost of the CAP in other member states. However, the United Kingdom contributes to the EC budget as a whole, and this is reduced by the Fontainebleau abatement which cannot be attributed to particular sectors of the EC budget.
  602
  It is not possible to provide a firm estimate of the consumer cost of the CAP to each household in the United Kingdom without making many assumptions.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will estimate the combined cost of the common agricultural policy and other national farm aids to the United Kingdom: and what this figure is broken down into(a) payments directly or indirectly received by farmers and (b) the cost to consumers in the form of higher food prices.

  Mr. Jack
  Total Exchequer expenditure on agricultural subsidies in the United Kingdom is estimated at £3,015 million for 1993–94, of which £2,727 million is in relation to the CAP. The remainder is either part-financed by the guidance section of the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund, or is wholly nationally funded. The United Kingdom also contributes to the EC budget, and thus to the cost of the CAP in other member states.

  It is not possible to provide a firm estimate of the consumer cost of the CAP in the United Kingdom without making many assumptions. Most non-CAP schemes are structural in nature and would not have a direct impact on food prices.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the cost of the common agricultural policy to each citizen in the European Union in each year since 1973.

  Mr. Jack
  It is not possible to provide a firm estimate of the cost of the CAP to each EU citizen since it includes consumer costs which cannot be calculated without making many assumptions.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the loss of trade with non-EC countries consequent on the common agricultural policy.

  Mr. Jack
  No such assessment has been made. The question is purely hypothetical and if an assessment was possible it would require a large number of highly speculative assumptions.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what is the area of each individual environmentally sensitive area in England already designated or to be designated in 1994;

  (2) what is the area of each individual environmentally sensitive area in England already designated or to be designated, estimated to be eligible for management agreements;

  (3) what is the area of each individual environmentally sensitive area in England already under management agreements at the most recent date for which accurate figures are available;

  (4) how many farmers are estimated to be eligible for participation in each individual environmentally sensitive area in England already designated or to be designated in 1994;

  (5) how many farmers had entered into agreements in each individual environmentally sensitive area in England at the most recent date for which accurate figures are available;
  603
  (6) what was or is the total budget for management agreements for all environmentally sensitive areas in England for the years 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96.

  Table 1—Uptake ESA

  Total area (ha)

  Eligible area (ha) (estimate)

  Area under management agreement (ha) (March 1994 provisional)2

  Number of current management agreements (March 1994 provisional)2

  Stage I (designated 1987, relaunched 1992)

  Broads1

  36,100

  24,000

  14,623

  718

  Pennine Dales

  46,600

  39,100

  24,276

  692

  Somerset Levels and Moors

  27,700

  25,900

  12,492

  841

  South Downs1

  69,000

  51,700

  10,430

  200

  West Penwith

  7,200

  6,900

  6,051

  185

  Stage II (designated 1988, relaunched 1993)

  Breckland1

  94,000

  51,600

  4,625

  125

  North Peak

  54,900

  50,500

  44,709

  100

  Clun1 (formerly called Shropshire Borders)

  21,400

  18,900

  14,565

  220

  Suffolk River Valleys1

  43,600

  32,600

  8,513

  405

  Test Valley1

  4,800

  3,300

  849

  29

  Stage III (designated 1993)

  Avon Valley1

  5,200

  3,800

  490

  26

  Exmoor

  80,700

  67,700

  32,868

  291

  Lake District

  245,400

  219,300

  67,431

  559

  North Kent Marshes1

  13,700

  11,600

  2,941

  39

  South Wessex Downs1

  44,900

  38,300

  15,915

  108

  South West Peak

  33,900

  27,000

  10,822

  223

  Stage IV (to be designated March 1994)

  Blackdown Hills

  39,900

  32,200

  n/a

  n/a

  Cotswold Hills1

  84,700

  66,100

  n/a

  n/a

  Dartmoor

  100,500

  89,000

  n/a

  n/a

  Essex Coast1

  27,500

  23,000

  n/a

  n/a

  Shropshire Hills

  38,500

  34,900

  n/a

  n/a

  Upper Thames Tributaries1

  27,700

  18,000

  n/a

  n/a

  1 The figures for eligible area in these ESAs contain arable land which is eligible to enter the scheme if reverted to grass. It is not expected that a high proportion of such land will enter the scheme.

  2 Information is not held about the number of farmers eligible for participation in each ESA scheme. Landlords, tenants, commoners etcetera may be eligible to apply, individually or jointly, in respect of the same holding.

  Table 2—Expenditure in ESAs

  Year

  £ (Thousands)(Payments to Farmers)

  1992–93

  110,872

  1993–94

  218,040

  1994–95

  331,036

  1995–96

  343,135

  1 Outturn.

  2 Forecast outturn.

  3 Budget provision.

  Infant Formulae
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Congleton (Mrs. Winterton) of 6 December,Official Report, column 106, if she still plans to implement the provisions of the EC directive on infant formulae and follow-on formulae by 1 June.

  Mr. Soames
  The implementation date of 1 June 1994 has been commented on during the consultation on the United Kingdom draft regulations. A decision on the final form of the regulations, including the coming into force date, will be announced once the Government have carefully considered all the comments received.
  604
  Mr. Jack
  Statistics relating to the 16 existing ESAs and the six to be designated this month are given in the tables.

  Agri-environmental Measures
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the total United Kingdom agricultural budget is accounted for annually by agri-environmental measures.

  Mr. Jack
  Forecast United Kingdom expenditure on agri-environment payments is £32·3 million in 1993–94 which represents approximately 1 per cent. of forecast expenditure on all forms of support for agriculture in the United Kingdom in 1993–94. United Kingdom expenditure on agri-environmental payments is planned to rise to over £100 million in 1995–96.

  EU Surplus Foodstuffs
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the current rules governing the distribution of surplus EU foodstuffs.

  Mr. Jack
  The rules governing the operation of the EC surplus food scheme 1993–94 in the United Kingdom are set out in leaflets LP45 and LP46. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Kudus
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what is done with the soil from the pens of kudu at London zoo;

  (2) what action is being taken to prevent the transmission of spongiform encephalopathy from kudus at London zoo to other animals and to zoo staff on (a) entering and (b) leaving the kudu pen.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  This Ministry currently has no powers to investigate spongiform encephalopathies in exotic ruminants at London Zoo. Precautions taken to prevent the transmission of spongiform encephalopathy in the zoo are a matter for the London zoo authorities.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will give details of the genetic relationships between the greater kudus at London zoo that have died of a spongiform encephalopathy; and if the genetic relationships between the greater kudus at London zoo indicate that any of the kudu are carriers of a spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There have been a number of scientific papers published on different aspects of spongiform encephalopathy disease in greater kudu at London zoo. The most recent of these was in The Veterinary Record of 12 February 1994, while another on 9 October 1993 addressed the familial relationships between the confirmed cases and their dams.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many greater kudu from the London zoo herd have died of a spongiform encephalopathy; and how many of the greater kudu presently at London zoo are suspected to be suffering from a spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I understand that six greater kudu have developed a spongiform encephalopathy; they are all dead.

  Food (Expenditure)
  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the net disposable income per person in pound sterling in(a) the United Kingdom, (b) the USA, (c) the European Union, (d) Japan, (e) Germany and (f) France at the latest available date; and what was the expenditure on food (i) as a percentage of net disposable income and (ii) in pound sterling.

  Mr. Jack
  The following broadly comparable information is available for 1991.

  Household expenditure per person1

  Expenditure on food per person

  Expenditure on food as a percentage of household expenditure

  £

  £

  Percentage

  United Kingdom

  6,207

  766

  12

  USA

  28,423

  831

  10

  European Union

  6,377

  1,095

  18

  Japan

  8,555

  1,162

  14

  Germany

  7,397

  3 1,453

  20

  France

  7,187

  1,162

  16

  1Final consumption expenditure of resident households.

  2Includes expenditure by private non-profit-making institutions.

  606
  3Includes alcoholic drink and meals out.

  Source: EUROSTAT National Accounts ESA 1970 to 1991.

  OECD National Accounts 1979 to 1991.

  Orchard Replanting Grants
  Sir Roger Moate
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the take-up in each of the last five years of orchard replanting grants; and if she will make a statement about the cessation of the scheme.

  Mr. Jack
  The amount of grant given in England for orchard replanting over the last five years is as follows:

  Orchard replanting grants in England 1989 to 1993

  Year

  Expenditure (£)

  1989

  216,683

  1990

  234,094

  1991

  345,998

  1992

  570,530

  1993

  518,898

  Total

  1,886,193

  These grants were introduced essentially as pump-priming measures to improve the competitiveness of the United Kingdom orchard sector through the injection of capital for the replanting of apple and pear orchards. The objective of the scheme was that, after five years of assistance, the industry would be capable of self-sustaining development without further government intervention. A recent evaluation of the scheme carried out for us by the university of Leicester indicates that the grants were taken up by practically all of our target population. A report of the evaluation is available in the Library of the House.

  Arable Aid
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent delays have occurred in payment of arable aid to farmers in(a) south Yorkshire, (b) north Yorkshire, (c) west Yorkshire and (d) Humberside who are growers of commercial oilseed rape; from what office the cheques are being paid; and whether all payments due to be met by 31 December have been paid.

  Mr. Jack
  Over 98 per cent. of all payments due to growers of commercial oilseed rape were issued by 31 December 1993. In a very small number of cases payments could not be made for a number of reasons. Payments are authorised by the regional service centre at Northallerton and payable orders are issued from the Ministry's finance department at Guildford.

  Food Stockpile
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list the items and quantity of food in the national food stockpile.

  Mr. Soames
  The national food stockpile contains some 93,000 tonnes of food, made up of flour, biscuits, fat and sugar. Stocks are being run down to achieve liquidation which was announced in March last year.

  Animal Transportation
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 16 February,Official Report, column 847, by what authority the British

  607
  Government are able to prosecute a British haulier for breaking welfare laws for animals being transported in another EC member state who are suspected of breaking (a) British laws and (b) EC laws; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The Welfare of Animals during Transport Order 1992 implements EC directive 91/628. In Great Britain this legislation is enforced by the local authorities, with support and advice from the Ministry. Allegations of infringements are investigated and where appropriate charges are brought before a magistrates court. If investigations reveal offences in another member state the facts are reported to the relevant authorities.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what was the country of origin and country of departure stated on documentation accompanying live sheep certified as fit to travel which arrived at an abattoir in Birmingham on 8 March and later found to have multiple caseous abcesses, oedema and emaciation, bruising and septicaemia following carcase inspection;

  (2) what was the port of entry of a consignment of 300 live sheep which arrived at a Birmingham abattoir on 8 March; and what veterinary inspection they were subjected to and by whom on arrival in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Soames
  The consignment was imported from Poland into the EC through the border inspection post at Frankfurt-on-Oder in Germany. Following its arrival at a slaughterhouse in Birmingham, documentary, identity and physical inspections were carried out by the state veterinary service in conjunction with the official veterinary surgeon.

  Milk Marketing Board
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will now announce the constitution, including producer representation, of the proposed Milk Marketing Board residuary body, its budgetary provisions and proposed lifetime.

  Mr. Jack
  The constitution of the residuary Milk Marketing Board will depend upon the functions to be assigned to it, which must be specified in an approved reorganisation scheme. No decision can be taken on the constitution, therefore, until a reorganisation scheme has been approved. We have, nevertheless, announced our intention that producers should be strongly represented on the residuary board.

  The assets and liabilities to be retained by the board after vesting day would likewise be specified in the approved reorganisation scheme. The funding provision for the residuary board would therefore be determined if and when the scheme was approved.

  The lifetime of the residuary board would depend to some extent upon how quickly it could realise its assets and discharge its liabilities. Some potential liabilities could crystallise well after vesting day, however, and the residuary board is likely to have a lifetime of several years at least.

  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will consider the appointment of a market regulator for a period of two years to allow the orderly development of a free market for milk.

  Mr. Jack
  After the end of the milk marketing scheme the milk market will be subject to the normal rules on 608
  competition. The Agriculture Act 1993 does not provide for the appointment of a special regulator for the milk market.

  Less-favoured Areas
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) pursuant to her answer of 2 March,Official Report, columns 744–46, if she will publish the same information for less-favoured area specialist sheep farms;

  (2) pursuant to her answer of 2 March, Official Report, columns 744–46, if she will provide a further breakdown of the information requested for sheep, cattle, cattle and sheep and in addition for specialist sheep farms and mixed cattle and sheep, giving unweighted estimates and distinguishing between the results from the annual farm census and the farm business survey.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 10 March 1994]: The further breakdown of the information requested is shown in the table. The numbers and proportions of farms for each type and size are taken from the June census and the estimates of net farm income are weighted averages from the farm business survey.

  LFA livestock farms in England: holdings and net farm income by ESU size group

  ESU size group

  Holdings (as at June 1992)

  Net farm income 1992–931 (£'000)

  Number

  Proportion

  Farms classified as SDA Specialised sheep

  <8

  1,091

  41

  —

  8<16

  402

  15

  11·0

  16<28

  384

  14

  28<40

  267

  10

  40<60

  284

  11

  22·4

  60<100

  174

  7

  100<200

  48

  2

  35·7

  200 and over

  4

  0

  All sizes

  2,654

  100

  15·1

  ESU per holding

  Average of all sizes

  22

  —

  —

  Average of over 8 ESUs

  36

  —

  —

  Farms classified as SDA Specialised beef

  <8

  1,075

  58

  —

  8<16

  330

  18

  —

  16<28

  239

  13

  —

  28<40

  93

  5

  —

  40<60

  68

  4

  —

  60<100

  33

  2

  —

  100<200

  12

  1

  —

  200 and over

  2

  0

  —

  All sizes

  1,852

  100

  —

  ESU per holding

  Average of all sizes

  13

  —

  —

  Average of over 8 ESUs

  25

  —

  —

  Farms classified as SDA Mixed cattle and sheep

  <8

  738

  20

  —

  8<16

  488

  13

  9·6

  16<28

  632

  17

  28<40

  555

  15

  40<60

  608

  16

  22·6

  60<100

  543

  14

  100<200

  175

  5

  65·9

  200 and over

  18

  0

  All sizes

  3,757

  100

  17·8

  609

  ESU size group

  Holdings (as at June 1992)

  Net farm income 1992–931 (£'000)

  Number

  Proportion

  ESU per holding

  Average of all sizes

  37

  —

  —

  Average of over 8 ESUs

  45

  —

  —

  Farms classified as DA cattle and sheep

  <8

  1,686

  47

  —

  8<16

  689

  19

  3·5

  16<28

  497

  14

  28<40

  256

  7

  40<60

  224

  6

  11·6

  60<100

  160

  4

  100<200

  63

  2

  71·1

  200 and over

  4

  0

  All sizes

  3,579

  100

  5·5

  ESU per holding

  Average of all sizes

  18

  —

  —

  Average of over 8 ESUs

  31

  —

  —

  All farms classified as cattle and sheep (LFA)2

  <8

  4,590

  39

  —

  8<16

  1,909

  16

  7·7

  16<28

  1,752

  15

  28<40

  1,171

  10

  40<60

  1,184

  10

  21·7

  60<100

  910

  8

  100<200

  298

  3

  61·8

  200 and over

  28

  0

  All sizes

  11,842

  100

  13·7

  ESU per holding

  Average of all sizes

  24

  —

  —

  Average of over 8 ESUs

  37

  —

  —

  1 Weighted averages. Unweighted averages are not appropriate as they do not accurately reflect the distribution of farms.

