Written Answers of 22 March 1994

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Disabled Employees
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many registered disabled people are employed in his Department; and what percentage this is of the total.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  At 14 March 1994 the number of staff registered as disabled was 185, representing 1·5 per cent. of the total. A further 2 per cent. of staff who have classified themselves as disabled have chosen not to register.

  Magistrates
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will publish a charter for magistrates to encourage applications to the bench from the widest possible cross section of the public.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  No. Steps are already taken through national and local initiatives such as press notices and articles, posters and leaflets in public places, and contact with employers and other organisations, to reach out to people of all backgrounds so that they are aware that it is open to anyone eligible to apply for appointment. Last year 2,062 appointments were made by the Lord Chancellor and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

  Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if the Lord Chancellor has decided whom he proposes to appoint to the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct to replace the outgoing members.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor has today appointed the following people to serve as new members of the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct:

  Lee Bridges

  Dr. Bob Hepple

  Neville March Hunnings

  Ian McNeil

  Charles Plant

  Professor Peter Scott

  David Steel QC

  Mary Tuck

  The new members will commence their work for the committee on 1 April 1994.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Ministerial Instructions
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer of 25 February,Official Report, column 494, about overriding the
  120
  accounting officer's objections, what were the circumstances concerned, the amount of public money involved, and in what way the Public Accounts Committee and hon. Members were informed.

  Mr. Jack
  The Minister overruled the accounting officer's advice in February 1992 on a question of the location of the Ministry's divisional offices. The sum of public money involved was of the order of £70,000 per annum. This was a question of value for money, rather than of propriety or regularity, and it is standard Government procedure that such accounting officer memoranda are not automatically drawn to the attention of the Public Accounts Committee nor to that of the National Audit Office, unless they are conducting any relevant inquiry.

  Norway (Fishing)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what provision is being made in the common fisheries policy aspect of negotiations with Norway for entry into the European Union for(a) national negotiations with third parties, (b) Norwegian enforcement of catches by other EU countries, (c) Norwegian allocation of catches to other EU countries and (d) limited derogations from the common fisheries policy principles of access to all EU members.

  Mr. Jack
  The answers to the hon. Member's questions are as follows:

  (a) Norway has been authorised, in close association with the Commission, to maintain its fisheries agreement with Russia and to establish total allowable catches at north Norway for a transitional period until 1 July 1998.

  (b) North of 62 deg north, Norway can maintain its current control system for a transitional period of three years, in a way which does not discriminate between member states.

  (c) Cohesion countries will benefit from adjustments to the European Economic Area provisions and from a transfer of Norway's cod quota in the North West Atlantic Fisheries Organisation's Division 3M.

  (d) Before 1 January 1995 the Council will discuss and decide upon adjustments to the measures relating to the conditions of access to waters and resources referred to in the Act of Accession of Spain and Portugal and these adjustments will enter into force from 1 January 1996. Until then, equivalent constraints to those to which Spain and Portugal are subject will apply to Norway in certain EU waters.

  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on the outcome of the negotiations for Norway's accession to the European Union as they relate to fishing.

  Mr. Jack
  The outcome of the negotiations on fisheries between the European Union and Norway, which were concluded on 16 March, was satisfactory to the United Kingdom.

  The United Kingdom should receive some additional 2,000 tonnes of north-east Arctic cod quota in 1997, if Norwegian stocks rise as predicted. Increased flexibility over where the western mackerel stock may be caught will also benefit United Kingdom fishermen.

  The common fishery policy rules applying within the waters of the Twelve generally, and the special rules

  121
  applying to Spain and Portugal under their accession treaty, are unchanged by the agreement. Reciprocal arrangements for access to Community and Norwegian resources, including the setting of total allowable catches and quotas, fully respect the principle of relative stability. There will be no disruption to member states' shares of existing TACs and no increase in fishing effort.

  The negotiations encompassed the following main topics:

  (i) Access to Waters

  The areas to which Norway and the EU grant each other access are unchanged by the agreement.

  For so long as Spain and Portugal are subject to the restraints on their access to the waters of the other 10 member states which are set out in their accession treaty, Norway will be subject to equivalent constraints in certain EU waters.

  The Council will decide, by 1 January 1995, on the rules which will apply to Spain and Portugal from 1 January 1996.

  (ii) Access to Resources

  EU access to Norwegian resources and Norwegian access to EU waters will be governed strictly by relative stability, generally with a five-year track record. However, Norway has conceded that one third of the western mackerel stock may be fished in any of the three management areas, giving increased flexibility, inter alia, to United Kingdom fishermen.

  Norway has agreed to make additional quantities of cod available to the "cohesion" countries—effectively, for this purpose, Spain, Portugal and Ireland. This will predominantly be achieved by phasing in from 1995 the quota agreed in the EEA negotiations for 1997; by transferring 1,000 tonnes of Norwegian cod for NAFO area 3M in the north-west Atlantic, and by the purchase of fishing opportunities from third countries.

  (iii) Management North of 62 deg north

  Norway has a special management scheme and rigorous controls in north Norwegian waters as well as a bilateral agreement with Russia, much of which she has been authorised to maintain until I July 1998. During the transition period the Community will be examining how best to incorporate Norwegian experience and practices into the CFP.

  Humberside

  North Yorkshire

  South Yorkshire

  West Yorkshire

  1990

  0

  0

  3 Kestrels

  0

  1 Sparrowhawk

  1991

  0

  1 Hen Harrier

  0

  0

  1992

  0

  2 Kestrels

  0

  0

  1993

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Information held centrally by the Home Office on prosecutions for illegal activities cannot separately identify the killing of raptors from other illegal activities against them because the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 does not separately identify an offence of killing wild birds from the offence of injuring or taking them.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many letters were received from, and written to, hon. members by her and her ministerial colleagues during February.
  122
  (iv)Access to Markets

  For a four-year period there will be a system of indicative ceilings for the quantities of salmon, herring, mackerel, shrimps, scallops, Norway lobsters, redfish and trout entering the EU Twelve from Norway. If the ceilings are exceeded, or the EU market disrupted, the Commission is empowered to take action to restore stable trade.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions in the last five years she has knowingly provided incomplete information in answers to parliamentary questions other than on grounds of disproportionate cost; and on what subjects.

  Mr. Jack
  Ministers in this Department answer parliamentary questions in accordance with paragraph 27 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers".

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list for the last 12 months how many parliamentary questions she has referred to one of her Department's agencies for answer; and what percentage of parliamentary questions to her Department this represents.

  Mr. Jack
  Between 1 March 1993 and 28 February 1994, this Department received 2,375 parliamentary questions. Of these, 13 were referred to agency chief executives. This represents 0·54 per cent. of the total.

  Raptors
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information she has, by species, concerning the number of raptors killed in Humberside and in each of the three counties of Yorkshire in each of the last four years by(a) shooting, (b) poisoning or (c) other means.

  Mr. Soames
  No licences have been issued by this Ministry to kill raptors. Cases reported to this Ministry of raptors killed by poisoning are given below:

  Mr. Jack
  Some 936 letters from hon. Members and peers were received in MAFF during February 1994 and 902 letters were sent to hon. members or peers by Ministers in this Department in the month of February.

  Set-Aside
  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps she is taking to ensure that extensive grazing and late cropping for hay should be part of the non-rotational set-aside regime for environmental reasons.

  Mr. Jack
  The EC regulation governing set-aside under the arable area payments scheme prohibits agricultural
  123
  production, including grazing and hay-cropping, except between 1 September and 14 January when farmers may graze their own animals to take a late harvest of hay for their own use. While both grazing and hay-cropping would be beneficial in environmental terms, allowing them more generally would risk undermining the effectiveness of set-aside, since this would enable mixed farmers to reduce their area of grass without reducing their arable area. My right hon. Friend is not therefore seeking any change in this respect.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many public interest immunity certificates she has signed in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 15 March 1994]: As far as we can establish, the Minister has signed one public interest immunity certificate since 1990, in 1993.

ENVIRONMENT

  National Spring Clean Week
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what support his Department is giving to the national spring clean week, 15 to 24 April, organised by the Tidy Britain Group.

  Mr. Atkins
  National spring clean week is funded from within the Department's grant to the Tidy Britain Group. We have recently given the group a further £93,000 to spend on additional publicity for this campaign, making the total 1993–94 grant to the Tidy Britain Group £2,968,000.

  In addition, the Department will be looking to support publicity events and other activities connected with the campaign.

  Global Warming
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 15 February,Official Report, columns 733–34, what is the budgeted and actual cost to date of the research assessing the energy efficiency global warming campaign.

  Mr. Baldry
  The budgeted costs to date of the research assessing the energy efficiency global warming campaign are £235,836·40.

  The figures for the actual costs to date are identical to those of the budgeted costs to date: £235,836·40.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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.

  Mr. Baldry
  During the past 12 months, four parliamentary questions were referred to agencies in my Department for answer. Three of these were referred to the Ordnance Survey agency and one to the Planning Inspectorate agency. They represented 0·025 per cent. and 0·075 per cent. respectively of the total number of parliamentary questions answered by my Department during that period.
  124

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how Her Majesty's Government implement the policy of "polluter pays" in regard to consignments of toxic waste exported for treatment.

  Mr. Atkins
  The costs associated with the export of hazardous waste are generally met by the exporter. Under the EC Waste Shipments Regulation, which will apply in May, specific powers are provided which will enable competent authorities to charge exporters for the costs of implementing the notification and supervision procedure, together with usual costs of appropriate analyses and inspections. Exporters who are not themselves the producers of the waste will no doubt wish to reflect the impact of those charges in the cost of the service they provide to waste producers. Moreover, it is a requirement under the Waste Shipments Regulation that wastes shall be exported only where the process for which they are destined is environmentally sound. The costs of these processes are a matter for the terms of the contract between the exporter and the consignee.

  Bolivia
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations Her Majesty's Government have received from(a) Bolivian citizens, (b) the Bolivian Government or (c) non-governmental organisations in regard to the local pollution effects in Oruro in the Bolivian Andes arising from the toxic slag exported to the Funestano processing plant from the Capper Pass smelter in Humberside between October 1992 and March 1993.

  Mr. Atkins
  No Bolivian citizens have made representations to Her Majesty's Government. The Bolivian Government sought clarification of Bolivian newspaper reports from the British Government in May 1993 in the light of complaints from Greenpeace. In response, our chargé d'affaires met officials of the Bolivian Ministry of External Affairs on 2 June 1993 and confirmed the export had been in accordance with the United Kingdom law and procedures.

  Christian Aid expressed concern at the export of wastes to Bolivia in a letter to the President of the Board of Trade on 10 June 1993. The Government have also received a number of representations from Greenpeace.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the actual spending per capita by each county, borough and metropolitan local council for the last 10 years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have arranged for the information to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Waste Regulation
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to implement section 61 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 before 1 June.

  Mr. Atkins
  The future of section 61 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is among the matters
  125
  raised in our consultation paper "Paying for Our Past" which I announced to the House on 8 March in response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. Burns), Official Report, column 110. We will decide what to do, and when, in the light of the responses we receive.

  Environment Agency
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive from Touche Ross consultants the report he commissioned on options for the proposed environment agency.

  Mr. Atkins
  Touche Ross is expected to complete the study on options for the geographical and management structure of the proposed environment agency by mid-May.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the average waiting time for appeals against valuation to be heard(a) in England as a whole, (b) in each standard region and (c) in each local authority area since the introduction of the council tax.

  Mr. Baldry
  A meaningful figure cannot yet be given on the average length of time taken to hear appeals, since a great many cases are being settled by agreement between the taxpayer and the Valuation Office agency, and relatively few have been heard as appeals by valuation tribunals.

  EC Sprint and Valve Programmes
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the implications for environmental research of the merger of the EC Sprint and Valve programmes under the fourth framework programme 1994 to 1998.

  Mr. Atkins
  Until the Commission brings forward its formal proposal for the third activity-specific programme, it is not possible to assess the impact of the new arrangements. However, in negotiations on this programme, Her Majesty's Government will be looking to ensure that the strengths of the two former programmes —Sprint and Value—are sustained.

  Water Quality Objectives
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce statutory water quality objectives on English rivers.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 21 March 1994]: Regulations are to be made soon to set in place a national scheme for classifying water quality. This will open the way for consultation to start on the first batch of proposals for statutory water quality objectives.

  Homeless (Definition)
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his definition of "unintentional" as it will apply to those being assessed as homeless under his legislative proposals.

  Sir George Young
  The consultation paper "Access to Local Authority and Housing Association Tenancies" states in paragraph 13.1 that 126
  "the Government believes that the present provisions on intentionality remain appropriate, although they will require some modification to reflect the new legislation".

  We will decide on the revised definition of intentionality in the light of the responses to the consultation.

  Out-of-town Shopping Centres
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer on 16 March,Official Report, column 683, on out-of-town shopping centres, what are the implications of planning policy guidance note 13 for his support for the proposed Dumplington scheme in Greater Manchester; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  PPG13 has no implications for Dumplington. Planning permission was granted for Dumplington on 4 March 1993, before PPG13 was published.

  The grant of permission has been challenged by a group of local planning authorities in the courts. The group has suggested that given recent changes in policy a decision made on a similar application today would be to refuse. However, this argument is not relevant to the legality of the decision to grant planning permission for Dumplington. The Secretary of State had to consider matters as they were at the time of his decision.

  Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre
  Mr. Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the outcome of the triennial review of the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre.

  Sir George Young
  The triennial review of the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre executive agency has now been completed, and a summary of the evaluation report has been placed in the Library.

  In 1992–93, the centre was voted "Best UK Conference Centre" by members of the industry for the sixth year in succession, and was awarded one of the first chartermarks. However, there is still room for improvement in meeting the agency's key objectives of securing a progressive reduction in its net costs to the Exchequer and of encouraging optimum occupancy levels. The target operating deficit in 1993–94 is £900,000, but when rent for occupation of the building is added the deficit is some £7 million. The target occupancy level for 1993–94 is 49 per cent. over 365 days for the main letting areas.

  While I have decided that there should be no immediate change to the centre's status as a "next steps" agency, I have asked the agency to continue the search for further efficiencies and improvements in its financial and operational performance. In addition, I propose to test the value for money of the present arrangements by including a contract for management of the centre in my Department's market-testing programme for 1994–95. I intend that any resulting contract should come into effect from April 1996.

  Leeds City Council
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has considered the response by Leeds city council to the notice served on the authority on 10 September 1993 under section 13 of the Local Government Act 1988; and if he will make a statement.
  127
  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend has considered carefully the response which Leeds city council has made to the notice served on the authority, and has today given the authority a direction under section 14 of the Local Government Act 1988. The effect of the direction is to require the authority, when it next re-tenders the work which was the subject of the notice, to seek my right hon. Friend's consent should it wish to reassign the work to the direct services organisation. The direction also requires the authority to ensure that future contracts allow contractors the opportunity to rectify any default in performance before penalties are incurred.

TREASURY

  Bank of England
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Bank of England staff are analogous to the civil service grades of assistant secretary, grade 5, and above; how their pay scales differ from those of their civil service analogues; and what assessment he has made of the way in which limits which have been placed by the Government on civil service pay increases have been and will continue to be applied by the Bank.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Bank of England does not employ civil service grades or grades that are directly analogous. Under the approach to public sector pay in 1994–95, Government Departments will be expected to offset pay increases for their staff with efficiency savings, and we would expect the Bank of England to follow a similar course. The previous approach to public sector pay, limiting settlements to the range zero to 1·5 per cent., has been implemented successfuly throughout the public sector including the civil service and the Bank of England.

  Iran (Arms Exports)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what communications Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has had with the United States Justice Department in regard to allegations made by Mr. Ian Smalley, about arms exports to Iran.

  Sir John Cope
  Customs and Excise advises me that it has had no communications with the United States Justice Department in regard to allegations made by Mr. Ian Smalley.

  VAT on Fuel (Advance Payments)
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice his Department has given to utility companies with regard to advance payments of VAT prior to the introduction of VAT on fuel from April.

  Sir John Cope
  In meetings with British Gas and the electricity suppliers, customs has confirmed that such advance payments create a tax point under VAT law. Consequently, payments made before 1 April are subject to VAT at the zero rate.

  National Insurance
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much would be raised by a 1 per cent. national insurance contribution in earnings above the level of the upper earnings limit.
  128
  Mr. Hague
  I have been asked to reply.

  It is estimated that the additional yield in respect of the 1993–94 year would have been about £270 million.

  VAT
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many collection staff were working for Customs and Excise in each year since 1980(a) in London and the south-east and (b) in the United Kingdom as a whole in the area of value added tax.

  Sir John Cope
  It is not possible to provide value added tax employment figures for London and the south-east for the whole period requested. For the years ending 31 March 1991–92 and 1992–93, 3,727 and 3,627 staff in this geographical area were employed on such work. The comparable figure on plans for the current financial year is 3,350 staff. The United Kingdom figures for the same three years are 9,612, 9,429 and 9,500 respectively.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of correspondence received by(a) his Department and (b) each of his Department's agencies receives (i) an acknowledgement within five days and (ii) a substantive reply within 15 days.

  Sir John Cope
  [pursuant to his reply, 20 January 1994, c. 779]: I much regret that the figure relating to the proportion of letters to Treasury Ministers receiving a substantive reply within 15 days was incorrect. In 1993 Treasury Ministers replied to 58 per cent. of ministerial letters handled within central Treasury within the target set.

  This mistake arose as a result of a flaw in our procedures for logging completed correspondence casework against new targets, and has only recently come to light. Action has been taken to ensure that in future our records are complete and accurate. I apologise for having inadvertently given a wrong figure in my original answer to the hon. Member.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Deportees
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to which countries deportees escorted in 1993 and 1994 to date by the police forces of(a) South Yorkshire, (b) North Yorkshire, (c) West Yorkshire and (d) Humberside were being deported; and what was the cost for each police force authority involved.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No in-flight escorts for deportees were provided by the police forces of South Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire or Humberside in 1993 or 1994 to date.

  Drugs
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people in(a) Doncaster and (b) South Yorkshire convicted of drug offences in each year for the past four years were under 21 years of age;

  (2) how many people in (a) Doncaster and (b) South Yorkshire have been convicted of drug offences in each year for the past four years.
  129
  Mr. Maclean
  The information is given in the table. The 1993 data will not be available until autumn 1994.

  Number and percentage of persons convicted of indictable drug offences at Doncaster Petty Sessional Division1 and South Yorkshire Police Force Area and England and Wales 1989 to 1992

  Doncaster1

  South Yorkshire

  England and Wales

  Year/Age

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  1989

  Under 21

  16

  17

  33

  14

  5,014

  22

  All ages

  92

  100

  233

  100

  22,578

  100

  1990

  Under 21

  22

  25

  56

  22

  6,298

  26

  All ages

  87

  100

  252

  100

  24,558

  100

  1991

  Under 21

  26

  28

  84

  25

  6,251

  27

  All ages

  92

  100

  339

  100

  23,455

  100

  1992

  Under 21

  47

  26

  156

  29

  5,772

  25

  All ages

  181

  100

  539

  100

  22,677

  100

  1 Includes cases heard at the Crown Court where the committing court was Doncaster psd.

  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juveniles were cautioned for drug-related offences in north Yorkshire in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is given in the table. The 1993 data will not be available until autumn 1994.

  Number of juveniles—persons aged 10 to under 17 years—cautioned for indictable drug offences in North Yorkshire Police Force Area 1990–1992

  Year

  Juveniles aged10 to under 17

  Persons All ages

  1990

  3

  49

  1991

  26

  140

  1992

  41

  266

  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department is currently conducting into drug usage and drugs prevention in rural areas.

  Mr. Maclean
  I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Spring) on 15 March,Official Report, column 597. In addition to the telephone survey in Greater Manchester and its rural hinterland, information about self-reported drug misuse by people living in rural areas was collected in the 1992 British crime survey. Work is in hand to compare the data for inner-city, other urban and rural areas, which will be reported on in due course.

  My Department has also part-funded some locally managed research in rural east Sussex, the results of which were published in a report by Dr. Russell Newcombe "Drug Use in the North Wealden District of East Sussex: A report on the investigation of the nature and prevalence of illicit drug use among young people in a rural area of East Sussex in 1993", available from the East Sussex Drugs Advisory Council; and is funding a Somerset county youth service project which involves, among other things, research to estimate the prevalence of drug misuse among the local population and the transient population of young holiday-makers and to develop primary preventive work in response.
  130

  Unlawful Killing (Children)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing(a) how many men and (b) how many women have been convicted of unlawful killing of a child during the last three years for which figures are available; and how many such men and women were (i) under the age of 16 years, (ii) 16 to 18 years and (iii) aged between 18 and 21 years.

  Mr. Maclean
  The available information, which relates to offences of homicide, is contained in the following table:

  Number of suspects convicted of offences currently recorded as homicide where the victim was a person under the age of 16 years

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Total suspects

  Male

  30

  31

  24

  Female

  10

  22

  5

  Age of suspect

  Aged 10 to 15

  Male

  2

  1

  —

  Female

  —

  1

  —

  Aged 16 to 17

  Male

  —

  1

  1

  Female

  1

  2

  —

  Aged 18 to 20

  Male

  2

  8

  5

  Female

  1

  3

  1

  The years shown relate to the year the offence was originally recorded by the police and 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.

  Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for the latest date available, the number of remand prisoners held in police cells by each of the police forces in Humberside, and the
  131
  three counties of Yorkshire; if he will list the police stations concerned; and what were the corresponding figures 12 months ago.

  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 A. J. Butler to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 22 March 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the Office, to reply to your recent Question about the number of remand prisoners held in police cells by the Humberside and three Yorkshire police forces.
  On 17 March 1994, the latest date for which complete information is available, no remand prisoners were being held in police cells in the Humberside, West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire police areas.

  In the South Yorkshrie police area, 31 remand prisoners were being held in the following police stations:

  Doncaster

  4

  Rotherham

  11

  Thorne

  5

  Sheffield (Bridge Street)

  11

  This time last year there were no prisoners in police cells.

