Written Answers of 18 March 1994

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Barristers
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to limit unnecessary multiple representation by barristers of participants in court cases; and what response he has made to the comments made by Mr. Justice Ward on this matter following a High Court case in Nottingham in 1992.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  In the light of remarks made about recent cases, the Legal Aid Board has been asked to consider what action might be taken to ensure that applications for separate representation for parties with the same interest can be identified at an early stage in the proceedings with a view to avoiding duplicating costs.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what plans he has to bring forward legislation to end the use of public interest immunity certificates.

  (2) what plans he has to introduce legislation governing the issue of public interest immunity certificates.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Public interest immunity certificates are one of the subjects under investigation by Lord Justice Scott. The Government will take careful note of any conclusions and recommendations in his report.

EMPLOYMENT

  Pathfinder Initiatives
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how the activities and performance of the careers service pathfinder areas will be assessed; what are the terms of reference of the pathfinders evaluation exercise commissioned by his Department; who is conducting the evaluation of the pathfinder process; what information will be made available about the activities and performance in each of the pathfinder areas; what restrictions the new pathfinder contract places on the ability of those organisations running the Careers Service to make public comments on the performance of the Careers Service; if a copy of the contract will be placed in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Performance will be assessed against the standards specified in the requirements and guidance for providers, which is a public document. I am placing a copy in the Library.

  The Department is commissioning an independent evaluation of the pathfinder arrangements. This will be carried out in two phases. The terms of reference for the first phase, which is largely complete, are to provide a
  862
  comprehensive picture of the performance of a sample of careers services prior to the start of the new arrangements. This will provide a baseline against which the subsequent performance of pathfinder careers services can be compared. This initial study has been carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research, which won the research contract through competitive tender. The second phase of the study will be commissioned during 1995–96 to allow the pathfinders to make progress. This phase of the evaluation will also be competitively tendered.

  Much of the information collected by the Department during normal contract management and by researchers in the evaluation will be commercially sensitive. The Department will not publish such information in a way which allows an individual contractor to be identified or which hampers subsequent contract negotiations.

  Careers Service providers will produce client entitlement statements setting out the careers guidance and other key services to be provided. The main conclusions about the delivery of the Careers Service under contract will be presented in the Careers Service annual report.

  Under the Careers Service contract, providers are free to make factual statements about the performance of the service, but will require agreement from the Department to any proposed public statement about Government policy which is intended to be made by or on behalf of the provider.

  I shall place a copy of the standard contract in the Library.

  Civil Servants
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many civil servants are currently employed at his Department's offices at Caxton house; and how many were women(a) in 1990 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 17 March 1994]: The figures are not available for Caxton house. The following figures are for staff in all the Department's London headquarters buildings: 1,313 at 1 January 1994, of whom 662 were women. The comparable figures for 1 January 1990 were 1,337 and 667 respectively.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Courts (Closed Session)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Attorney-General what are the precedents for courts going into closed session where disclosure of evidence would be detrimental to the public interest; and what sanctions are available to the courts to ensure that no disclosure is then made of matters which the court finds should not be disclosed.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I have been asked to reply.

  As a matter of general principle in civil and criminal proceedings, the public interest lies in open justice. Section 8(4) of the Official Secrets Act 1920 and section 11(4) of the Official Secrets Act 1989 give courts the power to allow evidence to be heard in camera if disclosure to the public would be prejudicial to national security. In addition, the courts have a discretion at common law to rule that evidence may be heard in camera where a public hearing would defeat the interests of justice. Such a discretion is only exercised exceptionally and the courts

  863
  will consider first whether any action short of excluding the public, such as communicating certain information confidentially to the court, would be appropriate. Unauthorised disclosure of evidence given in camera may be punished as a contempt of court which carries a maximum of two years imprisonment.

TRANSPORT

  Single Regeneration Budgets
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contribution his Department makes to single regeneration budgets; and what percentage of his Department's previous budgets will pass the single regeneration budgets.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I am not contributing specific transport resources to the single regeneration budgets, but I shall be taking into account the views of senior regional directors in allocating resources within national transport programmes to the areas concerned.

  Major Road Starts
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the environmental assessment carried out in respect of each of the major national road starts in 1994–95 announced on 28 February.

  Mr. Key
  No. Details of the environmental assessment for each of these schemes was made available to the public before a decision was taken to proceed. Copies of all the documents relevant to these assessments are not readily available and could not be obtained at reasonable cost.

  Highways Agency
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff will transfer to the Highways Agency; and to what locations.

  Mr. Key
  Some 2,416; initially the Highways Agency will have its headquarters in London and regional offices in Bedford, Birmingham, Bristol, Dorking, Exeter, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle and Nottingham.

  Railway Station Closures
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement in respect of the railway stations to be withdrawn from service during 1994.

  Mr. Freeman
  Currently, British Rail has proposed the closure of 14 stations under the Transport Act 1962. The proposals are at various stages in the statutory procedure. British Rail is considering proposing a further two stations for closure under the 1962 Act.

  From 1 April, responsibility for bringing forward closure proposals will rest with the operator or the Franchising Director. The rail regulator will be responsible for deciding whether or not the closure should be permitted. Appeals against the regulator's decision can be made to the Secretary of State I am not aware of any plans at present to propose the closure, under the Railways Act 1993, of any station used for passenger services.
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  Greater Manchester Buses North Ltd.
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy regarding intervention in the bidding process for Greater Manchester Buses North Ltd.; what action his Department has taken since preferred bidder status was won by the bid from Greater Manchester North's employees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The responsibility for the actual sale process lies with the Greater Manchester passenger transport authority, the owner of Greater Manchester Buses North Ltd.

  The Department is keeping closely in touch with what is happening with regard to the sale of both the GMB North and GMB South bus companies. The Secretary of State's consent to both the sales will eventually be required. As in the sales of all the public transport companies, his role is to give or to withhold consent.

  In view of the Secretary of State's quasi-judicial function in these sales it would not be appropriate for me to comment further or make a statement.

  Rail Fares (London-Doncaster)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what was the cost of a return journey by rail from Doncaster to London King's Cross at the(a) first-class and (b) standard class rate for each year since 1975;

  (2) what was the cost of a return journey by rail from Doncaster to London King's Cross at (a) the off-peak rates and (b) the standard rate for each year since 1975.

  Mr. Freeman
  The costs of first-class ordinary and standard-class ordinary return journeys in January of each year since 1975 are set out in the table. The fare structure for off-peak rates has changed significantly over the same period and makes comparison less straightforward.

  1st

  Standard

  Year

  Cash £

  1994 prices £

  Cash £

  1994 prices £

  1975

  13·82

  64·68

  8·65

  40·48

  1976

  18·40

  69·81

  11·50

  43·63

  1977

  21·80

  70·96

  14·20

  46·22

  1978

  25·45

  75·36

  16·60

  49·16

  1979

  28·30

  76·64

  18·50

  50·10

  1980

  34·40

  78·63

  22·30

  50·97

  1981

  41·70

  84·39

  27·00

  54·64

  1982

  45·50

  82·20

  29·50

  53·30

  1983

  51·00

  87·81

  33·00

  56·82

  1984

  54·00

  88·45

  35·50

  58·15

  1985

  59·00

  92·02

  38·40

  59·89

  1986

  66·00

  97·54

  43·00

  63·55

  1987

  69·00

  98·15

  45·00

  64·01

  1988

  75·00

  103·28

  49·00

  67·48

  1989

  84·00

  107·64

  54·00

  69·20

  1990

  84·00

  99·99

  54·00

  64·28

  1991

  104·00

  113·69

  68·00

  74·33

  1992

  111·00

  116·51

  72·00

  75·57

  1993

  118·00

  121·79

  78·00

  80·50

  1994

  118·00

  118·00

  80·00

  80·00

  Year

  2nd 17 day return (a) £

  1st weekend return £

  2nd weekend return £

  2nd day return £

  1st 17day return £

  1975

  6·50

  9·21

  5·63

  4·61

  —

  1976

  9·91

  12·63

  8·36

  6·92

  —

  1977

  11·90

  12·40

  9·20

  8·40

  16·70

  865

  Year

  2nd 17 day return (a) £

  1st weekend return £

  2nd weekend return £

  2nd day return £

  1st 17 day return £

  1978

  13·85

  14·60

  10·80

  9·90

  19·40

  1979

  15·40

  16·20

  12·00

  11·00

  21·60

  1980

  19·60

  20·10

  15·50

  13·70

  30·10

  1981

  23·60

  25·00

  19·30

  16·60

  36·50

  1982

  26·00

  27·50

  21·00

  18·10

  39·50

  1983

  28·00

  29·00

  22·00

  19·50

  43·00

  May 1983

  Monthly return fares withdrawn

  1984

  31·00

  23·50

  20·50

  —

  —

  1985

  —

  33·00

  25·00

  21·50

  —

  Year

  2nd saver (b) £

  2nd low saver (b) £

  2nd apex £

  Super advance £

  Leisure first £

  May 1985

  New fares structure

  1986

  29·00

  26·00

  —

  —

  —

  1987

  31·00

  27·00

  —

  —

  —

  1988

  31·00

  27·00

  —

  —

  —

  1989

  33·00

  29·00

  —

  —

  —

  1990

  36·00

  31·00

  —

  —

  —

  1991

  41·00

  35·00

  —

  —

  —

  1992

  43·00

  37·00

  27·00

  —

  —

  1993

  45·00

  40·00

  27·00

  —

  —

  1994

  45·00

  40·00

  25·00

  40·00

  59·00

  (a) Became monthly return on 2 January 1977.

  (b) Saver and low saver tickets became white saver and blue saver tickets from 21 June 1987 and subsequently became saver and supersaver tickets from 13 May 1990.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide details of the statements made by each Minister in his Department during November 1989 which referred to a completion date for the channel tunnel rail link; and what completion date was announced in each case.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 15 February 1994]: Following a further search, I can provide the following additional information:
  Question by Kenneth Warren MP, 6 November 1989:
  "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assurance has been received from British Rail regarding availability for use when the tunnel opens of a high-speed rail link to London from the Channel Tunnel for passengers and freight."
  Michael Portillo: "In the early years of the tunnel's operation, BR plan to use existing lines, upgraded as necessary, for international passenger and freight services. British Rail and their joint venture partners, Eurorail, are planning to build a new passenger rail link between the Channel Tunnel and London to overcome capacity constraints on the existing network. This new line, which is expected to be operational in 1998, will release additional capacity on existing lines for the growth of international freight traffic."—[Official Report, 6 November 1989; Vol. 159, c. 417.]