  Performance measures by size of farm in England, 1992–931

  SDA specialist sheep farms

  SDA mixed cattle and sheep farms

  Output (£'000) per labour unit

  Small

  22

  24

  Medium

  31

  37

  Large

  32

  55

  All sizes

  27

  33

  Output per £100 of total assets (£)

  Small

  22

  20

  Medium

  29

  26

  Large

  39

  27

  All sizes

  26

  24

  Output per £100 of total input (£)2

  Small

  101

  97

  Medium

  118

  112

  Large

  123

  128

  All sizes

  109

  109

  1 The size groups are: small (8 to <40 ESUs), medium (40 to <100 ESUs) and large (100+ ESUs).

  2 Total input includes rental value, tenant-type inputs and farmer and spouse manual labour, but excludes interest payments.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Museums Review
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what progress has been made in his Department's review of museums, announced after the financial statement in 1993.
  610
  2 Includes the following main types: SDA specialist sheep, SDA specialist beef, SDA mixed cattle and sheep, DA cattle and sheep, means sample too small to provide reliable results for individual size groups. In some cases size groups have been combined.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 7 December,Official Report, column 1068, if the weighting of the sample information from the farm business survey analysis of less-favoured area livestock farms takes into account the economies of scale achieved in relation to farm size; what mechanism there is for measuring the economies of scale achieved by less-favoured area livestock farms in relation to farm size; and if she will publish the results according to standard farm classification in terms of the size group set out in her answer of 2 March, Official Report, column 744, for (i) specialist sheep farms and (ii) mixed cattle and sheep farms.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 10 March 1994]: The weighting system ensures that sample results from the farm business survey for farms of different size, type, region and tenure are combined in proportion to the number of farms recorded at the June agricultural census. An analysis of three performance ratios for small, medium and large farms for all LFA cattle and sheep farms represented in the farm business survey is published in "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom".

  There are insufficient farms in the sample to allow an analysis for each of the size groups set out in the previous reply; however, the table shows the results for small, medium and large farms.

  Mr. Sproat
  No formal announcement has been made about a decision to review the Government's policy on museums. However, the Museums and Galleries Commission is considering ideas for a national policy, and I am taking a close interest in this initiative.

  Millennium Commission
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he expects to announce the names of the members of the Millennium Commission.
  611
  Mr. Brooke
  The names of the members of the Millennium Commission were announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 17 February. I shall have the honour of being chairman of the commission. The other members are:

  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade

  Professor Heather Couper, FRAS

  The Earl of Dalkeith

  The hon. Robin V. Dixon, CBE

  Sir John Hall

  Mr. Simon Jenkins

  Mr. Michael Montague CBE

  Ms Patricia Scotland QC

  Royal Palaces
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage on how many occasions he has given the right hon. Member for Swansea, West holding answers on parliamentary questions relating to the occupied royal palaces; what has been the length of the delays before substantive answers were given; how many were answered on Fridays; and what were the reasons for the delays.

  Mr. Sproat
  Holding answers have been given on 12 occasions: three for two working days; five for three; two for four and one for seven working days. None was answered on a Friday. The delays occurred because the detailed information requested was such as to require significant staff time to assemble or identify.

  In the one other case, where the holding answer was for a duration of 23 working days and which I answer today, the delay was caused by an oversight within my Department for which I apologise.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the total rent received from the grace and favour accommodation in the occupied royal palaces.

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 10 February 1994]: Rent of £69,000 per annum is received for residential accommodation in the occupied royal palaces.

  Regional Orchestras
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage whether the Arts Council has approached him since 3 March for additional funding for regional orchestras.

  Mr. Brooke
  No.

  Cathedrals (Stone Decay)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what contact he has had with the Cathedrals fabric committee on first aid and remedial treatment for stone decay.

  Mr. Brooke
  None. English Heritage is carrying out work on first aid and remedial treatment for stone decay and is in regular contact with the Cathedrals Fabric Commission.

  Historic Buildings
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the extent of the decreases in concentrations of sulphur dioxide according to the information available to his Department, in relation to the rate of decay of historic buildings.
  612
  Mr. Brooke
  The report of research on atmospheric pollution and stone decay for the joint working party between the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England and the joint environmental programme of National Power plc and Power Gen plc, published last year, found that the annual average concentrations of sulphur dioxide had decreased very markedly over the last 30 years. However, there is likely to be decay in historic stone as a result of past depositions. The Building Research Establishment is maintaining a programme of research on the effects of sulphur dioxide and other pollutants on the decay of stone and other materials as part of the national materials exposure programme of the Department of the Environment and the international materials exposure programme of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Overseas Investors
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to encourage more potential overseas investors in the United Kingdom to include a visit to Northern Ireland in their fact-finding itinerary, prior to making a decision on where to site new industry in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  The Industrial Development Board for Northern Ireland continues to work closely with the Invest in Britain Bureau of the Department of Trade and Industry to ensure that prospective inward investors visiting the United Kingdom have the opportunity to include a visit to Northern Ireland on their itinerary. Independently from the Department of Trade and Industry the Industrial Development Board organises a number of visits to Northern Ireland for potential investors from its target markets overseas through its network of overseas offices placed in these strategic regions.

  Housing Executive
  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the proportion of(a) Protestant and (b) Catholic staff, by seniority, in the district 6 office of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  Information about the religious make-up of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's work force as a whole is published annually in the Fair Employment Commission's report "A Profile of the Northern Ireland Workforce: Summary of the Monitoring Returns". The most recent report for 1992 is available in the Library.

  I am advised by the chief executive of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive that it allocates staff resources to various parts of the organisation on the basis of its operational needs and personnel management policies. The executive does not release information about the religious composition of staff in individual offices.

  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the proportion of public authority housing in terms of(a) Protestant and (b) Catholic occupancy administered by the district 6 office of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  I am advised by the chief executive of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive that it does not
  613
  hold statistical information on the religious composition of its tenants. The Housing Executive has consistently administered housing policies in a fair and open way on the basis of need, irrespective of religion.

  EC Funds
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much of the receipts under the European social fund in each financial year were earned by(a) the private sector, (b) non-central Government public sector bodies and (c) central Government.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information is as follows:

  Year

  Private/Vol. sector

  £ million non-central Government public bodies

  Central Government

  1973–74

  —

  —

  —

  1974–75

  0·41

  0·31

  2·68

  1975–76

  —

  —

  —

  1976–77

  0·77

  0·58

  5·05

  1977–78

  0·90

  0·68

  5·92

  1978–79

  1·80

  1·35

  11·85

  1979–80

  1·80

  1·35

  11·85

  1980–81

  2·76

  2·07

  18·17

  1981–82

  3·00

  2·25

  19·75

  1982–83

  4–22

  3·17

  27·81

  1983–84

  4·56

  3·42

  30·02

  1984–85

  4·56

  3·42

  30·02

  1985–86

  3·00

  2·25

  19·75

  1986–87

  6·39

  4·80

  42·11

  1987–88

  6·77

  5·08

  44·55

  1988–89

  4·33

  3·25

  28·52

  1989–90

  5·35

  4·01

  35·19

  1990–91

  5·24

  3·93

  34·50

  11991–92

  5·06

  3·80

  33·32

  60·92

  45·72

  401·06

  1 This is the latest available information as claims for 1993, and some for 1992, have not yet been settled.

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money Northern Ireland has received in each financial year from EC sources apart from payments under the three structural funds.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The following amounts have been identified as being received in Northern Ireland from European Community sources other than the three structural funds since 1987–88 when meaningful figures first became available.

  Financial year

  Total £ million

  1987–88

  27·6

  1988–89

  27·8

  1989–90

  46·1

  1990–91

  48·1

  1991–92

  59·7

  1992–93

  56·3

  Most of the receipts in this category are from the guarantee section of the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund. However, it should be noted that the bulk of guarantee section receipts are disbursed centrally by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce and details of payments are not generally maintained at regional level. Other small payments are made by the European Commission direct to recipients which are not passed through the United Kingdom Government.
  614
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money received in each financial year up to 31 December 1993 from EC sources has been paid into the Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund.

  Sir John Wheeler
  All money received from EC sources is paid into the Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund.

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money Northern Ireland has received in each financial year up to 31 December 1993 from the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund, guidance sector; how much of those receipts were paid to the private sector; how much of these receipts were paid to the public sector; how much of these receipts represented a cash addition to the Northern Ireland economy; and how much was used each year to offset Government expenditure on Northern Ireland.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The following amounts were received from the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund, guidance section.

  £ million

  Financial year

  Individual capital projects

  Other guidance schemes

  Total

  Private sector

  Public sector

  Private sector1

  Public sector

  1974–75

  —

  —

  0·25

  —

  0·25

  1975–76

  0·45

  —

  0·25

  —

  0·66

  1976–77

  1·87

  0·31

  0·27

  —

  2·45

  1977–78

  1·28

  0·31

  1·28

  —

  2·87

  1978–79

  0·70

  0·24

  2·46

  —

  3·40

  1979–80

  1·27

  0·20

  3·21

  —

  4·68

  1980–81

  1·91

  1·05

  3·35

  —

  6·31

  1981–82

  1·43

  0·13

  4·69

  —

  6·25

  1982–83

  2·47

  0·99

  3·30

  —

  6·76

  1983–84

  1·59

  0·38

  14·65

  —

  16·61

  1984–85

  0·95

  0·28

  13·29

  —

  14·52

  1985–86

  3·56

  0·03

  11·83

  —

  15·42

  1986–87

  2·58

  0·11

  5·96

  —

  8·65

  1987–88

  3·29

  —

  5·99

  —

  9·28

  1988–89

  2·31

  0·51

  10·05

  —

  12·87

  1989–90

  2·84

  —

  6·60

  —

  9·44

  1990–91

  4·75

  —

  6·25

  —

  11·00

  1991–92

  4·31

  —

  21·78

  2·86

  28·95

  1992–93

  8·31

  —

  9·56

  0·45

  18·32

  1993–942

  0·66

  —

  13·17

  2·70

  16·53

  Totals

  46·53

  4·54

  138·15

  6·01

  195·22

  1 Includes reference to the approximate share in Northern Ireland on various structural schemes which were applied throughout the United Kingdom.

  2To December 1993.

  All these receipts present cash additions to the recipients and are subject to normal European Community audit arrangements. The overall level of receipts is taken into account in the Government's decision on public expenditure allocations and their availability enables public expenditure to be maintained at a higher level than would otherwise be feasible.

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much of the receipts which Northern Ireland has received from the European regional development fund since 1973 has been earned by(a) infrastructure projects undertaken by non-central Government bodies, (b) infrastructure projects undertaken by central Government and (c) industrial projects.
  615
  Sir John Wheeler
  The following amounts have been received from the European regional development fund to 31 December 1993:

  Infrastructure

  £ Million

  Non-central Government

  125·8

  Central Government

  79·9

  Industry

  100·7

  Programmes1

  222·6

  TOTAL2

  529·0

  1 These programmes combine elements of both industry and infrastructure.

  2 Includes estimated receipts for the first nine months of the 1993–94 financial year.

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been received by Northern Ireland under each of the European Community initiatives to date.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Under the 1989 to 1993 structural funds allocation, Northern Ireland has 10 approved Community initiatives. The amounts recived to date under each initiative are:

  £ million

  INTERREG (assistance to border areas)

  25·52

  STRIDE (research and technological development)

  8·55

  ENVIREG (environmental improvement)

  2·34

  PRISMA (assistance to firms)

  3·41

  TELEMATIQUE (promotion of telecommunications service)

  3·36

  EUROFORM (qualifications and new skills and employment opportunities)

  0·90

  NOW (employment opportunities for women)

  0·90

  HORIZON (handicapped and certain disadvantaged groups)

  0·71

  RETEX (diversification for textile regions)

  0·90

  LEADER (rural development)

  1·09

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money Northern Ireland has received from the European social fund in each financial year up to 31 December 1993; now much each year represented a cash addition to the Northern Ireland economy; and how much was used to offset Government expenditure on Northern Ireland.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The following amounts were received from the European social fund:

  Financial Year

  Total £ million

  1973–74

  —

  1974–75

  3·4

  1975–76

  0·0

  1976–77

  6·4

  1977–78

  7·5

  1978–79

  15·0

  1979–80

  15·0

  1980–81

  23·0

  1981–82

  25·0

  1982–83

  35·2

  1983–84

  38·0

  1984–85

  38·0

  1985–86

  25·0

  1986–87

  53·3

  1987–88

  56·4

  1988–89

  36·1

  616

  Financial Year

  Total £ million

  1989–90

  44·6

  1990–91

  43·7

  11991–92

  42·2

  Total

  507·8

  1 This is the latest available information as claims for 1993, and some for 1992, have not yet been settled.

  Receipts earned by the private sector and by non-central Government public sector bodies are paid to the claimant. The recipients represent cash additions to the recipients. Receipts earned by central Government are paid into the Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund. All ESF receipts are subject to EC audit arrangements.

  The overall level of receipts is taken into account in the Government's decisions on public expenditure allocations, and their availability enables public expenditure to be maintained at a higher level than would otherwise be feasible.

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much Northern Ireland's share of the United Kingdom's payments into the European Economic Community was from 1 January 1973 to 31 December 1993; how much Northern Ireland's share was of the receipts for the same period; and how much of those receipts was used to offset Government expenditure on Northern Ireland.

  Sir John Wheeler
  It is not possible to determine Northern Ireland's actual share of the United Kingdom's contribution to the European Community because payments are made on a national and not a regional basis. Similarly it is not possible to identify the full extent of receipts from the Community. However, a Northern Ireland attributed share of the contribution to the EC is calculated as an accounting mechanism necessary because of the operation of a separate Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund. This notional attributed share does not count as an item of expenditure within the Northern Ireland public expenditure programme and has therefore no bearing on the level of public expenditure in the Province.

  Figures for the notional attribution of part of Northern Ireland's share of the United Kingdom's payments and for those areas where the receipts from the European Community's structural funds can be separately identified are as follows:

  Financial year

  Attributed share (part) £ million

  Identified receipts2 £ million

  1973–74

  1

  0

  1974–75

  6

  4

  1975–76

  8

  4

  1976–77

  13

  16

  1977–78

  16

  14

  1978–79

  24

  19

  1979–80

  28

  31

  1980–81

  28

  44

  1981–82

  50

  41

  1982–83

  66

  53

  1983–84

  66

  51

  1984–85

  68

  58

  1985–86

  74

  44

  1986–87

  62

  77

  1987–88

  91

  111

  1988–89

  85

  96

  1989–90

  104

  95

  617

  Financial year

  Attributed share (part) £ million

  Identified receipt2 £ million

  1990–91

  107

  110

  1991–92

  1100

  132

  1992–93

  1134

  158

  Total

  1,131

  1,158

  1 Attributed share figures for the last two years are provisional estimates which will be revised when final details of tax revenues are determined.

  2 This comprises total identified EC structural funds receipts in Northern Ireland.

  All receipts represent cash additions to the recipients and are subject to normal European Community audit arrangements.

  The overall level of receipts is taken into account in the Government's decisions on public expenditure allocations and their availability enables public expenditure to be maintained at a higher level than would otherwise be feasible.

  Prisoners (Christmas Leave)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Northern Ireland if he will list by(a) Her Majesty's prison and (b) Her Majesty's remand prison the number of prisoners who applied for Christmas leave and the number of those who were granted Christmas leave; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Wheeler
  In December 1993 a total number of 446 convicted prisoners were released from the following prisons for Christmas home leave. Under the criteria for Christmas home leave, remand prisoners are not eligible to apply.