  Child Witnesses
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the research findings from the project currently being conducted by Graham Davies at the University of

  Table showing the number of firefighters seriously injured1 or killed in the line of duty, 1980 to 1992

  South Yorkshire

  North Yorkshire

  West Yorkshire

  Humberside

  Year

  Fatalities

  Serious injuries

  Fatalities

  Serious injuries

  Fatalities

  Serious injuries

  Fatalities

  Serious injuries

  1980

  —

  20

  —

  9

  —

  27

  1

  16

  1981

  —

  35

  —

  4

  —

  32

  —

  10

  1982

  —

  16

  —

  4

  —

  24

  —

  27

  1983

  —

  18

  —

  2

  1

  31

  —

  14

  1984

  —

  26

  —

  8

  —

  39

  —

  8

  1985

  —

  33

  —

  4

  —

  22

  —

  14

  1986

  —

  14

  —

  5

  —

  40

  —

  16

  1987

  —

  12

  —

  11

  —

  51

  —

  9

  1988

  —

  19

  —

  —

  —

  42

  —

  12

  1989

  —

  32

  —

  2

  —

  34

  1

  12

  1990

  —

  27

  —

  5

  —

  32

  —

  7

  1991

  —

  23

  —

  13

  —

  45

  —

  11

  19922

  —

  23

  —

  23

  —

  38

  —

  4

  1 Serious injuries are defined as those which result in absence of duty for at least one month.

  2 Provisional figures.

  Source: Home Office fire statistics.

  Operation Barnard
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police personnel were used in Operation Barnard in Wanstead on 16 February; and what was the total cost of the operation.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that Operation Barnard involved just over 700 officers. The additional costs of the operation are estimated to be over £200,000. Information on the cost of support services and other resources involved is not available.
  132
  Leicester: "Evaluation of New Provision for Children Witnesses, 1991"; and if he will outline the issues and scope of the research evaluation.

  Mr. Maclean
  The research project to which my hon. Friend refers is due to publish its findings in late-1994. The project is: monitoring and observing child witnesses giving evidence; sampling a range of opinion among legal, social service and police personnel and also child witnesses; evaluating sample video-taped interviews to test for their adherence to the memorandum of good practice, the voluntary guidance issued with the Criminal Justice Act 1991 concerning good practice in the recording of interviews with child witnesses; and analysing information from the Lord Chancellor's Department relating to the number of cases involving children and the outcomes of those cases, in order to assess the effectiveness of the provisions in the Criminal Justice Act 1991 relating to the evidence of children.

  Firefighters
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firefighters have been injured in south Yorkshire, north Yorkshire, west Yorkshire and Humberside in the line of duty in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The numbers of firefighters killed or seriously injured in the line of duty each year since 1980 are shown in the table.

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

  Mr. Michael Howard
  The information requested is set out in the annual disability report contained in the magazine "Independent", which was published on Friday 18 March. A copy of this has been placed in the Library. The report shows that 182·5 of the staff currently employed by the Home Office are registered disabled, representing 0·4 per cent. of all staff.
  133

  Yugoslavia (Asylum Seekers)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from the former Yugoslavia have applied, to date, to the United Kingdom for asylum; how many have been(a) granted asylum, (b) granted exceptional leave to remain, (c) application still under consideration and (d) application refused; how many of those applicants who have been refused asylum or exceptional leave have, to date, been removed from the United Kingdom; to which country such people were removed; how many refusals are currently subject to appeal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information for the period 1 January 1992 to 28 February 1994 is given in the table. The large majority of applications made in the period—an estimated 6,640 at 28 February 1994—are under consideration and the applicants are being allowed to stay in the meantime.

  Information on the destination of cases removed is not readily available. No nationals of the former Yugoslavia are being removed to war zones. The number of refusals of former Yugoslav cases curently subject to appeal is not separately identifiable in the statistics.

  In addition to consideration of asylum applications, the Government have, under arrangements announced in November 1992 and June 1993, offered to receive 1,000 particularly vulnerable individuals from the former Yugoslavia and their close dependants, an estimated total of 4,000 people in all. As at 18 March 1994, 601 particularly vulnerable individuals and 810 dependants had arrived under these arrangements. Before this, 68 sick and wounded ex-detainees from Bosnia arrived in September 1992.

  Decisions1 on applications1 received for asylum in the United Kingdom from nationals of the former Yugoslavia, excluding dependants, 1 January 1992 to 28 February 1994

  Number

  Asylum applications2

  7,685

  Decisions2 3 4

  455

  Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum

  5

  Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave to remain5

  175

  Refusals

  270

  Refused asylum and exceptional leave—after full consideration

  20

  Refused under paragraph 180F6

  155

  Refused on safe third country grounds7

  95

  Applications pending4

  6,640

  Removals:

  Port cases

  Safe third country

  65

  Other

  5

  In-country cases8

  n/a

  1 Provisional figures rounded to the nearest five.

  2 Figures exclude information on applications made overseas.

  3 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the period.

  4 Information on withdrawals is not readily available and not shown in the table.

  5 Usually granted for a year in the first instance, subject then to further review.

  6 For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview to establish identity (paragraph 101 prior to 26 July 1993).

  7 Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe

  134
  third country.

  8Information for enforcement cases is not available for the entire period. However, during the periods 1 January 1992 to 31 December 1992 and 1 August 1993 to 28 February 1994 the total number of removals in after entry enforcement cases, including also voluntary departures, was three.

  Mrs. Liberty Cloke
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the husband in the United Kingdom of Mrs. Liberty Cloke—Ref: GV100/21136—is to be interviewed for a second time; when the British embassy in Manila requested his Department to arrange a second interview with Mr. Cloke; and what further information is required of Mr. Cloke to enable the British embassy in Manila to reach a decision on Mrs. Cloke's application to join her husband in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The request from the British embassy in Manila for a further interview with Mr. Cloke was received by the Home Office on 17 March 1994. Mr. Cloke will be interviewed as soon as possible to obtain further information which will enable the entry clearance officer to assess whether Mr. Cloke meets the requirements of the immigration rules for entry as a spouse.

  Refugee Settlement Research Project
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the research findings from the refugee settlement research project will be released.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 8 March,Official Report, column 176.

  Immigration
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer from the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of 28 February,Official Report, column 545, what improvements are being made to procedures in his Department to ensure determinations favourable to the applicant are sent promptly to British posts overseas.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Arrangements are already in place to ensure that determinations are sent promptly and no changes to those arrangements are contemplated at present.

  Armley Prison
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the provision of adequate toilet facilities and the cessation of slopping out to be completed at Armley prison.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 21 March 1994]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 A. J. Butler to Mr. Bob Cryer, dated 22 March 1994:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the Office, to reply to your recent Question about the provision of toilet facilities at Leeds prison.

  135
  Prisoners in B, E and F Wings now have access to toilets either in or directly from their cells. Proposals for refurbishing the remaining wings envisage that, by February 1996 all prisoners at Leeds will have similar access to toilets and that slopping out will therefore no longer be necessary.

PRIME MINISTER

  Punjab
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Prime Minister whether he raised the question of human rights in the Punjab with the Indian Prime Minister during his recent visit.

  The Prime Minister
  I discussed human rights in India with Mr. Narasimha Rao. The main focus of our discussion on human rights was, however, Kashmir.

  Chief of Defence Staff
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Prime Minister on what date he was first informed that the position of Sir Peter Harding as Chief of the Defence Staff might be compromised.

  The Prime Minister
  I was first informed of the circumstances which led up to the resignation of Sir Peter Harding on Saturday 12 March.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if, during his visit to Bosnia he sought to establish whether British-manufactured or designed shells, and British-licensed guns, have been used offensively against Bosnian civilians and British service men in Bosnia.

  The Prime Minister
  We have no evidence of British-made or British-designed weapons or ammunition being used offensively in Bosnia.

  We understand that a formerly British-owned 1942 40mm Bofors gun has been surrendered under the ceasefire arrangements in central Bosnia.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 22 March.

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

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 22 March.

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

  Second World War Commemorations
  Sir Jim Spicer
  To ask the Prime Minister whether he intends to invite German representation at the events commemorating the end of the second world war.

  The Prime Minister
  The commemoration in Britain on 7 May 1995 of the end of the second world war will be the occasion to celebrate the 50 years of peace and reconciliation we have enjoyed since 1945. During that time we have developed extremely close relations with our 136
  allies and partners in Germany. We very much hope Germany will play a full part and be represented at a high level in the 1995 commemorations, for which planning is now in hand.

  The focus of the 1995 commemorations will be:

  a service in St. Paul's;

  a parade in central London; and

  a lunch or dinner for the Heads of State or Government who attend.

  In addition we hope to arrange a variety of events throughout the country designed to build on the theme of reconciliation.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list for the last 12 months how many parliamentary questions he has referred to the Cabinet Office for answer; and what percentage of parliamentary questions to him this represents.

  The Prime Minister
  In the past 12 months approximately 3 per cent. of my written parliamentary questions were referred to the Cabinet Office for answer.

  Council of Europe
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Prime Minister whether he has replied to the letter from the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Catherine Lalumière, concerning participation in the Council of Europe's campaign against racism, xenophobia, anti-semitism and intolerance; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  As far as I am aware I have not received such a letter, but I understand that Mrs. Lalumière has written to the Lord Chancellor who will be replying shortly.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Human Rights
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's views on the proposed changes to the European Court's treatment of human rights cases.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, 21 March,Official Report, column 31.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions in the last five years he has knowingly provided incomplete information in answers to parliamentary questions other than on grounds of disproportionate cost; and on what subjects.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My Department answers parliamentary questions on the basis set out in paragraph 27 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers".
  137

  Diplomatic Representation
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which independent countries of the world the United Kingdom is Unrepresented by career members of the diplomatic service.

  Mr. Goodlad
  There is currently no resident representation by career members of the diplomatic service in the following independent countries: Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Georgia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Iraq, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, North Korea, Laos, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Micronesia, Moldavia, Monaco, Nauru, Niger, Rwanda, St. Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Surinam, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Western Samoa. Total countries: 49.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which countries his Office is represented solely by locally engaged staff.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is currently represented solely by locally engaged staff and/or honorary consuls in 28 independent countries: Afghanistan, Benin, Burkina, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Liechtenstein, Mali, Mauritania, Monaco, Niger, Rwanda, Surinam, Togo, Western Samoa.

  In three of those countries it is represented solely by locally engaged staff: Afghanistan, Burundi, Kiribati.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which posts of his office have been reduced since 1990; and by how many staff.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The information is in the table:

  FCO posts overseas Reductions in United Kingdom based staff 1990–94

  Country

  Post

  Reduction

  Algeria

  Algiers

  3·0

  Antigua

  Antigua

  1·0

  Australia

  Canberra

  6·0

  Austria

  Vienna

  3·0

  Austria

  Vienna CSCE

  4·0

  Bahamas

  Nassau

  5·0

  Bangladesh

  Dhaka

  11·0

  Barbados

  Bridgetown

  5·0

  Belgium

  Brussels

  6·0

  Belgium

  Brussels JMO

  2·0

  Belgium

  Brusselsukrp

  4·0

  Bolivia

  La Paz

  1·0

  Brazil

  Sao Paulo

  1·0

  Bulgaria

  Sofia

  2·0

  Burma

  Rangoon

  2·0

  Cameroon

  Yaounde

  2·0

  Canada

  Montreal

  1·0

  Chile

  Santiago

  2·0

  China

  Peking

  3·0

  China

  Shanghai

  1·0

  Costa Rica

  San Jose

  1·0

  Cuba

  Havana

  5·0

  138

  Country

  Post

  Reduction

  Cyprus

  Nicosia

  2·0

  Czech Republic

  Prague

  8·0

  Denmark

  Copenhagen

  2·0

  Ecuador

  Quito

  2·0

  Egypt

  Alexandria

  1·0

  Egypt

  Cairo

  4·0

  Ethiopia

  Addis Ababa

  2·0

  Fiji

  Suva1

  1·0

  Finland

  Helsinki

  6·0

  France

  Lyons

  1·0

  France

  Marseilles

  1·0

  France

  Paris

  14·0

  Germany

  Berlin

  28·0

  Germany

  Bonn

  12·0

  Germany

  Dusseldorf

  4·0

  Ghana

  Greece

  3·0

  Guyana

  Accra

  2·0

  Athens

  Georgetown

  2·0

  Honduras

  Tegucigalpa

  1·0

  Hungary

  Budapest

  5·0

  India

  Calcutta

  2·0

  India

  New Delhi

  10·0

  Iraq

  Baghdad

  15·0

  Italy

  Rome

  3·0

  Jamaica

  Kingston

  4·0

  Kenya

  Nairobi

  5·0

  Kuwait

  Kuwait

  1·0

  Malaysia

  Kuala Lumpur

  3·0

  Malta

  Valletta

  1·0

  Mauritius

  Port Louis

  2·0

  Mexico

  Mexico City

  3·5

  Morocco

  Rabat

  3·0

  Netherlands

  The Hague

  1·0

  Nigeria

  Lagos

  5·0

  Norway

  Oslo

  2·0

  Oman

  Muscat

  1·0

  Pakistan

  Karachi

  3·0

  Panama

  Panama City

  1·0

  Paraguay

  Asuncion

  1·0

  Peru

  Lima

  1·0

  Poland

  Warsaw

  7·0

  Qatar

  Doha

  1·0

  Saudi Arabia

  Riyadh

  2·0

  Senegal

  Dakar

  1·0

  Sierra Leone

  Freetown

  1·0

  Singapore

  Singapore

  5·0

  Solomon Islands

  Honiara

  1·0

  South Africa

  Pretoria

  3·5

  Spain

  Barcelona

  1–0

  Spain

  Madrid

  3·0

  Sri Lanka

  Colombo

  1·0

  Sudan

  Khartoum

  8·0

  Sweden

  Stockholm

  1·0

  Switzerland

  Berne

  1·0

  Switzerland

  Geneva Ukdel

  0·5

  Switzerland

  Geneva Ukmis

  1·5

  Tanzania

  Dar Es Salaam

  1·0

  Trinidad

  Port of Spain

  2·0

  Turkey

  Ankara

  2·0

  Turkey

  Istanbul

  3·0

  United Arab Emirates

  Abu Dhabi

  1·0

  United Arab Emirates

  Dubai

  4·0

  Uruguay

  Montevideo

  5·0

  United States of America

  Chicago

  3·0

  United States of America

  Los Angeles

  1·0

  United States of America

  New York Btio

  4·5

  United States of America

  New York Cg

  1·5

  United States of America

  New York Imo

  6·0

  United States of America

  Washington

  47·0

  Venezuela

  Caracas

  3·0

  Yugoslavia

  Belgrade

  3·0

  Zaire

  Kinshasa

  5·0

  Zambia

  Lusaka

  5·0

  Zimbabwe

  Harare

  3·0

  Kiribati

  Tarawa

  1·0

  Congo

  Brazzaville

  1·0

  Canada

  Edmonton

  1·0

  Gabon

  Libreville

  2·0

  139

  Country

  Post

  Reduction

  Somalia

  Mogadishu

  3·0

  Liberia

  Monovia

  3·0

  Afganistan

  Kabul

  6·0

  Nigeria

  Kaduna

  3·0

  Yemen

  Aden

  3·0

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs where his Department proposes to open new posts during the coming year.

  Mr. Goodlad
  There are no plans at present to open new posts staffed by United Kingdom-based officers. However, discussions are well advanced with the Japanese and South Korean authorities about proposals to open trade offices staffed by locally engaged officers in Nagoya and Pusan respectively.

  BBC World Service
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to increase the service given by the BBC world service and by BBC world service television in the coming year.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are discussing with the world service plans for the 1994–97 triennium funding period. These include increases in broadcasting to Russia and to central Asia with the introduction of Uzbek and Azeri services. World Service Television operates commercially and decisions about its development are a matter for the BBC. It has the support in overseas markets of the official commercial and information services available to exporters.

  Torture
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will extend to United Kingdom citizens the use of his good offices to resolve issues of compensation for torture undergone in countries where they have difficulty in pursuing legal action in the courts.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In principle we would make representations on behalf of any British national who has suffered in the way described. But there are difficulties in cases of dual nationals in the country of their second nationality.

  Nuclear Test Ban
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response Her Majesty's Government have made to the announcement by the United States Administration that it intends to maintain the nuclear test ban moratorium until September 1995.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have reaffirmed that we have no intention of testing while the United States moratorium continues, and that we will work with energy and speed towards the conclusion of an effective comprehensive test ban treaty.
  140

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to encourage states to join negotiations on a multilateral, verifiable fissile materials cut-off.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We supported the United Nations General Assembly resolution last year which called for the negotiation of a convention prohibiting the production of plutonium and highly enriched uranium for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. We also supported the appointment on 1 February of a special co-ordinator at the conference on disarmament, who is currently seeking the views of its member states on the most appropriate arrangements for the negotiation of a cut-off convention.

  Overseas Visits
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the cost of overseas travel in 1993 for each of his Office's Ministers.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) on 16 February,Official Report, c. 766, and 24 February, Official Report, c. 389.

  Malaysian Airlines
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the dates Ministers, or officials from his Department, including his Department's agencies, have used the Malaysian airline MAS for each year since 1985 including this year to date on official business; and what was the cost to his Department of each flight.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  EC Majority Voting
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policy statements have been made to the House since 1979 about majority voting in the EC.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which document Her Majesty's Government were informed of the proposal to change the arrangement in the Community treaties for qualified majority vote in the Council of Ministers; who originated any such proposals; when they were received by Her Majesty's Government; how and by what means these and associated voting arrangements were made public in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) within other member and co-ordinate states of the Community.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The accession of new countries to the European Union requires substantial treaty amendment, including the amendment of qualified majority voting
  141
  arrangements. The Union's negotiating position has evolved over several months on the basis of informal presidency texts. The Brussels European Council in December 1993 settled the Union's negotiating position on a number of institutional issues and invited
  "the General Affairs Council to supplement that decision by determining the threshold for the qualified majority of votes within the Council in the context of finalizing the enlargement negotations."

  These decisions were recorded in the conclusions of the Council, deposited in the House on 13 December 1993. The qualified majority threshold has been a matter of active negotiation since that time. It is not possible to say whether or when any information on this subject has been made public in other member states or the applicant countries without incurring disproportionate costs.

  Hong Kong Airport
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest talks on the future of Hong Kong airport.

  Mr. Goodlad
  A meeting of experts under the Sino-British airport committee was held on 3 March to discuss the Hong Kong Government's fourth financial proposal which was handed to the Chinese side on 2 February. The contents of diplomatic exchanges have to remain confidential. However, we believe that our latest proposals fully meet all the Chinese side's expressed concerns and hope that a full meeting of the airport committee can be convened shortly.

  East Timor
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to Indonesia in accordance with United Nations resolutions regarding East Timor.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We have encouraged the Indonesians and Portuguese to co-operate with the UN Secretary-General in his efforts to find a comprehensive solution for East Timor in line with the request in UN General Assembly resolution 37/30. We believe that the continuing dialogue between Portugal and Indonesia under the Secretary-General's auspices offers the best prospect for reaching agreement.

  Turkish Gendarmerie Commander
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whom General Ilter, Commander of the Turkish Gendarmerie, met in the Ministry of Defence during his visit to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Hanley
  I have been asked to reply.

  When General Titer, Commander Head of the Turkish Gendarmerie, visited the Ministry of Defence, he met my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence and General Sir Peter Inge, the then Chief of the General Staff.

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the trial of British passport holders for seditious activity in Sierra Leone.
  142
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Four British passport holders were charged with treason—aiding a coup attempt—on 23 December in Freetown, and remain in custody there. Since 13 January this year a Sierra Leonean magistrate has been hearing evidence on the case in order to decide whether it should be referred to the High Court. The accused are being well treated: our high commission has full consular access.

  Liberia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about progress on disarmament and the establishment of a transitional Government in Liberia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We welcome the agreement of the signatories to the Cotonou agreement to establish a transitional national Government on 7 March and to commence the disarmament process.

  We hope all aspects of the Cotonou agreement will now be fully implemented and that there will be no slippage in the timetable leading up to elections on 7 September.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if a date for elections has yet been set for Liberia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Under the terms of the Cotonou agreement, elections are planned for 7 September 1994.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much of the United Kingdom's contribution to the Liberia trust fund has now been spent; and on what.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Our contribution of $1 million is reserved for humanitarian purposes. None has yet been spent.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the strength of each of the national forces contributing to the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group initiative in Liberia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have no first-hand information but understand that the numbers are approximately as follows:

  Number

  Nigeria

  9,000

  Ghana

  1,000

  Uganda

  850

  Tanzania

  850

  Sierra Leone

  500

  Gambia

  1

  Guinea

  1

  Mali

  1

  1 Less than 100 each.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in the demobilisation of child soldiers in Liberia; and what contribution Britain is making to their rehabilitation.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The disarmament of Liberia's armed factions, to be followed by demobilisation, is now
  143
  taking place. It is not yet possible to judge how many child soldiers there are in Liberia. We have this year provided £1·6 million, including £672,000 to the United Nations Trust Fund for Liberia, in humanitarian assistance for Liberia, principally in support of Save the Children Fund, UNICEF and Red Cross programmes. These programmes include provision for the tracing, demobilisation and rehabilitation of child soldiers.

TRANSPORT

  Red Routes
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received covering the planned red routes in London.

  Mr. Norris
  We have received representations from Members of Parliament, London borough councillors, residents, businesses, community groups and others, mostly about the extent of the red route network and the detailed measures, which are the subject of consultation by the Traffic Director for London.

  Ticket Purchase
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that passengers who are unable to buy a valid ticket on the London Underground are not unduly penalised or harassed by the authorities.

  Mr. Norris
  London Underground has introduced a range of measures to minimise instances in which a passenger wishing to buy a ticket cannot do so. On those occasions when a ticket cannot be obtained there will be no liability to pay a penalty fare. London Underground's revenue control officials will be able to check the status of the ticket machines at any station on the network at the relevant time. A clear and accessible appeal mechanism will be available for any passengers who feel they have been unfairly charged.

  Penalty Fares
  Lady Olga Maitland
  TO ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the possible amount to be recovered by London Transport in penalty fares.

  Mr. Norris
  London Underground estimates that it will recover some £5 million in extra revenue in the first year after the introduction of penalty fares and some £8 million in each year thereafter.

  Fare Evasion
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the loss of revenue to London Underground due to fraud and evasion of buying tickets in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Norris
  London Underground estimates that, in the 1992–93 financial year, fraudulent travel cost it £30 million in lost revenue.
  144

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made regarding proposals to modify the Reading, Redhill, Tonbridge railway line to carry freight to the channel tunnel.

  Mr. Freeman
  The stretch between Redhill and Tonbridge has already been upgraded. Railtrack will be commencing its study of the route between Reading and Redhill next month.

  Lorries (Emissions)
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce measures requiring lorries to be fitted with devices to trap PM10 emissions.