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Compensation
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Seccretary of State for Northern Ireland how many claims against the Northern Ireland Office in respect of criminal injury or criminal damage were disposed of by way of settlement or adjudication in the period (i) 1 July 1991 to 30 June 1992 866
  and (ii) 1 July 1992 to 30 June 1993; in how many of such cases within each period junior counsel was instructed giving (a) the number of junior counsel with the number of cases in which each was briefed and (b) the perceived religious affiliation of the number of counsel instructed and the number of cases in which each was briefed.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Compensation Agency under its chief executive Mr. John Robinson. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from John Robinson to Mr. David Trimble, dated 16 March 1994:
  Your parliamentary Question to Sir John Wheeler MP concerning the number of settled claims for compensation in respect of criminal injuries and criminal damage in 1991–92 and 1992–93 in which junior counsel were instructed has been passed to me as Chief Executive of the Compensation Agency.
  The figures are as follows:

  1 July 1991 to 30 June 1992

  1 July 1992 to 30 June 1993

  Total number of settlements and court awards

  9,330

  10,174

  Number involving junior counsel

  2,582

  2,217

  Number of junior counsel instructed

  16

  15

  Number of cases in which individual counsel was instructed

  Counsel

  1 July 1991 to 30 June 1992

  1 July 1992 to 30 June 1993

  A

  569

  500

  B

  531

  318

  C

  525

  461

  D

  437

  368

  E

  129

  91

  F

  107

  99

  G

  71

  96

  H

  67

  219

  I

  38

  8

  J

  34

  13

  K

  32

  1

  L

  31

  39

  M

  7

  0

  N

  2

  1

  O

  1

  0

  P

  1

  0

  Q

  0

  2

  R

  0

  1

  Total

  2,582

  2,217

  The Agency has no information on the religious affiliation of counsel instructed.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Abortions
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many abortions were performed by each health and social services board in Northern Ireland for each year from 1990 to 1993; and what was the total number of women aged 15 to 44 years who were resident in each board area in 1991.

  Mr. Ancram
  While the Abortion Act 1967 does not extend to Northern Ireland, therapeutic terminations of pregnancy may be carried out in Northern Ireland hospitals on strictly medical grounds. The number of such
  867
  terminations cannot be identified separately in the statistical information collected centrally on obstetric and gynaecological procedures.

  The total number of females aged 15 to 44 resident in each board area on 30 June 1991 was as follows:

  Number

  Eastern

  140,600

  Northern

  86,700

  Southern

  61,700

  Western

  56,700

  Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.

  Child Care
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spends on child care provision for the under-fives and out-of-school provision for children aged over five either directly, excluding provision for departmental staff, or indirectly through resources made available to local authorities or other organisations; what form of provision is thereby provided; how many places are thereby provided; and if he will make a statement on child care.

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: The Department of Health and Social Services directly assists the development of child care for pre-school and school age children by grant aiding regional voluntary child care organisations in Northern Ireland working in this field. In the current financial year over £235,000 has been provided in this way.

  In 1991–92, the latest year for which the information is available, health and social services boards in Northern Ireland spent £1,598,000 on support for local day care projects, either through direct provision or in support of voluntary and community facilities. In that year, boards also spent £148,000 on family day centres, but these do not cater exclusively for parents with young children.

  Details of the forms of provision and number of places available, as at 31 March 1993, are as follows:

  Type

  Places available

  Pre-school playgroups

  16,063

  Day nurseries

  2,036

  Childminders

  14,045

  Total

  32,144

  Note: These figures are provisional.

  The provision of day care services forms an integral part of the Department of Health and Social Service's preventive strategy in child care. Their development is a key part of the health and social services boards responsibilities under the current regional strategy 1992–97, in particular the identification of areas and groups with particular health and social needs and targeting services accordingly.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many beds per 1,000 people are available in(a) Northern Ireland hospitals and (b) Belfast hospitals.
  868
  Mr. Ancram
  The available information is as follows:

  Available beds

  Population

  Available beds per 1,000 population

  Northern Ireland

  11,712

  1,610,268

  7·3

  Greater Belfast area

  3,721

  1n/a

  1n/a

  Note:

  Hospitals in the Greater Belfast area have been taken as those in Greenpark Healthcare Trust (Musgrave Park, Belvoir and Forster Green), Royal Group of Hospitals Trust (Royal Victoria, Royal Maternity and Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children), Belfast City Hospital Trust, the Ulster North Down and Ards Trust (The Ulster) and the Mater Infirmorum Hospital and Purdysburn Hospital.

  1Hospitals in the Greater Belfast area cater for people from all over Northern Ireland. It is therefore not appropriate to directly calculate available beds per 1,000 population in relation to the Greater Belfast population.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what is the average cost per child under 18 of general dental services in Northern Ireland for(a) children registered with a general dental practitioner and (b) all other children.

  Mr. Ancram
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Rochdale (Ms Lynne) on 11 March 1994,Official Report, c. 436–37.

TREASURY

  Customs and Excise
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what representations he has received in support of postponing the closure of the Customs and Excise group's Blyth office, on 31 March, pending a further independent review; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what estimate he has made of the number of job losses which will occur as a result of the proposal to close the Customs and Excise group's Blyth office on 31 March.

  Sir John Cope
  I have received representations from the hon. Member for Blyth Valley (Mr. Campbell) against the closure of Customs' Blyth office on 31 March. The closure will result in the loss of one and a half jobs.

ENVIRONMENT

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what property, leased or owned by his Department, is not in current use.

  Mr. Baldry
  Property Holdings is responsible for the Government's reusable office estate—the common user estate. There are currently over 3,200 properties on the common user estate. Of these, 165 or 5 per cent. are not in current use. Some 128 are surplus to operational requirements and are either being actively marketed by external consultants or being prepared for disposal action; nine have been allocated for re-use; and six are held for redevelopment-refurbishment.

  Decisions on the future of the remaining properties, which are ever changing, are under constant review in the context of normal portfolio management activity.
  869

  Taxation, Ealing
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the change in the average payment per head in cental and local taxation in the London borough of Ealing between(a) 1986 and 1990 and (b) 1990 and 1994 in real and percentage terms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Both the rating system which operated in 1986–87 and the council tax are property-based taxes. This, and the extensive changes which have occurred in the local government finance system since the 1980s, mean that it is extremely difficult to make the comparison suggested.

  It is not our practice to produce estimates of central taxation at the sub-regional level as they are not, in general, reliable.

  Landfill Sites
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the measures that he is taking to ensure that operators who use landfill are held to account for any subsequent pollution of domestic and other water.

  Mr. Atkins
  Since 1976 active landfill sites have required licences under the Control of Pollution Act 1974. The purpose of these licences includes ensuring that the activities to which the licence relates do not cause pollution of water. Licences are granted by the waste regulation authority for the area, which is required by statute to consult the National Rivers Authority or, in Scotland, the river purification authority. As the then Minister for the Environment and Countryside announced on 29 November,Official Report, column 384, we intend to bring new waste management licensing regulations into force in May 1994. These regulations will strengthen the powers of waste regulation authorities to protect the environment. The Government is currently reviewing the arrangements for dealing with contaminated land and the related liabilities. As I announced on 8 March, Official Report, column 110, we have published a consultation paper, "Paying for our Past", as part of that review.

  Agencies
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the number of appointments he makes to, and the budgets of, the non-departmental agencies he has responsibility for.

  Mr. Baldry
  Information about the non-departmental public bodies for which the Secretary of State for the Environment is responsible is contained in "Public Bodies 1993". A copy is available in the House of Commons Library and shows the number of bodies, their gross expenditure and the number of appointments to each body.

  "Public Bodies" includes the Commons Commissioners and valuation tribunals for which the Secretary of State is responsible but to which appointments are made by the Lord Chancellor and local authorities, respectively.

  Taxation, Lewisham
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the change in the average payment per head in central and local taxation in the 870
  London borough of Lewisham between (a) 1986 and 1990 and (b) 1990 and 1994, in real and percentage terms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Lady to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) today.

  Open Government
  Ms Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the implications for the operation of his Department of the code of practice on open government.

  Mr. Baldry
  A code of practice will reinforce and build on my Department's existing arrangements for the provision of information, which are already particularly extensive in relation to the release of environmental information. Operational details will be announced at the time of the launch.

  Black People (Training and Enterprise)
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his Department's response to the key recommendations of the Black Training and Enterprise Group on the draft bidding guidance for the single regeneration budget; and what actions are planned by the Government to ensure that the integrated regional offices(a) establish clear requirements for race equality for TECs and local authorities, (b) employ staff at a senior level to formally liaise with the black voluntary sector to ensure they are given the necessary support to put funding bids together, (c) employ staff to assist black businesses and enterprise agencies in accessing contracts funded by the SRB and ensuring that TECs and local authorities have clear guidelines as to how they should assist black enterprise and (d) have a specific budget allocation targeted at the black voluntary sector.

  Mr. Baldry
  We have received a large number of responses following the extensive consultation on the proposed bidding guidance for the new single regeneration budget. We are now considering the comments that have been received, including the recommendations contained in the response from the Black Training and Enterprise Group, and this will inform the revision of the bidding guidance. The revised bidding guidance will be issued by the new regional offices in early April.

  The Home Office will be posting an officer to each of the new regional offices, who will monitor objectives for supporting the ethnic minorities, and will provide advice to the senior regional directors.

  Waste Shipment
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he published his most recent departmental circular on the transfrontier shipment of waste regulations; how many copies have been printed; and to whom they have been circulated.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer the hon. Member to the Department of the Environment circular 16/89, published on 2 June 1989, relating to the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988, Statutory Instrument No. 1562. The printing and distribution of this circular are matters for
  871
  HMSO. As part of the initial, official distribution, copies were sent to all local authorities and waste authorities in England and Wales.

  Acid Rain
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures his Department will be taking to cut emissions of sulphur dioxide and to rectify damage already caused to buildings and wildlife from acid rain.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the then Minister of State for the Environment and Countryside to his question of 25 November 1993,Official Report, column 189, and to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's reply to the question from the hon. Member for Norwich, North (Mr. Thompson) of 9 December 1993, Official Report, columns 366–67.

  John Archer School Site
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions his Department is having on the proposed sale by Wandsworth council of land of the former John Archer school site.

  Mr. Baldry
  None.

  Tiger Bone
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what products claimed to contain tiger bone have been imported into the United Kingdom during each of the last three years.

  Mr. Atkins
  No permits have been issued by my Department in the last three years to authorise the importation of products claimed to contain tiger bone.

  Cardiff Bay Barrage
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the Environment Commissioner of the European Communities in relation to the impact of the 1979 wild birds directive and the habitats directive on the consents required for the construction of the Cardiff bay barrage.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 1 March,Official Report, column 643.

  Domestic Fuel
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what controls exist in England, Wales and Scotland over the sale of unauthorised fuels in smoke control areas and the sale of high sulphur solid fuels for domestic use; and what proposals he has to introduce further regulations.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Clean Air Act 1993 contains provisions to control the sale and acquisition of unauthorised fuels in smoke control areas. Solid fuels with a sulphur content greater than 2 per cent. are not authorised for use in smoke control areas. In view of the decline in annual average concentrations and emissions of smoke and sulphur dioxide from domestic sources, we have re-examined our proposals for further regulations and do 872
  not propose any additional controls at present. The need for such controls will be reviewed if any significant risk emerges to the maintenance of air quality.