  Prison

  Applications

  Applications granted

  Belfast

  33

  32

  Maze

  116

  111

  Maghaberry

  115

  109

  Magilligan

  162

  145

  Young Offenders Centre

  79

  49

  The Christmas home leave scheme and other release schemes play a key part in the Northern Ireland prison service's objectives by enabling prisoners to retain, and in some cases, re-establish family and community links in preparation for eventual release, and this has proved to be very successful. Of the 466 prisoners only two remain unlawfully at large. Both are medium-risk prisoners who had short periods left to serve.

  Outdoor Education Centres
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the names, location and county of each of the outdoor education centres in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:

  Outdoor education centres

  Name

  Location

  County

  Ballyholme

  Portrush

  Antrim

  Bushmills

  Bushmills

  Antrim

  Derganagh House

  Ballycastle

  Antrim

  618

  Name

  Location

  County

  Drumalla House

  Carnlough

  Antrim

  Ardnabannon

  Castlewellan

  Down

  Binnian

  Newcastle

  Down

  Cabra Towers

  Newry

  Down

  Delamont

  Killyleagh

  Down

  F. H. Ebbit

  Newcastle

  Down

  Ganaway

  Millisle

  Down

  Killowen

  Rostrevor

  Down

  Killyleagh

  Killyleagh

  Down

  Shannaghmore

  Newcastle

  Down

  Tullymore

  Newcastle

  Down

  Yellow Water Cottage

  Rostrevor

  Down

  Coranerk

  Derrygonnelly

  Fermanagh

  Gortatole

  Florencecourt

  Fermanagh

  Carrowmena

  Limavady

  Londonderry

  Magilligan Field Centre

  Limavady

  Londonderry

  Woodhall

  Kilrea

  Londonderry

  Carnteel

  Aughnacloy

  Tyrone

  Corrick

  Newtownstewart

  Tyrone

  Goles Cottage

  Keadycam, Plumbridge

  Tyrone

  Dentistry
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the amount spent per child aged under 18 years on general dental services in the Province, whether or not registered with a general dental practitioner.

  Mr. Ancram
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Rochdale (Ms Lynne) on 11 March 1994 at columns 436–37.

EDUCATION

  Teachers (Trials)
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many(a) head teachers and (b) teachers in (i) 1992–93 and (ii) 1993–94 were committed to trial and found guilty; and what information he has concerning costs incurred.

  Mr. Forth
  This information is not collected in the form requested. The Department receives about 150 reports a year from the police or employers about the conviction of teachers and other staff. Records are not held by year of conviction or by category of staff. We have no information about the cost of bringing teachers to trial.

  Science
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the decision to withdraw combined science as a compulsory double subject at GCSE level in the national curriculum; what is his Department's assessment of the effect this will have on(a) the number of 16-year-olds studying science, (b) their total exposure to science subjects during their education and (c) the longer-term scientific literacy of British society.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  There has been no such decision. Double award science never has been compulsory at GCSE level. Sir Ron Dearing's final report recommends that the minimum statutory requirement for science at key stage 4—14 to 16-year-olds—should continue to be the single award science. Most 14 to 16-year-old pupils—around 85 per cent. when last sampled in 1993—do, however, take double award science, and we welcome that.
  619
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what initiatives his Department is taking to encourage more young people at school to study science and to choose science subjects in higher education.

  Mr. Boswell
  The national curriculum ensures that all pupils, from the age of five to 16, study science. Most pupils in their final year of compulsory schooling—about 85 per cent. when last sampled in 1993—take the double award in science. That ensures that they are qualified for further study. In addition to the traditional A-level route, new high-quality vocational qualifications post-16 will provide alternative routes for students to continue their science and technology studies. General national vocational qualifications in science started a pilot phase in September 1993.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish tables showing the percentage of teaching time devoted to(a) mathematics, (b) physics, (c) chemistry and (d) total for all science

  Schools and pupils in the London boroughs Table A: maintained primary schools

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  LEA

  Total number schools

  Total number GM schools

  Percentage GMS in LEA

  Total number pupils

  Total number GM pupils

  Percentage GM pupils

  Corporation of London

  1

  0·0

  214

  0

  0·0

  Camden

  41

  0·0

  10,610

  0

  0·0

  Greenwich

  77

  0·0

  20,934

  0

  0·0

  Hackney

  69

  0·0

  16,677

  0

  0·0

  Hammersmith

  38

  0·0

  9,025

  0

  0·0

  Islington

  57

  0·0

  14,966

  0

  0·0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  27

  1

  3·7

  6,292

  326

  5·2

  Lambeth

  78

  5

  6·4

  19,053

  1,250

  6·6

  Lewisham

  70

  1

  1·4

  20,479

  361

  1·8

  Southwark

  76

  5

  6·6

  21,222

  1,265

  6·0

  Tower Hamlets

  74

  0·0

  20,717

  0

  0·0

  Wandsworth

  65

  2

  3·1

  17,250

  515

  3·0

  Westminster

  41

  0·0

  9,122

  0

  0·0

  Barking

  54

  0·0

  15,727

  0

  0·0

  Barnet

  89

  2

  2·2

  23,790

  776

  3·3

  Bexley

  65

  2

  3·1

  18,596

  447

  2·4

  Brent

  65

  1

  1·5

  22,228

  493

  2·2

  Bromley

  78

  2

  2·6

  20,449

  934

  4·6

  Croydon

  98

  2

  2·0

  26,271

  836

  3·2

  Ealing

  91

  4

  4·4

  27,652

  1,217

  4·4

  Enfield

  70

  1

  1·4

  23,316

  149

  0·6

  Haringey

  77

  0·0

  19,127

  0

  0·0

  Harrow

  54

  0·0

  19,109

  0

  0·0

  Havering

  74

  0·0

  19,624

  0

  0·0

  Hillingdon

  72

  11

  15·3

  20,107

  2,602

  12·9

  Hounslow

  63

  0·0

  19,339

  0

  0·0

  Kingston upon Thames

  36

  1

  2·8

  10,463

  191

  1·8

  Merton

  49

  0·0

  15,224

  0

  0·0

  Newham

  67

  0·0

  25,235

  0

  0·0

  Redbridge

  56

  0·0

  19,045

  0

  0·0

  Richmond upon Thames

  39

  0·0

  10,785

  0

  0·0

  Sutton

  43

  3

  7·0

  12,884

  799

  6·2

  Waltham Forest

  62

  0·0

  19,705

  0

  0·0

  Totals

  2,016

  43

  2·1

  575,237

  12,161

  2·1

  Table B: maintained secondary schools

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  LEA

  Total number schools

  Total number GM schools

  Percentage GMS in LEA

  Total number pupils

  Total number GM pupils

  Percentage GM pupils

  Corporation of London

  0

  0

  0·0

  0

  0

  0·0

  Camden

  11

  2

  18·2

  10,479

  2,340

  22·3

  Greenwich

  15

  0

  0·0

  13,956

  0

  0·0

  Hackney

  10

  0

  0·0

  7,384

  0

  0·0

  Hammersmith

  9

  1

  11·1

  5,976

  1,229

  20·6

  Islington

  9

  0

  0·0

  7,037

  0

  0·0

  620
  subjects for the average 14-year-old, 15-year-old and 16-year-old in (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) France, (iii) Germany, (iv) Italy, (v) Japan and (vi) the United States of America at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what are 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 London borough, 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 33 London boroughs.
  621

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  LEA

  Total number schools

  Total number GM schools

  Percentage GMS in LEA

  Total number pupils

  Total number GM pupils

  Percentage GM pupils

  Kensington and Chelsea

  4

  1

  25·0

  3,203

  629

  19·6

  Lambeth

  10

  5

  50·0

  6,350

  3,363

  53·0

  Lewisham

  13

  0

  0·0

  10,515

  0

  0·0

  Southwark

  14

  5

  35·7

  9,121

  2,765

  30·3

  Tower Hamlets

  15

  1

  6·7

  11,582

  907

  7·8

  Wandsworth

  10

  6

  60·0

  8,907

  6,487

  72·8

  Westminster

  8

  0

  0·0

  7,358

  0

  0·0

  Barking

  8

  0

  0·0

  9,493

  0

  0·0

  Barnet

  21

  9

  42·9

  18,416

  8,946

  48·6

  Bexley

  16

  4

  25·0

  14,391

  2,818

  19·6

  Brent

  14

  8

  57·1

  12,387

  8,154

  65·8

  Bromley

  17

  11

  64·7

  16,688

  10,581

  63·4

  Croydon

  20

  4

  20·0

  14,561

  3,713

  25·5

  Ealing

  12

  5

  41·7

  10,998

  4,905

  44·6

  Enfield

  17

  5

  29·4

  17,390

  5,576

  32·1

  Haringey

  9

  0

  0·0

  9,060

  0

  0·0

  Harrow

  10

  1

  10·0

  7,965

  483

  6·1

  Havering

  18

  4

  22·2

  14,825

  3,813

  25·7

  Hillingdon

  17

  12

  70·6

  13,715

  11,467

  83·6

  Hounslow

  14

  2

  14·3

  14,010

  2,108

  15·0

  Kingston upon Thames

  10

  4

  40·0

  7,607

  2,859

  37·6

  Merton

  11

  0

  0·0

  7,167

  0

  0·0

  Newham

  14

  1

  7·1

  13,575

  556

  4·1

  Redbridge

  14

  1

  7·1

  14,952

  1,113

  7·4

  Richmond upon Thames

  8

  0

  0·0

  7,447

  0

  0·0

  Sutton

  14

  8

  57·1

  11,065

  6,591

  59·6

  Waltham Forest

  16

  2

  12·5

  11,049

  1,915

  17·3

  Totals

  408

  102

  25·0

  348,629

  93,318

  26·8

  Table C: All schools

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  LEA

  Total number schools

  Total number GM schools

  Percentage GMS in LEA

  Total number pupils

  Total number GM pupils

  Percentage GM pupils

  Corporation of London

  4

  0

  0·0

  1,795

  0

  0·0

  Camden

  90

  2

  2·2

  27,541

  2,340

  8·5

  Greenwich

  112

  0

  0·0

  38,182

  0

  0·0

  Hackney

  103

  0

  0·0

  28,246

  0

  0·0

  Hammersmith

  71

  1

  1·4

  19,605

  1,229

  6·3

  Islington

  78

  0

  0·0

  23,295

  0

  0·0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  78

  2

  2·6

  20,365

  955

  4·7

  Lambeth

  115

  10

  8·7

  28,366

  4,613

  16·3

  Lewisham

  100

  1

  1·0

  35,046

  361

  1·0

  Southwark

  114

  10

  8·8

  36,788

  4,030

  11·0

  Tower Hamlets

  107

  1

  0·9

  33,841

  907

  2·7

  Wandsworth

  115

  8

  7·0

  32,304

  7,002

  21·7

  Westminster

  81

  0

  0·0

  22,616

  0

  0·0

  Barking

  65

  0

  0·0

  25,373

  0

  0·0

  Barnet

  146

  11

  7·5

  48,850

  9,722

  19·9

  Bexley

  90

  6

  6·7

  34,112

  3,265

  9·6

  Brent

  101

  9

  8·9

  37,168

  8,647

  23·3

  Bromley

  120

  13

  10·8

  43,202

  11,515

  26·7

  Croydon

  155

  6

  3·9

  50,660

  4,549

  9·0

  Ealing

  134

  9

  6·7

  45,378

  6,122

  13·5

  Enfield

  99

  6

  6·1

  42,479

  5,725

  13·5

  Haringey

  105

  0

  0·0

  31,106

  0

  0·0

  Harrow

  83

  1

  1·2

  31,983

  483

  1·5

  Havering

  102

  4

  3·9

  35,353

  3,813

  10·8

  Hillingdon

  106

  23

  21·7

  37,753

  14,069

  37·3

  Hounslow

  88

  2

  2·3

  34,493

  2,108

  6·1

  Kingston upon Thames

  64

  5

  7·8

  21,623

  3,050

  14·1

  Merton

  76

  0

  0·0

  25,980

  0

  0·0

  Newham

  98

  1

  1·0

  40,266

  556

  1·4

  Redbridge

  89

  l

  1·1

  38,043

  1,113

  2·9

  Richmond upon Thames

  71

  0

  0·0

  25,040

  0

  0·0

  Sutton

  71

  0

  15·5

  26,232

  7,390

  28·2

  Waltham Forest

  91

  2

  2·2

  33,357

  1,915

  5·7

  Totals

  3,122

  145

  4·6

  1,056,441

  105,479

  10·0

  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.
  622 623
  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 independent 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.

  Expelled Pupils
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils have been expelled from secondary schools for(a) drug abuse and (b) violence in each of the London boroughs 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. In England, 81 pupils were excluded for drug-related offences and solvent abuse in year one and 179 in year two. The figures for physical aggression against others was 1,059 and 1,476 respectively. It is not possible to provide an area breakdown of the figure because of assurances given as to confidentiality.

  Opted-out Schools (Advertisements)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the cost of the advertisements relating to opting out of schools which have appeared in recent editions of the Radio Times.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The total cost of the recent advertising campaign, which was designed to give governors, schools and parents access to the factual information published by the Department on grant-maintained status and which ran for five weeks, was around £200,000. The advertisements appeared in The Independent, The Guardian, the Sunday Times, The Mail on Sunday, The Observer, The Times Educational Supplement, as well as the Radio Times. It is not possible to disaggregate the cost of the advertisements that appeared in the Radio Times.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many respondents there have been to the advertisements regarding the opting out of schools which appeared in recent editions of the Radio Times.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  To date there have been almost 3,000 responses. The advertisements appeared in The Independent, The Guardian, the Sunday Times, The Mail on Sunday, The Observer, The Times Educational Supplement, as well as the Radio Times. Almost 500 of the responses were related to the advertisements in the Radio Times.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish a table giving the number of applicants per place on offer in higher education establishments in all major subject areas in September 1993.

  Mr. Boswell
  Institutions decide within the resources available to them how many students in any given subject area to admit. The ratio of home applications to acceptances/admissions through the Universities Central 624
  Council on Admissions and the polytechnics central admissions systems respectively for entry in autumn 1993 is shown.

  Subject

  UCCA1 2 Rate of applications to acceptances

  PCAS1 2 Rate of applications to admissions

  Medicine and dentistry

  10·3 : 1

  —

  Topics allied to medicine

  12·4 : 1

  11·5 : 1

  Biological sciences

  8·0 : 1

  10·8 : 1

  Agriculture and related subjects

  7·2 : 1

  3·6 : 1

  Physical sciences

  6·1 : 1

  7·6 : 1

  Mathematical sciences

  6·6 : 1

  5·1 : 1

  Engineering and technology

  6·6 : 1

  5·3 : 1

  Architecture, building and planning

  11·1 : 1

  5·6 : 1

  Social science

  10·2 : 1

  10·4 : 1

  Business and administration

  11·3 :1

  7·6 : 1

  Mass communication and documentation

  20·8 : 1

  11·0 : 1

  Languages and related studies

  7·6 : 1

  11·6 :1

  Humanities

  6·8 : 1

  11·6 : 1

  Creative arts

  13·0 : 1

  11·7 : 1

  Education

  11·6 : 1

  12·0 : 1

  Combined subjects

  8·9 : 1

  6·5 : 1

  Total

  8·8 : 1

  8·3 : 1

  Source of data:

  UCCA—Table 7 and Figure 5 from the UCCA 31st report 1992–93.

  PCAS—PCAS statistical supplement 1992–93 due to be published by UCAS in June 1994.

  Notes:

  1 For 1993 entry some 48 per cent. of all applicants to higher education through UCCA and PCAS applied to both schemes. Their applications to acceptances/admissions are included in both columns.

  2 The average number of applications per applicant is 4·2 and 3·5 for UCCA and PCAS respectively. The division of the ratios in each column by the average number of applications per applicant gives an approximate measure of the ratio of the numbers of applicants in each subject area to the numbers accepted or admitted.