  Mr. Key
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 21 March 1994 at column 100, and to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside to a question from the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) at column 114.

  The need for any further action will be judged in the light of the advice of the expert bodies referred to in my hon. Friend's reply.

  Pollution
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce measures to provide for localised traffic bans to be imposed at times of high pollution incidence.

  Mr. Key
  The Government are not yet convinced of the cost-effectiveness of such measures. The introduction of catalytic converters on new petrol-engined cars through directive 91/441/EEC has resulted in overall reductions in regulated emissions of up to 80 per cent. from these vehicles. The next stage of emission reductions is now agreed for 1996–97 with a further enhanced package of measures under consideration for the year 2000. There are new emission limits for heavy-duty vehicles already agreed for the year 1996 with further requirements being considered for the year 2000. The result of these measures will be a considerable reduction in transport-related emissions until well into the next century.

  Other measures that will benefit local air quality include encouraging the use of public transport, cycling and walking and, for the longer term, considering the possible benefits of congestion charging and the use of the planning system to reduce the need to travel by car. That last is addressed in the Government's recently published planning policy guidance note 13 on transport and land use planning.

  Catalytic Converters
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to promote more widespread usage of catalytic converters on motor vehicles.

  Mr. Key
  None. Regulations are already in place which effectively require all new petrol-engined passenger cars to be fitted with catalytic converters, and which extend the requirement to new car-derived vans from 1 October 1994. An estimated 2.5 million cars are already fitted with the devices and, as the decade advances, there will be a natural progression towards an almost total catalyst-equipped fleet by the year 2003.
  145

  Diesel
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce measures to discourage the use of diesel as a motor engine fuel.

  Mr. Key
  A study on diesel vehicle emissions and urban air quality by the quality of urban air review group has recently reported and the Government have commissioned research from the energy technology support unit on the possible effects of increased diesel use. We are studying that research carefully. The Department of Health's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants is expected to report on the possible health effects of particulates later this year.

  We have already agreed tighter emissions limits for future diesel vehicles and we will consider whether further action is necessary in the light of expert advice.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give a detailed breakdown of amounts and the recipients of the £1·6 million which will be spent by the Office of the Rail Regulator in the financial year 1994–95 on external consultants for rail privatisation.

  Mr. Freeman
  The regulator informs me that he expects to incur the majority of his planned expenditure on external consultants in obtaining advice on questions of economics, accounting, business efficiency and legal advice in connection with the exercise of his statutory functions relating to the approval of access agreements and the monitoring of licences. It is his intention to let contracts on the basis of fair and open competitive tendering.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give a detailed breakdown of the amounts and recipients of the £5·9 milion he estimates will be spent by the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising in the financial year 1994–95 on external consultants for rail privatisation.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Office of Passenger Rail Franchising will require a range of consultancy services in 1994–95, including legal, financial and accountancy advice. The expenditure required in respect of specific consultancy services will depend on the precise amount of work commissioned.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give a breakdown of amounts and recipients of the £12 million he estimates will be spent by his Department in the financial year 1994–95 on external consultants for rail privatisation.

  Mr. Freeman
  The £12 million expenditure for which the Department has made provision in the financial year 1994–95 is expected to cover advice on legal issues, merchant banking, accountancy and taxation, marketing, access charges, freight issues and information systems. The detailed breakdown will depend on how much work is commissioned in each area.

  Goods Vehicle Operating Licences
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether local residents will continue to have the opportunity to object to the granting of a goods vehicle operating licence under the proposals set out in the Deregulation and Contracting Out Bill.
  146
  Mr. Norris
  Yes.

  Engine Emissions
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence he has received about the impact of vehicle emissions on air quality in London.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have been asked to reply.

  The London energy study carried out by the London Research Centre was published on 15 September 1993; it was funded by the European Commission, London Electricity plc and the Department of the Environment. One of the principal outputs of the study was a very detailed inventory of energy use, and the resultant emissions of pollutants to the London atmosphere covering almost 2,000 sq km in and around London. The table illustrates the contribution from road transport for each pollutant in 1991.

  London 1991, road transport

  Percentage of total emissions

  Carbon dioxide (as carbon)

  33

  Sulphur dioxide

  22

  Black smoke

  96

  Carbon monoxide

  99

  Nitrogen oxides

  76

  Volatile organic compounds

  97

  Rail Equipment Orders
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many orders were placed by British Rail in each financial year since 1990–91; what are the projections for 1994–95 and 1995–96 for(a) mainline passenger and freight locomotives, (b) mainline passenger coaches, (c) regional multiple units and (d) freight and goods wagons of all descriptions.

  Mr. Freeman
  Orders of traction and rolling stock by British Rail since 1990–91 were as follows:—

  Financial year and description

  Number

  1990–91

  Locomotives (Class 92)

  30

  Electric multiple units

  111

  Container wagons

  700

  1991–92

  Locomotives (Class 92)

  7

  Electric multiple units

  104

  Diesel multiple units

  63

  Channel tunnel trainsets for North of London services

  7

  Automotive wagons

  300

  1992–93

  Locomotives (Class 92)

  9

  Electric multiple units

  188

  Channel tunnel night stock

  139

  Intermodal wagons

  450

  1993–94

  Electric multiple units

  164

  BR orders for subsequent years will be a matter for the new rolling stock leasing companies to be established on 1 April.
  147

NORTHERN IRELAND

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

  Sir John Wheeler
  At 14 March 1994 there were 1,316 staff in the Northern Ireland civil service—4·4 per cent. of the service—who self reported a disability. Of these 470 —1·6 per cent. of the service—were, or had been, registered as disabled. In addition, 77 registered disabled people are working in the Northern Ireland civil service under the sheltered placement scheme.

  There were no self-reported disabled in the home civil service.

  European Funding
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funds have been allocated to Belfast Harbour Commissioners from the European regional development fund in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  The information is as follows:

  Year

  Amount (£)

  1980

  1,770,000

  1981

  1,100,000

  1982

  630,000

  1983

  450,000

  1984

  1,425,000

  1985

  750,000

  1986

  3,100,000

  1987

  5,462,500

  1988

  1,812,500

  1989

  1,500,000

  1990

  7,434,843

  1991

  30,584,700

  1992

  3,532,000

  1993

  6,787,500

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funds have been allocated to Belfast airport from the European regional development fund in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  The following European regional development fund grants have been committed to Belfast international airport since 1980:

  £ million

  1982

  2·108

  1986

  2·640

  1988

  0·999

  1990

  7·610

  1991

  0·314

  1992

  3·524

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funds have been allocated to Belfast Harbour Commissioners by the European Commission from sources other than the European regional development fund in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  No funds have been allocated to Belfast Harbour Commissioners by the European Commission from sources other than the European regional development fund.
  148
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what grants have been allocated to Belfast airport by the European Commission from sources other than the European regional development fund in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  Since 1980, Belfast international airport has not received grants from any European Commission source other than the European regional development fund.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what proportion of capital projects is eligible for grant aid to public sector bodies in Northern Ireland under the European regional development fund;

  (2) what proportion of a capital project is eligible for grant aid to private sector bodies in Northern Ireland under the European regional development fund.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  Public sector bodies may receive assistance of up to 75 per cent. of the total eligible expenditure for projects assisted by the European regional development fund. Private sector bodies may receive up to 50 per cent.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what study he has made on the impact of the privatisation of Belfast airport on the airport's eligibility for EU regional development grants.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Following the privatisation of Northern Ireland Airports Ltd. Belfast international airport will continue in principle to be eligible for assistance from the European regional development fund under Council Regulations 2082/93 article 17.

  Police Complaints
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he will make available the report of the triennial review by the Independent Commission for Police Complaints for Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  The report has been laid today. It reviews the working of articles 4 to 16 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Order 1987 during the period 1991–1994.

  This is the second such report from the commission, which was established in 1988. I am glad to note that it is satisfied with the statutory procedures in the order for the handling of complaints from the public against individual police officers. However, it has made six recommendations which it considers will further enhance these procedures and, before reaching any decision on them, I intend consulting with the various interested bodies. I shall report to the House further in due course.

  I am grateful to the commission for the considerable effort that has been put into the preparation of the report. The commission, by its fair and thorough handling of individual complaints, has already done much to improve the relationship between the police and the public it serves. Its triennial review is further evidence that it is concerned to ensure that the complaints system operates efficiently, effectively and impartially for all the parties involved and, most important, that it is seen to do so.
  149

  Security Statistics
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the security statistics, together with details of persons charged with terrorist-type offences and convictions for scheduled offences, for the period January to June 1993 will be available.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Security statistics for January to June 1993 are as shown. Statistics for earlier years can be obtained from the Library.

  Statistics on security for the period January to June 1993

  Contents

  Page number

  Table 1:

  a. Shooting incidents

  1

  b. Explosions/estimated weight

  1

  c. Bombs neutralised/estimated weight

  1

  d. Armed robberies

  1

  e. Amount stolen

  1

  f. Deaths

  1

  g. Injuries

  1

  Table 2:

  a. (i) Dwellings searched by the Army

  2

  a. (ii) Dwellings searched by the RUC

  2

  b. Finds

  2

  c. Persons charged with terrorist-type offences

  2

  Table 3:

  Tables of Convictions and Sentences for Scheduled Offences

  3·5

  Table 1 Statistics of terrorist activity

  Number

  a. Shooting incidents1

  230

  b. Explosions

  94

  Estimated weight in kilograms

  2,239

  c. Bombs neutralised

  28

  Estimated weight in kilograms

  1,413

  d. Armed robberies2

  250

  e. Amount stolen

  £670,257

  f. Deaths:

  Civilian

  29

  Regular Army

  3

  Royal Irish Regiment

  2

  RUC

  2

  RUC Reserve

  1

  Table 3 Convictions and sentences for scheduled offences tried on indictment at Belfast Crown Court 1993

  Custodial sentences (January—June 1993)

  Offences

  Persons convicted

  Non-custodial sentence

  Young offenders centre/ training school

  Less than 5 years

  5 years and less than 7years

  7 years and less than 10years

  10 years and less than 15years

  15 years and less than 20years

  20 years and over

  Detained S.O.S.

  Life

  Murder

  9

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  9

  Aiding and abetting murder

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Attempted murder

  24

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  10

  8

  3

  0

  0

  Conspiracy to murder

  19

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  4

  8

  6

  0

  0

  Assault occasioning actual bodily harm

  2

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Wounding for grievous bodily harm with intent

  6

  3

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Manslaughter

  7

  0

  3

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Kidnapping and false imprisonment

  4

  0

  0

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Arson

  13

  10

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Petrol bomb offences

  3

  0

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Hijacking

  7

  2

  2

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  150

  Number

  TOTAL

  37

  g. Injuries:

  Civilian

  244

  Regular Army

  69

  Royal Irish Regiment

  18

  RUC

  60

  RUC Reserve

  15

  TOTAL

  406

  1 Excludes shots heard.

  2 Excludes attempts.

  Table 2 Statistics of security forces activity

  Number

  a. (i) Dwellings searched by the Army:

  Occupied

  312

  Unoccupied

  85

  Derelict

  27

  TOTAL

  424

  a. (ii) Dwellings searched by the RUC:

  Occupied

  Unoccupied

  see note (1)

  Derelict

  TOTAL

  1,571

  b. Finds:

  Weapons

  137

  Ammunition (rounds of)

  7,545

  Explosives (weight in Kgs)

  312

  c. Persons charged with terrorist-type offences:

  Murder

  6

  Attempted murder

  36

  Firearms Offences

  49

  Explosives offences

  13

  Armed robbery

  22

  Others

  57

  TOTAL

  183

  Notes:

  (1) Breakdown into occupied, unoccupied or derelict not provided by the RUC.

  (2) Searches of dwellings frequently involve both Army and the RUC and are registered in their respective records. The totals should therefore not be aggregated and are shown separately to avoid an element of double counting.
  151

  Custodial sentences (January—June 1993)

  Offences

  Persons convicted

  Non-custodial sentence

  Young offenders centre/ training school

  Less than 5 years

  5 years and less than 7years

  7 years and less than 10years

  10 years and less than 15years

  15 years and less than 20years

  20 years and over

  Detained S.O.S.

  Life

  Robbery

  47

  9

  12

  21

  5

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Blackmail

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Possessing items for terrorist purposes

  4

  2

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Withholding information

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Attempting to elicit information useful to terrorists

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Possession of information useful to terrorists

  4

  1

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Making property available

  4

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Withholding information about an arrestable offence

  5

  5

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Carrying firearm with intent

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Possession of firearm and ammunition in suspicious circumstances

  9

  4

  1

  3

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Possession of firearm with intent

  17

  4

  0

  2

  3

  4

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Explosives offences

  11

  1

  0

  0

  1

  2

  5

  1

  1

  0

  0

  Intimidation

  2

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Receiving1

  2

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Breach of suspended sentence

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  209

  50

  26

  49

  14

  10

  21

  19

  10

  0

  10

  Notes:

  1. Non-scheduled offences(1) are included in table 3 where a defendant and/or co-defendants were charged with scheduled offences, and where the charge was 'reduced' (eg from robbery to handling stolen goods), or where a defendant pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

  2. Breach of suspended sentences are included where the orders were made on scheduled offences. They are also included where the breach of conditions for non-scheduled offences are heard along with other scheduled offences.

  3. Where a person has been convicted of more than one offence, only that offence which received the longest sentence is recorded in the statistics.

  4. Unless where specifically stated (e.g. attempted murder or conspiracy to murder) attempts, conspiracy, aiding and abetting and involvement are included in the main offence.

  Gaelic
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the total sums spent on promoting Irish Gaelic in each of the last 15 years.

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Central community relations unit

  —

  —

  —

  —

  88,065

  282,050

  523,000

  363,000

  Belfast action team initiative

  —

  —

  1,000

  2,219

  89,204

  27,343

  46,400

  38,400

  ACE programme

  64,002

  140,830

  187,274

  290,855

  315,175

  273,867

  146,500

  285,000

  NIO (prison education)

  22,294

  34,618

  29,400

  31,582

  37,044

  29,883

  61,500

  50,000

  Arts Council for NI

  2,000

  4,000

  5,000

  5,000

  19,000

  14,700

  33,600

  33,600

  1Origin of place names project

  —

  —

  47,230

  100,000

  121,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  88,296

  179,448

  269,904

  429,656

  669,488

  627,843

  811,000

  770,000

  1 From April 1990 responsibility for the origin of placement project was transferred from the Department of the Environment to CCRU. Expenditure from 1990–91 is included in the CCRU figure.

  These figures exclude Department of Education funding for the teaching of or through Irish.

  Freephone and Freepost
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the use of freephone and freepost facilities currently being operated by his Department; how much these facilities are costing; for what purposes these facilities are being used; and how much his Department has spent on operating freephone and freepost facilities in each financial year since 1979.

  Sir John Wheeler
  Within the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments, freephone facilities are currently used for:the confidential telephone, the purpose of which is to provide a means for those with information about terrorism to pass on what they know to the police;
  152
  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 21 March 1994]: Government funding for projects which involve the promotion of Irish is provided from a variety of sources. Figures prior to the year 1985–86 are not available. Total Government spending in each of the years from 1985–86 was as follows:
  the freeline social security service which provides information and advice on social security benefits;
  the benefit inquiry line which provides specific information about disability benefits and assistance with forms completion to disabled people.

  Freephone facilities are also operated: by the citizens charter unit for providing information on the charter; by the industrial relations division for general inquiries or claims from members of the public concerning redundancy and employees' rights on the insolvency of an employer; by the industrial research and technology unit to provide an innovation inquiry point for Northern Ireland industry and the public and to provide an environmental inquiry point to assist local industry in seeking professional advice on a broad spectrum of environmental issues affecting their business; and by the Training and Employment Agency to increase awareness among people with disabilities of the support which the disablement advisory service of T and EA can offer.
  153
  The information requested regarding operating costs for freephone facilities is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, from information available the estimated cost of freephone facilities for the financial year 1992–93 was £41,112 and for 1993–94 to date is £46,455.

  Freepost including the business reply service is currently used for the return of transfer procedure tests, inspectorate papers and statistical information on schools and teachers, for vehicle tax enforcement procedures, for licensing of taxi drivers, and to assist and encourage the return of information required in connection with the processing of claims, benefits and surveys.

  The cost of operating freepost including the business reply service is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, from information available the estimated cost for 1992–93 was £426,302 and for 1993–94 to date is £360,359.

HEALTH

  Hospitals, Liverpool
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she last visited Liverpool to discuss hospital provisions; and if she has plans for a further visit in the near future.

  Mr. Sackville
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last visited Liverpool on 26 July last year, as part of her Mersey regional tour, and will be visiting the region again on 25 June 1994.

  I visited Liverpool on 14 March.

  GP Fundholders
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GP practices are now participating in the fundholding initiative in Trent region; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There are 159 general practitioner practices in Trent covering 31 per cent. of the population.

  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence she has received on the effect of the general practitioners fundholding initiative on patient care.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Fundholders are leading the way in improving services for patients. Improvements include shorter waiting times, out-patient clinics in general practitioner surgeries, better discharge arrangements and more cost-effective prescribing.

  Cottage Hospitals
  Dr. Liam Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what priority she attaches to the role of cottage hospitals.

  Mr. Sackville
  Community hospitals have an important role to play in providing health services to meet certain local needs.
  154

  NHS Expenditure
  Sir David Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the gross domestic product was spent on the national health service in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what was the percentage in 1978.

  Mr. Sackville
  Total national health service expenditure in the United Kingdom was equivalent to 5·9 per cent. of the gross domestic product in 1993–94, compared with 4·7 per cent. in 1978–79.

  Grimsby Health Trust
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how she proposes to ensure that the Grimsby health trust does not give priority to the patients of fundholding GPs.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Joint guidance issued by the Department of Health and the medical profession in June 1991 clearly states that hospitals should not offer contracts to one purchaser that disadvantage the patients of another. However, hospitals may offer spare capacity to any purchaser who wishes to buy it, including fundholders.

  Hospital Trusts
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will seek to improve the methods by which hospital trusts consult the public about planned or contemplated closures and reductions in hospitals and their related services.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No, because it is district health authorities which are required to consult the relevant community health council not trusts.

  Charing Cross Hospital
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to make a statement about the future of Charing Cross hospital.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State yesterday announced that she has approved the application by Hammersmith, Charing Cross, Queen Charlotte's and Acton hospitals to become a single national health service trust. The new trust will come into being from 1 April.

  Health Education Authority
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding the Health Education Authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  Representations are received from time to time about various aspects of the Health Education Authority's work. Recently these have included an early-day motion tabled by my hon. Friend and others about "The Best Sex Guide".

  Pharmacists
  Mr. Pope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding the funding settlement with pharmacists.
  155
  Dr. Mawhinney
  A remuneration offer for 1994–95 was made to the pharmacists' representatives on 14 March. This took account of their recent representations to us.

  Prescriptions
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions were issued last year; and what was their total cost to the NHS.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In 1992–93, general practitioners in England wrote 432 million prescriptions at a cost, including dispensing fees, of £3,303 million.

  Elderly People (Health Care)
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the provision of health care under the NHS for elderly people who have suffered a stroke and are incontinent.

  Mr. Bowis
  The national health service is responsible for the provision of health care for all who are clinically assessed as needing it.

  GP Drug Purchases
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the current guidelines laid down by her Department on the purchase of drugs used by general practitioners in the NHS.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The vast majority of drugs prescribed by general practitioners are purchased and dispensed by community pharmacists. In those cases where GPs purchase drugs to dispense or administer themselves they do so as independent contractors. They are reimbursed for these at discounted rates against the national drug tariff.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS trusts are now in operation in the Wessex region; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  From 1 April 1994 there will be 26 national health service trusts operational in the Wessex region. All hospitals in the Wessex region will operate as trusts from 1 April 1994.

  Paediatric Nurses
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many paediatric nurses there are in England; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  In September 1992 there were 11,190 whole-time equivalent nurses working within paediatrics, compared with 9,660 in 1989, an increase of 15·8 per cent.

  Site and Services Review, Sunderland
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will ask the Sunderland health authority to make available the Ceri Davis site and services review; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The work undertaken in Sunderland by the independent team led by Ceri Davis was at the invitation of the Sunderland city hospitals unit. It is 156
  therefore for that authority to decide whether and to whom to make the report available. The district health authority will consult widely on any substantial proposed changes in service.

  Acute Psychiatric Beds
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to review the provision and geographical spread of acute psychiatric beds in the NHS.

  Mr. Bowis
  The provision of psychiatric services is a matter for each district health authority. The health advisory service is currently reviewing district purchasing plans. The mental health task force has started work on the position in London.

  Consultants
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the members of the organisation which recommends merit awards for consultants; and if she will place in the Library the detailed criteria underlying these awards and the remuneration which follows for each category.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The members of the Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards are as listed. The criteria for awards are set out in the leaflet "Consultants' Distinction Awards", a copy of which is available in the Library. The value of each of the four levels of awards effective from 1 April 1994 is as follows: A+£48,605, A435,815, B-£20,465, C-£10,235.

  Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards

  Membership at 31 December 1993

  Chairman: Professor Sir Gordon Robson CBE FFARCS

  Vice-Chairman: Mr. A. L. Rennie CB

  Members:

  Professor Sir Herbert Duthie MD FRCS Eng FRCS Ed

  Dr. J. R. Bennett FRCP

  Mr. A. W. F. Lettin MS FRCS

  Professor J. D. Swales MD FRCP

  Professor A. C. P. Sims PRCPsych

  Professor Sir Keith Peters FRCP

  Professor Dame June Lloyd DBE MD FRCP DCH

  Professor A. A. Spence PRCA

  Dr. C. H. Paine BSc MA FRCP PRCR

  Professor L. A. Turnberg MD PRCP

  Professor N. L. Browse MD PRCS

  Mr. A. P. J. Ross MS FRCS

  Professor J. D. Hardcastle MA MChir FRCS FRCP

  Professor G. V. P. Chamberlain PRCOG

  Professor A. J. Bellingham PRCPath

  Dr. J. M. O'Brien PFPHM FRCP

  Mr. K. Ray FDSRCS

  Mr. R. Atlay FRCOG

  Professor G. D. Chisholm FRCP FRCS

  Professor J. C. Petrie FRCP

  Mr. C. MacKay FRCS

  Professor L. G. Whitby FRSE PhD MD FRCP

  Sir Duncan Nichol CBE

  Epilepsy
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice her Department gives on the long-term care of people suffering from different types of epilepsy.