  Planning
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to make the amendments to the Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988 announced on 16 December 1992 by the Minister for Local Government and Planning.

  Mr. Curry
  My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Wales have today laid amendments to the Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988. These add privately financed toll roads to schedule 1 of the regulations, thus requiring environmental assessment in every case; and wind generators, motorway service areas and coast protection works to schedule 2 of the regulations, the effect of which will be to allow local planning authorities to require EA where a particular development proposal would be likely to have significant effects on the environment. The amendments will come into effect on 8 April.

  The amendments will bring privately financed toll roads promoted by local authorities in line with similar toll roads promoted by the Department of Transport. The addition of motorway service areas reflects the fact that EA has been undertaken for motorway service areas proposed in the past by the Department of Transport. Future motorway service areas will be provided instead by private developers, but the measures announced today will ensure that they continue to be subject to EA. Coast protection works, which are carried out by maritime district councils, have been added to bring them in line with new flood relief works, including sea defence works, which are already included in schedule 2 of the regulations and subject to EA where appropriate. Wind generators have been added because they can often have a significant visual impact on the local environment, particularly in sensitive areas.

  The amendments to the regulations also include the technical changes referred to in the reply which my right hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, Acton (Sir G. Young) gave on 16 December 1992, Official Report, columns 320–21.

  Since my right hon. Friend's reply, the Government have reviewed earlier proposals for the addition of further categories of project to the regulations. We have concluded that any extension of the regulations beyond those set out above would be inconsistent with the aim of limiting unnecessary regulation. However, the environmental effects of any project will continue to be among the material considerations which a planning authority must take into account when deciding whether or not to grant planning permission.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland will be making similar amendments to the equivalent EA regulations for Scotland.

  Rent Arrears (London)
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the rent arrears, in cash and percentage terms, for each of the London boroughs as at the date for which figures are kept.
  873
  Sir George Young
  [holding answer Monday 28 February 1994]: The latest available information is as follows:

  Cumulative rent arrears at 31 March 1993—London boroughs

  Local Authority

  Arrears as per cent. of Rent Roll

  Total Rent Arrears (£000's)

  Barking

  2·4

  873

  Barnet

  4·2

  1,286

  Bexley

  2·6

  429

  Brent

  31·8

  15,500

  Bromley

  27·7

  399

  Camden

  19·4

  14,170

  City of London

  4·7

  244

  Croydon

  3·1

  1,329

  Ealing

  29·5

  21,184

  Enfield

  8·5

  3,320

  Greenwich

  23·0

  15,218

  Hackney

  32·6

  33,718

  Hammersmith

  16·4

  6,944

  Haringey

  21·6

  12,681

  Harrow

  4·1

  746

  Havering

  2·0

  465

  Hillingdon

  3·1

  1,224

  Hounslow

  9·7

  3,055

  Islington

  20·4

  18,630

  Kensington and Chelsea

  8·1

  1,786

  Kingston upon Thames

  4·1

  712

  Lambeth

  25·0

  21,121

  Lewisham

  13·2

  9,627

  Merton

  5·3

  1,317

  Newham

  25·0

  12,368

  Redbridge

  6·1

  1,719

  Richmond upon Thames

  5·6

  1,104

  Southwark

  24·7

  29,900

  Sutton

  4·3

  938

  Tower Hamlets

  6·4

  4,324

  Waltham Forest

  6·2

  2,119

  Wandsworth

  6·7

  4,144

  Westminster

  6·9

  3,450

  Source: HIP1 Forms

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Air Miles
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 15 March, c.645, (1) how many free air miles were accrued by civil servants on official business prior to new guidance being issued;

  (2) when it was decided that the benefits of frequent flyer schemes should be used only for official travel or forgone;

  (3) how many civil servants accrued free air miles in each Government Department on official business prior to new guidance being issued.

  Mr. David Davis
  Departments were asked on 24 February to issue guidance to their staff. The other information sought is not available.

  Civil Service (Disabled Employees)
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the employment of disabled people in the civil service.

  Mr. David Davis
  The annual report on the progress in the employment of disabled people in the civil service is presented in the magazine "Independent" published today.

  The report shows that during 1993 8,384—1·5 per cent.—registered disabled people were employed in the civil
  874
  service departments and agencies, a small increase over 1992. In addition to this, the civil service employs many more disabled people who choose not to register as disabled.

  I am arranging for copies of "Independent" to be placed in the Library of the House.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Unemployment Benefit
  Sir Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state in pounds sterling what is the total annual payment in unemployment benefit and related measures in(a) the European Union and (b) the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Burt
  Details of the total benefit expenditure on benefits paid to unemployed people is given in table 5, page 81, of the 1994 "Social Security Departmental Report", a copy of which is in the Library. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has responsibility for expenditure in respect of Northern Ireland.

  There are also payments of training allowances under several schemes including: youth training bridging allowance, training for work, learning for work and TEC challenge. For 1993–94 the total for Great Britain is estimated to be in the region of £525 million.

  In addition to these amounts there are a number of miscellaneous payments made to unemployed people by the Employment Department. Many of these are payments for travel or subsistence when attending interview or certain training courses, but there are also other payments such as those made under the visually impaired, personal reader services. These payments are estimated to total approximately £20 million for the year April 1993–94.

  Comparable information for the European Union is not available in the form requested. The Eurostat publication "Social Protection Expenditure and Receipts 1980–1991" gives the latest information available about expenditure on unemployment for EC member states. A copy of this publication is also in the Library.

  Child Support Agency
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 9 March,Official Report, column 214, what factors are taken into account by the Child Support Agency when deciding not to implement a reduced benefit deduction to protect single mothers who have disabilities or children with disabilities; how many decisions of this kind have been made; and how many cases of this kind have been considered.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Ms Jean Corston, dated 17 March:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the imposition of reduced benefit directions in cases where the parent with care or a child had disabilities.875 As I explained in my reply to Ms Gordon, the Child Support Manual contains no specific instructions on this matter, although child support officers will consider the impact of such a deduction on the welfare of the children.No information is collected on whether the parent with care or any children are disabled. National figures show, however, that from 5 April 1993 to 31 January 1994, 44,600 parents with care were considered in relation to the requirement to cooperate. Of the cases so far completed, good cause was accepted in nearly 25,000; the absent parent was named in 8,900; and 330 were referred to the Benefits Agency to consider the implementation of a Reduced Benefit Direction.I am sorry that I cannot be more helpful.

  Crisis Loans
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for crisis loans made in the Doncaster area, have been refused in each of the last 24 months.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 17 March 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the number of Crisis Loan (CL) applications which have been refused in the Doncaster area in each of the last 24 months.The Doncaster area is served by the Benefits Agency's Doncaster District, Details broken down on a monthly basis, of the number of CL applications refused by the District for the period 1 March 1992 to 28 February 1994 (latest available figures) are shown at Annex A.I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Annex A

  Number of crisis loans refused by month March 1992 to February 1994 (latest available figures) for the benefit agency's Doncaster district

  Month and year

  Number of crisis loans refused

  March 1992

  31

  April 1992

  35

  May 1992

  53

  June 1992

  92

  July 1992

  114

  August 1992

  58

  September 1992

  91

  October 1992

  123

  November 1992

  127

  December 1992

  114

  January 1993

  95

  February 1993

  81

  March 1993

  79

  April 1993

  89

  May 1993

  77

  June 1993

  64

  July 1993

  78

  August 1993

  107

  September 1993

  108

  October 1993

  76

  November 1993

  82

  December 1993

  74

  January 1994

  53

  February 1994

  58

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many inquiries are currently waiting to be dealt with in his Department's Stoke on Trent, North office relating to the Child Support Agency;
  876
  (2) how many staff, and at what grade, are employed and deal with inquiries in his Department's Stoke on Trent, North office in respect of the Child Suport Agency; and how many posts are vacant.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Ms Joan Walley, dated 17 March 1994:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the number of enquiries outstanding and the number of staff at the Child Support Agency's Stoke on Trent North office.At 10 March 1994, there were no outstanding written enquiries from members of the public, but nine telephone enquiries required further information before replies could be given.Current staffing levels at the office are:

  1 full-time Local Officer Grade I (LOI)—Executive Officer equivalent

  2 part-time LOIs

  2 full-time Local Officers Grade II (LOII)—Administrative Officer equivalent

  3 part-time LOIIs

  There are no current vacancies.

  I hope this information is helpful.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many Benefits Agency managers have requested a supplementary allocation to their social fund budget; what is his Department's response; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what percentage of applicants were turned down for a grant from the social fund on a monthly basis, campaign commencing April 1992 and concluding in March 1993 both for the west midlands and nationally; what reasons were given; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Jim Cunningham, dated 17 March 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about whether Benefit Agency (BA) District Managers have asked for additional funds for their Social Fund (SF) budget, and the number of Social Fund grant refusals and the reasons for refusal in the West Midlands and nationally.I can confirm that one request was made in 1993–94 for additional funds for the SF discretionary budget. As a result of severe flooding in the Llandudno area during June 1993, an additional allocation of £155,000 for grants and £10,000 for loans was made to the North Wales Coast District.You also asked for the percentage of applicants refused a grant in 1992–93 in the West Midlands and nationally. I am unable to supply details specifically for the West Midlands area. Statistics are available by BA Territory, Area and District. I have, therefore, provided information for the BA's Area of Midlands South West which consists of the Districts of Birmingham Chamberlain, Birmingham Heartlands, Birmingham North West, Birmingham South East, Birmingham South West, Coventry, Hereford and Worcester and finally Warwickshire.Information on the SF is not kept by applicant but by application. The percentage of grant applications refused monthly for Midlands South West and nationally for the period 1 April 1922 to 31 March 1993 is given at Annex A. I must point out that the majority of Community Care Grant applications are refused

  877
  because the basic eligibility criteria are not met. The reasons for refusal for Midlands South West and Nationally for the same period are given at Annex B and Annex C respectively.