  Discretionary Awards
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many new discretionary awards were offered to students on educational courses; and what was the value of the awards in(a) England as a whole and (b) in each local education authority for the year 1992–93 and for the year 1993–94, broken down in each case for higher education level courses and further education level courses.

  Mr. Boswell
  Provisional figures for the academic year 1992–93, the latest available, indicate that 131,500 new discretionary awards were made by local education authorities in England. Information on the value of new discretionary awards is not collected centrally. Information on the numbers and value of discretionary awards made by individual local education authorities and on the level of the courses supported is not yet available.

  Suspended Teachers
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many(a) head teachers and (b) teachers were suspended in (i) 1992–93 and (ii) 1993–94 following

  625
  allegations made against them by children in schools; and if he will estimate the teaching hours lost through suspensions.

  Mr. Forth
  This information is not held centrally. The power to suspend teachers rests with head teachers and governing bodies of schools with delegated budgets under schemes for the local management of schools. Local education authorities have such power only in respect of school teachers employed elsewhere. Neither schools nor LEAs are required to inform the Department for Education when they suspend a teacher.

  Further Education Colleges
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what power he has to shorten the period of office of governors of former local authority colleges of further education; what financial consequences he expects from failure by colleges to agree the new contract between the College Employers Forum and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend does not have the power to reduce the period of office of college governors except in exceptional circumstances. Under section 57 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, if the Secretary of State is satisfied that the affairs of any institution within the further education sector have been or are being mismanaged he may, on the recommendation of the Futher Education Funding Council, remove all or any of the members of the governing body and appoint new members in their places. Some £50 million of the Further Education Funding Council's grant will be held back in 1994–95. It will be released when college governing bodies certify that all contracts for new staff from 1 April 1994 provide adequate flexibility for the college's needs. It is for colleges to decide whether adoption of the contract recently agreed by CEF and ATL will allow them to do this.

  Education Costs
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the cost to public funds of the education of an average pupil at an average grant-maintained and at an average local authority secondary school in 1992–93.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The average recurrent spending per pupil in 1992–93 was £2,450 for grant-maintained secondary schools and is estimated as being £2,182 for local authority maintained secondary schools, reflecting the greater responsibilities of the former.

  Outdoor Education Centres
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the names, location and county of each of the outdoor education centres in England.

  Mr. Forth
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Disabled Student Allowance
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the take-up of the disabled student allowance; how it is administered; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  Mandatory awards are made by local education authorities to eligible students attending 626
  full-time first degree or comparable courses and courses of initial teacher training in the United Kingdom. The disabled students' allowances are assessed by local education authorities as part of the total maintenance requirement of mandatory award holders who are obliged, by reason of their disability, to incur additional expenditure in respect of their attendance at their courses. The total assessed value of the disabled students allowances before means-testing was £1,960,000 in 1991–92, the latest year for which figures are available. Information on the numbers of students receiving the disabled students' allowances is not available.

  Independent Schools
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) if he will list the independent schools that have been struck off the register of independent schools in the past five years, giving the date of when they were struck off;

  (2) if he will list the private and independent schools that have received a notice of complaint from his Department within the past five years with the date of issue of the notice and the number made for each school.

  Mr. Forth
  In the five years 1989–94 the registrar of independent schools has caused one school, namely Hilsea college, to be struck off the register in accordance with section 73 of the Education Act 1944.

  During the same period, eight schools have been served with notices of complaint under section 71 of the Act. It is not the Government's policy to name schools served with a notice of complaint, unless this leads to a subsequent decision that the school should be struck off the register.

  Also, during the same period, 233 schools have voluntarily removed their names from the register. In many cases, the closure of these schools followed official letters from the registrar addressing concerns about standards of accommodation, tuition and other matters which, but for the school's voluntary closure, might have led to a notice of complaint.

  School Inspections
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the private and independent schools that were inspected by Her Majesty's inspectorate in the three years up to 1 September 1992, giving the date of the inspection.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  A list of the independent schools inspected by HMI between 1 September 1989 and 31 August 1992 showing the date of the inspection has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the private and independent schools that have been inspected by Her Majesty's inspector of schools or the Office for Standards in Education in the past five years, giving the date of inspection, where the inspection led to a published report.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The new Government Department, the Office for Standards in Education, was created on 1 September 1992. All inspections carried out by Her Majesty's inspectorate or reports published since that date are a matter for Ofsted. I have asked Professor Sutherland to write to the hon. Member.
  627
  Those independent schools which received an Her Majesty's inspectorate inspection between 1 September 1989 and 31 August 1992 which led to published reports are as follows:

  School name

  Date of visit

  Annie Lawson School

  6 June 1990

  Nanhurst School

  30 October 1989

  Oaktree House

  11 June 1990

  Rodney School

  3 June 1991

  Stonely Grange School

  14 October 1991

  The Small School at Red House

  30 January 1992

  Wells Cathedral School

  1 December 1989

  Dyslexia
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many appeals from Doncaster education authority relating to dyslexia are being currently dealt with by his Department;

  (2) how many appeals are currently with his Department in respect of children who have been statemented by Doncaster local education authority; how many statements have been assessed; and how many children have been made the subject of formal assessment by Doncaster education authority for each of the last 10 years;

  (3) how many children have been (a) statemented and (b) formally assessed by Doncaster education authority in each year for the last 10 years, whose special need is as a result of diagnosis of dyslexia.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department is currently dealing with two appeals from parents of children with special educational needs in Doncaster. Neither of these children has dyslexia.

  Information on the number of formal assessments and statements made by Doncaster LEA, for each year since 1984, is shown in the table. Information is not available centrally on the special need or needs for which a given statement was issued.

  Sixth Forms
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what are the expected numbers of pupils in each of the new sixth forms he announced on 16 February in Departmental press notice 42/94.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The total numbers of pupils in the sixth forms concerned are expected to be:

  Number

  The Arnewood School, Hampshire

  236

  The Burgate School, Hampshire

  120

  Chellaston School, Derbyshire

  200

  The King John School, Essex

  282

  The Merrill Community School, Derbyshire

  100

  Ringwood School, Hampshire

  120

  Sheringham High School, Norfolk

  120

  New school for pupils aged 11 to 18 years in Halifax, Calderdale

  120

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Family Credit
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy for lone parents to be reassessed for family credit, if their circumstances change, one month or more after the previous assessment.

  Mr. Burt
  No. Family credit awards are fixed for 26 weeks and neither increases nor decreases in income during that period are taken into account. This works to the advantage of many beneficiaries.

  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many lone mothers on family credit were affected by the regulations introduced by his Department on 7 February to reduce the maintenance payments from their former partners; and how much money on average they will lose before their family credit is reassessed.

  Mr. Burt
  We estimate that there are fewer than 1,000 families whose family credit awards have been based on a Child Support Agency maintenance assessment figure and where this maintenance may be liable to reduction as a result of the recent child support changes. We estimate that the average loss per family will be under £100 in total. However, those families entitled to housing benefit and council tax benefit, or who become entitled following changes in maintenance, could recover up to 85 per cent. of their loss through an increase of those benefits.

  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will reimburse lone mothers at their next assessment for family credit for loss of income incurred as a result of the regulations introduced on 7 February to reduce the level of maintenance payments from their former partners;

  (2) whether he will ensure that funds will be made available to reimburse lone parents on family credit for losses incurred in income as a result of DSS regulations introduced on 7 February to reduce the level of maintenance payments from their former partners.

  Mr. Burt
  Family credit awards are fixed for 26 weeks and neither increases or decreases in income during that period are taken into account. This works to the advantage of many beneficiaries. Any reduction in maintenance during the period of a family credit award will be taken into account in assessing the renewal award. However, those families entitled to housing benefit and council tax benefit, or who become entitled following changes in maintenance, could recover up to 85 per cent. of any loss through an increase of those benefits.

  Ministerial Offices
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost of new furniture for his private office during the year 1993–94.

  Mr. Hague
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no new furniture for his private office in 1993–94.

  Income Support (Further Education)
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will amend regulations so as to ensure that parents on income support receiving allowances and
  629
  benefits on account of their children in further education should continue to receive the allowances after the children turn 19 until the end of the young person's course of study;

  (2) what study he has made of the effect of the withdrawal from parents on income support of benefits and allowances in respect of young people following courses in further education, when those young people reach the age of 19 years; and how many students then give up their courses as a result.

  Mr. Burt
  We believe that young people remaining at school after their 19th birthday to complete their studies, and their families, should turn for any necessary additional financial assistance to the sources of funding available through the educational maintenance system.

  The information requested about the numbers involved is not available.

  Industrial Injuries Compensation
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what amount was recovered, under section 22 of the Social Security Act 1989, from the damages paid to victims of industrial injury for(a) the Doncaster area, (b) South Yorkshire as a whole by year for the last four years and (c) the current year to date.

  Mr. Hague
  This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what schemes he has launched to compensate disabled people for the increased value added tax being introduced from 1 April.

  Mr. Scott
  Details of the extra help in respect of VAT on domestic fuel were given in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough and Horncastle (Mr. Leigh) on 30 November 1993 at columns 437–38.

  Prisoners (Resettlement Grants)
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what guidance is given to social fund officers regarding the priority given to resettlement grants to those leaving prison;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to ensure that resettlement grants to those leaving prison are given high priority in all areas of the country.

  Mr. Scott
  People leaving prison are among those specifically included in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's list of groups normally to be given priority for community care grants. Guidance on priority groups is contained in the social fund guide, in the Library. However, it is for each individual social fund officer, who acts independently, to decide the priority of an application after fully considering all the circumstances of the particular case.

  Pensions
  Mr. Radice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the cost to date to public funds of the incentive for contracting out pensions.

  Mr. Hague
  The cost to the national insurance fund to date of the 2 per cent. incentive to newly contracted-out pensions is estimated at £.3·6 billion.
  630
  Mr. Radice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many rebate-only personal pensions have been sold since they were introduced; what is the estimated administrative expense involved in each case; what controls there are over administrative expenses in such cases; and what requirements as to warnings to purchasers comparing the risks and expense overheads compared with the state earnings-related pension scheme have been made by the DSS.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is not available in the form requested. Since 1988, the Contributions Agency has received 6,456,901 applications to contract out of SERPS by way of an appropriate personal pension—although the number of APP holders in any one year would be less than that. Inland Revenue data suggest that, in the financial year 1991–92, 2·1 million APP holders made payments in addition to the DSS contribution. Information about the administrative expenses connected with those pensions is not available. Rules on the marketing of personal pensions and other investment products are a matter for the Securities and Investments Board.

  Mr. Radice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the estimated total administrative expense of appropriate personal pensions and the equivalent anticipated administrative expenses for the contracted-out cohort through the national insurance fund.

  Mr. Hague
  The information requested is not available.

  Benefits, London
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are currently receiving(a) attendance allowance, (b) disability allowance, (c) family credit, (d) income support, (e) invalidity benefit and (f) sickness benefit in each of the London boroughs; and what were the respective figures for 1990.

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

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate for the Lewisham area the number of people who will be affected by the decision to reduce the entitlement to unemployment benefit from 12 months to six months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not available. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Ealing, Southall (Mr. Khabra) on 18 January at column 559.

  VAT (Domestic Fuel)
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much financial assistance will be made available by the Government to individual residents of sheltered housing units with communal facilities to help them meet increased costs resulting from the imposition of VAT on domestic fuel.

  Mr. Burt
  People in sheltered housing may be entitled to receive any of the wide range of social security benefits that are available, subject to individual circumstances.
  631
  Details of the extra help in respect of VAT on domestic fuel were given in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough and Horncastle (Mr. Leigh) on 30 November 1993 at columns 437–38.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many residents in sheltered housing units with communal facilities will be eligible for extra financial assistance from the Government to help meet increased costs resulting from the imposition of VAT on domestic fuel(a) in London and (b) in Lewisham; and how many such residents there are in total (i) in London and (ii) in Lewisham.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not available.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of existing recipients of invalidity benefit in the Doncaster area who will be disqualified under the new capacity test.

  Mr. Scott
  Numbers cannot be reliably estimated at this stage, but our current estimate is that around 200,000 of the people who will initially transfer to incapacity benefit from invalidity benefit may fail to satisfy the test within the first two years. The estimate cannot be broken down by district.

  War Pensions
  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, following consultation, he has reached a decision on the proposals to exclude death or disablement caused by a smoking or alcohol-related disease from the scope of the war pensions scheme.

  Mr. Hague
  Following consultation, we have decided to go ahead with the change but with a significant easement. We originally proposed to except from the exclusion any individual who suffered from a service-related mental disablement that was assessed at 80 per cent. or more and therefore caused him to smoke or drink.

  We have decided to set the minimum level of mental disablement that will be considered at 50 per cent. Individual claims will still be subject to the further test that, whatever the assessed level of disablement, it must also cause the individual to smoke, or prevent him from giving up.

  An amending order will be laid shortly.

  Unemployed People (Voluntary Organisations)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will review the rules allowing the unemployed to work for voluntary organisations which engage in political activities.

  Mr. Hague
  The rules governing benefits for unemployment allow unemployed people to undertake voluntary work for voluntary bodies without losing benefit, provided that they remain available for and actively seeking work. The Social Security (Unemployment, Sickness and Invalidity Benefit) Amendment Regulations 1993 define a voluntary body as"a body the activities of which ale carried out otherwise than for the purpose of profit".

  We have no plans to review these rules.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many public interest immunity certificates he has signed in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Hague
  No Secretary of State for Social Security has signed a public interest immunity certificate since 1990.

WALES

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were not on waiting lists for treatment but waiting to see a specialist in the NHS on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October of each year since 1 January 1990.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The following table gives the number of people waiting for a first out-patient attendance at Welsh hospitals for each available date since 31 March 1990. Such information is collected centrally for 31 March and 30 September only.

  Number of people waiting for a first out patient attendance

  Number

  31 March 1990

  83,151

  30 September 1990

  91,403

  31 March 1991

  86,653

  30 September 1991

  96,078

  31 March 1992

  97,109

  30 September 1992

  113,044

  31 March 1993

  118,853

  30 September 1993

  127,802

  Work of Equal Value
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the past and current number of equal value cases in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Information is not available in the form requested. However, the table shows the numbers of all equal pay cases—which included equal value cases—dealt with by the Cardiff regional office of the industrial tribunals in the period April 1985 to 31 March 1993.

  Applications registered

  1985–86

  6

  1986–87

  7

  1987–88

  96

  1988–89

  12

  1989–90

  12

  1990–91

  36

  1991–92

  17

  1992–93

  60

  The Cardiff region of the industrial tribunals currently serves the whole of Wales, together with parts of Shropshire and Herefordshire. Prior to January 1986, the Birmingham office included part of the current Cardiff region in its catchment area. In addition, prior to 1987, the former regional office at Liverpool served the north Wales area.

  Minimum Wages Protection
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on minimum wages protection in Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  Statutory minimum wage fixing, in Wales or elsewhere, distorts the operation of the labour market and destroys jobs.

  Tourism
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he had with the chairman of the Welsh tourist board over the choice of the Welsh celebrities chosen to feature on the posters and other advertising literature used to attract visitors to Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  None.

  Forestry
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will be seeking public consultation on the options presented to him by the forestry review group.

  Mr. Redwood
  We are now considering the forestry review group's report; the form and timing of consultation will depend on the conclusions which we draw from it.