  Mr. Bowis
  The long-term care of people with epilepsy is a professional matter for individual clinicians. The level of service available to meet the needs of sufferers is for determination by health authorities in the light of local priorities and available resources.
  157
  In 1993, the journal "Seizure" published a document on "Epilepsy Needs" drawn up by specialists in this field. This contains a helpful overview and epidemiology and describes the range of services available.

  We have made funding available to the British Epilepsy Association/David Lewis centre to set up a model epilepsy clinic.

  Brain Tumours
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many brain tumours have been diagnosed in children aged(a) five years or younger, (b) between five and 10 years, and (c) aged between 10 and 15 years within each regional health authority area in each of the last 10 years.

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

  Community Care
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the total increase in overall public expenditure on community care in each year since 1991.

  Mr. Bowis
  Total figures for public expenditure on community care for years since 1991 are not yet available.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will outline her Department's policy on the care and treatment of drug users under the community care programme.

  Mr. Bowis
  The Government attach a high priority to the establishment of effective community-based care services for those who misuse drugs, for which local authorities were given responsibility from April 1993.

  Independent monitoring of these new arrangements shows that services are becoming more diverse and responsive to local needs. The Government will continue to keep the provision of such services under review, within general arrangements for monitoring community care.

  Marriages
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people who divorced in each of the last three years got married at(a) 16, (b) 17 and (c) 18 years of age.

  Mr. Sackville
  The numbers of men and women who divorced in the last three years for which information is available, and who were aged 16, 17 and 18 when they married, are shown in the table.

  England and Wales

  Year of divorce (obtaining decree absolute)

  Age at marriage

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Husbands

  16

  171

  167

  158

  17

  1,029

  970

  931

  18

  4,029

  3,780

  3,853

  Wives

  16

  2,596

  2,363

  2,244

  17

  6,606

  6,165

  6,121

  18

  14,766

  14,321

  14,190

  Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.
  158

  Schizophrenia
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effect she takes of research into the targeting of mental health services in respect of people with schizophrenia in developing her policies; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  Assuming the hon. Lady means "account" rather than "effect" in her question, I can assure her that research studies commissioned by the Department or drawn to its attention are taken into account when formulating policy.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many letters were received from, and written to, hon. Members by her and her ministerial colleagues in February.

  Mr. Sackville
  Some 1,813 letters were received and 1,652 responses sent.

  Drugs
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what requirements for secure storage of drugs and equipment form part of her Department's agreements with pharmacists; what discussions she has had with pharmacists on pharmacy stores security in the last 12 months; and what allowance is taken in the payment structure for pharmacy services of either local or general security problems.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The requirements for the handling and storage of controlled drugs are contained in the Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 1973, as amended, which are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department. For community pharmacists these regulations mean that, so far as circumstances permit, controlled drugs, with certain exceptions, must be kept in a locked safe or container. For non-controlled drugs, there are no statutory requirements. However, the code of ethics of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain sets out the practice standards with which pharmacists must comply. These include exercising a proper degree of professional care and control over the drugs and equipment in pharmacists' possession. Practice expenses are reflected in the global sum of money available for pharmacists' pay.

  Contractual Incentives
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contractual incentives Doncaster royal infirmary, Mexborough Montagu NHS trust hospital, and Doncaster Healthcare NHS trust offer to general practitioner fundholders within Trent regional health authority and Doncaster health authority to secure contracts for treating their patients; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions in the last five years she has knowingly provided incomplete information in answers to parliamentary questions other than on grounds of disproportionate cost; and on what subjects.
  159
  Mr. Sackville
  None. The Department answers parliamentary questions on the basis set out in paragraph 27 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers".

  Dentistry
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps she takes to monitor variations in quality between private dental treatments and those dental treatments offered under the national health service; and what are her findings;

  (2) what plans she has to eliminate differences in quality between the national health service dental service and the services of the private sector.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Private dental treatment is a matter for the dentist and the patient. The Department does not monitor standards in the private sector but there is no reason to believe they are below those generally achieved in the national health service. The national health service general dental service provides registered patients with all the care and treatment necessary to secure and maintain their oral health. The dental reference service ensures that the quality of general dental services is maintained.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which areas of Sir Kenneth Bloomfield's review of the dental remuneration system she has implemented since its publication in 1992;

  (2) what plans she has to eliminate the inefficiencies of the NHS dental service.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In line with his terms of reference, Sir Kenneth Bloomfield's report identified options for reform of the dental remuneration system rather than specific recommendations. Our proposals will be announced shortly.

  Orthopaedics
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has had from orthopaedic surgeons about the provision of bone-related tissue from(a) living patients undergoing hip replacement and other operations and (b) cadavers, for operations involving the build-up of the skeletal structure in patients undergoing knee replacement and other operations.

  Mr. Sackville
  None recently.

  THORP
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what calculation she has made of the additional resources that will be required by the national health service as a consequence of the operation of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. The annual risk attributable to individuals from radiation from Sellafield has been estimated as "vanishingly small". This was set out in the reply I gave the hon. Member on 11 January,Official Report, column 117. We have not attempted to quantify the costs which might occur as a result of conventional industrial accidents occurring on site; this assessment is not normally made for industrial operations at any site.
  160

  Special Transitional Grant
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken to monitor the local impact of variations in levels of special transitional grant; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  We have in hand a wide-ranging programme of monitoring and evaluation looking at all aspects of the new community care arrangements. Resources for community care came from the personal social services/standard spending assessment, from the special transitional grant and from various specific grants.

  Performance Pay
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much performance-related pay has been paid to health service employees in each year since it was introduced, by region and district.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available centrally.

  Regional Health Authorities
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards the abolition of regional health authorities; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  As a first step towards the new structure announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 21 October last year, the number of regional health authorities will be reduced from 14 to eight on 1 April 1994. From the same date eight regional offices of the management executive will be established, sharing common boundaries with the new regional health authorities. Legislation to abolish regional health authorities altogether will be introduced at the earliest opportunity.

  Asthma
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is her estimate of the prevalence of asthma in school children;

  (2) what steps she intends to take to increase awareness and reporting of childhood asthma.

  Mr. Sackville
  The recently published "Health Care Needs Assessment No. 5, Lower Respiratory Disease Research Review", a copy of which will be placed in the Library, and which is funded by the Department of Health, states that the prevalence of asthma in children aged nought to 14 is 12 to 15 per cent.

  The Department plans to include questions on asthma in children, from the age of two upwards, in the health survey for England in 1995. Last July, the Department launched the chronic disease management programme, which is an organised programme of care run by general practitioners for people with asthma. General practitioner practices are collecting information on asthma. This information will in time show both the incidence and prevalence of asthma.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice she gives to parents of asthmatic children living in urban areas regarding(a) air quality and (b) passive smoking.
  161
  Mr. Sackville
  Information on air quality and relevant general advice to those suffering from respiratory conditions is available continuously to the public on the freephone helpline: 0800 556677. Any individual can obtain medical advice specific to his condition from his general practitioner.

  The links between passive smoking and asthmatic children were discussed in the reply I gave the hon. Member on 18 March, Official Report, columns 886–87. Our advice for parents of asthmatic children is to protect their children by not allowing them to breathe in tobacco smoke.

  Accident and Emergency Statistics
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list, by region, the number of new accident and emergency cases for each month since November 1992.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information is not collected on a monthly basis for new accident and emergency attendances. The most recent annual figures are shown in the table.

  New accident and emergency cases, NHS hospitals, England—by region 1992–93

  Number

  Northern

  712,704

  Yorkshire

  851,205

  Trent

  926,631

  East Anglia

  338,875

  North West Thames

  771,198

  North East Thames

  964,819

  South East Thames

  918,914

  South West Thames

  617,496

  Wessex

  564,475

  Oxford

  453,362

  South Western

  663,641

  West Midlands

  1,333,724

  Mersey

  702,597

  North Western

  1,086,088

  Special health authorities

  87,473

  England Total

  10,933,202

  Source: KHO9 returns

  Out-patients
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will publish a table showing for each region the percentage of patients entering accident and emergency departments who were seen and assessed for treatment within five minutes of their arrival in the last period for which figures are available;

  (2) what proportion of patients in each English health region were seen within 30 minutes of their out-patient appointment in the last period for which figures are available.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is shown in the table.

  Regional performance as at 31 December 1993

  Immediate assessment in accident and emergency departments Percentage

  30 minutes waiting time in outpatient clinics Percentage

  Northern

  86

  87

  Yorkshire

  83

  77

  Trent

  88

  77

  162

  Immediate assessment in accident and emergency departments Percentage

  30 minutes waiting time in outpatient clinics Percentage

  East Anglian

  90

  80

  North West Thames

  80

  73

  North East Thames

  80

  79

  South East Thames

  82

  74

  South West Thames

  82

  80

  Wessex

  82

  79

  Oxford

  79

  77

  South Western

  72

  77

  West Midlands

  86

  87

  Mersey

  90

  79

  North Western

  82

  80

  Prostate Cancer Screening
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to improve prostate cancer screening for men.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have no plans currently to introduce a national NHS screening programme for prostate cancer. The key aim of any screening programme must be to secure a demonstrable improvement in health by increasing length of life and enhancing quality of life. There is, as yet, no evidence that this would be achieved in relation to prostate cancer. The Department is aware of the need to assess the value of available techniques for the early detection of prostate cancer. Several research projects are currently being undertaken locally.

  Pollution
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will estimate the number of premature deaths through lung disease caused annually by pollution from vehicle emissions;

  (2) what assessment she has made of the impact of vehicle emissions on incidence of (a) leukaemia, (b) kidney cancer, (c) brain tumours, (d) chronic bronchitis, (e) emphysema, (f) asthma, (g) atherosclerosis and (h) heart failure.

  Mr. Sackville
  A number of estimates of deaths related to vehicle emissions have been made. Many assumptions are implicit in these and some use data from abroad. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) on 21 March,Official Report, c. 71–72 which sets out the action taken to assess the health effects of vehicle emissions.

  Abortion
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by regional health authority the number of pregnancies that have been terminated by request by ethnicity for each of the last four years for which she has figures available.

  Mr. Sackville
  A pregnancy may be terminated only if two registered medical practitioners are of the opinion, formed in good faith, that an abortion is justified under one or more of the grounds specified in the Abortion Act 1967, as amended. The abortion notification sent to the chief medical officer does not include ethnic information.
  163

  Head Injuries (Treatment)
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals in London employ multi-disciplinary rehabilitation teams for treating local patients who have suffered severe head injuries.

  Mr. Bowis
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. Wardell) on 8 March,Official Report, c. 161.

  Luton and Dunstable Trust Hospital
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement regarding the resignation of Mrs. Avril Dongworth, chief executive at Luton and Dunstable trust hospital.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This is a matter for the Luton and Dunstable trust. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. David Young, the chairman, for details.

  Consultant Clinics
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to prohibit consultants being paid for taking clinics in general practitioner fundholders' surgeries.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pensions
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of (i) men and (ii) women who will see improvements in their pension entitlements as a result of home responsibilities protection in (1) 2000, (2) 2010, (3) 2025 and (4) 2035.

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Expenditure in London (£000)1

  821,400

  1,061,950

  1,468,250

  1,686,370

  Housing benefit caseload in Lewisham2

  28,700

  31,400

  34,400

  33,000

  Data sources:

  Housing benefit, benefit subsidy claims and the housing revenue account claims and the housing benefit management information system quarterly caseload counts.

  1 The information has been rounded to the nearest £10,000.

  2 The numbers of households are averages of the four quarters and are rounded to the nearest hundred.

  Netherlands Report
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 9 March,Official Report, columns 217–18, if he will obtain a copy of the Netherlands report on social security and poverty as global issues, already published in preparation for the world summit on social developments planned to take place in Copenhagen in March 1995; and if he will consider preparing a similar contribution for the world summit to add to the contributions of other members of the European Union.

  Mr. Hague
  No such report has been prepared by the Dutch Government. However, I understand that the Netherlands National Advisory Council on Development
  164
  Mr. Hague
  The number of women, as estimated by the Government Actuary's Department, who would benefit from extending home responsibilities protection to the state earnings-related pension is shown in the table. Also shown is the percentage of female pensioners who would be affected. Data are not held which would allow reliable similar figures to be produced for men; however, the numbers are likely to be small.

  Year

  Number million

  Percentage of female pensioners

  2000

  0·1

  1

  2010

  1·0

  15

  2025

  3·0

  50

  2035

  4·0

  55

  Note:

  The above figures for 2025 and 2035 assume state pension age of 65 for women.

  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that increases in pensions are made concurrently with increases in VAT charges at the beginning of the financial year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hague
  In compliance with the statutory obligation imposed by section 150 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, pensions will be increased in the week beginning with the first Monday in the new tax year.

  Housing Benefit
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by year for the last four years how much has been paid in housing benefit in London; and to how many households in Lewisham this benefit was paid.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is in the table.

  Co-operation held a conference on this issue as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations. The report of the conference is not due to be available until May 1994. Information on all relevant issues has already been provided to the United Nations in preparation for the world summit on social development.

  Statutory Maternity Pay
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes are planned to the system of statutory maternity pay.

  Mr. Hague
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Erewash (Mrs. Knight) on 8 March at columns 139–40.
  165

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of whether the weather station at Finningley used to assess cold weather payments covers too wide an area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  All weather station coverage for the cold weather payments scheme is founded on the expert advice of the meteorological office. This is kept under regular review and refinements made. Current advice from the meteorological office is that the Finningley coverage is sensible and meteorologically sound.

  Income Support
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate, on the basis of the case 2 assumptions used in "The Growth of Social Security" and the projections of expenditure on different benefits derived from these assumptions, the proportion of(a) all and (b) newly retired pensioners who will be in receipt of income support in 1999–2000, in 2020 and in 2035.

  Mr. Hague
  On the basis of case 2 assumptions used in "The Growth of Social Security", approximately 13 per cent. of all pensioners in 1999–2000 would be expected to be in receipt of income support. Similar estimates for newly retired pensioners and for 2020 and 2035 are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Sources: The 1994 social security departmental report and the social security publication "The Growth of Social Security 1993".

  Benefit Tourism
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the outcome of the representations he has received from the Government of the Irish Republic on benefit tourism.

  Mr. Hague
  Proposals to tackle benefit tourism are currently before the Social Security Advisory Committee. Its representations, and all others, will be taken into account before regulations are laid before Parliament.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals have been lodged with the Child Support Agency, Falkirk against assessments of parental contributions since October 1993; how many have been heard; how many have been successful; and what is the average time in having an appeal determined.

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

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on how many occasions in the last five years he has knowingly provided incomplete information in answers to parliamentary questions other than on grounds of disproportionate cost; and on what subjects.

  Mr. Lilley
  My team of Ministers and I answer parliamentary questions on the basis set out in paragraph 166
  27 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers", as have our predecessors. We also seek to comply with the Speaker's guidance on the need for brief answers to oral questions.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place the range of most up-to-date application forms and guidance notes for child benefit in the Library, together with the application forms for that benefit that are being piloted for future general use, and the previous application forms and guidance notes that have been in use generally, or experimentally, within the last 12 months.

  Mr. Hague
  They have been placed in the Library.

  Service Widows (Pensions)
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what considerations underlie the decision to restrict the pensions of widows of service men who died from smoking or drink-related diseases.

  Mr. Hague
  A war widow's pension is paid when the death of a service man or former service man is due to or hastened by service. It has been the long-standing policy of successive Governments that only where a severely disabling mental condition, which is itself due to service, renders the individual incapable of exercising personal choice should the effects of tobacco or alcohol be regarded as due to service. Amending legislation, which comes into force on 28 March, is intended to clarify the law in this respect. It will not affect the entitlement of any existing pensioner.

  Pensioner Income
  Mr. Deva
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much pensioners' real average income has risen since 1979.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is in the table:

  Percentage increase in pensioners' total average real income between 1979 and 1990–91

  Percentage increase before housing costs

  Percentage increase after housing costs

  All pensioners

  42

  54

  Pensioner couples

  39

  53

  Single pensioners

  39

  49

  Notes:

  1. Estimates derive from the Family Expenditure Survey. 1990–91 is the latest year for which information is available.

  2. "All pensioners" includes single people over pension age and couples where the husband is over pension age.

  Pension Entitlements
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has of the number of women who fail to claim or receive a retirement pension to which they are entitled at the age of 60 years; what estimate he has of the total amount of money unclaimed by such women; and what plans he has to enable women to make backdated claims for the entire period for which they have a pension entitlement.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is not available in the form requested.
  167
  The only available information relates to the number of women who, on claiming retirement pension, receive increments because they deferred, either intentionally or unintentionally, claiming a pension based on their own contributions, to which they would have been entitled at age 60.

  It is estimated that at March 1993 approximately 29,000 women aged 60 to 63 were receiving increments to a pension based on their own contributions. Estimates for women aged 64 or over receiving pension increments are not relevant because the increments may relate to periods prior to October 1989 when pension entitlement was precluded by the earnings rule rather than by a failure to claim.

  We have no plans to change the existing provisions governing the time limit for claiming retirement pension and the maximum period for which arrears can be paid.

  Malaysian Airline
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the dates Ministers, or officials from his Department, including his Department's agencies, have used the Malaysian airline MAS for each year since 1985, including this year to date, on official business; and what was the cost of each flight to his Department.

  Mr. Hague
  Since April 1993 no Minister or official has travelled on MAS. Prior to that date information is not available.

  Prosecutions
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many prosecutions were instigated by his Department in the financial years 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93 by nature of offence; by the number of convictions; by the number of custodial sentences; and by the financial penalties involved.

  Mr. Hague
  The available information is as follows:

  Number of prosecutions

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Fraud prosecutions instituted by Benefits Agency

  7,917

  14,385

  5,821

  Prosecutions instituted by the Contributions Agency

  419

  233

  81

  Total

  8,330

  4,612

  5,895

  1 Figures for organised fraud prosecutions are not available for this year.

  Notes:

  1. Prosecutions for liable relatives sections, the predecessor of the Child Support Agency, were as follows

  a. 11 people were prosecuted in 1990.

  b. 4 people were prosecuted in 1991.

  No figures are available for 1992.

  2. We do not record prosecutions by nature of the offence.

  In 1992–93, 98 per cent. of benefit fraud prosecutions instigated by the Benefits Agency were successful. No similar record of convictions is held for the years 1990–91 or for 1991–92. No records are held for the Contributions Agency.

  The figures for convictions by the liable relatives section are:

  a. 1 person was convicted in 1990:

  b. 4 people were convicted in 1991.

  The figures available for custodial sentences are for benefit fraud in 1992–93. There were 33 custodial
  168
  sentences for benefit fraud prosecutions instituted by the Benefits Agency in this year. Figures are not available for previous years. No records are held for the Contributions Agency or for liable relative sections.

  Statistics for financial penalties are not available for 1990–91 or 1991–92. The only statistics available are for Benefits Agency fraud in the year 1992–93:

  £

  Compensation awarded

  1,084,974

  Costs

  149,183

  Fines

  230,396

  Destruction of Records
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how long after a benefit case goes dormant clerical records, cashed girocheques and order book foils are kept before they are destroyed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hague
  The administration of benefit records is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. he will write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. David Porter, dated 21 March 1994:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the storage times for clerical records, cashed girocheques and order book foils prior to destruction.
  Clerical records are normally kept for a minimum of eighteen months after the cessation of the claim before they are destroyed.
  Girocheques are destroyed six months after encashment. Since November 1992 they have been put onto microfilm before destruction, and the microfilms are kept for between six and seven years.
  Order book foils are stored for twelve months after encashment before they are destroyed.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Wheelchairs
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee if he has any new proposals to provide access for wheelchair-bound strangers to observe debates in the House.

  Mr. Ray Powell
  The question of access by wheelchair-bound visitors to proceedings in the Chamber and Committees will be included in the Committee's forthcoming inquiry into access arrangements for the disabled. If the lion. Member has any suggestion to make in this respect he is invited to write to the Committee.

  Upper Waiting Hall Exhibitions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he will review the system of allocating the Upper Waiting Hall for exhibitions so that hon. Members who win in the ballot cannot enter again in the life of that Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  The arrangements for exhibitions in the Upper Waiting Hall were last considered by the Administration Committee on 10 March 1993.
  169
  I will ensure that the hon. Member's proposal is considered by the Committee at a future meeting.

  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the National Infertility Awareness Campaign to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 20 June to Friday 24 June.

  Mr. Brandreth
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the work of the Samaritans to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 18 July to Friday 22 July.

  Sir George Gardiner
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to ICSTIS—the Independent Committee of the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services—to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition on the work of the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards for Telecommunications and Information Systems to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 4 July to Friday 8 July.

  Foyer Exhibitions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee how many hon. Members have(a) entered and (b) been successful in ballots for foyer exhibitions in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  The information requested is as follows:

  Number of hon. Members entered ballot

  Number of hon. Members successful in ballot

  1990

  69

  35

  1991

  76

  33

  1992

  57

  29

  1993

  89

  33

  11994

  83

  22

  1 To date.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the numbers of accidents on employment training/training for work, broken down by 170
  fatal, major and minor for the latest available three-month period, shown by region; and how many ET/training for work providers had contracts terminated (a) in that period and (b) in the three preceding months for reasons of inadequate health and safety.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The following table gives the latest available training for work accident figures for the quarter October to December 1993.

  Region

  Fatal

  Major

  Minor

  South-East

  0

  2

  9

  London

  0

  0

  3

  Eastern

  0

  0

  4

  South-West

  0

  1

  7

  West Midlands

  0

  1

  9

  East Midlands

  0

  0

  7

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  0

  1

  23

  North-West

  0

  3

  16

  Northern

  0

  1

  11

  Scottish Enterprise

  0

  2

  14

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise

  0

  0

  0

  Welsh Office

  0

  2

  4

  National Totals

  0

  13

  107

  Notes:

  1. Employment Department figures for training for work participants have been compiled on a similar basis to those for employees by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). However, the Employment Department's figures also include a number of accidents to trainees in educational establishments, and road traffic accidents, which would not have been reportable to HSE for employees.

  2. Major and minor injuries are classified according to the severity criteria laid down in the Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985.

  Information on training for work provider contracts terminated by training and enterprise councils and local enterprise companies for reasons of inadequate health and safety is not held centrally.

  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest number of people who are in training but are not included in figures for people in work.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In Great Britain in December 1993, there were estimated to be 7,600 participants on Government training programmes who were not included in the count of the work force in employment.