  Annex A

  Percentage of community care grants (CCGs) refused in Midlands South West and nationally by month in the financial year 1992–93

  Month/Year

  Midlands South West

  Nationally

  April 1992

  76·87

  70·50

  May 1992

  70·43

  71·17

  June 1992

  78·12

  74·22

  July 1992

  76·91

  73·52

  August 1992

  78·56

  73·73

  September 1992

  75·14

  73·59

  Annex B

  Reasons for refusal of community care grants (CCGs) by month for BA Midlands South West in the Financial year 1992–93

  Reference:

  Month

  A

  B

  C

  D

  E

  F

  G

  H

  I

  J

  K

  L

  April

  254

  2,790

  4

  26

  149

  126

  5

  12

  12

  4

  205

  57

  May

  258

  2,423

  6

  10

  146

  95

  5

  10

  6

  3

  183

  51

  June

  335

  3,140

  3

  27

  163

  139

  4

  13

  15

  9

  242

  68

  July

  282

  3,151

  3

  20

  165

  134

  6

  12

  13

  10

  226

  68

  August

  267

  2,880

  4

  18

  126

  194

  5

  12

  10

  7

  210

  71

  September

  283

  2,982

  4

  19

  142

  164

  3

  17

  13

  4

  255

  65

  October

  254

  3,206

  6

  12

  145

  101

  6

  22

  7

  11

  258

  57

  November

  267

  3,223

  5

  8

  148

  83

  5

  15

  5

  5

  263

  74

  December

  239

  2,745

  9

  14

  125

  68

  6

  14

  6

  3

  232

  49

  January

  279

  2,674

  4

  17

  145

  81

  3

  25

  9

  4

  207

  49

  February

  324

  3,328

  2

  17

  168

  115

  4

  19

  4

  10

  201

  44

  March

  327

  3,343

  3

  10

  167

  110

  4

  10

  17

  4

  154

  48

  Codes

  A Not in receipt of Income Support (IS)

  G Alternative item available

  B Direction 4 not satisfied

  H Help available from another source

  C Applicant excluded by Direction

  I Savings over £500 meet cost

  D Requested amount below minimum allowable

  J Savings over £1,000 meet cost (customer or partner over 60)

  E Repeat application

  K Insufficient priority

  F Item excluded by Direction

  L Other reasons

  Note: Total reasons for refusal may not equal total refusals as applications may be refused for more than one reason.

  Annex C

  Reasons for refusal of community care grants (CCGs) by month nationally for the Financial year 1992–93

  Reference:

  Month

  A

  B

  C

  D

  E

  F

  G

  H

  I

  J

  K

  L

  April

  5,209

  50,989

  475

  327

  2,599

  1,898

  106

  207

  129

  70

  5,965

  1,278

  May

  4,711

  47,647

  393

  270

  2,326

  1,815

  90

  230

  107

  92

  5,679

  1,178

  June

  5,707

  56,177

  403

  311

  2,547

  2,230

  147

  244

  150

  102

  7,356

  1,501

  July

  5,692

  55,782

  435

  317

  2,820

  2,312

  136

  260

  147

  118

  7,770

  1,501

  August

  4,862

  48,593

  371

  231

  2,550

  2,257

  125

  254

  140

  96

  6,873

  1,309

  September

  5,331

  55,299

  370

  306

  2,735

  2,536

  120

  286

  134

  99

  7,818

  1,367

  October

  5,616

  58,831

  530

  286

  2,876

  2,146

  135

  277

  140

  120

  8,498

  1,348

  November

  5,793

  62,268

  526

  311

  3,036

  2,058

  150

  279

  116

  129

  8,524

  1,436

  December

  4,755

  48,288

  376

  249

  2,345

  1,595

  99

  219

  112

  82

  6,433

  1,136

  January

  5,022

  51,165

  351

  273

  2,596

  1,960

  109

  258

  144

  104

  6,193

  1,246

  February

  5,560

  60,086

  496

  295

  2,603

  2,189

  131

  280

  126

  106

  6,157

  1,324

  March

  6,416

  67,053

  506

  274

  3,038

  2,385

  123

  308

  141

  101

  7,127

  1,640

  Codes

  A Not in receipt of Income Support (IS)

  G Alternative item available

  B Direction 4 not satisfied

  H Help available from another source

  C Applicant excluded by Direction

  I Savings over £500 meet cost

  D Requested amount below minimum allowable

  J Savings over £1,000 meet cost (customer or partner over 60)

  E Repeat application

  K Insufficient priority

  F Item excluded by Direction

  L Other reasons

  Note: Total reasons for refusal may not equal total refusals as applications may be refused for more than one reason.
  878

  Month/Year

  Midlands South West

  Nationally

  October 1992

  73·44

  73·97

  November 1992

  75·96

  73·43

  December 1992

  86·09

  79·73

  January 1993

  69·58

  70·58

  February 1993

  83·17

  72·23

  March 1993

  71·96

  70·16

  879

  Open Government
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what will be the implications for the operation of his Department of the code of practice on open government.

  Mr. Hague
  The code of practice will reinforce and build on this Department's existing arrangements for the provision of information. Requests will be handled as part of the normal business process, keeping procedures as simple as possible. Decisions on the release of information will be taken by the unit with primary responsibility for the policy, action or decision. Internal reviews where an applicant complains that information has been unreasonably withheld will be carried out by someone of senior rank within the same area but who had no involvement in the original decision.

  In recent months the Department has published a number of papers including "The growth of social security"—July 1993; "Containing the cost of social security"—October 1993—and "Equality in State Pension Age"—December 1993. Customer charters have been published by the Benefits Agency—December 1993; the Contributions Agency—January 1994—and the Child Support Agency—April 1993. Statements on standards of service are displayed in local offices and each agency reports publicly on performance against targets. A customer charter will be published by the War Pensions Agency after its launch in April 1994.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants living in(a) local authority and (b) private sector rented accommodation were found to have made fraudulent claims for housing benefit in each year since 1989; and what was the total amount paid out by local authorities to claimants later found to have made fraudulent claims for housing benefit in each year recovered by local authorities from claimants in each year.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not available.

  Family Benefit
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his current estimate of eligible households in the Huddersfield and Dewsbury areas who do not claim family benefit.

  Mr. Burt
  Take-up figures for family credit are not available on a regional basis. The latest estimates for take-up of family credit for Great Britain for 1991 are that 64 per cent. of eligible families were claiming it, and that 71 per cent. of available benefit was being claimed1.

  As at 18 February 1994, 2,283 families in Huddersfield, and 2,868 families in Dewsbury were receiving family credit.
  1 "Families, Work and Benefits"—Policy Studies Institute, June 1993.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for the last 12 months how many parliamentary questions he has referred to one of his Department's agencies for answer; and what percentage of parliamentary questions to his Department this represents.
  880
  Mr. Hague
  In the period 1 March 1993 to 28 February 1994, 2,775 parliamentary questions were received by the Department. Of these, 463, which is 17 per cent. of the total, were referred to and answered by the chief executive of one of the Department's agencies.

DEFENCE

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

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested can be found in the 18 March 1994 issue of the magazine "Independent", copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who are the members currently appointed to the board of the Royal Naval museum, Portsmouth.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 28 January 1994]: The information requested is as follows:

  Admiral Morton (Chair)

  Dr. Knight, NMM

  Captain Pack, SOF

  Rear Admiral Morris, SNR

  Councillor Emery-Wallis

  S. Thomas, PCC

  O. Aisher

  M. Drummond

  T. Ferrers-Walker

  Lord Strathcona

  A. Jaffray

  P. Trumper

  Mr. and Mrs. J. McCarthy

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Mine Clearance Equipment
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on the export of mine clearance equipment.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Mine clearance equipment is covered by the Export of Goods (Control) Order of 1992 and as such requires a licence before export. All applications for such exports are considered on a case by case basis.

  Multilateral Trade Organisation
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made as to the effect on sovereignty of article 16, paragraph 4, of the agreement establishing the multilateral trade organisation.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Article XVI, paragraph 4 of the agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation, as it is now to be known, has no effect on national sovereignty. Under this paragraph, the parties to the agreement undertake to ensure the conformity of their laws and regulations with the obligations under the WTO agreement and its annexed agreements. The purpose of this is to ensure full implementation of the GATT agreement by the
  881
  parties to it. Parties to a treaty always need to ensure the conformity of their domestic legislation with their obligations under the treaty in order to avoid any breach of those obligations.

  Middle East
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will urge upon the European Union and United Nations the need for an international observer force to be established in the occupied territories.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  European Foreign Ministers issued a statement on 7 March supporting the establishment in the occupied territories of an international presence and declaring the willingnes of their states to participate. With our support, the United Nations is considering a resolution which would call for an international presence.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what approaches he has had about his willingness for the United Kingdom to play a role in an international observer force in the occupied territories; by whom; and what was his response.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs told Nabil Sha'ath, political adviser to Chairman Arafat, when he called on him on 3 March, that if an international civilian observer presence is agreed upon for the occupied territories, Britain will not be absent.

  Indonesia
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Indonesian Government on their human rights record.

  Mr. Goodlad
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs raised this issue with the Indonesian Government when he visited Indonesia in April 1993. We regularly discuss human rights issues with Indonesia in other bilateral contacts and in international bodies.

  Intelligence Services
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the official functions of the Secret Intelligence Service and GCHQ.

  Mr. Hurd
  I refer the hon. Member to clauses 1 and 3 of the Intelligence Services Bill, which is before Parliament.

  Public Interest Immunity
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 3 March,Official Report, column 828, if the documents which were the subject of claims by his Department for non-disclosure on public interest immunity grounds were disclosed to Lord Justice Woolf and Mr. Justice Pill in the High Court during proceedings concerning Mr. Lorrain Osman; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  [holding answer 15 March 1994]Nine documents, for which public interest immunity had been 882
  asserted and upheld in earlier proceedings, were examined by Lord Justice Woolf and Mr. Justice Pill in the course of Mr. Lorrain Osman's seventh application for habeas corpus.

  North-West Kurdistan
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the proposals for a ceasefire in north-west Kurdistan, south-east Turkey, put forward by Abdullah Ocalan.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 17 March 1994]: The resolution of their Kurdish problem is a matter for the Turkish Government, provided it encompasses full respect for human rights. We understand their reluctance to enter into negotiations with terrorists.

  General Pinochet
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who authorised an entry visa to the United Kingdom for General Augusto Pinochet; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 17 March 1994]: Chilean nationals do not require visas to visit the United Kingdom. General Pinochet did not apply for prior entry clearance at the British embassy in Santiago before making his recent private visit.

EDUCATION

  Secondary Schools
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will name four or more secondary schools within the residential sector occupied new, extended, or modified buildings for which he has recently approved significant capital expenditure and which are over 90 per cent. full.

  Mr. Forth
  Such information on LEA-maintained boarding schools is not centrally available.

  Since the financial year 1989–90 the Secretary of State has made capital grants to the following non-maintained special schools which meet the criteria in question:

  £

  The Mary Hare Grammar School for the Deaf—age range 11–19—Newbury

  400,000

  Royal School for Deaf Children—age range 4–19—Margate

  237,000

  The West of England School—age range 3–19—Exeter

  400,000

  St. John's Residential School—age range 7–19—Brighton

  469,000

  Open Government
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what will be the implications for the operation of his Department of the code of practice on open government.

  Mr. Boswell
  The code of practice will reinforce and build on the Department's existing arrangements for the provision of information. A considerable amount of
  883
  information is already provided on request to the public through routine correspondence. In addition, the annual publication of performance tables is increasing the amount of information available to parents and others on the achievements of schools and colleges; while the parents, further education and higher education charters also emphasise the importance of information for all those involved.

  Amyl Nitrate
  Ms Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what action he is taking to stop the use of amyl nitrate in schools.

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, East (Mr. Ainsworth) on 1 March,Official Report, column 774–75.

  Higher Education Funding Council
  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what analysis he has made of the effect of the system of categories of quality assessment currently used by the Higher Education Funding Council for England on the recruitment of overseas students;

  (2) what consideration he has given to abolishing the categories of quality assessment currently used by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in favour of a single quality threshold.