  Outdoor Education Centres
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the names, location and county of each of the outdoor education centres in Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Surplus School Places
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what assessment he has as to the number of surplus school places; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will publish for each education authority in Wales and for Wales as a whole, his Department's assessment of surplus school places in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools for the latest available year.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Department's estimate of the number of surplus school places as at January 1993 is as follows:

  Local education authority

  Primary

  Secondary

  Clwyd

  7,676

  2,110

  Dyfed

  8,827

  1,147

  Gwent

  7,453

  9,133

  Gwynedd

  4,435

  4,355

  Mid Glamorgan

  13,027

  5,952

  Powys

  3,173

  1,581

  South Glamorgan

  8,491

  6,363

  West Glamorgan

  11,318

  6,321

  WALES

  64,400

  36,962

  Local authorities will recognise that removal of unwanted surplus school places would release significant resources for redeployment in other areas of the education service.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place a copy in the Library of the efficiency scrutiny of the monitoring arrangements for sponsoring non-departmental public bodies in Wales carried out during 1993 by the Prime Minister's efficiency unit.

  Mr. Redwood
  When I have considered the report's recommendations and what action is needed, I will place a copy, together with my plans for implementing them, in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those non-departmental public bodies which have not had a financial management and policy review for more than five years.

  Mr. Redwood
  All executive NDPBs are subject to financial management and policy reviews at five-year intervals. The reviews due by or in the current financial year have been completed or are in the process of being carried out, with the exception of the Curriculum Council for Wales and the Welsh National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting. The Curriculum Council for Wales is to be replaced from 1 April this year by the new Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales. The review of the Welsh national board has been postponed pending decisions on reviews on the analogous English, Scottish and Northern Irish boards.

  NHS Accounting Officer
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales who will be the accounting officer for the expenditure on the national health service in Wales subsequent to the planned merger between the national health service directorate in Wales and his Department's health policy division; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Mr. Peter Gregory.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the initial external financial limit for each of the existing and new national health service trusts in Wales for the year commencing April 1994; and if he will give the level of capital spending agreed for each trust for the same financial year.

  Mr. Redwood
  I shall be issuing details of the provisional 1994–95 external financing limits for each of the existing and new NHS trusts in Wales shortly.

  Conflicts of Interest (Advice)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 28 February,Official Report, column 596, if he will specify the date on which he will place in the Library the relevant advice and guidance on conflicts of interest.

  Mr. Redwood
  A copy of the relevant guidance was placed in the Library of the House on 14 March.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many public interest immunity certificates he has signed in each year since 1990.
  635
  Mr. Redwood
  None.

  Industrial Business Allowances
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those projects in Wales that have received industrial business allowances.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have been asked to reply.

  This information is not collected centrally. In any case, normal taxpayer confidentiality rules would rule out publication.

EMPLOYMENT

  Unemployment
  Ms Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in Lambeth have been unemployed for more than two years.

  Miss Widdecombe
  For the Lambeth local authority district, 5,907 on the unadjusted claimant count basis in January 1994.

  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for unemployed men in the Liverpool travel-to-work area; and what proportion of these have never worked at all.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The figure was 55,846 on the unadjusted basis in January 1994. The claimant unemployment count does not record details of previous employment history.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of youth unemployment in the Doncaster area and the level 12 months ago.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In the Doncaster travel-to-work area unadjusted claimant unemployment among 18 to 24-year-olds has fallen by 15 per cent. in the past year, from 5,065 in January 1993 to 4,301 in January 1994.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of people who are unemployed but who do not appear in his Department's claimant count of unemployed people for January.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The claimant measure and the International Labour Organisation recommended measure both show falling unemployment in the United Kingdom, at about 2·8 million.

  Trade Unions
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from individual members of trade unions arguing that the trade union legislation since 1979 should be repealed.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Hardly any.

  Redundant Miners
  Mr. Hoon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the employment prospects of miners made redundant as the result of recent colliery closures.
  636
  Miss Widdecombe
  British Coal Enterprise is very active in resettling ex-mineworkers, with success rates of 85 per cent. 12 months since pits have closed.

  BCE is continuing its valuable and successful resettlement efforts for all ex-mineworkers.

  North Norfolk Action
  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give a progress report on North Norfolk Action.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Early indications are that North Norfolk Action is successfully achieving its aim of helping unemployed people back into work or into further training.

  Astra Training Agency
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if his Department will make a statement on the implications for training provision and the losses to the public purse of the privatisation and subsequent bankruptcy of the Astra training agency.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The receivership of Astra Training Services has had no implications for training provision, as training and enterprise councils have found alternative training for those affected. Astra was losing £30 million a year before privatisation. The Department is now a creditor of Astra for the statutory payments made by the redundancy payments service to those employees made redundant. It is therefore too early to say what the net cost will be.

  Health and Safety
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which health and safety at work regulations he considers to be a burden on business.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This is among the questions that I have put to the Health and Safety Commission and I am awaiting its advice.

  Confederation of British Industry
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he last met representatives of the CBI to discuss problems in the labour market.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met Howard Davies on 18 February.

  ABB Transportation Ltd.
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps his Department has taken to ensure that the workers made redundant last year by ABB Transportation Ltd. in York received the unemployment benefits to which they are entitled.

  Miss Widdecombe
  So far as I am aware, there are no outstanding cases of clients not having received unemployment benefit to which they are entitled.

  Maximum Working Week
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received in support of a statutory maximum working week of 35 hours.
  637
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None. Statutory controls of this type serve only to destroy jobs and the prosperity of workers.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of persons in full-time work on 1 January.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In September 1993 there were 17,427,000 full-time workers in Great Britain. December 1993 figures will be published tomorrow.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the proportions of full-time adult manual workers, full-time adult non-manual workers, and all full-time adult workers with earnings, including overtime, of less than(a) £100, (b) £120, (c) £140, (d) £160, (e) £180, (f) £200 and (g) £220 per week in the Doncaster area; and if he will provide separate figures for males and females.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information available from the new earnings survey is for South Yorkshire and is as follows:

  Full-time employees on adult rates in the county of South Yorkshire—pay unaffected by absence: proportion with gross weekly earnings (including overtime) below the following amounts: at April 1993

  Amount

  Male

  Female

  All

  Manual employees

  £100

  0·5

  4·5

  1·1

  £120

  1·7

  19·2

  4·5

  £140

  4·7

  37·2

  9·8

  £160

  9·0

  48·7

  15·3

  £180

  13·2

  62·8

  21·1

  £200

  21·8

  79·5

  30·9

  £220

  29·7

  86·5

  38·7

  Non-manual employees

  £100

  0·5

  1·6

  1·0

  £120

  1·4

  5·1

  3·1

  £140

  3·3

  11·2

  6·9

  £160

  6·2

  20·6

  12·7

  £180

  8·5

  29·3

  17·9

  £200

  12·8

  39·7

  25·0

  £220

  17·5

  50·2

  32·3

  All employees

  £100

  0·5

  2·1

  1·0

  £120

  1·6

  7·9

  3·6

  £140

  4·0

  16·2

  8·1

  £160

  7·6

  26·1

  13·8

  £180

  10·9

  35·8

  19·2

  £200

  17·4

  47·4

  27·4

  £220

  23·8

  57·3

  34·9

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average wage of(a) males and (b) females in part-time employment in the Doncaster area for each year since 1979, and this year to date.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information available from the new earnings survey for part-time female employees in the county of South Yorkshire is shown in the following table. There were too few part-time male employees in the new earnings survey samples for reliable figures to be produced.
  638

  Average gross weekly earnings for part-time females in the county of South Yorkshire for the years 1979 to 1993 inclusive

  Year

  Average gross weekly earnings part-time female £

  1979

  25·2

  1980

  32·5

  1981

  35·1

  1982

  38·3

  1983

  41·5

  1984

  44·1

  1985

  47·3

  1986

  49·8

  1987

  52·7

  1988

  56·0

  1989

  64·9

  1990

  72·6

  1991

  78·5

  1992

  88·2

  1993

  89·4

  Job Creation
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of differences in levels of job creation in the USA since 1980 and job creation in the European Community over the same period, in both the private and public sectors.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Between 1980 and 1991 the USA created over 17·5 million jobs, mostly in the private sector, while the EC created 6·5 million jobs, mostly in the public sector.

  Mountain Search and Rescue
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to improve the employment and training prospects of people engaged in mountain search and rescue-related activity.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I very much welcome the role volunteers play in a wide range of activities, including mountain rescue, and would encourage employers to recognise the value of volunteering not just to the community but to their own business.

  Local Government Reform
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made in changes in patterns of employment as a result of local government reform.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  It is for local authorities to decide their own staffing structures.

  Training
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total amount spent by his Department for training in England in each year since 1989–90, the expected outturn in 1993–94, and plans for 1994–95 in 1993–94 prices and cash terms.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is given in the following table:
  639

  Training expenditure 1989–90 to 1993–94 and plans for 1994–95 at 1993–94 prices, England1 2

  £ million

  1989–90

  Cash

  2,240

  Real terms

  2,760

  1990–91

  Cash

  2,053

  Real terms

  2,340

  1991–92

  Cash

  1,906

  Real terms

  2,043

  1992–93

  Cash

  1,869

  Real terms

  1,930

  1993–94

  Estimated outturn

  1,938

  1994–95

  (Plans)3

  Cash

  1,892

  Real terms

  1,819

  1 Excludes European social fund.

  2Excludes administration/running costs.

  3 Excludes programmes transferring to the single regeneration budget.

  Since 1989–90, approaching 1 million young people have entered youth training. An estimated 133,000 have been helped in 1993–94; plans for 1994–95 are for 147,000 young people to enter the programme. YT funding for 1994–95 will be £692 million, which is £50 million more than the training and enterprise councils are forecast to spend this year. Further increases are planned for future years.

  Training for work and its predecessors have helped almost 1·5 million unemployed people since 1989–90. Expenditure on TFW in England in 1994–95 will be £705 million: 115,000 places will be provided and 273,000 long-term unemployed people will be helped, compared with 240,000 in 1993–94.

  In addition, this of course excludes money raised by TECs themselves, and the estimated £20 billion spent by employers on training each year.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total amount spent by his Department for training in Great Britain in each year since 1989–90, the expected outturn in 1993–94 and plans for 1994–95 in 1993–94 prices and cash terms.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is given in the table. The figures include training programme expenditure and administrative running costs.

  Training expenditure 1989–90 to 1993–94 andplans for 1994–95 at 1993–94 prices—Great Britain

  £ million

  1989–90

  Cash

  2,940

  Real terms

  3,622

  1990–91

  Cash

  2,802

  Real terms

  3,194

  1991–92

  Cash

  2,694

  Real terms

  2,888

  640

  £ million

  1992–93

  Cash

  2,693

  Real terms

  2,781

  1993–94

  Estimated outturn

  2,828

  Total planned expenditure for 1994–95 is available for England only. Planned expenditure for Wales and Scotland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales.

  Wages Councils
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of females in Wales affected by the abolition of the wages councils.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  It was estimated that in 1992 there were some 120,000 workers, men and women aged 21 or over, in Wales covered by the wages councils. Estimates of the number of women formerly covered by the councils in the constituent parts of Great Britain are not available.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who are the members currently appointed to the Central Arbitration Committee.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The members of the Central Arbitration Committee on 10 March 1994 were:

  Sir John Wood (Chairman)

  Professor S. Kessler (Deputy Chairman)

  Mr. S. McDowall (Deputy Chairman)

  Professor R. W. Rideout (Deputy Chairman)

  Ms S. Rothwell (Deputy Chairman)

  Mr. D. Sawbridge (Deputy Chairman)

  Miss S. R. Corby

  Mr. L. D. Cowan

  Mr. G. L. Dennis

  Ms B. Hillon

  Miss I. Innes

  Mrs. T. Marsland

  Miss A. Minto

  Mr. P. Moseley

  Professor A. J. Pointon

  Mr. A. E. Powell

  Mr. P. N. Scott

  Mr. D. A. P. Staines

  Miss D. Whittingham

  Mr. G. Wright

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who are the members currently appointed to the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The members of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Council on 10 March 1994 were:

  Mr. J. W. Hougham (Chairman)

  Mrs. O. Aikin

  Mr. G.J. Armstrong

  Mr. J. W. Edmonds

  Professor J. F. B. Goodman

  Mr. W.Jordan

  Mr. W.B. Keates

  Mr. W. J. Knox

  Mr. J. S. Monks

  Professor A. J. Pointon

  Mrs. C. Wells

  641
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who are the members currently appointed to Remploy Ltd.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The members of Remploy's board are as follows:

  The two officers are:

  Chairman David Heywood

  Chief Executive Tony Whithey

  There are three executive directors:

  Simon Norris

  Kenneth Taylor

  Maurice Westbrook

  and six non-executive directors:

  William Bogie

  Derek Boothman

  Roy Jackson

  Jennifer Laing

  John Ramsey

  Ann Roberts

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who are the members currently appointed to the Civil Service Arbitration Tribunal.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The members of the Civil Service Arbitration Tribunal on 10 March 1994 were:

  Sir David Calcutt (Chairman)

  Mr. D. J. Burt OBE

  Mr. L. D. Cowan

  Mr. J. R. Crosby

  Mr. J. D. Hughes

  Lord McCarthy

  Mr. D. Robinson

  Mrs. J. C. Rubin

  Lord Wedderburn

  Mr. G. E. Yates

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who are the members currently appointed to the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The members currently appointed by the Secretary of State to the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board are as follows:

  CHAIRMAN

  N. N. W. Dunlop—Director, Foster Wheeler Energy Ltd.

  MEMBERS

  A. Y. Innes—Managing Director, Babcock Construction Ltd.

  A. McPherson—Regional Contracts Director, Press Offshore Ltd.

  R. S. Miller—Managing Director, Octavius Atkinson and Sons Ltd.

  J. A. Murphy—Managing Director, Motherwell Bridge Construction Group.

  M. O'Reilly—Managing Director, Caxios Ltd.

  J. B. Orr MBE—International Projects Director, Davy Metals

  T. D. Sullivan—Director of Construction, NEI. International Combustion Ltd.

  R. F. Wood—Managing Director, Jordan Engineering UK Ltd.

  D. N. Odling—Director of Sales and Marketing, AOC International Ltd.

  W. A. French—Assistant Principal, Falkirk College of Technology.

  D. Hewitt—National Secretary, GMB Technical Craft Section

  T. Maclean—National Secretary, Construction Section, Amalgamated Engineering Union.

  M. L Morton—Director, Oil and Chemical Plan Constructors' Association.

  J. G. Porter—Director, National Engineering Construction Employers's Association.

  A. C. Probert—Senior Consultant, Industrial Relations, BP Engineering.

  642

  R. B. Williams—Manager, Project services Branch, PowerGen PLC.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who are the members currently appointed to the Construction Industry Training Board.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The members currently appointed by the Secretary of State to the Construction Industry Training Board are as follows:

  Chairman

  Sir Clifford Chetwood

  Deputy Chairman

  H. W. Try-Chairman, Try Group Plc.

  Members

  P. F. R. Backaller—Managing Director, Stribley and Backaller (Builders) Ltd.

  A. J. Barry—Chairman, Commercial Finishing Contractors Group.

  I. Dixon, CBE—Chairman, Wilmott Dixon Ltd.

  J. R. T. Douglas, OBE—Chairman, Tilbury Douglas Plc.

  A. N. Duncan—Chairman, Duncan Group (Scotland) Ltd.

  G. M. Fordy—Chairman and Chief Executive, The FT Construction Group.

  P. Joyner—Managing Director, A. Joyner Ltd.

  I. M. McAlpine—Director (Midland Operations), Sir Robert McAlpine and Sons Ltd.

  D. McGinley—Managing Director, McGinley Construction Services Ltd.

  G. Thomas—Managing Director, Dyfed Joinery (Wales) Ltd.

  B. G. Tierney—Director, R. F. Peachey and Sons Ltd.

  Mrs. M. Todd—Chairman, A. E. Burt and Co. Ltd.