  Unemployment, Westbury
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current rate of unemployment in the Westbury travel-to-work area.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Westbury is part of the Trowbridge and Frome travel-to-work area. In February 1994 the rate of claimant unemployment was 8·1 per cent. —a fall of 1·5 percentage points on a year ago.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) full-time and (b) part-time jobs there were in the economy in (i) the latest quarter for which figures are available, (ii) the equivalent quarter 12 months previously and (iii) two years ago.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is shown in the following table:
  171

  Workforce in employment: Great Britain (seasonally adjusted)

  Thousands

  Full-time

  Part-time

  December 1991

  18,405

  6,640

  December 1992

  17,538

  6,779

  December 1993

  17,438

  6,940

  Tourism
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for the number of people employed in the tourism industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In December 1993, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 1,436,400 employees in employment in tourism-related industries in Great Britain.

  Youth Unemployment
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what new initiatives he plans to reduce youth unemployment in London.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The local Employment Service and training and enterprise councils deliver a wide range of employment, enterprise and training programmes to help young people in the area find the best and quickest route to employment. The Government intend to improve the range of opportunities available to school leavers still further in London and elsewhere by introducing modern appren-ticeships in 1995.

  Working Hours
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many hours were worked in the economy in each of the last four quarters.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Estimates from the Labour Force Survey of the total number of hours worked by employees and the self-employed, in each of the last four quarters, are given in the following table:

  Total hours worked by all employees and self:employed Great Britain—not seasonally adjusted

  Quarter

  Total hours (billions)

  Winter 1992–93

  10·1

  Spring 1993

  10·6

  Summer 1993

  10·3

  Autumn 1993

  10·8

  Source: Labour Force Survey.

  Hotels and Catering
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for the number of people employed in(a) the hotel industry and (b) the catering industry.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In December 1993, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 231,000 employees in employment in the hotel industry, Standard Industrial Classification 665, and 895,000 in the catering industry, Standard Industrial Classification 661–664, in Great Britain.
  172

  Skill Centres
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the record of the skill centres in London since privatisation.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Department has not contracted with the former skill centres since privatisation. Former skill centres which deliver Government training programmes under contract to training and enterprise councils are subject to the same financial and quality assurance checks as other providers. Therefore, no specific assessment of their record in London has been undertaken.

DEFENCE

  Arms Sales
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether any representative of his Department has met Mr. Gerald James, Mr. Michael Cruddas or Mr. Tim Laxton to discuss the sale of armaments;

  (2) what information he has as to the involvement of Mr. Gerald James, Mr. Michael Cruddas or Mr. Tim Laxton in the sale of arms to countries overseas.

  Mr. Hanley
  My officials had routine contacts with Mr. James in his capacity as chairman of the defence manufacturing company Astra. These contacts may have involved discussions relating to the possible export of equipment manufactured by Astra, but there is no record of this. As we made clear in evidence to the Trade and Industry Select Committee in 1992, meetings were also held to discuss contracts assumed by Astra, following the company's acquisition of the Belgian firm PRB. My Department has no information about Mr. Cruddas or Mr. Laxton and I have no knowledge of any contact between them and MOD officials.

  Radiation Tests
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the involvement of the United Kingdom in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and United States Department of Defence-sponsored radiation tests on United States citizens from 1964 to the mid-1970s.

  Mr. Hanley
  To the best of our knowledge the United Kingdom has not participated in any radiation tests involving United States citizens.

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

  Mr. Hanley
  The code of practice on Government information will further improve and reinforce my Department's existing arrangements for the provision of information to the public. Details of the code's implementation will be available at the time of the launch.

  World Meteorological Day
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to mark World Meteorological Day on 23 March.
  173
  Mr. Hanley
  To mark World Meteorological Day I shall be opening a special exhibition at the science museum in South Kensington where I will announce recent developments in meteorology and climatology.

  Asbestos
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those organisations that have written to him over the last year regarding asbestosis and members of the armed forces.

  Mr. Hanley
  My Department has no record of having received any correspondence from organisations regarding the general issue of asbestosis and the armed forces over the last year. It has, however, received letters in that time relating to individual cases from solicitors' offices, coroners' offices and the Department of Social Security.

  Britannia Beagles Association
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the type and number of animals killed by the Britannia Beagles Association, for each year since 1989.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Britannia Beagles Association is a private club and therefore information of the type requested is not held by my Department.

  Armed Forces (Tasks)
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if it is standard practice for records to be kept of the tasks undertaken by members of Her Majesty's armed forces during duty hours and compulsory activities.

  Mr. Hanley
  In the main, service personnel fill posts with recognised duties attached to them, and records of tasks undertaken are not therefore required. However, for security, administrative, accounting and health and safety reasons certain duties require that records are maintained of work performed.

  Hunts
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 7 February,Official Report, column 588, if he will list the occasions in each of the past three years when hunts from his Department's establishments have led to the kill of live quarry.

  Mr. Hanley
  Hunts are privately funded events and participation in them is a private matter for the individuals concerned. My Department does not therefore hold records of the information requested.

  Performance Pay
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 9 February,Official Report, column 363, what plans he has to consider the introduction of performance-related pay for service personnel.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Government have asked the Armed Forces Pay Review Body and the Senior Salaries Review Body to consider whether the concept of performance pay could be applied to the armed forces. The AFPRB has 174
  decided to appoint management consultants to assist with its work in this area. We envisage that performance pay will also be among the issues which will be addressed by the major independent review of service career and manpower structures and terms and conditions of service, described in my answer of 9 February, Official Report, columns 362–63.

  Mines
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to purchase new types of mines; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  We are currently considering procuring three new types of anti-tank mine: mines in the new century—MINX—vehicle launched scatterable mine system—VLSMS—and aimed controlled effect anti-tank mine—ACEATM. We are also reviewing our future requirement for anti-tank mines generally and for anti-personnel land mines. We will continue to ensure that any land mine capability we have fully meets the requirements of the international laws of armed conflict.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what current research is being conducted into the future of mine warfare; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department conducts research into many aspects of mine warfare, including methods of mine location, methods of neutralisation of mines, remote control of mines, limited life mines and self-neutralisation of mines.

  These efforts are fully consistent with the international laws of armed conflict, including the 1981 United Nations weaponry convention, protocol 2 of which contains strict rules governing the use of land mines.

  Ministerial Directions
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands) of 10 March,Official Report, column 401, if he will set out the reasons for the issuing of formal directions on each of the occasions listed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The directions listed in my answer of 10 March were made because the Secretary of State for Defence at the time, or another Defence Minister, had decided, after considering all the factors involved including the advice of the accounting officer, that a particular course of action should be followed. The decisions were:D Day 40th Anniversary celebrations: To provide transport on Defence Votes for a representative group of veterans to attend the celebrations.
  Type 22 Frigate: To place an order for one Type 22 frigate with Cammell Laird and an order for a second with Swan Hunter.
  Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment: To place the order for the second Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment on a single tender basis.
  HMS Endurance replacement: To acquire Polar Circle (already on charter in this role) as the replacement ice patrol ship without a further survey of the market.
  Chieftain replacement: To place an order for Challenger 2 as the replacement for the remaining two regiments of Chieftain tanks.
  RNSD Copenacre: To close the depot in part rather than fully.
  Image Intensifiers: To place an order for image intensifiers with English Electric Valves.
  175

  United Nations (Rations)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Warley, West (Mr. Spellar) of 2 March,Official Report, columns 783–84, and his answer of 18 February, Official Report, column 1054, what changes have taken place relating to the length of time of the proposed trial of the United Nations ration supply system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The proposed two-month trial of the United Nations ration supply system which was due to commence on 1 April has been delayed as a result of the United Kingdom troops at Tomislavgrad being redeployed elsewhere in central Bosnia. The trial is now scheduled to commence on 1 May and will last for three months.

  Ceremonial Uniforms
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 10 February,Official Report, column 483, if he will list the non-Ministry of Defence sources that have been used to purchase special items of ceremonial uniforms.

  Mr. Aitken
  This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Landing Platform Dock Replacement
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 4 March,Official Report, column 943, if he will make it his policy to make a statement about the embarked force capability of the landing platform dock replacement once the project definition studies have been completed.

  Mr. Aitken
  Yes.

  Accommodation Charges
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he intends to change the current arrangements that determine accommodation charges in(a) 1995, (b) 1996, or (c) 1997; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The accommodation charges paid by service personnel for both married and single accommodation are set on the basis of recommendations made by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body. There are no plans to change this arrangement.

  Redundancies
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to make any members of the Ministry of Defence police force redundant.

  Mr. Hanley
  None, although a study is in hand into the role, aims, objectives, structure and pay of the MOD police. It is too early to say whether redundancies will result from this study.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to utilise the services of those serving in the armed forces who will be made redundant as a result of the forthcoming cuts in the spending of his Department.
  176
  Mr. Hanley
  At this stage it is too early to speculate about the need for further redundancies.

  Search and Rescue Helicopters
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the operational reasons for transferring search and rescue Sea King helicopters from RAF Brawdy to RAF Chivenor in July.

  Mr. Hanley
  I will write to the hon. Member.

EDUCATION

  Mature Women Students
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many mature women students were taking degree courses at British universities in each of the last 15 years.

  Mr. Boswell
  Information on the number of home-domiciled mature entrants to first degree courses at institutions in Great Britain is given in the table below.

  Academic year

  Men

  Women

  1979–80

  14,600

  10,800

  1980–81

  14,000

  10,300

  1981–82

  14,800

  11,000

  1982–83

  14,100

  10,800

  1983–84

  14,000

  10,700

  1984–85

  13,600

  11,200

  1985–86

  14,800

  12,900

  1986–87

  15,600

  13,100

  1987–88

  16,600

  15,300

  1988–89

  18,700

  17,700

  1989–90

  21,000

  21,500

  1990–91

  24,300

  25,000

  1991–92

  35,900

  35,500

  1992–93

  47,126

  45,894

  Further Education Funding Council
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the names of the interviewers who appointed Philip Head to the Further Education Funding Council.

  Mr. Boswell
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Coventry, North-East (Mr. Ainsworth) on 18 February,Official Report, column 1019. In addition to Mr. Roger McClure, the council's director of finance who acted as chairman, the panel which interviewed short-listed candidates for the post of head of property services consisted of Ms Di Hill, the council's personnel manager, and Mr. Christopher Jonas, a member of the council with relevant property expertise. The actual appointment was made in the light of subsequent discussions which were conducted by Mr. McClure.

  Charter Costs
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what has been the total cost to his Department of(a) the higher education charter, (b) the further education charter and (c) the parents charter since their inception; and what are the estimated costs for 1993–94 and the budgeted costs for 1994–95.
  177
  Mr. Robin Squire
  The cost of the parents charter campaign which was launched in September 1991 was £2·1 million. The further and higher education charters were jointly produced, printed, distributed and advertised in 1993–94. While it is not possible to attribute separate costs to either charter, the total cost of this campaign was £1·4 million.

  The cost of the revised parents charter, to be launched later in the spring, is £2·2 million, falling in 1993–94, while the budgeted cost of distribution in 1994–95 is estimated at some £500,000 although contracts have yet to be let.

  Hazardous Sports Courses
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what minimum level of training and qualifications he proposes to be necessary for a teacher or leader to possess when involved in canoeing and other hazardous sports courses.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has no general power to prescribe by regulation requirements of this kind. However, relevant advice is given with respect to a wide range of outdoor activities in the Department's publication "Safety in Outdoor Education". That advice will shortly be supplemented by further guidance on procedures which should be observed by schools and others in the education service in arranging outdoor activities, which takes into account lessons learned from the Lyme bay tragedy.

  School Repairs
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the estimated amount of outstanding repairs required to schools in each local education authority area in London.

  Total Expenditure on Books and Equipment by Inner and Outer London LEAs, in 1992–93 prices

  LEA

  1979–80 (£000)

  1984–85 (£000)

  1989–90 (£000)

  1992–93 (£000)

  ILEA

  64,060

  50,427

  32,397

  —

  Corporation of London

  —

  —

  —

  25

  Camden

  —

  —

  —

  2,770

  Greenwich

  —

  —

  —

  15,052

  Hackney

  —

  —

  —

  15,120

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  —

  —

  —

  2,209

  Islington

  —

  —

  —

  14,571

  Kensington and Chelsea

  —

  —

  —

  1,192

  Lambeth

  —

  —

  —

  15,027

  Lewisham

  —

  —

  —

  9,529

  Southwark

  —

  —

  —

  4,112

  Tower Hamlets

  —

  —

  —

  15,837

  Wandsworth

  —

  —

  —

  3,514

  Westminster

  —

  —

  —

  4,910

  Barking

  4,911

  2n/a

  2,988

  3,465

  Barnet

  5,177

  3,748

  3,449

  5,069

  Bexley

  2,888

  2,168

  2,794

  2,274

  Brent

  3,942

  3,116

  4,032

  4,239

  Bromley

  3,052

  3,334

  3,331

  2,322

  Croydon

  3,161

  3,841

  4,520

  5,403

  Ealing

  3,530

  3,049

  2,396

  2,686

  Enfield

  2,546

  2,738

  2,152

  1,337

  Haringey

  2,723

  2,849

  2n/a

  13,374

  Harrow

  2,896

  2,244

  4,039

  13,750

  Havering

  2,748

  3,080

  3,816

  4,392

  Hillingdon

  2,479

  2,152

  2,415

  3,014

  Hounslow

  2,474

  2,638

  2n/a

  13,065

  Kingston upon Thames

  3,553

  3,463

  2,694

  12,270

  Merton

  1,891

  1,454

  2,895

  13,144

  Newham

  3,377

  2,328

  3,564

  13,955

  Redbridge

  2,009

  2,026

  3,338

  3,831

  Richmond upon Thames

  1,496

  1,380

  2,433

  2,130

  178
  Mr. Forth
  Such information is not held centrally, either for individual LEAs or for LEAs in a particular region.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much was spent on the repair and maintenance of school buildings by local education authorities in London in each financial year since 1989–90.

  Mr. Forth
  The total amount spent on the repair and maintenance of school buildings by inner and outer London LEAs since 1989–90 was as shown in the table. The figures include the costs of materials, charges and recharges by external agencies on the upkeep of buildings, fixed plant, grounds and sites.

  Year

  Expenditure (Actual, £ million)

  1989–90

  88·5

  1990–91

  78·3

  1991–92

  81·0

  11992–93

  84·0

  1 Provisional.

  Books
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much was spent by each local education authority in London on books in 1993 prices in(a) 1979–80, (b) 1984–85, (c) 1989–90 and (d) 1992–93.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information on total expenditure on books and equipment by each local education authority in London is given in the following table. The table shows combined figures for books and equipment because not all authorities' returns identify spending on books separately.
  179

  LEA

  1979–80 (£000)

  1984–85 (£000)

  1989–90 (£000)

  1992–93 (£000)

  Sutton

  1,683

  1,482

  1,927

  1,801

  Waltham Forest

  3,241

  2,916

  2,835

  3,015

  1 Indicates a provisional figure for 1992–93.

  2"n/a" indicates return not received from the LEA.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education on how many occasions in the last five years he has knowingly provided incomplete information in answers to parliamentary questions other than on grounds of disproportionate cost; and on what subjects.

  Mr. Patten
  I answer parliamentary questions on the basis set out in paragraph 27 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers". I also do my best to take account of the need for brevity in answering oral questions.

  Schools (South Yorkshire)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the total budget for each grant-maintained(a) primary and (b) secondary school in south Yorkshire for 1993–94; and what is his estimate for 1994–95.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The total budgets for each grant-maintained school in south Yorkshire for 1993–94 and the estimates for 1994–95 are as follows:

  1993–94£

  1994–95£

  Primary

  Clifford CE GM school

  142,728

  139,644

  Handsworth St. Joseph's RC primary school

  102,235

  275,536

  St. Ann's RC junior school

  111,772

  326,003

  St. John Fisher RC primary school

  214,822

  388,037

  Secondary

  All Saints RC school

  1,526,786

  2,255,473

  Notre Dame school

  1,226,379

  2,019,747

  The amount shown for the total budget in 1993–94 includes annual maintenance grant, special purpose grants for restructuring development, premises, VAT, transitional grant and capital grants payable to the schools.

  The amounts shown for the estimated total budget in 1994–95 include annual maintenance grant, special purpose grants for restructuring, development, premises, transitional grant and capital grants likely to be payable to the schools. Special purpose grants for VAT are not included as they will not be calculated until annual maintenance grants are finalised.

  Further Education Funding Council
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many employees of the Further Education Funding Council have worked in further education either as academic or administrative staff; and what proportion this number is of the total staff.

  Mr. Boswell
  Of the total 338 staff currently employed by the Further Education Funding Council, 137-42 per 180
  cent.—previously worked within the education sector, 82 —25 per cent.—of whom were directly employed in further education, including 51 of the council's 70 inspectors.

  Higher Education Funding Council
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many employees of the Higher Education Funding Council have worked in higher education as either academic or administrative staff; and what proportion this number is of the total staff.

  Mr. Boswell
  Nine employees of the Higher Education Funding Council for England have previously worked in higher education institutions either as academic or administrative staff. This is about 5 per cent. of the total staff. A further 10 have worked in organisation closely linked with higher education. These figures exclude council members and contract and specialist quality assessors.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Overseas Aid
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how his Department's use of overseas aid helps reduce political instability in the countries to which it is awarded, as asserted at paragraph 34 of his Department's annual report 1994, Cm. 2502.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The promotion of good govern-ment—including democracy and the rule of law—is one of the ODA's priority objectives. This contributes directly to political stability by strengthening legal channels for the resolution of political differences. More generally, the main purpose of ODA's assistance is to promote economic and social development, thus addressing some of the causes of political instability. We have paid particular attention to helping to improve the economy and civil society in countries which have experienced periods of civil unrest such as Uganda and Mozambique.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs between what dates the section on aid and trade provision review within the chapter on the overseas aid budget at pages 56–58 of his departmental annual report and expenditure plans 1994–95 to 1997–98 Cm. 2502 was written.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The ODA section of the report, including the section on the aid and trade provision, was compiled and edited during the period September 1993 to January 1994. The text on the aid and trade provision was first drawn up in November 1993.
  181

  Indonesia
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list(a) current aid projects and (b) current Government contracts with Indonesia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The current bilateral aid projects in Indonesia are as follows:

  Aid and Trade Provision

  1. Steel Bridging—Phase 1—Bailey-type bridges for the Ministry of Public Works.

  2. Marine Navigational Aids—for the Directorate of Sea Communications.

  3. Scattered Diesel Generators—for the Indonesian Electricity Authority (PLN).

  4. Television Studios, Bandung—equipment of new studios for Republic of Indonesia TV.

  5. Cigading Port—provision of bulk handling equipment.

  6. Cigading-Serpong railway—upgrading railway line for use in transportation of coal, cement and clinker.

  7. Citayam-Cibinong Railway—a new single track railway line for use in transportation of coal, cement and clinker.

  8. Radio Communications System for the Ministry of Forestry.

  9. Jakarta Radio Studios—to re-equip studios for Radio Republic Indonesia.

  10. Steel Bridging—Phase 2.

  11. Jambi Diesel Power Plant—for PLN.

  12. Security Systems for Bali and Medan Airports.

  13. Flight Simulator for piston engine aircraft for Merpati Airlines.

  Regular aid programme (mainly technical cooperation projects)

  14. Tropical Forestry Management (includes five sub-projects).

  15. Animal health.

  16. Diponegoro University fisheries technology.

  17. North East Sumatra Prawns.

  18. Assistance to the National Grain Logistics Agency (BULOG).

  19. Biotechnology development.

  20. Assistance to clove production.

  21. Gas distribution project—training for Indonesian Gas Authority Perusahaan Umum Gas Negara (PGN).

  22. Hydrocarbon basin assessment project for Ministry of Mines and Energy (LEMIGAS).

  23. Institutional strengthening of PLN.

  24. Mini-hydro (PLN).

  25. Primary Education.

  26. Libraries and books development.

  27. Institutional level English Language training.

  28. National English Language teaching.

  29. English Language teaching (distance learning).

  30. South Sumatra Geological and Mining.

  31. Regional finance.

  32. National police management.

  33. Public administration.

  34. Development of professional training for Indonesian civil engineering consultants.

  Aid financed research activities relevant to Indonesia

  35. Collaboration between Indonesian Institute of Road Engineering and United Kingdom's Transport Research Laboratory.

  36. Potential impact of climate change on Corals and Coral Reefs.

  37. Forest resource accounting.

  38. Fodder quality studies on Gliricidia sepium and other tropical multipurpose trees.

  39. Poverty and sustainability in the management of capture fisheries in South and South East Asia.

  40. Small Farm Ergonomics—handtools for crop production.

  41. Local Application of Remote Sensing Techniques (LARST) for forestry management.

  42. Effects of antibiotics on the microflora of aquaculture ponds and their products.

  43. Quality improvement of turmeric and vanilla.

  44. Assessment of aflatoxin contamination in spices.

  45. Integrated pest management by modelling.

  46. Cut and carry feeding systems for small ruminants on upland farms of West Java.

  47. Feeding and management strategies for draught animals.

  182

  48. Labour investment in perennial crop production.

  49. Variation in rice tungro viruses.

  50. Biological characterisation of the pathogenic forms of the burrowing namatode, Radopholus similis, on perennial and other crops from different regions of the world.

  51. Management of lepidopteran rice pests with pheromones.

  52. Morphological and pathogenic characterisation of Elsinoe batatas: causal agent of sweet potato scab.

  53. Seed production and experimental efficiency in a seedling seed orchard of Gliricidia sepium.

  54. Management of Imperata cylindrica in smallholder farming systems.

  55. Optimising the use of fumigant gases.

  56. Transfer of coconut shell waste heat recovery unit technology to the Asian and Pacific region.

  57. Validation of enzyme linked immunosorbent assays in the diagnosis and control of Trypanosoma evansi in South East Asia.

  58. Assessing the present and future economic feasibility of True Potato Seed (TPS) in developing country agriculture.

  59. Dipterocarp manual for foresters.

  60. Evaluation of the content, composition and toxicity of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in copra and derived products.

  61. Biology of salt tolerance in Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and other species of blowflies which are pests of salted-dried fish in tropical developing countries.

  62. Psocid ecology in relation to pest management in milled riced stores.

  63. Characterisation and evaluation of key seed-borne fungal pathogens of rice.

  64. Detection and identification of mycoplasmalike organisms (MLO) associated with little leaf disease of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas).

  65. Identification and epidemiology of insect vectors of mycoplasma-like organisms associated with little leaf disease of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas).