  Mr. Boswell
  Under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, responsibility for all aspects of the system of quality assessment rests with the funding council. It is currently considering recommendations arising from an evaluation of the quality assessment process in its first full year of operation. My right hon. Friend will look to the council to take decisions on those recommendations, having regard to the need for helpful information for students and others, and for the council itself in respect of its funding decisions; and to the desirability of encouraging improvements in the quality of teaching and learning as well as assuring that it meets minimum requirements.

  Technology Colleges
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 8 March,Official Report, column 131, if he will place in the Library information extracted from the management plans of the 12 schools listed in his announcement of 28 February that identifies and quantifies their key targets, including in particular targets for the achievements of pupils.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  No, for the reason given in my earlier answer. Schools did not necessarily prepare their management plans with any expectation that they would become public documents.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will describe the arrangements he has made, or intends to make, in order to monitor progress by each of the 12 schools listed in the announcement of 28 February towards the key targets of their management plans; what reports he expects to receive; and by whom such progress will be audited or independently reviewed.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  All of the schools approved to start as technology colleges on 1 September 1994 will be 884
  required to submit to the Department a report on progress towards their targets in December 1995, and annually thereafter.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the areas in which the management plans of each of the 12 schools listed in his announcement of 28 February identified key targets for achievement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Each of the schools' plans includes one or more targets relating to increased curriculum provision in the specialist subjects of technology, science and mathematics; one or more targets relating to increased take-up of such provision by pupils; and one or more targets relating to improved test and examination attainment in these subjects.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 8 March,Official Report, column 131, whether parents of registered pupils at the 12 schools listed in his announcement of 28 February have a right to inspect the school's management plan; and whether the governing body will be expected to provide a factual summary of the management plan in the next annual report to parents, including in particular targets for the achievements of pupils.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  These are matters for the governing bodies of the schools.

  Student Unions
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the number and costs of his Department's inquiries into student union funding since 1979.

  Mr. Boswell
  Since 1979, the Department's inquiries into the funding of student unions have included work preparatory to the introduction of new arrangements for the funding of student unions from the academic year 1981–82, following criticism of the previous arrangements by the Committee of Public Accounts in 1978; and work related to the Government's current proposals for student union reform which followed the survey of student unions published by the Department in 1989. It is not possible to disaggregate the costs of these activities from other work of the officials involved.

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

  Mr. Forth
  This information is contained in the magazine "Independent" which has been published today and placed in the Library.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Car Allowances
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Lord President of the Council on what basis hon. Members' car allowance is calculated; when this was last reviewed; and what plans he has for review in the near future.
  885
  Mr. Newton
  Since 1984 hon. Members' car allowance has been calculated on the basis of the "Peyton formula". The rates were last revised with effect from 1 April 1991. As the information hitherto used for such revision is no longer available in the form required by the relevant resolution, I am currently considering how best to establish a secure basis for future updating.

HEALTH

  Ministerial Offices
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of receptions held by Ministers in her Department in 1993–94.

  Mr. Sackville
  The cost of such receptions is included in the expenditure for the Department which is published in the annual report. Copies of the latest edition which covers this period was published on 7 March and have been placed in the Library.

  Continuing Care Beds
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS continuing care beds there were in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Bowis
  Information collected by the Department on numbers of beds does not separately identify those used for continuing care. It is a matter for district health authorities to determine the level and type of care required taking into account the needs of the local population.

  Limb Defects
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many(a) upper limb and (b) lower limb defects occurred in children born within each district health authority in the Trent regional health authority by year for the last four years;

  (2) if she will make a statement on the incidence of upper limb defects in Trent regional health authority and Doncaster health authority areas.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the tables.

  Number of children born wih upper limb defects* (ICD 755.2) in each district health authority in the Trent Regional Health Authority 1989–1992

  District Health Authority

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  North Derbyshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  South Derbyshire

  3

  0

  0

  0

  Leicestershire

  1

  1

  1

  1

  North Lincolnshire

  0

  2

  2

  0

  South Lincolnshire

  1

  0

  2

  1

  Bassetlaw

  0

  1

  0

  —

  Central Nottinghamshire

  3

  0

  0

  —

  Nottingham

  3

  1

  3

  4

  Barnsley

  0

  1

  3

  0

  Doncaster

  0

  1

  2

  1

  Rotherham

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Sheffield

  1

  1

  5

  4

  North Nottinghamshire

  —

  —

  —

  2

  886

  Number of children born with lower limb defects1 (ICD 755.3) in each district health authority in the Trent Regional Health Authority 1989–1992

  District Health Authority

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  North Derbyshire

  0

  0

  0

  1

  South Derbyshire

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Leicestershire

  0

  0

  1

  1

  North Lincolnshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  South Lincolnshire

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Bassetlaw

  0

  1

  1

  —

  Central Nottinghamshire

  1

  0

  0

  —

  Nottingham

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Barnsley

  1

  1

  1

  0

  Doncaster

  0

  1

  1

  0

  Rotherham

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Sheffield

  1

  0

  1

  1

  North Nottinghamshire

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Note:

  In 1992 North Nottinghamshire was created from a merger between Bassetlaw and Central Nottinghamshire.

  1International Classification of Diseases 9th revision.

  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson) on 1 March, Official Report, c. 678, for details on investigations on babies born with limb defects. For information on Trent regional health authority, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 14 March, Official Report, c. 536.

  Passive Smoking and Asthma
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the link between passive smoking and asthma.

  Mr. Sackville
  Reports published in 1992 by the Royal College of Physicians and the United States Environmental Protection agency found that passive smoking is causally associated with additional episodes and increased severity of asthma in children who already have the disease. With regard to the induction of asthma in previously asymptomatic children, the EPA concluded that there is insufficient evidence of a causal link. The agency also reported that passive smoking had subtle but significant effects on the respiratory health of adults.

  The Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health will be reviewing the available research findings on this issue at the earliest opportunity. The asthma working group of the Committee on the Effects of Air Pollutants is also examining data in this sector.

  NHS Regulatory Body
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to introduce a regulatory body for the NHS.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has statutory responsibility for the functions delegated to national health service authorities and trusts. Furthermore, the chief executive of the NHS Management Executive, as accounting officer for the national health service, is accountable to Parliament through the Public Accounts Committee. There is no justification for introducing a further regulatory body for the National Health Service.
  887

  Hospital Treatment
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the average length of stay in hospital for patients(a) in London and (b) outside London; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr Sackville
  Comparable figures giving the average length of stay in hospital for patients in London and outside London are not available. The available figures in 1989–90 for the four Thames regional health authorities, plus the special health authorities, which include London and the rest of England are shown in the table.

  Average length of stay in days

  All specialities

  Acute sector

  Thames regional health authorities

  20·39

  6·30

  Rest of England

  17·74

  6·18

  Suicide
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she is taking to ensure that "The Health of the Nation" targets on reducing suicide rates are reached.

  Mr. Bowis
  We are taking action to improve our understanding of suicide, to develop comprehensive local services for mentally ill people and to enhance good practice in the management of psychiatric conditions. Specific action already taken includes the funding of the confidential inquiry into homicides and suicides by mentally ill people, issue of the "Mental Illness Key Area Handbook" to national health service and local authority managers of mental health services and a series of initiatives under the 10-point plan to reinforce community care for mentally ill people we announced on 12 August 1993. Full details of action taken at national level during the first 16 months of "The Health of the Nation" initiative are given in "The Health of the Nation: One Year On", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  London Initiative Zone
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money allocated to the London initiative zone has been re-allocated to projects outside the London initiative zone area.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Resources made available for the London initiative zone are allocated exclusively for use on projects within the zone area.

  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was allocated in revenue and capital, for the current financial year to the London initiative zone; and how much remained uncommitted on 1 March.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The total resources of £40 million identified for the London initiative zone in 1993–94 was initially split between £20 million capital and £20 million revenue. The resources are a combination of central funds and local contributions. The total central resources have been fully allocated to the Thames regional health authorities which have flexibility within LIZ to transfer resources between revenue and capital as necessary and have responsibility for allocations within their region.
  888

  Medium Secure Beds
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what date the planned 1,000 medium secure beds will be available.

  Mr. Bowis
  There are currently over 600 medium secure unit beds available. A further 580 additional beds are planned nationally and we expect these to be open by 1996, taking the total to over 1,200.

  Ritchie Report
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will consult the Secretary of State for the Home Department and police representatives following the recommendation in the Ritchie report that procedures and documentation relating to section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 should be standardised.

  Mr. Bowis
  We are considering this and other relevant recommendations of the report in consultation with the Home Department.

  Mental Illness
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to achieve significant improvement in the social functioning of mentally ill people.

  Mr. Bowis
  We plan to secure signficant improvements in the social functioning of mentally ill people by improving information and understanding of mental illness, developing comprehensive local services for mentally ill people, and continuing the development of good practice in the management of mental illness. The mental illness specific grant introduced in 1991 and increased to £36 million for 1994–95 is designed to help local authorities develop services to improve the social functioning of people with a mental illness. It has already supported over 800 projects, helping 64,000 people. Overall spending on mental health is over £2 billion per year.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she will inquire into the care and treatment of psychiatric patients attending accident and emergency units at general hospitals.

  Mr. Bowis
  A number of initiatives are taking place which are examining the range of service provision available for the mentally ill including the provision of emergency care in accident and emergency departments.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of salmonella enteritidis food poisoning were recorded monthly in each year since 1988(a) in total and (b) by health authority; and if she will make a statement.

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

  Although there was a 1 per cent. increase in the number of salmonella enteritidis reports between 1992 and 1993, during the same period the number of cases of human illness from all salmonellas dropped by 2 per cent.
  889

  Guy's Hospital
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the evidence on which the decision to close Guy's hospital was based.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No decision has been made to close Guy's hospital.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what implications the proposed changes at Guy's hospital, south London, will have on the meeting of targets set by her patients charter initiative.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  It is the responsibility of local health authorities working with the trust to ensure that patients charter standards are met. Local health authorities and clinicians at the trust have argued strongly that patient care would be improved by concentrating clinical services on one site.

  Blood
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent England has been self-sufficient in blood supplies in each of the past five years; and how any surplus has been used or any deficit met.

  Mr. Sackville
  In general, England has been self-sufficient in blood. Blood has a limited shelf life. Collections by the National Blood Transfusion Service are geared to maintaining that sufficiency and not to providing blood surplus to our requirements. Short-term deficits in supply have occasionally been met by obtaining blood from other parts of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what quantity of blood donated through the Blood Transfusion Service has gone to the private health sector in each of the last five years; and what proportion this forms of total donations.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available. Much of the donated blood is processed and supplied to various users in a range of different forms.

  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 15 March, Official Report, c. 567, for information about the percentage of whole blood supplied to the private sector.

  Mersey Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current age and salary of the chairman of the Mersey regional health authority; and how many days, or part days absence from work he has taken in the last 12 months for(a) holiday, (b) sickness, (c) business and (d) other reasons.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Sir Donald Wilson is 71 and as chairman of Mersey regional health authority receives an annual remuneration of £20,925.