  G. B. Brumwell—General Secretary, UCATT.

  G. P. Henderson—National Building Secretary, TGWU.

  W. Duthie—Deputy Principal, Glasgow College of Building and Printing.

  Professor M. Romans—Executive Dean, Faculty of the Environment, University of Westminster.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who are the members currently employed to the Sheltered Employment Consultative Group.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Mr. M. Fogden to Mr. Peter Kilfoyle, dated 15 March 1994:

  The Secretary of State for Employment has asked me to reply to your question asking who are the members, currently appointed to the Sheltered Employment Consultative Group.

  Members' names are shown below:

  Mr. M. A. Barrett, OBE, Mr. D. Bradford, Mr. R. Bridges, MBE, Mr. K. Metcalf, Mr. J. Gallagher, Councillor A. Keenan, Mr. R. McManus, Mr. G. W. Mann, Councillor W. Minto, OBE, Mr. S. Norris, Mr. F. Rankin, Mr. G. H. Robins, Mr. R. Winter.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who are the members currently appointed to the National Advisory Council on Employment of People with Disabilities.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The members currently appointed to the National Advisory Council on Employment of People with Disabilities are:

  Council chairman:

  Mr. Alan Smith, MBE, FIPM, FBIM, FinstD

  Members representing employers:

  Ms Julie Mellor

  643

  Mr. Roger Spoor, OBE, RD, DCL(Hon), DL, FCA

  Mr. Alan Wild, BA(Hons), MIPM

  Members representing workers:

  Mr. William Anderson, BSc(Econ), FLA

  Mr. Richard Exell

  Mr. Peter Gallant, BSc, ARCS, C Chem, FRSC

  Independent members:

  Professor Ian Bruce, BSocSC, FBIM

  Mr. John Denholm

  Dr. Ann Fingret, MBBS, MFOM

  Sir Peter Large

  Mr. Peter MacDonald

  Mr. Bert Massie, OBE

  Dr. Clive Morton, OBE, CEng, MICE, MIPM

  Mr. Tim Papé, BSc

  Ms Susan Scott-Parker, BA

  Ms Dianah Worman

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who are the members currently appointed to the Health and Safety Commission.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Health and Safety Commission has a chairman, Mr. Frank Davies, and nine members: Eddie Carrick, Christopher Chope, Paul Gallagher, Peter Jacques, Nigel Pitcher, Geraldine Schofield, Rex Symons, Alan Tuffin and Dame Rachel Waterhouse.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who are the members currently appointed to the Equal Opportunities Commission.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The current members of the Equal Opportunities Council are as follows:

  Ms Kamlesh Bahl—Chairwoman

  Mrs. June Bridgeman—Deputy Chairwoman

  Ms Noren Bray—Director, Good Relations Limited

  Lady Brittan—Deputy Chair, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

  Ms Anne Gibson—National Officer, MSF

  Ms Bernadette Hillon—National Women's Officer, USDAW

  Mrs. Barbara Kelly—Partner in mixed dairy farming enterprise

  Mr. Clive Mather—Director of Personnel and Administration, Shell UK Limited

  Miss Anne Watts—Equal Opportunities Director, Midland Bank

  Ms Cecilia Wells—Consultant in Human Resources

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who are the members currently appointed to the National Council for Vocational Qualifications.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The members currently appointed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the National Council for Vocational Qualifications are as follows:

  CHAIRMAN

  Mr. Michael Heron—Chairman, the Post Office.

  MEMBERS

  Mr. John Barnes—Senior Lecturer in Political Science, London School of Economics and Political Science.

  Dr. John Capey OBE—Principal, Exeter College.

  Professor Raymond Cowell—Vice-Chancellor, the Nottingham Trent University.

  Mr. David Gwyther—Chairman, Somerset Training and Enterprise Council.

  Mr. PeterHill—Ex-Managing Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

  Mr. John Hillier (ex-officio member)—Chief Executive, NCVQ.

  Ms Prudence Leith OBE—Managing Director, Prudence Leith Ltd.

  Mr. Kevin Lyden—Managing Director, Shotton Paper Company Ltd.

  Mr. Leif Mills—General Secretary, Banking Insurance and Finance Union.

  Mr. John Randall—Director, Professional Standards and Development Directorate, the Law Society.

  Ms Ruth Silver—Principal, Lewisham College.

  Dr. John Spece OBE—Chairman, Training and Employment Agency, Belfast.

  644

  Mr. George Stevenson—Managing Director, Mathiesons Family Bakers.

  Immigrants (Employment)
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he next expects to meet his European counterparts to discuss the prospects for employment of legal immigrants from outside the Community.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State next expects to meet his European counterparts at the meeting of the Council of Ministers on 19 April 1994. A range of employment matters will be under discussion in the context of the follow up to the White Paper on "Growth, Competitiveness and Employment". Commissioner Flynn's Green Paper on social policy, which makes passing reference to improving employment opportunities for legal immigrants, may also be discussed.

  Union Levies
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to meet the Trades Union Congress general secretary to discuss union levies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have no plans for a meeting to discuss union levies. A trade union does not need a political fund levy unless it wishes to spend money on electoral or other party political activities.

  Pathfinder Career Service
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what factors have prevented the signing of contracts with tenderers for the Pathfinder career service; and what steps he is taking to overcome them.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Negotiations with organisations tendering to provide careers services are progressing well.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many contracts have now been signed with tenderers for the Pathfinder careers service; when any out-standing contracts will be signed; and if it is his policy that all the career services where tenders were received will be contracted out to tenderers; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The negotiations are of a commercial nature and are being treated in confidence. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will announce those organisations with which he will contract when negotiations are finalised.

  Outdoor Education Centres
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to start the inspection of outdoor education centres; and when the first report will be available.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Health and Safety Executive and local authorities both inspect outdoor activity centres, including outdoor education centres, as part of their routine work. The special programme of visits to outdoor activity centres will start on 1 April 1994 as the outdoor pursuit season gets under way. I will let the House know immediately if any areas of significant concern emerge. A report of the findings of the visits will be made available in spring 1995.

  Skill Centres
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the record of the skill centres in the east midlands since privatisation.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: The Employment Department has not contracted with the former skill centres since privatisation.

  Former skill centres which have delivered Government training programmes under contract to training and enterprise councils will have been subject to the same financial and quality assurance checks as other providers.

  Beyond this, the Employment Department has not undertaken any specific assessment of their record in the east midlands.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Air Miles
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance exists for the use of free air miles accrued by civil servants on official business.

  Chairmen

  Chief executives

  Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

  Sir Alistair Grant

  Professor Tom Blundell FRS

  Engineering and Physical Science Research Council

  Dr. Alan Rudge, OBE, FRS, FEng

  Professor Richard Brook, OBE

  Economic and Social Research Council

  Dr. Bruce Smith, OBE

  Professor Howard Newby

  Medical Research Council

  Sir David Plastow

  Sir Dai Rees, FRS

  Natural Environment Research Council

  Mr. Robert Malpas, CBE, FEng

  Professor John Krebs, FRS

  Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council

  Dr. Peter Williams, CBE

  Professor Kenneth Pounds, CBE, FRS

  The councils will be under the general direction of Sir John Cadogan, CBEHon, FEng, FRS, the first Director General of Research Councils. Sir John and the chairmen and chief executives will have a vital role. They will be working together to implement the Government's strategy for science engineering and technology as set out in the 1993 White Paper "Realising our Potential"—Cm 2250.

  Parliamentary Answers
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on how many occasions he has knowingly offered incomplete information in an answer to a parliamentary question; and on what subjects.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I answer parliamentary questions on the basis set out in paragraph 27 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers". I also seek to comply with the Speaker's guidance on the need for brief answers to oral questions.

PRIME MINISTER

  Scott Inquiry
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Prime Minister whether it will be for Lord Justice Scott to decide on the timing of the publication of his report.

  The Prime Minister
  As I said when I announced the terms of reference for the inquiry,Official Report, 16 November 1992, columns 74–75, Lord Justice Scott will be entirely free to decide on the publication of his report. The inquiry will report to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.
  646
  Mr. David Davis
  It has recently been decided that the benefits of frequent fly and similar schemes deriving from expenditure on official business should be used only for official travel or forgone. Departments have been asked to issue guidance to their staff to implement that decision.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many public interest immunity certificates he has signed in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  None.

  Research Councils
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress he can report in making senior appointments to the new research council system.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The appointments procedure has been completed. From 1 April 1994 the part-time non-executive chairmen and full-time chief executives of the six research councils will be:

  Tigris and Euphrates Valleys
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with President Clinton during his visit to the United States from 27 February to 1 March on malnutrition-related disease in the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates.

  The Prime Minister
  We are in regular contact with the United States about Iraqi issues in general.

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 15 March.

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

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will instruct the relevant Department to place in the Library copies of all telexes made the subject of public interest immunity certificates in the case of Mr. Lorrain Osman; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  No. It would not be in the public interest to disclose the contents of classified documents concerning the international relations of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Prime Minister how many public interest immunity certificates he has signed in each year since 1990.
  647
  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 3 March 1994,Official Report, column 803.

  Constituency Visits
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister how much notice his Office gives to hon. Members prior to visits made to hon. Members' constituencies.

  The Prime Minister
  My Office contacts all hon. Members whose constituencies I visit as part of my regional tours. In the light of security arrangements which have to be made for these visits, advance notice for hon. Members may have to be restricted to 24 hours.

  Council of Europe and Western European Union
  Dame Peggy Fenner
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the information bulletin on the activities of the United Kingdom delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Assembly of Western European Union, which has been sent to him.

  The Prime Minister
  I have done so.

TRANSPORT

  Driving School Agency
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he is undertaking a review of the number, status or distribution of locations at which the Driving Standards Agency has a presence;

  (2) how many whole-stime equivalents staff were in post in the Driving Standards Agency (a) at 1 April 1993 and (b) currently; if he will give their locations; and how many of these staff are affected by the market testing of booking and finance functions.

  Driving Standards Agency—Regional Staff in Post as at 31 December 1993

  Grade

  North East

  North West

  West Midlands

  East Nottinghamshire1

  East Cambridgeshire1

  Wales

  West

  South East

  Scotland

  Metropolitan

  SEO

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  1

  1

  HEO

  1

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1·5

  EO

  4

  2

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  1

  5

  AO

  13·5

  6

  5

  3–5

  3

  5·4

  4

  8

  5

  18

  AA

  28·5

  18

  13

  10

  6·5

  11·2

  6·25

  15·5

  11

  39·5

  Typist

  1

  0

  0

  0·5

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1·5

  Support

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  P. Keeper

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Telephonist

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  TOTAL

  51

  28

  21

  17

  11·5

  19·6

  12·25

  27·5

  19

  69·5

  1 A further 22 staff located in the headquarters office in Nottingham are partially engaged in providing finance services for the driver test booking services in Nottingham and Cambridge.

  Flights (Poland)
  Mr. Keen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the situation regarding the resumption of flights to and from Poland by Lot and British Airways; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  I am delighted that we have now settled the dispute in a way which is satisfactory to both sides. It has been agreed that direct services between the United Kingdom and Poland can resume from 13 March. The agreement creates enhanced opportunities for the airlines.
  648
  Mr. Key
  Responsibility for the subject of these questions has been delegated to the Driving Standards Agency under its chief executive, Dr. S. J. Ford. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Dr. S. J. Ford to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 14 March 1994:

  DRIVING STANDARDS AGENCY

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to the questions you have raised about certain of DSA's operations.

  PQ 1563/93/94

  You asked about DSA staffing levels both at 1 April 1993 and currently, and how many of these staff would be affected by the market testing of booking and finance functions.

  The Agency currently employs 1,829 full time equivalent staff, this compares with a total of 1,810 at 1 April 1993. These staff are located across GB at the Agency's headquarters in Nottingham, 10 regional offices and a network of nearly 500 test centres. The staff who are affected, directly or indirectly, by the market test are those identified in the attached schedule. (The figures quoted are for December 1993, but there has been no change since then.)

  PQ 1577/93/94 224

  You also asked whether a review of Driving Standards Agency locations is being undertaken. The Driving Standards Agency has a continuing responsibility to deliver its service in the most cost-effective way. In this context, I have a responsibility to keep the number, status and distribution of its operating locations under constant review.

  I recently wrote to Members of Parliament with a constituency about the planned closure of 22 of DSA's 486 driving test centres. No further closures are planned, although the Agency must continue to review its network to meet business and demographic changes.

  The principal activity of its ten regional offices is booking driving tests. This operation is currently the subject of a market testing exercise. It is not possible at this stage to anticipate the result of the market test, but a possible outcome could be a change in the number and location of the offices required to deliver the service.

  It will, for instance, allow British Airways to phase in increased services over the next 12 months. This is good not only for the airlines: travellers will benefit, too, from greater choice.

  North Circular Road
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a table showing all correspondence between his Department and Barnet council regarding the proposed sale by the council to his Department of land adjacent to Coppetts wood in Finchley which is now proposed to be given as exchange land for
  649
  (a) widening the north circular road east of Fallodert way and (b) widening the north circular at Regent's Park road and Great North way, showing (i) the date of each piece of correspondence. (ii) the sender and recipient and (iii) the nature of each piece of correspondence; whether it was his Department or the council which first suggested the sale of the land to his Department; on what date the sale was completed; and how much was paid to the council for the land.

  Mr. Norris
  The exchange land at Coppetts wood is the subject of compulsory purchase orders and exchange land certificates. The orders were made and the certificates were issued after consideration by an independent inspector at public inquiry.

  I am placing the information requested in the Library. I also refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 10 February 1994, at columns 466–69.

  The suggestion that land adjacent to Coppetts wood be acquired for use as exchange land was made first by my Department in 1985.

  Purchase of the land adjacent to Coppetts wood forms part of a larger transaction between the Department and Barnet council and completion has not taken place. The price to be paid is the subject of negotiations between the council and the district valuer who is acting for the Department.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what property, leased or owned for the purposes of his Department, is not currently occupied.

  Mr. Norris
  The position is as follows:

  Her Majesty's Coastguard:

  30 properties are vacant pending disposal as a result of estate rationalisation.

  Driving Standards Agency:

  One building is vacant and for sale.

  Ports:

  Two buildings are vacant and will be sold shortly.

  Transport Research Laboratory:

  Two buildings are vacant.

  Highways Safety and Traffic Command: at 31 December 1993, 815 properties acquired for the national roads programme were vacant. Of these 204 were classified as lettable. The rest were awaiting demolition or in the process of being sold or otherwise not suitable for letting.

  Heathrow Airport
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he is to have with Wandsworth borough council on the proposed increase in aircraft traffic flying into Heathrow airport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  On 10 November 1993 we issued a consultation paper on night flights at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports for summer 1994 and for winter 1994–95 to summer 1998. A written response has been received from Wandsworth borough council and will be taken into account, along with all other responses received, in reaching a decision on the restrictions to apply from winter 1994–95 onwards. No discussions have been requested by Wandsworth borough council.

  Airport Runways
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the length of the runways at(a) Leeds Bradford and (b) Humberside airports.

  Mr. Norris
  The information requested is as follows:

  Leeds Bradford airport

  Runway 10/28—1,100 metres

  Runway 14/32—2,250 metres

  Humberside airport

  Runway 03/21—2,230 metres

  Runway 09/27—1,054 metres

  Source: Pooley's Flight Guide 1994.

  Coaches
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the checks that are made to ensure that coaches of 18 or 19 tonnes registered in other European countries are not operating on United Kingdom roads.