  66. Post-harvest processing of sweet potato in South-east Asia.

  67. Tourism, Conservation and Sustainable Development.

  In addition, there are 25 small projects and schemes—largest £14,200, smallest £19—covering essentially community-based activities in such sectors as water, agriculture, food, health and education.

  Non-Governmental Organisations
  Under the joint funding scheme with British NGOs, we are supporting some 21 schemes in sectors such as health, agriculture, horticulture, water, education, women's and community development.
  We also provide support to VSO who have some 60 volunteers in Indonesia; about half are teachers and the remainder in natural resources, health and technical areas.

  Commonwealth Development Corporation
  The CDC, for which the principal source of external finance is the British aid programme, has investments totalling some £71 million covering 12 projects in sectors such as textiles, cement production power and plantation crops.

  The Government have no contracts as such with Indonesia.

  Commonwealth Institute
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the Commonwealth Institute staff have now been made redundant or have received notice of redundancy; and what arrangements the Government have made for funding those redundancies.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Some 28 staff have been made redundant this year; a further 16 members of staff have recently received notice of redundancy; three employees on fixed-term contracts have not had them renewed.

  An FCO grant of £2·4 million is being made available over the next two years to meet redundancy costs.
  183
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth about the future of the Commonwealth Institute.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Commonwealth Secretary-General serves, ex officio, as a governor on the institute's board. The assessors on the board, appointed by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to represent Government Departments in the United Kingdom, maintain a continuing dialogue with all governors, including the Secretary-General.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who are the leaseholders for the Commonwealth Institute site in Kensington.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Under the Commonwealth Institute Act 1958, the Commonwealth Institute trustees are the leaseholders.

  United Nations Specialised Agencies
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made, following UNCT resolution 44/211, of the balance of resources and effect between strengthening the role of the United Nations specialised agencies as centres of excellence and as aid agencies in the field.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Since the adoption of United Nations General Assembly resolution 44/211, and the subsequent triennial review of progress embodied in resolution 47/199, we have been supporting efforts, through our membership of the agencies' governing bodies, to ensure that the specialised agencies concentrate on effective performance of their traditional functions. These include identifying global issues, analysing options and mobilising actions, rather than routine project implementation. Our assessment is that to date the agencies are responding satisfactorily to the pressure for reform, although we shall continue to monitor the situation closely.

SCOTLAND

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

  Mr. Lang
  The code of practice will reinforce and build on my Department's existing arrangements for the provision of information. In addition, my Department is considering the early release of blocks of records less than 30 years old and re-reviewing previously withheld material over 30 years old.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many dental practitioners within the Highland health board area have left the national health service over the last 18 months; and how many now restrict dental treatment within the national health service to children.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 16 March 1994]: Every general dental practitioner who intends to provide NHS
  184
  treatment must join a health board dental list. Highland health board advises that 10 general dental practitioners have left its dental list in the past 18 months. The health board is not aware of any general dental practitioners in its area who restrict national health service dental treatment to children only.

  Self-financing Regulatory Authorities
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many self-financing regulatory authorities his Department has set up since 1979; what was the annual running cost of each of the self-financing regulatory authorities in each of the last three years; what is the current staffing establishment; and what it was last year and two years ago.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 16 March 1994]: My Department has not set up any self-financing regulatory authorities since 1979.

  Northern Ireland
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on co-operation with departments of the Northern Ireland Office on trade, industry and transport between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 21 March 1994]: My officials regularly meet those from Northern Ireland on matters of mutual interest, including those subjects mentioned by the hon. Member.

  Drug-related Deaths
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many drug-related deaths there have been in Scotland in each of the last five years and in the current year to date; and if he will make a statement regarding the trend in drug usage and his plans to deal with the problem.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 21 March 1994]: In his annual report the Registrar General for Scotland gives a statistical summary of information, obtained during the death certification process, about deaths arising from the use of various drugs. However, it is known from special exercises that information derived in this way does not give a complete picture of the deaths which occur as a result of the misuse of controlled drugs, and efforts are in hand to improve the reliability of the statistics. The Scottish Office has estimated that, in the year beginning 1 November 1991, between 80 and 120 habitual drug misusers died as a direct result of drug misuse.

  The misuse of drugs is a serious and continuing problem in Scotland. The drugs task force, chaired by my noble and learned Friend the Minister of State, is presently conducting a wide-ranging review of the current arrangements for tackling drug misuse in Scotland and considering ways in which the response might be enhanced.

  Abortions
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many abortions were performed on women who were less than 13 weeks pregnant in each health board area for each year from 1990 to 1993; and how many of these operations involved admission and discharge of the patient on the same day.
  185
  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 18 March 1994]: The figures for 1993 are not yet available. The information for 1990–92 is as follows:

  Under 13 weeks total

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Scotland

  9,112

  10,005

  9,764

  Argyll and Clyde

  616

  629

  477

  Ayrshire and Arran

  514

  564

  595

  Borders

  92

  130

  122

  Dumfries and Galloway

  219

  212

  219

  Fife

  586

  607

  577

  Forth Valley

  426

  449

  460

  Grampian

  1,077

  1,203

  1,160

  Greater Glasgow

  1,758

  1,988

  2,057

  Highland

  396

  397

  395

  Island Boards1

  14

  13

  26

  Lanarkshire

  591

  637

  681

  Lothian

  1,775

  2,077

  1,953

  Tayside

  1,048

  1,099

  1,042

  1 Shetland, Orkney and Western Isles Health Boards

  Under 13 weeks—admission and discharge same day

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Scotland

  5,606

  7,387

  8,112

  Argyll and Clyde

  434

  501

  376

  Ayrshire and Arran

  348

  533

  566

  Borders

  70

  121

  112

  Dumfries and Galloway

  3

  15

  18

  Fife

  410

  453

  438

  Forth Valley

  109

  292

  393

  Grampian

  687

  860

  831

  Greater Glasgow

  628

  1,120

  1,750

  Highland

  289

  307

  320

  Island Boards1

  6

  3

  10

  Lanarkshire

  81

  161

  430

  Lothian

  1,582

  1,986

  1,879

  Tayside

  959

  1,035

  989

  1 Shetland, Orkney and Western Isles Health Boards

  Nursing students by health board: 1989–93 (excluding 1991)

  Health board

  September each year

  Student nurse1

  Pupil nurse

  P2000 student3

  1989

  Scotland

  8,408

  7,679

  729

  —

  Argyll and Clyde

  506

  418

  88

  —

  Ayrshire and Arran

  298

  298

  —

  —

  Borders

  128

  83

  45

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  220

  220

  —

  —

  Fife

  486

  421

  65

  —

  Forth valley

  389

  389

  —

  —

  Grampian

  761

  608

  153

  —

  Greater Glasgow

  2,405

  2,365

  40

  —

  Highland

  288

  288

  —

  —

  Lanarkshire

  602

  539

  63

  —

  Lothian

  1,420

  1,301

  119

  —

  Orkney

  24

  —

  24

  —

  Shetland

  20

  —

  20

  —

  Tayside

  832

  720

  112

  —

  Western Isles

  29

  29

  —

  —

  1990

  Scotland

  8,450

  7,916

  534

  —

  Argyll and Clyde

  533

  454

  79

  —

  Ayrshire and Arran

  314

  314

  —

  —

  Borders

  129

  94

  35

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  219

  219

  —

  —

  Fife

  460

  413

  47

  —

  Forth valley

  411

  411

  —

  —

  Grampian

  701

  595

  106

  —

  Greater Glasgow

  2,520

  2,490

  30

  —

  Highland

  274

  274

  —

  —

  Lanarkshire

  605

  573

  32

  —

  Lothian

  1,368

  1,260

  108

  —

  Orkney

  23

  —

  23

  —

  186
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many NHS-funded abortions were performed in non-NHS premises on women resident in each health board in Scotland for each year from 1990 to 1993.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 18 March 1994]: None.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many fee-paying, private bed abortions were performed in national health service hospitals in each health board in Scotland for each year from 1990 to 1993.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 18 March 1994]: This information is not collected centrally.

  Liver Biopsies
  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is(a) the minimum and (b) the average number of days a patient stays in hospital after undergoing a liver biopsy operation.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 18 March 1994]: Patients undergoing a liver biopsy in Scotland have an average length of stay in hospital of four days. The procedure can be carried out on a day case basis.

  Nurses
  Ms Rachel Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the whole-time equivalent number of student, pupil and Project 2000 nurses in each health board and in Scotland as a whole in 1989, 1990, 1992 and 1993.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 18 March 1994]: The information requested, expressed in headcount terms, is set out in the table.
  187

  Health board

  September each year

  Student nurse1

  Pupil nurse

  P2000 student3

  Shetland

  16

  1

  15

  —

  Tayside

  848

  789

  59

  —

  Western Isles

  29

  29

  —

  —

  1992

  Scotland

  7,685

  6,193

  89

  1,403

  Argyll and Clyde

  532

  410

  8

  114

  Ayrshire and Arran

  296

  242

  —

  54

  Borders

  146

  123

  —

  23

  Dumfries and Galloway

  230

  190

  —

  40

  Fife

  408

  307

  1

  100

  Forth valley

  431

  280

  —

  151

  Grampian

  587

  453

  3

  4131

  Greater Glasgow

  1,965

  1,715

  2

  248

  Highland

  286

  198

  —

  288

  Lanarkshire

  595

  495

  —

  100

  Lothian

  1,347

  1,087

  70

  190

  Orkney

  11

  6

  5

  —

  Shetland

  11

  11

  —

  —

  Tayside

  828

  664

  —

  164

  Western Isles

  12

  12

  —

  —

  1993

  Scotland

  7,468

  3,816

  35

  3,617

  Argyll and Clyde

  578

  264

  —

  314

  Ayrshire and Arran

  330

  153

  —

  177

  Borders

  154

  86

  —

  68

  Dumfries and Galloway

  222

  123

  —

  99

  Fife

  387

  190

  —

  197

  Forth valley

  454

  172

  —

  282

  Grampian

  660

  288

  1

  4371

  Greater Glasgow

  1,561

  918

  8

  635

  Highland

  310

  140

  —

  2170

  Lanarkshire

  577

  307

  —

  270

  Lothian

  1,340

  734

  26

  580

  Orkney

  6

  6

  —

  —

  Shetland

  11

  11

  —

  —

  Tayside

  878

  424

  —

  454

  Western Isles

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 Students training for their first qualification, ie excludes enrolled nurses training to become registered.

  2 Comprises Project 2000 students attending the Highland and Western Isles College of Nursing and Midwifery.

  3 Project 2000 student data are at 31 October.

  4 Includes Project 2000 students being trained for Orkney and Shetland Health Boards.

  Health Care International
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many medical, nursing and other professional staff currently holding contracts of any type with Greater Glasgow health board or its previously associated trust hospitals, currently or at any time in the past, have simultaneously been contracted to work with Health Care International, Clydebank.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 17 March 1994]: No information is held centrally on medical, nursing and other professional staff of Greater Glasgow health board or of NHS trust hospitals in Glasgow contracting to work with Health Care International, Clydebank. NHS staff are entitled to contract with outside employers subject to the conditions set out in their NHS contract of employment.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek assurances from Health Care International that all medical, nursing, and other professional staff are on NHS terms and conditions of service in accordance with the conditions of authorisation.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 17 March 1994]: Since the statutory authorisation of the building of the Health Care International hospital at Clydebank was granted in
  188
  1987, NHS trusts have been introduced which have freedom to determine the terms and conditions of service for the majority of their staff. In keeping with the objectives of the authorisation, HCI is seeking to provide remuneration and benefits packages for its staff which reflect current NHS terms and conditions of service. In determining such packages for medical staff, HCI takes account of the opportunities which exist for NHS staff to earn additional income from private practice and to qualify for distinction awards, neither of which are available to HCI staff.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements have been made for Health Care International to reimburse to the NHS reasonable nurse training costs as set out in the letter of authorisation.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 17 March 1994]: HCI has agreed to contribute in kind to the cost to the NHS of nurse education and training by providing a significant local contribution in relation to clinical placements for student nurses in both general and specialty nursing units and by contributing to the preparation of post-registration nurses in specialty areas.

  In addition, HCI has agreed to purchase specific post-registration education from colleges of nursing and to offer continuing nursing and education courses and seminars for its staff on a variety of topics.
  189
  These proposals will be subject to a review of progress within two years of the opening of the hospital. It is still too early in the hospital's development for any of the recommendations on the provision of placements to be put into practice, but my right hon. Friend intends to ensure that HCI fulfils its obligations.

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

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 17 March 1994]: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Scottish Prison Service under its chief executive Mr. E. W. Frizzell. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 22 March 1994:
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of prisoners who applied for and were granted Christmas leave in 1993. You asked for these to be listed by (a) HM Prison and (b) HM Remand Prison. The information you requested is as follows:

  (a) HM Prison

  Applied

  Granted

  Open Establishments

  Noranside

  119

  119

  Penninghame

  59

  59

  Cornton Vale (Women)

  4

  3

  Castle Huntly Young Offenders Institution

  86

  74

  Polmont Young Offenders (Enhanced Regime)

  20

  8

  Training For Freedom Hostels

  Aberdeen

  2

  2

  Cornton Vale (Women)

  1

  1

  Edinburgh

  19

  19

  Perth

  9

  9

  Polmont Young Offenders Institution

  7

  7

  Total

  326

  301

  (b) No remand prisoner in Scotland is eligible for Christmas leave.

  Surplus Places (Cost)
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated cost of a surplus place in(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 March 1994]: This information is not held centrally.

  Malaysian Airlines
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the dates Ministers, or officials from his Department, including his Department's agencies, have used the Malaysian airline MAS for each year since 1985 including this year to date on official business; and what was the cost of each flight to his Department.

  Mr. Lang
  No Scottish Office Minister or official from my Department, or its agencies, has travelled on the Malaysian airline MAS on official business.
  190

  Bird Killing
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the reasons for the decision not to prosecute in the case arising from the shooting of a short-eared owl on Dougarie estate, Isle of Arran.

  Sir Hector Monro
  It is not the policy of the Crown to give details of the reasons for decisions taken in individual cases. My noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate is, however, aware of the circumstances of this case and is satisfied that the procurator fiscal's decision not to proceed to trial was a proper one in the circumstances as then known to him.

  Teachers
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many supply teachers are registered with each local authority.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The latest information available is set out in the table. Differences between individual education authorities in the criteria employed for compilation of their reserve or supply lists mean that the information is not suitable for regional comparison.

  Teachers on reserve supply list as at 30 September 1993

  Primary

  Secondary

  Special

  Total

  Borders

  157

  235

  32

  424

  Central

  257

  565

  81

  903

  Dumfries and Galloway

  310

  126

  9

  445

  Fife

  275

  299

  0

  574

  Grampian

  1,225

  1,493

  596

  3,314

  Highland

  427

  650

  6

  1,083

  Lothian

  242

  362

  67

  671

  Strathclyde

  1,084

  1,452

  0

  2,536

  Tayside

  458

  750

  6

  1,214

  Orkney

  24

  34

  4

  62

  Shetland

  46

  40

  0

  86

  Western Isles

  70

  66

  0

  136

  Scotland

  4,575

  6,072

  801

  11,448

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what analysis has been undertaken by the Scottish Office Education Department into the number of teaching days lost due to stress-related illnesses since April 1993.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  None, as information on teacher absences is not held centrally.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for how many days supply teachers have been employed in the last year in(a) Scotland and (b) each regional council area.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not held centrally.

  Education Working Groups
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has in respect of the retention of copyright for publications produced by the regional working groups in education, following local government reform.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Under clause 15 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Bill, property vested
  191
  in one or more existing local authorities immediately before 1 April 1996 shall on that date be transferred to, and vest in, such new authority or authorities as may be specified in, or determined by, order by the Secretary of State. For the purposes of this clause, the definition of property includes copyright.

  Pupil-teacher Ratios
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current pupil-teacher ratio in(a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) special schools, by regional council area.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Provisional information for September 1993 is given in the table.

  Pupil-teacher ratios in education authority schools, September 1993

  Primary schools

  Secondary schools

  Special schools

  Scotland

  19·5

  12·8

  4·5

  Borders

  18·4

  12·5

  2·8

  Central

  20·4

  13·4

  4·5

  Dumfries and Galloway

  18·6

  12·3

  1·9

  Fife

  19·3

  13·5

  3·6

  Grampian

  19·1

  13·0

  4·7

  Highland

  17·4

  12·2

  4·7

  Lothian

  20·0

  12·9

  5·0

  Strathclyde

  20·1

  13·0

  4·6

  Tayside

  19·4

  12·3

  4·3

  Orkney

  14·8

  10·8

  3·9

  Shetland

  12·4

  9·0

  3·7

  Western Isles

  14·2

  9·6

  5·3

  Dornoch Academy
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the dates on which his officials have met members of the school board of the Dornoch academy, and the matters discussed.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Officials from the Scottish Office Education Department have met members of the school board of Dornoch academy on three occasions. On 27 October 1993 and 14 February 1994 officials met the full board and on 8 March 1994 they attended a meeting at which the chairperson and officials from Highland regional council were also present. In each case, the matters discussed have been directly related to the arrangements for the incorporation of Dornoch academy as a self-governing school from 1 April 1994.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Scotland what funds he has made available to the Dornoch academy school board for secured buildings and public liability insurance from 1 April.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  None. After Dornoch academy becomes incorporated as a self-governing school on 1 April 1994, the board of management may apply for special purpose grant for premises insurance. The details of such arrangements are contained in the Self-Governing Schools Grant and Recovery (Scotland) Regulations 1994, laid before Parliament on 10 March 1994.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library a copy of the correspondence which has passed between his officials and members of the Dornoch academy school board since 1 January 1993.
  192
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is not normal practice for copies of correspondence between the Secretary of State, or his officials, and third parties to be made public.

  However, in order to clarify the Secretary of State's position with regard to the possible upgrading of Dornoch academy, I am arranging exceptionally to place in the Library a copy of a letter from my officials to the school board on this matter dated 11 March 1994.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans his Education Minister has to visit Dornoch academy, Sutherland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I look forward to visiting Dornoch academy in due course, subject to my other commitments, when next I am in the area.

  Training
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will give the latest available results from the employment training leavers survey for each local enterprise company area in Scotland broken down to show the number and proportion of employment training leavers who were(a) in a full-time job with their work experience employer, (b) in a full-time job with another employer, (c) employed in their own business, (d) in a part-time job, (e) in voluntary work, (f) on another Government training programme, (g) on a full-time education or training course, (h) unemployed and claiming benefit, (i) unemployed and not claiming benefit, (j) in a job club and (k) doing something else;

  (2) if he will publish tables showing the latest available results from the youth training leavers survey for each LEC area in Scotland broken down to show the number and proportion of youth training leavers who were (a) in full-time work with the same employer, (b) in full-time work with a different employer, (c) in part-time work, (d) on a full-time course at a college/training centre, (e) on another youth training scheme, (f) doing something else, (g) who were unemployed, (h) who had obtained a vocational qualification; and if he will also indicate (i) the number of questionnaires issued, (ii) the usable percentage response rate and (iii) the percentage of respondents who were early leavers;

  (3) if he will give the latest available results from the employment training leavers survey for each LEC area in Scotland broken down to show the number and proportion of leavers who had (a) been entered for a vocational qualification, (b) obtained a vocational qualification, (c) had failed to obtain a vocational qualification and (d) were awaiting their results; and how many of the employment training leavers in the relevant period had completed the training agreed in their initial action plan.

  Mr. Stewart
  Responsibility for the ET and YT leavers follow-up survey was transferred from the Training Agency to Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise on 1 April 1991. The Department of Employment was contracted to deliver the service on their behalf until 1 April 1993 when the enterprise bodies introduced their own follow-up systems.

  I have asked the chairmen of the enterprise bodies to write to the hon. Member.
  193

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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.

  Mr. Lang
  In the 12 months from 1 March 1993 to 28 February 1994 I referred 20 parliamentary questions to my Department's agencies for answer. This represents less than 1 per cent. of the 3,112 written parliamentary questions which I received in that period.

WALES

  Wind Turbines
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the gross output of electricity produced from wind turbines in Wales in 1993.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Data on the electricity produced in Wales from wind turbines are only available for companies operating under the non-fossil fuel obligation.

  According to data obtained from the Non-fossil Purchasing Agency Ltd. in the first nine months of 1993, Welsh wind projects under the non-fossil fuel obligation produced 72·2 GWh of electricity. Output for the final quarter of 1993 is not yet available.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions in the last five years he has knowingly provided incomplete information in answers to parliamentary questions other than on grounds of disproportionate cost; and on what subjects.

  Mr. Redwood
  None. I answer parliamentary questions on the basis set out in paragraph 27 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers" which states that Ministers have a duty"to give Parliament including its Select Committees, and the public as full information as possible about the policies, decisions and actions of the Government."

  Unemployment, Newport
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current rate of unemployment in the Newport travel-to-work area.

  Mr. Redwood
  In February 1994 the unadjusted work-force-based unemployment rate in the Newport travel-to-work area was 10·7 per cent.

  Wild Birds
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list details of all current licences issued to kill wild bird species, including the premises and the wild bird species concerned.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Licences to kill protected bird species are normally only valid for a specific, limited period. No such licences are currently in force in Wales. As regards pest bird species, five general licences are currently in force which authorise pest control contractors to kill or take house sparrows or feral pigeons on a county basis.
  194

  Community Psychiatric Nurses
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each district health authority the number of community psychiatric nurses employed in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Detailed breakdowns of the numbers of nursing staff employed by health authorities and NHS trusts into occupational groups such as that requested are not considered reliable.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what provisions there are in the grant-maintained regulations to pay a special purpose grant for staff restructuring after the first 12 months of a grant-maintained school's existence;

  (2) what additional financial assistance he has provided to Cwmcarn grant-maintained school, in order to facilitate the departure of the former head teacher.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Under schedule 6 of the Education (Grant-maintained Schools) (Finance) Regulations 1990, the Secretary of State is empowered to make grants to the governing bodies of grant-maintained schools in respect of the premature retirement of any person who is or was a member of the staff of the school. In the case of the former head of Cwmcarn grant-maintained school, my right hon. Friend was prepared to contribute £9,191 towards the costs associated with his early retirement.

  Local Government (Wales) Bill [Lords]
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received from voluntary organisations in Wales on the Local Government (Wales) Bill [Lords]; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Since publication of the Bill, my right hon. Friend has received nine representations from voluntary organisations.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy that the addresses of members of non-departmental public bodies be published.