  Information concerning Sir Donald's attendance is not available centrally.

  Private Patients' Fees
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total of private patients' fees outstanding at the end of each financial year since 1979 for each regional health authority.
  890
  Mr. Sackville
  Information is not available in the form requested. This is a matter for the individual health authorities and trusts.

  Private Practice Earnings Limits
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received advocating reappraisal of the private practice earnings limits of consultants employed in the NHS.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There have been discussions with the medical profession about the application of the 10 per cent. limit on private practice earnings.

  Equipment (NHS Hospitals)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated cost of theft and unauthorised borrowing of equipment from NHS hospitals by private medical service providers and those engaged in private medical practice for each of the past five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not collected centrally; however, national health service trusts are expected to maintain procedures which take account of all possible losses and safeguard public assets.

  Private Residential Homes
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she will list those concessions and rebates applicable to owners of private residential homes available under the Disabled Persons Act 1978.

  Mr. Bowis
  I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible, if he will clarify which Act he has in mind, there being no Disabled Persons Act 1978.

  Gender Selection
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration she has given to extending the power of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Agency to cover clinics which offer gender selection for social reasons.

  Mr. Sackville
  Sperm separation techniques used at clinics offering sex selection, for social reasons are considered to have no scientific basis. There are no plans for legislation to extend the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's powers in this area.

  Child Care
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide, for the United Kingdom and each local authority in the United Kingdom, latest estimates of(a) the number of full-time child care places, including nursery school places, for children under five, (b) the number of part-time child care places, including nursery school places, for children under five, (c) the total number of full-time and part-time child care places, including nursery school places, for children under five, (d the number of children under five and (e) the percentage of children under five who have a full-time or part-time child care place.

  Mr. Bowis
  [holding answer 11 March 1994]: Information on places and percentages of children is not availble in the form requested, as figures on day care and nursery schools are collected on a different basis.
  891
  The latest information available centrally about the number of day care places for the under fives is as follows:
  — for England, in "Children's day care facilities at 31 March 1992, England". This includes information about the number of places in relation to the population under five expressed as a rate per 1,000 children for each local authority;

  — for Scotland, in "Statistical Bulletin Services for Children 1991 and 1992" (but exclude an estimated 6,500 places in day nurseries, children's centres and family centres in the registered sector).

  — for Wales, in "Activities of Social Services Departments: Year ended 31/3/92"; and,

  — for Northern Ireland, copies of this information will be placed in the Library.

  Information collected centrally does not separately identify full-time and part-time places. Information about nursery school provision is collected in England by the Department for Education whose statistical bulletin 11/93 "Pupils under five years of age in schools in England—January 1992", shows the information available for January 1992 about participation rates of children under five being taught in maintained nursery schools and classes, independent schools and special schools. For figures about the provision of nursery education in maintained nursery and primary schools January 1993 in England I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Education gave to the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 21 January, Official Report, columns 857–59.

  Figures for nursery schools in Wales are given in "Statistics of Education and Training in Wales: Schools No. 2 1994", figures for Scotland are given in "Statistical Bulletin Provision for Preschool Children No. Edn/A/1992/11" and for Northern Ireland will be placed in the Library.

  Copies of all the relevant publications are in the Library.

  Population figures at 30 June 1991 and 30 June 1992 by local authority, which are appropriate to the different types of day care and nursery school provision described in these publications, will be placed in the Library.

  NHS Employees
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will seek to amend the wording of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 to clarify the position with regard to the continuity of redundancy and unfair dismissal rights of NHS employees whose employer is transferring to trust status and whose contract contains a mobility clause, permitting or requiring them to work at more than one site;

  (2) what assessment has been made by her Department of the implications of the Employment Appeals Tribunal verdict in the case of Northern general hospital NHS trust v. Gale for the continuity of redundancy and unfair dismissal rights of NHS employees whose employer is transferring to trust status and whose contract contains a mobility clause, permitting or requiring them to work at more than one site.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 14 March 1994]: The National Health Service Management Executive has considered the employment appeal tribunal judgment and concluded that consequential amendments to the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 are not required.

  Section 6(1)(b) of this Act provides for the employment rights of any person employed by a health authority who is
  892
  working at more than one unit to be protected on transfer to a trust if that person is designated under a "scheme" made by the health authority specified in the establishment order of a trust.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Fines (Non-Payment)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of people imprisoned for non-payment of fines or other debts due to magistrates courts during the most recent year for which records are available.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Llew Smith, dated 18 March 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your Question asking what was the total number of people imprisoned for non-payment of fines or other debts due to magistrates courts during the most recent year for which records are available.The latest available provisional information is for 1993. During that year 22,754 persons were received into Prison service establishments in England and Wales from Magistrates courts for non-payment of fines and non-criminal offences involving non-payment of debt: (these include non-payment of wife maintenance, child maintenance, arrears under an affiliation order, rates/community charge or "other" debts).

  Receptions into Prison Service establishments, England and Wales by type of custody, 1992–931

  Type of custody

  Year

  1992

  1993

  Males

  Untried2

  47,593

  51,047

  Convicted unsentenced2

  19,099

  30,038

  Immediate custody2

  48,968

  49,530

  Fine defaulters and non-criminal

  21,917

  25,646

  Females

  Untried2

  2,376

  2,663

  Convicted unsentenced2

  1,178

  1,566

  Immediate custody2

  2,198

  2,382

  Fine defaulters and non-criminal

  1,189

  1,590

  1 Provisional figures.

  2 A person initially received as untried and subsequently received as convicted unsentenced is counted in both sets of figures. A person subsequently received as a sentenced prisoner is counted separately in those figures.

  Open Government
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the implications for the operation of his Department of the code of practice on open government.

  Mr. Howard
  The code of practice will reinforce and build on my Department's existing arrangements for the provision of information. Arrangements are being made to implement the code in the Home Office and a copy of the guidance notes on these arrangements will be placed in the Library of the House following publication of the code of practice.
  893

  Equal Opportunities
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response he has made to the key recommendations of the Black Training and Enterprise Group in the Department of Environment's draft bidding guidance for the single regeneration budget; if he will make it his policy that projects in disadvantaged black communities currently funded under section 11 or via the ethnic minority grant will be protected; and if he will reconsider his decision to abolish the ethnic minority grant.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment will be taking into account all responses received in relation to the draft bidding guidance document circulated by his Department, including that of the Black Training and Enterprise Group. We have been pleased to note the group's positive comments about the ethnic minority grant which we introduced. We consider that it is entirely right that the funding of such activities should be embraced by the single regeneration budget in future.

  Mrs. Sandra Howard
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department was informed of the reasons why Mrs. Sandra Howard was recently rejected as a magistrate by the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee; how such information was communicated; by whom; to whom; and under what authority.

  Mr. Howard
  The Lord Chancellor's advisory committee has not yet reached a final decision on the application by Mrs. Sandra Howard to become a magistrate.

  Refusal of Entry
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it remains the practice for Ministers to accept written representation from hon. Members in cases where refusal of entry has occurred; what change there has been in this practice; and why hon. Members are advised to telephone the chief immigration officer when letters have been written in such cases to Ministers in his Department.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  As the power to admit or refuse entry to the United Kingdom is vested in the immigration officer, not Ministers, hon. Members are encouraged to contact the Immigration Service direct to make representations. Written representations submitted to Ministers which the Immigration Service has not had the opportunity to consider are sent to the port concerned for consideration. Ministers will become involved only if the hon. Member has new and compelling information which the Immigration Service believes is not strong enough to overturn a decision to refuse entry. The practice has existed since 1989.

  Manslaughter
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were(a) charged, (b) prosecuted and (c) convicted of manslaughter in each of the last three years in cases which involved the suspects driving a motor vehicle.
  894
  Mr. Maclean
  The following table gives the information requested:

  Persons dealt with for offences of manslaughter where the driving of a motor vehicle was involved—England and Wales

  Charged

  Prosecuted

  Convicted

  1990

  10

  10

  8

  1991

  12

  10

  3

  1992

  2

  2

  2

  In addition, a further two persons in 1990, two in 1991 and four in 1992 were convicted of manslaughter where the suspect was driving a motor vehicle, but where the charges and prosecutions had been for offences of murder.

  Figures are as at 27 August 1993; they are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and the courts, or as further information becomes available.

  Information for 1993 is not yet available.

  Campsfield House Detention Centre
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many detainees of Campsfield House detention centre are(a) asylum seekers, (b) appellants against refusal and (c) awaiting deportation; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance has been issued to staff at Campsfield House detention centre where detainees refuse food.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Guidance based on Prison Service procedures has been issued to staff at the Campsfield House detention centre responsible for the care of those detainees refusing food. An immigration detainee refusing food for more than three days is offered advice and treatment by the Campsfield House medical team and this is repeated on a daily basis as part of the detailed monitoring of the individual's medical condition. Treatment would be administered only with the individual's consent.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the total number of detainees held at Campsfield House detention centre by(a) country of origin, (b) those held for less than one month, (c) one to six months and (d) more than six months.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is set out in respect of detainees held at Campsfield House on 15 March 1994.

  Number

  (a) Nationality

  Algeria

  3

  Angola

  4

  Bangladesh

  6

  Cameroon

  1

  China

  2

  Colombia

  3

  Cote d'Ivoire

  4

  Cyprus

  1

  Ethiopia

  7

  Ghana

  28

  895

  Number

  India

  27

  Jamaica

  1

  Kenya

  8

  Liberia

  4

  Malawi

  1

  Niger

  1

  Nigeria

  28

  Pakistan

  2

  Peru

  1

  Philippines

  2

  Poland

  1

  Romania

  5

  Sierra Leone

  3

  Somalia

  3

  Sri Lanka

  8

  Sudan

  1

  Togo

  1

  Turkey

  6

  Uganda

  4

  Zaire

  8

  Nationality doubtful

  5

  Total

  179

  Number

  (b) Overall length of detention (including any detention elsewhere)

  Less than one month

  29

  One to six months

  139

  More than six months

  11

  Total

  179

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he first received reports of hunger strikes at Campsfield House detention centre.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  On 18 February 1994.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) of 28 February,Official Report, column 580, what estimates he has made of the cost of criminal injuries compensation in 1995–96 and 1996–97.

  Mr. Maclean
  The latest estimates of spend on criminal injuries compensation in 1995–96 and 1996–97, in cash terms, are £209 million and £152 million respectively.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of claimants who will receive(a) between one half and two thirds and (b) less than half the amount of compensation under his proposed scheme for compensation than under the current scheme.

  Mr. Maclean
  Based on the data acquired from the case sampling survey undertaken to establish the tariff scheme it has been estimated that about 8 per cent. of beneficiaries under the tariff scheme could receive between half and less than two thirds of what they might have expected under the current scheme, and about 11 per cent. could receive less than half.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions he has made for 896
  training the employees of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board before the new compensation scheme is applied on 1 April.