  Mr. Key
  Only coaches with three axles may operate legally on British roads at weights over 17 tonnes. The Vehicle Inspectorate has powers to weigh and prohibit coaches operating on British roads in excess of the weights permitted by British regulations. During 1993 the Vehicle Inspectorate carried out a special weighing exercise targeting international traffic. A total of 402 vehicles were stopped, of these 80 were foreign. Of the 13 foreign vehicles prohibited, 10 were registered in EC states.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions in the last year for which figures are available coaches of 18 or 19 tonnes registered in other European countries were found to be operating on United Kingdom roads; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  My Department does not collate statistics on the number of foreign coaches of 18 or 19 tonnes operating on British roads. Only coaches with three axles may legally operate over 17 tonnes on British roads. Two-axle coaches are restricted to 17 tonnes.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice his Department has given to licence applicants in the restricted HGV taxation class.

  Mr. Key
  Since September 1993 all operators of vehicles licensed in the restricted HGV taxation class have been given advice on relicensing procedures with their licence renewal reminders. Trade associations have also been kept informed of changes in procedures.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the prohibition orders issued and the dates they were issued in respect of licence No. OB 19 5660 in Pudsey; if he will provide details of the latest licence issued; and what are the outstanding requirements the operator must comply with; and what further monitoring has been undertaken;

  (2) who made representations against the issue of a licence to heavy goods vehicle operator licence No. OB19 5660 in Pudsey.

  Mr. Key
  Decisions on, and advice given about, individual operators' licences are the responsibility of the Traffic Commissioners. I have asked the Traffic Commissioner for the North Eastern traffic area to write to the hon. Member.

  Aircraft Landing Charges
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a table showing, for a number of typical aircraft, the landing charges expressed per passenger, on the assumption that the aircraft are 80 per cent. full at peak times at(a) Leeds Bradford and (b) Humberside airports.

  Mr. Norris
  The information requested is shown in the tables.

  All landing charges include aerodrome navigation services charges.

  All passenger charges include security charges. Charges are shown for both domestic and international passengers.

  Comparison of airport charges Total charges F27

  Landing £

  Pax dom flight £

  Pax intl flight £

  Total dom flight £

  Total intl flight £

  Humberside

  251

  247

  399

  498

  650

  Leeds Bradford

  236

  219

  405

  455

  641

  Total charges B737–200

  Humberside

  700

  613

  1,313

  1,313

  2,013

  Leeds Bradford

  659

  545

  1,007

  1,204

  1,666

  Charges per passenger F27

  Landing £

  Pax dom £

  Pax intl £

  Total dom £

  Total int £

  Humberside

  7·17

  7·05

  11·40

  14·22

  18·57

  Leeds Bradford

  6·75

  6·27

  11·57

  13·02

  18·32

  Charges per passenger B737–200

  Humberside

  8·04

  7·05

  15·09

  15·09

  23·13

  Leeds Bradford

  7·58

  6·27

  11·57

  13·85

  19·15

  Source: Civil Aviation Authority.

  Late Night Trains (Midlands)
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what subsidy would be required to continue to operate late night trains between Euston and Coventry, Birmingham and Wolverhampton as at present;

  (2) what representations he has received concerning the proposed removal of late night trains between Euston and Coventry, Birmingham and Wolverhampton;

  (3) what study he has undertaken into the impact of the withdrawal of late night trains between Euston and Coventry, Birmingham and Wolverhampton.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand that BR intends to discontinue the late night 23·40 service between Euston and Coventry, Birmingham and Wolverhampton on the grounds of low patronage. The subsidy required to continue the service cannot be accurately assessed because British Rail does not generally establish the net costs of operating individual services. At present, the InterCity service to the west midlands is not in receipt of subsidy.

  I have received one representation about the removal of the train.

  The assessment of the impact of this change is a matter for BR.
  652
  The charges apply at any time of day throughout the year since there is no peak/off-peak charging structure at either airport.

  There are no noise rebates available at either airport.

  The following aircraft assumptions apply:

  Maximum take off weight (tonnes)

  Seats

  Passengers at 80 per cent, loadfactor

  Boeing 737–200

  53

  109

  87

  Fokker 27

  19

  44

  35

  Motorways
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of motorway are currently(a) open, (b) under construction and (c) planned in England either (i) as new motorway or (ii) as existing motorway being widened.

  Mr. Key
  There are 1,724 miles of motorway in England.

  At 31 January, there were 39 miles of new motorway under construction, and 27 miles of motorway widening.

  The Department is currently reviewing all the schemes in preparation in the trunk road programme to determine their priority. The results of the review are expected to be announced shortly.

  Bus Lanes
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to encourage London local authorities to extend and develop bus lanes in the Greater London area.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department has allocated £6·25 million in 1994–95 to the London authorities for bus priority schemes in London which will include the
  653
  provision of bus lanes where they are appropriate. This includes £2·5 million towards the design of a comprehensive London-wide bus priority network.

  A56
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the capability and capacity of the A56 to handle any increased traffic flows following completion of the M65–M6 link.

  Mr. Key
  None. This is a matter for Lancashire county council as highway authority for the A56. However, our studies have shown that the M65–M6 link could increase traffic on the M65 east of Blackburn by some 11 per cent. We estimate, from the transpennine study, that between 9,000 and 11,000 vehicles per day will use the A56 east of Colne after the link road is opened.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what request he has received from British Nuclear Fuels plc to permit the transport of radioactive wastes from the Drigg site to Sellafield in transport containers that do not meet the International Atomic Energy Agency standards; and if he will make a statement on the conditions under which his Department is able to grant the equivalent of Crown immunity to the movement of radioactive cargoes.

  Mr. Key
  The Department has received an application for a special arrangement transport operation to move this material and is assessing it.

  Special arrangement transport operations are permitted under the International Atomic Energy Agency regulations when all of the applicable requirements of the regulations cannot be met. Such arrangements may be approved by a competent authority provided that the overall level of safety in transport is at least equivalent to that which would be provided if all the applicable requirements had been complied with. It is not a question of Crown immunity or any equivalent.

  Grants
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of all grants paid in the last 12 months(a) under the freight facilities grant scheme and (b) in respect of the new track areas grant scheme; how much is available for grant; and how applications are to be made.

  Mr. Freeman
  Payments totalling £2 million have been made to five companies during the last 12 months. In addition, two new grants have been awarded on which no claims have yet been submitted. No payments can be made under the track access grant scheme until it is introduced next month. The provisional budget for the next three years for both grants is £43 million. Guidance for applicants will be published shortly.

  A11
  Mr. Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated cost of the A11 Wymondham bypass.
  654
  Mr. Key
  The tender figure for the All Besthope to Wymondham improvement contract is £16,506,805. The cost of the whole scheme including land etcetera VAT and ancillary works, is likely to be in the order of £26 million at today's prices.

  M62 Relief Road
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will make a decision on the application by Mr. and Mrs. Whitehead for the advance purchase of 45 Glen avenue, Worsley, Salford, which is affected by the proposed M62 relief road.

  Mr. Key
  As soon as our consideration of the case is complete.

  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to reply to the letter dated 21 January from Mr. L. A. Brock, 12 Hawthorne drive, Worsley, Salford.

  Mr. Key
  A reply, on behalf of my right hon. Friend, was given on 28 February.

  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many applications he has received for the advance purchase of houses in Roe Green, Worsley, Salford, affected by the proposed M62 relief road.

  Mr. Key
  Fourteen applications from Roe Green, 18 applications from Worsley and 10 applications from Salford.

  Motorway Tolls
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it will be a condition of the grant of a license to operate a private motorway that vehicles driven by disabled people and exempt from vehicle excise duty shall travel toll free.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: The only current legislation under which any new motorway could be subject to tolls is the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, which inter alia provides that vehicles in this category are exempt from tolls. New powers would be needed to toll existing motorways; it would be for Parliament to consider whether any vehicles should be exempt from tolls.

  Airports (Crime)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a table showing, for each standard region, separately for men and women and as an overall total, the number of incidents of(a) violent crime and (b) sexual assault at United Kingdom airports for 1992 and 1993.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information requested is not available centrally.

DEFENCE

  Defence Contracts
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 24 February,Official Report, column 383, if he will state the month and year that each memorandum of understanding was signed for as many years since 1979 as are available.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 9 February, Official Report, column 254.

  River Class Minesweepers
  Ms Rachel Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the River class minesweepers.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Royal Navy's River class vessels retain only a very limited mine countermeasures capability as a result of significant advances in mine technology. Consequently, over the last year, these vessels have been either re-roled or withdrawn from service as surplus to requirements. Under current plans, five River class vessels will remain in operational service with the Royal Navy, four as patrol craft and one as a training ship. The remaining seven vessels in the class will be sold.

  Trident
  Ms Rachel Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the costings for the Trident facility at Devonport; to what extent these are on target; and how they have altered since the refitting decision was made.

  Mr. Aitken
  The project to develop the Trident facility at Devonport is in its early stages but progressing satisfactorily as to time and cost. The costings have not altered since the decision was made to concentrate nuclear refitting at Devonport.

  RAF Strike Command, High Wycombe
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the expenditure from public funds to refurbish the homes of the Commander-in-Chief and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of RAF Strike Command, High Wycombe.

  Mr. Hanley
  On 1 July 1994, the present Commander-in-Chief RAF Strike Command takes up the full-time appointment of Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Northwest, a new NATO command replacing Allied Forces North. As is normal in these circumstances it is a United Kingdom responsibility to provide him with appropriate accommodation, and he will continue to occupy his present official residence. This change of appointment creates a need for a suitable residence for his successor, as Commander-in-Chief RAF Strike Command, the present deputy Commander-in-Chief RAF Strike Command, and a married quarter at RAF High Wycombe is being upgraded for this purpose. At the same time a United Kingdom-maintained residence in Oslo for the United Kingdom officer holding the post of Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces North will be given up. It is my 656
  Department's practice to provide service officers in senior command appointments with residences which allow them to offer official hospitality and entertainment commensurate with their status.

  Military Reaction Force
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Military Reaction Force was established; what is its purpose; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Military Reaction Force was a small military unit which, during the period 1971 to 1973, was responsible for carrying out essential surveillance tasks in Northern Ireland in those circumstances where soldiers in uniform and with Army vehicles would be too easily recognised.

  RAF Hendon
  Mr. Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy that when his Department disposes of its interest in the land at east camp RAF Hendon it will be a condition of the sale that any new owner will be required to dismantle and reconstruct the listed Grahame-White hangar on adjacent land set aside for the RAF museum by his Department in accordance with the written undertaking given to the hon. Member for Hendon, North by his Department on 8 September 1989.

  Mr. Hanley
  An MOD-commissioned survey by an architectural consultant, Mr. Graham Savage, ARIBA, concluded that it would not be practicable to dismantle and reassemble the Grahame-White hangar without destroying many of its original features. My Department is therefore proposing, subject to the necessary listed building consent being obtained, that it is taken down carefully to ensure as much as possible of the structure, including the Belfast roof trusses, is preserved and transferred to the RAF museum.

  Copia
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received concerning the loss of the fishing vessel Copia; what help he is able to provide with the recovery of the bodies of the crew; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence wrote on 14 March in response to the hon. Member's earlier representation about the loss of the fishing vessel Copia on 14 December 1993. Responsibility for investigating fatal accidents in Scotland rests with my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate, through his local representative, the procurator fiscal.

  The investigation into the loss of the fishing vessel Copia is being conducted on the procurator fiscal's behalf by Strathclyde police and it is a matter for the procurator fiscal to decide upon what action is necessary to pursue his inquiries. The marine accident investigation branch of the Department of Transport is also investigating the incident. We are in this, as in other cases, to provide assistance should we be asked to do so.

  D-day
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Ministers are participating in the steering group responsible for co-ordinating the United Kingdom's
  657
  involvement in D-day commemorations; how often the group plans to meet; and in what form the group's deliberations will be published.

  Mr. Hanley
  The ministerial steering group directing the Government's official 50th anniversary of D-day commemorative events is chaired by my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence. The deputy chairman is my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for National Heritage. At present, the group meets every two weeks; as its deliberations are often informal they are not published.

  Service Personnel (Location)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the current location, by country and as between the United Kingdom, the United Nations and NATO Command, of all personnel in(a) the Army, (b) the Navy and (c) the Air Force.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: The table lists the locations of British armed forces personnel as at 14 March 1994:

  British Armed Forces Deployments by Location

  Armed Forces deployments (as at 14 March 1994)

  (a) Army

  (b) Royal Navy/Royal Marines

  (c) Royal Air Force

  Ascension Island

  *

  Baltic Sea

  *

  Belize

  *

  *

  Brunei

  *

  Canada

  *

  *

  Caribbean

  *

  Central Atlantic

  *

  *

  Channel

  *

  *

  Cyprus3

  1*

  *

  *

  Denmark

  *

  Diego Garcia

  *

  Eastern Atlantic and North Sea

  *

  *

  Falkland Islands

  *

  *

  *

  Germany

  *

  *

  Gibraltar

  *

  *

  *

  Great Britain

  *

  *

  *

  Gulf

  1*

  *

  *

  Hong Kong

  *

  *

  *

  Kenya

  *

  Malaysia

  *

  Mediterranean Sea

  *

  Northern Ireland

  *

  *

  *

  Norway/Norwegian Sea

  *

  *

  *

  North Sea

  2*

  Sardinia

  *

  Italy4

  *

  South Atlantic (Antarctic)

  *

  *

  Turkey

  *

  USA

  *

  Western Atlantic

  *

  Former Republic of Yugoslavia

  1*

  12*

  12*

  Notes:

  1 Forces deployed on United Nations operations

  2 Forces deployed on NATO operations

  3 Elements of the British Army presence are deployed in support of United Nations peacekeeping operations (UNFICYP).

  4 RAF deployment in support of UNPROFOR/United Nations Security Council resolutions is under "Former Republic of Yugoslavia".

  General Notes:

  1 and 2 can apply simultaneously to a deployment in support of both NATO and United Nations operations. Eg: elements of the Royal Navy are deployed in the Adriatic both in support of United Nations operations
  658
  in the former Yugoslavia and as part of NATO/WEU operation SHARP GUARD.

  Loan Service Personnel and Training Teams are not included.

SCOTLAND

  Protection Orders
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all applications for protection orders which have still to be considered by him under the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976; if he will list in each case, the applicant or applicants; and if he will place in the Library full details of each of the applications.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Two applications for protection orders under the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976 are under consideration. One, from the United Clyde Angling Protective Association, is in respect of the main stem of the River Clyde. The other, from the Reay forest estate, is in respect of lochs in part of north-west Sutherland.

  I have arranged for copies of each of the applications, as advertised, to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the protection orders which have been granted under the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The following protection orders have been made under the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976:

  The Rivers Tweed and Eye Protection Order 1980;

  The Upper Spey and Associated Waters Protection Order 1982;

  The River Lunan Catchment Area Protection Order 1983;

  The River Tummel Catchment Area Protection Order 1983;

  The River Tay Catchment Area Protection Order 1986;

  The West Strathclyde Protection Order 1988;

  The River Earn Catchment Area Protection Order 1990;

  The River Don Catchment Area (Part) Protection Order 1990;

  The Loch Morar and River Morar Protection Order 1992;

  The Loch Awe and Associated Waters Protection Order 1992.

  Pupils (Unit Costs)
  Sir Harold Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the unit cost per pupil in each Scottish local education authority for 1992–93 for(a) nursery-primary and (b) secondary pupils.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is given in the table. It excludes the cost of home-to-school transport, school meals, education authority central administration and loan charges.