  Mr. Redwood
  The town and county of residence of each appointee is given in "Appointments by the Secretary of State for Wales" and the address of each executive non-departmental public body is given in the respective annual reports. These publications are available in the Library of the House.

  It would be an invasion of privacy to publish full details of individual appointees' addresses.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make available in public libraries and local government offices in Wales the publication "Public Bodies—Appointments by the Secretary of State for Wales".

  Mr. Redwood
  The quarterly list of appointments is available in the Library of the House and the Welsh Office, Cathays Park, Cardiff. The Department makes arrange-ments for individuals to consult the Welsh Office library
  195
  copy on request. The costs of making the publication available in public libraries and local government offices are not justified.

  Environmental Research
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what research the Welsh Office has undertaken into water quality in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  (2) what research the Welsh Office has undertaken into the problem of upland acidification in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I refer the hon. Member to the environmental chapter of "Research, Wales—20th Report 1992–93" a copy of which is held in the science and environment section of the Library of the House.

  Agricultural Tenants
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to ensure that agricultural tenants are ensured minimum tenancy agreements of 15 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  A statutory minimum term has never featured in our proposals for agricultural tenancy reforms; nor is it included in the common position agreed by the majority of farming organisations and announced by the Government on 8 December. In the light of that agreement, we are now finalising details so that legislation can be introduced as soon as parliamentary time permits.

  Highways Directorate
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what consideration he has given to granting executive agency status to the highways directorate of the Welsh Office.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Under the "next steps" initiative, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has decided that the highways directorate of the Welsh Office should be considered as a candidate for executive agency status. A prior options review is being undertaken to establish whether agency status or some other option would be appropriate. Those undertaking the review will be consulting local authorities in Wales. My right hon. Friend and I would welcome comments from other interested parties. These should be sent, by 31 May 1994, to: The Under Secretary, Transport, Planning and Environment Group, The Welsh Office, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF1 3NQ.

  Arts Council of Wales
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will announce the membership of the Arts Council of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The membership of the Arts Council of Wales will be:Ms Jane Davidson, Mr. Meirion Edwards, Mr. Frank Evans, Mr. Keith Evans, Ms Katrina Gass, Mr. Peter Griffiths, Ms Caroline Ireland, Mr. GeraIlt Jones, Mr. Geraint Stanley Jones CBE, Mr. Myles Pepper, Mr. David Richards, Mr. Alwyn Roberts, Mr. Eurig Thomas, Professor Gwyn Thomas and Ms Moira Vincentelli.

  The members have been appointed for three years, apart from Mr. Frank Evans, Mr. Keith Evans and Mr. Eurig Thomas, who have been appointed for two years.
  196
  The council will have a wide range of experience in arts matters and expertise in many fields. Under the chairmanship of Sir Richard Lloyd Jones, the council will build on the work of the existing Welsh Arts Council to achieve its main aims of encouraging artistic excellence and increasing accessibility to the arts through Welsh and English.

  I would also pay tribute to the members of the Welsh Arts Council who are not being re-appointed. They have played an important role in the development of the arts in Wales.

  Cancer Treatment
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology concerning its proposals for the establishment of two satellite cancer treatment units in north Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  [holding answer 18 March 1994]: The decision to develop a cancer treatment centre in north Wales was taken following extensive examination and consultation with interested and affected organisations and included consideration of the proposals for satellite cancer treatment units put forward by the Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology. In the course of this, my right hon. Friend's predecessor discussed the proposals with the Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology and officials had extensive discussions with the centre and others.

  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the National Audit Office concerning the viability of the establishment of a new cancer treatment centre at Glan Clwyd NHS trust hospital as against the development of networked radiotherapy facilities located in two centres in north Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  [holding answer 18 March 1994]: Officials are discussing a range of issues associated with the establishment of a cancer treatment centre at ysbyty Glan Clwyd with the National Audit Office.

  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what research his Department has carried out on the viability of establishing a cancer treatment centre at Glan Clwyd NHS trust hospital; and what research his Department has carried out on alternative proposals for the provision of cancer treatment facilities in north Wales, including those of Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  [holding answer 18 March 1994]: In addition to its own investigations, the Welsh Office commissioned a number of independent appraisals of all the available options for improving cancer services for north Wales patients prior to the decision to develop a cancer treatment centre at Glan Clwyd Hospital NHS trust. The appraisals covered proposals put forward by the Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology.

  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Clwyd, North-West (Mr. Richards) of 14 March,Official Report, column 604, what form the new cancer treatment facility in north Wales will take; and what is the estimated cost of the new cancer treatment centre.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  [holding answer 18 March 1994]: The project team established to manage the development of

  197
  a cancer treatment centre at ysbyty Glan Clwyd is undertaking the detailed planning process which will identify the exact form that the new centre will take and its associated costs.

  Recycling
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will issue guidelines to local authorities in Wales based on the report to the President of the Board of Trade and the Secretary of State for the Environment, submitted by the packaging industry producer responsibility group entitled, "Real Value from Packaging Waste—A Way Forward".

  Mr. Redwood
  No. The plans are still out to consultation.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to earmark specific grants for demonstration schemes in recycling municipal waste by Welsh local authorities; what representations he has had from Cardiff city council in relation to the costs and benefits already achieved from its green bag recycling, and its possible extension; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Authorities may be eligible for support under the EC LIFE programme, and may apply for help under the strategic development scheme run by the Welsh Office.

  Cardiff city council has made a number of representations seeking additional revenue support for recycling schemes. As the arrangements for distributing resources are agreed with the Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government Finance, the city council has been advised to pursue the matter with Council of Welsh Districts representatives on that body.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he proposes to ensure that Welsh local authorities are not omitted from any general Government initiatives to support existing recycling schemes or new recycling initiatives, with particular reference to those initiatives based on the Valpak scheme proposed by the packaging industry producer responsibility group.

  Mr. Redwood
  Local authorities themselves take steps to ensure that they take advantage of existing and new initiatives, including any opportunities to increase recycling activity in their area that may be presented by the producer responsibility group's proposals for packaging waste. I am keen to see local authorities in Wales hit the target for recycling one quarter of all household waste.

  Region/Country

  Applications received

  Applications received after closure date

  Grants awarded

  Expenditure committed £

  South East

  167

  —

  9

  1,728,055

  East

  39

  —

  3

  564,180

  South West

  47

  —

  —

  —

  East Midlands

  34

  —

  2

  138,025

  West Midlands

  62

  1

  8

  1,494,910

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  40

  —

  3

  584,699

  North West

  65

  1

  7

  1,064,020

  North East

  19

  —

  1

  24,186

  Scotland

  33

  —

  1

  835,120

  Wales

  14

  —

  —

  —

  Northern Ireland

  1

  —

  —

  —

  198

TRADE INDUSTRY

  Ministerial Receptions
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost of receptions held by Ministers in his Department in 1993–94.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The cost of such receptions is included in the entertainment expenditure for my Department which is published in the annual report.

  Ministerial Offices
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many bottles of(a) whisky and gin and (b) sherry and port were consumed by his private offices in 1993–94.

  Mr. Heseltine
  An accurate assessment of the quantity of these drinks actually consumed is not possible as stock levels on 1 April 1993 are not known.

  The cost of purchases are included in the entertainment expenditure for my Department which is published in the annual report.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost of new furniture for his private office during the year 1993–94.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Such purchases are included within my Department's overall administration expenditure which is published every year in the annual report.

  ETIS Programme
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the expenditure committed on the ETIS—environment technology innovation scheme—programme; how many projects were supported; what was the regional distribution of expenditure and projects; how many applications there were in total; how many such applications were rejected because the scheme had closed; and on which date the scheme was closed for new applications.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The environmental technology innovation scheme, ETIS, jointly managed by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of the Environment, was launched on 2 October 1990 and closed to new applications on 30 September 1993.

  The information requested is as follows:
  199

  Region/Country

  Applications received

  Applications received after closure date

  Grants awarded

  Expenditure committed £

  Non United Kingdom

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Totals

  522

  2

  34

  6,433,195

  Parcelforce
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many new regional Parcelforce depots he plans to create; and how he proposes to finance them.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The development of Parcelforce's depot network is a matter for the Post Office and Parcelforce.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all Parcelforce depots as at 1 April 1993; when each depot was opened; whether each depot is proposed for closure or has already shut; and what were the total costs in expenditure and lost jobs in the closure programme so far.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Parcelforce is in the process of converting its depot network so that each depot is capable of handling the business's entire product range, instead of being product-specific. This move is designed to help Parcelforce maintain and improve its service to customers. Details of the programme are a matter for the Post Office. The hon. Member's interest in this subject has been brought to the attention of the Post Office.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what differences exist in terms of(a) recording for public sector borrowing requirement plans, (b) capital programme accounting for public expenditure plans, (c) external financing limit controls, (d) powers to raise capital between the Post Office and British Nuclear Fuels plc; and what return there will be for the Exchequer from both enterprises in the current financial year.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The Post Office is a public corporation and its borrowing requirement is counted as part of the PSBR. Its capital expenditure is controlled through the external financing limit set in the annual public expenditure round. The EFL limits its ability to raise finance over and above that generated internally.

  British Nuclear Fuels plc is a Companies Acts company classified to the private sector. It is not set an EFL, but the relevant objectives, including in relation to capital projects, are met through targets on profitability and the corporate plan cycle. The extent of guaranteed borrowing by BNFL is limited by the Nuclear Industry (Finance) Act 1977, as amended.

  In 1993–94 the Post Office has been set a negative external financing limit of £181 million. A negative EFL represents a net cash payment to the Exchequer in the form of debt repayment and/or accumulation of financial assets.

  BNFL makes outright payments to the Exchequer in the form of dividends which are recorded on the income side of the Government accounts. The dividend paid in 1993–94 was £16 million.
  200

  Iraq and Saudi Arabia
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) of 9 March,Official Report, column 252, what was the share of defence in total over all Export Credits Guarantee Department project businesses in Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

  Mr. Needham
  The percentage of total ECGD support for capital goods and projects since 1980 which related to defence contracts in the named markets was as follows:

  Saudi Arabia

  Iraq

  1980–81

  0

  0

  1981–82

  0

  0·44

  1982–83

  0·28

  0·34

  1983–84

  0

  0

  1984–85

  0·39

  0·08

  1985–86

  0

  0

  1986–87

  0

  0

  1987–88

  0

  0

  1988–89

  21·77

  0

  1989–90

  0

  0

  1991–92

  0

  0

  1992–93

  5·92

  0

  Research and Development
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer given to the hon. Member for Milton Keynes, North-East (Mr. Butler), of 8 March,Official Report, column 204, if he will explain the original reasons for the suspension of the exceptional projects scheme and for the extension of the suspension to 30 June 1994; for how many years the scheme was in operation; and how many projects there were and with how much expenditure in each year of the scheme's existence.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Regarding the suspension of the exceptional projects scheme, I refer the hon. Member to my announcement of 26 January 1993,Official Report, columns 973–74.

  The scheme was open for applications in the five years 1988–89 to 1992–93. In that time, 60 projects were submitted, of which only three succeeded in meeting the criteria. Two offers of grant totalling £5 million were approved in 1989–90 and one of £20 million in 1992–93.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will ensure that all companies and enterprises involved in Government contracts as a result of market testing or outsourcing programmes will observe the requirements of FRED 8, the Accounting Standards Board exposure draft on related party disclosure.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Accounting Standards Board is currently seeking comments on FRED 8 and may amend
  201
  the draft in the light of those comments. When it becomes a standard all companies and enterprises within its scope will have to comply with it.

  Thermabond
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the dates on which companies containing the name Thermabond have gone into insolvency; and which of those insolvencies have resulted in a referral to his disqualification unit.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The liquidator, administrator or administrative receiver of any company which enters into formal insolvency is required to consider and make a report to my Department on the conduct of the directors.

  Thermabond Ltd. and Thermabond Roofing Ltd. went into voluntary liquidation on 24 September 1991 and reports have been received from the liquidator of those companies. Thermabond Contracts Ltd. went into voluntary liquidation on 1 February 1994 and a report will be due by 1 August 1994.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the members, occupations and present enterprise links of the chemicals and pharmaceuticals deregulation task force; and what regulations they have been examining.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The report "Deregulation Task Forces: Proposals for Reform" which was published on 19 January and placed in the Library of the House gives details of the membership of all the task forces and their recommendations. Working papers which give fuller details of the areas examined by each task force will be placed in the Library of the House shortly.

  Environmental Technology
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all his schemes and services for the promotion of environmental technology that are current together with the expenditure on, and projects supported by, each scheme or service estimated up to 1 April.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade announced on 7 December 1993,Official Report, column 149, a joint programme with the Department of the Environment aimed at encouraging the adoption by industry of best practice in environmental technology and techniques. The Department, in association with the DoE, is currently developing this programme which will be launched later in 1994. The Department will be contributing £11 million to this £16 million programme which is due to run for five years. The programme will concentrate on the provision and delivery of information to industry rather than on grant assistance. It will build on the experience of grant schemes to support research and demonstration of innovative environmental technology which closed to new applications during 1993.

  Petrol
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will bring forward measures requiring petrol producers to reformulate petrol by removing aromatics.
  202
  Mr. Eggar
  I have no such plans at present.

  Multilateral Trade Organisation
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the operation of the dispute settlement panel which will be invoked under the agreement establishing the Multilateral Trade Organisation where a member state fails to bring a measure found to be inconsistent with a covered agreement into compliance.

  Mr. Needham
  Dispute settlement panels in the proposed World Trade Organisation dispute settlement system will provide expert arbitration on disputed rights and obligations between members of the WTO. In circumstances where, following dispute settlement proceedings, a WTO member failed to bring a measure into conformity with its obligations, the member would be able to offer compensatory market access, or face retaliation by the aggrieved member. Both compensation and retaliation would be proportional to the impairment involved.

  International Telephone Services
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) under what provision Oftel may(a) regulate international call charges levied by United Kingdom telephone companies and (b) make representations to overseas telephone companies about false-answer defects; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what plans he has to ensure that the level of international telephone call charges and related matters are subject to regular scrutiny;

  (3) what discussions he has had with United Kingdom telephone companies about appropriate action to warn their customers making calls to certain Asian and African countries of the charges arising from false-answer defects; and if he will encourage United Kingdom telephone companies to tell customers how to claim refunds when they are charged for international calls not made;

  (4) which Asian and African countries have telephone systems which result in United Kingdom telephone companies charging customers for international calls not made because of false-answer defects; and with which Ministers of which of these countries he has held or proposes to hold talks about the problem.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has had no representations on this matter. The resolution of inaccurate billing resulting from calls that are not completed but that accrue charges because of a defect in equipment at the far end is a commercial matter for BT and Mercury. Customers should contact BT and Mercury in the first instance. Where customers are not satisfied with the redress they receive from companies they contact Oftel.

  Oftel received less than a dozen complaints on this matter between October 1992 and June 1993, including calls to Nigeria and Pakistan. The problem does not affect more than a small proportion of the calls to the countries concerned. In the normal course of events United Kingdom telephone operators cannot detect the problem until alerted by customers, who are able to do so because of itemised billing. They have, however, made representations to telecommunications operators in the countries concerned.

  Both companies have been quick to rectify genuine mistakes in bills resulting from these faults and have made good-will payments to customers. Oftel and my

  203
  Department have not become involved in these commercial matters. In cases where customers have been refunded as a result of billing errors, BT and Mercury have nevertheless had to stand the loss resulting from having to make call delivery payments to operators at the far end.

  Under condition 24 of its licence, BT is subject to restriction of prices for a range of services which includes international telephone calls. At present this restriction stands at retail prices index minus 7·5 per cent. This formula is next due for review in 1997. BT demonstrates to Oftel that it is complying with price restriction on the basis of a methodology agreed with Oftel.

  Disabled Employees
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many registered disabled people are employed in his Department; and what percentage this is of the total.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the magazine "Independent", which published the annual disability report in its issue of Friday 18 March 1994, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  Dry Cleaning Fluids
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what help his Department has given to Master Services Group (Leather Master) to develop hydro-carbon technology;

  (2) what steps the Government have taken to encourage the development of safe substitutes for dry cleaning fluids.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The DTI is supporting two projects to encourage the development of safe substitutes for dry cleaning fluids. These are:

  (i) a project under the environmental management options scheme DEMOS lead by Master Services Group with a grant of £134,332 over 13 months to support the research and development of a hydrocarbon non-halogenated fluid; and

  (ii) an award of £45,000 made under the small firms merit award for research and technology to assist a project lead by ECO Cleansing Products, aimed at combing the use of a new solvent with ultrasound and de-humidification chambers.

  Property Purchases
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether Her Majesty's Government have been asked by the Commission of the European Communities to comment upon the principal report by Wilde Sapte and Maclay Murray and Spens, entitled "Information and Protection of Transactions concerning Immovable Property Purchased by Consumers", which it commissioned; and what his policy is on the conclusions of that report;

  (2) what information he has concerning the conclusions of the report "Information and Protection of Transactions concerning Immovable Property Purchased by Consumers" which was commissioned by the Commission of the European Communities and received by the Commission in August 1993; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what consultations with industry have been undertaken by his Department in connection with the report "Information and Protection of Transactions concerning Immovable Property Purchased by Consumers" commissioned by the Commission of the European Communities; and if he will make a statement;
  204
  (4) what recent representations he has received from (a) the House Builders Federation, (b) the Manufacturing and Construction Industries Alliance and (c) other bodies concerning the report "Information and Protection of Transactions concerning Immovable Property Purchased by Consumers" which was commissioned by the Commission of the European Communities; and if he will make a statement;

  (5) if he will make a statement indicating the position of Her Majesty's Government on those provisions of the report "Information and Protection of Transactions concerning Immovable Property Purchased by Consumers" which deal with (a) legal advice given to purchasers of property, (b) standard contracts used by developers, (c) the use of technical reports from surveyors, and (d) the time scale of property purchase and local authority searches; and to what extent in each case the proposals are consistent with his Department's deregulation initiative;

  (6) if he will make a statement indicating the position of Her Majesty's Government on those provisions of the report "Information and Protection of Transactions concerning Immovable Property Purchased by Consumers" which deal with (a) financial advice on the purchase of property, (b) provision of information concerning planning issues, (c) taxation associated with property transfer, (d) secure deposit holding schemes, (e) arrangements for purchase of property off plan and prior to construction, (f) arrangements for land registration, (g) curbs on the ability of vendors to negotiate with more than one potential purchaser, (h) further regulation of estate agents and mortgage arrangers, (i) further requirements on the disclosure by advisers of their relationship with others and (j) further restrictions on the content of property advertising; and to what extent in each case the proposals are consistent with his Department's deregulation initiative;

  (7) if he will make a statement indicating the position of Her Majesty's Government on those provisions of the report "Information and Protection of Transactions concerning Immovable Property purchased by Consumers" which deal with (a) further restrictions relating to guarantees of construction standard, (b) further regulation of joint ownership, leasehold and service charge arrangements, (c) creation of new pan-European bodies to regulate property purchase, (d) proposals to prevent market dominance by building societies and banks in lending for property purchase and (e) attempts to limit commission rates for sale of property; and to what extent in each case the proposals are consistent with his Department's deregulation initiative.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answers 21 March 1994]: My Department has received from a trade association a copy of this report to the European Commission. It has not been asked by the Commission to comment nor consulted industry, though representations have been received from the House Builders Federation. It is important that, if consideration is given to Community legislation on property transactions, full account is taken of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality and of the need to avoid imposing unnecessary burdens on business. This view will be communicated to the Commission.
  205

  Textile Outputs
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) by what percentage output of worsted yarn changed between 1987 and 1992 in(a) the United Kingdom, (b) Germany, (c) France and (d) Italy; if he will publish a table showing United Kingdom production, imports, exports and consumption of worsted yarn in 1970, 1979, 1987 and 1992, together with the numbers employed in the United Kingdom industry; and when he expects United Kingdom output to reach the 1987 level;

  (2) what was the percentage change in the level of output of cotton cloth between 1988 and 1992 in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy; if he will publish a table showing United Kingdom production, imports, exports and consumption of cotton cloth in 1970, 1979, 1988 and 1992, together with the numbers employed in the United Kingdom industry; and when he expects United Kingdom output to reach the 1988 level;

  (3) what was the United Kingdom output of tufted carpets between 1988 and 1992 and the corresponding figure for Germany, France and Italy; if he will list United Kingdom production, imports, exports and consumption of tufted carpets in 1970, 1979, 1988 and 1992 together with the numbers employed in the United Kingdom industry; and when he expects United Kingdom output to equal the 1988 level;

  (4) what was the United Kingdom output of weatherproof outerwear in each year since 1988 and the corresponding figure for Germany, France and Italy; if he will list United Kingdom production, imports, exports and consumption of waterproof outerwear in 1970, 1979, 1988 and 1992 together with the numbers employed in the United Kingdom industry; and when he expects United Kingdom output to equal the 1988 level;

  (5) what were the percentage changes in the output of footwear between 1987 and 1991 in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy; if he will publish a table showing United Kingdom production, imports, exports and consumption of footwear in 1970, 1979, 1987 and 1992, together with the numbers employed in the United Kingdom industry; and when he expects United Kingdom output to reach the 1987 level;

  (6) what was the United Kingdom output of woven carpets with yarn containing 50 per cent. or more by weight of wool between 1989 and 1992; what were the corresponding figures for Germany, France and Italy; if he will publish a table showing United Kingdom production, imports, exports and consumption of such carpets in 1970, 1979, 1989 and 1992 together with the numbers employed in the United Kingdom industry; and when he expects United Kingdom output to reach the 1989 level;

  (7) what was the percentage change in the output of worsted cloth between 1987 and 1992 in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Germany, (c) France and (d) Italy; if he will publish a table showing United Kingdom production, imports, exports and consumption of worsted cloth in 1970, 1979, 1987 and 1992, together with the numbers employed in the United Kingdom industry; and when he expects United Kingdom output to reach the 1987 level;

  (8) what was the United Kingdom output of clothing, hats and gloves in each year since 1988; what were the corresponding figures for Germany, France and Italy; if he will list United Kingdom production, imports, exports and consumption of clothing, hats and gloves in 1970, 1979,
  206
  1988 and 1992 together with the numbers employed in the United Kingdom industry; and when he expects United Kingdom output to equal the 1988 level;

  (9) what was the change in United Kingdom output of men's and boys' tailored outerwear between 1988 and 1992 with the corresponding figure for Germany, France and Italy; if he will list United Kingdom production, imports, exports and consumption of such outerwear in 1970, 1979, 1988 and 1992 together with the numbers employed in the United Kingdom industry; and when he expects United Kingdom' output to equal the 1988 level;

  (10) by how much output of cotton yarn other than waste yarn changed between 1988 and 1992 for the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy; if he will publish a table showing United Kingdom production, imports, exports and consumption of cotton yarn in 1970, 1979, 1988 and 1992, together with the numbers employed in the United Kingdom industry; and when he expects United Kingdom output to reach 1988 levels;

  (11) what was the change in United Kingdom output of textiles between 1988 and 1992 with the corresponding figure for Germany, France and Italy; if he will list United Kingdom production, imports, exports and consumption of textile yarn in 1970, 1979, 1988 and 1992 together with the numbers employed; and when he expects United Kingdom output to equal the 1988 level;

  (12) if he will make a statement on the scale of the output of wool cloth in the United Kingdom compared with the corresponding figures for Italy and France in 1993; and if he will publish a table showing the corresponding percentages for 1973 and 1979 together with, for each of the three years (i) production imports, exports and consumption of wool cloth by each of the three countries and (ii) United Kingdom imports from and exports of wool cloth to each of the other three countries.