  Mr. Maclean
  Many of the staff of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, who will in future serve the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, are already familiar with the provisions of the tariff scheme because of their involvement in the preparation of the detailed rules and guidance for it, much of which reflects the provisions of the current scheme. A training programme, which is currently running, is intended to ensure that sufficient numbers are equipped to deal expeditiously with the first cases received on or after 1 April.

  Security Service
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the functions of the Security Service relate to the official functions of the Secret Intelligence Service and GCHQ.

  Mr. Howard
  The functions of the Security Service are set out in the Security Service Act 1989 and those of the Secret Intelligence Service and GCHQ in the Intelligence Services Bill, which is currently before Parliament. Further details of the agencies' functions are set out in the "Central Intelligence Machinery" booklet which is available from Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

  National Anti-vivisection Society
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the recent investigation by the National Anti-vivisection Society into St. Mary's hospital medical school and Toxicol Laboratories Ltd.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I have asked the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate for a report on the allegations made.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Royal Palaces
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 14 March,Official Report, column 481, what is the range of all actual rents paid at each of the royal palaces for all accommodation; how many heads of department in the royal household have furnishing costs paid by his Department; and how much has been spent in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sproat
  I will reply to the right hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 15 March,Official Report, column 611, what in money terms is the range of all those actual rental payments for grace and favour accommodation in the occupied royal palaces; how many rents make up the £69,000; how much relates to each palace; how much of the rent is received by the royal household and how much by his Department; and by what criteria it is determined which rentals are paid to the royal household and which to the Department.
  897
  Mr. Sproat
  I will reply to the right hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Libraries (Donations)
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what restrictions currently exist to prevent libraries from accepting donations from members of the public to support book-buying; and in what ways donations from the public can be made to public libraries.

  Mr. Sproat
  Public libraries are free to accept donations from members of the public and it is common for libraries to receive donations of books and other materials as well as bequests. In seeking to encourage donations, however, a public library authority would have to bear in mind its statutory obligation under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 not to charge for its book lending and reference service.

  Playing Fields
  Ms Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many London playing fields are listed in the register of playing fields.

  Mr. Brooke
  The register of recreational land lists 5,191 pitches on 1,288 sites in Greater London.

  Ms Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many playing fields are listed in the London borough of Lambeth.

  Mr. Brooke
  The register of recreational land lists 69 playing pitches on 10 sites in the London borough of Lambeth.

  National Lottery
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list, for each of the five bodies chosen by him as channels of distribution for the proceeds of the national lottery(a) the number of staff who will be employed in the lottery unit, (b) the estimated annual salaries bill for these staff and (c) the estimated annual overheads for each lottery unit.

  Mr. Brooke
  The distributing bodies named in section 23 of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 are currently developing their administrative arrangements for handling applications for lottery funds. It is too early to make estimates of the total number of staff that will be required or the total costs involved.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Civil Servants
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department(a) the total number of persons employed and (b) the percentage of this figure that are women.

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 17 March 1994]: The total number of staff by grade and the percentage of women in each grade within the Department of National Heritage excluding its two executive agencies, the Historic Royal Palaces and the Royal Parks, are listed in the following table:
  898

  DNH staff as at 28 February 1994

  Grade

  Total number in grade

  Of which female(per cent.)

  1A

  1

  —

  G3

  4

  25

  G4

  1

  —

  G5

  16

  25

  G6

  5

  80

  G7

  44

  25

  SEO

  15

  47

  HEOD

  4

  50

  HSOD

  1

  —

  AT

  3

  100

  HEO

  46

  37

  EO

  57

  37

  AO

  55

  45

  AA

  29

  52

  SPS

  4

  100

  PS

  18

  100

  Typist

  6

  100

  SGB1

  1

  100

  SGB2

  10

  70

  SIO

  4

  —

  IO

  4

  25

  CUR E

  2

  100

  CUR G

  3

  —

  Librarian

  1

  100

  Assistant Librarian

  1

  100

  Assistant Statistician

  1

  —

  Totals

  336

  45

SCOTLAND

  Scottish Homes
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent by Scottish Homes in each of the last five financial years on the purchase and distribution of(a) golf balls, (b) umbrellas, (c) sweat shirts, (d) scarves and (e) ties marked with a Scottish Homes imprint or logo.

  Mr. Lang
  The information requested is a matter for Scottish Homes. I have asked its chairman, Sir James Mellon, to write to the hon. Member.

  Forestry Review Group
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland further to his answer of 10 March,Official Report, column 376, if he will say which Ministers were represented on the forestry review group.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The forestry review group comprised officials from the Scottish Office, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Welsh Office, the Forestry Commission, the Department of the Environment, HM Treasury, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Prime Minister's policy unit.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list each organisation, agency and body for which he has responsibility for the appointment of members; if he will list the number of appointments he makes to each body; if he will list other organisations which have the right of appointment to any of these bodies; if he will publish a table showing the(a) name of, (b)

  899
  occupation or former occupation of, (c) salary, honorarium or annual payment made to and (d) date of appointment of each member; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 10 February 1994]: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Details of membership of those bodies listed in the publication "Public Bodies" are normally available in their annual reports, as indicated in the publication. The latest edition of "Public Bodies" is available in the Library of the House. Public bodies should always be ready to provide a list of their membership and the organisation's postal address at which members may be contacted.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 30 November,Official Report, column 471, when he expects to be able to announce publication of a document for Scotland similar to that published by the Secretary of State for Wales entitled, "Public Bodies: Appointments made by the Secretary of State for Wales" which would list detailed information concerning appointments made to public bodies in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 24 February 1994]: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Details of membership of those bodies listed in the publication "Public Bodies" are normally available in their annual reports, as indicated in the publication. The latest edition of "Public Bodies" is available in the Library of the House. Public bodies should always be ready to provide a list of their membership and the organisation's postal address at which members may be contacted.

  Nursery Education
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of three and four-year-old children in the Borders and Lothian regions are in maintained sector education.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 17 March 1994]: The latest available information for September 1993, shows, provisionally, that the percentages of the three and four-year-old population attending education authority nursery, primary and special schools in Borders and Lothian regions are 27·8 per cent. and 56·9 per cent. respectively. Because many nursery schools admit pupils during the school year, final figures for session 1993–94 are expected to be higher.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Sheep Imports
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many live sheep have been imported from(a) Poland and (b) Spain during (i) 1993 and (ii) 1994; how many of the animals from each country have been condemned as unfit for human consumption; how many suffered from caseous lymphadenitis; what assessment he has made of the risk of that condition being spread to United Kingdom sheep; if it is a contagious diseases; and how many died in transit.

  Mr. Soames
  In 1993 one consignment, consisting of 201 sheep, was imported from Spain. There were no 900
  imports from Poland. To date in 1994 three consignments, comprising a total of 722 sheep, have been imported from Spain and three consignments, totalling 917 sheep, have been imported from Poland.

  Information on the numbers of carcases from each consignment which were condemned as unfit for human consumption is not available centrally.

  Information available to date indicates that evidence of caseous lymphadenitis was found at post-mortem inspection in a small number of animals in one of the consignments from Spain and in two of the consignments from Poland. Caseous lymphadenitis is a contagious disease which is common throughout the world wherever sheep are raised. Caseous lymphadenitis does occur in sheep in this country but it is not a notifiable disease. As all the sheep imported so far into Great Britain from Spain and Poland were sheep for immediate slaughter, there is no risk of their spreading caseous lymphadenitis to United Kingdom sheep.

  One sheep from Spain and two from Poland—in one consignment—were found to be dead on arrival.

  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what checks were made in the case of each consignment of live sheep imported from Poland and Spain in 1993 and 1994 that a route plan had been drawn up and that the animals had been fed and watered as required by directive 91/628/EEC; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  Checks are carried out at the place of destination to ensure that Community health and welfare requirements have been met in accordance with the EC veterinary checks directives 90/425 and 91/496 and the protection of animals during transport directive 91/628. An inspection must also be carried out at the place of departure, or place of entry into the Community.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on the transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy from cows to their offspring and the evidence for the possibility of this.

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Minister gave to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Dr. Strang) on 21 February,Official Report, column 72.

  Bovine Immunodeficiency Virus
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list for Humberside and the three Yorkshire counties how many cows in herds tested proved bovine immunodeficiency virus positive in the latest convenient period; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  During limited work on the development of a serological test for bovine immunodeficiency virus carried out by the Department's Central Veterinary Laboratory in 1990, blood samples from 31 cattle in Humberside and the counties of Yorkshire were tested and one was found to be seropositive to the test which was used. These results have not been validated. Clinical disease caused by infection with BIV has never been identified in Great Britain.
  901

  Agricultural Imports
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what would be the annual cost to the United Kingdom producers of removing quantitative restrictions, customs duties and import levies on the agricultural products listed in annex to article 21 and protocol 3 of the European agreements with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania.

  Mr. Soames
  The provisions of Article 21 and protocol No. 3 of each of these agreements are already in place, along with all other trade arrangements set out in the Europe agreements. There is no evidence that those have had a direct impact on the costs of United Kingdom producers of the commodities concerned. If markets for

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Total

  Flocks slaughtered

  Layers

  81

  68

  62

  53

  8

  0

  272

  Layer breeders

  1

  4

  9

  3

  3

  1

  21

  Broiler breeders

  3

  27

  30

  17

  17

  6

  100

  Total

  85

  99

  101

  73

  28

  7

  393

  Birds slaughtered

  Layers

  1,012,193

  693,855

  257,038

  356,477

  20,691

  0

  2,340,254

  Layer breeders

  6,043

  17,573

  43,320

  13,614

  22,535

  3,036

  106,121

  Broiler breeders

  21,789

  249,016

  381,265

  169,930

  185,002

  58,050

  1,065,052

  Total

  1,040,025

  960,444

  681,623

  540,021

  228,228

  61,086

  3,511,427

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much money has been paid since 31 March 1993, as compensation to farmers for slaughtered poultry; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  Since 31 March 1993, £436,431 has been paid in compensation for poultry flocks compulsorily slaughtered because of confirmed salmonella infection.

  In July 1993, the Government announced that they had reviewed the existing legislative provisions for compensation in respect of slaughtered poultry and concluded that they found an unsatisfactory basis for dealing with poultry slaughtered because of salmonella infection. They therefore proposed to amend the Animal Health Act 1981, following consultation with industry, so as to provide a clear statutory basis for the payment of compensation for salmonella infected birds. In the meantime, the Government would pay full compensation for all birds compulsorily slaughtered because of salmonella. Payments made to all owners of flocks slaughtered since the policy began in March 1989 were adjusted in August 1993 at a cost of £1,048,768.

  Animal Transportation
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many animals imported from(a) Poland and (b) Spain were inspected at British ports in the last year; what involvement the staff had in these inspections; and what action is being taken to protect the welfare of any future animals imported from Poland and Spain.

  Mr. Soames
  In the last year there have been no inspections at British ports of animals imported from Poland or Spain. Inspections are carried out at the place of
  902
  any of the products covered by the agreements were to be seriously undermined as a result of the concessionary import terms, the possibility exists of taking safeguard action.