  Net current expenditure per pupil in 1992–93

  Region

  Nursery and primary £

  Secondary £

  Borders

  1,839

  2,857

  Central

  1,736

  2,801

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,752

  2,957

  Fife

  1,711

  2,636

  Grampian

  1,861

  3,031

  Highland

  1,917

  2,896

  Lothian

  1,698

  3,047

  Strathclyde

  1,812

  2,842

  Tayside

  1,733

  3,036

  659

  Region

  Nursery and primary £

  Secondary £

  Orkney

  2,103

  3,827

  Shetland

  2,393

  4,489

  Western Isles

  2,429

  4,297

  Notes:

  1. These figures have been compiled from local authority financial returns.

  2. Figures for Borders, Strathclyde, Shetland and Western Isles are provisional.

  Agency Chief Executives
  Mr. Radice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. Lang
  There are no agency chief executives in my Department who are currently paid more than £82,925 per annum, excluding performance bonuses.

  Copia
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations have been received by the Lord Advocate concerning the loss of the fishing vessel Copia; what consideration has been given to arrangements for recovery of the ship and its crew; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate has been made aware of the circumstances of the sinking of the fishing vessel Copia so far as they are known. He is also aware of the difficulties surrounding the investigation because of bad weather and the depth of the water in which the vessel now lies.

  Police divers, working at the limit of their operational capabilities, have managed to reach the wreck, but, regrettably, have been unable to locate the bodies of the crew, which may or may not be on board. The procurator fiscal is considering what further actions may be required in connection with his responsibilities and will report in early course to my noble and learned Friend.

  Consultancies
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list for each of the past five years and as a total over the same period(a) all political consultants, (b) public relations companies, (c) management consultants, (d) survey organisations and (e) other outside bodies or individuals employed by the Scottish Office together with the date on which the contract was awarded, the length of the contract and the total amount spent by the Scottish Office on each contract; whether the contract was based on a fixed fee or fee plus man hours basis; what was the name of the individual or organisation to whom the contract was awarded; what are the services which were required by the Scottish office; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list all (a) political consultants, (b) public relations companies, (c) management consultants, (d) survey organisations and (e) other outside bodies or individuals currently employed by his Department,
  660
  together with the date on which the contract was awarded, the length of the contract and the total amount spent by the Scottish Office on each contract, whether the contract was based on a fixed fee or a fee plus man hours basis; what was the name of the individual or organisation to whom the contract was awarded; what are the services which were required by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 February 1994]: I notified the hon. Member that a reply would be made as soon as possible.

  Detailed records of all work commissioned from external consultants are not available centrally. The information requested could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. Details of external consultants engaged by my Department in the current financial year to date have, however, been obtained. As this is a fairly lengthy list, I have arranged for it to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. Lang
  [holding answer 4 March 1994]: The information sought is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  School Leavers
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a ranking by region of the percentage of female school leavers leaving school with five or more standard grades—levels 1 to 3.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 8 March 1994]: The available information is set out in the following table. Many pupils who left from the 1991–92 session would have sat their fourth year examinations in 1991 or 1990, before the standard grade fully superseded ordinary grade. O-grade qualifications have therefore also been included in the analysis.

  Female school leavers from the 1991–92 session with 5 or more O/S Grades (1–3)

  Number

  As Percentage of all female leavers

  SCOTLAND

  29,820

  45·5

  1 Shetland

  123

  65·9

  2 Orkney

  126

  62·7

  3 Borders

  566

  54·2

  4 Dumfries and Galloway

  881

  52·1

  5 Highland

  1,245

  51·0

  6 Central

  1,684

  50·3

  7 Tayside

  2,394

  49·5

  8 Grampian

  3,110

  47·7

  9 Western Isles

  230

  47·4

  10 Fife

  2,094

  46·4

  11 Lothian

  4,149

  44·5

  12 Strathclyde

  13,218

  42·1

  Sea Birds
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) of 24 February,Official Report, column 441, regarding sea bird fatalities in Scotland, what is the proportion of fatalities of (a) adult birds and (b) juvenile birds.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 11 March 1994]: Exact figures are not available, but from post mortem samples it is estimated that of dead guillemots, the species most affected in the recent losses, 50 per cent. of birds found in the Shetlands are adults while in other areas the proportion is about 20 per cent.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the possible connection between overfishing and the death of sea birds in the recent incidents on the east coast of Scotland.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 11 March 1994]: There is at present no evidence that current levels of fishing are having an adverse effect on sea birds which feed on sea fish.

  The sea birds which have been washed ashore in recent weeks feed on pelagic species such as sprat and sand-eels. There is no significant United Kingdom fishery for these species in the North sea. Scientific advice on the state of sand-eel and sprat stocks does not suggest that they are at low levels. Nevertheless, the European Union has established a working group consisting of marine ecologists and fisheries biologists to study the impact of fishing for sprat and sand-eels on the marine ecosystem. This follows pressure from the United Kingdom at last December's European Fisheries Council meeting.

  It is clear that recent bad weather has been a major cause of sea bird mortality and that the prevailing easterly wind will have washed birds ashore that would otherwise have remained at sea.

  Freephone and Freepost
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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 1979.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: Only one freephone service is operated by the Scottish Office—"Drugline Scotland", which opened in March 1992, providing a 24-hour telephone advice, information and referral service for people who have concerns about their own or someone else's drug use. In the year 1992–93, it cost £11,776. As part of the initiative to make the Scottish Office more accessible, people are now able to telephone the Scottish Office from over 20 offices throughout the country without charge. Cost figures are not yet available, as the service has been operating only since October 1993.

  The Scottish Office uses both business reply and freepost response facilities, mainly to encourage people to provide information to Departments or to respond to Government initiatives or campaigns. The costs of the two services are not separately recorded but the total costs of items returned through the Department's central postal
  662
  services for each year from 1983–84—the earliest year for which figures are available—are shown in the table. The cost of operating the services cannot be isolated from other mail handling costs.

  Year

  Expenditure on Business Reply/Freepost £

  Year

  Expenditure on Business Reply/Freepost £

  1983–84

  43,596

  1988–89

  55,953

  1984–85

  19,958

  1989–90

  66,551

  1985–86

  51,295

  1990–91

  44,092

  1986–87

  51,522

  1991–92

  65,222

  1987–88

  62,550

  1992–93

  26,762

  Fishing
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement setting out the view of Her Majesty's Government on enlargement of the European Union and its consequences for the Scottish inshore fishing fleet.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: Fisheries have been an important element of the recent negotiations on enlargement of the European Union, particularly with Norway. The negotations with Norway will resume on 15 March, and the Government will continue to defend the interests of the United Kingdom fishing industry.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement setting out the view of Her Majesty's Government on access of the Spanish fleet to the North sea and its consequences for the Scottish inshore fishing fleet.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: Conclusions have not yet been reached in the review of the fisheries aspects of the Spanish and Portuguese Acts of Accession. The Government have made clear their determination to protect British interests in the North sea fisheries, as in other fisheries around the United Kingdom coastline.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the name, size, type and home port of all Scottish inshore fishing vessels accepted to date as being eligible for decommissioning.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: Final payments have still to be made to all the vessels for which conditional offers of decommissioning grant were made. A list of vessels receiving grant will be published in due course.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider introducing a policy of scrap and build for the Scottish inshore fleet.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: The fundamental imbalance between fishing effort and available fishing resources must be resolved if we are to ensure a secure future for the fishing industry. Limited public resources will yield the best value for money if they are targeted at this objective.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what effect he expects the current market price of
  663
  white fish pressure stocks landed from the North sea to have on the long-term future of the Scottish inshore fishing fleet.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: Market prices fluctuate markedly during the winter months owing, among other reasons, to the impact of the weather on the level of fishing activity. In those circumstances, there seems to be little to suggest that current market prices will have any long-term effects on the fleet.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals his Department has to deregulate any aspects of the current legislative provisions as they apply to the catching sector of the Scottish inshore fishing fleet.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: Fisheries departments are currently reviewing the licensing system for fisheries with the aim of simplifying and reducing the burden on the industry.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what discussions he has recently had with representatives of the European Union on the consequences of the suspension of the days at sea regulations; and what he now proposes as an alternative management regime for North sea white fish pressure stocks;

  (2) what steps he is taking to protect white fish stocks in the North sea;

  (3) if he will make a statement outlining the current proposals being considered by Her Majesty's Government on alternative methods of fishery management to be applied to the Scottish inshore fleet fishing in the North sea.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: My hon. Friend the Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I met Commissioner Paleokrassas on 24 January to discuss conservation measures for fisheries in the light of the suspension of our days at sea scheme. Discussions are now being undertaken with the industry on these matters and a further statement will be made in due course.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the most recent estimates of the average age of the fishing vessels in the Scottish inshore fleet.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: There is no formal definition of vessels that comprise the Scottish inshore fleet. The table shows the average age of vessels based in Scotland in selected length bands. Age is not recorded for approximately one third of vessels of length 10 m or under.

  Average age of vessels in the Scottish fishing fleet at 31 December 1993 for which the age is known

  Registered length

  Average age (years)

  10 metres or under

  16·22

  10-

  19·22

  15-

  23·39

  20-

  17·78

  25 metres or over

  15·82

  All vessels

  18·06

  Common Fisheries Policy
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations have been made by Scottish Ministers to the representations of the European Union on the equal enforcement of CFP regulations throughout member states; and what steps they are taking to secure sanctions against member states that fail to enforce the regulations.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: Scottish Office Ministers regularly press the case within the Council of Ministers of the European Union for proper and effective enforcement of the common fisheries policy by all member states. The United Kingdom Government actively supported the new fisheries control regulation adopted by the Council in October 1993. This places specific obligations on member states to enforce common fisheries policy rules and increases the powers of the European Commission to monitor enforcement.

  Officials of the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department are playing a full part in discussions with the Commission and other member states on implementation of the control regulation. This regulation should bring about a substantial overall improvement in standards of enforcement.

  Scottish Ambulance Service
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the expenditure on the Scottish ambulance service for each of the past five years; what is the budget for the current year and for the next financial year; what representations have been made to him by the ambulance service about the adequacy or otherwise of such expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: The information on expenditure and budgets is as follows:

  Year

  £1

  1988–89

  37,195,685

  1989–90

  41,227,960

  1990–91

  47,665,465

  1991–92

  57,294,250

  1992–93

  66,042,161

  1993–94

  67,008,000

  1994–95

  70,141,000

  1 The figures include capital.

  Like other public services, funding for the Common Services Agency, of which the Scottish ambulance service is a division, is considered as part of the public expenditure survey programme.

  Funding for the Scottish ambulance service has been increased from £12,865,100 in 1979 to £70,141,000 in 1994—an increase of 82·75 per cent. in real terms.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the position of the Scottish ambulance service in relation to the citizens charter; what is the response time expected for an emergency call; and what arrangements are made for the monitoring of the speed of response to emergency calls.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: The position of the Scottish ambulance service under the

  665
  citizens charter is set out in its charter standard statement. The target response times given for an ambulance to respond to an emergency call vary according to population density and are:

  95 per cent, of calls within minutes

  Dense population (more than 3 people per acre)

  14

  Medium population (between 0·5 and 3 people per acre)

  18

  Sparse population (less than 0·5 people per acre)

  21

  The time taken for each response is recorded and analysed by the Scottish ambulance service. This information is made available on a regular basis to the board of the Common Services Agency of which the Scottish ambulance service is a division.

  Limb Defects
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what work the Medical Research Council is undertaking into clusters of babies born with limb defects; which local health authorities are undertaking investigations of their own; and when he expects the results of those inquiries.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: The Medical Research Council is not currently undertaking any studies on clusters of babies born with limb defects. We are not aware of any current investigations into this subject by health boards in Scotland.

  School Repairs
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has regarding the estimated amount of outstanding repairs required to schools in each local education authority area in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: The overall management of their school building stock is a matter for individual education authorities. Detailed information of the kind requested is not held centrally.

  Voter Registration
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what funds are being made available to electoral registration officers in each of the nine regions and three island authorities to publicise information to EU citizens from outwith the British Isles on voter registration; and in which of the official languages of the European Union versions will be provided.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: No additional funds are to be made available to electoral registration officers for this exercise. An information sheet printed in English has been issued to electoral registration officers, to political parties in Scotland, to consular offices of member states in Scotland, to the French, Danish and Italian Institutes and to citizens advice local offices.

  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will lay before Parliament an order to extend the period to allow late registration to vote by EU citizens from outwith the British Isles.
  666
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for publicising the procedure, and deadline of 29 March, to allow EU citizens from outwith the British Isles to register to vote; what Scottish newspapers will carry such advertisements; in how many languages; and how often.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: My right hon. Friend has no plans for newspaper advertising.

  My noble and learned Friend the Minister of State has issued a statement encouraging European Union citizens resident in Scotland to register to vote at the European parliamentary elections in June 1994 and has emphasised the need for them to act quickly.

  In addition, the Scottish Office Home and Health Department has sent information sheets in the English language to electoral registration officers, political parties in Scotland, consular offices of other member states in Scotland, citizens advice local offices and to specialist bodies such as the French, Danish and Italian Institutes. A notice has been placed in the Edinburgh Gazette.

  Sheep Annual Premium
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) by what date he expects all applications for sheep annual premium in the current year to be paid out;

  (2) how many applications for payment of sheep annual premium he has received in the current year from (a) Scotland, (b) Orkney and (c) Shetland; and what proportion in each category remained unpaid on 1 March.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: The number of eligible applications received under the 1993 sheep annual premium scheme and the proportion of claims for which the advance payment had not been made at 10 March are set out in the table.

  Number

  Proportion (per cent.)

  Scotland

  16,687

  11·0

  Orkney

  482

  12·0

  Shetland

  1,470

  7·0

  The applications for which advance payments have still to be made are those where claims for premium are not matched by quota. Payments will continue to be made over the coming weeks, but a number of claims cannot be paid until after allocations from the national reserve have been completed and the additional period for transferring and leasing quota has taken place in the early summer.

  School Repairs
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the amount spent on the repair and maintenance of school buildings by local education authorities in Scotland in each financial year since 1989–90.
  667
  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: The available information is given in the table. The capital figures include expenditure on new building work as well as on repairs and maintenance, information on which is not recorded separately.
  668

  Current expenditure on repair and maintenance of school buildings and capital expenditure on school buildings

  £ million at outturn prices

  Current

  Capital

  1989–90

  76·630

  66·884

  1990–91

  77·665

  67·305

  1991–92

  86·485

  72·572

  1992–93

  84·402

  89·679

  Note:

  The figures for current expenditure have been compiled from local authority financial returns and for capital expenditure from capital payments returns submitted by local authorities to the Scottish Office.

  NORTHERN IRELAND: PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES
  NORTHERN IRELAND: PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES
  WESTMINSTER AND LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCILS: SUPPORT GRANTS
  WESTMINSTER AND LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCILS: SUPPORT GRANTS
  DEREGULATION AND CONTRACTING OUT BILL: HEAVY LORRIES, LONDON
  DEREGULATION AND CONTRACTING OUT BILL: HEAVY LORRIES, LONDON
  A. 66 CARRIAGEWAY
  A. 66 CARRIAGEWAY
  LONDON UNDERGROUND TRAINS: GRAFFITI
  LONDON UNDERGROUND TRAINS: GRAFFITI
  PRISONERS HELD IN POLICE CELLS
  PRISONERS HELD IN POLICE CELLS
  TANZANIAN ILLEGAL ENTRANTS
  TANZANIAN ILLEGAL ENTRANTS
  LOCAL PRISONS: POPULATION AND OVERCROWDING
  LOCAL PRISONS: POPULATION AND OVERCROWDING