  Mr. Needham
  The available information may be found in the "Annual Abstract of Statistics", the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics", publications in the Business Monitors series, the Employment Gazette, the United Nations "Industrial Statistics Yearbook" and "Monthly Bulletin of Statistics", and the "Textiles Bulletin". Data are also available from the Central Statistical Office's central shared database, and from Eurostat's CRONOS database. All of the above data sources are in the Library of the House.

  Manufacturing Trade
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the change in the level of United Kingdom imports of semi-manufactures since 1970, and the change in the level of exports; what were the corresponding figures for imports and exports from the EEC Twelve; what was the corresponding increase in the United Kingdom output, in import penetration, and in the import content of United Kingdom output of finished manufactures; and how many manufacturing jobs were lost as a consequence.

  Mr. Needham
  Information on United Kingdom visible trade is regularly published in "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom". Copies of this publication are available in the Library of the House. Semi-manufactures are defined by sections 5 and 6 of the standard international trade classification.
  207
  Owing to major difference between the industrial and trade classifications, it is not possible to provide comparable information on United Kingdom production and employment.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table showing the percentage change since United Kingdom entry into the EEC of the United Kingdom, French and Italian shares of exports of manufactures by the main manufacturing countries and the reasons for the difference in performance.

  Mr. Needham
  The information can be readily derived from table E2 of the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics", published by the Central Statistical Office, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. The Department has not undertaken a study of the reasons for the difference in manufactures export share between the United Kingdom, France and Italy since United Kingdom entry into the EEC.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table showing the increase in each quarter since the third quarter of 1992, taking that quarter as a base equal to 100, in export unit values for finished manufacturers shipped to the rest of the EC and to the rest of the world together with the increase in the nominal exchange rate against the ecu and non-ecu currencies.

  Mr. Needham
  Unit values for exports to EC and non-EC countries, with 1990 as a base, are available from the Central Statistical Office central shared database, access to which is available in the Library of the House. Reweighting to a different base period would entail disproportionate cost.

  The sterling exchange rate against the ecu is also available from the database. A single exchange rate of sterling against non-ecu currencies is not readily available. The International Monetary Fund publishes details of US dollar exchange rates against other currencies in "International Financial Statistics", which is available in the Library of the House.

  Registrations of new cars in the United Kingdom by country of origin

  February 1994

  February 1993

  New cars

  Percentage

  New cars

  Percentage

  EC

  129,054

  88·57

  109,012

  85·85

  of which France

  21,197

  14·55

  18,672

  14·70

  Germany

  17,473

  11·98

  15,605

  12·29

  Italy

  3,216

  2·20

  2,880

  2·27

  Spain

  10,826

  7·43

  5,068

  3·99

  United Kingdom

  61,864

  42·45

  58,689

  46·22

  EFTA

  1,746

  1·20

  1,475

  1·16

  Other West European

  0

  0·00

  21

  0·02

  Eastern Europe

  2,516

  1·73

  968

  0·76

  Japan

  9,398

  6·45

  12,297

  9·68

  Other Countries

  2,996

  2·06

  3,211

  2·53

  Total imports

  83,846

  57·54

  68,295

  53·78

  TOTAL

  145,710

  100·00

  126,984

  100·00

  Source: Monthly Registrations Press release published by The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited.

  208

  Manufacturing Exports
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the change in the United Kingdom share of the volume of exports of manufactures by the main manufacturing countries since 1990; and if he will publish the latest three months' figures for the change in value since 1970 for the United Kingdom and those countries.

  Mr. Needham
  The information can be readily derived from table El of the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics", published by the Central Statistical Office, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Information on the latest three months' change in the value of exports manufactures by the United Kingdom and the main manufacturing countries is not readily available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Intermediate Goods
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the change in United Kingdom output of intermediate goods since 1985; what is his estimate of the corresponding change in the volume of imports and exports; and what is the implied change in import penetration.

  Mr. Needham
  Information on United Kingdom output and trade for intermediate goods is available from the Central Statistical Office central shared database, access to which is available in the Library of the House. There are, however, significant differences between the output and trade classifications. A reliable measure of import penetration is therefore not available.

  Car Market
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the import share of the United Kingdom car market in February; which countries gained most from the change compared to last year; what was the movement in the rate of exchange during those 12 months; and if he will make a statement indicating why the share changed.

  Mr. Needham
  The information regarding the import share of the United Kingdom car market is in the table:
  209
  Information on the rate of exchange is regularly published in table 7.1A of the Central Statistical Office's "Financial Statistics", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Trade in the motor industry is determined by market forces and consumer preference. New car sales in Europe as a whole are still depressed, and manufacturers are stepping up their efforts in the United Kingdom, which is currently one of the few expanding markets available. The number of United Kingdom-produced cars registered in February 1994 was still 5·4 per cent. higher than that of February 1993.

  Overseas Trade
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will publish a table showing(a) the ratio of imports of textiles to home demand in 1968, 1973, 1979, 1988, 1992 and his estimate for 1993, (b) the corresponding ratios for imports from the EEC, (c) output and employment in the United Kingdom industry and (d) the change since 1988 in the value and volume of (i) United Kingdom output and (ii) imports of textiles from (1) the rest of the EEC and (2) all sources;

  (2) if he will publish a table showing (a) the ratio of imports of footwear and clothing to home demand in 1968, 1973, 1979, 1988, 1992 and his estimate for 1993, (b) the corresponding ratios for imports from the rest of the EEC, (c) output and employment in the United Kingdom industry and (d) the change since 1988 in the value and volume of (i) United Kingdom output and (ii) imports of such products from (1) the EEC and (2) all sources;

  (3) if he will publish a table showing (a) the ratio of imports of motor vehicles and parts to home demand in 1968, 1973, 1979, 1988, 1992 and his estimate for 1993, (b) the corresponding ratios for imports from the EEC, (c) output and employment in the United Kingdom industry and (d) the change since 1988 in the value and volume of (i) United Kingdom output and (ii) imports of such products from (1) the EEC and (2) all sources;

  (4) if he will publish a table showing (a) the ratio of imports of chemicals to home demand in 1968, 1973, 1979, 1988, 1992 and his estimate for 1993, (b) the corresponding ratios for imports from the EEC, (c) output and employment in the United Kingdom industry and (d) the change since 1988 in the value and volume of (i) United Kingdom output and (ii) imports of such products from (1) the rest of the EEC and (2) all sources;

  (5) if he will publish a table showing (a) the ratio of imports of electrical and electronic engineering products to home demand in 1968, 1973, 1979, 1988, 1992 and his estimate for 1993, (b) the corresponding ratios for imports from the EEC, (c) output and employment in the United Kingdom industry and (d) the change since 1988 in the value and volume of (i) United Kingdom output and (ii) imports of such products from (1) the rest of the EEC and (2) all sources;

  (6) if he will publish a table showing (a) the ratio of imports of office machinery and automatic data processing equipment to home demand in 1968, 1973, 1979, 1988, 1992 and his estimate for 1993, (b) the corresponding ratios for imports from the EEC, (c) output and employment in the United Kingdom industry and (d) the change since 1988 in the value and volume of (i) United Kingdom output and (ii) imports of such products from (1) the rest of the EEC and (2) all sources;
  210
  (7) if he will publish a table showing (a) the ratio of imports of mechanical engineering products to home demand in 1968, 1973, 1979, 1988, 1992 and his estimate for 1993, (b) the corresponding ratios for imports from the EEC, (c) output and employment in the United Kingdom industry and (d) the change since 1988 in the value and volume of (i) United Kingdom output and (ii) imports of such products from (1) the rest of the EEC and (2) all sources.

  Mr. Needham
  No. The available information may be found in the "Annual Abstract of Statistics", the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics", publications in the Business Monitors series, the Employment Gazette, the "Engineering Sales and Orders Digest", and the "Textiles Bulletin". Data are also available from the Central Statistical Office's central shared database, from Eurostat's CRONOS database, and from the Chemical Industries Association's "Basic International Chemical Industry Statistics". All the above data sources are in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he will publish a table showing for trade with non-EEC countries the volume of imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the relative volume for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990, each quarter from the beginning of 1992 to mid-1993 on the basis of trade in 1985;

  (2) if he will publish a table showing for trade with the rest of the EEC unit values for imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the terms of trade for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990 and each quarter from the beginning of 1992 to mid-1993 on the basis of trade in 1985;

  (3) whether he will publish a table showing for trade with the rest of the EEC the volume of imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the relative volume for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990 and each quarter from the beginning of 1992 to mid-1993 on the basis of trade in 1985;

  (4) whether he will publish a table showing unit values for imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the terms of trade for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990, each quarter from the beginning of 1992 to mid-1993 on the basis of trade in 1985;

  (5) whether he will publish a table showing the volume of imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the relative volume for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990 and each quarter from the beginning of 1992 to mid-1993 on the basis of trade in 1985;

  (6) if he will publish a table showing for trade with non-EEC countries the unit values for imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the terms of trade for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990 and each quarter from the beginning of 1992 to mid-1993 on the basis of trade in 1985.
  211
  Mr. Needham
  Information on whole world trade on the basis of trade in 1985 was last published in "First Release, UK Balance of Payments—Current Account in December, CSO(92)11", by the Central Statistical Office on 28 January 1993. Information prior to 1991 for whole world data can be found from earlier press releases.

  Information for non-EC countries was first published in "First Release, UK Balance of Trade with countries outside the European Community in January, CSO(93)27. Prior to this information on whole world data was not split into EC and non-EC data. Information on non-EC trade was last published in "First Release, Balance of Trade with countries outside the EC—June 1993, CSO(93)100". Press releases after this date used the 1990 basis.

  Copies of all the above publications are available in the Library of the House.

  Separate information on EC data is not available.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will publish a table showing the volume of imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the relative volume for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990, each quarter from the beginning of 1992 and the latest three months on the basis of trade in 1990;

  (2) whether he will publish a table showing for trade with the rest of the EEC unit values for imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the terms of trade for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990, each quarter from the beginning of 1992 and the latest three months on the basis of trade in 1990;

  (3) if he will publish a table showing unit values for imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the terms of trade for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990, each quarter from the beginning of 1992 and the latest three months on the basis of trade in 1990;

  (4) whether he will publish a table showing for trade with the rest of the EEC the volume of imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the relative volume for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990, each quarter from the beginning of 1992 and the latest three months on the basis of trade in 1990;

  (5) whether he will publish a table showing for trade with non-EC countries the unit values for import; and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the terms of trade for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990, each quarter from the beginning of 1992 and the latest three months on the basis of trade in 1990;

  (6) if he will publish a table showing for trade with non-EC countries the volume of imports and exports of semi-manufactures, finished manufactures and all manufactures together with the relative volume for each year from 1987, for the first quarter of 1987, the third quarter of 1990, each quarter from the beginning of 1992 and the latest three months on the basis of trade in 1990.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is available from the Central Statistical Office central shared database, access to which is available in the Library of the House. Information 212
  for whole world trade is available from 1970 onwards. Information for EC and non-EC trade is available from 1988 onwards.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with Taiwan in(a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the real exchange rate in each of these years; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

  (2) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures less diamonds with Belgium in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those years; what was the real exchange rate in each of these years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

  (3) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with China in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those years; what was the real exchange rate in each of these years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

  (4) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with Germany in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those years; what was the real exchange rate in each of these years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

  (5) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with France in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those years; what was the real exchange rate in each of these years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

  (6) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with Indonesia in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those years; what was the real exchange rate in each of these years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

  (7) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with Italy in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of these years; what was the real exchange rate in each of those years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

  (8) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with Russia in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those years; what was the real exchange rate in each of those years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

  (9) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with the Netherlands in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of

  213
  these years; what was the real exchange rate in each of those years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

  (10) what was the import to export ratio for trade in manufactures with Germany in 1993 to the latest available date and what was the corresponding surplus or deficit; what were the figures for 1970, 1979 and 1985 and the corresponding level of the real exchange rate compared to 1993; and if he will list the principal surpluses and deficits in 1993 together with the reasons therefor:

  (11) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with Brunei in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those years; what was the real exchange rate in each of these years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them;

  (12) what was the ratio of imports to exports for trade in manufactures with Singapore in (a) 1970, (b) 1979, (c) 1985 and (d) 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available; what was the surplus or deficit in each of those three years; what was the real exchange rate in each of these years; what were the principal (i) surpluses and (ii) deficits in 1993; and what were the reasons for them.

  Mr. Needham
  Information on United Kingdom trade in manufactures, defined in sections 5 to 8 of the standard international trade classification, is published regularly by the Central Statistical Office in the "Overseas Trade Statistics" of the United Kingdom.

  Since the beginning of 1993, the publication appears in two parts: "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom with countries outside the European Community (Extra-EC Trade)", and "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom with countries within the European Community (Extra-EC Trade: Intrastat)". These publications are available from the Library of the House.

  Belgium and Luxembourg are treated as a single economic unit; separate figures for the two are not available. Information on United Kingdom imports of diamonds from Belgium-Luxembourg is commercially confidential.

  For statistical purposes, the former German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany were combined, as Germany, since 1991.

  Information on real exchange rates is not available.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the export figures of manufactures in the three months to November 1993 and the corresponding figures for the same period in 1990 for the United Kingdom and the other main manufacturing countries.

  Mr. Needham
  Information on United Kingdom exports of manufactures in the three months to November 1993 is available via the Central Statistical Office database, which can be accessed from the Library of the House. The corresponding information for the main manufacturing countries is not readily available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost. The 1990 information is published by the CSO in "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics" February 1993, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the(a) United Kingdom, (b) German
  214
  and (c) French share of 3Q1992 exports of manufactures by the main manufacturing countries in the third quarter of 1992.

  Mr. Needham
  The information requested can be found in table E2 of the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics" February 1993, published by the CSO, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made as to the extent to which the standstill since 1990 on the price of semi-manufactures imported from non-EC countries has contributed to the change of 6 per cent. in the United Kingdom of intermediate goods over the same period.

  Mr. Needham
  The Department has not undertaken such a study.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the levels of United Kingdom exports of commercial vehicles weighing over 7·5 tonnes between 1988 and 1992; what was the level of exports from Germany, Italy, Sweden, Spain and France in those years; and which countries accounted for the change in the level of United Kingdom exports.

  Mr. Needham
  Information on the level of United Kingdom exports by country of commercial vehicles weighing over 7·5 tonnes can be readily derived from information in table 62 of "Motor Industry of Great Britain —World Automotive Statistics", published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd., a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  The information for Germany, Italy, Sweden, Spain and France could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the volume of semi-manufactures imported from non-EEC countries in the three months to the end of January and how this is affected by the change since 1990 of the nominal exchange rate for sterling against the currencies of those countries; what was the increase in the case of imported semi-manufactures(a) used in producing manufactures other than food, drink and tobacco and (b) which compete directly or indirectly with home-produced goods; and what was the consequential increase in the import content of goods manufactured in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Needham
  Information on the volume of semi-manufactures imported for non-EC countries in the three months to January 1994 was published by the Central Statistical Office in "First Release CSO(94)38, Balance of Trade with Countries Outside the EC—January 1994". The release is available in the Library of the House.

  An exchange rate for sterling against non-EC currencies is not readily available. Nominal exchange rates against the US dollar are published regularly by the International Monetary Fund in "International Financial Statistics". The publication is available in the Library of the House. It is not possible to isolate the effect of exchange rates on imports from other factors.

  The increase in the volume of semi-manufactures used in producing manufactures other than food, drink and tobacco could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. All imports compete directly or indirectly with home-produced goods. The import content of goods manufactured in the United Kindom cannot be identified.
  215
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the United Kingdom output of passenger cars in 1991 in comparison with that of Spain; what was the balance of trade and the ratio of exports to imports in that year between Spain and the United Kingdom in(a) cars and (b) components; and what assessment he has made as to the local content of cars produced in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Spain.

  Mr. Needham
  The available data are published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd. in "Motor Industry of Great Britain 1992—World Automotive Statistics". Data for United Kingdom and Spanish output of passenger cars can be found in table 12. United Kingdom exports of passenger cars and parts and accessories to Spain are in table 60. The corresponding table for imports is table 89. This publication is available in the Library of the House.

  The Government have a long-standing practice of establishing understandings on local, European content with major inward investors in the vehicles sector, which are monitored regularly. The local content of cars produced in the United Kingdom by the major Japanese manufacturers is currently 70 per cent. or more. Information about the local content of cars produced in Spain is not available.

  Motor Industry
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the development of the British car industry in the Common Market since 1975 and the extent to which forecasts made at that time were fulfilled.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Relevant statistics relating to the development of the British motor industry can be found in the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders' annual publication "Motor Industry of Great Britain—World Automotive Statistics" which is held in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 23 February,Official Report, column 229, to what extent his Department is responsible for collecting information concerning the effect of the change in the terms of trade for manufactures on production and trade in motor cars; what steps had been taken by him or on his behalf to secure such information and with what result; what account will be taken of this matter in the following White Paper on competitiveness; what steps his Department has taken to obtain the information from trade organisations and academics specialising in the development of the car industry; and if he will now do so.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Data relating to international trade by the United Kingdom are collected by Customs and Excise and published by the Central Statistical Office. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders also publishes trade statistics calculated from the data collected by Customs and Excise. The CSO also compiles the producer price index for motor vehicles and parts thereof, but no separate index is published for motor cars alone. Data are not collected relating to the prices at which new cars are sold at retail distribution to final buyers within the United Kingdom.
  216
  The terms of trade of motor cars in international markets and their production are determined by market forces, including the competitiveness of individual car manufacturers.

  The White Paper on competitiveness will be presented to Parliament later this year.

  Auditors
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he will take to ensure that the auditing firms that audit public limited companies will be required to file annual accounts and other information with the appropriate supervisory body.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I have no plans to introduce such a requirement.

  An auditor which is a company or an unregistered company within the meaning of the Companies Act 1985 is already subject to the disclosure requirements of that Act. With the exception of certain partnerships which are subject to the Partnerships and Unlimited Companies (Accounts) Regulations 1993, unincorporated bodies are not required to publish accounts.

  Liquidators' Fees
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what have been the total fees of the liquidators associated with(a) Polly Peck, (b) the Bank of Credit and Commerce International and (c) the Maxwell Group of companies.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  My Department does not have this information.

  Time Zones
  Dame Angela Rumbold
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how he intends to proceed upon the deregulation task forces' recommendation that the United Kingdom should harmonise its time with that of Europe following his Department's decision not to use the procedures of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Bill.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have been asked to reply.

  We are taking the views of the transport and communications task force into account in our considera-tion of policy on future summer time arrangements, which we hope to bring to a conclusion soon.

  Radio Spectrum Review Committee
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he will publish the report of the stage 3 radio spectrum review committee; and if he will make a statement on the future management of the radio spectrum.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1994, c. 336–37]. The consultative document has been published today and I have placed copies in the Library of the House.

  The document seeks views on how to manage the spectrum to maximise the economic benefit derived from it while preserving access by the armed forces, the emergency services and the widest range of other users, such as the scientific community and hobbyists. It envisages an extended role for the private sector in planning the spectrum and assigning frequencies, with the Radiocommunications Agency retaining responsibility for a number of core functions that need to be performed by Government.
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  The document also proposes changes to the basis of charging for access to the spectrum to clarify the choices facing radio users. At present, the licence fees paid by radio users give little incentive to use spectrum efficiently. The development of a secondary market in spectrum access rights and selective auctions would enable the value of the spectrum to be better reflected in pricing and make it easier for new users to gain access to spectrum.

  Indonesia
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to stop arms sales to Indonesia.

  Mr. Needham
  No. All applications for export licences for arms are subject to rigorous scrutiny on a case-by-case basis.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Attorney-General how many public interest immunity certificates were signed in each year since 1964.

  The Attorney-General
  I understand that no central records have been kept.

  As to the signing of certificates by the Law Officers, I refer my hon. and learned Friend to the answer that I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker), Official Report, column 13. We do not have any records for any earlier period.

  Disabled Employees
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Attorney-General how many registered disabled people are employed in his Department; and what percentage this is of the total.
  218
  The Attorney-General
  The number of registered disabled people employed by the departments for which I am responsible is set out in the table.

  The Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office and the Treasury Solicitor's Department also employ people with disabilities who are not registered, but the numbers are not readily available.

  Each of the Law Officers departments is an equal opportunities employer.

  Department

  Registered disabled people

  Percentage of total workforce

  Legal secretariat to the Law Officers

  —

  —

  Crown Prosecution Service

  38

  0·6

  Serious Fraud Office

  —

  —

  Treasury Solicitor's Department

  11

  2·0

  Open Government
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Attorney-General what will be the implications for the operation of his Department of the code of practice on open government.

  The Attorney-General
  In respect of the departments for which I have responsibility, the code of practice directly applies only to the Treasury Solicitor's Department. The Department is currently preparing a procedure for compliance with the code which will reinforce and build on existing arrangements for the provision of information. The Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office will seek voluntarily to comply with the code so far as possible.

  RECONVICTIONS: STATISTICS
  RECONVICTIONS: STATISTICS
  LEGAL EDUCATION AND CONDUCT: ADVISORY COMMITTEE
  LEGAL EDUCATION AND CONDUCT: ADVISORY COMMITTEE
  SECONDARY SCHOOLS: STATISTICS
  SECONDARY SCHOOLS: STATISTICS