  Poultry Slaughtering
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many poultry(a) flocks and (b) birds were slaughtered in each year since 1988 and in 1994 to date.

  Mr. Soames
  The numbers of poultry flocks and birds compulsorily slaughtered in Great Britain because of salmonella infection each year since the introduction of the policy in March 1989 are set out in the following table.

  destination to ensure that welfare and health requirements have been met. An inspection must also be carried out at the place of departure, or place of entry to the EC. We have asked the German authorities to ensure that all consignments of sheep entering the Community from Poland are subject to rigorous checks.

  Open Government
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the implications for the operation of her Department of the code of practice on open government.

  Mr. Jack
  The application of the code will involve the allocation of some extra resources to this task, but this will be limited since in general it is consistent with the Ministry's existing arrangements for the provision of information.

  Eggs
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what were the figures for egg consumption in each county of the United Kingdom for each year since 1988;

  (2) what were the annual figures for egg consumption in (a) the north, (b) the south, (c) the east and (d) the west of England for each year since 1988;

  (3) what were the figures for egg consumption in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) England for each year since 1988.

  Mr. Jack
  Estimates of household consumption of eggs are provided by the Ministry's national food survey, which covers households in Great Britain, but not Northern Ireland. This survey provides estimates for each country within Great Britain and for each standard region within
  903
  England, but not for each county. The estimates, which are expressed in terms of average numbers of eggs per person per week, exclude eggs used in manufacturing or catering and institutions.

  Number per person, per week

  Regions of England

  Year

  North

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  North West

  East Midlands

  West Midlands

  South West

  South East/East Anglia

  1988

  3·31

  3·00

  2·55

  2·70

  2·42

  2·78

  2·27

  1989

  2·87

  2·69

  2·08

  1·93

  2·26

  2·42

  2·06

  1990

  2·89

  2·38

  2·28

  2·19

  1·90

  2·30

  1·98

  1991

  2·72

  2·35

  2·30

  1·93

  2·09

  2·37

  2·24

  1992

  2·32

  2·20

  2·00

  2·00

  2·05

  2·12

  2·00

  North-east Drift Net Fishery
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer to the right hon. Member for Woking (Sir C. Onslow) on 1 March,Official Report, column 645, what arrangements she has made to consult representatives of north-east drift net fishermen about proposals to extend the close season for the fishery.

  Mr. Jack
  As I previously indicated, we are currently considering a request that the opening date for the north-east coast salmon drift net fishery be postponed. If we conclude that there is a case for a change in the current arrangements, we will ensure that those affected are consulted before any decisions are taken. They would, in addition, have the opportunity to object formally to the proposed byelaw when it was published, and any such objections would be taken into account by the Minister when deciding whether or not it should be confirmed.

  Cattle and sheep (LFA) farms: averages per farm, June 1992 census (England) holdings 8 ESU and over

  Livestock Units

  Province

  Farm area (hectares)

  Farm area (acres)

  Sheep (Isu)

  Cattle (Isu)

  Total cattle & sheep(Isu)

  Newcastle

  164

  405

  55

  64

  118

  Askham Bryan

  131

  324

  45

  53

  98

  Manchester

  100

  247

  41

  52

  93

  Nottingham

  122

  301

  34

  56

  89

  Exeter

  94

  232

  37

  68

  105

  Cattle and sheep (SDA) farms (a): averages per farm, June 1992 census (England) holdings 8 ESU and over

  Livestock Units

  Province

  Farm area (hectares)

  Farm area (acres)

  Sheep (Isu)

  Cattle (Isu)

  Total cattle & sheep (Isu)

  Newcastle

  177

  437

  57

  62

  120

  Askham Bryan

  149

  368

  49

  52

  100

  Manchester

  125

  309

  48

  50

  98

  Nottingham

  142

  351

  37

  58

  95

  Exeter

  109

  269

  43

  68

  111

  (a) Includes farms classified as SDA specialist sheep, SDA specialist beef and SDA mixed cattle and sheep.

  904

  Number per person, per week

  Year

  Great Britain

  England

  Wales

  Scotland

  1988

  2·67

  2·58

  2·39

  3·62

  1989

  2·29

  2·25

  2·09

  2·82

  1990

  2·20

  2·17

  2·14

  2·61

  1991

  2·25

  2·27

  2·23

  2·17

  1992

  2·08

  2·06

  2·15

  2·28

  Less-favoured Areas
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 28 February,Official Report, column 592, if she will provide the same information from the annual farm census for farms within an area coterminous with each of the local surveys conducted by the universities and colleges in connection with the annual farm business survey.

  Mrs. Shephard
  [holding answer 10 March 1994]: The information requested is shown in the following tables for those farms covered by the Farm Business Survey, that is, larger than eight ESU classified in the June 1992 agricultural census as cattle and sheep farms in the less-favoured areas as a whole or in the severely disadvantaged areas. Unweighted farm business survey results do not provide valid estimates for comparison with census results.
  905

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Metric Weights
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to publish the amendment to the Price Marking Order 1991 in respect of shops switching from imperial to metric weights for certain categories of foods.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  It is my intention that legislation amending the Price Marking Order 1991 should be laid in Parliament before the summer recess as part of a set of measures implementing the units of measurement directive.

  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he intends to ask the EC for a further derogation to avoid the final stage, on 1 January 2000, of switching to metric weight for goods sold loose.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  There are no plans at present to seek a further derogation.

  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will provide an early public information programme to help consumers understand the switch to metric weights on 1 January 1995.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government are considering what, if any, public information programme should be provided to supplement any action taken by retailers.

  Biotechnology
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the expenditure on, and the results of, the "biotechnology means business" programme; and what future proposals he has for technology transfer in biotechnology.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The DTI's expenditure on the "biotechnology means business" awareness-raising programme amounted to £420,000. The pilot campaign reached an audience of some 30,000 companies, nine regional seminars were held and 557 expressions of interest from companies resulted. The pilot has confirmed the value of promoting awareness of commercial opportunities of biotechnology and a successor initiative is under consideration.

  The Independent
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a further statement on the proposed transfer of The Independent.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Pursuant to the reply given on 24 February,Official Report, column 317. Following a period of consultation in which interested parties had the opportunity to submit comments, I can now announce my decisions.

  The first application related to an offer made for all of the shares in Newspaper Publishing, owner of The Independent and The Independent on Sunday, by a consortium comprising Promotora de Informaciones, Espresso International Holding and Mirror Group Newspapers. My consent was sought without an inquiry by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission under section 58(3)(a) of the Fair Trading Act 1973.
  906
  In the light of the inquiries which my Department has conducted into the financial position of Newspaper Publishing, and of representations received by my Department during the consultation phase, I am satisfied that The Independent and The Independent on Sunday titles are not economic as going concerns and as separate newspapers and that, if the papers are to continue, the case is one of urgency. I have in addition decided to exercise the discretion given to me under section 58(3)(a) of the Fair Trading Act 1973 to give consent to the consortium's offer for Newspaper Publishing without a reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  The second application, from Independent Newspapers plc of Ireland was similarly based on section 58(3)(a) but related to an increase in the level of its shareholding above the level which triggers the need for my consent.

  Having regard to the financial analysis to which I have referred, and to representations on this application received during the consultation phase, I am satisfied that the criteria set out in section 58(3)(a) are met in relation to this application also. I accordingly give my consent to the increased shareholding in Newspaper Publishing by Independent Newspapers plc without a reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  I have considered whether my consent in relation to either or both of these applications should be qualified by conditions, including in relation to editorial independence. Usually the relationship between publisher and editor is defined contractually in the light of the publisher's appraisal of the market opportunity. I have concluded that, in this case, the public interest does not require me to take a different view or to stipulate conditions in relation to either application.

  The consortium's offer for Newspaper Publishing has also been cleared by the EC Commission under the European Community merger regulation.

  Non-fossil Fuel Obligation
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the projects for which he gave approval under the non-fossil fuel obligation in(a) the first tranche and (b) the second tranche giving (i) the type of project and (ii) the country in which it is located; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 17 March 1994]: Full lists of all projects which gained contracts under the first two renewables orders are given in the press releases issued by the Office of Electricity Regulation on 3 October 1990 and 6 November 1991 respectively, copies of which I have placed in the Library of the House.

  British Coal Privatisation
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what budget provision he has made in 1993–94 for consultations in connection with the restructuring and privatisation of British Coal.

  Mr. Eggar
  There is no separately identifiable budget for consultations in connection with the restructuring and privatisation of British Coal. However, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him of 19 January 1994,Official Report, column 649, which gave the 1993–94 provision for consultancies.
  907

WALES

  NHS Management Vacancies
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has had from(a) the Institute of Health Services Management and (b) others in relation to the approval of systems set up to approve the advertising and filling of clerical and management vacancies in the NHS in Wales; how many clerical staff are required within his Department to operate this approved system; and what reporting system to Ministers has been set up to monitor the success of his system.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have not received direct representations from the Institute of Health Service Management but I have discussed the matter with chairmen of health authorities. The amount of clerical staff time involved is minimal and NHS management staff numbers are routinely collected on a quarterly basis which will enable monitoring to take place.

  Health Policy Division Merger
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 15 March,Official Report, column 634, what consequential amendments in the accounting and audit trail within his Department will arise from the merging of the health policy division previously accountable via the permanent secretary with the NHS directorate in Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  Accountability for the Welsh Office's votes will be set out in the supply estimates to be published on 24 March.

  Groundwater Notices
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Cardiff Bay development corporation concerning the Ordnance Survey maps used in issuing the groundwater notices and covering letters, both as to dates of survey maps used, breaches of copyright and the compensation fee paid to the Ordnance Survey; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  None.
  908

  Civil Servants
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department(a) the total number of persons employed and (b) the percentage of this figure who are women.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 17 March 1994]: The position at 1 January 1994 is given in the following table:

  Grade

  Total in Grade

  Female Percentage of Total

  Grade 1

  1

  0

  Grade 2 and equivalent

  2

  0

  Grade 3 and equivalent

  13

  8

  Grade 4 and equivalent

  6

  33

  Grade 5 and equivalent

  60

  15

  Grade 6 and equivalent

  76

  18

  Grade 7 and equivalent

  195

  27

  SEO and equivalent

  146

  18

  HEO and equivalent

  307

  36

  AT/HEO'Ds and equivalent

  23

  52

  EO and equivalent

  496

  58

  AO and equivalent

  662

  72

  AA and equivalent

  491

  63

  Total

  2,479

  53

  Footnote:

  (i) Part-time staff are counted as one.

  (ii) Figures exclude casual staff.

  Cardiff Bay Barrage
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what indemnities have been sought by the Balfour Beatty-Costain consortium in relation to the construction contract for the Cardiff bay barrage.

  Mr. Redwood
  Balfour Beatty and Costain sought clarification from the corporation of the funding arrangements which would apply if Cardiff Bay development corporation were to be dissolved before the construction contract ended. Their attention has now been drawn to the legislation relating to the dissolution of urban development corporations. No indemnity has been given.